[Andrew]

Originally Posted by tripoli

Yep, extremely fustrating any way I have looked at it. Going back to England or Japan is costly on my side ( checked, 50 to 60 dollars to ship.) Which means it would cost me as much just to ship it back as buying a new one. So basically, I am screwed on doing that. I would pay three times the amount to get one good model back. I already spent twice as much to get it here in the first place. I have already paid a steep price for the defective piece. And no side really wants to deal with it, although each side has technically a policy to do so.

Really, the best thing for the customer (me) is to send it back to a local distributor to keep said shipping price down. BUT I have been told I would have to pay the shipping to and fro and would get back half the money I spent back with the one model return. Another great deal there, spend two and a half times the amount to get one model back. Just super service there.

Anyone else hear the word boondogle screaming through their heads? After sending hours of e-mails and getting absolutely no where, THATS the reason why I gave up on Century Wings. Was so upset I decided to just drop the collection. Then the Flying Tigers shop came back and said, go for it, get their attention as well Jeff Gilmore from Aim Higher Jets, echoed to give them a second chance. Fight for it. Then Skunky on my CW sale thread chimes in with don't over react, get their attention, they are sure to make things right. And finally I see another member get what I had asked for with another issue on their return. Figuring I have the extreme case, and support, I have again pushed for resolution on this.

But the powers to be have been darn silent on the return issue. I e-mailed Century Wings a link to the thread, you know they are aware of it. Flying Mule as well and the Flying Tiger shop is aware as well. Which is why I have been so fustrated and continue to be. Worse yet with my beginning enthusiasm for this company, I was writing to others getting them to be distributors and carrying this line. I wanted to see them expand out and create more of these super models because I think they are great pieces. I was cheer leading them on and now get stepped on and over.

But right now, I think their customer service is screwing the pooch. Upset? You betcha.

On Century's website, they do state that they may not be able to respond to EVERY email. If you're referring to Min who got his 200, his situation was the same. He had to pay for his bus/train/parking ticket to go to the official distributor here in Australia and they were able to resolve it for him. They didn't ask him to ship it Japan himself. The main difference between your case and his is that he has access to the distributor ie. the shop Hobbyco. If he was in a different city/state, he would have to pay to ship it to the shop, and may have to pay to get it shipped back if he didn't buy it from them or store policies etc. But they don't ask him to pay for shipping it to Japan from there. Its not CW that is screwing the pooch, but more of the retailer where you got it from and who you're using to get the problem fixed.

If CW completely ignored you about your problem then yes, they would be at fault. But did they not offer to replace it with another Tomcat?

[tripoli]

I'm Yoshi Urata, production manager of CenturyWings. I apologize to you that I made some defective pieces and you got one of them.

You have some choices.

1.You can tell the complaint to the purchase shop, and try the returns or exchange. (This is a method of a basic complaint.)

DID FINALLY GET A REPLY, BUT THEY ARE IN THE SAME BOAT AS MYSELF ABSORBING THE COST OF SHIPPING BACK.

2.You can inquire of the exclusive dealer concerning the product exchange.
(We have the exclusive dealer in the U.S and the U.K. )

OK TRY THE FLYING MULE, THE OFFICIAL US DISTRIBUTOR TO HANDLE IT ( YEP THEY ARE SUPPOSEDLY NETWORKED AND SUPPOSE TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER) DID THAT, NO GO THERE.

North America Exclusive Distributor http://www.century.co.jp/wings/distributor/usa.html

DITTO...

Europe Exclusive distributor http://www.century.co.jp/wings/distributor/uk.html

SHIPPING COST NAILING ME AGAIN...

3.I can offer the exchange if you send a defective piece to our company (Japan). However, it is the product selling in progress. I'm sorry, I don't have VF-84 AJ200,202,210. You have to choose from
others.

SHIPPING COST AGAIN.. AND I DON'T WANT TO GET ONE WING BACK AFTER ALREADY PAYING DOUBLE THE COST FOR THE ONE I GOT. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO GET A NEW WING/WINGS IN MY COLLECTION I DON'T HAVE YET.

SO... Back to the senario of paying triple the cost at this point to get one model back, or, pay two and a half times for the one model in return for what I have to shell out.
Yeah, I can see where its absolutely fair for me on this purchase. Hope you guys that say I should be lucky to get the one back never have an issue and if so get just the same customer service. In fact, its super to be advocating such service.
Hope you detractors out there get the same service I am now having sometime in the future.
Especially those negative voicing serious collectors possibley like those that went all the way to Japan for the Vandy models, imagine your feelings if you got what I did.

Personally, where I work, the competition demands great customer service, we thrive on making our customers happy. We would never think of letting something like this drag itself out like this, it would be a nightmare to us. Two different worlds I guess. I can tell you though with other companies like Hobby Co ramping up on the number of products and quality, service like this will be a killer in the future. Thats what Michael was talking about in that post from the shop above. Such treatment is self defeating for the very industry you want to see grow. CW & distributors are making a great statement strong and loud with their silence in this. Hope those that care about the company give that a bit of thought.

[lanslide]

Tripoli, please stop trying to get two models from CW for the one model you have that is defective! This is really beginning to annoy me. They only owe you ONE model to replace your ONE defective model at no cost to you for shipping or anything else - pure and simple. How they do that is their problem and they need to figure it out. Stop trying to get them to overcompensate you with TWO models and you might have some chance for success. Am I the only one who sees the simplicity of this? Tripoli, keep pushing TFM to follow this action and don't expect more. Don't give up and be their worst nightmare if you have to. The Flying Mule represents CW in America and needs to step up. Let them worry about getting reimbursed from CW.

[tripoli]

Cool, if its no big idea to pay double for one model, how about each and every one of you that feels that way when buying a model send me another one. Pay double like I did and put YOUR money where your mouths are. If it's not such a big deal, hey feel free to send me a model at your expense the next time you buy that special one you want.

Me, yeah, I get upset at paying that much and then getting a defective one for the one I paid double for. Anyone that would not, please, just send me your extra Vandy, its noooothhhiinggg righhhhhhhhht?

Sorry, but if you spend the money you should get what you paid for. And if you get a defective model, they should make it up for you completely.

Not happening here. If they take that stand, I just go back to doing what I started, leave them behind for someone else, they won't get my hobby dollars or any other type of support anymore. I hope those that want to live with such get a chance to experience it for themselves sometime in the future. In fact, this thread should be a great indicator for both CW and their distribution network just how bad they can treat their customers and what they can get away with in the future. Push that bad customer service, those that do so deserve exactly that.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by lanslide

Tripoli, please stop trying to get two models from CW for the one model you have that is defective! This is really beginning to annoy me. They only owe you ONE model to replace your ONE defective model at no cost to you for shipping or anything else - pure and simple. How they do that is their problem and they need to figure it out. Stop trying to get them to overcompensate wyou with TWO models and you might have some chance for success. Am I the only one who sees the simplicity of this? Tripoli, keep pushing TFM to follow this action and don't expect more. Don't give up and be their worst nightmare if you have to. The Flying Mule represents CW in America and needs to step up. Let them worry about getting reimbursed from CW.

His issue is not about getting 2 models back. But the fact that the amount of shipping he has to pay, he could get 2 other models. Which is understandable given the price he has to pay for the amount of shipping. But what he wants ideally is for a replacement, preferrably, of JR200 but doesn't want to spend any more on shipping. But he is failing to correctly identify who is at fault and who is responsible for the correction. Here's my take on it:

My Take
- He received a faulty Item, he wants it replaced. CW is willing to replace it with one that is available. If they don't have JR200 then thats misfortune. They aren't going to start up the painting machines just to get 1 JR200 out

What I think is Tripoli's Take:
- He wants it replaced with JR200 preferrably. Given the importance of customer satisfaction, he is not satisfied and has expressed that he would mostly be satisfied if he got his JR200.

My Take
- Since he bought the item from another retailer, if he wants the shipping to be covered, then its up the the retailer to provide it at their discretion depending on their policies.

What I think is Tripoli's Take:
- He wants CW to pay for the shipping of the product both ways bypassing the retailer who sold it to him.

My conclusion would be to understand it from CW point of view as well and don't be totally disheartened by the misfortune of one purchase. Things can and WILL go wrong. But if you're going to stop collecting CW because of this, then I think you'd be the one thats missing out. Atleast you have learned some valuable lessons along the way. Ask the retailer to check your item prior to purchase. Identify any returns policies.

[lanslide]

Uh - excuse me Tripoli but...it is absolutely nobody's fault but your own that you decided to pay so much for this model by going overseas. You decided to pay this amount for a model. You were willing to pay this much for AJ-200 and would have been happy if it was perfect. It is defective so why would you feel so slighted if you were to receive a perfect one in its place for no additional charge? You would, in effect, get as close as is possible to what you wanted in the first place. You want to be compensated for your decision to pay too much also? This in just crazy! I can't believe it.

[tripoli]

Actually as noted in the past, I was able to get AJ200. I again paid the extra because I really wanted a good model in my collection. All I am looking for and requested was to get two new models I don't have to compensate for the money I had spent on this defective one.

CW has several policies none of which anyone wants to take credit to do. I can understand how the Flying Tigers shop would not want to and should not have to as CW stated in their e-mail above that their network of distributors are suppose to act when possible.

THE issue then is whether or not I should get compensated completely for the full amount I did pay for going through an official distributor to make a purchase on a hard to find model. Again, the CW policy clearly states on their web site "(If Century Wings exports the products to overseas directly, Century Wings supports and bears the round-trip freight charge even replacement from overseas.) " they will cover the cost of that shipping.
http://www.centurywings.com/news.html#customers
Clearly, no one again wants to take the cost of fulfilling the policy.

Flying Tigers or CW would takeon more of a cost to do so. Being in the network of distributors, The Flying Mule as the designated CW US distributor should follow through on the policy they are suppose to.
If their distributors are not willing to take on the responsiblity of doing so, CW should hop in immediately and make things right.
Bottom line, I should never have had to fight to get full compensation on a defective model like this. If there was ever a case for customer service to step up and make it right, this situation is the one.

[lanslide]

Andrew, he wants 2 new models shipped to him for free in exchange for his one defective model shipped back to CW for free because he paid too much in the first place and has spent so much time trying to get this resolved. Am I right Tripoli? Good luck with that!

[tripoli]

Basically that's it. I will repeat it again. I am looking to get the full cost I paid to an official CW distributor for the CW product. As stated in their own policy listed on their own webs site. I paid twice the amount to get the defective wing, I should get full compensation for the defective piece.
I have Aj200 already, so I would be looking to get two wings I do not have yet. I think that should cover the monies I spent. As for the fustration of dealing with this as I have, its a judgement call on how anyone else would handle that. Definately, I have gone beyond what anyone should to get just compensation in a situation like this.

[lanslide]

Can you purchase models directly from CW? If so...their policy that Tripoli quoted must refer to purchases made directly from CW and does not apply to the retailers. If not...I don't know what CW means by this and maybe Tripoli is right about the shipping issue.