Model Boat Mayhem
Mess Deck: General Section => Chit-Chat => Topic started by: dodgy geezer on May 09, 2012, 10:47:29 pm
-
Giant Cod, the well-known R/C site with the rock-bottom prices appears to have been sold to MyHobbyStore.
Its site name has today been changed to Giant Shark, and prices have been lofted by 20%+....
RIP...
-
He got most of his stuff from the same places Hobby King got them from.
-
Hope this is not true. If so why the price rize? The words off and rip come to mind not in that order. Hoprfully buyers will shop elseware. John.
-
Hope this is not true. If so why the price rize? The words off and rip come to mind not in that order. Hoprfully buyers will shop elseware. John.
Probably not a rip-off - the new owners can pitch their prices anywhere they like. But GiantCod used to be CONSIDERABLY cheaper than any competitor, and would have got a huge volume of sales as a result. It now looks as if the new GiantShark prices are comparable to competitors, and I'll bet they won't be getting the same sales volume...
-
Giant Cod, the well-known R/C site with the rock-bottom prices appears to have been sold to MyHobbyStore.
Its site name has today been changed to Giant Shark, and prices have been lofted by 20%+....
RIP...
Taken from about us
http://www.giantshark.co.uk/about.php
Address:
Giantshark is part of MyHobbyStore Ltd, Hadlow House, 9 High Street, Green Street Green, Orpington, BR6 6BG. Registered: England and Wales, Registered Number: 5649018, VAT Number: GB 927 3225 27
-
Well if they have put the prices up they won't last long if the rumors of Hobby King opening a UK Warehouse in the near future are to be beleived
-
Also noticed that all the Radiolink RC stuff has disappeared off the website >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( <*< <*< <*<
-
MHS are Accountants O0 >>:-(
Regards Ian.
-
MHS are Accountants O0 >>:-(
Regards Ian.
They seem to offer quite different service to what they used to when I worked at an accountants firm. :D
-
There's now quite a bit more discussion on the
GiantCod GiantShark site, including a bit from Rob, the erstwhile owner....
It looks like the cheap radios have taken a price hike....
-
For an example of My Hobby Store in action have a look at the X-list. OOps, you can't because most of it's disappeared!
-
Well in the harsh economic world we live in, it doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out giant cod's demise and the new company's price rise.
-
No idea about price rise but this is on the forum about Radiolink gear:
CLICK HERE (http://www.giantshark.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2874)
Bob
-
No idea about price rise but this is on the forum about Radiolink gear:
CLICK HERE (http://www.giantshark.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2874)
Bob
That was dated 2009 unfortunately {:-{
-
OOPS!!
Bob
-
That was dated 2009 unfortunately {:-{
Just testing us to see if we actually read the posts %) %) %) {-) {-)
-
With Hobbyking opening a warehouse in Ipswich, they can probably see the writing on the wall. I think all hobby retailers are going to feel the heat once the big HK gets into gear.
-
Perhaps the name change from Cod to Shark, from a food fish that nourishes you to one that rips you to shreds, was to symbolically let you know what to expect in future. Just thinking aloud.
-
Perhaps the name change from Cod to Shark, from a food fish that nourishes you to one that rips you to shreds, was to symbolically let you know what to expect in future. Just thinking aloud.
O0 O0 O0 :-)) :-)) :-))
-
I had tried to buy from Giant Cod a couple of times, without success. They are (were) one of three firms that made a big point of never answering the telephone, so never got my business. ie I wanted to buy a nice spec 40Mhz receiver but wanted a compatible crystal for it. They left you to guess with often too little info online to ensure you got what you wanted.
-
Your right Bob, there after sales and customer service are/were appalling ... by my experience anyway.
-
The only weapon model shops have against the web based mail order companies is platinum grade customer service and good stock. I'm prepared to pay a bit more to help help offset the overheads of keeping a store running, unfortunately I rarely find what I'm looking for, and customer service is often sadly lacking.
-
I totally agree. When I have had execptional service from a supplier I have have been pleased to say so on this forum.
Most of us are still learning about building model boats, so an occassional question becomes neccessary. Suppliers who 'go the extra mile' are first on my list for ordering from, even if sometimes they are not the cheapest. They should be encouraged and supported.
-
I totally agree. When I have had execptional service from a supplier I have have been pleased to say so on this forum.
Most of us are still learning about building model boats, so an occassional question becomes neccessary. Suppliers who 'go the extra mile' are first on my list for ordering from, even if sometimes they are not the cheapest. They should be encouraged and supported.
As so should the boat shows, It,s the traders that attend these shows I purchase from either at the show,s or mail order.
They are also experts in their own field,s and the help and advice is second to none.
john
-
Bob K
I had tried to buy from Giant Cod a couple of times, without success.
I am surprised - I have placed quite a few orders with them, and every order has turned
up, 100% correct, and in double quick time.
If you want stuff, cheap as chips, know what you are ordering, and are prepared
to use the web-based ordering system - they have been top notch.
With regards stock levels, the web based traders usually state clearly what the
situation is, and sometimes can tell you when an out-of-stock item will be re-stocked !
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you want mollycoddling, or telephone help, and can afford to pay extra then by all
means use the shop based traders who turn up at the shows - BTW I use both them
and the web-only based traders - depending on what I am after.
Incidentally I placed an order, by phone with one of the regular UK suppliers (who don't like
answering emails, but who always turn up at shows) and despite leaving telephone messages
and eventually an email, completely failed to deliver my order - so it cuts both ways!
Richard
-
Every thing costs money. Yes its nice to be able to talk direct but that person costs money and may stop other work hes doing. E mails can be dealt with when time permits. So there are two sides to this. John.
-
Your right Bob, there after sales and customer service are/were appalling ... by my experience anyway.
To be fair, they said this up front.
They were a small bunch - most of their time was taken up importing model kit from China. They specifically said they were running a rock-bottom prices outfit, with NO separate time/cash allocated for customer support, providing replacements for items which failed in questionable circumstances, etc. They typically didn't even ship instructions with a lot of their kit - you were expected to know what you needed and order the right thing first time. Great if you had experience - not so good if you were a beginner. But they tried to make this clear...
-
Our boat club have been big believers in GiantCod and HobbyKing and we have fantastic service from both of them.
However, inexperienced club members are given a lot of help by the club when they first start buying from these companies, but buyers soon develop the skills necessary to use the Company's forums.
-
I thought Giant Cod was fantastic. Their business model relied quite heavily on the associated web forum. From there, you could receive all the support and advice you needed both from Cod himself and other customers.
It was a fantastic way of buying things.
-
It was a fantastic way of buying things.
But not of selling them by the look of it....
-
Also noticed that all the Radiolink RC stuff has disappeared off the website >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( <*< <*< <*<
Some of it's back on again now (available 22 May) - and the scrolling news says that more is coming. R/C Combos at £24.85 and spare Rxs at £8.74. That's slightly LOWER than the original prices, which were £25.65 and £9.02. The GCS prices seem to be swinging around quite a bit...
They also say that they are going to stock UK-made R/C accessories...
-
A lot of prices are changing at the moment.... The exchange rates seem to be a little unstable the past month or so
-
A lot of prices are changing at the moment.... The exchange rates seem to be a little unstable the past month or so
Just wait for Greece to go down... %% %%
-
Has anyone bought anything from giantshark recently?
How's the service?
http://www.giantshark.co.uk/index.php
-
Yes Martin I have just bought 2 brushless ESC's off them oredered on Monday arrived on thursday cant complain at that
Dave
-
I ordered a Frsky Futaba compatible 2.4 ghz Tx module and 8 channel Rx late last Thursday evening.....arrived Saturday morning...can't grumble at that !
-
I believe that they now default to 2nd class post, which has caused some people to complain about postage speed. The forum has a big argument about their '24-hour shipping' promise - GS say that means 'end of next day', even if that's more than 24 hours away....
And there are continuing complaints about lack of stock, and their limited returns policy - though those have always been issues for some people. Has anyone got any recent news about the rumored new HobbyKing warehouse near Ipswich?
-
HobbyKing UK has been running for about a week now, stock levels are gradually building up. The latest rumour I heard was that the German warehouse might be closing, and all stock moving to the UK setup.
Mark.
-
Hmm...yes. So it is. It doesn't seem to have much in, though, and the prices are still in dollars.... {:-{
-
Re prices in dollars .....
1) look at the bottom of the lefthand 'column' where it shows pappal and the visa symbols
2) change from USD to GBP in the little dropdown box
3) press the 'back' button on the web browser panel (top left of window)
4) press the refresh button on the web browser panel (top right of window) this is a clockwise 'rotating' arrow
Most of the prices will now be in Pounds - some of the special sales pages seem to be 'hard-coded' and remain in dollars
Richard
BTW - top left on the HobbyKing page there are three buttons GB EURO and GLOBAL - selecting one of these
will then only display items stocked in the relevant warehouse UK, Germany or (I think Hong Kong).
-
Thanks - I see they have now taken the price of a basic 2.4Ghz 4-channel combo down to £14.25 %% %% I hope we get that in the UK store when they get all their supplies in.
Hard to see how it could get much lower.....
-
Thanks - I see they have now taken the price of a basic 2.4Ghz 4-channel combo down to £14.25 %% %% I hope we get that in the UK store when they get all their supplies in.
Hard to see how it could get much lower.....
maybe 12.00 + 50.00 postage a la Ebay ?
-
maybe 12.00 + 50.00 postage a la Ebay ?
Don't think so - they have fairly standard postage...
-
I ordered a Frsky Futaba compatible 2.4 ghz Tx module and 8 channel Rx late last Thursday evening.....arrived Saturday morning...can't grumble at that !
But can grumble at the fact that the RX proved to be faulty and I was informed that if I cared to return the item, it would be checked out (at my expense by a workshop external to GS) and if found to be in working order there would be another surcharge levied and return postage.
never mind...the bins were emptied yesterday !
-
Don't think so - they have fairly standard postage...
Sorry DG you missed the point.... many dealers on Fleabay are advertising items at ridiculously low prices and then asking for equally ridiculous postage fees as a way of getting round the final seller's commission payable !
-
Sorry DG you missed the point.... many dealers on Fleabay are advertising items at ridiculously low prices and then asking for equally ridiculous postage fees as a way of getting round the final seller's commission payable !
I don't actually see the problem with that, you know the total cost before you buy, so make the choice, and i really can't blame them trying to up the percentage of what they get, ebay's fees are ridiculous.
-
Sorry DG you missed the point.... many dealers on Fleabay are advertising items at ridiculously low prices and then asking for equally ridiculous postage fees as a way of getting round the final seller's commission payable !
Indeed, that is a catch to look out for in a number of places. But my point was that you were suggesting that Hobby King might do it, and I don't think they do. For instance, if you wanted to buy that 2.4ghz Radio Combo I was talking about at £14.25, their website would charge you £7.45 to have it posted from Germany using Royal Mail Parcelforce.
That's not incredibly cheap, but it seems a reasonable enough cost. I don't know what it will be when we get the UK warehouse stocking them, but I expect it will be cheaper than that.....
-
But can grumble at the fact that the RX proved to be faulty and I was informed that if I cared to return the item, it would be checked out (at my expense by a workshop external to GS) and if found to be in working order there would be another surcharge levied and return postage.
Ahhh yes, the infamous GiantShark limited warranty. It's not worth the paper it isn't printed on, and they rely on people believing it and deciding the extra costs might not be worth it <*< <*<
Mark.
-
satire is dead ....long live satire
-
Ahhh yes, the infamous GiantShark limited warranty. It's not worth the paper it isn't printed on, and they rely on people believing it and deciding the extra costs might not be worth it <*< <*<
Mark.
Glad you think so too....as you said, many would just stump up and say nowt instead of cutting their losses and transferring their purchasing power elsewhere as I have done.
-
No business which is selling cheap foreign goods at very low margins and with no technical staff or back-up can offer a warranty worth the name. Who was it that said "Buy cheap, buy twice"?
Caveat emptor, gentlemen.
DM
-
I have just been checking post prices of Hobby King and Giant Shark.
Giant Shark prices start at £2.36 (second class cheapest), but a more credible up to 1Kg weight is £2.87 (going up to £5.84 for up to 2Kg, and £7.42 for up to 3Kg)
Hobby King seem to have a base £7.25 price for anything up to 3Kg. This applies to one micro servo, so I doubt that many people will be buying small items from HK.....
P.S. for reference, Royal Mail Packet charges for these price points (making some assumptions) are:
1kg - £3.50
2kg - £5.30
3kg - £8.80
-
No business which is selling cheap foreign goods at very low margins and with no technical staff or back-up can offer a warranty worth the name. Who was it that said "Buy cheap, buy twice"?
Caveat emptor, gentlemen.
DM
by the same token,buy expensive,..and it does,nt always do as it says on the tin,...£11.99 for 500ml paint remover,...crap,...£3.99 for 1lt,...have used less than 250ml....job done,
-
No business which is selling cheap foreign goods at very low margins and with no technical staff or back-up can offer a warranty worth the name. Who was it that said "Buy cheap, buy twice"?
Caveat emptor, gentlemen.
DM
Yeah Mr A, but the Frsky kit bought from GS wasn't exactly cheap, and after postage charges....even less so !
I have a contact in Singers who assures me that prices over there are running approx. 33% less than here, and when I lived in IL. we're talking about 50% !
What have the Penguin Pelican and HMR&C all have in common ?
Bill
-
No business which is selling cheap foreign goods at very low margins and with no technical staff or back-up can offer a warranty worth the name. Who was it that said "Buy cheap, buy twice"?
Caveat emptor, gentlemen.
DM
It doesn't excuse them from the SoGA or DSRs, which is what they're trying to wriggle out of :police:
-
It doesn't excuse them from the SoGA or DSRs, which is what they're trying to wriggle out of :police:
Too true, but aren't the SoGA or DSRs covered by the Human Rights Act too ? would be very surprised if they weren't !!
-
Sorry DG you missed the point.... many dealers on Fleabay are advertising items at ridiculously low prices and then asking for equally ridiculous postage fees as a way of getting round the final seller's commission payable !
Am I wrong in that fleabay and Faypal fees are calculated on the total cost amounts, which includes postage.
Indeed, the same seller on fleabay, will often have multiple listing of the same item, but with different costs and postage, but, always ending up with the same total cost.
-
Too true, but aren't the SoGA or DSRs covered by the Human Rights Act too ? would be very surprised if they weren't !!
Work it out for yourself cobber.....I decided to test this theory for myself and sold 2 identical items on Flea Bay in June 1 for 25 quid plus 2 quid postage and one for 10 quid plus 15 quid postage
you'll never guess what??? monthly ebay invoice came to Item 1 fee 2.5 quid
Item2 fee 1.0 quid
Needless to say, the 'buyer' was a co-conspirator !
-
Too true, but aren't the SoGA or DSRs covered by the Human Rights Act too ? would be very surprised if they weren't !!
I don't see why they would be as they come under consumer rights. I fail to see how coming under the HRA would affect them anyway??
Mark.
-
Yeah Mr A, but the Frsky kit bought from GS wasn't exactly cheap, and after postage charges....even less so !
What have the Penguin Pelican and HMR&C all have in common ?
As I said, let the buyer beware. You knew the price when you ordered the goods.
If you re-read what I said then you'll see that I'm offering no excuses at all for this company; if they fall foul of the various consumer laws then so be it. As for the Human Rights Act, it's an ill-assorted muddle of nebulous waffle conjured up by airheads in Brussels to placate the bleeding-heart liberals who pervade society. I spent a week on a training course about it and came out even more confused than when it started. However, one thing for sure is that it has nothing to do with these circumstances.
"HMRC are only doing their job"; my pleasure was to tell them what to do with that job six years ago. It's become a joke department run by imbeciles who can only count beans while they wait to be told what to cut next. Whose bright idea was it to pay a fifty quid "bounty" to folk who shop their friends and neighbours for paying cash to the plumber (or for being that plumber)? That's a surefire way to tie up what scant resources they do have on petty cases with no certainty that the allegations aren't just spite, revenge or envy.
Rule Britannia - Britannia waves the rules. God bless cricket, buttered crumpets and Bradley Wiggins!
Dave M
-
I don't see why they would be as they come under consumer rights. I fail to see how coming under the HRA would affect them anyway??
Mark.
Mark
Please see my post of 6.14 pm yesterday
-
As I said, let the buyer beware. You knew the price when you ordered the goods.
If you re-read what I said then you'll see that I'm offering no excuses at all for this company; if they fall foul of the various consumer laws then so be it. As for the Human Rights Act, it's an ill-assorted muddle of nebulous waffle conjured up by airheads in Brussels to placate the bleeding-heart liberals who pervade society. I spent a week on a training course about it and came out even more confused than when it started. However, one thing for sure is that it has nothing to do with these circumstances.
"HMRC are only doing their job"; my pleasure was to tell them what to do with that job six years ago. It's become a joke department run by imbeciles who can only count beans while they wait to be told what to cut next. Whose bright idea was it to pay a fifty quid "bounty" to folk who shop their friends and neighbours for paying cash to the plumber (or for being that plumber)? That's a surefire way to tie up what scant resources they do have on petty cases with no certainty that the allegations aren't just spite, revenge or envy.
Rule Britannia - Britannia waves the rules. God bless cricket, buttered crumpets and Bradley Wiggins!
Dave M
Pikelets where I was brung up !
-
Please see my post of 6.14 pm yesterday
Oops :embarrassed:
Pikelets where I was brung up !
Me too, where were you brung up??
Oatcake here :-)
-
Gentlemen. Please stay with the topic
ken
-
please sir..I didn't start it sir...it was action minor over there Sir !!
-
Gentlemen. Please stay with the topic
ken
Speaking as the person who started the topic, I would be grateful to know what it is, so that I can stay with it. :embarrassed: :embarrassed:
Given that we now have at least two very cheap internet model shops in this country (GS and HK), I think there is some mileage in discussing their respective merits and demerits. AFAICS:
- both provide rock-bottom price Chinese kit, with some items at practically unbeatable prices
- the 'unbeatable price' items are often of poor specification, but may be useful for a modeller who can take this into account
- both 'ship boxes', which frequently means poor quality control and poor or non-existent support
- both appear to have unreliable stocking practices
- both seem to have some issues with T&Cs - GS with its return policy, HK with its shipping prices
Any advance on this....?
-
Speaking as the person who started the topic, I would be grateful to know what it is, so that I can stay with it. :embarrassed: :embarrassed:
That's easy, its about the demise of giant cod fishing in UK O0 %) %)