Purchasing Via the Web and other thoughts
Ah, what a life! If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. I’m certainly glad I do not write this blog for a living as I tend to run hot and cold on my postings. Not unlike my model building.
I recently attended a meeting of a local chapter of the Photographic Society of America (PSA). The meeting was quite interesting. Up front I must admit that I was a bit intimidated to go. In reading the online archive of their newsletter I noticed that quite a few members were semi-pro or professional photographers. Plus from the online gallery I could see the tremendous talent in the club. I went nonetheless and had an interesting time. Like IPMS North Central Texas (NCT) the folks at the Plano Photography Club (PPC) were friendly. Unlike NCT (or any IPMS chapter) 50% of the attendees were female. Needless to say [but I will] that makes for a different atmosphere. I did find the PPC meeting much more formal and serious than a NCT meeting. I guess all that glue sniffing we do has affected us. But this is Ramblings of a Mediocre Modeler not Ramblings of the Mediocre Photographer…
It’s very late July and soon the IPMS National Convention will be held. My contribution to the George Armstrong Custer Gin Drinking and Model Building Society’s group entry flounders. I had hoped to avoid having to build and paint the interior by purchasing a MIG Productions resin cover for the SdKfz 251. After some research I found it offered on Roll Models’ Web site. So in early May I ordered it. Now Roll Models does have the disclaimer on orders that it will take 2 to 4 weeks to ship. Okay. I had plenty of time. Come week 6 I inquired when they would ship the item to me. Seems this item was out of production and they had none. Okay. Now I’m no expert in inventory control and online catalogs but I’ve been a software development analyst for quite a number of years and I know the catalog and inventory can be tied together. My feeling is a business should not offer an item they cannot provide. This is problem is not limited to Roll Models. I’ve had a similar experience with 47th Street Photography. I paid for a 500mm catadioptric lens for my Pentax recently. After three email inquiries and a phone call I find that they “over sold” the product and were out of them. They assure me that more on their way from the manufacturer and they will ship to me as soon as they get in. I don't think I'll do any business in the future with either store.
Remember, it is better to have entered a model contest and lost than to have collected stamps.
I recently attended a meeting of a local chapter of the Photographic Society of America (PSA). The meeting was quite interesting. Up front I must admit that I was a bit intimidated to go. In reading the online archive of their newsletter I noticed that quite a few members were semi-pro or professional photographers. Plus from the online gallery I could see the tremendous talent in the club. I went nonetheless and had an interesting time. Like IPMS North Central Texas (NCT) the folks at the Plano Photography Club (PPC) were friendly. Unlike NCT (or any IPMS chapter) 50% of the attendees were female. Needless to say [but I will] that makes for a different atmosphere. I did find the PPC meeting much more formal and serious than a NCT meeting. I guess all that glue sniffing we do has affected us. But this is Ramblings of a Mediocre Modeler not Ramblings of the Mediocre Photographer…
It’s very late July and soon the IPMS National Convention will be held. My contribution to the George Armstrong Custer Gin Drinking and Model Building Society’s group entry flounders. I had hoped to avoid having to build and paint the interior by purchasing a MIG Productions resin cover for the SdKfz 251. After some research I found it offered on Roll Models’ Web site. So in early May I ordered it. Now Roll Models does have the disclaimer on orders that it will take 2 to 4 weeks to ship. Okay. I had plenty of time. Come week 6 I inquired when they would ship the item to me. Seems this item was out of production and they had none. Okay. Now I’m no expert in inventory control and online catalogs but I’ve been a software development analyst for quite a number of years and I know the catalog and inventory can be tied together. My feeling is a business should not offer an item they cannot provide. This is problem is not limited to Roll Models. I’ve had a similar experience with 47th Street Photography. I paid for a 500mm catadioptric lens for my Pentax recently. After three email inquiries and a phone call I find that they “over sold” the product and were out of them. They assure me that more on their way from the manufacturer and they will ship to me as soon as they get in. I don't think I'll do any business in the future with either store.
Remember, it is better to have entered a model contest and lost than to have collected stamps.
posted by the Mediocre Modeler | 4:21 AM
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