DiecastXchange Forum banner

BBR/Barbara I am so done with you...my recent experience with BBR in 2020

14K views 70 replies 26 participants last post by  will1066 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I preordered a 1/18 Mclaren 675LT since last January of 2016. Waited a few months so i sent them an email inquiring about the model and release date but got an answer from a woman named Barbara:

Barbara: "No release date and time available yet"
Me: "how come? You initially told me it would be available two months later"

Barbara: "BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER MODELS THAT HAVE HIGHER PRIORITY THAN THIS ONE!!"

All written in caps like she is screaming at me LOL!!

Ok ok I will wait patiently I told myself and did not bother saying anything.

So about two weeks ago, which is after one year and two months later since I placed my preorder, I wrote a heated email to her basically asking about the model again and that they keep holding on to customer's deposit money for a year and no update about what is going on. I also complained thats not a good business practice to do that.

She replied back saying:
"Hello,
you have the right to think all what you prefer.
But we stated in our webstore and in all our newsletter, that Pre order is optional. Nobody obliged you to use it, even if BBR will take 2 years to produce the car.
Models are not food, that if you don't have right away, can die.
This is what I think
You are in a hurry, don't make pre orders
Best regards

Barbara
www.bbrmodelstore.com"

There is no customer service here at BBR at all from my personal experience. This woman Barbara has serious attitude problem...no apology about late release etc like a good customer sale rep should have...

But in the end they refunded my deposit money, which I am glad but it did not happen without a long a** heated email with frustration.

Lesson learned. No more preorder from BBR...neither do I want to continue buying their models...
 
See less See more
#3 · (Edited by Moderator)
"models are not food" I believe no body will want to do business with a company who has a rep that talks like this to customers...They held on to my deposit and other who may have preordered this model for more than a year and no idea what was going on that was the problem...LOL! My hard earned money is not to be thrown at BBR like that...
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
Yea thats basically what I did...made a complain. Here is what going between Barbara and me:

Me:
I have had this model on preorder since last year of January which has been more than a year now. You keep holding on to my deposit money. So what is going on? Are you going to keep holding on to my money and not return it even though you not going to release the model?? Last time you told me it was not a priority to release this model. What are you going to tell me this time? This is really bad business practice. I don't care if your policy says no refund on preorder. If you are not going to release the model, then It is TOTALLY FAIR to GIVE ME BACK MY DEPOSIT. It is not right to take the customer money and not releasing the model and told them to transfer to another model as I have heard about this from other collectors. We want the model that is why we made a deposit for the model we wanted. Our money is not to be wasted like that.

Barbara/BBR:
hello,
can we know who told you that BBR is not going to release the model?
Because it is a very surprice fo me. Never heard or said something
like that Let me know Best regards

Barbara
www.bbrmodelstore.com

Me:
I never seen any company that hold customers deposit for more than a year and yet have no idea when the model will be released. This is a bad business practice. It is not right that you holding on to my money for so long and expect the customer to think that you will release the model. How would I know? Do I have or know when or has bbr told me the release day and time? No. So you can not expect customers to wait like that.
You should at least give the option to use the deposit to buy other model or refund.
Now a lot of collectors are talking about this on model car forums.
We will not buy anything from BBR anymore if they keep doing this.

Barbara/BBR:
Hello,
you have the right to think all what you prefer.
But we stated in our webstore and in all our newsletter, that Pre order is optional. Nobody obliged you to use it, even if BBR will take 2 years to produce the car.
Models are not food, that if you don't have right away, can die.
This is what I think
You are in a hurry, don't make pre orders
Best regards

Barbara
www.bbrmodelstore.com
 
#9 ·
I have had a "run in" with this Barbara and it did not end well. She is ignorant, inconsiderate and full of herself. For the past few years i averaged purchasing a few thousand EACH year. Since my transaction with her about 8 months ago, NOT A DIME!!!!
If BBR thinks it is ok to employ a person like that, "Have at her Hawse!!"
 
#10 ·
Push her for the refund Brandon - and when it arrives, just give 2 fingers to 'Barbara' (who is probably a sweaty fat middle-aged man with halitosis!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: chris.dec
#17 ·
Ha this was great.

I have dealt with her recently and she was fantastic honestly. Different situation however.

That being said, yeah, I rarely preorder models because I always know something else will come out in the meantime or I can most likely buy it when it comes out. I am too scared of the no refund part haha. Way to go actually getting your deposit back!
 
#23 ·
Wow. Barbara......sounds like she is all class hahahahaha......obviously she doesn't know that she works for a model car company and people want cars when they are announced. If they models aren't in planned production they should even announce or allow a pre-order. That's just bad business practice.

Glad to hear you guys got your money back. She sounds like a troll.
 
#25 ·
I'd email her boss, she shouldn't be speaking to people like that! Their models aren't even cheap! But that's no excuse for it anyway!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: chris.dec
#28 · (Edited by Moderator)
I had some exchanges with Barbara as well with no issues.
My model came with missing parts and misapplied badges.

She helped me secured an abundance of spare parts, which is great since I used them on my other models as well.
BBR parts are much finer and looks great.

She is more feisty in her replies compared to a regular English speaker.
Helps to be patient and NOT USE CAPS IN YOUR EMAILS even if she does.
That usually does not help the situation.
 
#29 ·
Damn, sorry to hear about your experience but ya most diecast and resin model manufacturers have zero customer service. Even MR, their custom models department is horrible too. But when you really want their stuff was can we do right. They know if you don't buy some where some how they will sell out of their production anyway. So they don't really give a damn if we complain or back out. That's why when we get models with QC issues from bbr or mr there is pretty much zero to be done it is what it is. They will not fix it for you they will not say sorry because someone else will buy it they cannot make enough.
 
#30 · (Edited by Moderator)
Oh don't get me started... I've had to deal with her a few times as well!...Horrible customer service from BBR! I never managed to get my money back, but we had this issue one or two years ago. Maybe they had to do something as the pressure got stronger and others started asking for a refund as well... All I managed to do was getting out of the pre-order and the money I deposited was credited towards another purchase, which I just made to get out of there completely. They have beautiful yet very expensive models, but their pre-order system is nuts... Not again!
 
#31 ·
Honestly I think BBR deserves to go bankrupt. They're the only model manufacturer that are consistently bordering on ripping people off. Noticeably more expensive than Autoart, exterior quality perhaps slightly better, but fewer opening parts, far more QC issues, way worse customer service than Autoart, and nowhere close to CMC/Exoto quality whose prices, under those circumstances, can be seen as justified.
 
#34 ·
What bad experiences have you had with them ? I have about a dozen of them, never had a problem with anything.
 
#32 · (Edited by Moderator)
I am now getting tired of dealing with high end resin companies like bbr and mr. Their models have been bad on qc level, and for the price we paid, we should not have to do any hands on like realigning a decal, or fixing a bad carbon fiber job for instance. On the other hand, I am more satisfied with lower priced models(not low end budget models) such as Looksmart(mr's lower end division).
 
#35 ·
At the end of the day it all comes down to money. They rather give us crap with QC issues than take their time to improve. They know regardless they will sell out. We have dealers buy from other larger dealers just to grab stock lol. But you are right, the lower end sister companies are awesome. Like looksmart and avantstyle the quality is good and lower price. Can't wait for the Looksmart TDF F12. But I have to admit though for the extra $100-$200 bucks the paint and and interior is much nicer on the BBR and the MR ones especially when the car has carbon fibre details. I got the BBR Huayra Dinastia and the quality is job honestly is really good. And buying direct on their site is cheap as long as you willing to wait. At least BBR has been around for years, some unlicensed resin brands ask for hundreds for pre order and can disappear over night.
 
Top