Bilbo Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 I've dealt with them a number of times and visited the shop. Can't say those in the shop were exactly " customer friendly ! !". However their prices on some items are very good and I have ordered from them. If you accept that you will not get an email acknowledgment then there is no problem because I had no acknowledgment. If you accept that their stock levels displayed online are rubbish then again no problem because one item I ordered showed 50 in stock and after delivery it showed the same for a month at least. The good point is that if they have to send a split order , they only charge for the items sent plus postage and the remainder will be sent when in stock and charged for then and they do not charge any additional postage. Wouldn't use them regularly but sometimes price dictates and I know about their shortcomings. Frustrating thing is they could really give some of the other online traders a run for their money and they don't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 I know the shop quite well, as I used to visit whilst visting my mother. On more than one ocassion I was told that the stock was "packed up for/ not yet unpacked from" an exhibition, that was when you could persuade the staff to talk to you. Further questioning discovered that the exhibition was anything up to a fortnight "ahead/previously". It certainly isn't/wasn't a " one man business" with at least two staff in the shop and no sign of their boss. Stocktaking must be a nightmare! NOT RECOMMENDED! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry J Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Unfortunately, I have to agree with those who have had less than favourable experiences with TT... on at least 2-3 occasions I have placed web orders only to receive either nothing delivered, or part of the order along with "x" to follow. Needless to say, "x" has never followed. When I've e-mailed to express my dissapointment, I received a reply essentially of "so what" So... I take my business elsewhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrestburyJack Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I've only used them once. Placed an order by phone late one afternoon, it arrived 2 days later. Perhaps they cope better with older technology! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenway Park Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 One of the nearer shops to me. I have not had the experience regarding mobile phone use, otherwise they would have lost a large Kadee order immediately. The stocks of US items is falling rapidly: " British outline is now much better and the demand has fallen" was the statement I received. Sadly the standard defence line " the web site is not run from the shop" is all too common. Not the greatest for customer service. Now closed on Mondays to so say recover from exhibitions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldknotty Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Have tried to contact Totally trains several times to make an overseas purchase . They have never responded , not even an acknowledgment that they got my emails . I saw a cheaper price on a loco but i will certainly not buy it from them now !! I have brought from a couple of other stores in the UK via email and never had a problem at all , Hattons , trains4U and 51A models all fantastic retailers in my humble view . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Chris Chewter Posted February 7, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 7, 2010 I really don't get the old argument of "phone before placing an order". The whole point of displaying the stock level on the website is to allow people to make a decision without resorting to calling up everytime or sending an email! What irritates me is why show the stock level on your website if its incorrect? With today's technology, why do we still have to resort to phoning the shop, when the stock level is supposed to be on the website? The cynic in me thinks its all down to lack of money (or lack of willingness) to invest in a proper stock management software, and still wanting to encourage people to place orders! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
locoshed Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I`ve only ordered from them once about a year ago, tried to chase it up a week later but had no replies to emails, phoned them up and half what I had ordered was out of stock and they told me they couldn`t reply to emails as they did not have a computer in the shop ! so I cancelled Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Depot Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I used to use this shop years ago when modelling American, but found mail order to be a nightmare/joke so the only answer was to visit which a few of us did as a day out from the signalbox once every three months or so! Finding things to buy mind was always hit and miss plus there where two price's for items, one in the mags and one on the box so you had to ask for a price match against the mag etc! There was one member of staff that was helpful, the rest.... Its not a small shop either for anyone who has not visited.. cheers Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
owentherail Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 Totaly trains use to be open 'every day apart from christmas day' it advertised!! now not sundays or mondays! getting lazy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PaulCheffus Posted February 8, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 8, 2010 Totaly trains use to be open 'every day apart from christmas day' it advertised!! now not sundays or mondays! getting lazy. Hi About eight years ago I contacted them for their price list by post and sent an SSAE. Never heard anything. Needless to say I have never bothered ordering from them as if they couldn't be bothered to put a price list in a supplied envelope what hope was there for an order (there is the chance of course that they never received my letter). Cheers Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 TT had a stand at Stafford, I did spot a Presflo that I wanted but hadn't found as yet (as I'd have certainly bought it elsewhere). Not a please, thank you or kiss my **** from the other side of the stand. Quite rude. OK the price ticket was cheap but does a "thank you" cost a penny? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 2 interesting points - The "there is no computer in the shop" was always right - the excuse being "The boss does it from home!" (wonderful method of keeping your stock up to date!!!) The second is that Andy Y actually found them at an exhibition - I never did, and the shop staff had no idea which exhibition the stand had been/was going to be at. Little surprise that there was no "thank you" - much the same attitude in the shop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted February 8, 2010 Share Posted February 8, 2010 I hadn't meant to post, but reading other people's experiences, I have to say that it tally's with what I've had. In 2001 in an earlier modelling phase, I ordered a bunch of Ratio wagon kits. I think it was pushing six months before they finally arrived, and I only found out what was happening because I telephoned when they were three weeks overdue. I would have cancelled the order if I had remembered that it was still outstanding. Recently I bought the PL-10 moters for my layout from them. As I didn't get any email confirmation of the order, I emailed them asking for a confirmation that the order had indeed gone through (I had been having browser crashing issues). Not a peep. I emailed them a week later, no response. I emailed a third time with no response. Luckily the moters did then arrive, but it was poor customer service. In light of what other people have said, and my own experiences, I think I shan't be swayed by their low prices anymore. I had had my eye on a Walthers kit that their website shows as one in stock, but I'm wondering whether they really do now. To be on the safe side, I guess I'll stick with Hattons (with whom I have done business since the early 1990s on and off without issue) and the likes of Transport models in Preston that I found recently. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Max Stafford Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Hell, this thread reads like a right hatchet job on TT, but frankly it's utterly self-inflicted by the sounds of things. They certainly won't be getting any custom from this man, which will be of enormous comfort to 87029...! Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyk Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Only ordered from them once, that was via post, and over 10 years ago. Part of the order turned up a few weeks later, the rest never did, but I was only charged for the stuff that did come. The stuff I ordered was Woodland Scenics and I remember sometime later going into MG Sharps in Sheffield and being told that they sourced Woodlands stuff direct from the USA because the UK supplier was so bad at getting stuff for them. After that I bought over the counter in Sharps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CUTLER2579 Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Have often purchased from them at exibitions and the regular Gent was always very friendly and polite. The shop staff could have been more helpful and friendly without a doubt. Regards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Today, having just received a poor excuse for my order, I have vowed to never again be swayed by the low prices that Totally Trains advertise. I suppose, having bought from them mail order on four occasions, I should have learnt given their lacklustre approach to customer service (no response to emails, ever. No emails to confirm orders or even follow their own terms and conditions and advise of any problems with stock price/availability with an option to then cancel, ever). Today, I've finally lost patience. Less than half my order has arrived, with the remaining items simply crossed off the paperwork with no explanation. What angers me most is that they advertised the missing items as in stock at the time I placed my order, and when I checked today, STILL indicate stock levels of - in one case - more than 12 in stock, and everything else with at least one items still in stock. I've sent an email detailing that if there is a delay in sending the missing items, I expect to be told. If they have been cancelled from the order, then they can consider the order fully cancelled, and I shall send the half-order back for a full refund including postage. I've had enough of cowboys in my regular day job, and I can do without them turning up in my hobby too. I've taken legal advice, and I am well within my rights to a full refund plus postage costs incurred, as they have breached their own terms and conditions. I'll give them a couple of days to respond (I have little hope that they will - they have NEVER responded via email before to me). Not being in a benevelont mood, I've been advised to use the small claims procedure if they fail to respond or fail to give a full refund. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Depot Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Perhaps you will keep us advised what happens, I think I can guess where you may end up mind... cheers Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Huw Griffiths Posted February 22, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2010 Perhaps you will keep us advised what happens, I think I can guess where you may end up mind... cheers Keith My sentiments exactly. A small number of cowboys continue to make life unpleasant for their long suffering customers - and for all the decent traders. It's about time they got run out of town. I wish you every success. All the best, Huw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I've had an interesting day sorting this problem. To be fair, when I finally got through on the telephone to the man at the shop, he was very apologetic, and said the problem lay in the proprietor running the mail order side of the business from his own house. He did actually agree with me that I should have been consulted over the missing items before the order was processed, and I got the impression that he too was fed up of having to field complaints from punters about their website advertising products as being in stock in numbers, when actually they don't stock them, and have no intention to reorder. I also contacted Trading Standards, which given the false advertising (under the Trade Descriptions Act, you cannot advertise a product that you do not stock and have no intention of stocking or supplying) and the breach of contract (failing to contact the consumer to agree a course of action if items are unavailable). It's a good course of action in any situation to contact Trading Standards over any company that is playing fast and loose. I found it telling that the Trading Standards people had a telephone number dedicated to complaints about gas and electricity suppliers, for example. Trading Standards were very helpful, clarifying the law. Namely, what I've detailed above, but also what my rights to recourse were. Essentially, I can (and have) sent back the part order with a stern letter detailing the boring legal stuff and quoting Trading Standards. I am also entitled to any consequential loss, which in this case is the cost of postage and packing to return the items. They have 14 days from receipt to refund everything, and confirm their action in writing. If they don't, Trading Standards have advised to call them back, and they will take the matter further on my behalf. So, hopefully problem sorted. If any good comes out of this, it may be that Totally Trains tidy up their practices over mail order, make their website accurate, and actually communicate with their customers instead of doing what they fancy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted February 23, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2010 Irrespective of TT's terms and conditions you can always return goods purchased in the UK for any reason you like within 7 days of delivery under the distance selling regulations, provided they are still re-sellable as new ( generally meaning unopened) . IIRC you're liable for return postage / insurance if you do so, but that's about it. http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/advice/problemswithgoods-sum6.cfm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny Emily Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Irrespective of TT's terms and conditions you can always return goods purchased in the UK for any reason you like within 7 days of delivery under the distance selling regulations, provided they are still re-sellable as new ( generally meaning unopened) . IIRC you're liable for return postage / insurance if you do so, but that's about it. http://www.tradingst...hgoods-sum6.cfm Yes, that is very true. The difference though is in who pays the consequential losses - generally speaking the postage and packaging. These can work out quite expensive. I have a feeling also that under the distance selling regulations, if the products and the service are not at fault, you also don't get the postage costs back that the company may have charged you to get the goods to you in the first place. A lot of people don't know what they can and can't do, and that extends to both businesses and consumers. I'm lucky in that my partner is legally trained and writes magazine articles on various aspects of UK law for a living, but most people don't have easy access to free and comprehensive legal advice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium spamcan61 Posted February 23, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 23, 2010 Yes, I should've made clear really that I was speaking generally rather than your specific case, where agreed it was better to return as not meeting their T&Cs than DSR. A better explanation of the DSR:- http://www.hants.gov.uk/regulatory/tradingstandards/problemgoods.html?frmClient=AE2F2C0B-CD1B-4949-B7DC04BF9964C106&frmItemID=122502&frmShared=1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
darren01 Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 HI I ordered some stuff from them late last year,waited a dogs for it to trun up and when it did half of what i had ordered was missing. phoned the shop and asked why,errrrr ,will have to get back to you about this ,as he did not know what i had ordered on line. Waited another week ,still nothing,phoned again and was told sorry not in stock,even thier web site showed more than ten in!. In the end i sent all the stuff back and got a refund . Would never use them again ,poor,poor poor . Darren Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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