Sprue Brothers Customer Service?

[otis252]

Hey guys, I placed an order with Sprue Brothers on 12/02/2020 for a KH SH-60F and all the USPS tracking says is USPS Tracking Label created, nothing else. I've emailed SB 4 times, no reply. Ive called them on their phone number and got no answer. Anybody having problems with them or any ideas on how to contact them. I've always had great service form them. Thanks for any help.

Chuck

[Confusionreigns178]

For such a large company, that lack of Customer Service is very unimpressive. Surely in the current climate, all companies should be working very hard to retain customers, not alienate them.

 

I hope you can get this issue sorted very soon. 

 

Chris. 

[Juggernut]

SB has very good customer service.  If they've emailed you a shipping notification then you can rest assured it's been shipped.  Stoning them with requests about where your kit is will probably fall on deaf ears (as you've experienced).   If you're not seeing any updates from the USPS, that's not something the SB can help you with as they can't do any more than you can as far as locating the package.  It's widely known that tracking information may not be updated by the USPS and sometimes you'll get the package before it's been shipped according to the USPS tracking updates.  Depending on where you live, it's probably been routed incorrectly in the system and it's going to take awhile.  If it's been destroyed in the system, you'll eventually get it and you'll have to file a damaged/missing mail request with the USPS.  (SB MAY and I reiterate MAY send you out another kit in the event it's been destroyed in shipping but I wouldn't count on that).  My advice is to call the post office and put them to work tracking your package for you.

[nichenson]

Two things are going on right now.  First, Sprue is in the middle of a massive warehouse expansion.  That may be impacting their phone and email system.   The second is USPS is pretty much in shambles with any packages.  It is hit and miss but more misses than hits by a wide margin.  I am still waiting on a package sent priority from Texas sent before Thanksgiving.  I get some packages in days though.  It has nothing to do with where they are sent from as I have had almost all the way across the US get here in three days and yet a package from the other side of the state take well over a week.

 

Sprue has always had great customer service.  They are probably also getting a huge backlog of inquiries on postal shipments which they have no control over.  It should get there eventually, but if not, if it is insured, you will be taken care of.  I am also still waiting on a package from Canada sent in May... 

[easixpedro]

As others have said, likely an issue they have no control over. They’re usually super responsive and have the best customer service of any online hobby shop I’ve dealt with. I ordered a HB B-24 and another kit during their Black Friday sale and had it 2 days later Granted, I live 2 hours from them...but still impressive considering the state of delivering things right now, (especially as I mailed a package to Des Moines 2 weeks ago and it still hasn’t made it...again a 2 hour drive?!)

 

I think every carrier is dealing with tremendous volume due to online sales and COVID. Couple that with backlogs from election volumes and now the holiday season and (thank goodness) Vaccines...well here we are. I realize that my rambling doesn’t help you right now, but I’d give them the benefit of the doubt and perhaps another inquiry.

-Peter

[AlbertD]

I would bet it's somewhere in the postal system. I ordered something from a place in New York. It was shipped to my hub in Seattle, then it went to the next town over from me then back to Seattle then to Tennessee then back to Seattle and I finally got it a couple of weeks later than I expected it. At least it was just hobby stuff and not some urgent medical supply. This time of the year can be really bad for packages.

[themongoose]

If it says “USPS Tracking Label created” then it’s still at the Sprue Brothers warehouse. Keep hounding them. Regardless of what is said about our mail system right now a package generally isn’t sitting on their dock unscanned. If it is then SB needs to to help figure out where they put it. Once it’s in usps control then it will have an updated message indicating it’s on the way to facility or received at facility.

[rjones726]

56 minutes ago, themongoose said:

If it says “USPS Tracking Label created” then it’s still at the Sprue Brothers warehouse. Keep hounding them. Regardless of what is said about our mail system right now a package generally isn’t sitting on their dock unscanned. If it is then SB needs to to help figure out where they put it. Once it’s in usps control then it will have an updated message indicating it’s on the way to facility or received at facility.

SB is my main source for on-line model purchases-precisely because they are reliable. When they send notice that a shipping label has been created it often takes a day or two before I get a shipping notice. That most likely is dependent on the volume of product being shipped/carrier schedules etc. I have never once had an issue with receiving my purchase and I have certainly never "hounded" them. 

v/r,

Rob

[denders]

I ordered something back in October (from someone else, not SB) and the postal system tracking showed that they had, sort of, accepted the package and it showed in that same location for about 2 weeks then all of a sudden it showed out for delivery without showing any intermediate locations. That particular supplier had a note on their web site about being aware of such situations.

 

It is Christmas time and I'm sure the USPS system is loaded. I note around here that there are quite a few Amazon delivery trucks, just think how much busier the USPS would be if Amazon was shipping USPS. Also, I'll note that we have shipped gifts that we would normally deliver but we can't travel because of pandemic restrictions, etc. for some of those locations. So, we've added to the shipping business load and I imagine others have done the same.

[Rick Griewski]

Both SB and the USPS have been very good to me.  And as someone mentioned some areas of the country are hit and miss.
 

[otis252]

Thanks for the comments, I'll bring you up to date. Another email, no response and a dozen phone calls to the "customer service" line and of course no answer. I've ordered from SB dozens and dozens of times with no real issues, so I don't really understand this. If you are going to have a customer service email and phone line, the least you can do is answer. Stay tuned.

Chuck

[Confusionreigns178]

Simply ignoring legitimate customer enquiries is a great way to damage your business - that is a basic, undeniable fact. As for on-line enquiries, why can't Sprue Brothers set up a system to reply with an automated message (along the lines of "we cannot deal with your enquiry right now, but we will get back to you as soon as possible")? It's a much better option than simply ignoring your customers. At the very least, give them some kind of acknowledgment. 

 

Chris.  

[Dave Roof]

On 12/15/2020 at 7:43 AM, themongoose said:

If it says “USPS Tracking Label created” then it’s still at the Sprue Brothers warehouse. 

 

Not necessarily true. I shipped a package last Monday and physically dropped it off at the post office Monday morning. It sat in the "USPS tracking label created" status until Thursday, which means it was probably buried in a pile of packages and didn't get scanned until then. The USPS tracking is notoriously inaccurate, which is why I always choose UPS when ordering from SB.

[Greif8]

Very true, I mailed a package to my sister-in-law on 24 November via priority mail that she just received yesterday.  It remained in the "shipping label created" the entire time. So in addition to taking far longer than priority mail normally takes there was no tracking. 

 

Ernest 

[Highlander]

After years of perfect service, my last two orders have had major issues.  And SB customer service has been completely unresponsive.  Messages and voice mail are ignored.  I even called the phone number for placing orders and all I got was voice mail inviting me to leave voice mail.

 

This is a major disappointment.  I don't want to escalate this ... but I will unless I get a response and a satisfactory resolution.

 

UPDATE:

 

I finally got a response from Sprue Brothers.  Apparently their customer service person has been out and her replacement didn't get to the message traffic until late yesterday.

 

HST, it's time to eat crow.  SB was very responsive; resolved all of my issues, and will be mailing replacements for the damaged items today.  My major issue was MRP/Mr Paint paints ... where a dozen bottles leaked.  I was informed that the manufacturer is having a major problem since going to a new bottle.

 

This is the SB that I have dealt with for years.  BTW, they will be at IPMS Nats in a couple of weeks.

Edited July 8, 2022 by Highlander