Question for Patrick. - RC-Monster Forums

RC4Life · **Question for Patrick. -** 08.29.2008, 05:09 PM

I was wondering something Patrick I was talking with Bernie a few's day's back about my MMM and it was a Bad unit,he has since sent me out a new one I'm not sure on the exact date.What I'm wondering is I know you can not do free return shipping for your customer's in canada,but what I was wondering is seeing as that you save money on not sending replacement unit's to canada without free shipping returned back to Castle Creation's,why do you not upgrade your canadian customer's to express shipping,I know from past and present repair's and also having Castle send me new unit's out that failed within the Warranty Period.I'm extremely sick and tired of of taking up to 2 to 4 weeks to get a Parcel just up to Custom's and that does not include another 4 to 5 day's after Canada Post get's there hands on it.I know I'm not the olny one in Canada that fed up with this setup,I would think that if I'm go enough to buy your product and I have to pay the return shipping why can't you upgrade me and other Canadian Customer's from Global Priority to express shippnig witch is a 3 to 5 day service and is much more reliable.I'm not saying your going to loose me as a customer but I'm definitely going to have to start considering other product's other than castle if I'm going to have to put up with getting 3 bad unit's in a row and have to pay shipping back to you,I also bought my MMM from your website and I know as well as you that you have made more money selling it to me directly rather than having me buying it from towerhobbies,how well on your site it is listed for 199.00 I can uderstand that you are not trying to compete with your Distributor's but that being said you made 199.00 not 179.00 off me and you did not have to give me a Discount like have to give your Distributor's.

wade7575 · 08.29.2008, 07:54 PM

I'm also from Canada and will second the part about being fed up with Global Priority Mail taking much longer then Express,I know I have also had a package take 6 weeks going from Ohio to Ontario,all I know is that Ohio is not to far from Ontario and it is ridiculous that a Package can take 6 weeks from a State that is around 6 1/2 hours away from me.That's why I always choose Express Mail if it is available as I know I will get my package with in 3 to 5 days no matter how far it is being shipped from to me.

RC4Life · 08.30.2008, 04:40 PM

Bump

Pdelcast · 08.30.2008, 04:46 PM

Yes, I agree. I think you should BOTH contact your representatives and express your displeasure with the Canadian Customs and the amount of time it is taking to clear customs. I know mail from Canada to the US is taking 2-3 days to clear customs, but mail from the US to Canada is taking 2 weeks to 6 weeks (and I don't know WHY there is such a variation -- not sure if it is the location of the customs or what...)

I'll suggest that we make the change to shipping express -- but Express costs about 4 times what Priority mail costs -- and I don't know if we can absorb the difference and not charge for it.

Patrick

wade7575 · 08.30.2008, 05:13 PM

Ok I just ran some number at your site Patrick as if I were placing an order for a MMM here's what I found.Running the number's using USPS Mail and both were international as that is the olny way a Package can be sent from the USA to Canada using USPS.The price for Priority Mail was 17.00 even and 27.25 for Express Mail,if you want to run the numbers I just had to use my postal code witch is N4N3M1.Now if are doing return shipping in the states that means using the same numbers I just got let's say it is on averge 17 bucks as well that means it's costing 17 bucks each way for a total of 28 dollars,where as Express is cheaper if you used it one way olny 27.25.I know I would not mind when I called in if Castle would pay the 17.00 seeing as that's what it cost's me an I would be willing to kick in the other 10 bucks to upgrade the shiping but as far as me picking up the whole tab for if I want to have it sent back to me Express no way,I would be willing to meet you half way if you would be willing to meet me half way.

Pdelcast · 08.30.2008, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade7575

Ok I just ran some number at your site Patrick as if I were placing an order for a MMM here's what I found.Running the number's using USPS Mail and both were international as that is the olny way a Package can be sent from the USA to Canada using USPS.The price for Priority Mail was 17.00 even and 27.25 for Express Mail,if you want to run the numbers I just had to use my postal code witch is N4N3M1.Now if are doing return shipping in the states that means using the same numbers I just got let's say it is on averge 17 bucks as well that means it's costing 17 bucks each way for a total of 28 dollars,where as Express is cheaper if you used it one way olny 27.25.I know I would not mind when I called in if Castle would pay the 17.00 seeing as that's what it cost's me an I would be willing to kick in the other 10 bucks to upgrade the shiping but as far as me picking up the whole tab for if I want to have it sent back to me Express no way,I would be willing to meet you half way if you would be willing to meet me half way.

Well, I can't argue numbers with you -- I'm at home for the weekend and I can't check what we actually pay. I do know it costs about $4.00 to ship within the US by Priority mail, and about $18.00 by Express.

Patrick

wade7575 · 08.30.2008, 05:22 PM

I think you should make some kind of provision if a person is willing to part of the shipping cost's they can be upgraded.I know I asked when I was alking with Bernie and he said there was nothing he could,I called in and asked to speak with you and the girl at the front desk would not let me talk with about it I also wanted to ask you some other thing's but have found the answer's to my Question's,she just I know this is Wade and Patrick is very busy and does not have time answer silly Question,she was lucky I was in a good mood and just hung.

Pdelcast · 08.30.2008, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade7575

I think you should make some kind of provision if a person is willing to part of the shipping cost's they can be upgraded.I know I asked when I was alking with Bernie and he said there was nothing he could,I called in and asked to speak with you and the girl at the front desk would not let me talk with about it I also wanted to ask you some other thing's but have found the answer's to my Question's,she just I know this is Wade and Patrick is very busy and does not have time answer silly Question,she was lucky I was in a good mood and just hung.

LOL I can understand your frustration.. she is told to keep people from being able to contact me directly unless they tell her what they need, and why they need to talk to me. (otherwise I would be on the phone ALL DAY, mostly with issues that other people can handle better than I can -- I can't tell you how many times Christy comes in and says -- "There's a guy on the phone who refuses to speak to me -- he will only speak to you" So I get on the phone, he asks me a question, and I have to say "Hold on a minute, I have to go ask Christy." -- or "Hold on a minute, I have to ask Bernie." When if he had said in the first place what he was going to ask about, she could have helped him or directed him to the person who could have helped...)

You have to understand, I don't micromanage my business (usually...) There are other people who make these decisions -- it's usually not my decision.

AND -- to be honest with you, I don't know what our policy for shipping to Canada is on repairs/replacements.

I do think that we shouldn't have to shell out additional money to make up for a problem with Customs in Canada -- If it takes 4-6 weeks for items to clear customs in Canada, I think your issue should be taken up with Customs in Canada. It's not our fault that Canadian customs suck so bad. It's also not our fault that Canadians are gouged so badly by their mail system. It costs about $4.50 to ship Priority mail in the US (And about $2.00 for first class) -- if it costs $17.00 to ship to Canada, why should we be expected to pay for that? That's a STUPID amount for mailing a little package. And if I were Canadian, I would be OUTRAGED, and I'd take it up with my representative. Canada is a republic, and you are allowed to complain to your representative, especially if you are paying high $$$ for a service and that service is broken.

It's funny -- I can ship to China for just $3.00 more than it costs to ship to Canada. That's totally screwed up.

Patrick

wade7575 · 06:47 PM

Let's just say it's 17.00 bucks to ship to canada and that if a customer is willing to kick in the extra to upgrade the shipping method or class I feel would be the best solution as to bucks is not really that much.I do make a habit of calling a company and asking to speak with the owner but on Questions I have that really stump me and may cause problems with warranty I like to here it from the big dawg that way I know for sure what I'm hearing is the companys clear stand on the matter so I don't have to listen to why did you do it that way that's not the way we reccomend the way it should be.The reason for this is because one time a company tech from a company manys years back cost me 500.00 dollar's because he gave me his opion and the way it was recomended,I found out that it was his opion as I called back pretending to be another person and kept hanging until I got a different tech and asked him what the proper way to setup the product was well I got 2 different story's when realized that there were 2 guys telling me 2 completely different ways of doing thing's I called and aske 2 talk to the owner of the company and told him what happened and was told to bad so sad what do you except me to do about it,that was the response more less that I got from them.I olny call asking to speak with someone high up in the company if I know the solution is not made very clear in the instructions and can cause me alot of money do to not knowing the right way of hooking up a product.
Custom's from what I have seen is not the main problem olny part,I find that it's a 50/50 crap shoot wether tracking numbers even work with Priority shipping threw USPS,I know the biggest problem is that they olny go ground and that when I have had tracking numbers work they often take along time just to keep moving the package from sortation plant to plant,I know I have had 30 package's shipped to me in the past month and a half from smaller RC companys I help test there prototype part's and dealing's with my own Bussiness and ordering stuff for my own Hobby needs that can olny be purchased in the States most package's clear custom's in 2 days wether it is a slow or faster method of shipping but sometimes and it's not to often that it takes 3 day's to clear customs but it can take 3 or 4 most unlessthey misplace it.

JaySki · 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade7575

Let's just say it's 17.00 bucks to ship to canada and that if a customer is willing to kick in the extra to upgrade the shipping method or class I feel would be the best solution as to bucks is not really that much.I do make a habit of calling a company and asking to speak with the owner but on Questions I have that really stump me and may cause problems with warranty I like to here it from the big dawg that way I know for sure what I'm hearing is the companys clear stand on the matter so I don't have to listen to why did you do it that way that's not the way we reccomend the way it should be.The reason for this is because one time a company tech from a company manys years back cost me 500.00 dollar's because he gave me his opion and the way it was recomended,I found out that it was his opion as I called back pretending to be another person and kept hanging until I got a different tech and asked him what the proper way to setup the product was well I got 2 different story's when realized that there were 2 guys telling me 2 completely different ways of doing thing's I called and aske 2 talk to the owner of the company and told him what happened and was told to bad so sad what do you except me to do about it,that was the response more less that I got from them.I olny call asking to speak with someone high up in the company if I know the solution is not made very clear in the instructions and can cause me alot of money do to not knowing the right way of hooking up a product.
Custom's from what I have seen is not the main problem olny part,I find that it's a 50/50 crap shoot wether tracking numbers even work with Priority shipping threw USPS,I know the biggest problem is that they olny go ground and that when I have had tracking numbers work they often take along time just to keep moving the package from sortation plant to plant,I know I have had 30 package's shipped to me in the past month and a half from smaller RC companys I help test there prototype part's and dealing's with my own Bussiness and ordering stuff for my own Hobby needs that can olny be purchased in the States most package's clear custom's in 2 days wether it is a slow or faster method of shipping but sometimes and it's not to often that it takes 3 day's to clear customs but it can take 3 or 4 most unlessthey misplace it.

I apologize for jumping in on this thread... but.. I couldn't resist.
I think you have made your point.. Even having the president of a company listen AND respond is unusual... Be thankful he has heard you and is willing to look into the issue. It isn't his companies fault you live in Canada(as it there really isn't anyone to blame) which charges some larger amounts for shipping. It certainly isn't his responsibility to eat the costs of shipping to any location, let alone international. He's in business to make money.

wade7575 · 08.30.2008, 09:37 PM

JaySki my point is not about wether I live in Canada or not,and as far as who's fault it is I could put the blame all on Castle and say it there fault for being located in the USA,but that's not my point the point I want to be clear on,the point is that everyone assume's that it is custom's holding everything up when most times it is ot it is the fact that when it come's to USPS they suck when a package is sent Priority Mail to Canada and when I use the same shipping method threw Canada Post it does not get nearly as messed up as USPS makes it.Also alot of companys use the it cost's to much money to use a better service or will not let you upgrade to a better service even if you are willing to pay the difference I'm not trying to imply Patrick is cheap but what I do want to be perfectly clear is that alot of people always think it is being held up by customs.Also why do you think I should not be able to upgrade a service when I'm willing to pay the difference,all I know is tis I'm no better than you or anyone else for that matter but when I'm paying out money that I had to work for to get something I want to be treated the same as anyone else or at least even if it's not always possible in every case try to make it more fair.How would you like it if Canadian's were the olny ones getting free return shipping on a MMM and everyone in the states had to pay shipping back to castle,if I get 6 dud's in a row and have to pay the shipping back I at least want the one's coming from castle to get here in a reasonable amount of time not 2 or 3 weeks and even if I have to pay return shipping and chip in to upgrade from castle that's fine.When I spent 199.00 for the MMM and 27 for shipping and another 35 in duties I did not spend that much money olny to be able dream how nice it would be if I got a ESC that can power my TeknoNue 1515 1Y.

e-mike · 08.30.2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wade7575

I did not spend that much money olny to be able dream how nice it would be if I got a ESC that can power my TeknoNue 1515 1Y.

me too...im really tired...i pay 200$= custom fees 30$

now i have to ship my esc to cc 25$ more juste for one esc

255$big total

good for 3 min of fun

jayjay283 · 08.30.2008, 10:14 PM

lol man, You know we get the same crap buying stuff from Canada. Customs fees and longer shipping. I just dont buy from Canada anymore. Most of the things ive bought from Canada had a flat rate shipping fee of $25 only for UPS to make me write out a check for $35 more dollars for a customs brokerage fee whatever the crap that is. Quit whining and I will.

JaySki · 08.30.2008, 10:45 PM

Not gonna get into a banter over it, but, "paying the difference" where it would be nice, CC doesn't owe it to you, and to think you don;t get treated the same as everyone else is a pretty lame thing to imply.

wade7575 · 08.30.2008, 11:13 PM

I'm not saying I'm not getting treated the same as everyone else in the sense that you are getting a better method of shipping,but it's the fact that when a shipping method that is Priority Mail for Canada and the State's and it is not always custom's fault and it takes a much greater time to get to me than it does for someone else in the USA.I'll tell you what you tell Castle the next time you need to send a high dollar item in like a MMM and tell them when they get your bad unit you tell them to keep it for 3 or 4 weeks before they send it out and see how funny you think is.
My olny point is to try to have something done to make the transit time a little less wether the customer from a country outside the USA has to chip in a little to upgrade the service.I do not think you bought your RC stuff olny to have to wait 3 to 4 weeks on something you paid for and the worst part is when it's in the mail it's out of your hands.And as far as buying the same crap in canada well I did'nt have much of a choice when I had to send it back to castle for exchange,and the las time I checked Castle is not Located in canada.