Ripmax & Hobbystores Appaulling customer service! Mostly Ripmax

[FastFlyer Smyth]

Old thread I know but Hobbystores have apparently closed all remaining premises as of 9:30 this morning...

A sign posted on my local shop earlier today ....

[Martin Dance 1]

Can't say I'm surprised our local branch in Reading has for a long time faced an uphill struggle to get stock regardless of item value. The shortage of the Wot ARTF series over the past few months suggests all was not well. Whereas Hobbystores Reading was a 2 mile drive the alternatives are Oxford 23 miles Slough 25 miles Andover 27miles Swindon 40 miles each way. So the online traders win again!

[Mr.B.]

That's a downer. Which branch have you pictured FF Smyth? There is nothing about the closures on the web site. I live Nr Southampton but started going in Reading regularly when I was working there.

[FastFlyer Smyth]

Its the Enfield branch Mr.B

[John F]

Ther is a statement on their website: Sadly, and entirely due to the adverse conditions that have affected the model trade over the last few years, the reluctant decision has been taken to close with immediate effect the following store branches:- Chelmsford, Enfield, St.Albans, Reading and Watton.

It would seem their shops could not compete : with the momentous changes in retail driven by the growth in web sales, it is the only option to enable Hobbystores to offer the range of products backed by service that the keen modeller needs to enjoy their hobby to the full.

[MattyB]

Can't say I am that surprised; when I started to read this thread from the beginning some of the comments from the OP about poor service and attitude brought back a memories of my (now long distant) dealings with Hobbystores. Just another nail in the coffin of the LMS, but unlike many I'm not lamenting their passing too much - as a glider guider most physical shops had next to nothing of use to me anyway. Using a combination of HK for commodity stuff, specialist online stores like T9 for radio and glider gear and the more enlightened model shops like Steve Webb's for the remainder I don't have any problems getting what I want, and at better prices than in the past too, postage included.

[Geoff S]

They closed the one in Beeston, Nottingham last year with no notice to the staff. A couple of vans turned up and the contents of the shop loaded up and that was it. Now all the model shops I used have closed and I have to buy everything mail order (usually via the internet) or on my rare visits to a show.

The Hobbystore branch in Beeston was well staffed by knowledgeable and friendly blokes. I'd only started using it when the shop I used most (AJ Models in Pilsley nr Chesterfield) finally closed. I'd been a regular customer at AJ since it opened. That was great because I was able to have a pleasant bike ride to buy stuff that wasn't too big as it was only about 12 miles along generally quiet roads.

Geoff

[kc]

It's inevitable that shops will close unless the government does something to stop the situation where retail shops have to charge 20 percent VAT ( 20 percent on the retail price) while companies who sell online pretend they are selling from China etc and don't charge VAT even when they supply from a warehouse in England. Genuine retail shops are bound to be dearer!

[Robin Colbourne]

Genuine retail shops are bound to be dearer!

Tell me about it. I used to work in a local model shop on Saturdays.

In addition to business rates, extra insurance and precautions for having fuel on the premises, paying the insurance excess each time some oik smashed the large shop window, we then had distributors who never had any stock. A new item would be in the magazine, but if you wanted one it was on a container ship somewhere between China and here. Likewise if an item was faulty, there were no replacements to be had as the wholesalers barely held any stock. This wasn't just on the rare stuff, even 7.2V nicad packs for model cars which were a staple item at the time.

Then you had people asking for 10% local club discount on a couple of quids worth of bits, who would then offer a credit card with its all its charges to pay for it. They would also expect price matching with the likes of Hobby Stores with their tie-in to Ripmax, whilst the small shop had to pay up front for stock and couldn't get the bulk buying discounts because they didn't have the capital or the space to store multiples of the same item.

Because modellers tend to be technically minded people, they were one of the first groups to embrace the internet. As a result model shops were amongst the first to be hit by the drop in walk-in trade. No shop could survive selling a handful of quick links and a gallon of fuel, if the radio gear, engines and big kits were all sold on-line.

[onetenor]

When I was in trade faulty goods were changed almost automatically unless something beyond by very extensive knowledge showed up or I suspected damage caused to the product after use by the customer. I would then ask the customer if they would wait for a makers report as I was puzzled why the prob happened.. As general rule the makers replaced the item unless there was gross tampering. It was worth more to them to keep their reputation intact t han upset a customer. A pity this attitude no longer seems to exist in this country . I now buy a lot of goods from BANG GOOD Excellent products at very reasonable prices and much of it free post / packing and a customers service second to none. Also they do not speak Chiglish which is a god send in the event there does happen to be any dispute.Time taken for deliveries can be a drag though

John

[onetenor]

Anyone know how I can order an item that appears in stock on the Rip Max site ?

[Nigel Dell]

Check the Hobby Stores site or Slough Radio Control Models site as they the retail face of Ripmax unless you have a favourite store you prefer to use and they can order it in.

[Old Geezer]

No problems with Slough RCM, not the cheapest but they turn an order round quickly and their packaging has always been Courier-proof. Same remarks apply to SMC.

[Nigel Dell]

Posted by Gurth Scriven 2 on 25/06/2017 08:40:48:

No problems with Slough RCM, not the cheapest but they turn an order round quickly and their packaging has always been Courier-proof. Same remarks apply to SMC.

They do have a price match policy so is worth asking that, I used to work there many moons ago so I know that was used, though I am not up to date now I can't see that not still being the case.

I have no other connection now and tend to use SMC or Inwood for no other reason than they have what I want at the time, I have recently used the Hobby Stores site and this was very quick service, I have a feeling although am by no means sure that the mail order is filled from the same place as Slough RCM.

[Kevinlad]

"Appaulling" spelling..........!

[Cuban8]

One of my club mates is having a battle with the supplier of a new foreign made petrol engine that has failed after only very little running time and after only having it a few weeks. We're talking about an item costing almost six hundred quid, so not a cheap bit of kit. So far the supplier has offered to repair the engine when he gets time!!! and has blamed my very experienced friend with mishandling the engine, which is nonsense. Looks like it's going to take legal action to get this resolved.

[Braddock, VC]

I bought a black horse ultimate bipe from inwoods, ripmax being the importer. two of the blind nuts in the top wing turned when I tried to bolt the wing to the cabane.

I phoned inwoods who said call back tomorrow the rep's in.

Called back, short conversation new wing sent to me.

I've had a couple of other probs with a wot 4 foamie, instant response and also with liners of OS engines flaking, I think I got the same woman as the OP but I said I couldn't remember who I bought the engines off, I sent them back and they repaired them foc.

I no longer use a credit card, I do all my modelling stuff via paypal, who pay for the returns if there is a problem TBH I don't know how that would work with 7 year old engines.