Sheldon's Hobbies
12-03-2005, 07:26 PM
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Sheldon's Hobbies
Does anyone in this great big RCUniverse know what is going on with Sheldon's Hobbies in San Jose California?
I haven't been able to get through to them in a week of trying!
They have a large order of mine and so far I have not received an email, fax, phone call, carrier pidgeon or smoke signal about it in 4 weeks to even acknowlege it, and they are not answering their phone calls or responding to faxes...
Anyone know anything?
I haven't been able to get through to them in a week of trying!
They have a large order of mine and so far I have not received an email, fax, phone call, carrier pidgeon or smoke signal about it in 4 weeks to even acknowlege it, and they are not answering their phone calls or responding to faxes...
Anyone know anything?
12-04-2005, 01:36 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
Hey there QuickaDraw, thanks for the laugh on my Sunday morning. I'm in Martinez but have yet to make it to Sheldons but have heard nothing but good things about them, I hope everything is well with them.
Since your in Union City where do you fly?
12-04-2005, 04:07 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
I fly at Bayside in Fremont. It's right near the Numi Plant.... old GM Plant. There is a club called Sacrats which i used to be able to hear from my house in Union City but I couldn't find it until after I joined Bayside.
Hey Debris Field, I'm sure everything will work out with Sheldon's. There is a good chance I'll get by there this week.
Hey Debris Field, I'm sure everything will work out with Sheldon's. There is a good chance I'll get by there this week.
12-05-2005, 02:55 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
Just got through to Sheldon's hobbies today after seven days of trying.
Apparently sometimes they just "Turn the phones off" for a week or so cos they've got things to do.
Apparently they tried to email me but the email address was bad, he can't tell me what that email address he tried was....codswallop I say. I check and recheck all my information BEFORE submission, there's too much money riding on this for me to stuff that up. I also faxed my queries regarding the order to Sheldons providing an email address on that as well, they never answered.
They don't provide an email address to contact because people keep contacting them in regards to their order (surprise surprise, the hassles of running a mail order business.)
They do not provide tracking numbers.
and they are very unfriendly when finally answering the telephone.
If ordering via the internet, I would keep my distance next time, these guys make me feel pretty uneasy. Maybe their over the counter demeanor and methods might be better, but if these guys find internet orders to be so much of a burden perhaps they shouldn't put themselves themselves online.
Apparently sometimes they just "Turn the phones off" for a week or so cos they've got things to do.
Apparently they tried to email me but the email address was bad, he can't tell me what that email address he tried was....codswallop I say. I check and recheck all my information BEFORE submission, there's too much money riding on this for me to stuff that up. I also faxed my queries regarding the order to Sheldons providing an email address on that as well, they never answered.
They don't provide an email address to contact because people keep contacting them in regards to their order (surprise surprise, the hassles of running a mail order business.)
They do not provide tracking numbers.
and they are very unfriendly when finally answering the telephone.
If ordering via the internet, I would keep my distance next time, these guys make me feel pretty uneasy. Maybe their over the counter demeanor and methods might be better, but if these guys find internet orders to be so much of a burden perhaps they shouldn't put themselves themselves online.
12-05-2005, 03:47 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
I've never dealt with Sheldon's online for I work only three miles from their store. This means that I tend to go to Sheldon's at least one a week. I've found that the people working in the store are always knowledgeable and friendly, and I'm surprised to hear that the people working online are any different. Please give them another try. With this ever shrinking hobby, at least for those who like to build, as I do, it's important to support a hobby shop that is as good as Sheldon's.
12-05-2005, 05:18 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
I have always had such good dealings with Sheldon's it surprises me to hear from someone that hasn't. I've been using them for years and always find them to be very customer orientated. If I place an order online, I usually have it within 3 days. I remember one time several years ago when one item on my order was out of stock. They called me in the evening (long distance, at their expense) and asked if I wanted them to send the order minus the one item (which they would send when back in stock at no additional charge), or to wait until the item was back in stock before sending the entire order. I told them I was not in a hurry and to just wait until they could ship it all together. Lo and behold, the entire order showed up on my porch 2 days later.
12-05-2005, 08:24 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
I have dealt with Sheldon's too. Some good experience and bad. My first order was shipped OK no problems. The next order I got a muffler that was not what I ordered. When I called about it I was told to read the paperwork and that would explain all. When asked about cost of shipping the mistake back they said they would consider it when everything was in. It was only $3 or so to ship back but no big deal. A couple weeks pass and no muffler. I call and they can do nothing until I produce an order number. Another call with order # and they tell me the piece is not in stock, they do not know when it will be available and that is all they can do. I got my muffler in about 2 months.
Another time I called Sheldon's to place an order. I asked if the have it and they can't tell until it ships. What??? Partial order ships with no documentation of back order or explanation. A call to them with order number only produces a short we do not have it, when we get it we'll ship it, thank you very much. I did get it about a few weeks later. I guess I've always got satisfaction from Sheldon's but never service.
Regardless of what you think of Tower, Hobbico, Great Planes syndicate they do it well. When a mishandled shipment resulted in a broken bottle of paint and some paint soaked parts a phone call quickly resolved the issue. A woman looked up my order with just my name, offered to replace all the items based on my word and next day air everything but the paint (shipping regulation). All this when it was obviously the post office's fault ( paint was still wet on outside of box).
On the Muffler from Sheldon's, I called Tower to see if they had one and they did not. However the person told me when item was expected in stock and even told me the manufacturer was moving as reason for out of stock. They then emailed me when the muffler was in stock, even though I did not place an order. A few weeks after the email Sheldon's shipped me the muffler.
Some companies meet their obligations and other exceed expectations. The reason Tower is so dominating is they just do it better (mail order that is) than anyone else.
Another time I called Sheldon's to place an order. I asked if the have it and they can't tell until it ships. What??? Partial order ships with no documentation of back order or explanation. A call to them with order number only produces a short we do not have it, when we get it we'll ship it, thank you very much. I did get it about a few weeks later. I guess I've always got satisfaction from Sheldon's but never service.
Regardless of what you think of Tower, Hobbico, Great Planes syndicate they do it well. When a mishandled shipment resulted in a broken bottle of paint and some paint soaked parts a phone call quickly resolved the issue. A woman looked up my order with just my name, offered to replace all the items based on my word and next day air everything but the paint (shipping regulation). All this when it was obviously the post office's fault ( paint was still wet on outside of box).
On the Muffler from Sheldon's, I called Tower to see if they had one and they did not. However the person told me when item was expected in stock and even told me the manufacturer was moving as reason for out of stock. They then emailed me when the muffler was in stock, even though I did not place an order. A few weeks after the email Sheldon's shipped me the muffler.
Some companies meet their obligations and other exceed expectations. The reason Tower is so dominating is they just do it better (mail order that is) than anyone else.
12-05-2005, 09:44 PM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
Well the great finger of God came down and pushed the freight plane alittle faster along it's way to Australia, cos guess what I just got in the post.....
Happy it arrived (ironically today), and it is in good nick as far as I can see. They even shortened up the box to make it all fit within the USPS postal limits. Good Job!
All they need to work on now is their customer service issues as I have stated above. It is definitely not close to Tower, Horizon etcetera customer service.
I mean - Who turns off their phones? Who does that???
Happy it arrived (ironically today), and it is in good nick as far as I can see. They even shortened up the box to make it all fit within the USPS postal limits. Good Job!
All they need to work on now is their customer service issues as I have stated above. It is definitely not close to Tower, Horizon etcetera customer service.
I mean - Who turns off their phones? Who does that???
12-06-2005, 09:16 AM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
I’ve ordered a number of things from Sheldons Hobbies, but usually from the web. The orders have always arrived OK but their intermittent telephone support has always worried me. Unlike Tower they do not provide any tracking information. Their web ordering system is pretty clunky. If you place an order that does not meet their $20 minimum it accepts the order and then throws it away without any notification. I do not understand why any business would shut their phones off and block people from placing orders but Sheldons does. Sheldons sell a lot of items with good pricing that are not available from Tower so I hope they improve their customer service.
12-06-2005, 10:24 AM
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RE: Sheldon's Hobbies
ORIGINAL: badger5964
I have dealt with Sheldon's too. Some good experience and bad. My first order was shipped OK no problems. The next order I got a muffler that was not what I ordered. When I called about it I was told to read the paperwork and that would explain all. When asked about cost of shipping the mistake back they said they would consider it when everything was in. It was only $3 or so to ship back but no big deal. A couple weeks pass and no muffler. I call and they can do nothing until I produce an order number. Another call with order # and they tell me the piece is not in stock, they do not know when it will be available and that is all they can do. I got my muffler in about 2 months.
Another time I called Sheldon's to place an order. I asked if the have it and they can't tell until it ships. What??? Partial order ships with no documentation of back order or explanation. A call to them with order number only produces a short we do not have it, when we get it we'll ship it, thank you very much. I did get it about a few weeks later. I guess I've always got satisfaction from Sheldon's but never service.
I have dealt with Sheldon's too. Some good experience and bad. My first order was shipped OK no problems. The next order I got a muffler that was not what I ordered. When I called about it I was told to read the paperwork and that would explain all. When asked about cost of shipping the mistake back they said they would consider it when everything was in. It was only $3 or so to ship back but no big deal. A couple weeks pass and no muffler. I call and they can do nothing until I produce an order number. Another call with order # and they tell me the piece is not in stock, they do not know when it will be available and that is all they can do. I got my muffler in about 2 months.
Another time I called Sheldon's to place an order. I asked if the have it and they can't tell until it ships. What??? Partial order ships with no documentation of back order or explanation. A call to them with order number only produces a short we do not have it, when we get it we'll ship it, thank you very much. I did get it about a few weeks later. I guess I've always got satisfaction from Sheldon's but never service.
