Contacting retailers

[Stearman65]

I ordered some parts mid last week from Al's Hobbies, received a confirmation email of my order, but up to now no confirmation they had been dispatched, Emailed them twice to check why, no response?

[Ron Gray]

Have you tried ringing them?

[Stearman65]

Posted by Ron Gray on 14/01/2019 13:11:53:

Have you tried ringing them?

If you order by email, get confirmation by email, you should be able to ask a question by email using their auto response. The telephone call would cost more money. I've already told them by email to cancel & refund if they haven't got the parts in stock, which wasn't indicated when I ordered them.

[Jon H]

Emails get lost, servers go down, junk mail filters take over.... It happens to me all the time.

Im with Ron, just call them. If you are worried about the expense, borrow a phone with some free minutes on it.

[Ron Gray]

And if you can't get a response by email pick up the 'phone to get a response! Why cut off your nose to spite your face?

[Nigel R]

Maybe its more fun to do that and then start a thread about it on a forum.

You do appear to be going out of your way to make life difficult for yourself, that is all I can say.

[John Robertson 3]

Al's Hobbies? I've had excellent service from them. It seems a bit harsh to get stuck in so early. I'm with Jon and Ron on this one. Go on - give them a ring and a fair crack of the whip.

[SR 71]

Some people seem to make a habit of creating trouble !!!!

[Stearman65]

Despite all the huffing & puffing, no one has come back with an answer to my original heading question, " Anyone ordered & received anything in the last 7 days"?

[Don Fry]

Als Hobbies will know, give um a ring.

[Ron Gray]

That’s a novel idea Don!😂

[kevin b]

The telephone is an old fashioned device for communicating with people, who are not necessarily stood next to you. I whole heartedly endorse it and have had great success with it. Some people even have a machine, whereby you can leave a message if they are not readily available and can call you back upon their return.

I am also given to understand that some telephone companies allow you to make calls up to one hour long without charge ! This is much appreciated here in Yorkshire.

[Gary Murphy 1]

Even a well run business will not see a email instantly. But if that phone rings I bet it gets answered.

Any probs with a order I always ring.

[The Wright Stuff]

While I agree that ringing them is what many of us would choose to do next, me included, it isn't always convenient.

That suggestion was made in the second post. The OP can either accept the advice or not.

I see no need for the subsequent sarcasm. This is supposed to be the friendly forum!

[Martian]

Posted by The Wright Stuff on 15/01/2019 10:33:46:

While I agree that ringing them is what many of us would choose to do next, me included, it isn't always convenient.

That suggestion was made in the second post. The OP can either accept the advice or not.

I see no need for the subsequent sarcasm. This is supposed to be the friendly forum!

Fully agree Steve

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Stearman65]

I suspect that most of those who have posted on this thread possess a smart phone? & phone calls are included in their expensive contracts. Some, like me do not, & have to suffer the exorbitant charges levied by BT.

Emails are a boon to those like me on a fixed income & have to watch the pennies. I've been in this situation before with other sellers, online & those with actual shops who refuse to answer emails. Sometimes it is because they don't have the items they list in stock. Some will advise you when you try to order, some have an automatic system where their stock on-line is automatically up-dated. In the past I have tried ringing a retailer, only to receive a recorded message where they are busy & to ring later. Others put you on hold & your costs are totting up. In the current instance I have reported the matter to Paypal (by email) & if the retailer hasn't responded in a set time, PP will refund me & I can try to order the items elsewhere. as for AH, I won't be using them again.

[Stearman65]

Posted by Stearman65 on 15/01/2019 11:23:12:

I suspect that most of those who have posted on this thread possess a smart phone? & phone calls are included in their expensive contracts. Some, like me do not, & have to suffer the exorbitant charges levied by BT.

Emails are a boon to those like me on a fixed income & have to watch the pennies. I've been in this situation before with other sellers, online & those with actual shops who refuse to answer emails. Sometimes it is because they don't have the items they list in stock. Some will advise you when you try to order, some have an automatic system where their stock on-line is automatically up-dated. In the past I have tried ringing a retailer, only to receive a recorded message where they are busy & to ring later. Others put you on hold & your costs are totting up. In the current instance I have reported the matter to Paypal (by email) & if the retailer hasn't responded in a set time, PP will refund me & I can try to order the items elsewhere. as for AH, I won't be using them again.

UPDATE

Just as I finished this post, the phone rang & it was Al's Hobbies, very apologetic saying they had had a problem with the supplier but now had the second item in stock & did i want them to send it today. I agreed.

A quick reply to my first email query would have alleviated all this & left me with a different impression that I have now.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Glad you're sorted Stearman, pay n go phone myself, so I agree with your point, if people can take my order via e mail, they can update any issues via e mail. They spot the order quick enough, why not a query.

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[The Wright Stuff]

Posted by supertigrefan on 15/01/2019 11:50:43:

Posted by john stones 1 on 15/01/2019 11:44:19:

Glad you're sorted Stearman, pay n go phone myself, so I agree with your point, if people can take my order via e mail, they can update any issues via e mail. They spot the order quick enough, why not a query.

Hobbyking take orders by email but that didn't stop him bombarding them with endless phone calls.....where's the difference?

Do we care what the difference is? It's off topic, whatever the answer.

I do agree with you on one point, though, which is being fair to the trader. Please may I respectfully request that a mod changes the thread title, now that a response HAS been received?

[Stearman65]

Posted by john stones 1 on 15/01/2019 11:44:19:

Glad you're sorted Stearman, pay n go phone myself, so I agree with your point, if people can take my order via e mail, they can update any issues via e mail. They spot the order quick enough, why not a query.

[john stones 1 - Moderator]

Posted by supertigrefan on 15/01/2019 11:50:43:

Posted by john stones 1 on 15/01/2019 11:44:19:

Glad you're sorted Stearman, pay n go phone myself, so I agree with your point, if people can take my order via e mail, they can update any issues via e mail. They spot the order quick enough, why not a query.

Hobbyking take orders by email but that didn't stop him bombarding them with endless phone calls.....where's the difference?

I ain't researched Stearmans post history nor his spending history, you obviously have, I stand by the points I made.

[Gary Murphy 1]

All this about ,I ordered by email so should be able to contact with issue by email. Sod that, I would do the quickest option and talk to someone,on the phone. Sod the £1 , worth that to sort any probs with a possible multi £ order.

I didn't see any initial hostility, hope this forum don't get full of snowflakes. Bet we all get much worse at out flying clubs.