I have not order that much from Walthers because Im only three years into my layout and most of my materials have come from my LHS, but the few things I did order from them I never had any problems. I will say this, I also will not get anything from anyone that is not in stock, or is back order.
Actually, enduringexp you are wrong. The profitable shops have employees that are experienced and have relatively long work history. Many of the super discount places go through help like water because they don’t pay, no bennies, etc and they often have “employees” who just want to play with trains. The large long established discounters like MRPO, Toy Train Heaven, MB Klein have employees that have been there for many years but don’t have the super-lowball price that some of you think you have to have. You do get what you pay for.
I do sometimes pay list price at my LHS. but i always go to my LHS and they know me. so some of them give me a good deal. on teh Bi-level cab car. i can’t afford the kato one thats why i’m getting the walthers one(if it ever comes in). I was also having a bad day. I got my report card yesterday and found out i failed 2 classes and i have to lose a month of my summer for summer school[xx(]
Contacting Walthers because your local hobby shop hasn’t been able to receive a product for you, is like going to a local car dealer and ordering a custom built model, and then phoning GM or Ford and asking why the local dealer doesn’t have it yet.
There’s nothing Walthers can do if the product wasn’t ordered directly from them.
No, higher prices do not mean better service. But, if the store with better service charges a slightly higher price than the store with lousy service, I’ll pay the extra to get the better service. If I can get a low price AND better service, so much the better, but service usually wins out over price, unless I have no intention of shopping there again. Yes, every store should give good service, but, hey, it’s an imperfect world. Some merchants just don’t seem to get it that good service gets them repeat business and referrals, and lousy service doesn’t. The ones who give me good service get my repeat business and I tell my friends about them. The ones who treat me shabbily never see me again, and I tell my friends about them too. If I was really treated expecially badly, I’ll write a letter of complaint to the manager or to the parent company, and, to be fair, they’ll get a letter if I received exceptional service above and beyond the call of duty.
What I get out of the orignal post is that the next time i order an oil filter for my lawn tractor from my dealer,and it dosen’t show up, I’m going to call Briggs and Stratton and complain?..this topic is simply moot.
lifelikes assocaites dont know the difference between a freight car and i gp18
I got the point lets let this topic die. I had a bad day. walthers issue just happen to be the last straw. service has been kinda decent. (bought a couple kits with parts missing but they areived fairly quick)
Because I live in a fairly remote locale (nearest LHS is 75 miles which kind of squelches the L in LHS) I’ve been dealing w/ Walthers by phone orders since the 1960s. I generally order on a monday and am told then if choice one is not availabl so I can sub. if I choose and I generally have the order by the following Monday.
I live in a fairly remote area (LHS is 75 miles away which kind of negates the L in LHS) so I’ve been phoning in orders to Walthers since the 1960s. I generally call in an order about once a month and they tell me at that time if somethings out of stock so I can sub. if I choose to. The order generally arrives by the following Monday (Wisc to Idaho…surface)
I live in a fairly remote area (LHS is 75 miles away which kind of negates the L in LHS) so I’ve been phoning in orders to Walthers since the 1960s. I generally call in an order about once a month and they tell me at that time if somethings out of stock so I can sub. if I choose to. The order generally arrives by the following Monday (Wisc to Idaho…surface)