Modelmaster

[Ben Alder]

I phoned him last Friday lunch time - got the answering machine and left a message saying I'd try later. Ten minutes after he rang me, we had a chat, placed my order, and it was sitting on my doormat on Wednesday morning. These were transfers, so am I right in presuming that it is nameplates that are causing most of the problems? I know he had been having major difficulties with supplies  with these.

 

[47406]

On 08/10/2021 at 15:00, Ben Alder said:

These were transfers, so am I right in presuming that it is nameplates that are causing most of the problems?

 

 

The orders I never received the goods paid for and was on the receiving end of his abuse were for transfers only, not nameplates.

 

There are bad experiences that you can forgive and forget as '---- happens', others that you might bear in mind for a year or two and take your money elsewhere during that time... but if you have ever been on the receiving end of the sheer nastiness that this guy is capable of throwing out when he chooses, then you will never, EVER do business with this guy again.

 

That is my personal experience, and it doesn't sound like i am alone in that. My first order was just fine, my second got a snotty reply to an email but i received the goods, the 3rd received a promise of posting but when i followed up a week later became sheer nastiness - how dare i expect him to honour his word, etc...

 

Twice he told me that he had mailed my order only for the postmark to show that was not true, the orders only being posted several days AFTER I followed up.

 

I never did receive everything  I ordered in that last one.

 

There are lots of crappy vendors out there, but there are FEW that engender the strength of feeling that mr. modelmaster is capable of causing in people.

Edited October 10, 2021 by 47406

[Ben Alder]

That's not been my experience of him at all and I've dealt with him for decades now with no real problems at all - an occasional delay now and then due to lack of stock but generally orders fulfilled promptly. Obviously going by these threads it doesn't always happen but I can only offer my own history here.

 

[Mallard60022]

2 hours ago, Ben Alder said:

That's not been my experience of him at all and I've dealt with him for decades now with no real problems at all - an occasional delay now and then due to lack of stock but generally orders fulfilled promptly. Obviously going by these threads it doesn't always happen but I can only offer my own history here.

 

I sometimes think that the customer is not always 'right'. Is it that certain people just  don't approach others in a 'good' way and then are shocked if they get a bit of verbal in return?

I too have never had an experience like this from this Trader, a few late deliveries and a couple of duff products over 15 years and that is it.

Phil

[Blandford1969]

Here is the thing, we have as with so many threads about traders only one side and interpretation of the story. All the orders I have placed have been without issue. 

[Bulleidboy100]

On 23/09/2021 at 12:22, Bulleidboy100 said:

Some aspects of ordering from Modelmaster are very efficient??? I ordered some nameplates on the 18th August 2021.

 

Very quick reply emails:

 

18/8/2021  Order successfully received

18/8/2021  Payment accepted

18/8/2021  Order confirmed

19/8/2021  Processing in progress

03/9/2021  Order shipped.

 

The order has still to arrive!!!!!!!!!

 

I should add that over a number of years and orders the service has been fine. 

 

 

Well my order arrived today, with a note apologising for the delay and stating that the item was out of stock. That's fine, but why email me on the 3rd September saying that item had been shipped. It was only a replacement nameplate, so I was not losing any sleep, but it does not help customer relations. 

[Roy Langridge]

2 hours ago, Bulleidboy100 said:

Well my order arrived today, with a note apologising for the delay and stating that the item was out of stock. That's fine, but why email me on the 3rd September saying that item had been shipped. It was only a replacement nameplate, so I was not losing any sleep, but it does not help customer relations. 

 

I don't know but is it down to the software in use? Many moons ago I had to use some software that would mark items as despatched the moment you printed the despatch note. The problem was the easiest way of dealing with items was to print out the despatch notes which listed what was ordered and then go off to find the items and fill envelopes. Sometimes you would only find a lack of an item at this stage as the inventory was not fully linked to ordering. Was not a big issue for us as no despatch emails were sent and stock would be replenished quickly, but I can see such an issue arising in today's more "connected" world.

 

Ebay does similar today - which is why you get emails saying you item has been posted at silly o'clock at night when all that has happened is the seller has paid for and printed the postage, not physically posted anything. 

 

Roy

Edited October 20, 2021 by Roy Langridge

[Bulleidboy100]

I'm not really complaining, and you could be right. The company is only, to my knowledge, a two person (Jim and Elspeth) band. They must receive hundreds of orders, but you would think in this day and age, they could connect to their customers a little better than they do. It has been difficult times, and I recall someone saying Jim had had an operation (eye?). I will be placing another order fairly soon - so they have not lost a customer.

 

Barry

Edited October 20, 2021 by Bulleidboy100

[JohnR]

Just want to add that I've received this lunchtime some transfers I ordered on Monday. I usually order via ebay, as that gives more confidence in prompt delivery (to my mind), but these wernt in his ebay store. So I ordered direct from his website and got prompt service.

[TheEngineShed]

On 05/10/2021 at 17:39, TheEngineShed said:

Posted October 5

 

Jim answered the phone on my first try and knew who I was, he had received both of the letters that I had sent.  He had 7 of the 8 plates in hand, including the two red ones.  He was still waiting on the one named plate set.  I asked him to just send the seven and we'd call it even.  Jim insisted on including another named set, and I agreed, whatever Jim had  on hand.  Jim stated that he would get them in the post this week.

 

 

No delivery of plates yet, if Jim had sent the plates out as he stated he would on the week of the 5th, they would have arrived by now.  I paid Jim ten quid postage for a tracked and signed for letter.  A Kernow parcel just arrived today, it was mailed from the UK on the 18th, so it took 11 days. 

 

Also of concern, the Modelmaster.uk site has been suspended, it looks like Jim hasn't paid his renewal fee, but I'm no expert in these things.  I last accessed the site around October 5th, when I called Jim. No idea when the site went off-line, but the site is currently giving me a "server not found" message.

 

Information according to whois.nic.uk

Domain name: modelmaster.uk

Data validation: Nominet was able to match the registrant's name and address against a 3rd party data source on 28-Sep-2014

Registrar: Astutium Ltd [Tag = ASTUTIUM] URL: http://www.astutium.com

Relevant dates: Registered on: 28-Sep-2014 Expiry date: 28-Sep-2021 Last updated: 24-Sep-2020 Registration status: Renewal required. *** This registration has been SUSPENDED. ***

Name servers: ns1.krystal.co.uk 77.72.0.11 ns2.krystal.co.uk 139.162.230.184

WHOIS lookup made at 23:38:20 29-Oct-2021

[47406]

On 10/10/2021 at 06:38, Mallard60022 said:

I sometimes think that the customer is not always 'right'. Is it that certain people just  don't approach others in a 'good' way and then are shocked if they get a bit of verbal in return?

I too have never had an experience like this from this Trader, a few late deliveries and a couple of duff products over 15 years and that is it.

Phil

 

I can only share my own experience - I suspect based on what I read that my experience is a minority experience, but it does sound like it is a sizeable minority... My own first experience purchasing was good, it only went downhill on the 2nd & 3rd orders.

 

Is the customer "not always right" when they follow up on posting only to be told in an unpleasant fashion that parcel had been mailed - and then a week later it shows up with a readable postmark dated several days AFTER the unpleasant exchange?

 

Is it the customer being "not always right"  that causes the abusive nature of the communications ? Is it so wrong for a customer to say "... you said it would be mailed by...." ?. It does sound like a lot of the nasty episodes come from trying to hold mr. modelmaster to his own promises. Abusive ? Plain nasty is also an appropriate term.

 

Is the customer "not always right" when they just don't receive the goods they have paid for ?

 

I - and the many others - can only share our own experiences.  Be informed - make your own choices - own those choices if/when they have non-positive outcomes - hopefully they don't

Edited October 30, 2021 by 47406

[JohnR]

It really does sound as if he needs some help in running the business.

[John M Upton]

He needs to get shot of it to someone who knows what they are doing.  He did try to wind it down and sell it a while back but no takers and then he discovered a load of transfers and plates that he had ordered and somehow completely forgotten about were on the way and he duly got going again...

[The Dorset Wanderer]

Received payment confirmation on the 16th Oct- that was from Sage pay- zilch from modelmaster.

Last time!

[MikeCW]

I bought some items from Modelmaster in 2019.  They arrived here in New Zealand in good time.  In late 2019 I placed another order and paid 56 pounds via Sagepay. After a month or so of silence I sent Mr Grindlay two very polite emails (to two different email addresses I found on his website) asking if the items had been despatched.  Further silence.  In January 2020, three months after placing the order, I sent him an airmail letter (remember them?), enclosing copies of the emails and the original invoice, expressing my sympathy and best wishes as I had read on his website that he had been involved in a motor accident, and asked yet again a simple question - has my order been despatched.  I'm still waiting for a reply and for the goods.

 

I didn't follow up as I thought that  my order had perhaps gone astray, that it might eventually turn up, and that mine must have been an unusual or exceptional experience.  Having now read the posts on this (and the previous) thread, I'm apparently in good company.

 

I appreciate that Mr Grindlay may be struggling but the fact remains that he has taken 56 pounds of my hard-earned cash and hasn't produced the items I bought from him. 

 

It seems to me that a person submitting and paying for an order from Modelmaster should not think that they are initiating a conventional commercial transaction.  Rather, the stories I have read on RMWeb, and my own experience,  suggest that he or she is in fact buying a ticket in a game of chance. 

[Mallard60022]

On 30/10/2021 at 11:17, 47406 said:

 

I can only share my own experience - I suspect based on what I read that my experience is a minority experience, but it does sound like it is a sizeable minority... My own first experience purchasing was good, it only went downhill on the 2nd & 3rd orders.

 

Is the customer "not always right" when they follow up on posting only to be told in an unpleasant fashion that parcel had been mailed - and then a week later it shows up with a readable postmark dated several days AFTER the unpleasant exchange?

 

Is it the customer being "not always right"  that causes the abusive nature of the communications ? Is it so wrong for a customer to say "... you said it would be mailed by...." ?. It does sound like a lot of the nasty episodes come from trying to hold mr. modelmaster to his own promises. Abusive ? Plain nasty is also an appropriate term.

Is the customer "not always right" when they just don't receive the goods they have paid for ?

 

I - and the many others - can only share our own experiences.  Be informed - make your own choices - own those choices if/when they have non-positive outcomes - hopefully they don't

Oh dear. The answer to the Question, "Is the customer "not always right" when they just don't receive the goods they have paid for ?", is no.

Banging on about these issues here is going to get people nowhere. As others have attempted to suggest to those that feel aggrieved, do something about it. Social media is overwhelmed by shouty people that then do nothing. Surely we are above that and can take appropriate advice and action? CAB are there for this sort of advice. Can't yo get a PM Group together and discuss taking joint action?

As you say, "Be informed - make your own choices.....etc".

I wish you luck. 

Phil 

[Mallard60022]

On 30/10/2021 at 00:04, TheEngineShed said:

 

No delivery of plates yet, if Jim had sent the plates out as he stated he would on the week of the 5th, they would have arrived by now.  I paid Jim ten quid postage for a tracked and signed for letter.  A Kernow parcel just arrived today, it was mailed from the UK on the 18th, so it took 11 days. 

 

Also of concern, the Modelmaster.uk site has been suspended, it looks like Jim hasn't paid his renewal fee, but I'm no expert in these things.  I last accessed the site around October 5th, when I called Jim. No idea when the site went off-line, but the site is currently giving me a "server not found" message.

 

Information according to whois.nic.uk

Domain name: modelmaster.uk

Data validation: Nominet was able to match the registrant's name and address against a 3rd party data source on 28-Sep-2014

Registrar: Astutium Ltd [Tag = ASTUTIUM] URL: http://www.astutium.com

Relevant dates: Registered on: 28-Sep-2014 Expiry date: 28-Sep-2021 Last updated: 24-Sep-2020 Registration status: Renewal required. *** This registration has been SUSPENDED. ***

Name servers: ns1.krystal.co.uk 77.72.0.11 ns2.krystal.co.uk 139.162.230.184

WHOIS lookup made at 23:38:20 29-Oct-2021

Looks fine this morning

https://modelmaster.uk/

 

Phil

[Siberian Snooper]

Looks like another blackhole, like the Coopercraft one.  Buyers beware.

 

 

[woodenhead]

If you've paid on credit or debit Card simply contact your card provider, advise the goods were not received and they will be able to Chargeback the amount and no money has been lost.

 

If it is Paypal, raise it with them direct and they will open a dispute which should result in you getting your money back.

 

Regardless of the company status, goods not received = a chargeback right under Visa and Mastercard rules 

[micklner]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

If you've paid on credit or debit Card simply contact your card provider, advise the goods were not received and they will be able to Chargeback the amount and no money has been lost.

 

If it is Paypal, raise it with them direct and they will open a dispute which should result in you getting your money back.

 

Regardless of the company status, goods not received = a chargeback right under Visa and Mastercard rules 

Paypal have a 6 month limit on claims. I had similar problems with the Falcon Brass and non delievery of kits  saga, I claimed after 5 and half months . Paypal were excellent and quickly refunded , after Falcon Brass ignored their messages as well as mine.

 

Appaling the way Modelmaster are treating current customers. Very sad it has all happended . I used to be a regular customer, until the bizarre emails started arriving re Council elections etc etc. .

Edited November 1, 2021 by micklner

[TheEngineShed]

5 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Looks fine this morning

https://modelmaster.uk/

 

Phil

 

That's encouraging, Jim just paid his renewal, so the website is good through 28 September 2022. 

 

Domain name: modelmaster.uk

Data validation: Nominet was able to match the registrant's name and address against a 3rd party data source on 28-Sep-2014

Registrar: Astutium Ltd [Tag = ASTUTIUM] URL: http://www.astutium.com

Relevant dates: Registered on: 28-Sep-2014 Expiry date: 28-Sep-2022 Last updated: 01-Nov-2021 Registration status: Registered until expiry date.

Name servers: ns1.krystal.co.uk 77.72.0.11 ns2.krystal.co.uk 139.162.230.184

WHOIS lookup made at 14:42:16 01-Nov-2021

[MikeCW]

15 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Banging on about these issues here is going to get people nowhere. As others have attempted to suggest to those that feel aggrieved, do something about it. Social media is overwhelmed by shouty people that then do nothing. Surely we are above that and can take appropriate advice and action? CAB are there for this sort of advice. Can't yo get a PM Group together and discuss taking joint action?

As you say, "Be informed - make your own choices.....etc".

I wish you luck. 

Phil 

 

Phil, I think there's a difference between, on the one hand "banging on" about an issue (or descending into the nasty, personal attacks which are too often a feature of social media) and, on the other, objectively recounting an experience with a retailer so that others can make a decision whether or not to buy from them. Personally, I have valued the stories of poor service.  They have confirmed that my own bad experience with Modelmaster was not a one-off, and have also confirmed my decision not to buy anything from this retailer again.

 

It's a fair suggestion that the dissatisfied could or should take action, singular or joint.  However, some other factors come into play here.  There are three responses customers can make to poor service:  (1) take action by complaining, agitating, initiating legal action and so on; (2) walk away and shop elsewhere; or (3) a bit of both. How long one is prepared to engage in the first depends on the likelihood of getting any redress or significant change, and how much time and emotional energy one is prepared to commit.

 

For me, I've spent time chasing up an order and trying to communicate with Mr Grindlay. I have come to the conclusion that further efforts will be fruitless and too costly in my time and emotional energy. So I will walk away, inform others of my experience, and leave it at that.

 

But the fact remains that I have paid 56 pounds to a mail order retailer from whom I have since heard nothing.

 

Mike

[Mallard60022]

15 hours ago, MikeCW said:

 

Phil, I think there's a difference between, on the one hand "banging on" about an issue (or descending into the nasty, personal attacks which are too often a feature of social media) and, on the other, objectively recounting an experience with a retailer so that others can make a decision whether or not to buy from them. Personally, I have valued the stories of poor service.  They have confirmed that my own bad experience with Modelmaster was not a one-off, and have also confirmed my decision not to buy anything from this retailer again.

 

It's a fair suggestion that the dissatisfied could or should take action, singular or joint.  However, some other factors come into play here.  There are three responses customers can make to poor service:  (1) take action by complaining, agitating, initiating legal action and so on; (2) walk away and shop elsewhere; or (3) a bit of both. How long one is prepared to engage in the first depends on the likelihood of getting any redress or significant change, and how much time and emotional energy one is prepared to commit.

 

For me, I've spent time chasing up an order and trying to communicate with Mr Grindlay. I have come to the conclusion that further efforts will be fruitless and too costly in my time and emotional energy. So I will walk away, inform others of my experience, and leave it at that.

 

But the fact remains that I have paid 56 pounds to a mail order retailer from whom I have since heard nothing.

 

Mike

Take your point without reservation, but there are some one here that do 'bang on'; I have not seen that from yourself. It is interesting that most of the 'banging on' people have few RMW posts to date and I just consider that they belong to a new generation of the want it now brigade and perhaps have less experience of the problems that sometimes arise with older Traders at the end of their careers .

I totally understand that the amount paid, without getting the service and goods by some, is bad form, but you have made the admirable choice to just decide that you will walk away; something you should not have to do.

My gripe with this situation is with the ones who have shouted longest (previous and locked Thread) and loudest and yet still pile in when another post is placed, but seem to have done nothing about their difficulty.

If you felt I was having a dig at you then my apologies.

Phil  

[Mallard60022]

On 01/11/2021 at 14:32, micklner said:

Paypal have a 6 month limit on claims. I had similar problems with the Falcon Brass and non delievery of kits  saga, I claimed after 5 and half months . Paypal were excellent and quickly refunded , after Falcon Brass ignored their messages as well as mine.

 

Appaling the way Modelmaster are treating current customers. Very sad it has all happended . I used to be a regular customer, until the bizarre emails started arriving re Council elections etc etc. .

Yes, however not all current customers Mick, and this indicates issues that none of us can know about except JIm and his family. I have expressed my concern about how he presents in his behaviour that has done him no favours. Personally I think he is well past being capable of operating what was a brilliant Business and I think I now the reasons, but that is not for further discussion.

People have been let down and they are angry; understood.

P  

[Mallard60022]

On 01/11/2021 at 13:33, woodenhead said:

If you've paid on credit or debit Card simply contact your card provider, advise the goods were not received and they will be able to Chargeback the amount and no money has been lost.

 

If it is Paypal, raise it with them direct and they will open a dispute which should result in you getting your money back.

 

Regardless of the company status, goods not received = a chargeback right under Visa and Mastercard rules 

Think you are correct there. That's why I wonder why some have not followed that path.

P