Lester Racing still in business?

[pinebro]

Has anybody ordered anything from Lester Racing lately? Looking at his profile Andy hasn't logged on in a while, but his web page is still active. I ask because I haven't heard anything from him in about six weeks now since my order (as a base for a video-truck "news" car similar to what others have made on DerbyTalk!), despite e-mails and phone calls asking for an ETA, let alone an order....I've heard absoutely NOTHING in response - but my credit card got hit the very day I ordered! (Nice...)

I must admit, the same thing happened last fall...I know, I know, "happens twice, shame on me" but I took it as a one-time thing and given the explanation Andy mentioned at the time I thought I'd give Andy the benefit of the doubt. Andy seems like a nice enough guy but taking the $ and falling off the face of the earth just isn't right.

[FatSebastian]

I must admit, the same thing happened last fall...I know, I know, "happens twice, shame on me"...

I ordered some car bodies last fall and it also took an abnormally long time for product to arrive. Nothing ordered lately though...
Andy also participates on other boards and some vendors sell his bodies too, should you want ask around.

[pinebro]

FS, thank you for posting...I wasn't sure if I was the only one affected. I thought last fall was a special deal at Andy's work, which is why I gave him the benefit of the doubt. (My bad, apparently, I feel like an idiot but at least I can use the "paper bag smiley". )

Hopefully the main benefit of this will help keep others from losing their money by ordering anything from Lester Racing until things are straightened out. Given our shared experiences demonstrate a business behavior pattern and not an isolated one-time incident, personally I would definitely hold off ordering anything from Lester Racing until there are clear changes in business practices*.

I did check out Andy's partner sites, they don't sell the specific type I ordered, or they bundle it with a tungsten weight for a lot more money...plus I kept up the thinking my original order would show up...but you're right, perhaps this is the only true option and using the Dremel is always fun!

(* - What changes, specifically? Personally, given the weeks of delays without communication that I have experienced, I would like to see "billing at order shipment" rather than when the order is received, and proactive communication regarding general expectations on when an order shuld be expected to be received (ie 7-10 days?) on the website or via e-mail, and e-mail updates if there are any delays with an order. I'm not talking about sophisticated systems...just e-mails.)

[Nitro Dan]

If it comes to a point that you are no longer willing to deal with the vendor, you can always go to your credit card company and explain that you haven't recieved the merchandise for which the vendor billed you. The credit card company can then reverse the charge from your credit card bill.

-Nitro Dan

[FatSebastian]

I did check out Andy's partner sites, they don't sell the specific type I ordered, or they bundle it with a tungsten weight for a lot more money...

If nothing else, business partners might be most familiar with the current business status of Lester Racing.

Hopefully the main benefit of this will help keep others from losing their money by ordering anything from Lester Racing until things are straightened out.

I suspect it is hard to turn PWD into a profitable venture and I admire those (like gpraceman, MaxV, and others) who do so successfully. It would not surprise me if many PWD vendors have other employment and responsibilities that require them to run their small PWD businesses like a hobby. Of course everyone at some point will experience a personal emergency that prevents them from acting as responsibly as they would like.

...you can always go to your credit card company...

Good advice in general from Nitro.

[pinebro]

FS and Dan, all good and valid points, but it's still no excuse for zero response, zero communication...zero "anything" since hitting my credit card on order day six weeks ago.

All I've been asking for an ETA and can't even get that from Andy...a simple "sorry, need a couple of weeks, should have it shipped by June 1/June 15/etc." would do. I can't get even that.

Agreed thuogh, it makes me appreciate people like Max V, Randy, etc. even more.

[gpraceman]

If it comes to a point that you are no longer willing to deal with the vendor, you can always go to your credit card company and explain that you haven't recieved the merchandise for which the vendor billed you. The credit card company can then reverse the charge from your credit card bill.

If paid by PayPal, there is only a 45 day window to make a dispute (found that out the hard way). For a regular credit card transaction, I think it is 60 days. Not sure if pinebro is already past the applicable window or not.

[FatSebastian]

it's still no excuse for zero response, zero communication...zero "anything" since hitting my credit card on order day six weeks ago.

I understand your frustration and I apologize if the point of my commentary was unclear. I am not condoning amateurish business practice or suggesting that it be tolerated. Rather, if an operation is so small that the attention of its sole proprietor is a single failure point, and that person ends up, say, unconscious in a hospital bed, then neither the customer nor proprietor has much recourse. Professional partners / resellers might know the mitigating circumstances here, if any.

Regardless, if it's been six weeks you may be wise to act on Nitro's advice sooner rather than later, as credit-card companies usually impose a time limit after which you can protest a charge. Usually a reverted charge on a credit account will get a vendor's attention faster than anything.

UPDATE: I see gpraceman affirms the point about time limits with precise values. Thanks!

[pinebro]

GUYS - THANK YOU for the prompt and the insights about the PayPal time restriction! Just under the wire by a day or two, depending on how you count the days - and just hung up the phone after talking w/the credit card folks a couple of minutes ago to contest the charges...the process has started and it's more of a surprising relief than I thought it would be.

FatSebastian, Nitro Dan and Randy...you totally rock and definitely appreciate your help...DerbyTalk to the rescue! (again!)

[jthawley]

Just an FYI, I order several bodies from Lester over six weeks ago. I paid via PayPal. I sent two emails, left a voice mail and sent email through PayPal. Ultimately I opened a Resolution case with PayPal. Last week I escalated the complaint to have PayPal step in.

The only advice I can offer is DON'T ORDER.

I did get a Lester body from Derby Monkey... Not sure I really like the laser cut.

Definitely liked doing business with Derby Monkey, though!

JT

[gpraceman]

I am sorry to hear about some people having problems ordering from Andy. I'm not sure what's up. Whatever it is, I hope he can resolve the problem before PayPal freezes his account due to complaints.

[pinebro]

Randy, good point and good advice!

I don't want anyone's business to suffer, especially Derby-related and in this economic climate, and over the summer I kept looking for something (anything?) to indicate people ordering from Lester Racing would receive their orders, with feedback, etc...but given the problems multiple people are having in this thread/discussion, and no outward indication I can see that anything has changed at Lester Racing to resolve these issues, I hate to state the obvious but it looks like jt's advice of "don't order" is still sound advice, at least for now.

gpraceman, thanks very much again for your advice about the Paypal dispute window...I just made it under the wire and the Lester charges have been taken off my bill (and stayed off).

[psycaz]

If you are still looking for laser cut bodies, DerbyEvolution has them on his site. Just add the dot com at the end.

Glad you were able to get things squared away for you.

[rpcarpe]

My recent dealings with Derby Evolution were very favorable. Has anyone heard if [no advertising for this vendor] is still in business? Website looks defunct.

[pinebro]

From what I can tell things haven't changed with respect to Lester Racing... I was hoping for some news to the contrary but without new (good) news and from hearing from others on this topic/thread that tells me my experience wasn't a "fluke" (sorry, couldn't resist), perhaps staying away from direct ordering from Lester Racing is still a good idea at this point.

Don't get me wrong, the innovation and ideas are terrific - but this doesn't help much if your CC is charged but you never receive your order (even worse, without any explanation).

I was able to cancel my order with the credit card folks in time - no harm no foul in my book, but in case others might be considering the Lester Racing route.......please take a moment to review this thread and caveat emptor!