Immortal Hobbies???
 

Ordered a couple things from Curtis almost two weeks ago...haven't heard back and no response to emails? Anybody else having the same problems?

I contacted Curtis about 4 wks ago to order TK22 w/GBS for my HL M1A2, he mentioned that he was thinking about closing up shop. He said he would place an order for me, along with a Turnigy 9x (tankified). Mentioned he would send me an invoice so I could pre-pay $50. 1 Week later I emailed him and let him know i never got an invoice and wanted to pay him. He said not to worry, and that we were still on track. It's been 3 wks since I heard anything (4 weeks total).

He was a little miffed as to how some other hobbyists have treated him, and his store, and were ungrateful in general.

The whole situation kind of sucks for Curtis, and the rest of us...
Why do people in general have to be such *****hats?

Driving someone to stop a side business, especially considering we are a small niche hobby as it is sucks!

Now how am I going to get my TK22 stuff.. Ugh!!!

Yup, seems most buyers just don't realize these are literally garage or basement shops. Not serious retailers where it's their full time job to answer emails and deal with inventory. I've known a couple of guys that
have dabbled in this kind of thing as alot of us here on this forum have too, and thats what really turns them off of it. Getting home from a full time job in some cases weeks away from home and dealing with customers that want their $10 part yesterday. Of course you have to have some credibility and customer support but I understand things in this small niche hobby just take time. Especially for handmade aftermarket products.

As a previous hobby store (only 1/10 off road back in the 90's) owner, I can totally understand why these guys pack it in. I've been there....... then when I closed and 1/10 off road died here in town, people started calling me at home asking if I would reopen. And that was before the internet... LOL

Well guys,

I'll Chime in from "The Shoe's On The Other Foot" angle...

I've had Some Good Dealings with Curtis and Immortal.
Buying parts and pieces along with a TK22, on a couple of occasions.
Also talked with him on a few phone calls, my dime...
Enough to think of myself as a Repeat Costomer if not a Valued One.

Then over the past few months I have tried to order Parts, Boards and a Turnigy Radio from him on Several Occasions.
I was told "Sure Man, let me see what I can do".
Then I'd never hear back...
Several PM's and Emails later I just gave up and started looking abroad.

I bear Curtis No Ill Will.
Heck, I'd rather see a Small Mom N Pop Shop get my Dollars.
I can understand it being a Side Business, as is my own business.
And think I've been More than understanding.

But in the End It's Just Business.

Contact Clark Directly for your Clark TK22-35 Boards.
He has a "Servo Recoil" Thread going on this Forum now, and is Quick to respond to PM's.

This is what I've been Forced to do.

-gus

Well I can tell you this is a labour of love. At the end of the day if you make little money and are spending too much time at something, you will stop.

I only handle the BARC because it is a labour of love. I beleive in it, and honestly believe it is the best bang for the buck.. I have had inquires from others to carry the board, but I declined as I want complete control of the customer serviice. For electronics Customer support is everything.

I don't know Curtis well, but I was impressed with the stuff he was starting to stock. He was getting what we wanted, the only problem is there just isn't many of us. In todays world the middle man is really getting squeezed. With both Taigen and Clark selling directly to customers, how does a distrubutor make any money? And Folks, let's not kid ourselves, you need to make money to make it worth your time.

On at least two occasions I have considered throwing in the towel, but I haven't got much capital sunk into the venture, and sales are slow enough that it is not a big time hog, so I just stroll along.I don't thnk people believe me when I tell them i am a hobbyist first, and a retailer second. If it was the other way around I would have stopped selling stuff years ago.

Curtis went the full service route, and probably just got tired of all the time invested with little return.

If you want to have one million dollars at the end of your hobby distrubution endeavor. You better start with 2

I gotta jump in here, my dealings with Curtis have been first rate. When I got my tk-20 he was on the phone with me getting everything squared away. And when a problem developed later on, it was the same thing. I'm sorry to hear he's thinking of packing it in.

Just my 2 cents.

Kevin

The last time i had a an email from him , he stated he hadn't been feeling well lately so that may have something to do with it. We've seen it before with Phil and Bill before that. one's personal well being has to come before everything else. It would be a shame to lose another quality supplier.

I sent them a question about a board a couple weeks ago and never got a response. *shrug..

I learned the hard way in the early- mid 1990s that modelers can be unpleasant to do business with when I was selling ( or trying to) my own cast metal products and machining/fabrication services. While my prices were more than fair there was always the guys trying to nickel and dime me to death.

"It didn't cost you anything to make it" - I can't tell you how many times I heard that.

Jerry

I believe that. A lot of modelers are tight-wads. Where did they think you got the materials and machinery to make stuff anyway?

"tight-wads"

That's the polite conversation form of the description I used to define these people!

Just to put this thread to bed so that there are no more comments from the peanut gallery.
I was sick with the flu/cold from Christmas to almost the end of January. OMG the hate mail one gets when items are ordered and immediate service is not rendered. This really upset me as over the past 2 years I have busted my ass to service most people and that would include people that purchased their product elsewhere. Yeah kind of flaky business when someone buys something from X-Y-Z reseller and then comes to me for support because the other guy won't tell him how to use the product.
So I got pissed for a few days and decided to take some time off. So now here is where I sit.
I am NOT going out of business and will in fact have some new products shortly, The changes I will be imposing are
Buy the items from me and your support is free, Buy it from somewhere else and it is $30.00 an hour, minim 1 hour charge just like a garage. I hope I don't have to charge people for this because really I am not trying to punish any patron but I will not be a doormat
or support products from other businesses.
The products I carry and support will be changing as well. True modellers will love some of my planned changes as they will be more model related rather than RC as this is where my passion really is.
My prices are fair, I routinely check sites all over the place and price according to the market. There is no way I will compete on every item and I simply won't do it, its not smart business.
I am on the Eastern Seaboard so my time is EST, calls beyond 8:00 pm at nite or on Sundays will be hung up on. My shipping will change to 2 days a week, not sure if Tuesday and Thursdays will be the days or Tuesdays and Fridays, I have not decided that yet.
I have the need to do this because I am not going to sacrifice my family time for tanks. Kids grow up once and I was recently reminded of that.

This will be posted on my front page and in my terms of use ( which NOBODY ever reads )
I hope folks understand that i want the ability to love RC Tanks and it has been a real chore to care even in the slightest but to be quite frank I am not so sure it really matters to me If I don't sell another piece of tank equipment/Tanks or parts as I would be totally fine with that.

A few of us have been down this road before. We can sympathize.

Take care of yourself, this is just a hobby. Strange, that I feel a little the same way. No real bad experiences, but just the realization that time is precious. I have only a few customers a month, and with retirement just a little way away, I had visions of ramping up the retail. Now I think I will just stay a one trick pony.

Do a little custom work and sell the odd BARC

As I mentioned earlier you are stocking the things that most guys want, and you have done a good job of getting the right stock.

I have always tried to stay away from the phone. It is too intrusive. I do my best to respond to emails, and will only use the phone when someone is really lost in the process,

I am just so pleased you are okay, some of us worried without having ordered from you!
I absolutely agree with you, If people want a door mat they should try another store.
Take care. shaun

now the responses to specific questions
Dirtybird - Send me a mail please to [email protected] and in the subject line put dirtybird and your question will get answered first
Godofwar - Did I not advise you that it takes 3 to 4 weeks for me to get a turnigy radio? I am pretty sure I did. If not then please read the start of this sentence as 3 to 4 weeks is what it takes for me to get the radios. Hobby king is just that way and its the only place top get them.

Benny thanks for your understanding, your one of the good guys and always have been.
MTMags - agreed
Augustus - I checked last mail was at christmas just as I probly got sick, yes I stock a few of the TK35 boards, I have a Panther and Panzer 4 in stock.
YHR - Dan, You understand the business more than so than the vast majority, your paragraphs above hit the nail on the head especially about not making money at this hobby.
Kevin Thanks for the confidence in me and my store. One day I am coming down to NY to run over that Tiger.
bhop Sorry but if you resend the mail with Bhop in the subject line I will correspond with you no problem.
Tanque ;) you know it lol

I really hopes this puts any rumours or conjecture to bed. got a question e-mail me please.

Reading this post for the first time now, I will voice my opinion. I like to think that Curtis and I have an excellent working relationship. I have purchased a number of boards from him and I have not a single bad thing to say about him or his performance. He has always treated me with respect and has stood behind his product. I too know where he is coming from and I will support his decision to do whatever it is he feels he has to for his family. Family must always come first. I am looking forward to perusing his new offerings.

Herman

Kevin Thanks for the confidence in me and my store. One day I am coming down to NY to run over that Tiger.

Curtis, the cold ones are on me.

Kevin

I need to order some Clark boards from you; what's ur stock like? Russian( T-34 ), StuG III and PzKw III types?

Jerry

PM a message

I feel your pain Curtis, if I miss or am late 1 day on my emails I feel the wrath! Even with my new assistant I am finding I still do not have enough time to do my normal duties, much less all the things I want to do for Taigen/IMEX. It is taking me a lot longer to catch up to emails and PMs so please if I am late forgive me. I can only imagine the things said during a sick leave.... Welcome back buddy, glad you are feeling better!

Curtis, glad to hear your going to continue, changes to your operation sound great! I know I ordered 3 boards from you and I thought you did a great job helping me as I am new to tanks. I think you were sick at the time I purchased my new tanks. A couple of emails got lost or were sent elsewhere, but but in the end you took care of me, no proplem! You even advised me that to save some time you were going to ship one of my boards directly from Clark, I thought that was great, less waiting time. I think its great what you guys are doing! I havent been in the RC world very long, 6years about, as I a still new to the hobby, I have planes and 1/8 trucks also, I have bought alot of aftermarket parts from people like you, I think what people dont always understand is that some of the vendors are doing this as a full time job, and alot of you guys are doing it for part time, or just for fun to help out other people. I have my own small engine repair shop, its just me, and a part timer in the summer. When it snows the phone never stops, they need it now, when the grass grows they need it now, I can never do it fast enough or cheap enough. Some buy cheap aftermarket parts and want me to install them, they dont fit right or brake prematurly, then they blame me! They want free advise all the time so they can fix it themselves, I pour tons of free labor into these people, not even a thanks, phone rings all weekend, after hours, they pound on my door a 9pm on Sunday, find me out on the lake in my fish house. I have a family, like you said kids only grow up once! I have thought about throwing in the towel several times, but I still love what I do. People are gettting harder to deal with and satisfy now days though, its getting tougher to be in the retail repair business and make a profit, (swear word to some) I like what you are doing with you charging a labor rate and the "buy from me". I changed my business last year also, I stuck to my days and hrs I was open, and started charging for diagnostic time, I was nervous at first but Im still just as busy and I have weeded out alot of the rif raf free loader tight wads! Good luck Curtis, I hope to do more business with you in the future, and dont worry, I am waiting very patiently for my Sherman TK22, no worries!!

Hey, hope I didn't sound like a douche earlier.. my question was short though if you see it here, I just asked if the TK-22 for the Panzer III was plug and play or if anything else was needed to make it work with a stock HL tank. I'll resend the email if you don't reply here.

thanks

I Understand Completely Curtis.

Been down That Road with my Primitive Archery Business.
Most folks have no idea how to build a Bow or make it Look as Nice as it shoots.
And Everybody wants a Deal.

Glad to hear that you are doing Better.
We've had a bout of Flu in my Household as well.
Nasty Stuff That...

Wishing You and Your Family The Best,

-gus

Glad to see your sticking it out Curtis. the hobby needs guys like you.