There was no preorder system on their website for the 1/48 Stargate Atlantis Puddle Jumper Resin Kit, yet this dealer claimed that there was a demand for 22 preorders and 11 orders when this kit was finally released on 5/8/09 and I purchased it then (more than 2 months past their projected release date.) They used a Google checkout system, and I had to register in order to purchase the item. "Mike Tait" had to be prompted on 5/17 to see if it had been shipped, and he claimed that it had already been shipped out on 5/15, but both Google and the USPS confirmed that it was not shipped until 5/20. When it did arrive it was packed reasonably well, but the body and 4 other detail pieces had fairly large bubbles. Mike claimed that he was a new "one-man-operation", and that his wife helped to pack the orders and she couldn't quality check the castings. However, I have always believed that the 'Caster' is responsible for checking their own work, so Mike won no points from me by blaming the unpaid help. I sent detailed photos of the defective parts that showed the problems I felt needed replacing, and I was promised replacement parts would be shipped out to me on 6/10. Nothing ever arrived, and all of my email inquiries have never been answered. Partway through this transaction the company inexplicably changed names from "Model Realms" to "Studio Scale Modeler", and while his original website is still "Model Realms" listed here: modelrealms.com
but now Google lists the seller's website as: studioscalemodeler.com which does not list the 1/48 Puddle Jumper nor any other kit listed on the Model Realms website. Mike also omitted credits for Alfred's work on his website as well.
This is unacceptable customer service for an $89.99 USD + $10.00 USD P&H kit. I did warn Mike that I would base my online review of his product on the current situation and not upon a satisfactory transaction. I have also left poor feedback for this seller with Google Checkout. I have little sympathy for even one-man operations if they outright lie, send poor product without quality checking them, ignore my emails, and make promises that they don't keep. In short, I cannot recommend this company to deal with until they get their act together. There are far better resources available to spend money with instead of those too callous to take care of their customers.
The original kit was designed by Alfred Wong, and was well done. If it was available directly from him I would gladly get another of these 1/48 Stargate Atlantis Puddle jumpers. Here is his webpage for the item:
link Without the more complete photos there I would have had a much harder time figuring out where all of the pieces fit together since the kit did not include any instructions not reference material.
'Drew
Studio Bergstrom
studiobergstrom.com
goes back to the year 2000!
