Is it just me or does everybody else wait for 4- 6 weeks for their orders. I have utilized them on several occasions and always wait close to two months for my order. Even ordering common stuff. Maybe I've been so spoiled by Squadron living in the same Metro area. I'll call and two days later there it is. Great MOdels advertises it has all these thousands and thousands of products in stock, so why does it take 6 weeks. Squadron is strickly mail order and ships world wide and yet they get after it . Does Great Models get to orders 4 or 5 days after you order it. This time I ordered 3 kits of Trumpeter aircraft to go with my Nimitz and a White Ensign PE set for the Bismarck decks. Now granted they might not have the WEM set on hand even though it did say in stock, but even ordering from a major distribution company should have had it in place within a week. Hey guys i'm in distribution management....maybe you need to hire me to run your order-pulling and shipping department. Personally you guys need to tell the truth. If it ain't in your store/warehouse then it ain't in stock. If you have to order the part froma distributor then say so and if you have to order it from the manufacturer then you should say so too. Your prices are the best, but your service quite honestly is the worst. And this ain't the first time I've commented on this, I just keep hoping you'll listern, learn, and improve. I know you guys monitor our little club here, and I hope more ofour memebers post their experiences with you here. Just want better service, I don't order something to wait forever on

Steve,

There was a huge thread about this over at FSM a few months ago.

Personally I've had a couple good and 1 bad exprience w/ GM. The first time I ordered from them it took close to a month for them to get the product, but thats cuz it was a special order. Then in October I placed an order for books, that said they were in stock. Well i waited a month and the status never changed( searching for) and so i canceled it. Then for X-mas i ordered some other books and got them right away.

I think that there service is hit and miss. Sometimes its great, and other times its horrible.
I understand where your coming from about taking almost 2 months. Its either they have it or not and they should let you know about it.

But of course it all comes down to wether you like dealing w/ a machine or talking to a human and supporting your LHS.

Just my .02

Matt


Edit: Just noticed zzzguys comments. UPS or Fedex, The two shippers that GM uses usually take about 7 days anywere in the US. I know it takes about 7 days for me from Utah to NH.

As I have learned, and my wife on the one time she ordered me something, Great Models will hold the entire order for one thing that they are waiting to receive. And no expected timeframe for the one item.

I like their prices as well but I've never ordered from them when I was in a hurry.

Paul

Steve, I can sympathise with your frustration - I've been down that road many times before . Now I have never ordered from Great Models so it would be ridiculous to comment on them...

Speaking In General there are some companies out there who wait until an order arrives before asking for it from the distributor.

There are a number of companies who seem to follow this very doubtful practice. There are also a number of companies who advertise new products in the vague hope that they will arrive before anyone asks for them. The worst IMHO is Jordi Rubio of Barcelona, Spain who seem to have this as standard business practice. .

The other problem, which is one of my constant gripes, is companies who love to have the big, sexy webpage and don't actually update. In otherwords, you see the product you are looking for and order it. Of course it never arrives and they are incapable of the (hugely time-consuming ) action of sending an e-mail saying it isn't in stock... Naw! That would just be too intelligent...

My experience on-line has been much improved by buying from HK. They have sites which are constantly actualized, they acknowledge your order and even (horror of horrors) actually allow you to track your order. Personally speaking - all of my kits budget is now going East. Sadly for me at least,it's the only economical and safe way of buying....Jim

I've done business with Great Models for years, and have always received my order. BUT, and this is the important BUT...I never order from them expecting instant delivery, it just not going to happen. I made two orders this week with Great Models, and the truth is, I don't expect to see either one for at least a month, maybe two, but I'm use to that.
They have good prices, and outstanding sales, and I basicly use them for ordering items for future projects.
I'd stake my life on the fact that my Accurate Armour, and Tarrant's orders will be be delivered before Great Models.
Will I contiunue to use them, of course, but not for items I need in a hurry.
My Squadron order, I placed on the same day (Jan 25) as my Great Models order arrived today. It would be nice to receive the same fast service from Great Models, but I'm afraid that it is never going to happen.
The only way you stand a chance of speeding up an alreally slow deliverer, is to make sure you "tic" the mark on check-out to not hold up your order for back orders. Then you maybe lucky and see what he had in stock within a month. It's kind of like receiving a surprise package!!!!

Every order I've placed with GM has taken at the very least a month, sometimes longer. If you order from them with that understanding you'll be fine. If you need it in a hurry well GM is not the company to use. However if you are willing to wait, they are fine.

Dave

I usually only order pre-orders from them so I know it's not going to be quick. However they have not failed me yet on my pre-orders

I've heard of quite a few Great Model stories that revolve around slow shipping or holding up a big order for one item. Not a great track record.

I guess I've been lucky. I've received all of my orders from Great Models in less than 2 weeks and that includes at least 4 days shipping from Utah to PA. I only order items marked in-stock from them. If something turns up out of stock and isn't a big deal, I'll just typically cancel it. I also usually ensure that backorders are cancelled.

I've never tried buying anything that isn't listed in stock, and from the stories I'm reading, I'll probably not give it a go any time soon. Overall, though, I've been thoroughly satisfied with their delivery times, selection, and prices. Their recent sales were terrific and allowed me to finally pick up some pricier kits and expand my horizons.

I have ordered from Great Models many times and have never had a problem with them. Sure, they hold the stuff I order for a month or two. But, im in NO hurry since I have all my other KITS that have yet to be built. I have an item with them that has showed SPECIAL ORDER since 12-20-04. But, as I mentioned, im not in a hurry. I know I can go to another website recommended by a fellow on this website and get that part tomorrow.
But you cant knock them for not shipping out quickly. When looking at your order thier is a tab that you click on for them to ship what they do have of your order and just wait until the rest of the stuff arrives. I recently did this 2 weeks ago. I recieved my stuff within 2-3 days.

only ordered from them once!super slow service!!!!i now only stick to vls,hlj,squadron for my main orders with the ordere from mission models trown in every now and then.....

75% of my online buying is from Great Models -- I like their order system. I fire things in at odd times, knowing they stack up in the system & if I change my mind or quantities, a simple call or email fixes things up. The Order Status screen will give you expected due-in dates. I usually check it several times a week just to see how things are going.

If your order isn't complete, they hold the order until one or more fully explained criteria are met - it is not a mystery. If you don't want to wait, then click the Send Now button.

The only area I think is weak is getting special orders in & several times I have gone elsewhere. But usually I am not in to big a hurry.

Yes, Squadron is fast, but if you order online, they don't tell you if they have it or not. Several days later the box shows up & it is half-empty & you have no backorder, so you have to go elsewhere to find the rest.

I use GM, Sqdn, VLS, R&J, WEM, Mission, others. In terms of problems, I've only had one with GM & 2 with Sqdn -- and all 3 were solved promptly & courteously with a simple phone call.

Maybe I lead a charmed life, but I really think it comes down to knowing how the system works and using it to your advantage.

John

I have placed 4 orders with Great Models and as I stated at the beginning of this thread it has taken an incredibly long time in every case. I have been fortunate in that what I ordered was 100 % delivered and it was nothing I needed in a big hurry. But I keep hoping that as mail order is their life-blood they will start trying to improve upon their service. Squadron has started lowering their prices, and Roll who generally is equivalent in their pricing is starting to increase their product lines. I pray they see this thread and take it to heart. So thanks to all who added their experiences, and I hope there are many more of us who haven't seen it yet and will contribute.

I've ordered many times from Great Models. Once they weren't able to get something in stock, but it was not big shock and I cancelled the order. All the other times have gone very well and usually I get my order within a week.

Once I received an aftermarket set that was quite damaged and, although not they're probably because it was from the manufacturer that way, they got me an exchange without a hassle.

I'll order from GM again.

please trust I have never ever had any problem
with them!
once I didn't have enough money in the bank
no problem!
They are the best of the best if you know someone
better with better prices I don't think so!!
I buy stuff every month for the last 2 years!!
If I find a better price I will by it somewhere else
but that does not happen very often with GMW!!!
Ron

I have ordered from great models only a few times and will never do so again. Each and every time I have ordered something went wrong on there end and in one case mailing the package to South Carolina when I live in and have my mailing address in Nebraska. And each time I have been the one to eat the difference. My last experience has left a very foul taste in my mouth... In this instance they lied on numerous occasions directly to me and my gf on the telephone and thru emails about our order then the order was wrong it included a previously ordered and canceled item when we received it also there was not one item in the order that was supposed to be there just a cancelled itme from an order 3 months before . Well enough ranting. I for one will do all my business with other more reputable outfits. Cheers Kevin

Average time from order to receipt for me is 4-5 days. Never a problem with GM and shipping. The longest I've waited was 10 days with Hometown Hobbies. GM, HH and Squadron have all EXCEEDED my expectations as far as shipping and customer service.

I've ordered from GM many times and talked with others who did as well.

We agree that the trick is to ALWAYS order "in stock" items. Forget "not available" or "backordered" items because that takes forever. Ordering "in stock" items takes about a week to deliver to your door in the US.

GM used to use Squadron as a source for kits. But Squadron broke ties years ago because GM was affecting its business. So now to find a kit, GM has to scour all the other hobby shops and distributers and what other large ones do you know of besides GM and Squadron? This is why it takes so long for GM to fill "not in stock" orders.

GM also has to find the correct price too. One time GM held up my order for over a month. I wondered why because I saw the same figure on another hobby shop. So I emailed GM asking them if they can buy from so-and-so shop and GM said they cannot because they don't deal with so-and-so shop (because the price might not be right). This means if a hobby shop has it that is not on GM's "do business with" list, GM will never get it for you. Of course you have no idea of knowing this from GM and will probably still think GM is hunting down your kit. In truth, GM has a list of shops and distributors they do business with and if the kit can't be found from that list, you're never going to get that kit from GM.

As such, best bet is to always order IN STOCK items from GM.

Squadron often has their kits in stock, but of course their prices are higher. Their motto is, "When you order from us, we don't order it from someone else, we ship it!" This may be true, but I find Squadron doesn't often update their SEARCH engine. In fact, you have to see NEW RELEASES to find the new kit because doing a search doesn't reveal it.

I did this once for four items that saved me about $1 and change per item if I ordered the same thing from Squadron. Squadron's shipping was about $1-2 less so I saved about $3 over ordering the exact same four items from Squadron delivered. I only ordered "in stock" items.

When my order arrived in a couple of weeks, only two of the four items listed "in stock" actually were in stock. Because of this, I had to place an order to Squadron to acquire the last two items. In the end, it would have been cheaper to just order from Squadron. I may have paid $3 more, but I would have had what I wanted when I wanted it.

I've had some similar problems with GM in the past. I still swear by Squadron and will stick with them unless they just don't carry that item.


Interesting, didn't know this.

I order from GM often, and have run into the same problem over and over again. You order an item "in stock", and it shows up in the order status as being "searched for". What gets me, is the item would still be listed as "in stock" weeks after they must know it's not. I even e-mailed GM, and said, basically, that you really tick a lot of people off not updating your database. I mean, when you continually list something as in stock when you are obviously searching for it; what gives? I never received an answer.

I still use GM. I just am well aware of what I am getting into. If you positively absolutely have to have it now...try elsewhere. If you can wait a bit, you'll get a good deal.

Mike

i have ordered with GM a couple of times.....since yr 2000. Those years i have no problem with them... the item arrived at my doorstep in less then 10 days via airmail..

however,, things were change recently...since i last year, i never get anything that i order..all item were not marked as out of stock or limited...but they keep telling me that they're unavailable....

since then, i never ordered anything from GM........

I order alot form them, usually with no hassle, however this last time I ordered from them everything was in stock and it processed on 3 Jan, now this is the kicker... it processed that day, but when I did not recieve it after 3 weeks I called them, and they gave me this info. Cometofind out they lied to me and it actually didnt ship, until I asked about it. If i could find some of the stuff elsewhere i would never use them again. THIS was totally unacceptable in my book.


Herky

Here is some background historical info on online shops. I can't vouch that everything's accurate, but this info is from my experience, other modelers' experience, and reading the shop's newsletters.

GM has a LOOOONG history which I read from their newsletters....too long to detail here. I don't receive their newsletters anymore because I have way too many kits. But I will say that GM, eBay, and Squadron have been my online sources of kits.

When GM first started, modelers who visited Utah said the business was run from a cottage. The owner is/was a modeler who visited the DGs, but I don't see his name for years unless he goes under an alias.

GM experienced SEVERE growing pains during the Clinton-era. It seems they moved to a larger warehouse every six months and as such, their business became sort of a mess. GM's website also never changed.

The main reason for the decline in GM's service could be the customer service rep. There was this lady (I won't say her name) who did outstanding service, but the GM newsletter said she quit to go back to her Masters Degree. GM also hired a lot of high-school/college students at the time, students whose skills and experience were "iffy" at best. I know this because from personal emails and phone calls with GM, and also my modeler friends told me. There were quite a few summer hirings and firings too.

Then GM lost Squadron and Hobbyweb as a distribution source. The lost of Squadron was mentioned in their newsletter and yes, GM's stock and service suffered. In fact, that lady did a good job of tracking status and one can see when the UPS order will arrive at GM, and from there GM ships to you. Annoying sometimes, yes, since the process of getting the kit to GM takes a week or more. And to save costs, GM often uses ground UPS to ship to GM. So in ways, to save a few bucks, you have to wait if your kit isn't in stock at GM.

Hobbyweb was probably another GM source that closed. Run by an Asian family, I think the family just decided to fold shop. I visited their warehouse once in 1997. The dad scanned images, the young 20-something son (seems to be the owner) took orders, the sisters packed, and an uncle was in Oakland across the Bay in the container ship warehouse. Don't laugh...when I was leaving, the sister (or aunt) and mom drove up in Mercedes, and I don't mean the cheap-O Mercedes either but one of the top-of-the-line models at the time. And parked in front of the store must've been the son's expensive BMW. My coworker could tell because that BMW was decked out like a young guy's car.

As my coworker said, "This guy younger than us probably makes more money than both of us combined!" And we were working in Silicon Valley during the hey-day, but also during the Asian Financial Crisis. Chances are this family has another business.

Hobbyweb excelled because they can import Asian kits for cheap...they can GET things from the source. Back in 1997, Hobbylink Japan was just a small fledgling, having problems with customer service. There were no Hobbyeasy.com, MPK Taiwan, or LuckyModels websites. BLAST, MIG, TrackJam, Airborne Miniatures, etc. weren't even invented yet.

The main problem with Hobbyweb was that they used a clunky ISP/server and Geocities or Tripod. Now remember back in 1997, there were no Comcast or Yahoo DSL and websites were like 100MB for $250, not 250MB FREE Yahoo mail like today. Yep, those 1997 days were PRIMITIVE web server days, unlike today, so one can't blame Hobbyweb because except for the corporate businesses, DSL and online just didn't penetrate the Silicon Valley suburbs back in 1997. The server (I used it, forget the name...J-something) was a clunker...always down and lost emails, not like reliable servers today.

But no one knows the real reason for the close of Hobbyweb. Death in the family? Sick and tired of the business? Moved away? Another business? Fire? All Hobbyweb said was that they were going to close on such-and-such a day. No such business ever replaced Hobbyweb, IMO. I don't even know what happened to the family either...all my Hobbyweb emails are long gone with my old obsolete Pentium PCs and 100 MB hard drives.

Ciao blaster76,
The only time that I have waited on Great Models is when they didn't have a model in stock. They told me they didn't and gave me several options, like waiting for the order to be complete and then shipped, sending the rest of the order, cancelling, etc. I have always had good service and fast delivery.
Ciao for now
Rob