Missing Part/Poor service

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Four weeks back I got my hands on a Dragon kit, the Guardians of the Galaxy Star lord kit.


Having started to assemble and paint it I found one piece missing, as I had the kit from an online Facebook trader who also has a store I contacted him and he said he would contact his supplier for a replacement part, that was 4 weeks plus now.


Each week I have enquired as to what's happening and each time I have been told he has had no response, it so happens it was from Hannants, one occasion he suggested I contact Dragon myself and then last week he suggested I make the part myself!


Yesterday I pointed out how unhappy I am and that I had waited long enough, he replied " I can't magic a part up from thin air" I replied that as he was the retailer he was responsible under the Sale of Goods Act, and the item was not fit for purpose as it could not be completed.


Since then he's failed to respond to any messages, so I'm assuming he's washing his hands of the whole thing.


I have contacted both Dragon and Hannants and neither have responded, so now I have a kit all built and painted with a shoulder armour piece missing


Unless people want the details I won't name the retailer but wanted to vent my annoyance at the lack of customer service and his failure to take ownership of the problem.


Adrian

[Gern]

Seems like lots of us are having problems obtaining replacement parts recently. Some down to poor service from the retailers and some down to manufacturers not being prepared to supply them. The only way to hit back is to stop buying from them and hurt their pockets - but that only works if there are enough people who stop buying (I can't see Trumpeter/Hobby Boss/Merit going out of business just 'cos I won't be buying any more of their kits!)


Alas. That's not going to happen. There's always someone who desperately wants the latest Tigerfire Mk IV and they'll happily hand over their hard-earned pennies to whoever makes one - regardless of the reputations of the dealer and/or manufacturer.


Mind you, at least you're only missing a part from your kit. I'm stuck between my last college and the agency who placed me there trying to get my last month's wages! Both are replying to my phone calls and emails saying my timesheet needs to be authorised by the other and I'm not going to be paid until it is sorted.

[Guest]

Four weeks back I got my hands on a Dragon kit, the Guardians of the Galaxy Star lord kit.
Having started to assemble and paint it I found one piece missing, as I had the kit from an online Facebook trader who also has a store I contacted him and he said he would contact his supplier for a replacement part, that was 4 weeks plus now.


Each week I have enquired as to what's happening and each time I have been told he has had no response, it so happens it was from Hannants, one occasion he suggested I contact Dragon myself and then last week he suggested I make the part myself!


Yesterday I pointed out how unhappy I am and that I had waited long enough, he replied " I can't magic a part up from thin air" I replied that as he was the retailer he was responsible under the Sale of Goods Act, and the item was not fit for purpose as it could not be completed.


Since then he's failed to respond to any messages, so I'm assuming he's washing his hands of the whole thing.


I have contacted both Dragon and Hannants and neither have responded, so now I have a kit all built and painted with a shoulder armour piece missing


Unless people want the details I won't name the retailer but wanted to vent my annoyance at the lack of customer service and his failure to take ownership of the problem.


Adrian

Dragon have shocking customer service (they don't reply


Italeri have alright customer servie, but you have to pay postage for parts (which I think is dumb)


Eduard have excellent customer service


Airfix have outstanding customer service

[Guest]

Four weeks back I got my hands on a Dragon kit, the Guardians of the Galaxy Star lord kit.
Having started to assemble and paint it I found one piece missing, as I had the kit from an online Facebook trader who also has a store I contacted him and he said he would contact his supplier for a replacement part, that was 4 weeks plus now.


Each week I have enquired as to what's happening and each time I have been told he has had no response, it so happens it was from Hannants, one occasion he suggested I contact Dragon myself and then last week he suggested I make the part myself!


Yesterday I pointed out how unhappy I am and that I had waited long enough, he replied " I can't magic a part up from thin air" I replied that as he was the retailer he was responsible under the Sale of Goods Act, and the item was not fit for purpose as it could not be completed.


Since then he's failed to respond to any messages, so I'm assuming he's washing his hands of the whole thing.


I have contacted both Dragon and Hannants and neither have responded, so now I have a kit all built and painted with a shoulder armour piece missing


Unless people want the details I won't name the retailer but wanted to vent my annoyance at the lack of customer service and his failure to take ownership of the problem.


Adrian

Report him to eBay, send the kit back and demand a refund or replacement

[Guest]

Report him to eBay, send the kit back and demand a refund or replacement

RAGE at him!! Give him bad ratings!


John

[flyjoe180]

Trumpeter, Dragon = hall of shame.

[Guest]

Name & shame them Adrian! If only to save anyone else losing their money / patience / hair!

[eddiesolo]

Not good to be ignored. I got into an argument with a work colleague due to a missing part. To him it was daft and it was only a piece of plastic...dumb-ass. Doesn't matter what it is, like buying a TV to find the remote control has a button missing. Trumpeter and Dragon do have terrible customer service. Revell and Tamiya are slow. Airfix is tops.

[Guest]

I think in all fairness the trader is stuck between a rock and a hard place. Dragon and Trumpeter are renowned for poor service and support so although it is the vendor's responsibility he can't do a great deal if the manufacturer will not play ball with him. You may have been able to hold him accountable to replace the kit with a new one if you hadn't started it but, in this case, he can't do that for you as you have built it. It does emphasise the need for checking the contents thoroughly before starting a kit though.


As for naming and shaming I'm afraid I see that as lowering ourselves to the same levels as some of the other less than positive and friendly forums out there so I am very much against it. Even from a purely legal point of view if we say anything on a forum that can be proven to affect someone's business the forum could well find itself in court. Apart from that we have to consider that this vendor has probably done everything within his powers and he may well have a thousand very satisfied and happy customers out there for one dissatisfied one. As the thousand generally tend not to be quite as vocal as the one dissatisfied one we could end up with quite an unbalanced perspective which may well be unfair.


Apart from which I don't, and have never, seen this forum as a means of getting one's own back at a vendor you are dissatisfied with. You wouldn't be allowed to do that through the pages of written publications and I think the same should apply to on line media. I prefer to think of this forum as a means of supporting each other through the sharing of knowledge amongst ourselves as a means of improving our skills and before anyone jumps on the tired old bandwaggon of saying that shaming poor performing vendors 'helps' everyone else I would throw the ball back into thier court and say that if you buy a Chinese manufactured kit you know you will not get support if you need it. So either don't buy Chinese kits, thoroughly check them out when you open the box or, at least, be prepared to deal with any challenges you may discover.


.................or only buy kits from the Scale Models Shop!

[rickoshea52]

I went to Airfix on Sunday for a missing part for my 1/24 Hurricane, the part arrived today.


Thanks Airfix.

[Adrian "Marvel" Reynolds]

Seems that my promise to display it at Telford unfinished with a note at the side saying why its unfinished and the lack of response has motivated the retailer and today the part arrived along with his flyer but not a word from him.


Least I can now finish my model


Adrian