Roll Models experience

Lufbery

That's an awesome story, Dave!

For what it's worth, I've ordered several times from Roll Models. I've also asked questions via the web site and gotten prompt, personal answers. In all cases, the service was fantastic and everything showed up when they said it would.

Regards,

 

Lufbery

That's an awesome story, Dave!

For what it's worth, I've ordered several times from Roll Models. I've also asked questions via the web site and gotten prompt, personal answers. In all cases, the service was fantastic and everything showed up when they said it would.

Regards,

 

Lufbery

That's an awesome story, Dave!

For what it's worth, I've ordered several times from Roll Models. I've also asked questions via the web site and gotten prompt, personal answers. In all cases, the service was fantastic and everything showed up when they said it would.

Regards,

 

Take care,

Dave

That's an awesome story, Dave!

For what it's worth, I've ordered several times from Roll Models. I've also asked questions via the web site and gotten prompt, personal answers. In all cases, the service was fantastic and everything showed up when they said it would.

Regards,

     Roll Models is a great small company that has its niche in the market.  Like Stick said earlier, it really pays to look at their website; you will see companies you've never heard of before and find some really cool, yet unknown items that you can't live without!

     While I was in Iraq back in '05, I started a list of 'must have' military models that I wanted to build of my M1114s, and the Iraqi Army vehicles that I worked with- a hodge podge of US, British, and Russian equipment.  I sent the list home to my wife to hang on to until I got back, I jokingly called it 'my Christmas wish list.'  Little did I know, my wife called Roll Models and ordered many of the items on the list.  When they found out that my wife was getting model kits for her Soldier, they gave her an incredible DEEP discount on the prices as a 'thank you' for our family's service! That really meant a lot to both me and my wife that a small company would be so considerate of an Army family...

     I was majorly surprised when my wife sent me a couple of the models in a care package........(I didn't get to build them, but I sure got to go over the kits in detail and look at the instruction sheets though!)

     That simple, yet heartfelt gesture made me a committed Roll Models customer for life.....good folks!!

RM uses a just-in-time inventory model.  If they would have had to have an inventory, you would be paying for it as it costs money to keep stuff on the shelf.  I got my email notice on Tuesday that my C-54 had shipped, and I got the package slip on Saturday which is exactly the way I figured it would happen, to go and pick it up on Monday.

stikpusher

2-3 weeks as advertised... not great, not horrible. No false expectations. Reminds me of the dark days of mail order... if the company you were mail ordering from had the item in stock....

 

Exactly... if they had them in stock, I would have gotten them sooner - not 3 weeks later.

2-3 weeks as advertised... not great, not horrible. No false expectations. Reminds me of the dark days of mail order... if the company you were mail ordering from had the item in stock....

Got my P-47 masks in the mail today. Packed well in small envelope type box. Now I can resume my build.

Roll Models is local to me. If their location is where I suspect is is based on their phone number, it is not far from where I work. It is a small room in a industrial area. They have little room for inventory, so if they need to order most things they sell, it would not surprise me at all. Seems to me waiting a bit longer for someting you cant get elsewhere or a better price is worth waiting a bit for, especially since they are UPFRONT about it.

Oh the agony of snail mail!!! How did we all survive in the dark ages before the internet???

Please do let us know when you get your item. I know they are not the fastest business in the hobby world today, as MJ pointed out above. But what does keep me going back to them on occasion is the fact that they carry some items that one can not find elsewhere. If and when their business closes (as pretty much all businesses do one day), I will be saddened. They may not be the fastest kid in town, but I always got what I ordered from them. In the long run, that is what counts most.

Update - I got an email that my order is shipped out via snail mail. I'll be lucky to get it by Saturday. 

They can run their business any way they like. You can choose to support them. I can choose not to. 

MJames70

Right up until fairly recently, this was the same pre-internet business model that Squadron was trying to survive on. You used to place your order, send them payment or details. No acknowledgemet of your order, no shipping notice. Then 2-3 weeks later your stuff, or most of it anyway, just showed up on your doorstep.

Squadron has had to change their ways the last few years, because simply there are companies out there willing to provide better service, for similar or better prices. This may be just the way they 'roll' at Roll Models, but as more time passes, I think fewer and fewer people are going to be satisfied with 'you'll get it when you get it'. It's already bitten Squadron in the @#$....

 

You guys make it sound like Roll Models is just dragging their butts on purpose or out of spite?! They at most times do have to order it from the supplier first, either the manufacturer doesn't ship direct or this is the only way to be the item at a reduced cost, or only way period. And Roll Models comes out and explains this to you! This small Ma and Pa shop can't afford fancy websites with real time inventory, nor do they have a warehouse big enough to stock everything like Sprue Bros does.  They do however have the rare items that SprueBros doesnt, such as AirDoc decals, and has them at $ below other places. Now are you getting the tradeoff here??? Makes sense Ya?

Right up until fairly recently, this was the same pre-internet business model that Squadron was trying to survive on. You used to place your order, send them payment or details. No acknowledgemet of your order, no shipping notice. Then 2-3 weeks later your stuff, or most of it anyway, just showed up on your doorstep.

Squadron has had to change their ways the last few years, because simply there are companies out there willing to provide better service, for similar or better prices. This may be just the way they 'roll' at Roll Models, but as more time passes, I think fewer and fewer people are going to be satisfied with 'you'll get it when you get it'. It's already bitten Squadron in the @#$....

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

I do agree they do have pretty decent prices on some of their stuff

No worries nor was I getting worked up. I just found it strange the way Roll Models do business getting their stuff out to ship. I do agree they do have pretty decent prices on some of their stuff - IF they have them in stock.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

 

 

stikpusher

Was Roll Models the only place that you could find the item that you ordered? Or did other places carry the item also and they just had a better price, so that is why you chose them?

 

 

 

 

 

Yes. They had the best price and "had" both in stock. It does put off further building on the P-47 Thunderbolt kit. Waiting for the canopy masks.

 

Got ya. One thing that I have found is that the sooner you want something, in nearly every case, the more you have to pay for that particular item. Patience is what saves me money. As fast as my life seems to be going by lately, 3 weeks is really nothing. I understand your point, but I would not get too worked up over it myself.

stikpusher

Was Roll Models the only place that you could find the item that you ordered? Or did other places carry the item also and they just had a better price, so that is why you chose them?

 

Yes. They had the best price and "had" both in stock. It does put off further building on the P-47 Thunderbolt kit. Waiting for the canopy masks.

I've had good experiences with Roll Models so far. They sell for a good price usually which makes them a good choice for me. I had to wait a little for my order but saved about 30-40% from other vendors.

Was Roll Models the only place that you could find the item that you ordered? Or did other places carry the item also and they just had a better price, so that is why you chose them?

It's not the point of the option to cancel and go with someone who's speedy. It's the point I find it very odd for them to take 2-3 weeks just to to fulfill my order whether or not they have the item in stock.

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

Let me clarify it noted in my confirmation on March 14th that it will take Roll Models 2-3 weeks BEFORE they charge me and ship my items out. Not 2-3 weeks to get it.

 

If they haven't charged you, it gives you the option of cancelling your order and going with someone a bit more speedy if that is your preference.

At least they let you know the timeframe in the confirmation.  

Let me clarify it noted in my confirmation on March 14th that it will take Roll Models 2-3 weeks BEFORE they charge me and ship my items out. Not 2-3 weeks to get it.

Nathan T. - No, it's not the "I need it yesterday" attitude but the common courtesy is why it may take 2-3 weeks to fulfill my order. I've never dealt with an online shop that tells the customer, Thank you for your business but it's going to take 2-3 weeks to fulfill your order. I'm like "Are you kidding?"

Something missing from another recent thread, along the lines of "I finally did get the part".

I see nothing that needs to be "resolved"?? Blacksheep's question has been answered, now it's up to him to have a bit of patience, or go somewhere else next time. I've never understood the Modelers " I need this item yesterday" attitude, but it sure comes up often. 

The opposite of this annoyance might be that a couple of the bigger online hobby shops we all order from here won't even let us place an order if the item is out of stock.

At least this place lets you place the order. (Just looking for a silver lining somewhere, Sheep )

BlackSheepTwoOneFour

If it is, then it's poor customer service and laziness on their end. I guess they don't care about their customers. If and when I do finally recieve my order, I can assure you it will be the last time I'll ever do business with them.

I don't infer from the story that they were either "lazy" or "don't care". I respect that you didn't title your post "Roll Models- horrible...." or such. That kind of thing can really do damage to a small business. There's been too much of that here lately.

Do be sure to post how it gets resolved. That's always really helpful.

I did get a response from them telling me the same thing - we have the best the prices that no other hobby shop has at a low cost. That's fine and all but if they don't have it in stock, yet on their website they say they do. Why not make a note of it on their site as "Out of Stock" if they don't have any on hand. 

When I placed the order, I assumed they had some on hand. The email I recieved tells me they had to order more and will send them out by the end of the week.

I also understand they are a small outfit, but they really need to update what they have and don't have in stock on their site. I don't know. I guess I had high expectations for better service than having to wait 2-3 weeks for my items. :(

I've oredered from Roll Models a couple of times and they've always treated me well. They do sometimes take longer than others, but that is usually becasue they have had to order one of the items from elsewhere.

Cheers, Aaron