Reynaulds Euro Imports

[Sheffie]

Reynaulds.com seems to offer a good range of trains and related models in multiple scales. They’re based in Illinois, and clearly their target market is Americans interested in imported fine models. 

 

I went to them because I wanted a couple of Z gauge items and I didn’t want to deal with international shipping. 

 

I’ve ordered a couple of items, and got no response beyond an automated “thanks for creating an account!” But this doesn’t worry me too much, because they offer payment by PayPal — and that means they don’t have any of my money yet. 

 

I emailed to ask if I could add to my order, and this triggered an auto reply saying they’re all away at a train show for multiple days...  I am now feeling very glad I didn’t pay for that initial order yet. 

 

The jury is OUT. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by Sheffie

[bill937ca]

Avoiding international shipping doesn't always work well. I find North American suppliers slower to process orders. If you ever check USPS tracking many shipments seem to go back and forth all over the place. Whereas international shipping is usually pretty direct.  I recently had an order from Scotland sent air mail arrive in ten days.  Shutting the shop down for train shows can lead to bad results.

Edited February 14, 2019 by bill937ca

[gavino200]

I  find that Reynaulds is very expensive. Usually it's cheaper to order direct from the source country.  I do like to use Reynolds to research items that I want to buy. They have detailed info and great pics of all the items they sell, and they leave the pages up after they sell out. 

[chadbag]

3 minutes ago, bill937ca said:

Avoiding international shipping doesn't always work well. I find North American suppliers slower to process orders. If you ever check USPS tracking many shipments seem to go back and forth all over the place. Whereas international shipping is usually pretty direct.  I recently had an order from Scotland sent air mail arrive in ten days.  Shutting the shop down for train shows can lead to bad results.

 

Lots of small shops shut down order processing for train shows.  I bought from a Dutch vendor's website and he was shut down from processing orders for several days while in Germany at a show.  

 

When ordering inside the US, US vendors (who are not at train shows) will almost always get your stuff to you faster than an international shipper.   Canada and other places may be different.  But most parcels arrive in 3 days inside the US once shipped (either as Priority Mail or first class mail -- some first class mail will occasionally take an extra day or so).  The fastest I have gotten non UPS/DHL shipments from international shippers is about 7-10 days (shipped outside US into US).   Again, Canada and other places will probably be different.

 

Occasionally, the US Postal Service misroutes something.  Happens to me about once a year.  The last one I had was a package from Japan that came into the US in SFO or LAX, I forget, and then went around the country for about 5 days once released from customs.  

[chadbag]

Just now, gavino200 said:

I  find that Reynaulds is very expensive. Usually it's cheaper to order direct from the source country.  I do like to use Reynolds to research items that I want to buy. They have detailed info and great pics of all the items they sell, and they leave the pages up after they sell out. 

 

This is true.  There are US or Canada (who ship from US) based dealers that are a lot cheaper than Reynaulds for Euro trains.  But in most cases, buying directly from overseas will be cheaper for expensive items ike train sets, locomotives, etc.  (But most of those places have expensive flat rate shipping, so you need to buy a lot to make up for that 🙂  ).   For a piece of track and an end buffer, ie, a small order, it doesn't make sense to order it from overseas.   Especially as there are some Z-scale dealers in the US (there are US trains in Z as well).

[toc36]

My interaction with Reynaulds is negative.  I tried to order some items from them.  Had to create an account. I created the account, placed my order, and was informed that what I wanted was not in stock.

[bill937ca]

The better sources show real-time inventory.  Reynaulds sounds like a loosing operation.

[Sheffie]

For now, they are getting the benefit of the doubt. I assume they're enthusiastic amateurs.

 

I'm going to see how they handle my email when they get back. If they're good about letting me modify the order, then they'll get my business. It's less than $25 even with the additional track piece though, so no big deal for anyone really.