Warning - online Pilot shops
 

For those that like to purchase their flying and pilot supplies on the Internet.

Was recently advised of an Australian on-line Pilot Supplies shop that is experiencing financial difficulties. Supposedly has struck up "payment plans" with a number of suppliers so as to avoid legal action being taken against them.

Has anyone else heard about this one?

Personally I recommend shopping with reputable vendors and to be perfectly safe, one with a physical store front so you at least know that you are handing over your hard-earned and actually walking away with a product.

On line normally means that you will pay by credit card. I thought that most credit card companies underwrite the (non) provision of a good or service by not paying the vendor?

After a lot of stuffing around, yes.

That being said a lot of online shops accept direct deposits that that wouldn't be covered by the bank.

The other issue is warranty potentially.

Credit cards, yes, you get consumer protection and the might of Visa/Mastercard.

Debit cards, which function online exactly the same as credit cards, except they use your own money, not Visa/Mastercards, you dont get as much help. Your money is already gone. You do have recourse through your bank to investigate non-provision of goods, but it's harder than a genuine credit card.

Course you can trust a pilot! That's why we're listed as being able to witness signatures for Commonwealth documents :E

Can't do that, this is a rumour site after all. It's just a word of warning to be careful not to enter into something that may seem too good to be true or a price that is too low for example. Stick with the big operators that you know. It's frustrating though as only the shop owner knows that they are in trouble and if they are, then I can't see them posting all over the web that they have issues.

There must be at least dozens of pilot shops around - so it looks like the choice is either buy online at a cheap price, with maybe 10% chance I'm buying from the store in question, 25% chance they'll rip me off, 25% chance I won't get refunded through paypal (.1*.25*.25 = ~0.6% chance I'm out of pocket)

- or I could buy from the traditional pilot stores and have a 90% chance of paying too much.

The moral of the story is that if you do choose to buy online, then use appropriate methods to ensure that you as the consumer are protected and those methods have been highlighted by previous posters.

For all I know, the shop might be around for ages and the easy payment plans they have arranged with their creditors might be a short term thing and nobody will be affected... except for the creditors.

Not suggesting this is the company invovled ( I actually have NO idea who it is) but Down Under Pilot Shop is the biggest joke of an organisation in History! :ugh: Nothing is ever in stock and when you order the things they take months to arrive!! I understand things can take a couple of weeks to get to you but MONTHS?

I bought some items from Down Under Pilot Shop a couple of months ago and it was fine. The prices were good and I was surprised how fast the shipping was down to Melbourne.

Caveat Emptor!