Hi there!
I would like to submit you some remarks about Customer service from kit manufacturers and hear about your experience. Just because I am rigth now very upset (at least) with Fonderie Miniature for their support. I bougth in last five moths two kits: a 1/48 Vatour with some resin parts damaged beyond repair and a new F11F-1 Tiger with faulty resin parts in the box: the main undercarriage wells resin parts are not left and rigth as should be, but both of them are left parts!! As you would understand, apart that these kits are quite difficult in assembly and finishing, and not cheap too, it's extremely disappointing that one could never end them because some important parts are missing. I have been mailing them to the mail address in their site since half of July, they read the message (I received read confirmation message) BUT IN TWO MONTHS NO ANSWER!! It's really incredible that such a Company, well known among modellers, does not take care of such a serious issue :at least it reveals a poor quality control that should be an alarm bell for the company. Has anybody any other idea of how to contact them? I tried to send them a fax at the fax number on the site, but no answer.
Ok, after this long and angry explanation, I report my experience with other manufacturers and on-line retailers
1)Eduard-Gavia: I had a broken cockpit part in the 1/48 Lysander, I mailed them to the support link in Eduard site and in 10 days I received at home free of charge a replacement part by post (I forgot to mention I live in Italy). very good2)Classic Airframes: some missing resin parts in Defiant 1/48 kit: received new parts in 1 week free of charge (and a mail from Jules Bringuer -da Boss-)-- outstanding!!
3)Luckymodel.com: on a 1/48 Tamiya Skyraider a sprue was missing: they just resend me a complete new kit free of charge-- thanks to Ms.Silvia Lo from this retailer4)Hobbyshop.cz: some missing parts from an Eduard Mirage III and a Petlyakov Pe-2: received replacement parts in 2-3 weeks
5)Greatmodels.com: a decals sheet mssing_ received by post in 3 weeks.Generally speaking I would say that support is not bad from retailers and from some high professional small Companies. What do you think about?
Good night
George