OK I guess that I should make clear my differences with Ages of Sail. This goes back to January when I bought the Sovereign of the Seas from Ages Of Sail. When I received the carton, there were some additional brass parts in the carton as well as some blocks (I think) and some other things. I thought nothing of it, I have had kits that shipped under seperate cover before. A day or so after receiving my shipment, Roger, owner of Ages of Sail, called asking if I had received anything extra. Being the honest person that I am of course I said that I had. He explained that they were for another customer and that his supplier was trying to save shipping chargesby putting everything in one carton. His shipping staff just re addressed it and sent it my way. I told Roger that the parts would be express mail first thing in the morning, which it was. In return he asked me if there was anything thig that I needed for my time. I said that either the paint kit for the Sovereign or if that was a very costly item then just the royal blue would work for me. His answer was no problem he would wend it right out. Well that never happened, he never sent anything and quite honestly I really didn't think that he would.
Well time goes on and I placed an order for rigging line from Ages of Sail. They sent me an email saying that the "order was complete" and a tracking number. When I received the package it was one roll shy (of course it was the roll that I needed most). I called the store and the answer that I get is "the sales staff is busy now give me your name and number and I will have someone call you" I waited TWO days and no call. I called back again and received the same responce "give name and number and someone will call you" still no call. I called back a third time after getting the same responce I said no way I want to talk to someone. I finally get some kid and he said that they were on back order. I hit the roof. Why send out a complete order notice when it is on back order. I waited about 3 or 4 weeks and never heard from them again.
I send them an email the other day and told them to forget the back order and to keep my order when it came in I got my supplies from another dealer and that I would never do business with them again. I am thinking ov buying the Amerigo Vespucci, an $1100 kit by the way. So he lost that sale over a $5 roll of string.
That day I received a call from Roger explaining that he has grown so big that he has had to hire many new people. He thanked me for bringing all of this to his attention because he is worried if this happened once, has it happened to may other customers.
He did do the right thing and refunded all the money I spent on the the origional rigging order. He also asked me if there was anything else that I needed that he wanted to do something else for me. He is sending 2 kits of period sailors in the scale of the Sovereing. So he did do the right thing as a business owner. I was glad to see him step up to the plate.
I asked him if belonged to any of the model ship forums, and he said no. I invited him to join SOS saying that it would be a good idea to see what is actually going on in the hobby. He can see what modlers are saying is a good product, a bad product and where improvement in product lines as well as what products distribuiters ccarry more of.
Donnie I hope that I did not step out of line there, but maybe SOS can beniffit from that also.
Anyway that is my take or woe.
Joe