"Gajo Minis: Disappointed" Topic

I needed some more 15mm Germans and Americans for ym WW2 skirmish forces. I wanted them quick and remembered GAJO has them painted and ready to go for Flames of War.

So I checked the site and dropped them an email about basing. in the photos they are based but when you buy them they are not. Perfect! I am mounting them individually anyway (they send the FoW bases but you have to DIY).

Service was speedy and my minis were in my hands in a week, maybe less, after the email exchange.

The figures were simply painted: black prime, block colors, no highlights. Just like in the pictures, just as you'd expect for the price. But (you knew there was a big BUT coming didn't you)….

Once they were painted all the figures were put loose into a zip baggy. The figures were free to rub and bounce against each other in the shop and in the mail. as a result I have a significant amount of shipping to touch up.

I contacted GAJO and they indicated wrapping each figure was cost prohibitive. They sent me the colors used for each item so I could match the paint.

I have decided to keep them and just touch up the most glaring chips.

But it means I will not be a repeat customer for GAJO instead looking for other sources for the next couple companies of infantry I need…

Wrapping them in newspaper or even toilet paper would have been near effortless. Thanks for the heads up!

Shakes head….

As someone so anal about even bending bayonets on unpainted figures, I even try to arrange them in the zip locks so they don't get bent.

Yeah it takes extra time, but repeat customers are a businesses lifeblood.

I had the same problem at Historicon. I bought a SYW French cavalry unit (three different packs to make one 8 figure unit), which looked great on their display stand. They already charge a high price for their painting, then they toss the figures in the same bag! Every cavalry figure and horse needed to be touched up. I will NEVER buy from them again.

Eric Burgess

Shame George isn't still there – He cared more about the figures it seems

Very odd. I have sold figures to GaJo many times, and they are insistent on puffed rice packing to insure that figures arrive to them safely. I'm surprised they are not as careful when selling.

looking for other sources for the next couple companies of infantry

Check out Fernando Enterprises. They just did a Napoleonic French army for me and the results were good. I only had two broken bayonets on the return trip.

Wow. That is unacceptable by any standards.

I use lots of painters, including Fernando. But WW2 is not a period you love for the uniforms (well, I don't anyway). Gray, brown or green. You can practically paint them with spray.

What I liked about the GAJO set up was you could want a platoon for your game in 2 wee4ks and have it in time. Painters you have to order the figures, then send them to your painter, then wait for them to get done and shipped back to you.

But I guess that's what I'll do from now on…

And just to be clear. Had they arrived in fine shape I'd currently be planning more purchases…

Were these painted on demand or used figures? Maybe the quality control in the paint on demand department has some room for improvement.

With GAJO, the "New" figures and the "Used" figures are from different parts of the business in different buildings. The used items have always come in the famous puffed rice packaging. (I recently purchased a batch of WWII UK Paras and that is how they were packed.)

These were new FoW figures. AFAIK they paint them up and put them in inventory. They were unbased (but included the FoW bases separately). I ordered off this page:

link

That packaging is inexcusable and just screams "I don't care".
I spend about $1 USDk per month this year on painting services as I try to clean up projects. None of it will be with them.

This is how they ship-throw in a sandwich bag and that is it. Just a bit baffling for painted models to say the least.

"I contacted GAJO and they indicated wrapping each figure was cost prohibitive."

Thanks for posting this. They will never get any business from me.

Good to know. Probably won't be ordering any new figs from them. There were a few tempting items in the used section though, and as those are reportedly packed well I might consider it.

I wasn't aware of Gajo. Learn something new every day.

So customer satisfaction is "cost prohibitive". This is a great concept for killing your business.

What a shame. I used to hear only good things about GAJO. How times have changed.

Most unfortunate, Gajo had a good reputation. I've looked at their figs on occasion but not bought any, guess I won't now.

Same here. I purchased some AWI supposed Royal Artillerymen and guns to round out a battery. Not only did they all come together in one ziploc bag, but not accurately painted. Usable as Americans, but not Royal Artillery(both figure uniforms and colors of the guns.

I was also a one time Gajo customer for the same reason.

Individual wrapping is time consuming, but essential, i am amazed they would throw them all in a zip lock bag together, I wrap everything individually.

I ordered some 25mm AWI about two months ago and they came packaged in individual zip lock bags, so no problems. Maybe this is a recent change in their packaging. I've always had good service from them.

I had the same issue with Gajo. A regular customer for at least 10 years. My last two purchases had lots of chipped figures. On the first batch, they were apologetic and allowed me to return the figures but the replacement figs had the same issue.

Cost prohibited? Really ? Seems more like lazy IMHO. Nice to know.