Hattons Model Railways of Widnes (formerly Liverpool).

[Chris116]

The latest edition of BRM has the usual Hattons advert towards the front which advertises the new Bachmann class 414 2-HAP at an estimated £186.96 but the Hattons advert on the back page showing progress with new models has the estimated price as £119.50. Looks like left hand and right hand are not working together!

[railsquid]

Latest shipping has arrived around the expected time, albeit in a box about twice as large as normal...

 

I only noticed this on it when taking it apart for recycling:

Hattons address label by Rail Squid, on Flickr

someone had gone to the trouble of writing "Japan" in Japanese, nice touch.

[Hroth]

The latest edition of BRM has the usual Hattons advert towards the front which advertises the new Bachmann class 414 2-HAP at an estimated £186.96 but the Hattons advert on the back page showing progress with new models has the estimated price as £119.50. Looks like left hand and right hand are not working together!

A little confusing, no doubt.  However, given the rate at which Bachmann progress models through the production cycle, its possible that changes are only made to the Hattons barchart when the manufacturer says "Here's an Engineering Sample!" or whatever, so the estimated price only gets changed at that point if the manufacturer previously hoiked it upwards.

 

If you've decided to pre-order, the ruling price will be VERY clearly stated!

 

What would ne nice would be the inclusion of the "estimated" stocking date as displayed on the model page.  For example, Oxford Rails Dean Goods (OR76DG001), proposed arrival window is quoted as July-September 2016. We're pretty much half-way through September and Oxford are being pretty coy as to when the model will break cover and Hattons only indicate it as "Decorated Samples".  I should imagine that by now its going to be late November at least, but it would be helpful if the date is included on the chart, rather than having to go to the model page to check up!

 

But it would be fun to observe the slippage.  Remember when the Wickham trolley was due in 2014 at half the current price? 

[amdaley]

I placed an order with Hattons which was put on a picking list on the 16th. This morning the 20th it was still on the same picking list.

I went online to be told that the warehouse no longer works on weekends & that my order would be going out today.

 

When Hattons turned out its new upgrade we were promised a newer faster more efficient service. Their service was already a fast efficient service so why change it ?

Instead Hattons have turned what was a fantastic service to something from the stone age. I really can't understand what Hattons are trying to do ?

 

If you want to kill a business then this is a great way to do it. Somethings not quite right with Hattons I think ?

[Gwiwer]

 

 

If you want to kill a business then this is a great way to do it. Somethings not quite right with Hattons I think ?

Sadly you may be on the money here.  Hattons took a bold decision to step up from High Street shop to remote distribution centre.  We were told that the structure of the shop was no longer in a fit state to repair and maintain which may well have been perfectly true - why should it not be?  But I cannot help, from the comments here and my personal experience, thinking this may have been a step too far and that the find themselves overstretched.

 

We have one place to go for a vast range of stock though not the biggest range of important ancillaries such as scenics and tools.  We have aggressive pricing (though not quite as keen as it once was) and shipping costs which make us wonder how they can be so low.  Has all this come at a cost?  Parcels are not always as tidy and well-packed as they were from Smithdown Road.  Now we hear the warehouse no longer works weekends despite investing in new packing lines and machinery.  That may be good for the staff who can enjoy a standard five-day week.  Perhaps one is a factor of the other and the new machines are actually getting well-packed parcels out faster than ever.  The evidence here does not support that.

 

I know only too well, from an entirely unrelated industry, that when your customer demand (orders) is coming in 24/7 that if you are not there to respond you only stockpile problems for 9am Monday.  The queue never really clears and waiting time blows out.  We had to actually put on staff to manage the volume of calls from customers asking what the delay was.  That became self-defeating.  I got out before things really hit the fan but I gather it wasn't pleasant and that market share and position nose-dived.  As did customer confidence and loyalty.

 

Hattons ignore such lessons at their peril.  

[talisman56]

I've stopped using Hattons for many of the above reasons. My 'box-shifter' of choice is now Kernow, who are a little more expensive but have a wonderful habit of getting my weekend orders to me on a Tuesday, and anything I order during the week next day...

[Free At Last]

I have had a cheap year since Hattons moved premises. Just one pre-order of 6 Hornby Collett Coaches, which I had to use my car to collect.

I prefer to use public transport (concessionary bus/train pass) and often popped into Hattons (almost weekly) for a browse and more often than not made a purchase. That has now come to an end.

I have three pre-orders outstanding, a Stanier Mogul, Coal Tank and DJM King, none of which will be available until next year and which I may just have delivered as the postage will be less than the fuel cost of picking them up.

Having Hattons as my local model shop I purchased all of my modelling needs there, but if I now have to pay delivery charges I may just as well purchase from elsewhere.

[Hroth]

I placed an order with Hattons which was put on a picking list on the 16th. This morning the 20th it was still on the same picking list.

I went online to be told that the warehouse no longer works on weekends & that my order would be going out today.

 

I never thought to ask "why" the picking list was so slow for my recent order.  Yes, I ordered over the weekend so it ended up in the "Monday Morning" heap of things to do. 

 

And didn't get done.

 

I suppose the best thing to do is order Tuesday or Wednesday on the premis that the hump will have been dealt with and it'll get picked and packed before Friday.  Of course, some bright spark in Management will then discover "No-one Orders On A Weekend" and we'll never get a decent service again.  Its not as if its convenient to get to the "shop" either - it might end up that the move to Montague Road was a bit of a mistake.

[amdaley]

I never thought to ask "why" the picking list was so slow for my recent order.  Yes, I ordered over the weekend so it ended up in the "Monday Morning" heap of things to do. 

 

And didn't get done.

 

I suppose the best thing to do is order Tuesday or Wednesday on the premis that the hump will have been dealt with and it'll get picked and packed before Friday.  Of course, some bright spark in Management will then discover "No-one Orders On A Weekend" and we'll never get a decent service again.  Its not as if its convenient to get to the "shop" either - it might end up that the move to Montague Road was a bit of a mistake.

 

I ordered on Friday but I was told this morning that the warehouse doesn't work weekends any more ? I thought their business had expanded with Brexit so why no weekend work ?

I just checked there now & my order is still on the same picking list.

This is it for me with Hattons.

If they're aim is to turn customers away then they've just succeeded with me.

At this stage of my life i don't need frustration like this 

[Removed a/c]

Just received two separate parcels which were order within this month. Took just over a week to receive them as is the norm for me..........maybe just a bit of bad luck on your part or a system glitch.  

Edited September 20, 2016 by thebritfarmer

[Edge]

I ordered two austerities and they were in my hand within 16 hours of paying. I honestly cant be more satisfied than that

[Colin_McLeod]

I think that leaving the ball of string behind at Smithdown Road was a big mistake.

[amdaley]

I think that leaving the ball of string behind at Smithdown Road was a big mistake.

 

Or maybe they just ran out of string 

The way they're going at the moment there's a danger that they may also run out of customers.

Edited September 20, 2016 by amdaley

[rob D2]

Hmmm,

Watching with interest. Ordered a couple of bits yesterday night, apparently being picked by some lady with lots of C,Zs and Xs in here name.

See how long it takes to Swindon.

[Littlethorpe]

I have placed several orders with Hattons over the last few years and was about to place another when I noticed that one of the items was no longer listed on their website. The item concerned was a Farish DMU which is still in stock at Bachmann & is available from most other retailers. I used the online chat facility to ask if the item would be back in stock and the response was that it had been discontinued by Hattons. I can see today that another widely available item has also gone missing from their website. My order, worth several hundred pounds, will now be going to one of their competitors. Not impressed.

[Nelson Jackson]

I placed a fairly medium sized order of small items including paint, sprays, wheels etc.... A couple of days ago and it has just arrived today, so I am very happy with their service and communication, I will be placing another order very soon.

[Removed a/c]

Email to say order has been packed on the 15th, item arrived here (Canada) today. Not bad in my mind, it is very rare I can get a parcel from the US in less than two weeks ! 

[Removed a/c]

I have placed several orders with Hattons over the last few years and was about to place another when I noticed that one of the items was no longer listed on their website. The item concerned was a Farish DMU which is still in stock at Bachmann & is available from most other retailers. I used the online chat facility to ask if the item would be back in stock and the response was that it had been discontinued by Hattons. I can see today that another widely available item has also gone missing from their website. My order, worth several hundred pounds, will now be going to one of their competitors. Not impressed.

But we don't now how many are in stock with Bachmann or maybe their website wasn't updated. Perhaps Hattons has a contract to purchase X amount and Bachmann cannot supply that number ?  Just some thoughts, You obviously like dealing with them a little silly of you to diss them because of out of stock or discontinued item IMO. 

[amdaley]

I got an email yesterday to say that one of the items I had ordered on the 16th was no longest in stock & had been added to their inventory by mistake.

 

I later got another email to say that an item I had ordered was not in stock & again had been added to their inventory by mistake.

The only problem with the second email was that I hadn't ordered that item at all.

In fact the email had someone elses name on it & shouldn't have been sent to me at all.

You couldn't make it up 

 

So Mr Weeks if you're out there. your order won't be fulfilled because they don't have the item in sock. I think I should add that they never had the item in stock in the first place.

Edited September 22, 2016 by amdaley

[leopardml2341]

Hmmm,

Watching with interest. Ordered a couple of bits yesterday night, apparently being picked by some lady with lots of C,Zs and Xs in here name.

See how long it takes to Swindon.

Please don't forget to report back

[richarddavies]

Hi and sorry it's been a while since I posted

 

Yes there has been some disruption to normal service whilst we refine the despatch operation and train new staff, ready for autumn and winter seasons (it's not just about the Christmas rush nowadays) and I apologise if some have had to wait a little longer for deliveries than normal - we do set very high "Busy as usual" standards so when we deviate from them, we understand regular customers may notice. We intend to maintain and improve upon the high standards we set in the industry.

 

September 2016 has been been another record setting month - we are receiving 15-20% more orders than this time last year, so we are making improvements to handle this.

 

Keen to help keep things in context on this thread and my offer to anyone who wants to come and have a look at the hub in-person, remains open - always good to meet RMweb users in the flesh

 

Rich

 

 

Richard Davies

MD, Hatton's

[Stevelewis]

I think that leaving the ball of string behind at Smithdown Road was a big mistake.

 

Yes  we  sure  miss  the  string!

 

Seriously  though  delivery  services  inc  R Mail  actually  discourage    the  use  of  string  some  even  refuse  to  accept stringed  parcels  as  it  can  get   caught up in the  machinery apparently

[Bernard Lamb]

Yes  we  sure  miss  the  string!

 

 

As a kid I remember my grandfather not only using string but then sealing the knot with melted wax. Always in a red colour very much like the LMS shade.

Standards are certainly slipping.

As for Hattons service. My recent J94 order was processed very efficiently.

Bernard

[Stevelewis]

I have  vague  memories  of  using   sealing  wax  to  send   registered  letters  & parcels  also  when  a  registered  item  was  tendered  at  the  Post  Office  they  used  to  use  a  Blue Pencil  or   Blue  crayon  to  draw lines  around  the  envelope  or  parcel  to identify it  as   registered.

 

Imagine  having   to queue to  get  that  done  these  days!!

[PhilJ W]

I have  vague  memories  of  using   sealing  wax  to  send   registered  letters  & parcels  also  when  a  registered  item  was  tendered  at  the  Post  Office  they  used  to  use  a  Blue Pencil  or   Blue  crayon  to  draw lines  around  the  envelope  or  parcel  to identify it  as   registered.

 

Imagine  having   to queue to  get  that  done  these  days!!

I worked behind a Post Office counter 50 years ago and we were provided with sealing wax for registered mail.