“Due to the high volume of orders our office is closed to help get orders out in time for the holidays.”

They sell: rc cars, airsoft guns, rc helicopters, fm transmitter, remote control cars, rc trucks, science kits, nitro rc cars, magic tricks, electronic kits

Tis the season to shop, but buyer beware!

I’d like to share with you my experience with HobbyTron.com

I am sad to say that it is/was a very unpleasant one.  Here’s my story.

I wanted an airsoft gun.  Plain and simple.  After doing some research online, youtube videos, ratings and reviews, etc., I found out which gun I wanted.  I proceeded to look for places to purchase this gun and after a quick google search, hobbytron.com came up as a sponsored search link at the top.  I figured it would be good since this company actually pays for advertising.

After visiting the site I found the gun.  YAY, they had it.  So I thought anyway.  So, like the online shopper I am, I did some price shopping to find out who had it the cheapest.  Come to find out, it was hobbytron.  So I said, OK, lets do this.  I’ll order the gun from them.

On November 27, 2008 I placed my order.  Oh how easy it was, click, add to cart put in your credit card info and WHALA!  I paid $29.95 for shipping because I live in Hawaii.  Oh well, I am used to it.

And here’s where the pain and frustration began…

So I waited patiently for my gun to arrive.  And the day came.  UPS guy, at my door with a box.  I opened the box and WOW! It was the wrong item. So I immediately called them up. Nobody answered the phone so I left a message for them to call me back. I waited, and waited. After a few hours, I called again with no answer, so I left another message.

The next day came and I still did not receive any call back from them so I decided to hit the website and initiate an online chat session. It’s a good thing I sit at a desk all day because after waiting in the chat queue for about an hour, I finally got someone. So after some simple chatting, I was told to hit the RMA site and submit the RMA so I could get this fixed.

So I visit the site, and review their policies and the claim to pay for return shipping costs if:

(12/10/2008)We are not responsible for shipping charges or return shipping charges on defective or returned items unless you receive the wrong item or are missing an item from your order.

Ok, so I submit the RMA and proceed to specify that they shipped me the wrong item. I request a prepaid return label since they shipped me the wrong item. After waiting about a day for my RMA to be processed, I receive the RMA instructions to send it back. I notice that there is no prepaid label to print to send this back. I figured they would pay me back so I sent it back to them anyways via USPS.

After a few days of not hearing any word from them I decide to call them to find out what’s up. Did they receive my box? When will I get reimbursed for my return shipping costs, etc. So again, I call, no answer I leave a message. This time I call twice to make sure they get it.

Two days pass and I still haven’t received a call back. I decide on calling them every hour until they answer the phone. Yeah you guessed it, I call every hour for 4 hours with no answer. On my 5th call I finally get someone. I explained to the woman that I had recently sent back my RMA and wanted to know the status of it. With a very bad attitude, she asked for my tracking number. I told her I didn’t have one. She explained to me that I needed a tracking number for her to help me. I asked her why they can’t track it with the RMA number. She then began to skirt the issue and told me that it takes 1-2 Weeks for the RMA to be processed. Now I’m thinking, 1-2 Weeks? What is up with that? How can it take 1-2 Weeks for this thing to be processed and shipped out. So I explain my disappointment and proceed to ask about being refunded for my return shipping costs. She then tells me that they don’t pay for return shipping costs. blah blah blah. It’s on their website, how can that be? So we go back and forth on this subject. She eventually tells me “There’s nothing I can do for you sir” – Now… In what customer service field is that phrase ever used? I have NEVER heard ANYONE tell me that until now. At this point, I am furious and I ask to speak to her legal department for more information. She then puts me on hold. After waiting on hold for 5 minutes, I hear a faint lifting of the phone and a “Click”

Wow! Did that just happen? Did I just get hung up on? YES! They hung up on me.

So I go on the website and submit a support request. I even paste the portion where it says they will pay for the return shipping fees if the item isn’t what you ordered. And here’s what I got back:

It generally takes us 1-2 weeks to process a return after it is received.
Please call our customer support number if you have any further questions: (818 675-9000
Do Not Reply to this Email.
Thanks,
HobbyTron.com

I did this twice and I keep getting the same response. It seems as though they don’t really read those messages and put it through an automated responder.

I am still waiting to see what becomes of all of this and will keep you posted.

Oh, BTW, did I mention that I can’t contact them right now? They are not accepting calls or support requests because of the xmas season rush. ** What kind of half-ass operation is this? **

***UPDATE 1/2/09 *** They’re open, so I called them again:
Hobbytron has lost my item. The first time I call, the person who answered the phone said their name was Chris. I ask the status of my item and they say it wasn’t received and to call USPS to track it. I tell him I don’t have a tracking number, he still says to call USPS. So Ok, I call USPS, they say it can’t be tracked since I didn’t pay for tracking. The person explains that if it wasn’t delivered it would have been returned to me. Blah blah. So I call hobbytron back Again, and I get the same guy. He now says his name is Tim, and he is the manager. Now he’s telling me that since I can’t track it, they cannot verify that they even received it. But he will do ME the favor and look through the warehouse, but that will take a few weeks. a FEW weeks I say? So, it could take until the end of this month? So we go on, and on… he keeps talking really fast as I can barely get a word in. He says be glad to send me another item at cost, blah blah.(I think to myself, now why would I want to go through this HELL again?) When i finally get a word in, he interrupts me and says that he has many more people to help and to e-mail him at tim@hobbytron.com – I try and verify his mailing address and he hangs up on me. This is turning out to be such a great experience for me. I have sent all my documents to my lawyers and will find out what happens next.

1/28/2009: Update:

OK, So after my lawyers sent my letters out, I finally receive a response from jenny@hobbytron.com saying:
“We have refunded your account $-30.25. Please allow up to 2-3 business days for the transaction to reflect on your account. ”

So I respond back and ask where the money is being sent to, my paypal or is this a “Store Credit”? – I get no response back.

In any case why would I want store credit? It’s as good as monopoly money right?

I also get a message that my ‘new’ order was on back order, even though the website says that the item is in stock. My expectations of this company is pretty much non-existent, so who knows WHEN I will receive my gun right?

UPDATE 2/27/2009:

It’s been one month since the replacement gun has been on backorder. I am still waiting for my shipment. I check every once in a while, maybe once a week. But really. At this point I am really just fed up with this company and I have already kissed my $100+ down the drain. I’ll have my lawyers draft up another letter soon, but it won’t be so nice this time.

So, here’s a recap. I put my order in on November 27th. It has now been 3 months! My birthday gift turned into a xmas gift, turned into an invisible gift, turned into hobby tron stealing my money. If you’re thinking about ordering, please don’t. It’s a roll of the dice if you’ll get your product or not, and it’s not worth it. trust me.

UPDATE: 3/20/2009:

I still have NOT received my gun!

UPDATE: 4/27/2009:

I still have NOT received my gun! Yep, I got an e-mail from Nicole (nicolehobbytron@gmail.com) – she said the manufacturer does not have it in stock and it will ship out once they get the item in stock. I find it hard to believe that it could take THIS LONG! I also checked the website, and they are STILL SELLING THE GUN!

Who knows?
~~~~~~~~~~

In the meantime, I did some digging on this company. The internet is such a powerful place if you know how to search. I realize that I am not the only one who has had problems with these people. This has to stop. Here’s what I have found so far.

Clips I found from the ePinions.com review (1.5 or 5 stars):

“I have been trying repeatedly since December 14, 2006, to resolve an issue with Hobbytron and have yet to reach a human being or to receive a response to my telephone calls, postal service letters or e-mails.”

“Hobbytron–STAY AWAY!! Unethical–One Of My Worst Shopping Experiences EVER!!!”

“Look Elsewhere – These People are Disgraceful, Deceitful, and Avoid Responsibility to Customers”

“AVOID THIS TRAP AT ALL COSTS”

(95 Reviews Total)

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+hobbytron +scam google search returns 1520 results!

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Amazon.com Reviews

“BUYER BEWARE – DO NOT BUY HERE!”

“”HOBBYTRON? More like HOBBY WRONG”

—-

Yahoo Answers

“Is hobbytron.com a fraud?”

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RipOffReport.com

“Hobbytron.com Withdrawing money from my account and not sending the merchandise San Fernando California”

FatWallet Reports

“Ordered mid-November. Was on backorder . A week before Christmas recieved replacemnt item that was definitely a broken returned item. You cannot contact them- emailed 10 times, 1 fax and 1 letter. Left 2 phone messages to be called back and never received a call from them nor can you get past the constant busy signal.Finally called Credit card company to issue a dispute.
They still advertise the model I wanted on their web site- don’t know why they couldn’t send that to me. Very very disappointed with this merchant.”

As you can see, I should have done more research on this company before I bought anything. Now that I am doing it, here’s what I found just by reviewing their Policies:

HobbyTron.com guarantees that you will get a new working product(s) or you can return the product(s) for repair or replacement. Color, frequency, and packaging may vary. Occasionally items run out or are discontinued from a specific manufacturer. We reserve the right to send items of equivalent function in order to fill your order in a timely manner.

WOW, if they don’t have the item, they ship you something else! Isn’t that great. So in theory, if you order a $200 airplane from them, they could replace that with a folded paper airplane instead because it has the equivalent function? They both fly right?

In some cases, such as during the rush before Christmas, we reserve the right to upgrade your order to an item(s) that is completely different but that is lots of fun – hand picked by our experts to get you a fun gift in a timely manner. If you are unhappy with the exchanged or upgraded item, you can return it unopened per the usual policies.

OH OH, completely different but lots of fun? WTH does that mean? What do they consider upgrading? I ordered a $80 gun, they shipped me a $30 equivalent.

Isn’t this a complete joke?

Want to see even more interesting things?

Hobbytron.Com Sued for Distributing Dangerous Knock-Offs

Excerpt:

7, 2007–Hong Kong-based Silverlit Toys Manufactory Ltd., an acknowledged leader in the development and manufacturing of safe, high-quality electronic toys, and Spin Master Ltd, Silverlit’s North American distribution partner and owner of the well known Air Hogs(TM) brand of flying toys, have jointly sued Absolute Toy Marketing, Inc., a Utah corporation d.b.a.
Hobbytron.com for importing and distributing counterfeit PicooZ(TM) remote control (RC) helicopters.

Apparently they were sued for selling counterfeit parts! Wow, they may be the next replica rolex watch creator!

Counterfeiters Take a Shot at the Replica Gun Market

Excerpt:

Minneapolis, MN, July 9, 2007: The owner of the internet retail shop Hobbytron was arrested Monday, June 27th. Mr. Tim Gibson was arrested in Orem, Utah and arraigned in Jasper, Indiana on three counts of Forgery IC 35-43-5-2 and three counts of Theft IC 35-43-4-2(a).

Apparently they were selling counterfeit merchandise.

If you have anything else to add, please post a comment or let me know.