#41
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I've visited Apogee and talked to Tim firsthand. He was a gracious host and took the time to talk to us (my wife and daughter as well). He is very technically minded, and sometimes folks that are technically minded aren't the best at social interaction... I know I'm not, and that comes across sometimes. I think maybe that is part of the issue-- Tim says things in his writings that don't come across well, or maybe he doesn't realize how they come across when others read it. Or, maybe he does and just doesn't care-- lay all the cards on the table and take it or leave it. I don't know which. But he HAS said things that made my shake my head and cringe when I read it, on SEVERAL occasions... I read that comment about "looking for the best price" you mentioned-- that jogged my memory. I think that might have been in the same article about people being "freeloaders" for reading POF newsletter or watching his "how to" vids (which are great advertising for his products, BTW, so not ENTIRELY done with no expectation of reward) without buying stuff from him, even if his price IS higher. Yeah, he has the right to charge whatever he wants, run his business by whatever methods or ideas that he wants, have whatever attitude he wants... but then customers have the right to choose to support him and buy from him or not. For most folks, the lowest price IS a BIG determinant of who they buy from-- probably not the SOLE determinant, but a BIG consideration... Tim DOES have VERY GOOD customer service, and that costs, so yes that will be reflected in his prices. There's plenty of other vendors who ALSO have VERY GOOD customer service, and who will BEAT his prices... and I'm sure they get a lot of business as a result. That's American, that's free enterprise. If folks want to pay more to Tim for whatever perceived reason, and feel like they should support his efforts with respect to the newsletter and videos by paying more, more power to them. For those for whom the lower price is more important, MORE POWER TO THEM TOO... These vendor discussions always get interesting, because INEVITABLY *anytime* a particular vendor is mentioned, doesn't really matter who the vendor is, whenever someone posts *anything* they don't like or disagree with, they will INSTANTLY "rush to their defense" despite the fact that other people are relaying experiences they've had THEMSELVES with said vendor, or quoting writings or actions from the vendor themselves. Oh well, human nature. Didn't intend for this discussion to get derailed onto Apogee... Like I said, Tim and Apogee are good vendors... I'd rank them probably SECOND behind SEMROC. But, they're not as "perfect" as they tell everybody they are... Where Semroc didn't toot their own horn, they just "got it done and done right". I'm not trying to impugn Apogee or Tim, just saying that my experience with them hasn't been as "stellar" as they commonly tout, and their attitude toward *SOME* customers is NOT what I think it should be... but that's an individual opinion or call... Don't expect everybody to agree; but saying *I* am incorrect for thinking that is just communistic tripe. Anyway, back on topic-- Red Arrow had terrific prices, but WELL KNOWN problems with their order filling, shipping, and communication parts of their business. It's a shame, because they had a good selection and GREAT prices, and if you ordered what he had in stock, you were golden. If you ordered something he didn't have, you got it at some point after he got it, and if that was a few months later, oh well. He didn't trouble himself (and said as much) to communicate that your order had items on backorder or not currently in stock, but if you made some attempts he would usually work it out, again, most likely in a lackadaisical manner. I was very sad to see that SO MANY folks were saying that they were getting outright STIFFED with the orders not being filled and not getting refunds either... that to me is IMHO totally unacceptable... Similar to how unacceptable it was when Sheri's Hot Rockets was doing the same sort of thing... Later! OL J R
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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round! |
#42
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I try to be a frugal as possible when purchasing my rocketry items. Last year when I wanted a JL Chute Release I got it from Amazon because it was the best price at the time and I have Prime, so free 2 Day shipping. Recently I wanted an Alt 3 as well. I could have gone to Amazon again, but Andy at ASP had it for the same price and free shipping and I went with ASP. Amazon and ASP have great customer service in my experiences, but ASP is much smaller that Amazon. I will always support a rocket vendor that has solid customer support.
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One big pitfall when you run a one person shop. Everything depends on your health, physical and financial. There are other reasons, but those two are often out of your control. If the business depends entirely on you then it is only do as well as you are doing.
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Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati |
#43
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I have to agree. SEMROC set the standard but Apogee comes in a pretty close 2nd. Never had an inkling of an issue with either company.
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Buzz McD. Avid rocketeer since 1967. NAR 13559 / L2 |
#44
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Yes, that can be true... and even having a family run business doesn't guarantee that things can continue once problems start befalling folks... just look at Semroc... BUT, here's the critical difference... Semroc didn't keep accepting orders and kept their problems secret until they decided to "cash out and run" or just let everything go down the tubes, keep what money had come in, and leave folks who'd paid to go hang out to dry... They said they were gonna have to shut down, took orders and filled them with what they had to sell off as much as possible, and then EXITED GRACEFULLY and with class as an upstanding outfit. Red Arrow and Sheri's Hot Rockets before that didn't do that-- Sure the owners had problems-- Dave has legal and maybe health problems, Sheri went through a nasty divorce and moved to Hawaii (which takes a bucket of cash methinks-- NOTHING in Hawaii is cheap to my knowledge). BOTH kept accepting orders which they had neither the material or willingness to either fill or refund; they just kept taking the money and anything they DID send was an afterthought, til finally they just closed up and disappeared "overnight" with no real warning. It's not unheard of... After waiting for decades we FINALLY got an Arby's restaurant in Richmond (next town over) and they did okay for about a year, but they were having some troubles (as most new startups do) and the staff went home on Sunday night and came back Monday morning to find the place locked up tight and the previous day's cash receipts gone... the "owner" had taken the money and split town, left the store high and dry with over $100,000 in back food bills to the parent company, from what I heard, and owing the employees as well. Just took off with the money and that was that. Needless to say the store sat empty for over a year and then finally was bought out by someone else and turned into some sort of 50's diner type place. It's EXACTLY the same kind of thievery that the SCUMBAGS who ran "Launch" magazine did... they accepted paid subscriptions virtually til the day they just up and quit, issued a 'we regret to inform you' statement, and took off with the money-- no refunds, to attempts WHATSOEVER to "make it right", just cut and run like the d@mn thieves that they are... Later! OL J R
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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round! |
#45
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SCUMBAGS is the exact descriptor I as well would use for the "proprietors" (more like perpetrators) of SHR and Launch Magazine.
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When in doubt, WHACK the GAS and DITCH the brake !!! Yes, there is such a thing as NORMAL, if you have to ask what is "NORMAL" , you probably aren't ! Failure may not be an OPTION, but it is ALWAYS a POSSIBILITY. ALL systems are GO for MAYHEM, CHAOS, and HAVOC ! |
#46
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#47
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Sorry for the drive by...
I dealt with RAH many times long ago. Dave was okay. But he was spotty. Great this order... then "what order?" the next. Always pretty good prices. And of course we were on COMPLETE opposite sides of politics (his FB posts). I have had NOTHING but FANTASTIC experiences with Apogee Components. I find this true of all mom-and-pop vendors. They take real people's money, then can't deliver because real life gets in the way. I understand that, but under capitalized businesses should not start up in the first place. IOW, you should not NEED my money to ship my order. And that is, unfortunately the way most places run in rocketry. They can not afford to absorb a net 30 days type model. And they are not doing it for a living. TVM AFAIK is doing it for a living. And with an audience of maybe 5 to 10k people, that is hard.
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[SIZE=3]Jeff Gortatowsky Redondo Beach, California, USA NAR 70988 Kim's Rocketeer. God I miss you honey! |
#48
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Does anyone else have the experience that the longer the post, the less likely they are to read it? In any case, Apogee Rockets has always provided me with excellent customer service, even with my meager few orders. Dave/RAH, hope he's able to get back on track - Many, many years ago, he did provide good service.
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Paul If we weren't all crazy, we would go insane - Jimmy Buffett NAR #87246 www.wooshrocketry.org |
#49
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Especially when the poster is trying to walk back their comments.
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-Wolfram v. Kiparski NAR 28643 - TRA 15520 MTMA Section #606 President |
#50
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I'm not walking back anything. I don't retract telling the truth. Later! OL J R Short enough for ya?? LOL
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The X-87B Cruise Basselope-- THE Ultimate Weapon in the arsenal of Homeland Security and only $52 million per round! Last edited by Ltvscout : 02-13-2017 at 06:31 AM. |
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