It's a tie...

[mparker59]

It wasn't intended as a vendor competition, I just got a hankering for some new rocket stuff. But on 5/25 in the span of an hour or so I placed orders with Apogee, Fliskits, and Topline (digital scales to weigh epoxy small batches). All three sent order confirmations within a few hours, all three sent ship confirmations the next day, and all three packages were brought to the door by the mailman (mail lady, but I digress) today, 5/28.

Nice job guys! It's a pleasure to do business with you.

Mike

 

[jflis]

I can't pat my own back, but I can certainly pat the backs of others. These forums (not just TRF, but all of the forums that have active vendors) have some of the best vendors of any subject matter you can find.

Maybe it's the nature of a rocketeer (good people) or the nature of the person (vendor) who finds the time to stay current in these forums, but my experience (and what I've read from others) is that our family of rocketry vendors here are simply the best. I am proud to be one of the many

Thank YOU for your purchase!
jim

 

[cjl]

I've never heard of Topline, but having done business with both Flis and Apogee, I can say that they are absolutely top notch. In fact, my first thought after reading this report was amazement that it took Flis as long as a few hours - when I order, I get confirmations in a few minutes, typically. I've even had one case where I got the shipping notification something like 45 minutes after the order. I would definitely recommend Flis and Apogee to anyone - their service is second to none.

 

[JoeG]

I think it does make a difference when you can just ask the owner of a company a question in a public forum. Another difference is that most of these "owners" are also the folks who take the order, pack the boxes and take care of any issues.....personally. You gotta like that.

I am always impressed when calling Loc Precision, one of the many top notch suppliers of rocket parts, that Barry Lynch, the owner, answers the phone and takes my order unless he is away at a launch somewhere. Then we usually shoot the breeze for a while.

Rocketeers are a relatively small group but we do seem to play well together. Usually anyway.

Joe

 

[georgegassaway]

Let me add my experience with Semroc last week.

I make the web order about 12:30 PM. My e-mail gets an instant automated notice about it, and that the order had moved to processing status.

At 1:38 PM I get an e-mail via Stamps.com that the package has been shipped. Now, too often this does not mean it really has been “shipped” but that a mailing label has been generated on the sender’s computer printer, not actually dropped off at the post office. I have gotten those e-mails before (such as from ebay deals) then found out later via online tracking the package was not physically taken to the Post Office until much later in the day, or even the next day. Well, my Semroc order got into the mail that day, and two days later, it was delivered. I will note that Semroc is in North Carolina and I’m in Alabama.

Oh, I checked thru some other e-mails. An e-mail Semroc from 1:38 (same time as the Stamps.com e-mail) said the package status was ready to be shipped. An e-mail from Semroc at 2:53 PM said it had been shipped. So, I take it that it was actually physically put into the postal system at 2:53 PM. Less than 2.5 hours from making the order to the order being physically shipped. Can't get much better than that....

- George Gassaway

 

[JoeG]

I would like to add Wildman and Commonwealth Displays to the good side of the force.

I've dealt with both in the last two weeks and received everything ordered in less time than I expected. (By the way, it's a great feeling to get J's and K's delivered to the door without the guys in the black suits looking over your shoulder. )

Too many times I have had my credit card charged instantly and then wondered if the company went out of business. In both of the above cases my card wasn't charged until the order was processed ansd I would guess it was shipped the same day considering the "speedy delivery".

It does seem like the rocket community both individual and corporate is a step or two above average.