Model Railroading > Beware of Wholesaletrains.com/Lantz Hobby shop

To all on-line shoppers out there. Beware of Wholesaletrains.com/Lantz Hobby shops business practices. Lantz Hobby Shop located at 3312 S. Main Street Horseheads NY 14845 also runs the wholesaletrains.com website.

Wholesaletrains.com has a minimum shipping/handling charge of $9.95, I understand that and that is somewhat clear.

Listen as I tell you a tale of terrible business practices in Horseheads NY. At the beginning of the month I was trolling the Internet looking for a good deal on couplers, McHenry couplers to be exact. Wholesale trains had them listed for $1.49 for 2 pair, a good price I thought. I know that shipping and handling was going to be about 10 dollars so I ordered 20 packs. My thought process: $10.00 divided by 20 packs= 50 cents per pack making each pack of 2 pair $2.00. Still not a bad deal, in my opinion. I was very surprised when I received 3 packs of couplers, and an invoice for $14.42. Their breakdown, 3 packs @ $1.49 = 4.47. PLUS 9.95 shipping and handling. That makes the couplers $4.80 a pack. I could have gone to my LHS and paid less for a bulk pack. Not to mention, they could have put three packs of couplers in a regular envelope for 44 cents and not had a problem. When you order from their website it doesn't list things as out of stock, or adjust your order to what they have. They also don't add shipping to the bill until they charge your card and the invoice shows up with your package.

So I called Lantz Hobby Shop in hopes of resolving this issue. The first girl that I talked to said that $9.95 is the minimum shipping cost, but not to worry, because as they get more in and send them to me, THEY WILL CHARGE ME A REDUCED SHIPPING RATE ON THEM usually only a few of dollars!! WHAAATTT!!! Are you kidding me!!! So if they send me 3 packs at a time, 6 more times, I could end up paying more than $30.00 in shipping for a $30.00 order of COUPLERS!

I asked to speak with the manager, who had to call me back but did within 10 minutes. She told me essentially the same thing that Girl #1 did. EXCEPT that she said that 3 was all that they could get in so 3 was all I was getting and the ticket was closed. WHAT!!! The "manager" on the phone told me that "nothing is going to change the shipping charges" and that "there is nothing that I'm going to do for you"

I my opinion, The proper thing to do would be to call the customer to let them know that they only had in 15% of the order and ask if they still wanted to purchase it. OR, reduce the shipping and put a regular stamp on an envelope. OR, I would have even taken free shipping on my next order, or a partial refund of the shipping.

These people did not want to work with the customer AT ALL. I asked her to leave a message for the owners, since in her own words "I was talking to the top" We'll see if they call me back.
IMHO, These people are SHADY and I would use them at your own Risk.

Has anyone else had trouble with Wholesale trains/Lantz hobby shop?

If anyone at Lantz wants to work with me on this my Transaction # for this was 188169 and the other number that she asked for is 200998137. Work it out and I will recant my rant here on TO.

Jimmy Best
Thurmont, MD



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/12 09:15 by fireman5575.

Had the same thing at a very well intended HS in Denver, but they also have an option to hold everything until there is one shipment, which literally may be months, or to ship what they have. A special on BLMA signal heads went sour because they had two in stock, I wanted three but didn't check the box.

Even the mfg that no longer deals with Hobby shops will do a similar process, ship what they have in stock and then anything that is pre-ordered gets another shipping cost when it comes in. In the general market, Amazon for example, some stores make their profit from the shipping charges. That's part of today's Internet market. Buyer beware.

But why McHenry couplers anyways?

I believe you got the short end of the deal when there were only 3 packages of product to amortize against the fixed shipping charges.

However I doubt you would want the couplers after they had been placed in a plain envelope and run through USPS automated sorting equipment. At minimum you would want the couplers in a padded envelope perhaps with a cardboard stiffener. The envelope costs money and there is labor involved in doing the packing and labeling. So $10 is not outlandish even given the USPS flat rate is $5.15.

If you expect the lowest product price you cannot expect the vendor to eat any of the shipping. Sure, they might have called you but that also costs money all for a $4.47 sale they are likely to lose with the phone call.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

I'm not very good when it comes to the tiny coil springs as with Kadee and other McHenry couplers. I like the acetal coupler head springs and the centering acetal springs of the McHenrys. Also the price point, even at retail. Are there other semi proto couplers out there that have the acetal coupler head springs?

Jimmy Best
Thurmont, MD

I replace all of my Mchenrys couplers with Kadee. Why? The Mchenrys couplers will come uncoupled when the train is coming down a grade. As this happen I would replace the coupler on the car with a Kadee and now all my cars have Kadee couplers.
Dennis

I would actually consider going with Sargent Couplers which are closer to prototype, but cost a lot more. a number of mechanically inclined folks I know consider Sargent's as the way to go. But they are not nickle and dime stuff.

Yep, I'm still in that Kadee world, anything with McHenry's gets McShopped for KD's.

I could have gone to my LHS and paid
> less for a bulk pack.


You learned a lesson.
First,most HS have closed because you and others prefer to shop online.
Second,you got screwed because you did not shop at your HS.

Uncle Joe,Seffner,fl.

Shipping Charges are out of control on Amazon purchases, there's a specific situation which lead to the charges mentioned in this thread. It's a reminder of how these things happen and how to avoid them, but it's also a flag to Internet Stores and Mail Order Stores of how to treat customers that they want to come back for more purchases.

Sometimes the LHS just doesn't have what we are shopping for, that's why it's called shopping. I just scored some models from the Mid-west last night that have been out of stock in California for months, if not more. LHS could not back order what the mfg just doesn't make anymore.

How many McHenry couplers do you want??

All I can get when the price is right...

Jimmy Best
Thurmont, MD

If you paid with a credit card, then call the company and file;e a complaint. Ditto with the Better Business Bureau in the city the company is located. I'm almost willing to be that the issue is "resolved" and "sorry for the misunderstanding". I've found that when outside forces are in play, attitudes change.

If the business couldn't fill your entire order, you should have been informed and had the opportunity to cancel or accept multiple shipments. Good Luck.

I've literally have thrown hundreds of those couplers in the trash. I consider them a curse that I wouldn't wish upon anyone.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

So, following this idea, I went to the BBB website to file a complaint. What I found out was interesting. Wholesaletrains.com and Lantz TRAIN Shop have had 24 complaints filed with the BBB in about the last two years. Mostly, for advertisement/availability and for service. If 24 people went to the BBB how many other people have been treated wrongly by them. Lantz Train shop even has seven complaints that "the business never responded to the BBB"

Jimmy Best
Thurmont, MD

I don't put any cars on the layout unless they have Kadee couplers on them. I also am very aware of shipping charges. If you only,y save a dollar here and there, why bother? It's better to support my local hobby shop. Dave

Plastic couplers of any kind go directly in to the trash!
cf7

> You learned a lesson.
> First,most HS have closed because you and others
> prefer to shop online.
> Second,you got screwed because you did not shop at
> your HS.
>
> Uncle Joe,Seffner,fl.

You said it, I support my LHS FIRST! He gets what I need within a week anyway, if it is in stock. So the little extra I pay is worth it to me. Sometimes someone brings in something for repairs that they bought online. I've seen him say this. "You did not buy it from me I have no obligation to service or repair that product. Call the manufacturer and good luck." Buy from him and he will happily help you if out and try his best to set it right. Honestly I agree with him.

Jason, Springhill, Fl

Posted from Android



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/12 18:23 by MRL.

retcsxcfm Wrote:

> You learned a lesson.
> First,most HS have closed because you and others
> prefer to shop online.
> Second,you got screwed because you did not shop at
> your HS.
>
> Uncle Joe,Seffner,fl.

You make it sound like a moral decision, however this isn't a matter of charity to support the poor etc. At the prices I've seen many LHS charge, not everyone can afford them. It is not a truism that you get screwed if you don't support your LHS.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You make it sound like a moral decision, however
> this isn't a matter of charity to support the poor
> etc. At the prices I've seen many LHS charge, not
> everyone can afford them. It is not a truism that
> you get screwed if you don't support your LHS.


Furthermore, there are a lot of metro areas that no longer have anything resembling a local hobby shop. I certainly don't consider Hobbytown USA in a local strip mall to fit that bill.

To avoid getting nicked for big shipping and handling fees, I simply don't place small mail orders for anything -- especially a "commodity" like couplers. When I do order by mail, I'm as careful as I can be to ensure everything is in stock before I hit "send" and I elect to "cancel" anything backordered if possible.

And yes, I change out all the plastic couplers on rolling stock I buy in favor of Kadees. I haven't thrown out the McHenrys or Accumates, though, since I figured somebody might have a use for them. They're segregated in old plastic slide boxes and can be had for well below list price, including the McHenrys that have the non-spring springs.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/14/12 18:37 by toledopatch.

MRL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > You learned a lesson.
> > First,most HS have closed because you and
> others
> > prefer to shop online.
> > Second,you got screwed because you did not shop
> at
> > your HS.
> >
> > Uncle Joe,Seffner,fl.
>
> You said it, I support my LHS FIRST! He gets what
> I need within a week anyway, if it is in stock. So
> the little extra I pay is worth it to me.
> Sometimes someone brings in something for repairs
> that they bought online. I've seen him say this.
> "You did not buy it from me I have no obligation
> to service or repair that product. Call the
> manufacturer and good luck." Buy from him and he
> will happily help you if out and try his best to
> set it right. Honestly I agree with him.
>
> Jason, Springhill, Fl
>
> Posted from Android


I have bought from my LHS and when my engines stopped working the next day, my LHS told me its a warranty issue, take it up with the manufacture. I have had that happen to me on three occasions at my LHS in the Los Angeles area. So that theory doesn't hold water, or anything else. I don't need someone to "try their best",
These LHS drove me to the Internet, and I'm glad they did. I found MB Klein, Perry's Hobbies, and others. As far as the shipping cost, no one hides the info. Read the fine print, and if you don't understand, ask them.
I'm finding out that there are many general hobby shops in my area that have all the paints, glues, etc., I need. Going to my LHS and finding out they don't have the basics, like couplers is ridiculous. The price of gas is too high for me to make useless drives.
Why do I need to pay full MRSP? They don't when they buy a car, groceries, furniture. If they want my business, they need to work for it, and right now they are doing a lousy job!

I buy from them all the time. I love their prices

Posted from Android