The next completely bad apple: RocketsRus.

I've heard lots of mixed reviews about Danny lately, but he's always done right by me, so I placed a good sized order.
Then the fun began...

No stuff
email
No response
No stuff
Start Paypal dispute
get fedex tracking number for 11 pounds (on a 43 pound order)
wait, find it missing the other 32 pounds
emial
no response
email
get response that rest of strontium (but nothing else) will ship in 3 days
wait
no stuff
emial
no response
modify paypal dispute
RocketsRUs doesn't respond to them
email Danny twice looking for a partial refund (easier for both of us then the paypal way)
no response
Win Paypal dispute

now all i have to do is ship back the stuff he sent, then I'll get my original money, and only be out the shipping.

Moral to the story: Just like K&S, here's another vender who's become vapor ware.
If you didn't get what you ordered, start your paypal dispute NOW and also do a credit card dispute -- Don't wait!

Wow. Thanks. I was about to place an order with him for a parachute and some potassium nitrate... Now I just have to figure out what to do with the $20 credit I have with him...

Very sad. He was a good vendor.

I emailed them recently about their research package availability and never got a response. I am with cwbullet that this is a shame; RocketsRus was a great retailer offering unique products. I hope they come back. In lieu of that, they should take down the website or ordering functionality.

Had a similar problem - it wasn't 'til I filed the PayPal dispute and wrote about it here that I got any kind of contact. Order shipped a day or so later and arrived a day or so beyond that.

I think the best situation is when you only deal with one person. Most of these vendors are garage buisness. That means they have a day job. I am sure Danny was a great vendor to buy from at one time. But it seems that time is long gone. I have learned when I order from vendors order from vendors that what they sell is their actual day job. I only buy from actual vendors that they do this for a living like Apogee, LOC, ARR, Wildman, Red Aroow hobbies, Public missiles, Aeroconf, Loki Research, Giant Leap. That away you dont have to worry about the vendor having to "Process the Order" in the evenings after they leave their "Day job" for the day. I feel it is safer that way because whatever they are selling, they are trying to make a living and they are gonna try very hard to make you a returning customer.

Andrew

postscript: The paypal dispute process does work! I did get my money back. It's too bad that I had to go thru it.

Sadly, I just experienced the same issue: I ordered, nothing arrived. I had a hunch, so my order was small. I bought some things at a launch from Danny last year. He was helpful and cheerful, but I suspect as others have said, overwhelmed with another job etc.

Update: shortly after posting this, I see there is a tracking #. I hope so and I hope Danny can get things straightened out. Will update.

I wasn't going to respond to this thread. Sorry for any problems you have had withe Danny. He is our on site vender and I have noticed his inventory is not what he used to have. I just placed a big order with him and I hope I don't have any bad experiences with him. He's good guy and I hope he can continue to be a good vendor.

I'm sorry to hear all this. I bought the basic research package about 3 years ago and recently fired my first EX motor using their propellant. The propellant worked good.

Update, My order did arrive today. It took a couple of weeks but did arrive today, so I'm pleased. I will cautiously order a few more reloads.

I have ordered form RocketsRus and I have been happy with my experience. It did take longer than the Amazon 3 day ship but I got the stuff none the less. While I think in this day and age of e-mail vendors need and can be better at communication, BUT WE NEED TO STOP EATING OUR OWN! Work things out with said vendors, It seems like its been nothing but a bitch fest lately.

I sell stuff on line I have had a bad month where all my orders were very late. Most of it was out of my control but it didn't matter to any of the want my stuff now crowd, they didn't want to hear it they just wanted their stuff. I did keep e-mail contact with all of them and it didn't matter to some, they just figured I was stealing their money and wanted it back. SO what do we do, how do we fix this? I have had customers that would complain if it was free, gold plated and hand delivered on a velvet pillow.



VENDORS: Reply to e-mails, calls or how ever you choose to do business, 90% of the people will be patient and will work with you. The other 10% don't bother, just refund and say "Sorry I wasn't able to help you." and be done with it. Do not send nasty emails to said customers it will always back fire and cause nothing but more pain. IF you don't have something then don't sell IT, be quick let us know and offer options or just refund, OR update your web site!

CUSTOMERS: Relax take a deep breath don't expect to get a reply the second you hit send. Remember Most rocket related vendors are not Amazon and have real jobs and families and only sell rocket for the love of the hobby, so it might take a few weeks. Most of all, one or two bad transactions doesn't undo years of service and hundreds of great transactions. We keep running to the forum to piss and moan every time we get butt hurt and all we are doing is killing our hobby. If something is back ordered and you say you can wait then WAIT and don't nag!


Just my :2: The bickering back and forth is getting us no where.


TA

Not kidding, one person has a bad deal and then feeding frenzy of "I had to wait and extra week for my my stuff or he didn't reply to my email right away or something was on back order!" Next thing you know the vendor is worse than satan and bites off the heads of kittens. Forget the fact that there are hundreds of happy customers! Big difference here is Danny is not a shister, maybe slow and screwed up once or twice, but far from a bad apple.

I agree that they should inform their clients to whats happening, save your self a headache. Semroc seemed to keep everyone informed. Spend five minuets to post on your web site what the problem is. YES you may loose a few sales that month but you WONT loose a customer.


TA

I have never had a problem with an order from RocketsRUs or for that matter US Rockets.


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Looks like to be the apple is tart but not spoiled.

thobin said:

CUSTOMERS: Relax take a deep breath don't expect to get a reply the second you hit send.

Click to expand...

I have no problem waiting a few days to hear about an order. I also have no problem if an order or a kit gets messed up. I don't think anyone here expects 100% perfect merchandise, immediate shipping, and up to the minute updates about their orders. That's not the problem.

The problems that I've seen have mostly been with people placing orders online where they assume the vendor has the product in inventory, a few days later still not being notified that the order has been shipped, trying to contact the vendor to ask about it, and then being ignored. When they finally do make contact with the vendor after multiple attempts they're told that the product is on back order and the vendor cusses at them.

I'd like to think that I'm a very reasonable customer. Recently I had a kit where something in the kit was fairly low quality so I emailed the vendor to ask about it. This guy answered the email the next day I think, maybe 2 days later, and offered to send a replacement. Because this vendor kept me updated on the delays, I didn't even mind when the replacement took about a week to get to me.

Communication with your customers is EVERYTHING. Stay in communication in a reasonable amount of time, every couple of days seems to work, and customers will love you. Communicate when you don't have an item in inventory on your web site and your customers won't feel cheated when you take money for something you can't sell them. And most of all, don't drop F bombs in the communications that you eventually do have with your customers. To me that seems obvious, but sadly it happens.

Bad experience here and still haven't received all items I ordered back on Feb 27th 2014. Doesn't return phone calls or emails. Ordered some research chemicals and rocket VCR camera. Never received the VCR camera and iron oxide. Funny he advertises customer service as there #1 priority.


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Ok, so there's an assumption that's wrong. I sent him emails - several - and waited at least a week before I sent another. I totally get how life can get in the way of the hobby business. He didn't reply to them. He also didn't reply to the paypal dispute at all - and if you've done a dispute you know they get several chances to respond.

I wish Danny well and hope he's able to pull it back together. if life is biting him hard, i'd suggest he stop taking orders until it's back in one sock.

rick