SPTrains.com Warning!!

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macjet

macjet

Member
All:

I placed an online order with SPTrains.com on 12/14/08. I received no communication about my order other then the credit card charge.

I requested an update on 1/9/09. No reply.

I requested a second update on 1/14/09. No reply.

I requested a third and final update on 1/24/09. No reply.

I have now taken it to paypal and Capital One.

Buyer beware!

http://www.sptrains.com/
 


macjet,

Thanks for the excellent info. I pray you're reimbursed of receive your order. Either way, it's extremely beneficial to be forewarned of such vendors!


My best,

Tom
 
I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. This vendor apparently had in stock the UPS pup trailers that I wanted. While I was paying for shipping I also ordered a few other things that I wanted.

No communication from a business is unacceptable.

Say hello to post 667!
 
Thanks for the warning... Maybe we should start a resource section for online sales complaints?
 
jbaakko said:
Thanks for the warning... Maybe we should start a resource section for online sales complaints?
Click to expand...

Good idea.

It should be noted that I looked at MB Klein first. They have always been a first rate operation. However, they didn't currently have what I needed. Too many people want JB Hunt and UPS trailers!:eek:
 
if you look at there main page, it still lists ordering in time for christmas. Somethings up.

edit: hopefully it will get rectified and the site will get back to normal. I see they have a walthers passenger car in stock that is extremely hard to find here in NJ.
 
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Yeah those Hunts & Schneider's sold out fast. There's a few Schneider's around the net though. My LHS has some that I might buy this weekend.

I was about to suggest to check with PPW-Aline, but they have not Hunt's either.
 


I did a little digging and don't care for much of what I found.

There is no phone number or any other contact information on the website other than a couple of email addresses.

A whois to gather domain information about the website revealed one email address related to the site:

bfb40d1461806c3bcf4e4b6335f43ee2.png



But it revealed little more useful information. The registrant, domains by proxy is a service that can be used to hide personal information about the owner of a domain. Normally it will list a billing contact with street address and phone number, but the proxy service hides all that.
Whois Record

Registrant:
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States

Domain Name: SPTRAINS.COM
Created on: 29-Jan-08
Expires on: 29-Jan-18
Last Updated on: 29-Jan-08

Administrative Contact:
Private, Registration
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) 624-2599 Fax -- (480) 624-2598

Technical Contact:
Private, Registration
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
(480) 624-2599 Fax -- (480) 624-2598

Domain servers in listed order:
NS4.10TYPES.COM
NS5.10TYPES.COM

I also cannot find a street address for the business or a phone number by searching with Google.

I found a link to a blog by a Josh Wood who appears to be the owner:
http://www.blogger.com/profile/15531529562610106231

and it shows an email address of mailto:joshualwood@gmail.com

From the blog he appears to be in Pennsylvania.

Hope that is of some help and is not redundant information.
 
Personally I think that no matter how much I wanted an item I would hesitate to purchase from a website that didn't list a phone number and a physical address.
 
I just finished a bad deal with a seller who is averaging over 4 negatives a day! (MyAtomic Hobbies)
99.1% positive doesn't look bad when you have over 39,000 feedbacks.
I usually dig before I deal... another lesson learned.
 
Funny that you mention that about MyAtomic Hobbies, Rico. I was going to buy some boxcars from them a couple of weeks ago and went through their feedback first. Granted that the negatives are less than 1% but, it was the same story from all of the not-so-happy customers...never recieved the item. Now granted, it's only 1% but, it almost seems that whoever they are is having a hard time keeping up with their Ebay sales.
 
jtudor said:
Personally I think that no matter how much I wanted an item I would hesitate to purchase from a website that didn't list a phone number and a physical address.
Click to expand...

I live by the same rule except that I got so excited to finally find them that I forgot to look!:eek:
 
NYSW F45 said:
interesting about my atomic hobbies. i've gotten a few things from them without issues.
Click to expand...

They seen to be having a problem keeping up with the volume they are selling on Ebay and Amazon. They have their own web site and physical address as well. I ordered from them off Ebay the day after Christmas and could tell something was up by the feedback they were receiving. After my Ebay messages and direct email went unanswered for 7 or 8 business days...and no item shipped. I called and left a voicemail...they do have a number. The next day I received the item, they shipped it UPS and it only took one day from Indiana to Ohio.

So...I think MyAtomic is honest, just growing too fast and are not handling it very well. Communication is practically non existent with their customers.

The price they sold my item to me, I cannot complain, it was literally $50 cheaper than anyone else was selling it. I will likely try them again at some point. But if the price is close between them and another online dealer with better customer service, no doubt I go with another dealer.

It is interesting about there feedback and how south it went since the Christmas rush. I am fairly confident it was at 99.5% or a little higher when I purchased on the 26th( I research too...actually found the owners out of date MySpace page). Looks like it is taking a steady drop. I noticed it dropped a couple points while I was trying to figure out what happened to my order.
 
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Oh there are lots of happy campers leaving positive feedback for Atomic. It's just that wow, you'd think they'd realize the ratio of negatives per day is crazy.
They apparently have one guy listing things on ebay, another who takes your money, and still another who does the shipping.
I'm told they list from items in the suppliers catalogs whether they have them in stock or not, then when time comes to ship they wait and see if they can get it.
They also list with the wrong price quite often.
I finally got a nice fellow on the phone (8th call or so) who straightened everything out and refunded my cash.
 
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