I strongly urge all fellow hobbyists to stay completely away from InternetTrains.com. On 9/7/09, I placed an order for several bridges and accessories. All items showed as “Available” on their website. After a few weeks, I called to check on my order and was told they were waiting on a few items and they would call me back early the next week. This was at the end of September. On 10/6/09, I called back after not hearing from them. A man at the company put me on hold for a long time, then came back and said it would be another week. I asked him to cancel my order, and he said he would do so. I followed up my request the same day by e-mail, and was assured that my order would be canceled. They had already charged my credit card, and Bea at their company said she would send my cancellation request to accounting which “usually comes in on Fridays.” Last week, on 10/21/09, I received a notice that they shipped my order (which I placed on 9/7/09)–this is despite me verbally and by e-mail canceling my order on 10/6/09. I’ve now spent a couple of hours filling out dispute forms with my bank, calling FedEx last Wed. morning to stop the shipment and have it returned to their company, e-mailing them again notifying them of their issue and again requesting a refund on my credit card (for which I never received a response). They have not reversed the charge on my credit card. I’m pretty certain the bank will do so, as I’ve kept them aprised of the developments. The company is based in Brea, CA. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!
P.S., after doing more research (which I should have done before placing an order with this company ), I realize the practices of this company have been habitually going on for several years. Google this company and you see postings from others who have had essentially the same problems.
There have been other threads on this forum in the past but it seems word still doesn’t get around to everyone. It’s a shame there has to be such deceptive firms in our hobby.
It just takes one bad apple - if this is someone’s first exposure to model railroading, then it’ll probably be their last as well.
Got stung by them in 2006, got some of my money back with the aid of MR magazine. I’d forgotten this when I went to order something from them earlier this year [banghead][oops]. One credit card dispute later, I had my money back.
Most of the regulars here know all about Internet Trains. It’s to bad your first post on this forum was a complaint about them. Why is it people sign up to a forum to complain? For all you lurkers out there that haven’t signed up for an account yet, do it now. Ask us who are the good dealers out there before you send your hard earned money to a less reputable dealer. Just something for you lurkers to think about.
Ordered a numbered set of 12 N&W coal hoppers from them in 2006 the website said they were in stock, waited weeks for them and then called oh we’re out of stock, so I canceled my order almost a year later I see a charge on my credit card from Internet Trains. I called them up and asked what the _______ was this for, the girl puts me on hold and then gets back to me saying it’s for a set of coal hoppers I ordered I informed her of the cancellation of the order and sent her a copy of her email confirming that my order was canceled. I demanded my credit card be refunded she siad she couldn’t do that as the order was already shipped. The next day I get 11 out of the 12 hoppers in the mail, only problem is they are not N&W but Chicago Belt Line never mind it’s not the road I model but one I’ve never even heard of. Back on the phone now screaming at the owner, he outright refuses to refund my money. I call AMEX and dispute the charge explaining everything and faxed them a company of the cancellation email. They refunded my card with in 24 hours. A few days later I get a call from Internet Trains (oh what a surprise) about how I canceled my credit card and how this was fraud bla bla bla and they wanted their merchandise returned or they were going to take me to court. I said Oh I’m sorry but I outright refuse, exactly quoting him and laughed at him and hung up after he used a few choice words.
Moral of the story never trust any internet company at their word unless you have a long history with them, it doesn’t cost you anything to dispute the charge with your bank or credit card company better in your pocket then theirs.
I am locking this thread because it has been done to death several times. Thanks to the originator for posting this warning, and for the other comments…but we’ve done this. Time to move on to other choice subjects.