Or is it just me???

I have been a huge VLS/Masters Group fan for a long time now. and have raved to any and all who will listen what a good deal it is.

You get a good discount, free shiping, free catalogs, holiday sale, but lately and mostly with the DML251 series, I've been having troubles getting orders filled.
Sometimes getting odd excuses, ' The slip got lost in the printer' is the best.
The 251 D 3-1 kit, the /22 and the Drilling were all problematic to get, I ended up getting the 3-1 from the AMPS East raffle last year and the Drilling from a friend in Canada. And now, after waiting and waiting with a pre-order and then waiting for a restock, I finally just won a 251/7D on Ebay.

Interestingly enough, the 88 was not a problem.

I know there are lots of other sources out there, and am not really looking for other retailers at this point, but am more wondering if anyone else is having this problem?

Mike

No more so than anywhere else (I've used VLS for years, along with others).

These guys are at mercy of their suppliers, in many cases, small cottage industries who only send partial shipments, etc. The newest VLS catalog (Aug 2005) covers the topic.

OTOH, Squadron doesn't take backorders & only advertises what they have on hand -- makes 'em look good for fill rate, but if they don't have it, you have to look elsewhere.

Your approach sounds like mine -- order from my favorite places & if things drag out too long, look elsewhere. OTOH, I've been known to let backorders sit for months at GMW, VLS, etc, because it's no crisis ....

John

Same for me too - my Platnium Masters has always been happily renewed but the orders are coming in slower for me too. Used to be two days, now two weeks or so...

Gunnie

I use VLS first if they carry it. I also preorder stuff. I have had very good results and am pleased. As was said above, they also are at the mercy of their suppliers. 'Cottage industry' stuff is always interesting anyway. I still give them good marks overall.
capnjock

Like I said, overall I'm pleased, and have been for a long time. I get the membership as a birthday present and have been very happy with it over the years. Just seems things are slipping a bit.

I get the cottage industry thing too .. I'm still waiting for the Warhammer 1/35th Hind updates and will keep waiting as I don't have an alternate source, but these are DML 251's fer goodness sake...

I realize there is a sizable portion of 'me want shiny new thing now!' childish petulance here and these are only models.. it's not a new kidney, but I'd like a straight answer. Don't tell me it was lost in the printer.
Maybe it's even true, but it plays like a fib.

I know Bob Letterman said in his responses to the survey that the 'just arrived' portion fo the site gets updated afer buisness hours and that a kit can come into stock and go back out of stock before the sit gets updated.

Just venting.. seems like I am not the only one waiting for kits.
Let's see how long it takes for the new late Tiger to get here.. funny thing is, since I don't do my own zimmerit. I'll be waiting for an aftermarket supplier, so it's not like I am getting the kit and starting it the next day.

Mike

I'm also a masters group member and I love the free shipping on Items and getting 28% off MiG and Royal Models stuff is great. The only thing that Peeves me is them using UPS to ship stuff...takes 5-7 days to get it from MO and I live in NJ. I can get stuff from the West Coast USPS priority mail in 3 days or so. Thats my only complaint and the only thing I had to wait forever on from them was the Tiger I 3-in-1 kit, and I have the last verison on preorder to avoid that.