TOWER HOBBIES SUCKS!!!!
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: , GA
Posts: 218

I sent my BL system back to exchange it for a Rustler VXL 2 weeks ago!!! UPS delivered it over a week ago so its just sitting in their warehouse!!! I have called every day for the last week and they say the same thing everytime "we will get to it, just call back at 3:30 to see if it has been processed"... but its never processed! [:@] This is killing me!!![sm=drowning.gif]

#2
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 36

I'm in the same situation. They told me that they were about a week behind and it was true.
One return took exactly a week for it to show up and I'm expecting the other to be processed tomorrow or early next although it has been there for about a week already.
Note to others: I would just charge a new one and then send the old one back and ask that the money be returned to paypal or your CC.
It would be a whole lot faster.
One return took exactly a week for it to show up and I'm expecting the other to be processed tomorrow or early next although it has been there for about a week already.
Note to others: I would just charge a new one and then send the old one back and ask that the money be returned to paypal or your CC.
It would be a whole lot faster.

#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: milbrae,
SK, BANGLADESH
Posts: 3,538

mail order is never your friend if you're in a hurry

#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: , CA
Posts: 4,900

I placed two orders on tower, one on Monday, another on Tuesday (this week). One order was delivered Yesterday. I expect the other one will be delivered today. Never had any problems with them or their (automated) service. It's probably just returns that slow up the system (since they are hard to automate).

#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: U.S.A
Posts: 249

ORIGINAL: haole
I sent my BL system back to exchange it for a Rustler VXL 2 weeks ago!!! UPS delivered it over a week ago so its just sitting in their warehouse!!! I have called every day for the last week and they say the same thing everytime "we will get to it, just call back at 3:30 to see if it has been processed"... but its never processed! [:@] This is killing me!!![sm=drowning.gif]
I sent my BL system back to exchange it for a Rustler VXL 2 weeks ago!!! UPS delivered it over a week ago so its just sitting in their warehouse!!! I have called every day for the last week and they say the same thing everytime "we will get to it, just call back at 3:30 to see if it has been processed"... but its never processed! [:@] This is killing me!!![sm=drowning.gif]
Well that is the only place i order from and i have ordered a lot and i have never had 1 problem.
They dont suck.

#6
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 36

I agree that they don't suck! They are my store or choice as well and they ship quickly!
But returns are slow and you should never try to exchange for something you need in a hurry.
But returns are slow and you should never try to exchange for something you need in a hurry.

#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Des Moines,
IA
Posts: 1,550

IMO its pretty silly to blame them for your mistake, lack of preperation on your part does not constitute an emergency on their part, they have in the past sent me the wrong stuff but when I called to advise they immediately sent the correct kit/part with a return sticker so I could get the incorrect stuff back to them, can't get better customer service than that

#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Upstate,
SC
Posts: 1,002

ORIGINAL: Access
I placed two orders on tower, one on Monday, another on Tuesday (this week). One order was delivered Yesterday. I expect the other one will be delivered today. Never had any problems with them or their (automated) service. It's probably just returns that slow up the system (since they are hard to automate).
I placed two orders on tower, one on Monday, another on Tuesday (this week). One order was delivered Yesterday. I expect the other one will be delivered today. Never had any problems with them or their (automated) service. It's probably just returns that slow up the system (since they are hard to automate).
I haven't had any problems with them at all. Usually takes a day for them to process the order and I recieve whatever I had order within 2-3 days after that.

#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: westervile,
TN
Posts: 388

sould have sent it back to traxxas , there realy quick with there stuff

#10

My Feedback: (7)
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Alburn, IL
Posts: 1,375

For the most part I haven't had too many problems with Tower. There have been a few that really ticked me off, but considering the number of orders I make to them, they have been pretty decent.

#11

My Feedback: (7)
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Alburn, IL
Posts: 1,375

Oh, don't be surprised if this thread gets pulled off. There was a similar posting of rage towards Tower this morning that got taken down. Might be since it was in the wrong section too.

#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: eastern,
IL
Posts: 3,951

Tower can be very slow or very fast. I had an order placed on the net take two weeks to arrive(and I live in the same state it shipped from) andlater I placed a mail order with them and it came in 4 days(after I mailed it). The first one was delivered by our "dear" friends at the postal service, the second by UPS.

#13
Member
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: BELTON,
MO
Posts: 79

I have never had a problem with tower also.There my favorite source for everything rc.

#14
Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Berkeley, CA
Posts: 11,829

I've spent probably 10s of thousands there, always a good experience.

#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: smithsburg,
MD
Posts: 1,051

iv spent a couple hundred bucks on tower and never had a problem useually what i order gets here faster then it was supposed to


#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Posts: 7,131

I would never say they suck. It's probbibly bad luck your having and you need to do whatever it takes to get on top of it. I have spent near $1000-$1500 on there. I have never been under 100% satisfied. The only thing I have ever had wrong was they sent me the wrong part once. They sent me out the part for free, 1st class shipping. What else could I ask for?

#17

My Feedback: (1)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Austin,
TX
Posts: 92

Nightmare customer alert!
Many people try to scam with returns, refunds, and exchanges so they probably have a policy of seriously checking over all items before issuing a credit. With you sending it in mid January I'm sure it got there right on time for the peak of Christmas returns, exchanges, warranties, and repairs. Now imagine if every customer was like you calling them every day lol, they'd fall even more behind having to man the phones or raise prices to hire more phone support.
I've been on both sides of it and I bet they're just as frustrated as you in getting behind.
I have had a good amount of experience with Tower Hobbies and I have no complaints other than their prices are so low with their constant coupons, they can't keep high demand items in stock!! I want to order an E-Maxx from them lol.
Many people try to scam with returns, refunds, and exchanges so they probably have a policy of seriously checking over all items before issuing a credit. With you sending it in mid January I'm sure it got there right on time for the peak of Christmas returns, exchanges, warranties, and repairs. Now imagine if every customer was like you calling them every day lol, they'd fall even more behind having to man the phones or raise prices to hire more phone support.
I've been on both sides of it and I bet they're just as frustrated as you in getting behind.
I have had a good amount of experience with Tower Hobbies and I have no complaints other than their prices are so low with their constant coupons, they can't keep high demand items in stock!! I want to order an E-Maxx from them lol.

#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Long Island,
NY
Posts: 159

ORIGINAL: sloppyG
mail order is never your friend if you're in a hurry
mail order is never your friend if you're in a hurry

#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hoboken,
NJ
Posts: 484

i buy from horizon =/

#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Kingston UK, but living in Athens, GREECE
Posts: 18,082

You have to understand their position, can you imagine how many returns they get. Also, this is a service, it costs them money to process returns. Of course it's something they have to do, but you can be sure there are more sales staff than technical staff. It's totally natural. Be patient and try not to hassle them, they are obviously busy and they're not doing it to you on purpose. Wait until it's become an unreasonable amount of time (2 weeks or so), THEN start complaining.

#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: , GA
Posts: 218

ORIGINAL: foxy42
You have to understand their position, can you imagine how many returns they get. Also, this is a service, it costs them money to process returns. Of course it's something they have to do, but you can be sure there are more sales staff than technical staff. It's totally natural. Be patient and try not to hassle them, they are obviously busy and they're not doing it to you on purpose. Wait until it's become an unreasonable amount of time (2 weeks or so), THEN start complaining.
You have to understand their position, can you imagine how many returns they get. Also, this is a service, it costs them money to process returns. Of course it's something they have to do, but you can be sure there are more sales staff than technical staff. It's totally natural. Be patient and try not to hassle them, they are obviously busy and they're not doing it to you on purpose. Wait until it's become an unreasonable amount of time (2 weeks or so), THEN start complaining.
FYI - Dont exchange an order at towerhobbies, its better to return and make a new order. I'll probably keep buying from tower unless something like this happens again.

#22
Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Roanoke, VA
Posts: 36

As an update to my situation, I logged on this morning and foud that they processed my return - exactly one week after it was received.
That is two of them in the past month that were processed in exactly 1 week after receipt - and that fits exactly what they told me - about one week behind.
That is two of them in the past month that were processed in exactly 1 week after receipt - and that fits exactly what they told me - about one week behind.

#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: lopatcong,
NJ
Posts: 217

My brother works for a smaller rc distribution warehouse in forks pa. he was has been working 12 hour shifts shipping product to people since november. just think about a BIG operation like tower hobbies. I had the same problem with return parts, the wait was even longer. but i am still with tower hobbies


#24
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Mission Viejo, CA
Posts: 7,131

ORIGINAL: chajones
As an update to my situation, I logged on this morning and foud that they processed my return - exactly one week after it was received.
That is two of them in the past month that were processed in exactly 1 week after receipt - and that fits exactly what they told me - about one week behind.
As an update to my situation, I logged on this morning and foud that they processed my return - exactly one week after it was received.
That is two of them in the past month that were processed in exactly 1 week after receipt - and that fits exactly what they told me - about one week behind.

#25
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: , AUSTRALIA
Posts: 2,071

People need to relax and chill...
A Hobby store has to protect themselves from fraudsters..
too many times have I seen a Hobby store refund a product only for the manufacturer to say "Does not meet warranty standards"
So often it is Not the Hobby store but the manufacturer that holds the process up..
I have never met a Hobbystore yet that is out to rip the customer off.. if they did they wouldn't last long as we would all know about it..
4 Weeks is the acceptable time turnaround for a Mail Order IF outside your State..
This expands to 6 Weeks if outside your Country..
You allow 1 week for Delivery, 1 Week for Processing ,1 week for the Manufacturer and 1 week for it to be Returned to you..
The Longest I have ever wait for parts was 3 months...
A Hobby store has to protect themselves from fraudsters..
too many times have I seen a Hobby store refund a product only for the manufacturer to say "Does not meet warranty standards"
So often it is Not the Hobby store but the manufacturer that holds the process up..
I have never met a Hobbystore yet that is out to rip the customer off.. if they did they wouldn't last long as we would all know about it..
4 Weeks is the acceptable time turnaround for a Mail Order IF outside your State..
This expands to 6 Weeks if outside your Country..
You allow 1 week for Delivery, 1 Week for Processing ,1 week for the Manufacturer and 1 week for it to be Returned to you..
The Longest I have ever wait for parts was 3 months...
