Has anyone ever dealt with Internet Hobbies hobby store.I think I,ve been robbed.I ordered the new Walthers 130 foot turntable on Sept 10th but it wasn,t due to be released in Oct.They took 290.93 out of my checking on the 13th of Sept and they claim that they won,t charge your account until they ship it.I called and talked to a guy that told me he would give my name and phone number to the accountant.I called him back today and he was very rude telling me he doesn,t know when they will call me…L&NTIM
Typically you wait until the matter is resolved (either way) before posting on the forums. As it stands, you are waiting for a phone call.
David B
Unfortunately, there are so many companies with similar sounding names that it’s hard to know which one you’re complaining about. If this is the Internet hobbies in Brea, California, they were the subject of many, many complaints around this time last year on these forums.
If it is the same company, they charge your credit card as soon as you place the order, but you may never get your product and you have to fight them for months on end to get a refund.
If it is not a company located in Brea, California, disregard all of the above.
First, a disclaimer: I am NOT associated with internet hobbies, but I do live close enough I can go and complain at their brick and mortar store fi I have problems.{They are in PA unless you have misquoted the name}. I see you are not, you appear to be in Ohio.
Second: get a prepaid reloadable visa card to do internet or telephone order transactions with, it affords you more recourse should problems arise. You can file a claim with visa. ANd you can load it repeatedly with just enough money to cover your expenses incurred on it.
Third NEVER EVER again give out your checking account number for an order of any type as they can seize the cash and you have no recourse unless they “kindly return the money to your checking account” or send you a “refund check”. It would be the same as you sending in a check with an order- they are going to deposit it right away, which means the funds would be removed anyway. Essentially what you’ve done is write them a check via electronic transfer authorization. {A written check does have a negotiable period of time from date written to be negotiated so checks are always deposited right away by any business}.
Fourth if the accountant has to handle the reverse transaction, the man on the phone may really have little control over it, though he could have been more helpful and offered to call the accountant on your behalf.
Fifth…they say they won’t CHARGE YOUR ACCOUNT…as in CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT, not for a check-which is essentially what you gave them- see “third” above again. Never send cash for a future release date item, or you will get screwed out of it until the item comes in IF it does ever get produced and comes in.
Sixth knowing that the item was to be released in OCT. you can’t expect them to send it to you in any more timely manner than it coming in to them. Pre ordering is a hot topic here on the forum, with lots of grum
I have dealt with Internet Hobbies (not the justly maligned internettrains.com…waaay different, folks). IH is just fine. Not sure about rudeness…people have bad hair days, and staff turnover may result in any one caller getting a nasty agent on the other line…but IH has done well by me the two times I purchased.
I think the one we need to be sure we are not talking about is internettrains.com. They have been widely slammed here and around the model forums elsewhere…justly, if all the anecdotal information is truthful.
-Crandell
I have made internet purchases in the past from Internet Hobbies without any problems, so I’m sure I’ll order from them again. To be honest, I haven’t pre-ordered from them, but wouldn’t hesitate to do so. Please let us know how this all works out as well as a clarification as to exactly who you are dealing with.
Tom