I'm not really sure where to post this, but since it's somewhat ARF related and some of you might be interested (or perhaps had a similar experience), I thought that I would post it in here.

I ordered two Global ARF AT-6 Texan's from hobbypeople.net on Feb. 1st since they were on sale. They were backordered and I didn't think anything of it since there was still snow outside anyways. A few weeks later and nothing; no phone calls, no emails, nothing. So I give them a call and they say that they don't have any more in the warehouse, but they have some in the stores that they will have shipped to me and that I should get them in a week or two. The time goes by and still nothing, so I give them another call and the guy says that my order was cancelled because my credit card expired and that I'm out of luck. It expired on 3-20-07. So over a month and a half after I placed my order I still didn't get the planes, let alone an email explaining what had happened. There wasn't even an apology, more of a that's too bad, better luck next time kind of attitude. This isn't a lottery; if I order something, I expect to get it.

I'm not impressed with hobbypeople.net's customer service what-so-ever. I can understand that the plane was no longer going to be made so it might take a little longer to get, but this is just unacceptable. Ever since my order I hadn't even recieved one email from them about my order, not even a confirmation for the order itself; and this is after they state, right on order page, that I will be sent emails updating me on the progress of my order throughout the transaction. When I asked hobbypeople why I hadn't recieved any emails informing me of the status of my order, or anything else for that matter, he just shrugged it off as "there must have been something wrong with our server" and didn't even offer to make up for their mistake, but asked if I would like to buy anything else. You got to be kidding; like I would order anything else from them now.

To be honest, I think that they screwed up and sold more planes than they had and to cover themselves they played it off by delaying as much as possible until my credit card had expired so that they could use that as an excuse to cancel my order (even though I have the same exact card still, just renewed). I think that it's much better to admit a mistake than to try and cover it up, passing it off as an "oh well" incident and placing the blame on someone else. I didn't even recieve an email or phone call that my order had been cancelled, I had to call them to find if I wanted to find out anything. It's like waiting for a table at a restaurant and they don't tell you that they won't have a table for you after all, you have to figure this out yourself. That's just poor service.

So in the end I don't get the planes that I was really looking forward to, and had already bought the equipment to fly, and I have a bitter taste about hobbypeople.net[sm=angry.gif]. I am sooo bummed out right now; not so much from the hassle of dealing with hobbypeople (although that wasn't exactly a positive ordeal), but that I was really excited about getting these planes, already having had everything planned out for them.

Do you think I am justified to be mad about this or is this something that is run of the mill and I shouldn't be upset? I've ordered things from many other companies and have never had any problems that weren't soon fixed. I just feel that a company should not be so careless and disorganized and when they screw something up they make things right. I guess hobbypeople doesn't care about repeat customers.

I think that your frustration is justified...a little. I understand your excitement about your planes and dissappointment when not receiving them, and thats certainly a bummer.
On the other hand, while your order was on the waiting list, and the distrbutor is waiting for the product to come in from somewhere overseas, thats a situation where a schedule is as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Shipments can be delayed by a number of things. Now the distributor doesn't charge your credit card until the order is ready to ship, and in that time your CC expires.
This is where you really have to understand their situation. With all of the ID theft and CC theft going on over the net- they have to protect themselves. Take it from me...I had my number stolen and used over the net. I caught it the next morning after the person had placed and order, before the charge actually posted (it was pending) I contacted the business where the theif placed the order, and I was told "sorry- there's nothing we can do" A couple of days later, the charge posted and they shipped the product to the theif. Now after dealing with my CC company and actually going to the local authories- the company that recieved the order had to foot the bill because my CC company would not pay it.
They have to protect themselves from paying for the theives. Does that make your situation better? Not really, but a little understanding can go a long way...
Jason

While it sounds unfortunate for you, I doubt that the company set out to deprive you of your ARFs. You knew when your CC expires, and you should have called them to update it. I'd imagine that they don't have a system that warns them of credit cards nearing expiration for backorders.

Excellent point, I hadn't thought about it that way (I wrote this right after I got off the phone with them, so I was still in the freak-out stage, haha). I too have had my CC stolen, though I was lucky enough to have my CC company take care of it for me without any problems. Like you said too, I was mainly bummed out as it was something I was looking forward to; I'm like a kid in a candy store when it comes to planes, lol. Now I'll have to find another 25-size plane to put my engine and radio gear in, but looking for another one is half the fun[sm=teeth_smile.gif].

I guess they could have charged your cc and then 2-3 months later ship the product....don't think I would like that either...

i've bought from hobby people off and on for years. i never had that problem but their customer service does have a lot to be desired. also when i ordered from them on-line i never have never received a order confirmation ever but i always got my deliveries. sometime ago i made a bad comment about hobby people on one these threads and man!!....did i get some nasty replies. one fella was the worst. but later on i found out he lives right close to their store in california. without question!,...this guy was someway involved with hobby people because he popped up again at other thread's where someone was bashing hobby people. and yes,..i did get burnt by them bad one time so i'm very careful what i buy from them.

[8D]Hobby People has two stores here in Las Vegas and they have geat sales every holiday that never show up on the web or in their magizine ads, but in general I don't like their store brand stuff as well as Tower's so I still do a lot of mail order business with Tower and others. They have good sales of glow fuel and I have several Magnum engines that have given me good service. Magnum's service people have been first rate fixing some things without even requiring a receipt at no charge. Overall I woudl put Hobby People in the mid-range of suppliers.

Mike H.