I pre-ordered the Atlas CZ observation car from an online dealer. He told me seven weeks ago he had received it from Atlas and would ship it soon. Since then, complete silence as he hasn't answered my emails. (This guy doesn't answer his phone.)
What would you have done differently? Should I ever buy or pre-order from this store again?
Replies sorted oldest to newest
Send him another email to cancel your item then tell him to go pound sand and never deal with him again.
If you paid for it then that's a different story.
There is no reason for what he has done.
Cancel your order and contact Beth at Public Delivery Track,a Forum Sponsor,she may still have them,I have bought my whole set from her.
Mikey
I'm guessing he ran short and is embarrassed to admit it. I've ordered and pre-ordered stuff from him in the past with no issues
I'm with David and Mikey.
Cancel the order.
Find it somewhere else and cross this dealer off your list.
If you paid with a credit card, dispute the charge.
I wouldn't bother to let him know you will be taking your business elsewhere. IMHO, it would just come off as an empty threat. The dealer obviously doesn't care about your business.
Move on.
Time for a new dealer.
Bill T.
If you tried to contact the dealer via phone and email with no response and you paid by credit card, disputed the charges. It's a push of a button to do this on-line. I did this once and the credit card company called promptly and asked what I had done to resolve the situation. I told them and they said they would investigate. Within 24 hours the money was back in my account.
Leave the dealer and get a new dealer. Cancel your purchase.
I have had a lot of trouble with pre-orders, similar to your problem.
The solution don't make them.
From your story and documentation I would get another dealer. If they won't return phone calls be they lawyers, repairmen, or train dealers "Im out of there".
Douglas
I would cancel the order and find a new dealer...you have given him ample time to follow through with his end of the transaction.
Jeff Davis
The dealer's first email response to you is completely unacceptable. As a rule, I'd never do any future business with a seller who feels the need to explain that my "one-sy" transaction isn't important enough to him. His accounts payables to Atlas-O are not your problem.
Given that 7 weeks have now transpired since you're first email inquiry (and no further responses seem to be coming back your way), I'd say move on unless you're already out a significant amount of money with this dealer. Fortunately, there are still CZ observation cars (both 2-rail and 3-rail) in the market, so you're good on that front.
Best of luck!
David
Then it's a no-brainer. Send him an email indicating you've cancelled due to lack of his responding to your ongoing inquiries. Then move onward... and don't pre-order with him again.
Save all your email correspondence(s) in the event he has your cc info and finally gets around to charging your card and shipping this item 2 months from now!!! Then you'll have some info that will help if you ever need to challenge the credit card charge.
David
I'm guessing he ran short and is embarrassed to admit it. I've ordered and pre-ordered stuff from him in the past with no issues
With Lionel going to build to order, this is my biggest fear. Particularly with some items being in high demand after delivery when people find out what they missed out on. I think you should do more than just move on. Why do you hide the dealers name here? It would help us all here if we knew who this dealer is so we at least can be warned about their behavior. This dealer obviously does not care about their reputation why should you care?
If you havent paid him any money get on the search for your car before theyre all gone then find a new dealer. Nicholas Smith is always my first choice
I've had a very similar issue with 2 different Atlas dealers in the past month. I don't know how people expect to stay in business with type of service, but I won't put up with it. My business goes elsewhere....even if it cost a little more.
This is exactly what makes the pre-order a nightmare.
You pre-order it to assure yourself that you get the item when they're delivered because you know they will sell out quick. Now your dealer, for whatever reason, can't ship it to you for WEEKS after they came out, and other consumers have already taken delivery.
So what do we do? It's not always that easy to cancel the order and go get it somewhere else. Demand is high and supply is low.... that's why we pre-ordered it to begin with.
From what you wrote to them, to me it reads that you've already canceled.
I would not expect another response back.
Especially if this is your first dealing with them, I would go elsewhere.
If they cant ship 600 items in six weeks, and do follow ups, you don't want, or need them.
I can't tell who the supplier is, but I had an Atlas "dealer" go silent for a week only to come back and say he was busy in the garage sorting his shipment and could not take the time to answer. I did get my shipment though. These kind of dealers are what I refer to as hobby stores.
IMO, the dealers identity may be helpful for positive reasons.
In the past there have been circumstances where a dealer has had similar performance due to unknown serious health and family issues. Once the dealers name was posted character witnesses jumped on board, cooler thinking prevailed and patience yielded initial expectations.
I'm not saying that this is the case here but you do not know, until your know for sure what is happening.
In any case, never exceed your CC companies window of cancellation.
Thanks for all the responses, which were very uniform in the advice to just get one from another dealer, and move on. I have ordered from another dealer and so, done deal.
I emailed the dealer name to everyone on here that responded (that has an email address in their profile.)
The title says it all about this phenomenon...IF you added the word, "cancellations".
Bear in mind it is feast or famine for these dealers with erratic MFGs delivery of product they may have very little selling and shipping activity until a truck load delivery shows up, at this point they have to package and ship a lot of orders in a reasonable time frame[maybe they add extra help at these times maybe not] there first priority is to orders they can charge to on file credit cards, today if you reserve with no money[credit card on file] up front you are relying on the integrity of that dealer and as we all know anything can happen to upset the flow of that process. If a dealer does not send out a pickup notice in more than a month and you are unable to reach him it is time to move on as many have already pointed out.JMO
I would e-mail him with a cancellation. Then, I would call Atlas and talk to them about this dealer. You tell them exactly what's going on. Also, send Atlas a copy of your cancellation.
Since there was no exchange of money... I guess a contract was not formed
Offer / Acceptance / Consideration($)
A polite email stating: thanks for taking my order, but because you haven't communicated etc, I will have to find the product elsewhere??
Thanks etc.
At least your letting the person know that they dropped the ball, and you were polite about it. Or maybe say.... Please respond either way by X date or cancel my reservation?
Just some ideas
Ben
Good, then you can cancel and go to the next guy. Several recommendations of sources have been given.
A similar situation caused me to give up on preordering.
Yeah there isn't even a question as to what should be done here. Send an email telling them you Cancel your order. If they already have your CC information then even if they charge it you just dispute the charge and you're done! This is a no brainer. I'm with the other guys saying don't give this seller another chance as they have shown how they do business.
Cancel your order. Just for the future reference of all of us, what dealer was this?
You should specifically state, "With this communication, I am cancelling my......."
Send by e-mail with confirmation of delivery and reading.
And, then move on.
Martin,
Hope this all works out well for you!
Those Atlas CZ cars are lovely.
Best,
Jason
As other have said if you didn't pay him, find a new dealer and move on.
Martin H,
The reason I suggested you notify Atlas is you may find out that your dealer is on credit hold. That means he owes them money, and they are not going to send him anymore product until he gets caught up with his bills.
Hi Martin,
You have mail !!! Check your inbox 
Best,
Dave
Martin, I had a similar situation beginning two months before York. Promises, promises. Saw them at York. "We will get it to you immediately."
Two weeks later, nothing so called the guy who promised. Called back. We will refund your money (had been paid in full for three months).
Finally got a check.
Would appreciate an e-mail from you with the name. I have a special entry beside the folks that we dealt with... Never again.
Glad that you found what you wanted elsewhere.
"Ever buy...pre-order from this store again?"
Surely you jest.
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