[swg] I would wait a little bit. I’ve used them couple of times and they are generally good. They might be very, very, very slow on responding sometimes, but that’s because it’s a small shop, and from my understanding they basically have one guy covering all Web orders. Their web site is very slick and has real-time inventory down to a single item - giving you impression it’s a big store like Walther’s - but it’s not. You should hear them on the phone on weekends, you can actually hear customers shopping inside [swg]
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys. I guess it anoyed me that they took the cash that very same day, and then just forgot about me. Most online companies don’t bill your CC, until they actually ship the items.
Will give them a call again tomorrow and see what happens.
But you guys are right, their prices are extremely cheap.
I grew up in MB Kleins. I remember as a kid tugging on my dad’s sleeve begging him to take me there on rainy Saturdays. I still have Atlas freight car boxes with old orange Klein’s price stickers on them. I now live about 100 miles away, but whenever I’m anywhere close to Baltimore, I make it a point to visit.
The new store is nice, and the retail section I think is actually about the same size, maybe a little bigger than the old store, but it has a huge warehouse in the back where the web business is conducted. Most of the stock listed on the website never sees the retail shelves.
I like it because there’s guys working there that I’ve known for 20+ years, and even though my visits are less frequent, they still call me by name. They probably still think of me as the snot nosed 11 year old drooling over those old Trix N scale steamers!
If you had a bad experience doing business with them, you are one in a million.
Lee
Nooooooo! I would be broke if I lived that close!!![:O]
Its bad enough now with my 1-2 orders per month.
I just placed my first order with these guys 5 days ago. No email confirmation from them to confirm what I had ordered. My order still sits in status of “Processing”.
LOL! Its not unusual to see “processing” on my orders after I recieve them…My last order wasn’t marked “shipped” untill 2-3 days after I recieved the order…The fastest order was 3 days after placing the order.The average time is 4 days.
---------------------------------------.
As far as “No email confirmation from them to confirm what I had ordered.”
Now thats odd seeing its done by computer…I get one within seconds after I place the order.
When I asked for the tracking number, they drew a blank…
I can understand that…You see I am sure yours was among dozens being shipped.
These guys won’t be getting my business anymore.
Well that’s your choice----and I dare say your lost.
I just called up this morning and they couldn’t find my order. Yesterday it was sitting boxed up at the loading bay ready to be shipped out. Today they have no record of it anywhere? They see the order on their system, but no one has picked the goods for shipment. They told me the goods will be picked today, boxed and shipped out before close of business today. I will call them around 1pm my time and ensure this has been done and insist on a tracking number.
*UPDATE: Called their shipping department and was informed that my order was shipped out yesterday (06/02). Expected delivery date of 06/08. When I asked about my earlier call, I was subjected to some rumblings about how the people I spoke to didn’t really know what they were talking about. But the order is on its way, that’s the main thing.
Hmm, sounds like you might have gotten ahold of the “regular” person that takes care of the online stuff and whom you spoke with earlier might have been a “fill in” that honestly didn’t know what they were talking about. I’d at least be willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, from what everyone else says, the online porition is pretty small (staff-wise), so its easy to get a mix-up now and again, afterall, we’re all only human.
I was subjected to some rumblings about how the people I spoke to didn’t really know what they were talking about.
Sounds like my old job…The left hand kept trying to do the right hands job…
End results?
Confusion…
LOL, I’m just glad the order is on its way. I am totally brand new to the whole N gauge scene here in the US. I used to have layouts back home in the UK, but had to sell it all before moving out here 
Plus it was the larger HO gauge and I always wanted to go down to N gauge (space limitations).
Will slowly get my new layout up and running soon. Got some ideas in my head for my first layout.
Your order on their website usually doesn’t get updated until it is shipped. I have been impatient before too constantly checking the status of an order only to see it arrive the next day after it says it was shipped. M.B. Kleins is my favorite e hobby shop mainly because they have what I want at the best price and the fastest shipping. What more could you ask for?
Another satisfied customer here!
Something that I learned awhile back about their web site that I’ve not seen mentioned here - they have a really nice Search by Roadname feature (in the left nav). However, the index isn’t 100% accurate.
Example: use the roadname feature to search for Soo Line HO, then compare to a keyword search on “SOO HO”. You’ll see some additional goodies with the keyword search - like that wood reefer, that bay window caboose, or those too-cool bandits (which they actually indexed under the Milwaukee Road roadname).
Of course, a keyword search may return some “noise” results. My example “SOO HO” search returns some N scale HOppers.
I have used MB Klein for years but I found an even better place with lower prices then MB Klein, at KadeeTrains you will have to compare for yourself. I have had a very positive experience with both companies and recommend them both.
Tom
Ordered two SD40T-2’s at $50 each on Tuesday, received 'em Friday. Can’t ask for much better than that.
What is the link? All I can find is the main Kadee site.
The link is kadeetrains.com
Yes, there is a ad link on the Kadee site in the right hand column.
Tom
I just picked up a brand new Atlas Silver Series GP40-2 in CSX garb, Kleins had it on sale for $70 - that’s less than half of MSRP!
Now I have to fight the urge to buy a 2nd one…[X-)]
I guess I should not have been surprised that all of the items are Kadee. Too bad I do not use kadee.
have used them too the best of the best david
My latest order from MB Klein, I was worried I would not have it in time as I was goign on a business trip and mainly wanted the Proto2K wheelsets to build the stack of Athearn and Stewart kits I was taking along. However, it arrived on Friday. On Monday I got an email saying my order was shipped (!). I guess that’s the only flaw I see, their order tracking people don’t seem to be up on what their order fulfillment people are actually doing. Oh well, prices are good and being only a few hours away from their location means my orders always arrive quickly. I do shop other vendors but rarely do I find a lower price - and with the others I have to take the chance that they have it in stock, MB Klein has real-time inventory so if it says they have the item and I put it in my cart, it’s mine when I check out, no one can come along while I’m browsing and ‘steal’ the item from me.
–Randy
They have become one of my internet stores of choice. However, I agree with Randy in that I received my last order while the status was still listed as ‘processing’ and the next time I looked it was listed as delivered. But other than that I have been very satisfied with their level of service and would recommend them to anyone. Pricing can’t be beat for many items.
If they are a small mail order company like some have suggested, perhaps the sheer volume of orders they may receive would create some issues. I could see where this would pose problems for some customers but my guess is that MBK would do whatever to keep their loyal customer base intact.