Is Tower Hobbies falsely advertising?
 

I decided to order the Great planes Waco YMF arf from Tower Hobbies they are advertising free shipping

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXAAVT&P=0

and with my discount the price came to 480.00 or so I thought. When I went to order it on line the shipping cost came to $77.80 is there something wrong with this or is I just me if the shipping cost is not free then don’t advertise it to be free. I’d like to hear your thoughts.

I have not seen the add but usually somewhere there is something about oversize items being excluded from the free shipping .. I got caught on that once and was a little disappointed until I went back and reread the add . I could be wrong but go back and have a look .. They are pretty careful not to advertise falsely ..

I looked at the add but did not see free shipping, Did they advertise free shipping elsewhere on their site if you spent over a certain amount?

bikerbc
You're probably correct somewhere in this large website there's probably something that addresses this topic although I could not find it. I also realize now that you have to be signed in in order to see the free shipping add.I will try and take a picture of what I see and post it. I'm sure by law this is not false advertising but at least miss leading in my opinion.

I beleve you jumped the gun on this one and the the title of your thread is unfair to the one of the best if not always the cheapest retailer in the business.

I went to your link for for that airplane and pressed the checkout button. On the next page it stated in bright red print that US ground shipping was free for members of their club thingie. These promos show on these checkout forms as you proceed.

John

Their ad shows that the base standard shipping charge of $9.99 will be waived. My guess is that this ARF is an oversize box and won't ship with standard rates. Why don't you give Tower a call instead of accusing them of false advertising ?

http://www.towerhobbies.com/ssc.html

I agree call them....I've always found who ever answered the phone very nice and knowledgable

I click on the item and it shows free shipping - but then I am in the "Super Savers Club".

Pays for itself in my experience.

This should only be the place to air grievances after you have exhausted all options with the Vendor.

Tower has always been reasonable and spending the 9.99 a year to save 15% off all of their prices is small money in my opinion. My closest hobby store is about 80 miles away so I depend on Tower and Horizon,( I wish Horizon would do this) for almost everything

They also had a free standard shipping offer over the past weekend through August on orders over $99 for everyone.

See below.

http://www.towerhobbies.com/promos/e...-0815-dom.html

Mr Dhud - What shipping service/method did you originally ask for?

I agree, I have had nothing but stellar service from them and a phone call should be the first step before jumping on a forum and starting a fire. Unfortunately I am finding more and more that people want to come out guns blazing over the slightest issue without asking questions first.

I had a $20 off coupon from an email ad but, as in other posts here, the discount did not show up until I was well into the checkout process. I called (not about the discount) to ask another question about the order and they were extremely helpful.

free shipping is for members that buy over 100.00 but they do have free shipping ads. with codes.go to omnimodels they have free shipping any thing over 100.00 for ever body call tower they will work with you

I usually do not like to get involved in other's disputes, but, when I came across this post I just had to respond. I've been a Tower customer for more than 20 years and I have never experienced anything but superior and, sometimes, "over the top" customer service. Yes, I have had issues with products occasionally, but, their response has always been fair, considerate and prompt in every instance.
I would strongly suggest you call them to sample some of what I am talking about.

+1 on "Super Savers Club"
I just ordered the TF giant P-51 (kit) and got $35 off promotional + waived the shipping.
ordered on the 8th and it will be here today.

The club is $9.99 a year. With all the perks, including an extra $5 added to every coupon on each transaction, you can't miss. I've had some huge boxes delivered here. Always free shipping. Tower is the absolute best out there. A close tie with Horizon and several others.

On the main page even for people not logged in there is a big banner that says Members Only Free Shipping and a button that say MORE INFO. Lo and behold if you follow the button it says "The base standard shipping charge ($9.99) is waived on all purchases of $99 or more". Yes, even on this "large website" some things are easy to find if you follow directions.

+1 what all the guys say above. Just give them a call as I have always received courteous prompt help on the phone.

Posting the question (Is Tower Hobbies falsely advertising?) is not accusing them of doing so. I too have been a long time customer with good service for years but I do question this type of advertising. For those that didn't see it here it is on two pages. I guess I was naive thinking I was going to get this airplane shipped free. I see now by the response that this is acceptable way of advertising and I have to suck it up and get over it.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2013463http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2013464

I went to Tower and and it didn't say "free shipping" until i added it to my cart, weird.

Personally now !! I have found with ordering from Tower Hobbies that a lot of your discounts or promotions do not show up until you reach the " Check Out " page and total your order. Some people get upset when they do not see an instant discount, but you need to proceed further to the Check Out page.

Don't feel alone, I've done the same thing ............... LOL .................. :rolleyes:

Works fine for me if I really wanted the airplane free shipping just as it did earlier, all you have to do is enter it into your shopping cart and works just the same as it always had and I am not even a member of their club thingie.

Dude at the rate we are loosing good retailers in this failing economy You need to get on the phone and call before you start trashing 'em on here.

John

Exactly as I previously stated, you need to reach the Check Out page to see your total. Happens most of the time when Tower is offering something for free or a promotion.

Guys I did go to the check out page that's when I released I would have to pay the shipping charge. Can no one see by the pictures I posted that one may think you would get free shipping? This is not one guy trying to trash any one and I did contact Tower about this and they responded that the free shipping was only for the 9.99 and I would have to pay the 77.80 charge. I guess it comes down to what your definition of free shipping is.

If you had picked the default shipping which usually gets to your house in under a week, you would have had free shipping. going by the shipping calculator it looks like you picked the 2-day express shipping to Bartow Florida. I don't think anybody expects the express shipping to be free and in fact it does state in the ad that it is "free domestic ground shipping", or the cheap one...

I don't think its false advertising..




from when I click on "details" next to the free shipping link"

Applies only to our domestic standard ground shipping. All other shipping methods are reduced by the amount equal to our standard shipping charge. Express, surcharge and international charges still apply.

I think Tower is awesome too, but I was confused too, when I purchased a Giant Big Stick thinking I was getting free shipping because I was a Super Saver fan for many years and I had a $180.00 oversize fee. Not complaining but was surprised. They are the greatest!!!

Based on my past experience I personally wish that tower hobbies would start an airline....and a cable company...and a hotel chain...and a car company...

See my point?

Shows free shipping for me on the last page before placing my order. I'm a club member and in MO, fairly close to their warehouse in IL. I also love ordering from Tower, since I got back into the hobby about 2 years ago they greatly improved their time from placing an order to shipping the item(s). Usually ship the next business day and get here in 2 business days via UPS.

I added it to my cart and standard shipping is free. Two day shipping is $77. I think you chose 2 day shipping.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=2013502

you pulled the trigger to soon ,all you have call customer service and it will get handled the right way! Tower Hobbies has always done me right!!

I am also a Tower customer and I feel they have great service, However that being said I see your point and IMO it would be better that the free shipping logo
would be replaced with a logo that said free standard shipping see details I think that would go a long way to prevent confusion.

Thank you ira d, That's all I'm saying.

I'm not sure how this could be construed as false advertising in any way. They are advertising free shipping and they are providing a method of free shipping. What am I missing?

I don't know how long you've been in this hobby but I'll assume you're fairly new so wouldn't understand this. But most people in the hobby would understand that when a company advertises free shipping as a general thing for their store then oversize items will always be excluded.

Sometimes large ARFs will specifically have free shipping but that will be stated with the particular item and you can bet that the ARF will cost more at that store than at other stores where the shipping for the same item isn't free.

So no, Tower isn't false advertising. The concept is generally understood within the hobby.

That is not the case here. They are in fact offering free shipping on the Waco and oversize has nothing to do with it. I could understand mrdhud's point if they had plastered "Free Shipping" all over an item that they new was oversize and then tried to charge you for the oversize shipping. However, as far as I can tell, that is not what is happening here. They are, indeed, offering free shipping on the Waco whether it is oversize or not. The problem appears to be that mrdhud wants it shipped two day rather than standard post. Of course expedited shipping is not going to be free! Anyway, that is the conclusion I've come to based upon what I've read here and a visit to Tower's web site. Am I understanding it correctly or is there something that I am missing?

After reading all the posts and the possibilities were I went wrong I decided to try to go through the process again.
When I screw up I stand up and pay the price the sale did go through and there was no shipping at all so I owe Tower Hobbies and all of you an apology I simply did not follow through with the process to the end.

And what did I previously state ? But, I also stated, don't feel alone .......... all of us at one time or another have messed up when ordering something from any online supplier. :o

Tower's new advertising reminds me of car dealers. Don't advertise the price, just the "savings". Makes me feel good buying from H. P. and others with more honest advertising.

So are you saying you did not actuality order the kit before you made your first post but in the order process a shipping charge popped up and you canceled the order? Also I
would like to know at what point in the second order process did you find it was free shipping?

Ugh