Hi all,

Couple days ago I went to my local hobby shop to buy the Parkzone Reliant. As usual I opened the box with the saleman and inspected the parts. I was suprised of the poor quality because there was paint and glue smear all over the place making the plane very unslightly. However I decieded to buy because I figure I would ended up repaint the planes as I have always did so those imperfections won't bother me as I thought. However, after taking it home and looking at it further, I believe this should not have passed QC and why should I end up with extra work because of something that should have not left the warehouse. Yes, I should not have bought it (my fault of taking it home) but I feel I am entitled for a store exchange. So this morning I called and spoke to the owner and requested for such. I was advised because I opened the box and took it home that he is unable to do the exchange. As such I must deal with Horizon Hobby directly. I was rather suprised because I have not done anything to the plane except looking at it. I also have all the packaging and box but I was advised that he cannot do anything for me at all.

People open boxes to look at the content on RC planes all the time so I think that is an excuse on the owner. I felt he could have easily let me exchange and send back the defective plane to Horizon without cost to him. So in this case, am I asking too much? Thanks! DP

You opened the box and excepted it in the condition it was in you will be lucky to get anything. Posting your complaint here done killed any chance you may have had by your own word

Thank you for your reply. If I was in the owner's shoes, I will be glad to allow the consumer to do an exchange. This sale is for a brand new plane, not "as-is" condition. If I return the plane, then it is in EXACT condition as it left the store. The hobby shop even has the store exchange policy so why can't he allow that? Thank you for your comment. DP

I used to own a hobby shop and when a box was opened it was not a new item. It also states on most boxes , to return to manufacturer for replacement. Sad facts of life , if you did not want the plane in the condition it was in you should not bought it. No wander there are so few LHS any more.
Larry k

Hi Larry,

With all respect, nobody would ever buy an RC plane without opening the box and looking at the contents. When was a last time you see a box of an ARF plane wrapped in a shrink wrap? People open boxes all the time and that does not make you committed to buy the plane just by peeking at its content. I can see the exception with PLASTIC MODELS because no one would buy an opened plastic kit ( I have over 40 year building and built thousands of models) though. Also this plane was not for sale as "as is- no refund" status. DP

Yes, me too.
That's not really fair to not allow you to exchange the plane.

Not sure on the hobby shop doing something or not. That's their call to decide if they want to do something or not and your call if you want to do business with them.

As for the issue with the airplane, call Horizon. They'll likely ask you to send pictures. Once they see photos they will decide what to do about it. I would not be surprised if they replace the defective pieces free of charge if they are bad enough.

I worked in a LHS for a few years and I don't know how many times someone would buy something, take it home, screw it up and pack it all nice and neat and try and return it as new and pass it on to some unsuspecting person. That is why we never took returns. You admit to looking it over before you bought it,

This is standard procedure. Manufactures now handle warranty claims.

I'm with the dealer, you should not expect to return it.

Ican only imagine. People do some crazy stuff.

If it is opened and inspected in the store while one of the workers was there to watch you do it that is one thing, once it leaves the store there is no one but you to say parts weren't removed, broken or replaced with parts from another plane that may have had problems. It's normal for a lot of stores to have a no return policy once it leaves the store. I have one of three hobby shops I could get away with a return, the owner knows me and trusts me to be in his shop alone even when he goes out for something. The other two LHS don't have a clue who I am and there is no way they would allow a return after I took an ARF or Kit home.
Just the nature of the beast.

If you had taken the plane home in a sealed box and found the defects after you opened the box at home, you might have a case. But after inspecting the plane in the store and accepting it in that condition, the merits of your case have diminished. The store personnel can only wonder why the change of heart.

Hi,

The box is not sealed as 100% of ARF boxes are designed like that so potential buyers can look at the contents. If I were the owner, I would be more than happy to exchange the plane because I would feel bad selling someone with something that should have not left the warehouse. I see no difference if I open the box at home, see the defect or open in the store and see the defect there and then. This is NOT "AS-IS" purchase. The condition of the plane now is EXACTLY as it left the store so the owner won't lose anything on this. I spoke to 6 different people in this hobby and they all feel that I should have been allowed the exchange. DP

When I opened the box, I mentioned to the saleman the poor quality of the paint job (touch up everywhere) and globs of glue all over the fuse. I even showed that to him. This is not about something that is broken or missing. This is about workmanship issue. DP

You inspected the plane before you bought it! And you accepted the condition. The fact is that hobby shops run on a shoestring budget, especially if they are RC only. If they take the plane back and one single thing is missing, they can't get their money from the manufacturer. Some businesses that do a lot of volume will take that chance but a hobby shop simple can't afford to. That's why they let you inspect the contents of the box before you took the plane home, so that you could reject it before leaving the shop. As said above, get in touch with the manufacturer and get them to fix it. If you send some pictures to them, you may even get new parts sent without having to send the old ones in. That'll give you spares which is even better than what you have now.

Hi,

I called HH and they requested me to send back the entire plane for inspection. Considering the hassle and long wait time, I decided to repaint the plane to correct the poor workmanship. It took me a while to sand off all the RC56 glue on the bottom of the fuse to achieve an acceptable surface for painting. DP

When I opened the box, I mentioned to the saleman the poor quality of the paint job (touch up everywhere) and globs of glue all over the fuse. I even showed that to him. This is not about something that is broken or missing. This is about workmanship issue. DP
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Yes, and after telling him what you saw, you purchased it anyway. Knowingly you purchased it, and did take it home. I would have accepted the box back from you, because by not doing so, he lost a customer. The good news is that you have another recourse. Get intouch with Horizon, and they will solve your problem. Send them a picture (or more than one) of the problems encountered.

Quite frankly, if you notice at first sight problems with an item, why buy it? I would be weary of more unseen problems in a defective product...

Gerry

Hi,

I accepted the condition then but I have the right to change my mind especially only after two days. This is NOT "as-is, all sales final" thing. I really cannot see how the dealer loses money by letting the exchange for another one and send this defective back to HH. I am NOT asking for a refund. I am not exchanging the plane claiming something is missing after I took it home. I am not screwing the plane up then blame on the workmanship. It does not matter if you are on a shoestring budget or not. Do what you feel the right thing to do. DP

Yes, and after telling him what you saw, you purchased it anyway. Knowingly you purchased it, and did take it home. I would have accepted the box back from you, because by not doing so, he lost a customer. The good news is that you have another recourse. Get intouch with Horizon, and they will solve your problem. Send them a picture (or more than one) of the problems encountered.

Quite frankly, if you notice at first sight problems with an item, why buy it? I would be weary of more unseen problems in a defective product...

Gerry
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Hi Gerry,

If you look at my posts on RCU, I give all my ARFs makeovers so mine won't look the same at the field like others (the tiger month picture on my avatar is the make over from the GP moth). Anyway, I thought these blemises won't be a problem so I bought the plane. Once I got home, I thought the original paint job is kind of neat so I decided not to repaint it. But the poor paint job bothered me so much that I decided to ask for an exchange. There is nothing broken or missing. It is just poor paint and glue jobs. DP

That's easy to say when you are the customer who isn't getting what he wants. But when you are the guy who has to write the check at the end of the month trying to please everybody gets a little harder. Like it or don't, most hobby shops don't take returns unless items are unopened because it does cost them money. They have to pay for shipping, they have to pay an employee to do the repacking and shipping, they have money tied up in the item, and they take a risk in not getting reimbursed from the manufacturer.

"So in this case, am I asking too much?"

Maybe I am missing the point of this post, but basically you asked for opinions, and your telling everyone that disagrees with you they are wrong. So what are you trying to gain? Confirmation that your right? Either way, you are stuck with a plane that you inspected and took anyway. While it seems to me the shop should probably take the plane back simply to save a future customer, you did have an out by dealing directly with the supplier. Then the supplier said to send the plane back to them, you STILL decided to keep it. So who is really at fault here? Buyer beware.......

Vote with your feet, and don't buy from that HS again. Return and explain to the owner why you're not returning, and discuss it calmly.

I'm perplexed at why you bought it with known defects, tho. Did they discount it? I check my LHS 'scratch and dent' stuff in the back room before they're returned, have picked up ARF's for half-off with minor dings,etc.

Hi Gerry,

If you look at my posts on RCU, I give all my ARFs makeovers so mine won't look the same at the field like others (the tiger month picture on my avatar is the make over from the GP moth). Anyway, I thought these blemises won't be a problem so I bought the plane. Once I got home, I thought the original paint job is kind of neat so I decided not to repaint it. But the poor paint job bothered me so much that I decided to ask for an exchange. There is nothing broken or missing. It is just poor paint and glue jobs. DP
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Well, then you have a recourse, as I mentioned in my message: Get in touch with Horizon. It is still puzzling why would you pay full price for a defective item. But, hey, it's a free country.

Good luck with your purchase. I also do not mind to pay a little more (normally my LHS matches Tower's prices, but I pay taxes (6%) and no shipping) to have a chance to inspect the plane before the purchase. This way if there is a problem, or damage or missing part, I just pass, or ask for another one if I like the model a lot:-) It works for me. I am wary of big light fragile boxes delivered by the brown van:-)


Gerry

This is about what could and often will happen after someone takes something home. The store owner isn't going to go through the box to look at every part to see if they are the originals that you may have swaped out while the box was out of his hands. You looked, you saw, you bought, you own. If you want to return it then pack it up and send it back to Horizon. The small shop owner isn't going to take it back. Your 6 friends that agree with you must never have owned or worked in a small shop or they would understand the problem of the owner/manager.