What options were there to get my money back? 1) They could either credit my credit card or 2) apply to a future order. #1 didn't happen which is fine, I'm easy to deal with. The proverbial straw was receiving a shipment of reserve items today for about the same $ amount, no credit allowance, fully charged to my credit card. I believe this was the second shipment received since this all started. Patience finally wore out. Now I'll have to spend the time researching with my credit card if I can file a dispute for an October transaction. Good thing I have the e-mail trail.
I have to second the point about hours. There is a local shop that keeps "the darndest hours." If it weren't for the fact that I work about 3.5 miles from the place, I'd never be able to get there, and I manage it only because I head over on my lunch! 11 to 5? c'mon, that's ridiculous. And to keep to those hours during the holiday shopping season? A consideration for customers, i.e., most of us. It's okay to shoot the breeze, just be aware and step aside for the paying customers. Respect the LHS's time, and you'll find they'll return the courtesy.
You could always look to see what your options are for disputing the charge with your credit card company. Though those may be limited now but it usually just involves making a call. In today's world, email communication is just as important as communicating via phone. All emails should be responded to within 24 hours. If I don't get a response in that time frame, chances are you just lost a potential sale as I've moved on to trying to find it at another store that has what I'm looking for. I'd go as far as saying that a response should happen in the same day. If I emailed at 11am, a response before you close at 10pm should be possible, that's 11 hours. Seems like hours for stores is an issue for some people and I would agree. Only being open 11-5 is extremely stupid and in today's world is most likely going to be a death blow. Not being open on the weekends is also extremely stupid, especially if hours during the week are short. At the LHS's I go to, they're really busy on the weekends but they also have long hours during the week, open until 9 or 10.
My thoughts exactly. I live in New York City. You would think that there would be a a lot of train and/or hobby shops. NOT! For Z there are only two railroad shops that I know of downtown. Others have gone bi bi. When I was starting up, these two were indifferent to build a relationship, make recommendations, or to order from a catalog. The first thing that they said was, they "were less expensive then so and so". NOT! The Internet has changed things dramatically. This forum has given me essential information that the store folk lacked. Here I received links to web sites that have a bigger selection and lower prices. If I can find what I want locally I would pay 30-50% more than the Internet prices (after no-tax and with frt). It took me a while to find out which Internet sellers were good. The first thing that I look for is a street location. Then, I Google Map and "see" the real store. I also look for a phone number. Reputable Internet companies are often rated or recommended on this forum. If not, ask.
A friend of mine took this photo of a train shop: As you may surmise from the lettering below the window, it's in Russia. The web site is real, too, but I don't know any Russian and couldn't do much more than scroll around and look at the pictures. Nice to see the hobby is alive an well there. My friend expressed surprise at that, considering how many people live 3 or 4 families to an apartment that would be considered "cozy" for 2 people in the US.
This has been interesting reading. I've got a couple of things to add from someone that has been in lots of shops over the years. Learn to greet and smile. Try something more than "Hi" as a greeting when a customer walks into your store. I work in retail for a large company that uses "orange aprons". We don't greet people like that, we'll get into trouble and don't sell much! If I look lost, ask if you can help. I do it all the time. While your at it, ask if I'm working on anything special. You might sell something I forgot! Even if I buy $10 worth of stuff, be friendly. I've been a customer in some stores for 20 years because they treat me well even when I don't drop alot of money. Don't hire anyone that is just not personable. This is retail. You're supposed to talk to customers. If your having a bad day/week/month, don't bring it to work. And don't hide in an office during the day. The shop I worked at had a full timer that didn't talk to you unless you were in his R/C club and the owner hid surfing the net all day. And like someone said, if you don't like the business, sell it or close down. On the flip side of the counter... Say hi when your greeted. Grunts do not count. You should be happy! Your at the hobby shop! Finish your phone call before you come in! I've had people complain because they didn't get any service while in a store. Of course, they're in the middle of a phonecall at the time and are not paying attention to the sales person in the first place! And turn off the handsfree ear bud, you look like a loon talking to yourself! Besides, they're not cool anymore. If you want to look in a package, ask for help. There's nothing like finding 6 packages open because the guy couldn't figure out what he wanted and didn't ask for help. Most of us have enough work to keep us busy, thanks. When you get it home, try not to demolish the packaging. If it doesn't do what you want and you bring it back in a torn, ripped package, we can't resell it looking like that. And distribuitors are not great on returns. If you special order something, when we call, come get it. In the shop I worked at, we had more stuff sitting for 3-6-9 months because people would not pick up item XYZ, even after we called 2-3 times. Man, I love retail.... :tb-tongue:
After reading most of these posts, I suppose that I can consider myself lucky. I live within 7 miles of each direction from my house to two extremely well-stocked and quite large hobby shops that deal exclusively in trains. From G-scale down to Z, and for the most part, well represented in most scales. The owners and clerks are knowledgable and friendly, both shops stock below MSRP, special orders are usually done within a week or two (or they'll tell you why), and both have in-store repair service. Okay, that's local--here in the greater Sacramento/Roseville area. Now let me tell you a story about the 'other' hobby shop I deal with rather frequently, Caboose Hobbies in Denver, CO. As you know, I model HO scale Rio Grande standard-guage steam. Which is 99% brass. I've bought a great many 'consignment' brass locos from Caboose Hobbies and had excellent service from them. A week and a half ago I ordered a consignment model from them. A day later, I got a phone call from their brass person Bob Zimmerman who told me that the locomotive I ordered had some drive-train trouble and they were going to repair it before they shipped it out. I was really surprised, as I had always assumed that 'consignment' meant 'as is' and if it wasn't in top running condition, it was up to me to 'tweak' it. I'd run into that from several other dealers, and as a brass runner, I was pretty much used to it. I get a phone call from Bob today, saying that the locomotive was repaired and would be shipped out Monday and I should have it Wednesday as they were shipping it '2nd day' as the repair had taken longer than they initially thought. "It's running really well, I think you'll like it." was his comment. Now, if they wanted, they could have shipped it out 'as is' and let me do the repairs myself (which I do--a lot of, sometimes). But they took the time to put a 'consignment' brass locomotive through their shop to make sure that I would be a grateful (and certainly a REPEAT!) customer. To say I'm a Happy Camper would be an understatement, LOL! Tom
OK, I'll relay my experience... four different places... I'm getting started in N-scale. 1) Large retail hobby chain. One aisle in a "mega-store" with indifferent stuff. Staff nowhere to be found, and highly unlikely to be knowledgeable. Also the farthest from me. Not going back. Simply not worth my time. 2) Train specialty store. Great selection - except in N. Staff pretty knowledgeable, I think, but I don't know, because they really didn't engage me. Seemed more nervous about my kids playing with the Thomas stuff (and they were NOT out of hand), than engaging me. They did enjoy showing off their fairly impressive O-gauge display in the back. I give them a "B" or a "C+" ... mostly because of the lack of conversation. Note that this visit was during the Christmas shopping season - and I had money burning my pocket. 3) Hobby chain store that's been here for a long time. They sell everything from R/C planes to trains, plus collecting items. Staff is very friendly and helpful. Helped my wife pick something, asking the right questions, being patient. She is SOLD as a customer, based on that one visit. And she's VERY picky about customer service. More on this in a minute. 4) Online purchase from small N-scale dealer. I had several questions leading to a $3.50 sale. Got treated like I was buying a $3500 collector's piece. Including advice on how to use what I bought. To top it off, they refunded my shipping and sent the product a less expensive way because I had said I wasn't in a hurry and they didn't want to charge more for shipping than for the product being shipped. I'm sold on these guys for specialty or hard-to-get items. What sold my wife and me on #3 were the following: A) Reasonable, competitive prices, including steep discounts on "dusty" items. Not the cheapest, but close enough when shipping and value-of-time are factored in. B) Polite, patient, friendly service. They make themselves available, but don't bug you. C) Knowledgeable, friendly answers to questions both "newbie" and "technical". D) Kid-friendly. They have things out that it's OK for the kids to touch and play with, which keeps the kids from messing with the fragile stuff. This is big with me, since I usually have kids in tow. Note: this includes the R/C airplane and car simulator systems! E) Seem to value getting you what you WANT (and perhaps more importantly, what you NEED), not what they want to sell you. F) Respecting the $3 purchase as much as the $300 purchase - seem to understand that folks who have a good $3 experience WILL BE BACK. G) They seem to enjoy the hobbies they sell. You get the feeling they're there as much to enjoy the hobby with you as to make a buck off of you. It's hard to put into words, but there's something about a store that makes you want to go back. Something about how they treat you that makes you feel like they're glad you're there, that they enjoy what they do, and that they hope you'll keep coming back - and that they *expect* your kids to be excited and curious in their store - that makes it a good store. An unrelated example. I have a friend who owns an HVAC business. I know when he fixes somebody's furnace, he wants to make sure the job is done right, and the customer is satisfied. He gets paid well (and fairly) for his work, but his job satisfaction comes from knowing his customer is warm and comfy. I like businesses that think that way, and I don't mind paying a small premium for that.
It, quite simply, is based on the realization that there is nothing they have of any value but a customer who is convinced to part with his cash. And that means the psychology of both marketing and selling. A friendly, non-intrusive, acknowledgement that they are in your store, and then let them get the feel of the place without any hovering. Invite questions. If/when they ask any questions, know not only the answers, but likely follow-on questions and deal with them, too. Moreover, offer a handy recap sheet to take home...they'll forget some of the details. Connect even further by informing them that they can use your FAQ section on your website (URL is on the info sheet you just gave them). Or, send you an email (again...finger tip taps the email address on the fact sheet). They come to the counter with $40 worth of purchases? Peanuts all around. But you beam and give them a first-time 15% discount on good will. Could that encourage them to return with a new shopping list next Saturday? And you have remembered the names? Yewbetcha, on both accounts!! Little things that show you know where the value really lies.
