Internet Hobbies (do not use them)

The key difference is this, if you don't understand it - Internet Hobbies likely does not have the item, does not know if they will ever get it, but they WILL take your money immediately, regardless, without telling you anything about availability. If that is fine with you, great. There are a lot better people without such lousy business tactics to deal with. Maybe all of the crummy stores you deal with do it that way, but it is hardly everyone, or make it an acceptable business practice. 

AS regards Internet Hobbies...

  I have had good experiences.

    My first was for 2 models, one of which, a B6N2 Jill, was backordered when I placed my order. I feared this item was not expected anytime in the near future and once Dale at IH also determined that he immediately Refunded me the cost for the kit.  I did not have to ask.  (This Hasegawa 1/48 bomber was OOS everywhere including online stores in Japan!)

   My most recent order was for 2 Cottage Industries Kits: USS Alligator and CSN Hunley. Dale sent me the Alligator kit immediately and personally made the effort to contact his Distributor to obtain the Hunley and he sent it out to me the as soon as he received it.

    To Add to my pleasure of dealing with Dale at IH, I must mention I used their 30% off Sale code to get a great discount so I am quite pleased with the costs of $34.58 & $23.38, for the Alligator and Hunley kits, respectively .  Those costs included TAX and Pro-rated Shipping.  (I'm in Pa, he's in Pa... gotta pay the tax.)

A thought....

    For those of you interested in Cottage Industries kits I recommend IH as a great source. His normal price is below every other seller I know.  Combined with a Discount during one of the many Sales throughout the year, (...) it's a good deal!

i.e.: That Cottage Ind. 1/96 USS Monitor is currently discounted to $206.96.  Get it during an IH sale and with the discount applied.  You can't beat the price.

      Nino.

P.S.  As far as being charged up-front for items not in stock:  A few of the online stores I have dealt with do it. I wish IH had a No Charge till-in-stock policy.

The Online stores are changing.  Even FreeTime has adopted a new Policy: "We are being alot more selective on what we stock these days, and it really helps us to turn inventory at a much faster pace. Just not as much to look at, (In Stock), at any one given time."

 Edit:  Freetime is under new management since July 2020.

 Edit:  Italics are new edit/updates/corrections

Yep, I removed them from my stable of online stores a couple years ago.

There used to be an axiom that was like the first rule for business:

"It cost 10 times more to gain a new customer than to keep an old one."

For some reason, now days, most companies could not care less about keeping their customers, they only want to make the sale at the higher price possible and the hell with the rest. Then they wonder why they are going out of business! Surprise!

Joe

Hi Tick!

       Listen,This is something I don't understand. When I ran my Business, If I told a customer something was going to be shipped or built, that is because I was right there taking care of Business. A good example. I told a person that I would get their money to them. Yes, It took a while, But, I KEPT MY WORD!

    What is wrong with this world that's it's become alright to scam everyone?  When I recieved my Stimulis check my Administrator said take up to 200.00 for yourself and enjoy. I did spend some money on LEGO sets I hadn't had the opportunity to get a while back. Made the order with a firm. Spent the money( Card was charged) and here it is four months later and I haven't recieved anything, Except the refund from the card company!

    I have done Business( Personal) with some of you and I amd sure, it seemed to the person, I was never going to keep my word. I did though. Living on a fixed income, sometimes life puts your plans in the Toilet! So KEEP YOUR WORD ANYWAY! Especially if you sell to the public The old phrase( His or Her, WORD IS THEIR BOND ) doesn't seem to matter anymore. Yup, Honor and Truthfulness has gone right out the window.

I only deal with Hobbylinc and Spruebrothers now. They have never let me down. Hobbylinc is slower than spruebrothers but I rarely order anything I need immediately so it doesn't bother me. Spruebrothers I use mostly for Eduard Canopy Masks.

Tickmagnet

Just letting other folks know that "Internet Hobbies" is not a business you want to do business with. Guess I'll need to start checking yelp and BBB site before trying to use a hobby site I've never used before. I'll post the yelp reviews and BBB rating as well. The complaints are the same issues I've had with them.

https://www.bbb.org/us/pa/mayfield/profile/wholesale-hobby-supplies/internet-hobbies-0241-235973355

https://www.yelp.com/biz/internet-hobbies-jermyn?adjust_creative=dWJMtmYxpd5N5yoyzSuhtA&utm_campaign=yelp_api&utm_medium=api_v2_business&utm_source=dWJMtmYxpd5N5yoyzSuhtA&hrid=XPcuHPeieIBQBxttgrBLRw

I think you'll find posts about Internet Hobbies, describing similar experiences, here in this forum, and in other forums, too.

Oh man they are the WORST. After being given the runaround for two months, I asked them to cancel my order. I even told them in an email how I thought their customer service was bad (with examples) and they had the audacity to tell me, "Please contact us when we are open." 

Dude, it's an email. If you're closed, deal with it tomorrow. But when a customer emails you and tells you your customer serivice sucks and you tell THEM to call YOU back when it's convenient for YOU?! I'm sorry, but the only thing a customer wants to hear at that point is, "Sorry for the trouble, I am processing your refund now!"

Finally I asked them if they were going to issue the refund now or if I should start the chargeback proceudure with my credit card company. They said they'd already given me a refund, but I don't believe them. They use the same platform for ecommerce as we do at my work, and the order status changes to "refunded" immediately (even if the money isn't back in the account right away). My order's status hasn't changed, so I'm not very confident. 

Talk about frustrating. 

Tickmagnet

Nothing like being told when you inquire that it's on back order but they charged it to my card anyway. My credit card company is taking care of that charge.

 

Same here, I ordered a ship model, over $240, they charge my credit card but never received any confirmation of shipping, I send them an e-mail after 1 week, the answer was that they were working on it and "all is well" message.

I waited another week and send another e-mail, they told me that they were close (On a Monday!) but they will check on the order the very next day and would let me know.

After another week, I sent another e-mail, this time I told them that I either got some definite confirmation or I was canceling my order, their answer was that the ship was in the "procurement center" and to wait one more day so they can check it out.

Next day, since I had never received any communication, I went ahead and told then that I had my credit card company (Amex) cancel the order, they, immediately sent another message telling me that the ship was shipped and they were trying to get the info from the procurement center, and if the order was canceled and I received the model they expected to get it back or else I will be dealing with their lawyers.

I told then that I am an honest person and if I got the model it will be sent back immediately, then I added that they are welcome to call their lawyers, because my daughter happens to be a lawyer and so my brother in law. Never hear from then again.

Meanwhile, that model I wanted, the Le Solei Royal, went out of production and, due to the delays by this company, lost the opportunity of purchasing it from another company.

Joe

Another DISSATIFIED one-time customer. Ordered 4 boxed sets of paint totaling $120, and this firm shipped only 3 of the 4 but charged me. 

I sent them an email over the last weekend and all I received back was "we will check on this on Monday".  They never checked. I have followed up with emails daily, with no further responses. A search on their website shows NO phone number that I can find

I'm out $29.00.

Off to the credit card company I go --  AVOID USING THIS COMPANY. I wish I had read the other reviews before I submitted any order.......

Thank you for the info, guys!

What is surprising is how long they've gotten away with such shabby practices, and still remain in business.

That's very good news.

GMorrison

I hope it gets resolved. Let us know.

 

I got a real quick reply from them when I pointed out the yelp reviews and BBB rating and I cancelled the order and told them I was contacting my credit card company to credit the charge back to me. It was not a pleasant email they sent either. Never again will I attempt to do business with these folks.

The issue is resolved since I cancelled the order and the charge has been credited back to me by my CC company.

I hope it gets resolved. Let us know.

checkmateking02

Thanks for the links to the BBB and reviews about them.  I hadn't thought about this kind of research.

Sad to see this outfit is still operating this way.  I had a similar experience with them, although my order did eventually ship.

 

 

Yep bad way to do business. Don't charge if you can't ship the item. They charged me the very day I ordered it. Then sent me an email saying they were prulling the order. After a week or so with no shipping notice I contacted them and it was suddenly on back order, yet my credit card was charged. 24 days later and several correspondences of we aren't open now we will check next time we are open and then never hearing back was enough for me to believe the complaints and BBB rating. Sad it as it is.

Thanks for the links to the BBB and reviews about them.  I hadn't thought about this kind of research.

Sad to see this outfit is still operating this way.  I had a similar experience with them, although my order did eventually ship.

Nothing like being told when you inquire that it's on back order but they charged it to my card anyway. My credit card company is taking care of that charge.

I agree that they should be avoided. I had a similar problem to one cited in the reviews and when I mentioned to them in an email that I would complain on Yelp they told me if I did I'd hear from their lawyer. I complained but needless to say never heard from the lawyer.