Anybody order from Performance Hobbies lately?

[RangerStl]

Ordered 4 Launch Pad kits on 8/6, got charged, order confirmation sent by e-mail... However I have not received the order. Tried to contact Ken once last Thursday (2 weeks) through the website and received no reply. Well I think he had a return address for me in the contact. I can't remember.

Anybody order from him before? Is this typical response time?

N

 

[RangerStl]

Uuuuh, I just checked his activity schedule and I don't think he's touched the ground in 3 weeks.

He went from NARAM to NERRF, so he's showing being gone from 8/8 thru 8/16.

He was running a sale during that time so I bet he's buried to his ears. :cyclops:

Waiting has never been my strong suit.

N

 

[Rocketjunkie]

I just talked to him today to set up a motor order for the Orangeburg Freedom launch. The best way to contact him is by phone. The number on the web site works.

 

[skycopp]

Yes, because he is on the road so much, the best way to contact him is by phone. I usually send an email first because the guy gets about 50 million calls a day.

 

[DAllen]

I had a buddy of mine order a PR kit at LDRS27 for $700. I haven't talked to him since May but at that time he had not received it. I'll ask him the next time I see him if he got it. Taking almost a year to fulfill and order seems a bit stupid to me.

-Dave

 

[als57]

Ken actually hasn't been home in a while. He was at Geneseo last week and will be at Pyro this weekend. He stayed in NY this week. He does check email. Best bet is the phone.

Dave: Did your friend buy the kit from Ken or Curtis? It took me 1.5 years to get the 5.5" PR Nike Smoke kit I paid Curtis for. In the end Ken gave me the stuff Curtis "forgot" to ship (MMT/CR/ect).


Al

 

[Daddyisabar]

Ordered 4 Launch Pad kits on 8/6, got charged, order confirmation sent by e-mail... However I have not received the order. Tried to contact Ken once last Thursday (2 weeks) through the website and received no reply. Well I think he had a return address for me in the contact. I can't remember.

Anybody order from him before? Is this typical response time?

N

I ordered 3 TLP kits 8-7-09. My account was charged about a week later and I just recieved the kits last weekend so it took just over two weeks. Everything was fine. Despite all that has been posted I will order from Performance again as long as I am not in a I have to have it now mode.

 

[Pat_B]

There seems to be way too many rocket vendors who seem to have just enough time to charge someone's credit card, yet not enough time to fulfill their order. No excuse for that sort of behavior.

If they're behind on fullfillment then DON'T charge the customer. Pretty simple.

 

[RangerStl]

Greetings all;

Just got a reply to my e-mail last night. He's been attending events and things pretty solid this past month. He also had done some rearranging of the shipping containers he stores stuff in, so it took about 3 hours for him to find 2 of the 4 kits I ordered.

Then he said he left the door open on the truck and the battery was dead. :roll:

So I'm expecting it to take a couple more days for him to find the other 2 kits and get them shipped. He apparently has the stuff shown on the website, but it might take a little while for him to find it! :cyclops:

 

[rstaff3]

When he had his big trailer, I've had whole discussions with him while he himself was buried in boxes. :y:

 

[als57]

When he had his big trailer, I've had whole discussions with him while he himself was buried in boxes. :y:

Ken seens to hear pretty well thru the soles of his shoes.

Al

 

[dedleytedley]

I've ordered from him twice but NEVER will again. The first order arrived with no packing at all. Fortunately the box was intact. When I made my next order I requested that he pack it more carefully as the postal services have crushed about 25% of the boxes from the U.S. I even offered to pay extra for double boxing. He assured me that it would be carefully packed.
When the order arrived the very thin cardboard box with one skinny piece of tape on it had broken open. My three nylon chutes and nosecone were missing and the kits ordered had most of the balsa broken and the tubes were creased!
When I complained about the situation he promised to make good on it after I offered to share the cost of replacing the chutes, nosecone and BT-100 tube(unavailable elsewhere). He then began talking about making an insurance claim so to assist him I took photos of the crushed box and items and emailed them to him. His next e-mail announced that "this changes everything" and stopped replying to my e-mails. I remained cordial in my communication as I wished to purchase some TLP plan-paks in spite of his bad faith which I told him. I am still unable to find these elsewhere.
I don't ordinarily blame the seller when the shipper destroys a package BUT in this case I did request extra care be taken at MY expense. All in all the experience has made me very reluctant to order from any vendor. Ted

 

[RangerStl]

Got a call from Ken last week Thursday. It's still hot in NC, so the storage trailer doubles as a sauna. He expected to be able to find the boxes he's missing this week or we'll work out a suitable substitution for the kits he cannot find.

If his luck is anything like mine, he'll find those kits as soon as he ships the ones we had to substitute because he couldn't find the ones I wanted. :blush:

 

[jimzcatz]

I had a buddy of mine order a PR kit at LDRS27 for $700. I haven't talked to him since May but at that time he had not received it. I'll ask him the next time I see him if he got it. Taking almost a year to fulfill and order seems a bit stupid to me.

-Dave

I will be willing to bet this issue is Curtis's fault and not Ken's. Even though Ken set Curtis up in business,he still refuses to supply Ken with inventory in a timely manner. thats why I dont use any PR products. I consider Ken a close friend. The things he does for the rocketry community go above and beyond. He stays away from home for weeks at a time,staying with family in DC. He ships product daily,from where ever he is. So the next time you ask for a discount,or complain on shipping issues,remember what its like to be Ken Allen. Can he do things better? Of course he can,but I think he does the absolute best he can.

 

[als57]

I will be willing to bet this issue is Curtis's fault and not Ken's.

More than likely. It took me almost 2 years to get all of my 5.5" Nike Smoke kit. And Ken finally came up with the stuff Curtis was supposed to ship to me a week after LDRS 23. It wasn't his responsablilty at all.

While I like the PR kits ; I'd never order one from Curtis again.

BTW for those of you trying to contact Ken tis week. His truck broke down on the way back from a launch and he just got home late Thursday night.

Al

 

[RangerStl]

Well, I have neglected to call Ken back and he hasn't tossed a call my way, so I guess I should call him.

I'll put together an "Alternate" list of TLP kits to replace the ones he can't find.

Don't know if I'll order again.

 

[bsexton]

Ken is a good guy if you order from him on-site at a launch. I don't know that I would order from him online because he is on the road so much attending launches.

 

[Reed Goodwin]

Yeah, if I ever order from him, it's on-site or via the phone. He's a great guy and has a lot of stuff. I've seen his trailer and am personally amazed he can find anything...:roll:
Reed

 

[MaxQ]

Ken sold me my first reload set in 1995 and he made a side trip to just to hook me up with it so I could have it in time....and I've done a lot of business since then and will continue to do business with him.

Given that, yes, I tend to buy a lot of things onsite after ordering via messages on the phone

His search through his trailer for stuff is part of the colorful history.

Patience, patience, he has done a lot for this hobby.

 

[RangerStl]

Well I spoke with him this evening. He says he's been through the trailer 3 times and cannot find the Phoenix or Falcon I wanted

He was willing to substitute kits or refund, so I asked for the Bullpup AGM-12B, the HARM AGM-88A, which he did find. Then I asked him to substitute either the Bullpup AGM-12C or the Maverick AGM-65B... whichever was easiest to locate and please refund the difference.

I wouldn't trust his Website inventory list; especially if he's liquidating something. Seems like his inventory control is a little slack.

N

 

[RangerStl]

Ken sold me my first reload set in 1995 and he made a side trip to just to hook me up with it so I could have it in time....and I've done a lot of business since then and will continue to do business with him.

Given that, yes, I tend to buy a lot of things onsite after ordering via messages on the phone

His search through his trailer for stuff is part of the colorful history.

Patience, patience, he has done a lot for this hobby.

I have no doubt after talking to him that he's a great guy. I'm sure if you are able to deal with him personally things go much smoother.

The problem arises when you maintain a website automatic order and payment site and don't keep up on your inventory listing. I guess the moral of this story is to call and see if he has the items in stock, then order. Or if you're lucky enough to be on the Eastern Seaboard, just catch him at a launch.

N

 

[terryg]

He is probably a good on site vendor, but I would never buy mail order from him. I am still waiting for a launch pad kit from three years ago.

 

[RangerStl]

Received my order today with a check for the difference that covers the kit he could not find. Box looks like the USPS used it as a seat cushion, but rockets inside were undamaged.

Remember, I suggest calling him first and asking him to check stock before ordering.