puffmaru-RCU

Tower is OK, but be careful in your ordering. Seven or eight years ago I wanted to buy the new Fox .46 engine that had just come out. I entered a carefully typewritten order accuratly and fully describing the engine. I included the correct price with the order. But I made the dumb mistake of using the catalog number for the next line item in the catalog, which was the Fox .40 BB engine, which was $30 cheaper, and which I did not want. It was my mistake, but no one at Tower questioned the descrepency between the description, the price, and the catalog number. So they shipped me the Fox .40, that I did not want. And they kept the extra $30. Later on they did issue me a credit for $30 (which I've never used). They could not understand that my problem was not the $30, but with receiving an engine I did not want vs. one that I did want. The unwanted engine is still in the original box in my shop. Much more recently I got brave and bought the little $15 card that shows your battery condition. Their catalog says that it "plugs into any receiver channel". I should have known better. It plugs into any Futaba receiver channel. I happened to be using Airtronics. When I called about this they offered to sell me an Airtronics connector. Since I have no crimping tools, it was a useless offer. I admit that their delivery on orders is swift. But be very careful on what you are ordering. You are dealing with a bunch of warehouse workers that have no understanding of the product they are shipping.
Puff

Hossfly

>>>>>>>>
SNIP // Their catalog says that it "plugs into any receiver channel". I should have known better. It plugs into any Futaba receiver channel. I happened to be using Airtronics. When I called about this they offered to sell me an Airtronics connector. Since I have no crimping tools, it was a useless offer. I admit that their delivery on orders is swift. But be very careful on what you are ordering. You are dealing with a bunch of warehouse workers that have no understanding of the product they are shipping.
Puff

Bolivian Condor

thanks for your advice Eugor....

I asked my friend, who lives in Miami, to re-check with the Hotel and Following your advice, I sent a Fax to Tower explaining my problems. I look forward to hear their answer.
I think that TH is a serious company and will solve this issue soon...
I will keep you informed....

Bolivian Condor

puffmaru-RCU

Hossfly,
I sure don't want to dwell this issue, but a couple of comments are in order.

If the workers are indeed college students, then they surely should be bright enough to recognize that there is something wrong with an order where the price, description, and catalog number do not match. If they do recognize this, and ship "something", rather than resolving the discrepency, they have a bad attitude problem. Or, their management does.

The misleading catalog copy on the battery card has been there for at least five years that I know of, and never been fixed. How many people have bought the card and found it unusable as received? I assure you I am capable of fixing it, but why should I have to?
Puff

airbatic

Tower Hobbies derives its superiority from me. I tolerate no error.

Kraus

TailDraggin

My Feedback: (5)

From the "Tech Notes" section of the Volt Watch page on Tower's website (emphasis added)...

" This is the VoltWatch On-Board Receiver Battery Monitor For
*4.8v* Receiver Packs for Radio Controlled Airplanes.
This mounts on the outside of the airplane, so you can see at a glance
the status of the receiver battery mounted inside the airplane.

FEATURES: 7-LEDs provide instant, accurate battery voltage status of Low, Safe, or Max. Only one light at a time glows. (see COMMENTS) Very lightweight, only 1/10 oz - unit can be mounted on the side of the fuselage, or under the plane's canopy. Draws amazingly low current - less than 10mA. Plugs into any open receiver channel using a Futaba J connector.

INCLUDES: One VoltWatch On-Board Receiver Battery Monitor w/Futaba J connector

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Not to agree or dissagree, but you sent them a description and a product number. Chances are very high that they entered the item number and didn't even look at the description. They are a large business. They probably figure you can figure out the item number and went on that. I don't get why they didn't make the correct change, but if they had sent me the wrong engine, I sure as heck wouldn't have thrown it in a drawer and been ticked about the shortage of the change. I would have called them and explained the problem and had the engine I wanted in a couple days and sent this one back.

You have to take care of yourself in this world. noone is going to do it for you.

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

These days, I would ONLY order through the Tower online system, for the simple reason that I get immediate confirmation of what I ordered. Then if there is a mistake, the record is there to place fault either way.

Faulting Tower for not catching and correcting your error is asking a little too much for any large size mail order business.

I guess it wouldn't hurt to say that I've also been a perfectly happy Tower customer all through the years. Every problem with them has always worked out in my favor, too.

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

My hats off to you for your altruism. I'm not ashamed to say that I probably would have just quietly and gladly kept the extra engine.

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

Wow. I am amazed at how small a price you put on your integrity, and how willing you are to advertise it.

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

Well, apparently my attempt at sarcasm is worth even less than my integrity.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Volfy, thought about it, just couldn't do it. Damn the conscience anyway!

Teachu2

My Feedback: (133)

Volfy - I apologize. I couldn't see your tongue in your cheek on this tiny monitor! I must be getting cynical from working with teens too much....they think anything is OK as long as they don't get caught.

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

Hey Trent, no aoplogies necessary. I know what you mean about teens. A good friend of mine has a son that works part time at the local Walmart as a "security advisor". He tells all kinds of stories about all the self-help shopping techniques people (many of them teens) pull on the store. To test the store's security effectiveness, he sometimes pretends to be a shop lifter (he coordinates with the store manager before hand, of course). One time, he first bought a stick of gum, and then walked back into the store to grab a big bag full of expensive stuff. He then walzed through the front door and promptly triggered the alarm. When the Walmart security person came to check him out, he just showed her the receipt with the single item on it - one stick of gum. The security person took a brief look at the receipt, waved him pass with a smile, and said "Oh, that stupid alarm goes off all the time!"

puffmaru-RCU

Taildraggin,
Please look at the latest Tower Catalog, good thru June 30, 2003. Between P.42 and P.43 there is a Black and White, two page insert. This contains the order form, and advertises a number of products. The front of the first page pushes the Hobbico Voltwatch RX Battery Monitor. The ad copy says "It plugs into any open receiver channel." The stock number is TY3383. This ad has been running for years.

Now, when I first brought up the subject I said "I should have known better". That is still true. I agree with all the others that responded--basically that the first rule is "buyer beware".
Puff

Fishstyx

My Feedback: (15)

I often buy from Tower and even more often use them as a benchmark for price. They have great product information on their site.

Jason

Personal Experience:
I ordered a bunch of stuff including a large bottle of CA accelerator. Whe the package arrived, the bottle was mysteriously empty. All that was left was a faint odor of the accelerator making its way to freedom. Anyway, they replaced the bottle, no questions asked, no hassle.

Bolivian Condor

Finally, this afternoon I received a response from Tower!!!.
They have recognized that USPS lost my merchandise. Therefore, they will reimburse the cost to my credit card.
They asked me to place my order again.
At least I got my money back...I hope...

Bolivian Condor

usagi

Gesh I sory to hear you had problems with them..........But atleast you gor your money back.

TailDraggin

My Feedback: (5)

Thanks for pointing out the source of your info. I have the catalog, but hadn't read that section.
I have come to depend on the "Tech Notes" for products in their online catalog as an excellent source of accurate info.
My interest in this particular product is that I use one and like it, and was checking last week to see if it would work with a 6V Rx pack (it won't, which the tech notes clearly stated).
Sorry that this was a problem for you. I've trimmed so many "J-tabs" off connectors, that it's just a part of my normal installation routine.
If everybody would just switch to all Hitec gear, we wouldn't have a problem.

jchumley

My Feedback: (1)

I once ordered an engine from them in the future and had it sent to myself in the past. I got it just last week and received a thank you note from me tomorrow. Tower is amazing!

The engine is great too. Ronco thermodyn .61. Puts out 1.2 x 10 to the 14th horsepower and only weighs .61 oz.

Anyone know where I can get plutonium?

Jeff (just kidding... about the plutonium)

Volfy

My Feedback: (23)

You just missed it, pal. Tower had 15kg of highly enriched Pu244 for cheap in their Scratch & Dent section under "Fuel & Accessories". Great price with minor box damage only. You do have to pay the HazMat fee, though.

They even have matching delievery ordinance under the "Rockets" section, too. They were gone in half a day.

Okay, now I'm gonna get my door busted in tonight by DoHS Swat team.

stuk_at_work

My Feedback: (111)

Yes, but that was a "members only" offer.

Seriously, I put in at least 1-2 orders with them a month between personal purchases and raffle/fun fly prizes for my club. In the last year, I've had one line item missing, one item rec'd wrong, and a motor mount replaced from a kit 3 months after they shipped it to me (I build slow, there were 2 G.P. left hand motor mounts which I didn't discover until I got to that stage!). All replacement items were shipped out "rushed delivery", without hassles. The item that was shipped wrong I was told to keep, $13 worth of Midwest MicroCut balsa!

Roquewj

My Feedback: (4)

Bueno, te felicito!!!

Well, I am happy it all end the way it should.

Good luck and smooth landings.

Bolivian Condor

Gracias!!!!

Thanks for your support and advices Eugor.....

I am really looking forward to place my order again...

BC