Dealer Website Frustrations (1 Viewer)

[wadepat]

Gentle Friends,

During the past several days, I have been searching for a few retired K & C Napoleonic figures. Fortunately, my search has been rewarded by finding and securing several pieces that were still in a dealer's stock. However, my search has had its frustrations. Let me explain:

I found the items for which I was searching on a specific dealer's website. As I was surprised to find almost all the items I wanted listed on this site, I called the dealer only to get an answering machine. After several calls to this same dealer, a person finally answered the phone to tell me that the dealer had gone out of business and had sold all the available stock. However, the website still functioned and one could actually still place orders on it even though the dealer had nothing left to sell. Further, this dealer is still listed as a dealer on the official K & C website.

In another instance, I found two of the items for which I was searching on another dealer's website, but the asking price had been increased from $59.00 each to $99.00 each. I did not even bother to call this particular dealer as I was not willing to pay the inflated price even if the dealer had them in stock!

In yet another instance, I found many of the items posted on another dealer's website. I called this particular dealer to be met with warm laughter and a statement indicating that all the items in which I was interested were long since out of stock. I was told that the website had not been revised since February! New items had been added, but depleted stock had not been removed! Ugh!

Finally, I found a fourth dealer who is listed on the official K & C website. Unfortunately, when I accessed this dealer's website, there were absolutely no K & C figures to be found there. Perhaps they are available in his store, but they do not exist on his website!

As I live in a relatively isolated section of the country, I rely heavily on dealer websites to find and purchase the items I want to add to my collection. Fortunately, most of the dealers with whom I have done business have provided me with a warm reception and excellent service. They will continue to get my business. But, those dealers who will not or cannot maintain a relatively up-to-date website will not get my business. What a frustration!

Thanks to all you dealers who take the time to see to it that your websites truly represent the stock available to the collector. You folks will have my continuing business!

For all the collectors who are reading this post, you have my gratitude for simply listening to my frustration! What experiences have you had? Having vented my frustration, I am ready to listen to yours.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[vandilay]

Hi Pat
I sure most people who buy on the net have had similar experiences to you.
I Know i have,their is some excellent web sellers out their incl here
at treefrog,but i wonder how many of these dealers this is a full time
buisness as on plenty of ocasions i,ve recieved no reply to queries
about items listed on their websites [not just K and C products]
But as you say you tend to find the good ones and stick with them.

 

[sceic2]

A web store is like any other retail store. Some have great inventory when you visit, some don't. Some are happy places to be, some are not. some have great customer service, others don't. You get the point. Just because they were fortunate enough to start a web store, does not mean that they understand how to keep it up to date or how to market it properly to increase sales. Patience is the best tool when using the internet. Patience in searching; patience in ordering; and patience in dealing with the human functionary on the other end of that electronic connection.

As a suggestion, perhaps an online quality assuance program with a check list authored by K&C and validated by them in order for a dealer to remain certified as a K&C online dealer. It would raise the standard for some, others are already there.

 

[red devil]

Gentle Friends,

During the past several days, I have been searching for a few retired K & C Napoleonic figures. Fortunately, my search has been rewarded by finding and securing several pieces that were still in a dealer's stock. However, my search has had its frustrations. Let me explain:

I found the items for which I was searching on a specific dealer's website. As I was surprised to find almost all the items I wanted listed on this site, I called the dealer only to get an answering machine. After several calls to this same dealer, a person finally answered the phone to tell me that the dealer had gone out of business and had sold all the available stock. However, the website still functioned and one could actually still place orders on it even though the dealer had nothing left to sell. Further, this dealer is still listed as a dealer on the official K & C website.

In another instance, I found two of the items for which I was searching on another dealer's website, but the asking price had been increased from $59.00 each to $99.00 each. I did not even bother to call this particular dealer as I was not willing to pay the inflated price even if the dealer had them in stock!

In yet another instance, I found many of the items posted on another dealer's website. I called this particular dealer to be met with warm laughter and a statement indicating that all the items in which I was interested were long since out of stock. I was told that the website had not been revised since February! New items had been added, but depleted stock had not been removed! Ugh!

Finally, I found a fourth dealer who is listed on the official K & C website. Unfortunately, when I accessed this dealer's website, there were absolutely no K & C figures to be found there. Perhaps they are available in his store, but they do not exist on his website!

As I live in a relatively isolated section of the country, I rely heavily on dealer websites to find and purchase the items I want to add to my collection. Fortunately, most of the dealers with whom I have done business have provided me with a warm reception and excellent service. They will continue to get my business. But, those dealers who will not or cannot maintain a relatively up-to-date website will not get my business. What a frustration!

Thanks to all you dealers who take the time to see to it that your websites truly represent the stock available to the collector. You folks will have my continuing business!

For all the collectors who are reading this post, you have my gratitude for simply listening to my frustration! What experiences have you had? Having vented my frustration, I am ready to listen to yours.

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

Pat why don't you tell us who the dealers are concerned? You are doing them or us no favours by not naming them, the worst thing that could happen is they sort their act out and start offering a good service or start treating customers nicely. Otherwise they just bumble along thinking everythings OK and wondering why they are not getting any customers - honestly everybody would be better off and thats not a bad thing. With regards to the items you were looking for where the price had increased dramatically why don't you ask on the forum if anybody can sell you them at a reasonable price? Just a thought thats all.
Regards Red

 

[Alexdakar]

Pat, I've been through all those situations. If I find an item I usually email them to see if its in stock first before I buy. If they don't return my email in a reasonable amount of time then that says something about their customer service so I move on.

 

[indiana81]

Hi Pat!
Sorry to hear about your frustrating experiences. I ran into similar situations too. Took me a couple go-rounds before I wised up. I thought I made quite a score, finding IWJ01 and a Fallshirmjaeger set for the list price 6 months ago Needless to say, I now usually stick with tried and true dealers, mainly George Guerriero or Treefrog. But for retired items, like Red Devil mentioned, make some inqueries here. Probably your best bet. I found a Matilda tank and a couple other items thanks to some forum members. (Thanks again to Maddadicus and Bill Moore!) Good luck!
Justin

 

[Bill Moore]

Pat! Contact me I might be able to help!

 

[wadepat]

Pat why don't you tell us who the dealers are concerned? You are doing them or us no favours by not naming them, the worst thing that could happen is they sort their act out and start offering a good service or start treating customers nicely. Otherwise they just bumble along thinking everythings OK and wondering why they are not getting any customers - honestly everybody would be better off and thats not a bad thing. With regards to the items you were looking for where the price had increased dramatically why don't you ask on the forum if anybody can sell you them at a reasonable price? Just a thought thats all.
Regards Red

Hi Red,

Thanks for your thoughts. I appreciate your feedback!

You inquired about naming the internet dealers who have caused me some frustration the last couple of days. While I understand that revealing the identity of these dealers might be helpful to some collectors, I would rather not mention them by name for the following reasons:

1.) My experience with these particular websites was disappointing and caused me some frustration. The frustration was only an irritation, not a dramatic trauma. I also understand that my experience may not parallel the experience of others and do not wish to identify dealers as annoying while other collectors may find them a joy with whom to work.

2.) I know nothing of the challenges each of these dealer face. Consequently, I do not wish to be too hard on them. I only wanted to release my irritation to other collectors who I knew would understand my experience.

3.) I have not lost sight of the fact that each of these dealers has taught me something. They have helped me narrow my list of preferred dealers! My narrowed list will save me time and frustration in the future!

4.) Finally, I know that two of the frustrating dealers have very large inventories and that they do a very good business. Therefore, it seems highly possible that my experience with these two dealers may be unique.

I hope my reasoning above does not sound like a defense of poor internet business practices, for it is not. As Firebat is fond of saying, I will express my disfavor through my pocket book, not through angry accusations.

You also asked why I do not explore the possibility of securing my desired items through forum members. Your suggestion is a very good one and I plan to act on it. However, I want to review my budget before making further inquries and requests.

Take care, Red, and Soldier On!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[wadepat]

Pat! Contact me I might be able to help!

Bill,

Thank you. I will forward a private message to you in the next few days!

Warmest personal regards,

Pat

 

[jazzeum]

This happened to me early on. I came across a dealer that seemed to have tons of retired WW 2 items. Unfortunately, when I called it was a different story and I only got one piece. I accepted it as part of the price of looking for items and realized that dealers are not as lunatic about this stuff like I am.

 

[Tony Neville]

Guys

I know Pete (Treefrog will agree) This months updates proved that keeping a website up to date is not as easy as it may seam. Mike is down to the bones on the tip of one of his fingures (he is a mono typer)

K&C are bringing out 42 new sets in the coming two months, that is a lot of data inputting.

However i agree all sites should at least be up to date with the old stuff. We are very close and every month do a stock take, once that is done we can update the system. We do have an automated system but it does not take into account going to shows!.

I look at speed of site operation and ease of use. I was on a modelling website trying to spend £300 but got annoyed with the site and bailed out...............lost sale for them.

I look at this issue and try and make sure it does not happen on ours.

Let me know if it does!!?

Tony Neville
K&C UK

 

[Gideon]

I really hope I am not on that list of dealers as I recently had an order I had to refund because we didn't get a chance to delete some of the retired figures off our lists.

As a K&C dealer, it is incredibly difficult to manage the listings from K&C.

With my other vendors, I know what is being made and what is being discontinued for the entire year in January/Feb. With K&C, however, we find out monthly.

It is so incredibly difficult to keep the current production list up-to-date. My website has over 3,000 individual sku (product numbers and images).

It really is not easy keeping up with Andy - he keeps each and every one of us on our toes and is running laps around us - collectors and dealers both.