Hattons randomly sends me £400's worth of trains...

[NeMo]

I'd ordered three Mk2 coaches. Today the box arrives contains six Dapol Class 27s. For a moment I'm thinking "ka-ching" but of course I write to Hattons and suggest there's someone with by package out there who is feeling a bit short changed.

So apart from the brief moment of amusement like a kid at Christmas, this has now morphed into a hassle. I've got to print off a label, walk to the pick up point in the next village along from here, drop off the package, and then wait however long for my actual purchases to arrive (the other guy is probably thinking the same thing).

I like Hattons, I really do, and use them as my primary website simply because they're so easy to navigate and search (Rails, your website isn't easy to use or search). But whereas they used to be very prompt and efficient, deliveries seem to be much slower nowadays and by the looks of things not 100% reliable in what you get.

Cheers, NeMo

[austinbob]

I'd ordered three Mk2 coaches. Today the box arrives contains six Dapol Class 27s. For a moment I'm thinking "ka-ching" but of course I write to Hattons and suggest there's someone with by package out there who is feeling a bit short changed.

I recently ordered a Dapol 3800 and ended up with a collection of corgi toys with an invoice addressed to someone in Wales.
It did get sorted quite quickly but, as you say NeMo it is a hassle to organise the return and delays the delivery of your new toys!!
I still think Hattons are good though...

[guest311]

I'd ordered three Mk2 coaches. Today the box arrives contains six Dapol Class 27s. For a moment I'm thinking "ka-ching" but of course I write to Hattons and suggest there's someone with by package out there who is feeling a bit short changed.

So apart from the brief moment of amusement like a kid at Christmas, this has now morphed into a hassle. I've got to print off a label, walk to the pick up point in the next village along from here, drop off the package, and then wait however long for my actual purchases to arrive (the other guy is probably thinking the same thing).

I like Hattons, I really do, and use them as my primary website simply because they're so easy to navigate and search (Rails, your website isn't easy to use or search). But whereas they used to be very prompt and efficient, deliveries seem to be much slower nowadays and by the looks of things not 100% reliable in what you get.

Cheers, NeMo

I would have been tempted, especially if they had stags on them 

[GroupC]

But you're doing The Right Thing and any hassle you may "suffer" should be outweighed by the satisfaction that you've done (a)Hattons, and (b) the Class 27 purchaser, a good turn and been honest about it all. I say well done.

Can't comment on Hattons' recent performance but perhaps others can.

[NeMo]

I would have been tempted, especially if they had stags on them 

Since three were the same, I'm guessing the purchaser plans to re-number them, perhaps with stags or scottie dogs. But yes, for a moment I was "chaotic evil" and thinking, how could I get away with this. Of course that moment passed. Didn't want Bad Train Karma following me around... splitting every gear and shorting every circuit...

Cheers, NeMo

[ASFC]

I suspect they are having issues in their 'despatch' department. I have been over a week for mine to appear! (Obligatory phone call made yesterday to find out what was going on.)

[guest311]

I suspect they are having issues in their 'despatch' department. I have been over a week for mine to appear! (Obligatory phone call made yesterday to find out what was going on.)

this seems to be happening more and more,

place order

money taken

awaiting picking

awaiting picking

picked awaiting packing

picked awaiting packing

picked awaiting packing

FINALLY

despatched

IIRC the longest recently was five days awaiting picking

on the other hand, I once placed an order about 03:00, well I was at work, it was despatched the same day, and arrived the next.

it does seem, to me, that their service has dropped recently, at  guess since they went to their new despatch warehouse.

just my impression.

[ASFC]

IIRC the longest recently was five days awaiting picking

I have waited for 6 days on this one. This change seems to me to be very recent.

[railsquid]

Hmm, my current order has been awaiting picking for three days 

[Bealman]

Hmmm. Very interesting. Let us know the outcome, NeMo! 

[NeMo]

Agreed. Looking back Hattons always seemed to dispatch the day I ordered if I ordered that morning. Got to be part of my routine: having my morning coffee, peruse their website, and order any bits and pieces that caught the eye. But now there does seem to be at least a two-day delay between purchase and dispatch that never existed before.

Glad I'm not the only one experiencing this with Hattons, though not glad it's happening at all!

Cheers, NeMo

I suspect they are having issues in their 'despatch' department. I have been over a week for mine to appear! (Obligatory phone call made yesterday to find out what was going on.)

this seems to be happening more and more,

place order

money taken

awaiting picking

awaiting picking

picked awaiting packing

picked awaiting packing

picked awaiting packing

FINALLY

despatched

IIRC the longest recently was five days awaiting picking

on the other hand, I once placed an order about 03:00, well I was at work, it was despatched the same day, and arrived the next.

it does seem, to me, that their service has dropped recently, at  guess since they went to their new despatch warehouse.

just my impression.

[D1042 Western Princess]

drop off the package,

Cheers, NeMo

  I hope you didn't mean 'drop off the package' literally, NeMo! Dropping a box full of locomotives is not a good idea 

[D1042 Western Princess]

I suspect they are having issues in their 'despatch' department. I have been over a week for mine to appear! (Obligatory phone call made yesterday to find out what was going on.)

I always deal with orders over the telephone rather than the internet these days. I once ordered a model of D1056 Western Sultan via their website; nothing turned up.
I rang them about 2 weeks later to see what was happening.
A few days after that TWO D1056s arrived in the post and it turned out on enquiry that they had assumed my phone call was to place a second order!
A new set of name/number plates fixed the problem but an expensive lesson learned when dealing with this firm.

[D1042 Western Princess]

Hmm, my current order has been awaiting picking for three days 

These days I deal more with KMRC because you know when you place an order they (normally) send it that day. I once placed an order about 4.30 pm to have the package delivered by Royal Mail before 11 am the following day.
Hattons used to be as quick, but have definitely 'slipped' recently.

[railsquid]

Hmm, my current order has been awaiting picking for three days 

These days I deal more with KMRC because you know when you place an order they (normally) send it that day. I once placed an order about 4.30 pm to have the package delivered by Royal Mail before 11 am the following day.
Hattons used to be as quick, but have definitely 'slipped' recently.

I don't think they'd be able to get something here quite that fast , though previous orders have been satisfactory. As were Hattons (both recently in the dim'n'distant past when one placed orders from a price list in Railway Modeller in an envelope with a cheque). We shall see...