luv2fly2

My Feedback: (66)

ON JUNE THE FIRST I PLACE AN ORDER WITH PAT O'BRIENS HOBBIES. AFTER A WEEK I CALL TO CHECK ON MY ORDER I WAS TOLD DHL LOST IT THEY WOULD SHIP IT OUT AGAIN TODAY. WELL ANOTHER WEEK WENT BY AND NOTHING SO I CALL AND I WAS TOLD " DHL HAS IT YOU WILL RECEVIED IT FRIDAY" FRIDAY CAME AND WAS ALMOST OVER NOTHING. I CALL AND TALK WITH DOUG, I WAS PUT ON HOLD FOR A FEW MINTUES THEN TOLD " I JUST TALK TO DHL THEY WILL BE THERE TO YOUR HOUSE AROUND 3 PM ON SATURDAY. I WAS HOME FORM 12 TO 6 PM AND NOTHING. MONDAY JUNE 27 I CALL AND TOLD DOUGH I DID NOT RECEVIED MY ORDER SATURDAY, I WAS PUT ON HOLD AGAIN WHEN HE CAME BACK TO ME I WAS TOLD AGAIN " DHL LOST IT AGAIN I WILL SHIP BY POST OFFICE AND YOU WILL HAVE IT FRIDAY. AGAIN FRIDAY CAME AND WENT BUT STILL I DID NOT HAVE MY ORDER. I LET IT SET FOR A WEEK JUST TO SEE, ON JULY 13 I CALL AND ASK FOR MY MONEY BACK AND I WAS REFUSED AND TOLD YOU WILL NEED TO TALK TO MY DAD HE WILL BE BACK IN, IN ABOUT AN HOUR. I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM PAT O'BRIENS HOBBIES NOT SURE WHO I TALK TO BUT I WAS TOLD " I CANNOT GIVE YOUR MONEY BACK AS I SHIP YOUR ORDER OUT TODAY AND YOU WILL HAVE IT FRIDAY AND I AM WITH IN MY EIGHT WEEKS THATS THE LAW. THIS TIME I WAS GIVEN A TRACKING NUMBER BUT STILL IT WAS NOT IN THE SYSTEM ON THURSDAY, SO I CALL AND TOLD THEM I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY BACK AND STILL I WAS REFUSED AND TOLD YOU WILL HAVE YOUR ORDER ON FRIDAY IT HAS ALREADY SHIP OUT YESTERDAY AND I CAN NOT GIVE YOU YOUR MONEY BACK. NOW IT IS FRIDAY AND THE ORDER IS IN DHL SYSTEM BUT IT WAS SHIP OUT NEXTDAY AIR NOT OUT ON WEDNESDAY LIKE I WAS TOLD AND WAS REFUSED MY MONEY BACK.



I SEE NOW THAT TO GET A ORDER FROM PAT O'BRIENS HOBBIES YOU MUST ASK FOR YOUR MONEY BACK, BUT THE BAD THING IS THE GUY I MADE THE ORDER FOR HAS ALREADY GOTTON HIS MONEY BACK BECAUSE OF THE WAIT AND NOW I AM STUCK WITH THE ITEMS. I ASK PAT O'BRIENS HOBBIES TO LET ME SEND THE ORDER BACK FOR A REFUND AND AGAIN I WAS REFUSED AND TOLD WE HAVE A NO REFUND POLICY. I WOULD ADVISE TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS HOBBIE STORE AND THERE WEB PAGE. IT IS PEOPLE LIKE THIS WHO GIVE THIS HOBBIE A VERY BAD NAME AND MAKES PEOPLE RUN FROM IT.


ONE MORE THING JUST FOR THE RECORD I FOUND THIS HOBBY STORE ON RCU! [:'(]

branded

My Feedback: (9)

I've had nothing but great experiences with Pat's business. Too bad you have had a problem. Did you exhaust all avenues of mediation before coming out on the internet and declaring his business a fraud?[>:]

Raleigh3Dflyer

Put yourself in that situation... and then tell yourself not to do the same thing... you couldnt.. b/c if it happened to you , you would be on here saying the same stuff... I hate when people act like its the worst thing in the world to tell people about a bad experience they had... It helps for the rest of us not to get stuck in the arse , just b/c you had a "GREAT" experience doesnt mean everybody else does.

CCRC1

My Feedback: (13)

Uh, I have never heard of a law that allows the seller 8 weeks to hold your money before they send you a product![sm=punching.gif]
Also, just because "they" have a no refund "policy" does not mean you can't demand and get a refund. You may need to utilize the civil courts to help you, but you can get a refund. As a customer I also have a "policy". My policy says a merchant must send me merchandise I paid for, in the time frame promised, and in the condition promised, or my money must be returned. The civil courts will decide who's "policy" is more important and from first hand experience, the court thought mine was enforceable and theirs wasn't.

*Note- my case did not involve this particular hobby shop.

rc-sport

My Feedback: (12)

I bought a kit from them and it took a few weeks to get it, I tried calling several times but the line was always busy and they never responded to my email. I did get what I paid for finally but I'll never buy from them again.

luv2fly2

My Feedback: (66)

I have talk to my lawer in D.C. and he told me that the laws would make it take forever if I did get my
money back. I can't say that I did not get the product because I did get it yesterday, but only after I
ask for my money back and even then I was lied to and told it was ship out on Wednesday and they could not give me my money back. The truth was it was ship out on Thursday (next dayair), all I can say is I tried for 6
weeks to be nice about it and then they got ugly about giving me my money back. I will never buy from them again and if I see there add on RCU I will tell of how I was treated.

YNOT

Before you order anything from anyone, always ask if the product is IN STOCK?????

If its not, they have to order it before they can send it to you. And if they forget to order it, it is not until you call them to ask where your order is, then they remeber, AND that is when they order it and it may take a week to get the product in. Sounds the case in your story.

DHL loosing the package, twice? right. Always get a tracking number.

They forgot about you and any business will always take your money up front.

Buyer Beware

Thermal-Rider

Hi

Reading the message board, I have also been conned by Pat O'brien.

I live in the UK and found his web site, called Doug and paid for some servo's never to get them.
Tried emailing several times and calling but never got an answer, and now the web site has gone.

I will think twice before I purchase from abroad again.

Once bitten never again I hope!!!!!!!

MHawker

My Feedback: (16)

While it's good practice to ask if an item is in stock, it should be the vendor's responsibility to tell you whether or not they have it.

A320driver

My Feedback: (1)

My 10 cents worth, always pay with a credit card. Got a problem with goods not showing up, or showing up damaged and the place you purchased the goods from doesn't want to deal with you. Call the credit card company and they will put a freeze on your money. The store doesn't get paid until you are satisfied and you don't have to pay the charge on your bill until the problem is rectified. I have had to do this a couple of times when a vendor decided to just blow me off, (not from the R/C world, I have to say), it is amazing how fast they get back to you when they realize that they are not going to get paid!

rare_bear

My Feedback: (1)

since you finally got your product and you have claimed that you won't ever buy from them again (which is a good thing), then why not just be done with it and move on?

you see - you're still stuck back there.

time to move on.

rare_bear

My Feedback: (1)

so to summarize the lessons learned here:

1. ask if the item is in stock
2. pay by credit card
3. get a tracking number


pretty simple

depfife

My Feedback: (14)

It looks like some folks don't think luv2fly2 should have shared his experience. I think information like this is part of what makes forums so useful. While I don't care to read a rant that is based on emotion instead of fact, the complaint in this thread was a rational narrative of what occurred and contained no name calling or other unacceptable behavior.

I have no personal experience with Pat O'brien's store, and know that every business occasionally has an order fall through the cracks. That does not mean we should not share a bad experience.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

depfife, I agree with you a hundred percent!

Jerry

afineman

Hey all

Funny topic (funny only because this is my LHS 2 miles up the road).

I too have had them claim DHL lost the package ( I was sending a plane to a friend, this friend was waiting on pins and needles for it to arrive, it never did, BUT I got my money back).

Well anyways, they are going out of business, they are closing their doors.

All their sites are down ( they stopped all internet sales).

I too NEVER had a on time delivery, BUT I never really had a bad experience ether.

I'm just bummed, at some urging they started to distribute GWS planes and parts, as well as repping Dymond Models parts, and the big score was them repping for Balsa Products.

Then 1 week there is a sign on the door "On Vacation" ( this was a Tue. and I was assured an order I had place would be in that day), I knew something was up.

I checked their websites, DOWN, something was definitely up.

Now I am ONLY repeating what I was told, Doug is going off to collage, and dad doesn't want the aggravation of keeping the business going, so they are closing the doors.

I rarely ever spoke to the father, most of my dealing were with Doug, but I never was treated badly, and even though it may not of been a perfect business model, they always did right by me.

I will be sad to see them go, in the 1 year+ that I have been dealing with them, their products evolved more to my liking (electrics) and it was SSOO convenient to be able to drop by, pick up a crystal, shoot the crap for awhile and be on my way.

SSOO I understand why people may be upset at the delayed delivery of their orders ( I just got use to it), BUT I also have to say, it was poor planning (on their part), not a rip off.

Well My $.02 worth

Brent

SAVYrcGUY

i also had rpoblems with pats store i ordered a couple futaba serovs, paid up front and was given the run around over and over, it seemed like they would put me on hold and just wait till i hung up once i stayed on fold for 33 mins on my cell phone and i just hung up because i could not just wait on my cell all day for the staus of my order

staggerwing

My Feedback: (5)

I ordered a Balsa USA Nieuport from Pat O'Briens from an ad here on RCU. Got the same claim that it was on the way and they charged my American Express. When it didn't come in a couple of weeks I filed a complaint with American Express and they determined that the store was closed and cancelled the charge to my account. It does pay to use a credit card.

Rich

staggerwing

My Feedback: (5)

I ordered a Balsa USA Nieuport from Pat O'Briens from an ad here on RCU. Got the same claim that it was on the way and they charged my American Express. When it didn't come in a couple of weeks I filed a complaint with American Express and they determined that the store was closed and cancelled the charge to my account. It does pay to use a credit card.

Rich

Prop Nut

My Feedback: (3)

I to purchased a BalsaUSA kit (DVII) from them, it took several months to get the kit, and much much nagging. I did get it though. If Doug decided to go into business after college, it would be wise to think before dealing with him, in whatever endevour he decides on. If he is this way with customers now, and I dont consider it ethical to deal with people in an "off hand" way, I very much doubt that he will improve with age.

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

This is part of what RCU is all about. To get the word out on third rate snowjob distributors who think R/C flyers are a group of non rated braindead rednecks. I would venture to say that the majority of those here are professionals with various degrees of sorts.

When Pat O'Brien does his quarterly tax return and sees that he is heading down the tubes, he'll probably fold up like the rest of them.

RCPilot100

My Feedback: (4)

I am surprised no one mentioned Paypal as a protection against lousy vendors. I have had one problem when using Paypal and it was taken care of quickly and to my satisfaction. I had a non responsive merchant who didn't take the time to reply to Paypal - which he uses big time - so Paypal refunded my money. They are much easier to file a claim with than any credit card I have every dealt with - I wish more vendors would take it. My good buddy who is big into electrics recently told one vendor that he would do more business with them if they did use Paypal - just because of the protection given to all.

Dan

mulligan

Uh....

Avistar 2

OH MAN! You should had ordered from HobbyLobby or Tower Hobbies or HobbyOutpost
tower Hobbies uses UPS and HobbyOutpost uses Fedex fedex delivaries up to Sat
I don't think there nothing wrong with DHL,they good on deliary
that Pat's Hobby busness sounds like a fraud
did you you report his can to the better busness Bearu?
he should had been reported

rjm1982

"I am surprised no one mentioned Paypal as a protection against lousy vendors." <-- www.paypalsucks.com

Paypal took 400 dollars from me for no reason...and they do it to alot of people all the time..yet get away with it only because of their ties to ebay an its popularity...

I had just put 400 bucks into my paypal account in anticipation of winning an auction...at the same time, one of my auctions was completed, and the person that bought from me paid with a card that got flagged as stolen...and it wasnt. Me and the gentleman whos card was said to be stolen worked with the CC companies to resolve it...it was just an error on VISAs part...but guess what...when that flag hits, your account is frozen...and their decision is final, and you sign away all legal rights when you sign up...i went to 3 different lawyers, they all told me that they've seen it before and that there is nothing you can do...

Sorry, every time i see someone reccomend paypal i have to make that point...yes, its a good service, and it works great when you use it...but make sure you NEVER put any money into your account untill literally minutes before you plan on spending it...when you put money in, you are giving control of it legaly to paypal....

Avistar 2

Yep,
Let this be a lesson to you,
Stick to the major Hobby online stores
if you want something you order from these stores
Hobbylooby
TowerHobbies
Hobbyoutpost
and stay the heck away from little made up stores
most places won't take your money until they get it and send it you.
that made feel better.
and always get a tracking number, I do it all the time to keep track of my goods
You look up Fedex Tracking and Look up UPS tracking, I bet DHL has tracking too