Has anyone ever had issues ordering parts from the Bowser Retail Order website? I ordered some Cal Scale super-detail parts from them almost 3 weeks ago and have yet to receive them.
The site says the parts are “in stock” and my MC was charged. I’ve contacted Bowser via email and am waiting to hear back from them. Seems I ordered something from them years back and it ended up being a bit of rigmarole to get the order completed.
I really like Bowser products but I can’t say I’ve been particularly impressed with the correspondance with them over the years. Sometimes they just don’t respond at all to my queries.
I’m just curious if others have had similar experiences with them.
I’ve not placed an order over the 'phone, but did send them an e-mail to place a fairly large order, parts of which needed to be ordered by the store. I got a very prompt reply, and we had a good back-and-forth exchange to make sure everything was well understood. I made it very clear that I was prepared to pre-pay as soon as they could give me the total cost., but also noted that I planned to pick up the order in-person. Some of what I ordered was for a couple of friends.
They contacted me when the order had been assembled, and when I inquired about the cost, the short (but not unfriendly) reply was, “A friend has taken care of it!”.
I knew immediately who it was, but I don’t think that you should expect the same, Tom.
Absolutely! One of my favourite hobby shops, both for the staff and the selection. I’ll be dropping by there next week, too, after visiting friends in Ohio - pretty-much a 700 mile round trip to the hobbyshop.
Well, I received the following [amusing] email response from Lee English this morning:
“this was shipped on the 7th. by US Mail. you should see it this week”
It’s coming from central PA to NE OH…and it takes 2 weeks??? [:S] I can get a decoder from Litchfield Station (AZ) in 2-3 days.
Would I be incorrect in reading between the lines that someone messed up at Bowser and it’s going in the mail today??? [swg] I will definitely check the postmark of the envelope when it arrives. At least they responded. [Y]
I’d forgotten about those, Gary. Did you ever try drilling out most of the centre, then filling it with a plug of brass rod? If you could thread the interior of such a hole, you could use a larg-ish diameter brass screw, then cut the head and any excess length off. You’d then be able to drill a new hole for the brass bushing, and be back in business.
Is that cylinder casting the only type useable on your K4? I’ll try to remember to ask if they have one still laying around. If they do (or have another type which would work) I’ll contact you by PM for your address, and mail it to you.
EDIT: Actually,another idea occurred to me as I was typing, and will send you a PM shortly.
Well, two more weeks have passed by (now more than a month, total) and still no detail parts from Bowser. [:S]
I contacted them last week and received no response to my email. I just wrote a detailed account of the experience for their customer service and let them know that I will be calling them tomorrow to request a refund.
Sadly, this experience (and a similar one with them a few years back) will more than likely keep me from purchasing anything online from Bowser in the future. It’s disappointing because I really like their product. Maybe I just have a knack for ordering things from them at the wrong time…
And that’s why I will be calling them to talk to them directly, Sheldon.
I think I’ve given them plenty of time so I’m not going to settle for anything less than a refund. As mentioned, I find it all disappointing because I think they make a great product.
Tom, I understand your frustration, and disappointment. Maybe I am just old fashioned, but I would have made a call long before now.
I buy plenty of stuff online, but nothing beats talking to a real person.
Bowser is a small company, adapting to the web/email after decades of mostly phone business may be presenting some challenges. It sure sounds that way in this case.
Do you have a local hobby shop? Do they deal with Bowser?
Thankfully, Sheldon, there still is a LHS in my area (25 min. drive). I don’t know if they deal with Bowser. I suspect not but I will ask the next time I’m in. Thanks for the suggestion.
While I do try and support my LHS as much as possible, I do order some things online and rarely have any issues - even eBay. In fact, most vendors are good-to-stellar in their service.
I’ve had a minor frustration with a larger DCC vendor (that most folks would recognize) because they don’t always have things “in stock” that they list on their website. Unlike M.B. Klein - their inventory isn’t “live” so you don’t know if you’ll receive your items in 3 days…or 3 weeks until after you order.
While I generally default to emails, I’m not adverse to calling - even though I don’t necessarily like phones. Preferably, I’d much rather see or talk to someone in person but that isn’t always possible.
I would be surprised if your LHS does not deal directly with Bowser. They can likely pick up the phone and place an order, again, Bowser has been doing business that way for five decades.
I’m not defending Bowser specificly, but I have seen this before, older people, older businesses, slow to understand how to do business effectively in the information age.
I do lots on line, but I run a business that requires me to buy lots of special and unusual products for restoring old houses. Many of these suppliers are very small family companies located all over the country. And it often seems that personal contact by phone is still the best way to get what I need, make sure it is right, and get it delivered in a timely fashion.
While I have adapted well enough to online ordering, Amazon, Ebay, etc, all of t
Ah, yes - I remember ordering from Trainworld a few times early on. Yea, the Brooklyn gals could sure sound gruff on the phone but I always made sure I had all the correct information for them to help expedite the order and make their jobs easier. NO technical questions - just part # and quantity. Now you can pretty ordering anything off their website w/o even needing to pick up the phone.
I’ll let you know how things work out with Bowser, Sheldon.
Called Bowser this morning and they will be refunding me the full amount. Should I decide to order from them in the future it will definitely be by phone vs internet.
The gentleman on the phone was apologetic and did reiterate that it was shipped on 9/7. So it is possible that it got lost in the mail, or placed in someone else’s mailbox. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt on that one.
I’ll be going to a big train show this weekend here in the area so I’ll look for the Cal Scale handrails and horns there.
Tom I think the key phrase in Lee English’s response was “US Mail.” the package has entered a mysterious realm of wonderment. Who knows what neighbor has your Cal Scale parts and is wondering what the heck they are.
I don’t know if it was Lee who actually answered the phone but they were pretty quick with the refund; although it probably won’t show up in my checking account until the end of the today or tomorrow. And I told the gentleman if the parts ever did show up I’d pay for them.
Product does - gasp! - get lost or misdelivered by USPS so I’m not ready to close up shop on Bowser yet. As mentioned, I’ll do my ordering and any necessary followup with them by phone in the future and I’m fine with that.
Remember ordering stuff from Tainworld, I thought they were nice and was ordering a closeout item, Ertl boxcars and they made a sugestion of another closeout item not listed, Ertl flatcars, I ordered a bunch of both (I general repaint them as they were tooled by Gould (later Tichy).
