Post by customernomore on May 9, 2013 6:29:58 GMT -8
I live in the UK and for a number of years have bought trains in all gauges from 'O' to 'N' over the internet, through ebay and by phone from suppliers in the US without any undue hassle. I am also very familiar with the handling charge and VAT we have to pay here for items received with a declared value of over £18.00.
Just before Christmas last year I bought a number of items direct from Con-Cor in Tuscon. I have been a customer of theirs off and on for around 10 years. I have never had any serious problems with them or their products.
However, this latest purchase very swiftly became a nightmare ride for me. I include here the key emails concerning the problem -
PLEASE NOTE: I have removed the name of the person I corresponded with as this person was not, as far as I know, personally responsible for decision making on behalf of Con-Cor.
Hi (NAME REMOVED)
I am sorry to say that I am writing this time with a complaint.
I attach photos below that show the problem. I received this stack car with both trucks loose in the box and with broken foot steps and decking pieces also loose. I can fit one truck to the car but not the other. From marks in the paintwork it looks like both trucks have been removed – my guess is to change the coupler – and in doing so the packer has broken the decking pieces and foot steps off the car. The pin on the truck that cannot be fitted seems to go into the location hole at an angle and the truck will not turn, also the high coupler box fouls the body of the car.
I have received good service from Con-Cor recently – that is why I placed another order – so I am very disappointed that this stack car has been sent to me in this condition. I should like it replaced.
The response:
Good Morning Jeff,
I do apologize for the damaged items. We will take care of this and send you out a new one but it won't be able to be done till after the holidays.
Happy Holidays!
NAME REMOVED
8101 E. Research Court
Tucson, AZ 85710
Toll Free: (888)255-7826
Local : (520)721-8939
www.con-cor.com
After an exchange of around 20 emails I finally got a replacement model on Tuesday 7 May this year. Because there was a fee to pay I had to travel to the main Post Office depot to pay for and collect my package.
This is my email to Con-Cor following receipt of the package:
Dear NAME REMOVED
This message is not necessarily addressed to you – it is addressed to the person/s within Con-Cor responsible for authorising the replacement car, the person/s responsible for changing the trucks and the person/s who completed the incorrect information on the Customs Declaration and sent the replacement car to me.
First off – I was actually both surprised and pleased that Con-Cor had at last seen fit to replace the damaged goods sent to me last year. Because of the stated value of the package - $50.00 - I had to visit the local Royal Mail depot to collect it and pay a ‘Handling Charge’ and tax totalling £16.23 – around $21-22 is my guess. I thought perhaps 2 stack cars had been sent by way of an apology for the time it has taken to replace the damaged one sent before.
Well, I was wrong about that.
When I opened the package I could not believe my eyes when I saw another, damaged stack car enclosed – in a package with a stated value of $50.00. This was both an insult and an apparently dishonest misrepresentation of the value of the car – $50.00 - not the $24.98 as shown on the Con-Cor website today.
Package received today.
PHOTO NOT COPIED
Both cars – same ham-fisted, clumsy truck replacement and consequential damage:
PHOTO HEREWITH
I cannot recall ever experiencing such poor, slovenly and downright shoddy customer service anywhere, from any supplier.
I am not going to waste any more time on Con-Cor – but I will make sure that everyone I know who models trains is aware of this saga. I shall also seek out appropriate websites to post, on-line, the facts of this matter complete with all of the photos of the cars and this latest documentation so train fans all over the world will be aware of the way you treated this customer.
Jeffrey Stevenson
If the correct $ value had been stated on the package the conversion to £ would have resulted in a value of just over £16 - I would not have had to pay the handling charge and tax. Why Con-Cor put a false value on the package I do not know - as far as I am concerned I regard it as an act of shameful spite.
I have written to leading model railroad magazines and am now posting this saga here for others to see and form their own opinions of what has transpired. As I made clear to Con-Cor I will never purchase from them again.
Just before Christmas last year I bought a number of items direct from Con-Cor in Tuscon. I have been a customer of theirs off and on for around 10 years. I have never had any serious problems with them or their products.
However, this latest purchase very swiftly became a nightmare ride for me. I include here the key emails concerning the problem -
PLEASE NOTE: I have removed the name of the person I corresponded with as this person was not, as far as I know, personally responsible for decision making on behalf of Con-Cor.
Hi (NAME REMOVED)
I am sorry to say that I am writing this time with a complaint.
I attach photos below that show the problem. I received this stack car with both trucks loose in the box and with broken foot steps and decking pieces also loose. I can fit one truck to the car but not the other. From marks in the paintwork it looks like both trucks have been removed – my guess is to change the coupler – and in doing so the packer has broken the decking pieces and foot steps off the car. The pin on the truck that cannot be fitted seems to go into the location hole at an angle and the truck will not turn, also the high coupler box fouls the body of the car.
I have received good service from Con-Cor recently – that is why I placed another order – so I am very disappointed that this stack car has been sent to me in this condition. I should like it replaced.
The response:
Good Morning Jeff,
I do apologize for the damaged items. We will take care of this and send you out a new one but it won't be able to be done till after the holidays.
Happy Holidays!
NAME REMOVED
8101 E. Research Court
Tucson, AZ 85710
Toll Free: (888)255-7826
Local : (520)721-8939
www.con-cor.com
After an exchange of around 20 emails I finally got a replacement model on Tuesday 7 May this year. Because there was a fee to pay I had to travel to the main Post Office depot to pay for and collect my package.
This is my email to Con-Cor following receipt of the package:
Dear NAME REMOVED
This message is not necessarily addressed to you – it is addressed to the person/s within Con-Cor responsible for authorising the replacement car, the person/s responsible for changing the trucks and the person/s who completed the incorrect information on the Customs Declaration and sent the replacement car to me.
First off – I was actually both surprised and pleased that Con-Cor had at last seen fit to replace the damaged goods sent to me last year. Because of the stated value of the package - $50.00 - I had to visit the local Royal Mail depot to collect it and pay a ‘Handling Charge’ and tax totalling £16.23 – around $21-22 is my guess. I thought perhaps 2 stack cars had been sent by way of an apology for the time it has taken to replace the damaged one sent before.
Well, I was wrong about that.
When I opened the package I could not believe my eyes when I saw another, damaged stack car enclosed – in a package with a stated value of $50.00. This was both an insult and an apparently dishonest misrepresentation of the value of the car – $50.00 - not the $24.98 as shown on the Con-Cor website today.
Package received today.
PHOTO NOT COPIED
Both cars – same ham-fisted, clumsy truck replacement and consequential damage:
PHOTO HEREWITH
I cannot recall ever experiencing such poor, slovenly and downright shoddy customer service anywhere, from any supplier.
I am not going to waste any more time on Con-Cor – but I will make sure that everyone I know who models trains is aware of this saga. I shall also seek out appropriate websites to post, on-line, the facts of this matter complete with all of the photos of the cars and this latest documentation so train fans all over the world will be aware of the way you treated this customer.
Jeffrey Stevenson
If the correct $ value had been stated on the package the conversion to £ would have resulted in a value of just over £16 - I would not have had to pay the handling charge and tax. Why Con-Cor put a false value on the package I do not know - as far as I am concerned I regard it as an act of shameful spite.
I have written to leading model railroad magazines and am now posting this saga here for others to see and form their own opinions of what has transpired. As I made clear to Con-Cor I will never purchase from them again.
Attachments:
