Problems shopping with SOGA

[citrico]

Hello all

I don´t post frequently on the forum but i check it every day. I think it is a great way for knowing the experiences of other fellow modelers, no matter where in the world they are. It allows an important feedback for the development of our hobby.

I wasn´t sure at the beginning of posting this, but then i thought it could be useful for others. I´ll try to make the story as short as possible.

Last year i ordered a figure form Soga Miniatures (owned by Dmitri Baev, from Russia). Nothing to say, fair price, cheap and fast shipping (almost 3 weeks to Chile).

Based on the previous good experience i bought another item from them on March 23th (Brunnhilde from Alexandros), and then another on April 5th (Odin from Historic Art).

As the order dindn´t arrive, i sent Dmitri an email asking for the tracking number of the figures (specially the first) on April 28th. Next day he answers he just sent the first order that exact day (more than a month after payment), as the figure was not in stock. About Odin, the figure wasn´t in stock either and by that date (and until today) aparently the restock from Historic Art never arrived, as Dmitri Baev said.

That day i understood almost all of the figures being offered on that website as "in stock" aren´t really on their warehouse.

I think any delay on the shipping can be dicussed and be perfectly understood, but if i don´t ask for my items via email, Mr Baev could have made me wait until today without a single explanation. That made very upset and i told that to him. He never awared me about how much this could take but, of course, the payment was taken as soon as i made the order.

I asked to cancel the second order and to refund me but he convinced me that the restock would arrive a couple days after. That never happened an he blamed Historic Art for the delay. For that reason last week i gave him a kind of ultimatum: if he wasn´t able to send the item during this week then i wanted a total refund, which he agreed. As nothing seemed to happen, i thought i could do something useful for both of us: send me another figure from your catalog, which he also agreed.

I sent a list of more or less 8 different figures from different brands for knowing which of them were really in stock. Except one, none of them were stocked. Then he sent me the "real" in stock list (figures in he´s warehouse) mainly with Pegaso and a couple of other brands (not so many). I choose Kavas Bashi from Pegaso, for a fair price of 48,21USD plus 10USD shipping (58, 21). After all the patience invested i asked for a special price and Dmitri told me he´ll apply a discount over the total price and refund me the difference with Odin figure (for which i paid 75USD includding shipping).

And well, the rest is simple maths: 75USD - 58,21USD = 16,79USD... but he refunded me 16USD...well, no discount, no big deal but why he keeps lying??... i went to the website and since today Kavas Bashi costs 57USD (very clever!), there was the discount.

I don´t want to be misunderstood, this is not about money, this is about a bad behavior from the owner of a website (it can barely be called an online shop) with terrible customer support. He never asumed his responsibility of not telling me opportunely what was happening with my order (until i asked for it more than a month after) and for not telling the truth offering items he don´t has in stock (but charging for them when you make the order). He always seemed to blame Historic Art for all.

Thanks for your patience.

Andrés Fonseca Wilder

 

[Figurenfreund66]

Thank you for this information because I probably will not buy better at Soga.
Too bad they have very nice things to offer.

Yes we can to make his business even broken.

Cheers

Hendryk

 

[housecarl]

I've ordered from them a couple of times, never had any trouble.
Carl.

 

[pmfs]

I bought from Soga 3 times and everything ok
Strange behaviour???? something happened for sure? not normal in my experience with Soga miniatures, AND was very good to hear an opposing view from Soga here in this topic...
P.S I would not be willing to change an order because of someone mistake´s. Ask for a full refund IMMEDIATELY. THERE ARE OTHER STORES WITH THE FIGURES THAT YOU WANT.
Pedro

 

[citrico]

hi guys!

As i said before, the first time it was ok, last year. and why i didn´t insist asking for refund?...well just tried to be patient

 

[Zastrow.cuirassier]

I ordered few figures from SOGA, but only Russian product.
I was always happy with my orders, so i recommend this seller but for Russian products for others the best way is :
For European products, i order them from several distributors (El Greco, sk miniatures, Casa Della Maket, Sarmakanda, Best Soldiers, Firefly, exter ...)or directly from the brand.
For US products, directly from the brand or Colorado miniatures, Michtoy, but for great services, choice i highly recommend the red Lancer, one of the best on the US market.
For ASIA, miniature Park or HLJ.
For Australia i order from Firestorm or ozmod.
I forgot some distributors, but those i named are serious, with very good communications.
I know it's complicate, but it's the best way to get what you want.
Hope i help somes guys.
Z.C

 

[roadking]

I have also ordered figures from Soga without any problems or delays. As with others, my purchases have all been Russian products. I can recommend this vendor for products you can only get from Russia. Anything Western European I would tend to purchase elsewhere.

Jim

 

[citrico]

I learnt that after all. Actually i ordered directly from Historic Art and always kept in touch with his owner via facebook. Great service and very fast shipping.

About Soga, i think the language made things a little more difficult too. Anyway, of all the story, the most important for me is why he didn´t made himself responsible for telling me that the item you bought isn´t in stock, instead of keep me waiting more than a month without knowing what happens. An email is not difficult to send and very cheap!!, but that little detail can turn a simple seller into a real great one.

 

[Ferris]

Indeed very frustrating to find out about about slow progress late.
Just to balance the news in the thread I would like to mention that I have ordered from Soga multiple times and have always received my figures in good order, both of Russian and European make, albeit sometimes after considerable time (about 5 weeks). I just want to state that Soga seems a bona fide supplier to me.
I like it for its wide range on offer and often very good prices.
It would be nice if what is in store would be shipped first, and the rest in a separate shipment when it is available. Historex does this, and I like it.

Cheers,
Adrian