Problem with Conrad Online store (take care)......

[oal331 0]

Hi i had a very bad experience, when i tryed to buy some switches for my FMC from Conrad's Online Shop.After i passed all the steps and completed my order (giving all my Visa's numbers), i received after some hours an email with the notice that my order canceled, because it was below 50 euros and i had two options a)to pay 21,5 euros for shiping, or 2) to increase the order over 50 euros.I asked them: if i was making an order over 50 euros, the shipping was free of charge??I received another email saying that: no, it's not free shipping, even the order is over 50 euros and they can not accept payment via CREDIT Card (!!!!!!!!) for the first orders (!!!!!!?????).So they was asking money transfer in advance (extra cost for transfer money via banks), order more that 50 euros and finally 21,50 euros for shipping from Germany to Greece (inside EU)*:-*Imagine that today the one-way ticket with an airline, is costing about 60-70 euros and i have to pay them almost the 1/3 of this price for 69 switches !!!!!So all the online stores are working in this way? They don't accept visa cards, they keep hiden the minimum order value and they asking the 1/3 of a regular ticket for shipping??? So, i'm sending this here to this forum for let you now about it, just i case you need to buy something from ConradSecond i'm asking from you if there is another online store, where i can find the specific switches i need. These switches i found in Nico Kaan's PIC767 webpage here : http://home.planet.nl/~nwkaan/pedestal.htmI think they are a good solution for a home-made FMC, right?I searched the know online stores, but they don't have these switches.Any other idea?ThanksEddie ArmaosAthens - Greece

[Guest mbessler]

Hi Eddie,>i had a very bad experience, when i tryed to buy some switches>for my FMC from Conrad's Online Shop.Conrad is often called "the pharmacy" :) of electronics since their prices are often 200% of what others charge.But they have a bigger selection of stuff.Conrad seems to be going downhill, most hobbyists go other places if at all possible. Their electronics component selection is shrinking from what I've heard.>After i passed all the steps and completed my order (giving>all my Visa's numbers), i received after some hours an email>with the notice that my order canceled, because it was below>50 euros and i had two options a)to pay 21,5 euros for>shiping, or 2) to increase the order over 50 euros.>>I asked them: if i was making an order over 50 euros, the>shipping was free of charge??Free shipping is AFAIR only included with orders > 200EUR or something like that.50EUR is probably the minimum order value for internat. orders.>I received another email saying that: no, it's not free>shipping, even the order is over 50 euros and they can not>accept payment via CREDIT Card (!!!!!!!!) for the first orders>(!!!!!!?????).Thats normal practice that with the first order, they want to make sure they get their money.>So they was asking >money transfer in advance (extra cost for transfer money via>banks), order more that 50 euros >and finally 21,50 euros for shipping from Germany to Greece>(inside EU)*:-*Well, within the EU, money tranfers shouldn't be expensive (or maybe even cost anything at all).>Imagine that today the one-way ticket with an airline, is>costing about 60-70 euros and i have to pay them almost the>1/3 of this price for 69 switches !!!!!>So all the online stores are working in this way? They don't>accept visa cards, they keep hiden the minimum order value and>they asking the 1/3 of a regular ticket for shipping??? >>>So, i'm sending this here to this forum for let you now about>it, just i case you need to buy something from ConradI rarely do these days :)And since they have a store about 20km from where I work, I head over there if I REALLY need something.>Second i'm asking from you if there is another online store,>where i can find the specific switches i need. These switches>i found in Nico Kaan's PIC767 webpage here :>http://home.planet.nl/~nwkaan/pedestal.htm>I think they are a good solution for a home-made FMC, right?>I searched the know online stores, but they don't have these>switches.>Any other idea?Find someone in Germany who will order them for you and then send it to you via mail.... but no, I'm NOT volunteering :)Another suggestion: Try to find those switches at another place thats "more international" than Conrad. Try RS, Farnell or digikey for example.Manuel http://cockpit.varxec.net/ http://wiki.varxec.net/ SimBuilders Wiki

[Guest SHORT360]

Hi Eddie and Hi Manuel,As you know Manuel, Conrad is not really easy to deal with but generally it is very complicated to deal with german companies, since this country is the last country in the all world where the Banks are limiting as much as possible the use of credit cards. (As we french are through Asterix and Obelix the last one resisting against the roman invaders)I am french and used to work in Germany for several years and as every french, ( I have a credit card in my pocket since 1975) I do buy as much as possible using that system. I used to travel over the world especially American Continent and Asian continent and started always my trip with just a couple of cards in my pocket. No cash at all, and never it a lot ot it. I have bought some souvenirs in lost countries in China, India or Japan could pay it with Visa. In Germany it not the case. You go in a shop, see a nice jacket, try it and will buy it. You pull your visa, amex or master from your pocket and get the answer:"Entschuldigung aber wir nehmen nur bargeld und EC Karte" - which means "sorry, but we do accept just cash and EC card" which is a local card used nowhere else in the world.Since I am using Internet since its early stages I used to buy things using credit cards. I just had one incident with a company based in Los Angeles charging each month my Amex card before I noticed the swindle. The Amex Co payed back without any trubbles some days later. Go to www.Ebay.de and take a look how many shops are accepting Paypal or direct payment with credit cards. Very few of them. 90% are still on cash - bank transfer or checks. What I wanted to say here, is that Conrads policy is not the only problem, while Conrads policy is as complicated as the german public administration rules and even when you get there directly ( Berlin has two Conrad shops) it is not easy you have for instance an item exchanged. Its is just because of that curious habit avoiding as much as possible the use of credit cards and there is a kind of lack of confidence toward others when doing any business.I got as explaination from my fellow german friends that the german Banks charge heavily each credit card transaction. Probably true.Regards to allRoger

[kiek 1,212]

>In Germany it not the case. You go in a shop, see a nice>jacket, try it and will buy it. You pull your visa, amex or>master from your pocket and get the answer:>>"Entschuldigung aber wir nehmen nur bargeld und EC Karte" ->which means "sorry, but we do accept just cash and EC card">which is a local card used nowhere else in the world.??I have travelled several times by car over the Deutsche Autobahnen, but I could always use my credit card at the gaz stations... Hotels, no problems too. Here in Holland there is a Conrad store. Since I have authorized them to tranfer money from my account to their account if needed, the extra charges are low (and the shipping costs are reasonable too, because it's just within the country).I agree that the local electronics shop is often cheaper, but you have to be lucky to be within reasonable reach. Nicowww.nicokaan.nl

[Guest mbessler]

>I have travelled several times by car over the Deutsche>Autobahnen, but I could always use my credit card at the gaz>stations... Hotels, no problems too. Its rarely a problem to use a credit card at Gas Stations and Hotels.But many other stores just don't accept them. Manuel http://wiki.varxec.net SimBuilder's Wiki http://cockpit.varxec.net/electronics/PHCC.html PIC HomeCockpit Controller Project

[oal331 0]

Hi,Miko is easy for you to give me some more help about the switches you used in your FMC like the manufacturer's name and the type or any other element to search them in other online shops?It's a pity to not be able to order these switches i was looking all these months in your site, as i know them very well form your photos and especially the LSK keys you used are very very nice!!!ThanksEddie ArmaosAthens-Greece

[kiek 1,212]

Hi Eddie,All I know is from the data sheets available at Conrad's. Attached is the information for the LSK key.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/96770.zipIf you want more, just sent me an e-mail, because it's too big to upload it here.Best Regards,Nicowww.nicokaan.nl

[Guest stevelep]

From Switzerland I've never had a problem with ConradThey send me the bill with the items 30 days to pay.The price are not expensiver as others ... depend of the items (of course if you can find it by pollin.de it will be cheaper )BOB

[Guest mbessler]

>From Switzerland I've never had a problem with Conrad>They send me the bill with the items 30 days to pay.>>The price are not expensiver as others ... depend of the >items (of course if you can find it by pollin.de it will be>cheaper )Of course it depends. But there are several places where most parts (esp. semiconductors) are 50% or less the Conrad price.For example at reichelt.dePollin really can't be compared as most of their stuff is surplus.Manuel

[oal331 0]

FYI I received an email from Conrad and they informed me that they accepted to send me the goods and they are going to charge my credit card, even the amount is below 50eurosThat's the story..... it has a happy-end (of course after i will receive the pushbuttons)regardsEddie ArmaosAthens-Greece