Warning: Do Not Buy From...

[pr_rocket04]

I'm urging anyone who has heard of Discounthobbycenter.com to STAY AWAY!!!


They have over $170 of mine from June, when I placed the order, NOTHING WAS SENT. I called week after week just to have some worker say, "Oh it's been sent out". Then nothing would come and I'd call back. Then he'd say "well oh we were out of this but we sent that out". Nothing would come.

OVER THREE MONTHS LATER I HAVE NOTHING. The latest little lie I've been receiving from them is that my check is on the way, OVER THREE WEEKS AGO! My check isn't on it's way, and I'm going to the Better Business Bureau. This is the worst little scam I have ever been put through. Get these idiots off the top 50 list!

THESE PEOPLE CANNOT DO BUSINESS, PLEASE DON'T GET YOUR MONEY TAKEN! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!

 

[wwattles]

Perhaps this thread will amplify on the commentary already expressed, and enlighten anyone else who isn't already aware.

WW

 

[Rick James]

Thanks... I just deleted them from my "Favorites" list... I've never ordered from them... been tempted by their selection and prices... but I kept hearing things like your experience with them... so I've removed the temptation.

 

[pr_rocket04]

This is insane! Please EVERYONE read that thread! It is complete B.S. how they do business. The "worker" there is always the same guy, he's the owners little sidekick scammer too!!!! Just like others said after you call and he says "the owner will call you back", THE LINE WILL BE BUSY FOR HOURS!!! He just takes it off the hook!

How the hell can I get my money back without going to court? We all need to get back at this guy HE HAS SCREWED US ALL. Will the BBB even do anything about the situation?

 

[Stymye]

this should be in the FAQ

 

[pr_rocket04]

Anyone, if you can't get through via email, their number is 315-736-4434 Everyone needs to tell him what's up, if it's not off the hook that is.

 

[pr_rocket04]

Great, I just sent the guy an email and his box is full. What a freakin **** off. How could we find out who the owner is? The BBB has a different number listed, when I called it, the woman answering said it was the wrong number. It was probably his wife. We all need to take action on this guy. I can't believe some of you just let this beat take your money and give up on him. You must fight until we win!

Does anyone live near this shop or go there who might be able to find out who owns it???

 

[Missileman]

Yet another victim.
In the main thread the overwhelming response was, this guy is not to be trusted.
I will not go into my bad experience with DHC but I do think this guy needs to be shut down.
He is not doing the rocketry community any favors with his business practices.

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by missileman
Yet another victim.
In the main thread the overwhelming response was, this guy is not to be trusted.
I will not go into my bad experience with DHC but I do think this guy needs to be shut down.
He is not doing the rocketry community any favors with his business practices.

BBB won't accomplish much. They're self policing. They only take care of complaints about their members. Their members are unlikely to need this. DHC is probably not a BBB member.

Now, the FTC's fraud complaint hotline, that might cause some attention to be paid.

https://rn.ftc.gov/pls/dod/wsolcq$.startup?Z_ORG_CODE=PU01

If USPS is involved, the behavior might constitute postal fraud. Contact the local Postmaster or Postal Inspector and ask what to do to report it.

What might also do some good is looking at what vendors he carries (via "Quicklinks" on his main page), and telling them.

Finally, there's always small claims court. There's a filing fee. That can be included in the recovery amount so that they have to pay it. You can get a judgement, but that doesn't force them to pay. What you CAN do is turn the amount over to a collection agency. Doing this will pay havoc with their credit rating. They will not be able to get credit terms from suppliers. They will have to pay ahead to get anything. I doubt they'd survive that long considering the problems they're already having.

Doing these things is an appropriate response. Doing them and then telling him they've been done, that might also cause some awakening.

 

[Stymye]

his partner told me on the phone once that,

the reason his email box is full is because" he does so much dealing on ebay, that the mailbox is always full"

and he is " really unorganised as far as dealing with online orders"

when I asked about the availiability of certain rocket kits on the site, I was told that "yeah, he needs to update the website"

I made an order a couple of years ago, when I didn't get any response 2 weeks later ..I cancelled the order.
than I suddenly got the order 2 days later...go figure

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by stymye
when I asked about the availiability of certain rocket kits on the site, I was told that "yeah, he needs to update the website"

They have no problems updating it when they want to add things, whether or not they have them in stock, like Rocketman stuff and the military models. They just have problems updating the things they don't have or can't get, like North Coast and Vaughn Brothers, and probably more than half of everything listed.

Six months ago they claimed they didn't even know they couldn't get Vaughn Brothers kits anymore. You can "order" one right now from their site. That part works. The email form page for feedback doesn't.

If that's not clear enough, they also seem to have no problem listing things for auction on ROL that they don't have. I called and asked to check stock on something they'd listed for auction. They said they didn't have it but could get it in two weeks.

This is not disorganized. You don't accidently offer something for auction.

The FTC fraud reporting page is a web form. It takes minutes to fill out. The FTC pays more attention to those they get more complaints about.

 

[pr_rocket04]

Ok, after I sent a threatening email, I somehow got through even though his mailbox was full??? He emailed me back last night and today, said that he contacted the post office, and my items were "lost in transit", but he is sending me my check. So when I get my check this will be cleared up, but as I said before his worker would tell me the check was already on the way each time....WOW. It's like the worker just says whatever he needs to get you off the phone, that's what really bugs me.

The funny thing is I had to tell him I needed the amount of $171 back, he seemed to not even know what my order total was...should have said $300 for all the B.S. I went through.

This place makes a better bank than it does a hobby shop, if only we collected interest for our money he hangs onto...

 

[UncMikesRktShk]

He probably collected it in on yours though. Sad that this happens but in any buisness you have that. Most of the vendors here 99.9% of them I would say are very honest and reliable. I cant speak for any other seller on here, but its our policy that if we dont have it in stock or in the pipeline on the way. We dont list it or offer it to customers.

Originally posted by pr_rocket04
Ok, after I sent a threatening email, I somehow got through even though his mailbox was full??? He emailed me back last night and today, said that he contacted the post office, and my items were "lost in transit", but he is sending me my check. So when I get my check this will be cleared up, but as I said before his worker would tell me the check was already on the way each time....WOW. It's like the worker just says whatever he needs to get you off the phone, that's what really bugs me.

The funny thing is I had to tell him I needed the amount of $171 back, he seemed to not even know what my order total was...should have said $300 for all the B.S. I went through.

This place makes a better bank than it does a hobby shop, if only we collected interest for our money he hangs onto...

 

[LampertRocketry]

Originally posted by pr_rocket04
I'm urging anyone who has heard of Discounthobbycenter.com to STAY AWAY!!!


They have over $170 of mine from June, when I placed the order, NOTHING WAS SENT. I called week after week just to have some worker say, "Oh it's been sent out". Then nothing would come and I'd call back. Then he'd say "well oh we were out of this but we sent that out". Nothing would come.

OVER THREE MONTHS LATER I HAVE NOTHING. The latest little lie I've been receiving from them is that my check is on the way, OVER THREE WEEKS AGO! My check isn't on it's way, and I'm going to the Better Business Bureau. This is the worst little scam I have ever been put through. Get these idiots off the top 50 list!

THESE PEOPLE CANNOT DO BUSINESS, PLEASE DON'T GET YOUR MONEY TAKEN! GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!

You get what you pay for.... I recently purchased a B2 Pro3 XXL Chute from one of their ROL auctions. Paid immediately by credit card. They shipped 3+ weeks later after I sent an email inquiring.

This is not my first time dealing with them. The chute was a great deal.... spur of the moment. I normally deal with Performance Hobbies or Magnum (I don't know what came over me... auction fever I guess). But, like in past, although decidedly late DHC has always eventually delivered.

You get what you pay for. You want immediate delivery? Buy from a reputable STOCKING dealer, like Performance or Magnum... or up here in Toronto, ARG in Mississauga.

Murray

 

[ruwafl]

Well, I learned about this place (Discount Hobby Center) too late. I forked over $200 for an online order over a week ago, called the guy last monday to confirm he recieved the online order because of the bogus email return I recieved for the order. He said he got it and that the order would be no problem. Well he ceartainly wasted no time charging my credit card right away for the order. Started trying to call last Wednesday multiple times a day everyday with no answer or either busy. Magically I got through this morning about 1100 am and I asked him if he had shipped the order yet and he said no. When I asked him if the product was in stock, he said it should be in shortly. I told him to cancel my order and refund the amount to my credit card. He said no problem and that he would take care of that today. Well, when I check my email tonite I have an email from him stating that he sent the order out. I will give it a few more days to see if the product actually arrives. In the mean time I have already talked to my bank about how to dispute the charge and it sounds like I have a pretty good chance of recovering my money if the product doesn't show. I have never done that before so I don't really know how successful it is, but hey, anything is worth a try.

 

[KermieD]

That's exactly how you get your product from them. Cancel the order.

 

[wickball]

I've noticed that this outfit appears to be a regular on the ROL auction site. If ROL is not aware of the long term negative history here, perhaps The Rocketry Forum could communicate a message and a request to ROL to remove him from their auction for the benefit of the rocketry community as a whole. Mod's, what do you think?

wick

 

[ruwafl]

That would be great if ROL would remove them from their list of vendors. That's how I found them. I know I will from this point forward, check this forum before I buy from another rocketry vendor. The first online order was from a place called rocketmotion. the order was only for $42 but the thing never showed up, checked the web site out again and low and behold, it was going out of business. Took several weeks but he did refund my money. Now this deal with DHC. Man, talk about dissapointing.

 

[DynaSoar]

Originally posted by WICKBALL
I've noticed that this outfit appears to be a regular on the ROL auction site. If ROL is not aware of the long term negative history here, perhaps The Rocketry Forum could communicate a message and a request to ROL to remove him from their auction for the benefit of the rocketry community as a whole. Mod's, what do you think?

wick

I don't think it's the mods' place to say. But it is for those who've lost out to say. If everyone who's had a problem with them through ROL wrote and complained, maybe he would remove them.

I just gave them another chance. I called and checked whether they had something in stock. They said they did. I ordered it. Nothing for 3 weeks.

I'm going to call them today and if I don't get a tracking number, demand a refund immediately, then file a complaint with the FTC.

 

[pr_rocket04]

Well guys here is the latest update, I got a refund after all these months! I was so happy to see that check in the mail. But I should also tell you all what happend prior to me receiving my check.

After a complaint was filed with the BBB back whenever it was, I received a letter from them that there was no response to their letters from him(that was a give me). Anyways when I got that letter, I was infuriated once again so I made a few phone calls that week in a last chance effort to get through to the owner some how. The worker gave his usual little "I can take your name and number and have the owner get back with you ..." when I gave him everything I had wanted to say at that point. I basically had this guy broken down to the point he was admitting to me all the things the owner does and avoids, and about his business practices. Thought it was pretty interesting, the owner basically just has all these orders and complaints sitting out on his computer desk he says, and some days he just decides to pick an order or two he will take care of, when he's not at his mothers, and leaves the rest of the wrap for the worker to take care of while he avoids the phone. I told the worker I wanted him to tape my name and number on his computer screen, and he said he would do it, who knows if he really did.

That's the last thing that happend, and a week later my check for the original amount showed up. Don't know what caused him to send it then, but maybe something ended getting said. I don't know. Anyways, good luck everyone else in dealing with this place!

 

[scottluther1369]

I can't reach them by email OR BY PHONE! They took the phone off the hook.

 

[ruwafl]

the only 3 times i have actually gotten through to them has been around 11:00-11:30 time frame.

 

[ruwafl]

and now for an update on my DHC saga! I got home from work last Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I had a tall box waiting on me. I opened it up only to find my model. I dug around in the box just knowing the other $130 worth of my stuff had to be in there somewhere, but it wasn't. Well, it was too late to try to call and then the holiday weekend so I decided to give it till the next week before I called again. Almost the rest of my stuff showed up on Monday via UPS. One of the motor casings for my Dr. Rocket system wasn't in the box. So I called again tuesday to ask about the third motor casing. The guy said that he would call and get it drop shipped since he was out of stock on that particular casing(imagine that). I feel a little better about getting the final casing since he has finally shipped the rest of my stuff, although I am not going to hold my breath on it. If I get it, good, if not, I will consider it a lesson learned and buy my third casing elsewhere. Either way, this is one store that will never again see one red penny of my money. Good luck to the rest of you out there!

 

[scottluther1369]

so far I have no valid email address - they all bounce. The phone is either always busy or just rings. Is there any email address or any way to get ahold of him?

 

[pr_rocket04]

Just call in the morning and let it keep ringing and ringing. An elf will sometimes answer who can do nothing, and will do nothing for you, but it never hurts to let him know what you have to say.

 

[RocketboyG80]

But isn't it worth all that trouble for the low prices DHC has? LOL just kidding, I've had my share of problems with them myself. I haven't made an order with them for years, but it looks like they haven't changed much.

 

[rstaff3]

I continue to be surprised that they can stay in business with their practices. I guess they feed of newbies who haven't yet run across this discussion. I have to admit I eventually got my stuff (at least most of it) and wasn't charged for what I got until it was shipped.

 

[ruwafl]

here is an email address for you. i recieved an email from him last monday after i cancelled my order with him saying that he shipped everything. hope this helps! [email protected]

 

[xenon]

I still have half of a $150 order for 24 and 29mm reloadable motors that I've been waiting for for 2 years, I got the first half about 2 weeks after I ordered it, but I've given up on them, they didn't take any money and they didn't send me anything. I just ordered the motors from somewere else then.

 

[flying_silverad]

I would cash that check as soon as possible.