Model Railway Forum

Buying from "Specialist, Entrepreneurial Model Railway Company's"
I refer to the likes of the small operations who design and develop and then arrange manufacture of new models on a "pre-order" basis.
I use a number of these companies to buy up unique models with a view for them to collectors items in year to com.
I am having a problem with one particular Company - whose name I will not mention - but enough to say their communication is poor. I understand forecast arrival dates slip in the manufacturing process and I am sure we all understand that. But this Company doesn't communicate those delays until they are asked.
I have had to remind them on a number of occasions that if they regularly communicated to their customers about delays, new dates, reasons etc we would be happy. But NO there is no regular update and as I have experienced, I get a flea in my ear if I ask for an update or suggest a regular communication.
I don''t think I am alone in thinking procedures could be improved,
Let me say I only have these communications problems with one particular and I will emphasise that there is no issue with anything financial with this Company. Just Communication and website clarity.
Has anyone else had similar issue?

Considering you posted on 27 Sept it appears no one on the forum is interested.

Basically if you want feedback from the forum about a retailer you need to be transparent of who you are actually dealing with.

There is one well known retailer who often says on the web site please don’t keep contacting me asking how long something is going to be. I work on my own and talking to you means I can’t get the jobs done. At one time I used to think miserable sod but now think good point.

I think he is a miserable sod Brian - I rang him once and he was very polite - but three years later I am still awaiting my order - obviously items paid for in advance.

I must admit this is a good question because to me, communication between manufacturers and customers needs to e & should be improved even if it is just a periodic update say every 3 months or so, just to inform customers of the progress and / or if a problem has occurred with a brief explanation of what the problem is.

However, if your someone like sam from the Sam's Trains youtube channel, he designs the product he wants to produce and prints the parts out on a 3D printer. Once all the parts are ready, he thrn assembles the item ( sometimes on a video with an explanation of what he's produced, why he's produced it, assembles thr item and tells you how much it would be so you get all the required information during the video.

Now I know not everybody has a 3D printer, definitely I don't ( massively expensive ) but in short, sam designs, prints and assembles the products he produces and does provide the information via a link in the video description for those who do have 3D printers.

I don't have much experience dealing with manufacturers directly but for those who do, I agree that communication needs to be improved.