Avoid Best Electronics

[+-^CrossBow^-]

39 minutes ago, Allan said:

Paypal button was returned that night and I used that to place an order.

Excellent and good to know!

 

 

[Geister]

Do they also support plain old credit cards?  I may want to order one of the kits and I have PayPal but talk about shady...they change their T.O.S. on the daily.

[RB5200]

1 hour ago, Geister said:

Do they also support plain old credit cards?  I may want to order one of the kits and I have PayPal but talk about shady...they change their T.O.S. on the daily.

Shady might not be the right word, the right word does start and end in the same letters though.

 

 

 

[leech]

23 hours ago, desiv said:

As someone who is still supporting multiple fax lines over SIP going to our FAX server....
Not surprised here...

I know that feeling.  Fortunately that company laid me off in 2014, so I no longer need to deal with Asterisk and SIP or Fax machines!

[pumaconcolor]

Having ordered things from proprietors in other niche hobbies, I can say confidently that Brad is a sweetheart.  I've given money to people who ghosted me for years or forever.  I've seen websites disappear and not come back.  I've called and had angry spouses answer and give me a hard time.  And I'm typically very patient and diplomatic with my use of language.  Not a high maintenance customer here.  My favorites were a couple of sellers who kept selling to others (and I would hear about it in related forums) while making me wait an eternity.  Apparently I wasn't in the clique.  No problems like that with Best.  Just remember he's not Amazon.  And I think it's good if others are able to produce some of these kinds of repro parts, etc.; not to provide competition for Best, but so that scalping isn't such a concern for him. 

[cwilbar]

On 7/20/2023 at 1:43 PM, orpheuswaking said:

Are you sure it said minimum? Because he's had a 3 part maximum for some time. 

Well, damn....  I misread... though his language could have been clearer....

his exact wording was "we now have a 3 Atari item limit on all orders". 

It neither states maximum or minimum.  So, re-reading this, it is technically right,

but depending on your mindset could be read wrong 🙂

 

I presumed that this meant you need 3 items or more for an order to be worth their valuable time since they are so busy.  Larger orders are more efficient, so this was my presumption.

 

He should have used language like "we now have a maximum of 3 Atari items per order" or such. 

 

Still, why ghost someone, why not clear up the misunderstanding.  I guess alienating customers helps shed that load of theirs ?

 

-- Curt

[cwilbar]

21 hours ago, pumaconcolor said:

Having ordered things from proprietors in other niche hobbies, I can say confidently that Brad is a sweetheart.  I've given money to people who ghosted me for years or forever.  I've seen websites disappear and not come back.  I've called and had angry spouses answer and give me a hard time.  And I'm typically very patient and diplomatic with my use of language.  Not a high maintenance customer here.  My favorites were a couple of sellers who kept selling to others (and I would hear about it in related forums) while making me wait an eternity.  Apparently I wasn't in the clique.  No problems like that with Best.  Just remember he's not Amazon.  And I think it's good if others are able to produce some of these kinds of repro parts, etc.; not to provide competition for Best, but so that scalping isn't such a concern for him. 

While I agree with much of what you have said.....  being still there, and still answering e-mails (until he does ghost you), having items nobody else does..... is not a license to provide poor customer service. 

 

When he said to re-read his e-mail carefully, he could have taken the same amount of time to say "We have a 3 item maximum now" and made things perfectly clear.  No ghosting would have happened, an order would have gone through, and everything would have worked out.  Instead I pleaded, tried to work it out, and he simply probably didn't bother to even read my later e-mails.... or if he did, he simply doesn't care, even when it should have been obvious I misunderstood something.

 

I'm glad that there are vendors like this still out there for our 'niche' hobby.  I just wish it could have gone down better.  Clearer communication would have prevented all of this.

 

 

[cwilbar]

On 7/27/2023 at 8:26 PM, Fletch said:

I know this is going to sound weird, but Fax your orders to him. I navigate the website, find his part numbers, type up an old school letter that includes all of my particulars, include a credit card number and Fax away.

 

I have never been limited on the number of items I purchase, nor had any issue whatsoever. 

 

I realize that not everyone has access to a Fax machine these days, but there are plenty of free fax services like https://faxzero.com.

 

 

This is great when:

 

1. The item is on his website (he has many items that are not)

2. The price is known (I presume everything on his website has prices, but have not verified if any might say 'call'/etc)

 

In my past orders, I think almost everytime I've had to ask for something that was not on the site (or I couldn't find on the site).

 

But if this process works for you, I'd suggest keeping the process.... as it removes interactivity which may help avoid problems.... though I suppose the same thing could have happened to me via fax (just slower) 🙂

 

[flashjazzcat]

Having dealt with various solicitors more or less incessantly since December 2021 and paid hansomely for the privilege of having no emails or phone calls returned, being spoken to curtly by clueless adminstrative assistants, ghosted for weeks at a time, and issued with error-riddled electronic and hard-copy documents supposedly already scrutinised by legal experts, it seems to me that Bradley is providing exactly the level of customer service one can now reasonably expect from anyone these days.

Edited July 31, 2023 by flashjazzcat

[danwinslow]

Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; 

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

 

From "The Second Coming" by W. B. Yeats

Edited July 31, 2023 by danwinslow

[+Allan]

35 minutes ago, flashjazzcat said:

Having dealt with various solicitors more or less incessantly since December 2021 and paid hansomely for the privilege of having no emails or phone calls returned, being spoken to curtly by clueless adminstrative assistants, ghosted for weeks at a time, and issued with error-riddled electronic and hard-copy documents supposedly already scrutinised by legal experts, it seems to me that Bradley is providing exactly the level of customer service one can now reasonably expect from anyone these days.

He was ahead of his time. 😁

[cwilbar]

1 hour ago, flashjazzcat said:

Having dealt with various solicitors more or less incessantly since December 2021 and paid hansomely for the privilege of having no emails or phone calls returned, being spoken to curtly by clueless adminstrative assistants, ghosted for weeks at a time, and issued with error-riddled electronic and hard-copy documents supposedly already scrutinised by legal experts, it seems to me that Bradley is providing exactly the level of customer service one can now reasonably expect from anyone these days.

Custom service (apathy) is apparently an international pandemic, not just a U.S. one 🙂

 

When I get good customer service these days, I make sure to thank them for their time and attention, as it is a pleasant surprise when I find those that truly do want to help.

 

[cwilbar]

1 hour ago, Allan said:

He was ahead of his time. 😁

ROFL 🙂

 

[polyex]

I called the number on his website during his own posted business hours. No one answered, but I did get an answering machine. It said to leave a message with what you were looking for in order to get a callback. Left my number and what I was looking for. No callback. I purchased from someone else instead. I would recommend others do the same, just skip the calling part and find the parts elsewhere. We are talking about parts for obsolete machines that were mainly designed for children nearly half a century ago. It's not worth dealing with "special" people like this character, so I am kind of glad he did not bother to return my call.

[MVladimir]

https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvkx9/dont-piss-off-bradley-the-parts-seller-keeping-atari-machines-alive

 

Some semi-long read regarding Best & Bradley....

[+x=usr(1536)]

3 minutes ago, MVladimir said:

https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvkx9/dont-piss-off-bradley-the-parts-seller-keeping-atari-machines-alive

 

Some semi-long read regarding Best & Bradley....

Consider the source: Vice.

 

This is not an outlet that should be considered to be in any way, shape, or form neutral, unbiased, or above sensationalism for the sake of clicks.

 

While there are some nuggets of truth in there, most of it reads like it's a step-and-a-half away from being a hit piece.

[MVladimir]

24 minutes ago, x=usr(1536) said:

Consider the source: Vice.

This is not an outlet that should be considered to be in any way, shape, or form neutral, unbiased, or above sensationalism for the sake of clicks.

While there are some nuggets of truth in there, most of it reads like it's a step-and-a-half away from being a hit piece.

This article is interesting from the side of historical moments and events. And if somebody know all story of  Best & Bradley history - don't read from this source...

First I found this article in Russian translation, and then I found the original, I don’t know what Vice is as an information resource and what is its reputation, I just read an interesting topic for me and shared a link...

[+x=usr(1536)]

5 minutes ago, MVladimir said:

This article is interesting from the side of historical moments and events. And if somebody know all story of  Best & Bradley history - don't read from this source...

First I found this article in Russian translation, and then I found the original, I don’t know what Vice is as an information resource and what is its reputation, I just read an interesting topic for me and shared a link...

Understood, and not a problem   Just wanted to make sure that everyone was aware that this article is not exactly unbiased.

[+H454]

Read the vice thing. Not that bad, all things considering the source.

TL; DR - One man band that doesn't have time to have his time wasted.

 

I grew up in family that ran a mail order catalog. Like most small business, it's not 9-5. It's whenever you are awake.

Thank god my grandpa sold it before online ordering and cellphones became an everyday thing.

 

[polyex]

16 hours ago, danwinslow said:

Things fall apart; the center cannot hold; 

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere

The ceremony of innocence is drowned;

The best lack all conviction, while the worst

Are full of passionate intensity.

 

From "The Second Coming" by W. B. Yeats

You use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore.

- Taggert (Blazing Saddles)

[+-^CrossBow^-]

23 hours ago, polyex said:

I called the number on his website during his own posted business hours. No one answered, but I did get an answering machine. It said to leave a message with what you were looking for in order to get a callback. Left my number and what I was looking for. No callback. I purchased from someone else instead. I would recommend others do the same, just skip the calling part and find the parts elsewhere. We are talking about parts for obsolete machines that were mainly designed for children nearly half a century ago. It's not worth dealing with "special" people like this character, so I am kind of glad he did not bother to return my call.

Last time I place an order, I didn't get an answer either but I don't remember the option to leave a message either? I actually tried to call back again an hour later and he answered and I placed my order. But I think he only has like a 3 hour window for his 'hours' these days where you can place a call so maybe he decided to do away with that and have the system take a message so he doesn't even have to talk anymore?

 

 

[mickster]

I order via email.  I do have his catalog and I look at the addendum before ordering.  Usually I get a reply around 9pm central time on the same day of placing the order.

 

I list the items I need, my customer number, my address, and my credit card info.

 

At this point, I usually have my parts in two days.

 

I highly recommend this order method.

 

 

Edited August 1, 2023 by mickster

[SlagOMatic]

https://www.vice.com/en/article/7kvkx9/dont-piss-off-bradley-the-parts-seller-keeping-atari-machines-alive

 

I've ordered from Best Electronics perhaps a dozen times over the decades and have not, as of yet, been blacklisted. Bradley is abrasive and abrupt, employing an oftentimes nonsensical rule system that only he's aware of. He dislikes change, even if it's to his benefit. He hates repeating himself; get him on the phone with a bad connection and you'll be lucky if you'll have the opportunity to call him back. His web site is obnoxious to the point of absurdity; I'd swear he just types it all out in MS Word and exports as HTML. He's not a fan of small talk and will make you feel about this tall if you try to engage him with such.

 

But.

 

He's also one of the most helpful Atari guys I've ever encountered. The man knows his shit like nobody else does. Not only does he seemingly know everything about every Atari ever produced (or even theorized), he has about a 99.8% hit rate on remembering what bits and pieces he has in stock. Twice he's told me that "he's pretty sure he has some(item) in a box somewhere, let me check" only to come back a few hours later and tell me that he found the box and the items as expected. And yeah, let's not forget about his curated stock. If he doesn't have a part then there's a damned good chance the part doesn't exist anywhere. For the most part his prices are reasonable. Everything he sells is shipped out promptly and well packaged/padded. I would absolutely never buy a fragile item like a CRT monitor from anyone if it had be shipped, unless I was buying it from Bradley.

 

After some reflection I think I came to understand something about Bradley. He's not just a businessman, he's a gatekeeper and he's doing it for the Atari community. Consider this: Lots of his items aren't available to purchase more than one or two at a time. Seems silly at best, inconvenient at worst. What if you wanted to buy (for example) two keyboard mylars for your 600XL (to have one as a long-term spare) but couldn't because of Bradley's "dumb rules"? But then consider what might happen if that rule didn't exist. Some Atari prospector wants to bulk repair a bunch of machines and resell them, so he wants to buy 20 mylars. Now Bradley is out of stock, there's 20 obscenely priced restored 600XLs on the market -- and your 40 year old 600XL is still collecting dust because Bradley sold all his inventory. Doesn't seem fair, does it? So I think that's Bradley's angle on everything. He's gatekeeping, for us. He wants to make sure his parts go to the right people -- the collectors, the enthusiasts, the ones who keep things moving forward without forgetting what's behind us. That's why he has draconian sales rules, that's why he insists on communicating with people rather than using an electronic shopping cart system, that's why his web site is a literal nightmare to work through, and that's why he doesn't put a full and complete list of inventory available for easy access. He doesn't want it to be easy because people looking for easy aren't the audience Bradley wants to sell to.

[Mrarkus]

The saddest part in all of this is that as Brad is getting older and more eccentric, and some point we are going to lose not only his knowledge, but also all the Atari parts that he won't let anybody help him with. I have dealt with Brad since the 90s, and spent a good amount of time on the phone learning from him. It's like two completely different people nowadays. I am willing to bet big money that he doesn't even know what he has anymore, and is not willing to find out. 

[+Allan]

On 7/28/2023 at 9:30 PM, Allan said:

Paypal button was returned that night and I used that to place an order.

Got my two kits today. looking forward to trying these out.