O'Brien Hobbies rant! *very long, as this fiasco has been going on since September**

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Okay folks…

I’m not usually one to rant, but I have to get this off my chest. Please bear with me. For my birthday, on August 14, (This was the first one since graduating engineering school, and so the first one since being a poor college student.) My girlfriend treated me to $250 to spend on models, both for my birthday, and for graduation. I hunted around online, spent a few days deciding exactly what I wanted, then shopped around for the place with the best deals.

I found a website, www.obrienhobbies.com, that had great prices, and seemed to have most of what I wanted. So, I placed an order withthem…below, is the ensuing transcript of emails back and forth since then. Keep in mind, that this is only the emails, as I have no record of how many phone calls were involved.

Here goes, folks.

Me: (09/24/2007)

Dear O’Brien Hobbies,

I submitted an order on August 30 for 9 plastic aircraft models. I have not received this order yet, and your phone line is busy. I hope that this message gets through as your email server seems to be unreliable. I left a message over the weekend asking you to please trace this order through the postmaster as you had offered, but I haven’t gotten a reply about that either. Please let me know as to where we stand on this. I am interested in making more purchases from you in the future, but currently I am an unsatisfied customer as this order was placed almost a month ago.

I will NOT be ordering from O’Brien Hobbies again if my current order does not show up.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Alex Jeffrey

OBrien: (09/24/2007)

Hello Alex,

Your credit card was credited over the weekend for the order. I am sorry but I dont control the post office. The order is obviously lost. It will be weeks before I get my insurance money back on it.
I
Yes we do offer order tracing on oreds shipped UPS. We ship either UPS or Post Office at our disgresion, now we can mark your account - NO SHIP POST OFFICE., because obviuosly going to your location there is a problem with usps.
But please do not assume that we dont care about the order. i know when the order was placed and how long it has been. Did i not cat twice and email to check in on certain days to see if you had gotten the order.
No we dont offer large discounts for any size order. Our prices are the lowest, plain and simple.
Look for that credit so we are square money wise. I will inform you when i heare further from USPS regarding the investigation of the package.
Please correspond with me by email in the future as well.
Thank you

DOUG

Me: (09/26/2007)

Doug,

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I didn’t mean to sound quite as upset as my email implied. I also apologize for giving you the idea that I thought that you didn’t care about my order. I know that you do, and you have done a great job keeping tabs on it for me. Finally I apologize for the tone of my email. I know that this has to be at least as frusturating for you as it is for me. Three of the kits in the order are commission builds, so I am on the clock as far as they are concerned.

As far as the order itself goes, I would still like to keep it active if it can be shipped UPS and I can be sent a tracking number on it.

I will be out of town for the rest of the week, and in only sporadic internet contact, however, feel free to email me a response when you get to it.

Thanks, and sorry for any inconvenience or bad attitudes.

No hard feelings?

Me: (10/04/2007)

Doug,

I was just curious as to whether or not you had heard anything from the post office yet? Also, I wanted to make sure my emails were getting through, as we’ve had problems with that before. Thanks, and drop me a line when you get a chance.

OB: (10/04/2007)

Hi Alex,

We are getting an insurance reimbursement. I will contat you next week once all the kits are back in stock, you can reorder then if you would like.

Me: (10/04/2007)

That sounds great. Do you need me to resend my information? I would like to place the exact same order. Let me know what you need from me.

Thanks!

Me: (10/24/2007)

Hi Doug,

I was just curious as to how the order is coming…I never got a confirmation email, so I’m guessing something out of stock?

Let me know where we’re at, and if you need anything from me.

OB: (10/24/2007)

Hi Alex,

Should be able to get it on it’s way next week. WIll contact you then and confirm
Thanks

Me: (10/24/2007)

Great! Thanks!

Sorry to be a pain, but I was wondering if I could change my order slightly…

Instead of the 1/48 Nichimo Ki-45, I would like to order the 1/48 Italeri TBF/TBM Avenger (#2644) and the Tamiya 1/48 Aichi M6A1 Seiran (#61054). The difference is an extra $23.99. Let me know if there are any problems with doing this. Thanks!

OB: (10/27/2007)

Hi Alex,

No problem, I will send you an order confirmation end of next week.
Thank you

DOUG

Me: (11/05/2007)

Hey Doug,

Any news on the order? Let me know if you need anything from me. Thanks!

OB: (11/06/2007)

Hi Alex,
it will be shipping this week, i would expect it mid/end of next week. Sorry for the slow moving, many kits go out of stock this time of year, they all come back in 2nd week of nov for xmas.

Me: (11/16/2007)

Howdy! I hadn’t heard anything about the order yet, so I figured I’d see how we are doing. Has the package been sent yet? I noticed I haven’t billed for it yet, and I haven’t gotten a confirmation yet.

Me: (11/23/2007)

Hi and Happy Thanksgiving! I just wanted to let you know that I haven’t been billed for the shipment yet. Has it been sent? Let me know if you need anything from me.

Thanks!

OB: (11/30/2007)

Hi Alex,

Can you call us Monday with your CC info. THanks
Have a Nice weekend

Me: (11/30/2007)

I will call you later today. Thanks!

OB: (12/08/2007)

Hi Alex,

Sorry man, soo busy here .

The UPS # is 1Z26WE620390961781

It was just dropped off the other day, nothing will start happening till MOnday.
Thanks

DOUG

Me: (12/12/2007)

Hi,

I noticed that I haven’t been charged for this order, and that UPS hasn’t shipped it yet? Do you need anything from me before we can get it sent?

Me: (12/23/2007)

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that the package still hasn’t been shipped…the UPS site says that “billing information has been received”, but that they haven’t gotten the package yet…

Please let me know what’s going on, thanks, and Merry Christmas.

Me: (01/04/2008)
Hi,

I still have not received my package, and UPS still says only ‘billing information has been received’, but they still haven’t gotten the package to ship. Let me know if you all need anything from me, or if there are anyproblems, or you find out anything. Thanks!

Me: (01/09/2008)

Hi,

I called earlier today, and was told that Doug would email me after 5:00. I just wanted to let you guys know that I talked to UPS and they said they haven’t received a shipment from you yet. Is there some sort of hold up or delay that I need to know about? Please email me to let me know. Thanks!

OB: (01/10/2008)

Hello Alex,

I have yet another lost package. Im sorry man but, i dont know the reason, i cant get anyhting to you! I refunded your card last night.
Im sorry, but im losing money like this.
Thank you ,
good luck

DOUG

Me: (01/10/2008)

Hi Doug,

So what’s the deal? UPS said they never even got the package, but you said it had been dropped off on New Year’s, if I recall correctly. So, somewhere between your store and UPS, things are just disappearing? I tried to call you, and your phone is erratic, most of the time the call doesn’t even go through, and the rest of the time, its busy. It makes it rather hard to get ahold of y’all…

So, I’m going to keep calling, and hopefully I’ll get through to you…

OB: (01/10/2008)

Hi Alex,

I dont know what the deal is man, honestly. But i cant send more and I cant try more without losing money.
Im sorry man, as for the phone, we’re constantly on it. I’m home for the day now, wont be in again till tomorrow, email is the best way to get me

Me: (01/10/2008)

Okay,

I talked with my company’s lawyer today, and after some checking he told me that your company is listed as having a series of bad orders, and is related as unsatisfactory on the Better Business Bureau website. So, what gives?

It specifically states that you’ve had other delivery problems. He also advised me to ask you if either shipment ever actually got shipped. So, pursuant to his advice and request, were the orders ever shipped? According to UPS, they were never received, and the Better Business Bureau reports two other separate instances where something very similar has happened with your company.

OB: (01/10/2008)

Alex,

Yes the order was dropped off. Im sorry they are for clients, but if you needed them that quick, why didnt you just order them from someone else instead of waiting to re-order from us.
Every company has complaints , why dont you look into the amount of complaints that Tower Hobbies or HobbyLand has.
I refunded your money, so we have taken nothing from you.
Doug

**********************
Here’s a link to the Better Business Bureau report. [link]http://concord.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=104&bbb=0051&firm=92014484[/link]

So, from August 30 until now I have been unsuccessfully attempting to order kits from these people…

I’m at my wit’s end. I don’t know what to do. These kits were a birthday and graduation gift, and since this started last August, most of them are again OOP. [:(!]

I’m sorry if this just seems like me airing private problems, I had to get this all off my chest.
Any suggestions?

2

I suppose I probably should have put this in Odds & Ends, or General, but I feel like I know y’all the best. I just need some moral support…this kind of thing torques me a bit…[V]

3

I feel your pain my friend. But to be honest, I think I would have given up the first goaround, or the second at best. I hope you have tried other web stores. There are several very good ones out there. So hang tough and try something new. Cheers & good luck!!

4

Aex I have to say, you have the patience of a saint. If that were me that never would have gotten that far.

I know it must be frustrating to not get the kits at the cheap price, but he obviously can’t deliver. Just as long as he hasn’t gotten any of you bucks.

Give Sprue Bros a look. Good prices and unbelievable service.

5

It would have been wiser to place a small order at first rather than ordering 9 kits right off of the bat.I agree that he should have taken care of your order right away rather than forcing you to wait until he gets an insurance adjustment.Now you and everyone else on the forum knows how he responds to problems and will act accordingly.

6

You’re way too polite!

I would have lost my rag after the second mail.

Hope you get this sorted.

Karl

7

Alex,

To me it sounds like you’ve done nothing but handle yourself in a respectful, professional manner. I think we all feel the same way when I say “thank you” for the heads up on this guy and his business. Speaking only for myself, I know I will not be patronizing O’Brien’s. I’m sorry to hear that they took the wonderful gift from your girlfriend and made it such a horrific experience. I hope things work out better in the future. After dealing with that guy, they can’t get any worse! LOL!

Best wishes,

Eric

On a side noe, KEEP THAT GIRLFRIEND OF YOURS! LOL! I should know! As a husband, father of two very young girls, sole wage earner AND a returning engineering student, my wife let me spend $250 last week on kits (two planes from Collect-Aire). God bless the spouses who know what makes us happy.

8

Are you a masochist? If he gave you your money back, go shop somewhere else. He’s obviously full of BS, is it really worth this much aggravation to save a few dollars?

This is like trying to shoot yourself in the foot with a loaded gun and missing - and being disappointed that you missed! Everytime you shoot and miss, you look at the gun like there is something wrong with it, and try to shoot yourself again!

BANG!

“Darn, I missed”.

BANG!

“Darn, missed again”.

BANG

“Maybe this gun is broken?”

BANG!

9

Suggestions? Yeah, use a mainstream on-line store like Graet Models or Squadron…you have the patience of a saint…I get upset when I don’t get my order three days after I call it in, and with them that rarely happens…sounds like this guy is working part-time out of his garage…

…“fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice shame on me”…

10

[#ditto]

I would have went else where after the 1st time. Live and learn.

11

When ever I try out a new source for models, I would place a small order to see if I run into any problems with the store and if I do, I drop them like a hot potato and take my business else where.

Scott

12

Bummer Alex! I had a similar problem with an R/C vendor about 10 years ago. Ended up having to get a lawyer involved to get the stuff I paid for. [tdn]

13

I agree with the sentiment above, it sounds like a really non-pro place. After decades of ordering with Squadron, there are very few complaints.

14

Thanks for all your sympathy, guys. I have learned a valuable lesson. I ordered from them because they (claimed to) have had quite a few kits I have been unable to find at places like Squadron, Tower, Great, and Roll Models.

For those of you saying that I should have dropped them after the first time, that’s a good point, but there’s more to the story. I placed an order, it never showed up, but it WAS shipped. We conference called with the USPS to determine what happened, so at that point, it was still legitimate, albeit unlucky. So, I gave them a second chance, only this time, I reordered with the caveat that I would get a tracking number. So, I know that UPS didn’t lose it this time, and I’m pretty sure that it never got shipped…maybe after the first time, it seemed like a good racket to claim lost package insurance for them. I dunno.

Anyways, thanks again for all your help and support. Y’all are great friends. [:)]

15

Wow…what a pain…I’m sorry you had such dramas…and your patience is admirable - I’m not so sure I could have been so pleasant for so long…[censored]. I’ll certainly steer clear of that little tosser…he’s not getting any of my money, that’s for sure. Thanks for the heads up.
It’s a real pain when a service industry doesn’t care about your hard earned…but you gotta learn from it…buy your stuff from a far more reputable and respectable mail order business…other guys on this forum can give you ideas on that - I normally buy from my LHS…but I’ve had excellent service from Hannants, Meteor Productions, and Squadron…they’re pretty big - or at least seem to understand how important your money is to you, and I never had a single problem with them - as a matter of fact, Meteor Productions actually kind of went out of their way to fix up a little problem we had with one of my orders…prompt communication and excellent service made the problem go away very quickly. I’d buy from these guys again, any day.

16

I just browsed their web site a bit… they do NOT have the best deals… when I am checking prices, I always check Squadron (gives me the HIGH end), SprueBrothers and GreatModels (medium range) and LuckyModels (lowest prices). You will be surprised how many “sale” prices are actually higher than regular prices in other places… And HobbyBuy has excellent weekly 60% off hasegawa kits sales, not the old leftover crap, you have to check every week as it changes. I have ordered from all of the above, never had a problem. There is another online hobby place, great prices (lower than GreatModels) but short selection, let me find it

http://www.e-hobbyland.com

Check their “sales” link, you will find some nice items at the lowest prices this side of LuckYModels…

17

Alex,

you must be a saint !

This is absolutely outrageous. Did you receive a tracking # for the shipment ?

If he made a claim, he should send you one of:

  1. money back

  2. new package

What kits did you order ? Maybe I can help you get some ???

18

I can only echo what has been said by Marc and LeeTree. I can recommend Sprue Bros. Thanks for giving us all a heads up on this guy. Have a look at RCuniverse.com & RCgroups.com and see what the RC guys have to say about them. Bad news all round.

19

Hi Alex,

I got red in the face just reading those emails from that guy. I would think a company would want to keep a customer like yourself (personable and orders 9 kits). But there’s something else going on with this Doug and that so-called store of his. I have ordered several times over the last year or two from MegaHobby, and they do a pretty good job. I really don’t know who the best is out there, but customer service is just so important these days, and some companies just don’t get that.