PlaymoFriends
General => Direct Service/Parts Queries => Topic started by: GrahamB on March 14, 2012, 18:37:25
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Just had a fantastic turnaround time (6 days from payment to receipt of order- which came from Germany) from UK DS. I have made orders for parts a few times in the past, but noticed the following things which seem to be new features this time:
1. Many parts names listed on the invoice were in English (only 5 out of 108 were in German) :D
2. 4 parts were substitutes for the numbers I had ordered but all (except one- see below) were completely appropriate substitutions :)
3. One part supplied as an 'automatic substitute' cost £15 8} (I ordered caravan (camper trailer) door 30 62 0850 - Door for camper trailer (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30%2062%200850) and received part number 30 67 0440 which is the caravan body 30 67 4640 - Body of camper trailer (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30-67-4640) including the door. The door isn't available separately any more. :( I baulked at paying £15 for this as the whole set probably cost little more than £15 brand new and sold on ebay recently for £10. After several emails, DS agreed to 'restock' the item (accept the item's return in exchange for credit), but stressed this isn't normal practice. "We can offer you a credit note for the amount of £15.00 on this occasion, but
we do not normally refund on parts as we can not use them for resale" :)
I'm very pleased with the service overall, but am worried that future parts orders might contain such expensive items lurking in the total, to be discovered only on receipt of the parts and then not accepted for restocking. I think its vital to communicate courteously with DS staff (Caroline Hayward in this instance, who responded promptly to all my emails with great patience) and I don't want to be seen as a 'pain', but would it in future be reasonable to ask for details (before paying) of any individual item costing more than, say £5? That way I could get the item removed from the order before I pay and it is despatched.
(For anyone unfamiliar with the system it works like this- at least in the UK- 1. email spreadsheet (or phone through) listing part numbers and quantities, 2. Receive figure for total cost (and numbers of parts not available) 3. Pay e.g. by credit card, 4. DS send order through to Germany 5. You receive parts with list of what you are getting for the money you paid.)
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I order through Caroline too and she is always very helpful and patient with my complicated questions. :thanks: ;)
However, I too wish we could have a breakdown before committing to pay because sometimes I have received parts that had I known were going to be so expensive I wouldn't have agreed to buying them.
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u normaly can send unused parts back. ask at the ds and they refund u the money
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"We can offer you a credit note for the amount of £15.00 on this occasion, but we do not normally refund on parts as we can not use them for resale"
These were Caroline's words, so I think their policy is pretty clear!
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ok. i had never any problems.. maybe its because i ordert lots.. but u can normally ask for an invoice via email before u buy.. or is it not possible anymore?
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D.S in the U.K. will give you the cost of each item if you ask, or if you send an email ask what each item costs.
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In the past, I have returned items and got the amount credited to my credit card. I returned something recently and I'll check my latest credit card statement and see if the amount has been credited. In any case, I think you have the right to return here as Playnmobil has not provided what you ordered.
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D.S in the U.K. will give you the cost of each item if you ask, or if you send an email ask what each item costs.
Aha- that is certainly worth knowing- thanks Walts-Trains!
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That's interesting. In the US they always provide you with a total for what's available including the shipping amount, so if something like that comes up you can cancel it out of the order before paying. They never substitute, but do tell you if a number has changed.
I am surprised Germany is substituting parts for you without getting approval first.
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In past cases that I've been involved with, PM DS USA has either credited for the wrong item if it couldn't be supplied, or shipped the correct item with no additional charges. They have never requested that I return a wrong item, but then again I've never got an individual part for the price that camper door was either! :o
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Yes, if you ask the price for each item individually, they should tell you. I've only made one order, but that worked for me! What other sorts of parts did you order?
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I am making another order this week, I will request a breakdown of costs by email and let you know how I get on.
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... received part number 30 67 0440 which is the caravan body 30 67 4640 - Body of camper trailer (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30-67-4640) including the door.
Could you double-check that, Graham? I have 30 67 0440 - Van roof with 2 skylight openings and back lights (http://playmodb.org/cgi-bin/showpart.pl?partnum=30%2067%200440), from 3925 Ambulance.
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Sorry, my mistake- too many numbers. I received 30 67 4420 Wohnanhanger (body of camper and door) instead of the door alone.
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Sorry, my mistake- too many numbers. I received 30 67 4420 Wohnanhanger (body of camper and door) instead of the door alone.
One more part for the DB - thanks Graham.
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I'm getting lost here, Graham. Did you actually receive what you had ordered then?
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Did you actually receive what you had ordered then?
Yes, I received the door for the camper trailer (caravan) which I ordered, but only because it came attached to the much larger
camper trailer body (which I didn't order) as an 'automatic substitution'. As this cost £15, I felt it was not a reasonable substitution and PM agreed to refund the cost when I send back the part. So I have a caravan with no door still!
From this I have learnt it is probably a good idea to request an itemised list of items to be supplied before paying for the order.
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Thanks, I follow now.
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Might have been better to keep the door and try selling the camper body on ebay. :lol:
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I made another order today (9:14 am) and asked in my email
"It would be helpful if you could send me an itemised invoice so I can check any possible substitutions. If this is not possible, perhaps you could let me know any parts costing over £3."
I hoped this might elicit the sort of itemised costs Walt-Trains alluded to:
D.S in the U.K. will give you the cost of each item if you ask, or if you send an email ask what each item costs.
I got a prompt response (11:39 am) :) with a list of parts not available and part numbers of three items costing £3.70, £3.70 and £2.75 (no surprises given what they were- Roof piece and wallpaper for Modern House 3965 and a Klicky respectively). Not quite an itemised list :-\ but better than being charged £15 for an automatic substitution, so I'm happy. :)
The order included 14 different hairpieces (wigs) and only one (silver chainmail) was unavailable, so I'm pleased about that too :) - DS in the US has not always been this helpful in the past e.g. this from 2009:
Hi everyone,
Just tried to place an order yesterday for various parts plus hair and was told that you could no longer order hair...you have to buy the kliky to get hair. I figure they must be trying to stop refurbishing of used parts.
Janice
and more recent experiences of parts ordering in US and Europe. Just goes to show how the service varies in different parts of the world!