the lunacy of Cyber Hobby

[UKBOY]

Well done to the boys and girls of Cyber Hobby.

Their utter unwillingness to respond to my emails and to treat their customers with any degree of respect has led me to a sad decision.

I can no longer justify putting money in the pockets of a company that seemt to show utter contempt for its customers, believing that it doesnt need to reply to their enquiries:I have therefore decided to give up collecting 1/6th scale figures.

I placed orders for a number of different Cyber Hobby exclusives and have had my Credit Card, debited to a sum circa £350.

Having not received any of the items, nor any communication regarding items I knew had already been released/shipped to other customers in Europe and the UK, I sought to clarify with them, when and if any of these items had been shipped to me.

Cyber Hobby have completely ignored me, despite 2 different titled emails and having been given the order numbers and details.

I also asked 2 of the mods on the MDFC forum to assist me if possible.That appears to have had no effect also.

I made a thread post regarding the flak with trailer and that was modded by someone adding an "embarrassed" emoticon and the whole post was then deleted some hours later.

Whatever the link or management chain regarding DML and CH, why, if they do not allow criticism of and questions relating to customer service of C H products, do they allow posting of their products on the forum ?.

They shouldnt have it both ways and they certainly will not allow discussion of or pictures of figures showing kit from other manufacturers, so why allow C H pictures, but the moment you ask why C H wont,out of simple courtesy reply to an email question about where products are that you ordered and paid good money for, they close or delete the thread.

Disgustingly poor service and one that I will no longer suffer.

Adios DML and CH, hello Credit Card customer service for transaction resolutions.

 

[Pangaea95]

Terribly sorry to hear this, good luck, and let us know how this resolves. Hate to see you give up on 1/6th because of a manufacturer .

 

[inxsone]

I too have had, for want of better description, "BAD" experiences with CH as well... I also let it "bring down" the hobby for me...

There comes a time though when you realize this one company isn't everything... I plan to give myself a "breather" till the new year then jump into NUMEROUS projects I have waiting (i.e. Jagdpanther, Jagdpanzer, Marder, 3-Tiger Is, 88mm Flak, 3-SdKfz250s, etc. etc. etc)...

My advise, do what you feel you have to do but hold off throwing in the towel and give it another look later...

Now, for "Admin" stuff, I am going to be moving this to the "Cooler" section as that is the more appropriate location for it but, I will leave a shadow here in the "General" section...

 

[jepy]

I wouldn't throw my towel in because of cyberhobby, why fret about a hole in the wall etailer marketing DML's shoddy seconds that couldn't be sold on an open market. I haven't made a C.H. purchase in almost 2 years (not including the show exclusives I got at the d-expo)
and I feel fine, no adverse side effects at all.
As for asking the mfdc mods for help, that's like asking a rock to save you from drowning. Those guys are all about themselves and the free stuff they get from DML. There's no way they're going to risk their gravy train to help out fellow collector.
Your best bet is to contact your credit card co. and have the charge denied. then learn from your mistake and just say NO to those cyberhobby guys.
Besides, once they get your CC number, every scam artist in Asia will be making fraudulent charges on your card (odd how that happened to me with every cyberhobby order)
Good luck.

J-P

 

[Sixty Driver]

I would recommend emailing Cyber Hobby AND Dragon Care, every single day until your issue is resolved. Despite claims to the contrary, the 2 companies are one and the same. This seems to have been the trick for most here involving the 2cm trailers.

 

[Dubar1]

The only thing that worked for me is to FAX DML HQ and let them know. The FAX number for C-H/Dragon Care/DML is the same number, so don't let that old myth about C-H and DML not being one and the same.

Their FAX number is on their website. That's how I got the MDFC Basil figure I ordered after a lot of grief and trouble.

Dragon Care also works if you have a broken part, at least it did for me when I had an issue with the rocket launcher frame having pieces that were not left and right hand. Of course I had to email them pictures of the part before they'd do anything.

Here you go, I'll save you a little time - (852) 2411-0587. I went to Office Max and had them do an international FAX and it was just a few dollars. You might have to FAX your CC number along with any order numbers you have. Office Max said it was secure, but knowing that my CC number was sitting on a FAX machine a few thousand miles away had me squirming!!! So far I've had nothing bad come of it.

 

[UKBOY]

Tried to access MDFC this morning and found that I couldnt.

Looks like my account over there has been banned ?.

Great way to deal with it CH/DML.

 

[inxsone]

Tried to access MDFC this morning and found that I couldnt.

Looks like my account over there has been banned ?.

Great way to deal with it CH/DML.

Welcome to the club Sir... It seems as though individuals having "outstanding" issues with Cyber-Hobby get banned from the MDFC Forum due to those "issues"... I did when I posted photos of defective Cyber-Hobby product when asked to, never did understand that one as I did what THEY asked...
Good thing that Dragon and Cyber-Hobby are not "related"

Oh well as stated before, hang in there and all the best in resolving this issue...

 

[UKBOY]

The saddest part is that the post I made on MDFC was not the one you see at the top of this thread.

All I said on MDFC was that my emails had gone unanswered and that I was aware that MDFC "wasnt the right forum to raise issues re C H" but if that wasnt, and emails are not replied to, where was I supposed to go ?.

All very polite.

A mod had added an emoticon to my post and then another mod removed my post and no emails to me re the thread/banning, no warning, simple denial of access.

Obviously MDFC have banned me based on what I posted here and on 2 other forums but since the MDFC is not the correct forum for C H why did I get banned for asking for an answer to a question that they dont deal with.

 

[johnro6659]

I had the same experiance and I know it was because what I had posted elsewhere on other groups. My posts on the MDFC were worded very carfully and they got great responses, I was getting awarded extra points etc. Even the moderators and members found my posts helpfull agreed with my veiws on polystone anyone that kept up with the post can attest to it. So why else would I get the boot? Not one person from the MDFC gave me any warning or reason before they banned me. DML and CH are affiliated and CH works as an agent for DML by selling their products DML should be held responsible for the CH stuff after all DML is the manufacturer and each figure and accessory has a regular DML stock number, CH is just the seller/distibutor. If they want to be considered seperate take all the DML and Dragon name, info and stock numbers off the packaging on the CH figures and just sell them as Cyber Hobby. This way DML wouldn't have to deal with it but then again we might be up the creek without a paddle trying to get any Customer Service. I do have to add from the sounds of it they really have stepped up customer service since the polystone fiasco started. All this has really soured me on DML and they way they treat us. I could never say I will not buy DML stuff because I doubt I ever could but I can say I will not order direct from CH anymore.

 

[ollygolf]

I guess one problem with CH that they are not really personably answerable to anyone. Unlike the self employed retailer who runs a business, and gives great service, CH workers do not have this need, and the sales are through the company, not the individual trying to cultivate customer loyalty. The only way to fix this with CH is to vote with the wallet, and I am. Some nice releases, but I wont touch them. I wont reward arrogance. Cyber-Hobby, an arrogant way to do business.

 

[UKBOY]

I still have no real idea what is happening with my C H orders which was the reason for my small question thread on MDFC before they recently banned me from viewing/posting.

To give you an idea of the esteem in which I held DML/CH figures:I went to the trouble of being the first person in the queue at the DML/Euro Expo in the UK this year, so I could never be accused of being half hearted in my love of the hobby.

But I will not be treated as though I am just a blank cheque and that the manufacturer has no responsibility to communicate in a timely or reasonable manner, much less, ship items paid for, in the same manner.

Oh well, disposable income that would normally have gone the way of DML/CH will have to find a new home it seems.

 

[UKBOY]

As CH/DML seem to have an unwillingness to communicate and my "old mate" Oberst Hessler appears to be the one that decided my MDFC membership should be rescinded due to my postings on other forums, he may like to read the fact that I am raising a dispute with my credit card company for all the as yet undelivered items.

These total $4947 HONG KONG DOLLARS, which is equivalent to $635 US DOLLARS or £334 UK POUNDS.

This gives CH about five more days to actually deliver some items to me before I file that dispute claim, so the ball is currently in their court.

So you can see for a poor civil servant such as myself, not an insubstantial sum to have been charged and for no goods to have been received and for poor/non existent customer service, I have no option.

CH/DML brought this on themselves, maybe they will change their practices but I suspect with the speed that their exclusives are selling out, they feel they have no need to make changes.

On a side note, it does appear, as I predicted a while back, that DML is going more down the route of CH selling, so lets cross our fingers that they will improve their communication and/or their shipping speed because nobody likes to be left wondering if/when they will get the items that they have worked hard to afford.

Cheers.

 

[UKBOY]

Well another week has gone by and C H have so far neglected to respond to my email and no items have arrived so I become increasingly annoyed and despondent about the whole situation.

Maybe it was stupid of me to order a number of items at the same time and so, as I have a number of orders, I would have at least hoped one or two of them may have shown up by now.

I mistaken thought that C H only charge upon despatch so if that is true, surely some of the items should be in my hands by now ?.

Oh well, if this is the way C H does business, it's no surprise that so many of us will no longer deal with them and they will have to considerably sharpen up their act, otherwise they will eventually run out of potential customers.

Looks like the credit card dispute is now the only way to go .........

Cheers for your words of support and information about your experiences with the C H ordering system.

As I suspected, there are many more negative reports than positive ones.

DML's reputation will continue to suffer if they do not address these issues with C H as the two are so closely entertwined that C H policy is dragging down DML's potential customers and profits.

Sort it out or lose your market share:it will come to that !.

 

[johnro6659]

I was always under the impression that CH didn't charge you until the item was shipped. I never ordered anything from CH until this years DX06 stuff started being offered. I was charged two to three days after I sent in my order. It was close to two months before I saw my first item and longer for the rest. I knew they said the stuff from DX06 would ship after the show so I knew not to expect it but was pissed they took my money right away. I realize now when you order from CH you preorder stuff that's probably not even in production. They take the orders produce enough figures or items to cover thier orders and make extras for retailers and that's usually it. The more I hear the more I realize I will never send them an order again. I probably won't order thru the online guys because of the very high markups they have compared to some of the low prices CH has offered stuff for in the recent past. More and more collectors are realizing CH and DML work hand in hand now so this is a black eye on DML as well.

 

[thetoysurgeon]

Very unexcusable in their conduct. I received my stuff about a month after I ordered it. The issue I had is that they pirated my CC number. I had to cancel my card and get a new one...if they are that insecure about using peoples CC info then I am done with them on that basis. I also don't like their arrogant fascist conduct. I am done ordering direct from them no matter how cool the stuff is.

 

[UKBOY]

Just thought I would provide an update on this :-

Ordered :-

2cm Flak with Trailer
2 x Heer Officer & Mortar trailer
12CM Mortar
Russian with wheeled gun

All ordered & charged to my Credit Card 20th October 06.

Received to date ........................

NOTHING ........ NOT ONE OF THESE ITEMS !.

 

[johnro6659]

That SUX. If I were you I would contact the bank and get a charge back. That's too long of a time to wait. Have you contacted them? Did they answer? I just got of fthe phone with a friend who had his CC number hijaked last time he ordered from CH he had to cancell the card and get a new #. He just sent an order into CH about a week ago with the new card never used and got hit again with unautorized chages several days after sending in his order for the new Kett with cable laying rig.

 

[UKBOY]

Well, merry Christmas to C H and DML NOT !!!!!!!.

I still have not received any of the items I have been charged for by C H.

I am stunned that over 2 months on from the order, that I have nothing to show for the charges made against my Credit Card.

C H have proven to be completely unable to supply the goods ordered within a reasonable timescale and they can add me to the list of ex customers.

Good luck to all those other collectors that are still awaiting items from the disgrace known as Universal Models/C H/DML.

They have made my mind up that I will definitely be voting with my wallet and not giving them any money in future and it amazes me that DML are happy with C H treatment of people and their hard earned money.

I guess thats what they think they can get away with when theres little or no competition.Simply unacceptable from someone "steps ahead".

Perhaps that only relates to the speed with which they charge your Credit Card ?.