Coopercraft Kits

[Ken A.]

Does anyone know if Coopercraft is still in business/  The reason that I ask is that my wife placed an order with them well before Christmas (my Christmas present) and the payment was cleared.  However the kit never arrived and when she emauiled them there was no response.  So, has anyone had contact with them lately?  Are they still around?

 

All the best,

Ken

[chris p bacon]

There have been various threads about CC but this is the latest with the most up to date information. Go to the later pages for the current situation.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/112011-cooper-craft-cautionary-notes-for-customers-its-fate-and-thoughts-on-an-alternative/?hl=%2Bcooper+%2Bcraft

 

Depending on how you've paid I would seek redress through the card/Paypal as I doubt you'll see any kits.

 

I'll report this as the mods might want to lock it.

[Skinnylinny]

Unfortunately, Cooper Craft have ceased trading (or rather, the owner of the company does not seem to process internet orders, although the website will still happily take the money!). There have been several threads regarding this - see here for more details of several peoples' experiences.

I'm afraid your wife's money may well have been lost. 

[hayfield]

It is a great pity that despite trading standards and the card processing company seemingly being aware of the problems, there seems little attempt to stop the site from taking money. What has happened to consumer protection by both the regulators and financial service indusrty?

Edited April 10, 2018 by hayfield

[Bucoops]

Hope your wife manages to get her money back

[rue_d_etropal]

If it is Paypal, they will refund, as I have had no problem with other traders who don't delivery, and don't reply to emails. Card payment refunds depends, I think on how much the payment is.

[Compound2632]

But also be aware that if it was items from the Slater's 4 mm scale range of kits, there is some hope that these will be available directly from Slater's once more in the not to distant future.

[Jol Wilkinson]

But also be aware that if it was items from the Slater's 4 mm scale range of kits, there is some hope that these will be available directly from Slater's once more in the not to distant future.

The POW kits have been available through Powsides for some time. Perhaps Davkd White of Slaters needs to set up a retailing channel as well as sorting the range out, as Paul Dunn let it flop.

[Compound2632]

The POW kits have been available through Powsides for some time. Perhaps Davkd White of Slaters needs to set up a retailing channel as well as sorting the range out, as Paul Dunn let it flop.

 

I understand the latter is what is happening. Reading between the lines of various comments on previous Coopercraft threads, my understanding is that there was only a distribution agreement between Slater's and Paul Dunn - the manufacturing remained with Slater's. Prior to this, the Slater's 4mm kits had been distributed by C&L, IIRC. In return, Slater's distribute the ur-Coopercraft GWR 7mm wagon kits; but are they manufactured by Slater's or are they going the way of the ur-Coopercraft 4mm range?

 

POWSides offer the Slater's PO wagon kits and of the Midland kits, just the D299 5-plank open and D305 3-plank dropside. (Well, that's about 2/3 of the Midland's wagon fleet, so not too bad going.)

[Colin_McLeod]

Hope your wife manages to get her money back

..but don't be holding your breath.

[TheTurfBurner]

Does anyone know if Coopercraft is still in business/  The reason that I ask is that my wife placed an order with them well before Christmas (my Christmas present) and the payment was cleared.  However the kit never arrived and when she emauiled them there was no response.  So, has anyone had contact with them lately?  Are they still around?

 

All the best,

Ken

 

 

Sorry to hear of your problems with Cooper-Craft.

I had not intended to post on this subject again. However, as I have been trying unsuccessfully for the last three years to put Cooper-Craft out of its misery, I feel my failure is partly responsible for your loss. So, rather than you wade through 90+ pages of mostly irrelevant posts in the locked Cooper-Craft thread, this – with the benefit of hindsight – is how I would tackle Dunn now.

1.       There is generally a 90-day limit on making a claim on your debit/credit card provider or PayPal. Also, the Consumer Credit Act only gives protection if the amount is over £100. You are beyond the time limit, and I don’t know how much you are owed, but contacting your card provider (or PayPal) may still be worthwhile. If you have been a long-standing customer of your card provider, they may make a goodwill gesture (it will only be a small fraction of the profit they have made on you in the past). In any event, it adds to Dunn’s bad credit record.

2.       The only tactic which seems to work with Dunn is constant telephone harassment. ‘Phone him – ‘phone him NOW – and refuse to hang up until he confirms a full refund has been made. Do not accept weekly or monthly instalment – nothing will be received. And if there is no money in your account within two days, ‘phone him again. And again. And again – until he finally cracks, or no longer answers your calls. Try the old “nasty debt collector” tactic of telephoning at 1am – it is generally assumed to be bad news at that time of night and will probably be answered. I was never able to get through, but you may be luckier.

3.       Make a report on Trust Pilot: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.cooper-craft.co.uk It’s just possible others searching the web for Cooper-Craft will see these reports before they buy from the site.

4.       Report him to Trading Standards through the Consumer Advice Bureau web site: https://ssl.datamotion.com/form.aspx?co=3438&frm=general&to=flare.fromforms You will hear nothing directly from Trading Standards, but after three months make a Freedom of Information Request to Devon Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter EX2 4QD. I’m currently awaiting their response.

5.       Consider paying £25 to get a Small Claims Court Judgement against Dunn – search on-line for the procedure. DO NOT pay the additional to “send the bailiffs in” as Dunn will refuse them entry and there is nothing more the bailiffs can do. If you do obtain a Judgement, the advantage is – if Dunn falls under a bus – Judgement creditors have to be paid before Probate can be issued. You may get paid – eventually. Also, Judgements listed against Dunn make it impossible for him to obtain credit – so, if he wants to buy a car, or even a washing machine, on HP – he can’t!

6.       And lastly – search on line for “no win – no fee” Debt Collectors. They do not have to be based in Somerset as most of what they do will be over the telephone, but they are the collectors of last resort. If their pressure can’t get money out of Dunn, nobody will.

Sadly, you have fallen into the hands of a crook and as I have discovered, consumer protection is weighted in favour of the rogue and against the consumer.

Best of luck. The moderators should now lock this thread.

Edited April 12, 2018 by TheTurfBurner

[stock_2007]

Without wanting to start up anything like the shouting match that the now locked  thread turned into, but looking on e-@@@ a box of 10 Slater 20 ton hopper kits have sold for £190. So there is a need for them out there.

FYI a 20t hopper kit was what I paid coopercraft for

[Steamport Southport]

You used to be able to get them for about a tenner a box. Although that was back in the day.

 

I saw one go last year for over £40. That's one kit!

 

The record I've seen so far is the NER Brake Van which went for £89. Although I've also seen them go for less, about £25 was normal. I was watching them pretty intently at one point.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Colin_McLeod]

Without wanting to start up anything like the shouting match that the now locked  thread turned into, but looking on e-@@@ a box of 10 Slater 20 ton hopper kits have sold for £190. So there is a need for them out there.

FYI a 20t hopper kit was what I paid coopercraft for

what is e-@@@ ? If you mean e-bay then why not say so?

[hayfield]

Without wanting to start up anything like the shouting match that the now locked  thread turned into, but looking on e-@@@ a box of 10 Slater 20 ton hopper kits have sold for £190. So there is a need for them out there.

FYI a 20t hopper kit was what I paid coopercraft for

 

Its the job of every auction business to get the best possible price for the seller, no one if forced the buyers to buy them. If two or more bidders wish to spend their money that's their business.

 

However remember this is just two or three buyers with money, and whilst showing there is a demand for these items, is it enough to warrant a production run of these kits ?

 

I would guess the economics stack up if the moulds are in good order, but the model railway industry is quite fickle with injection moulding seen as an expensive form of production.

 

I do agree it would be nice to hear what if any models are planned for relese with approximate time scales

[stock_2007]

what is e-@@@ ? If you mean e-bay then why not say so?

I feel no need to advertise e-bay

[chris p bacon]

I feel no need to advertise e-bay

 

You just have.......

 

Omitting it in your post has now led to it mentioned numerous times 

[micklner]

Paypal will take action upto 6 months after the transaction (I have one on the go for non reciept etc, after 5 months with another "company' at the moment), so you should be ok. Good luck 

[Bucoops]

Worldpay does cooper crafts payments and they don't appear to give a fig.

[chris p bacon]

Paypal will take action upto 6 months after the transaction (I have one on the go for non reciept etc, after 5 months with another "company' at the moment), so you should be ok. Good luck 

 

I can take a good guess at which 'company' that is     

[Mr.S.corn78]

Worldpay does cooper crafts payments and they don't appear to give a fig.

 

If hes paying the world pay invoice then they won't have any problem with him as they only provide a secue payment method.

 

World pay do say on the bottom of the email receipt (if its an online portal) that it is up to the vendor to fulfill the order. They are only a secure payment provider.

[hayfield]

Complain to Trading standards, there must be enough information on this site that he is trading without any intention to fulfil orders

[Edwardian]

I find this auction extravagance absurd.  The virtue of these ranges were that they were relatively inexpensive. Once you get to these auction prices, you may as well be buying the latest generation resin or metal kits.

 

I have enough Cooper Craft GW wagons and Slater's Midland.  It's the latter's coaches I chiefly lament.

 

As has been pointed out, the standard MR wagons are now available via POWsides and Bill Bedford does at least the ubiquitous D299.

 

I do have an interest in the NER, particularly the Central Division, and, for the trans-Pennine traffic, you need lots and lots of mineral wagons. If you have a need for one, you have a need for 10 etc, so that is probably why the bulk pack was introduced by Slaters.  Thus, it would make sense to re-introduce these via POWsides, along with the NER brake van.

 

Fortunately I am chiefly interested in around the turn of the Century, so the unavailability of the large 20-ton P7 hoppers is not a problem for me, but, if I did want them, rather than hang-around the Bay of Fleas like some bloated but unimaginative predator, driving the prices of these intrinsically modest items sky high, I'd get up off my fat complacent @rse and organise the production of some from one of the numerous new generation manufacturers, or one or two of the established but commercially minded players.  There are people here on RMWeb  who could produce one in Silhouette-cut plastic, laser-cut card, 3D Print or cast resin.  If you needed that many 20-ton hoppers that badly, why didn't you do something positive and proactive about an alternative?

Edited April 16, 2018 by Edwardian

[Steamport Southport]

We've had all this in about half a dozen threads. Do we really need to start discussing the same old crap again?

 

Could we just leave this for news about what is happening with Coopercraft rather than a thirty page discussion about 3D kits.....

 

 

 

 

 

Jason

[stock_2007]

You just have.......

 

Omitting it in your post has now led to it mentioned numerous times 

I get paid by the word