harley6133

Beware of Spectrum. Just purchased a DX8 and DID NOT get the free advertised receivers deal that is on the back cover of AMA Model
Aviation magazine. Contacted Spectrum and they said it was the AMA's fault because they did not pull there add. Sounds like crap to me. I guess I will go back to Futaba.

ArchNemesis

Somewhat of a shameless plug, but if you're truly going to bail on the DX8, I'd HIGHLY suggest looking at the Airtronics SD-10G.  More features, better programming, solid FHSS 2.4 technology, at about the same price, with additional Rx's being MUCH cheaper.

allans

My Feedback: (11)

Shouldn't the AMA stand by the ad or shouldn't Spectrum make good on their offer ( and settle with the AMA later). Aren't truth in advertising issues here.

ira d

I just read the fine print in the add and it says Horizon reserves the right to change the terms of the offer or modfiy or end the offer at any time without notice.
I dont think that is the wayto do things but instead the promotion should have a start and end date and anyone who purchased a DX8within that time frame
should receive what is advertised or if they run out of the recivers they should make it up to the customer in some way.

pdm52956

My Feedback: (1)

And here I thought you had a problem with a radio..........instead you have a problem with a magazine!

karolh

Ah my friend, something like this would never have happened in years past, but welcome to the real world where the name of the game is catch, and you just got caught.

Karol

ira d

You are so right this appears to be a simple game of bait and switch.

SkidMan

My Feedback: (17)

Did you check into returning the transmitter?

I got in under the earlier promotion with two AR8000 receivers, but I called Horizon before I placed my order to ensure that they had them instock.

Paul

stevehookem

My Feedback: (2)

I'll give you $100 for that piece of junk DX8.

cjshaker

It was also irritating as hell to me. They've been advertising the hell out of the free RX, and then I could not order it through my local hobby shop. Their distributor told them they were all gone. Had to order it from another shop that had the RX combo package in stock, AMain Hobbies.

Chris Shaker

AndyKunz

Did you actually read the ad? Does "while supplies last" mean anything? I remember urging my Mom buy all the Cheerios she could so I could get the free model of a Pan Am 747 when they first came out, just to make sure I got one while supplies lasted.

Andy

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

I no longer work in advertising due to the slippery techniques used today. "While supplies last" means the seller can, and often does, cut off the promotion if it is working too well. It is basically a teaser to line up consumers for the "next" freebie with a purchase.

A start-stop date to a promotion is the proper way to treat customers and negates any negative issues for buyer/seller.

Must have starved your brain choking on Cheerios to give a customer that sort of response.

AndyKunz

Yup, the Cheerios were good. I still love them.

I think it would be unethical for a company to do what you suggest, and I can guarantee you that's not what happened here. Having a limited supply available isn't uncommon; I have done the same thing in the past when I was a manufacturer. Often at trade shows or events I would sell what I had on hand at a sale price. Quantities were limited. Sometimes one or two guys would buy me out on the first or second day. That was their ability as "early birds" to the event.

Andy

ira d

Having a product for sale and running out is one thing the worse that can happen is the pontential customer gets to keep his money, But
running a promotion where you have to buy product#1in order to get product #2is a whole different thing. Like Dick said and I also said
early in the thread all promotions should go by date as to startand ending of the promotion,Any other way andit begains to look like a bait
and switchdeal.

cjshaker

Yes, I did read the ad, and I asked my local hobby shop to get me one with the free receivers soon after I started to see the ads. You'll note that I did secure one from another dealer that contained the free receivers.

I also will mention that my DX8 has a line of what appears to be glue on the display, too, which was UNDER the protective screen cover plastic. Pissed me off to have that happen on a brand new radio.

I also have a DX-18 on order from my local hobby shop, D's Hobbies, in Bend, OR.

Chris Shaker

baronbrian

My Feedback: (13)

Andy, I completely agree with you, and If a magazine ad comes as the offer is running out, you cant do much. the magazine ad times run too far in advance for you to gauge when the supply will run out.
However... if you go over to the RCG radio forum, the banner ad advertising the 2 free Rx offer is EVERYWHERE! the ad is still up. If you click on the ad, it brings you to the horizon page for the DX8, which no longer comes with 2 free Rx's. This does very much look like bait and switch. I'm pretty darn sure the Internet ad could be DC'd the same day that supplies run out. one phone call and a few mouse clicks could change the ad back to normal, or better yet, a DMSS ad.

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

Appears the marketing dept. at Horizon is asleep at the switch. Of course leaving the ad running drives folks to the web site, a typical web gimmick.

ira d

The magazine is not at fault here when you purchase a ad in a publication you are told when the ad will run so you time your promotion to run when the ad hits the
readers mail or stands in the stores. But as said before if you put a date range on your promotion it will end any confusion and if you should run out of the promotional
product the right thing to do is offer something else in compensation.

cjshaker

I also see those internet ads for the DX8 with free receivers all over the hobby internet as well.
Chris Shaker

Tobtech

My Feedback: (3)

It seems like some of the big hobby distributors do pretty much whatever they want whether you like it or not. One of the advantages of being a big player in a niche market I guess? It does seem like they packaged a few hundred DX8s with the additional recievers, shipped them to the hobby shops and then once they were gone you were out of luck. I get all the publications and I went into Ultimate Hobbies in Orange,CA days after the first ad came out and I was looking at the DX8 and the salesman said, "you should have got in on the deal for the DX8 with 3 receiever". I said that ad came out a couple days ago and he said that he already sold them all. What, did they get two of them?? Funny thing was they were not out of DX8s and recievers, they were out of the "limited quantity" of units that Horizon packaged together for them. LOL If you are going to run the ad for 3 months, go ahead and package up some more DX8s with the additional recievers to make the customers happy. Its funny how the people that say, "its out of my control" are the ones that are in control, HAHA. All that said, I have a DX8 and I am happy with it.

raptureboy

Seriously? You would switch brands based on that alone? This has been standard advertising procedure forever. Look at any ad in a magizine or flyer in your newspaper. Not responsble for typographical errors, limited supply, right to reserve quantities, etc.. Return it if it's not what you wanted, sorry but this thread is just so much whining like so many others here in RCU lately. I'm only here because it is slow as epoxy on a -20 deg day.

cjshaker

It's kind of funny how in the hobby business, people seem to feel free to blame the customer.
Chris Shaker

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Yeah why don't you just do that as your bi*ching here about Spektrum isn't going to accomplish anything....

Dick T.

My Feedback: (243)

Can't see where he is griping about the Spektrum system, just the, not unusual, marketing response he got from Horizon/Spektrum. Kind of like some of the smart ***** answers he got from them here.

baronbrian

My Feedback: (13)

That statement did make me wonder if the op was fishing for negitave responses/ trying to get people worked up. Everyone just breathe and enjoy the internet....