Model Railroading > Kalmbach Customer Service

What the hell is wrong with Kalmbach Hobby Store's customer service on their web site?  Its been down forever.

You sound surprised. You shouldn't be.

Just ordered some stuff, process went smooth, showed up pretty quick. Check your settings and browser.

They're fine on selling stuff and emailing promos. What they don't do now is respond to questions about access issues on their various forums, or access to some web features. Subscription questions/missing magazines seem to be taken care of.  After being on their forums for dog's years, I can't log in, which is no big loss.

They are still in the midst of switching customer services outsourcing to a firm in Texas (the one in Florida was a disaster).  This transition has been going on for a couple of months.  MR Video Plus remains unlocked and is available to anyone, apparently as a part of this.

Art House

grahamline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> After being on their forums for dog's years,
> I can't log in, which is no big loss.

My log-in stopped working for several weeks and one day magically started working again.  It wouldn't have been a major loss had log-in never started working again.
 

I had to call them last week to cancel an automatic- full retail cost renewal that I never agreed to. 
JW
 

Kalmbach has been lousy to deal with, not just for me, but plenty of others. Walthers can be as bad. The old CTC Board was pathetic. The hobby magazines are prototypical. Their service stinks just like the prototype railroads they suck up to!

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What the hell is wrong with Kalmbach Hobby Store's
> customer service on their web site?  Its been
> down forever.

I got a renewal notice for MR the other day for $29.95 per year.   I don't think Kalmbach Hobby has it for that price. But I can't contact Customer Service unless I call.  The magazine is at the point where I can go completely through it on one short restroom visit and get nothing out of it.   "Build this 4x6 layout" and beginner stuff.  Ain't worth it any more.  I miss Mainline Modeler

I couldn't agree more. Kalmbach seems to fall in with the other comformist venues and offer generic crap. Authenic new items are harder to come by.  Model railroader
fills a void, but needs new leadership.

Frisco1522 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I got a renewal notice for MR the other day for
> $29.95 per year.   I don't think Kalmbach Hobby
> has it for that price. But I can't contact
> Customer Service unless I call.  The magazine is
> at the point where I can go completely through it
> on one short restroom visit and get nothing out of
> it.   "Build this 4x6 layout" and beginner
> stuff.  Ain't worth it any more.  I miss
> Mainline Modeler

Too many Chiefs and not enough Indians! wag216

This week, after not being able to log onto the MR forums since late November, the site is again accepting my user name and double-secret password. Hope the list works for others.

My brother ordered a Model Railroader subscription that has been on its way to me since November.

grahamline Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This week, after not being able to log onto the MR
> forums since late November, the site is again
> accepting my user name and double-secret password.
> Hope the list works for others.