Best Electronics - problem with ordering

[GlowingGhoul]

I was firmly in the "I don't know what problems these people are talking about" camp as I read the last 10 pages. But now I understand.

[Kyle22]

I have been dealing with Brad for years, and he has always been a perfect gentleman with me. I have met him personally and shaken his hand. Brad is a great guy.

 

Here's the deal:

 

1: He has the goods.

2: You want the goods.

3: Respect his rules.

4: Don't be stupid.

 

If you follow this plan, you will be fine. Please just treat him with respect. If you respect him,, he will respect you.

 

Plain and simple. Enough said.

[GlowingGhoul]

I have been dealing with Brad for years, and he has always been a perfect gentleman with me. I have met him personally and shaken his hand. Brad is a great guy.

 

Here's the deal:

 

1: He has the goods.

2: You want the goods.

3: Respect his rules.

4: Don't be stupid.

 

If you follow this plan, you will be fine. Please just treat him with respect. If you respect him,, he will respect you.

 

Plain and simple. Enough said.

 

I followed the ordering process to the letter. If you're going to imply I broke some unwritten rule or was "stupid" you'd better back that up. I did neither.

[Kyle22]

That is my experience with him. I don't know why you may have had a problem.

[Atari8bitCarts]

No, that's just how he is. He's very much the Soup Nazi of Atari. If he thinks you are going to resell no Atari for you. Ask too many questions, no Atari for you. Buy too many of the same thing, no Atari for you. Sound like you aren't sure about what you are doing, no Atari for you. Bother him too many times without ordering, no Atari for you.

 

That's my line...

[Atari8bitCarts]

I have been dealing with Brad for years, and he has always been a perfect gentleman with me. I have met him personally and shaken his hand. Brad is a great guy.

 

Here's the deal:

 

1: He has the goods.

2: You want the goods.

3: Respect his rules.

4: Don't be stupid.

 

If you follow this plan, you will be fine. Please just treat him with respect. If you respect him,, he will respect you.

 

Plain and simple. Enough said.

 

No, actually that is incorrect. He didn't know me, I asked for clarification and he banned me. And guess what, life went on.

 

No rules posted, especially the dick BS about too many questions, or quotes, or orders would take him to much time.

This gives him some sort of power trip. The same dickheads that use "God" as their network tech password or login in back in the day.

Most people in this hobby are nice, as he should understand it is a hobby and WE keep him in business.

[Kyle22]

 

No, actually that is incorrect. He didn't know me, I asked for clarification and he banned me. And guess what, life went on.

 

No rules posted, especially the dick BS about too many questions, or quotes, or orders would take him to much time.

This gives him some sort of power trip. The same dickheads that use "God" as their network tech password or login in back in the day.

Most people in this hobby are nice, as he should understand it is a hobby and WE keep him in business.

Yeah, but I try not to piss him off.

[Marius]

Everything about Best is said, and to summarize it: you can have a very good experience or a very bad experience. Having good experiences does not mean you always will have a good experience... but once you had a bad experience you'll probably never go back to Best again.

 

So far I'm having very good experience with Brad and his business, but I'm very aware that there always can come a moment that it goes wrong.

 

It's obvious that there are some buttons NOT to press, and it is not so clear where and what these buttons are.

 

I do a lot of research myself before I order something, and when I really need something to know that isn't cleared up after my own investigations I ask brad and then immediately I place my order.

This seems to be a very effective path to follow. He has been a good guy to me: honest, good products and very fast handling, so he definitely has good sides too.

[Mclaneinc]

Lets take a look at this logically, Brad is almost certainly doing every thing himself, he's also not a young man these days and when you get people messing you about at that age you tend to be more volatile. Brad has always been a little picky about how people order but he's also very knowledgable and incredibly helpful. I had the pleasure to meet him MANY years ago at a show in London, he was the perfect example of polite and we had a short chat about all things Atari and I purchased a catalogue and an Atari pin badge (yes, last of the big spenders), he was as nice as pie. Personally I think its how you approach him, he likes things to be organised which from running a retail business myself I can totally appreciate, there's nothing so ponderous as a customer in a busy shop who has no clue what they want or could not be bothered to check your catalogue to see if you stock such items, we used to get people from overseas which huge lists of TV ic's and very specialised electronics chips that pretty much no high street shop would sell but they would walk in with these lists and ask for prices and discount. Thankfully myself and my staff were used to this and could deal with them quickly so we could serve the real customers. So with this in mind you can bet Brad gets lists sent to him asking for prices and availability but no actual order, basically its a waste of time for a one man show.

 

If people take all this in to account and plan what you want from the site, and actually want to order it then my experience with Brad is that works like a charm. Sure, I don't order much and not in quite a while but my experience with Brad has been positive, very positive. Just try to remember he's almost certainly doing this all himself, he's not a spring chicken and he has stuff you won't find easily anywhere else. Yes it seems he can be a bit of a grouch but if you know that then just play by the rules and he's a nice guy. You always have the option to not order from him...

[Mclaneinc]

Just to add a little to the above, I say you always have the option not to buy from him BUT I'd recommend you still do because if Brad shuts shop without selling off his stock and it being continued then the whole community will lose a very special treasure trove. There not much of this stuff about, lets support him so he can support US..

 

Paul..

[+DarkLord]

I'm always amazed by the longevity of this thread.

 

Personally, I've never had anything but a great experience with Best Electronics,

after many, many years and many, many purchases, as I've stated before. Like

other posters here though, I tend to know what I want and after e-mailing or

talking directly to Brad, and almost always make a purchase.

 

I did recently have one misfire with him, if you want to call it that. I had an out of

country person ask me to place an order for them, to help with shipping. I honestly

didn't think anything about it, never imagining that there as anything else going on.

Apparently, this person had trouble with Best Electronics. Brad recognized the order

by the items on the list. He explained to me that he wouldn't complete the order but

he wasn't mean...hateful...a grouch or anything like that. I apologized to him and

made it clear that I had no idea about the situation. <shrugs>

 

I'll continue to order from him with confidence and recommend Best Electronics for

anyone else, while advocating following the advice given by many regular customers.

[+Larry]

I'm always amazed by the longevity of this thread.

 

Personally, I've never had anything but a great experience with Best Electronics,

after many, many years and many, many purchases, as I've stated before. Like

other posters here though, I tend to know what I want and after e-mailing or

talking directly to Brad, and almost always make a purchase.

 

(snip)

 

Same (about the longevity).

 

I believe this is what is meant by "beating a dead horse." It may have had some informational value in 2013, but not so much 3 years later.

 

There, (whip in hand), I got my lick in also...

 

-Larry

[+Firedawg]

Wow, Best in the spotlight again. Well, poke the bear if you must, but you'll get mauled if he awakes!!!! I've always had a great experience buying from Brad and company.

[fujidude]

I'm always amazed by the longevity of this thread.

 

Personally, I've never had anything but a great experience with Best Electronics,

after many, many years and many, many purchases, as I've stated before. Like

other posters here though, I tend to know what I want and after e-mailing or

talking directly to Brad, and almost always make a purchase.

 

I did recently have one misfire with him, if you want to call it that. I had an out of

country person ask me to place an order for them, to help with shipping. I honestly

didn't think anything about it, never imagining that there as anything else going on.

Apparently, this person had trouble with Best Electronics. Brad recognized the order

by the items on the list. He explained to me that he wouldn't complete the order but

he wasn't mean...hateful...a grouch or anything like that. I apologized to him and

made it clear that I had no idea about the situation. <shrugs>

 

I'll continue to order from him with confidence and recommend Best Electronics for

anyone else, while advocating following the advice given by many regular customers.

 

I can understand if a merchant doesn't want to deal with a particular customer because they aren't worth the risk of hassle based on previous dealings. But once the order and transaction is backed by a good customer, that risk is gone. The fact that he refused to fulfill the order for the good customer just so that someone he doesn't like cannot get something, seems rather personal, juvenile, and decidedly mean. Not only that, but he was so intense about it that he allowed mere suspicion to jeopardize a relationship with a good customer. You had nothing to apologize to him for. He's the one who should be ashamed for sticking his nose in your business; because what you choose to do with your stuff is only your business, not his. God, I hope I never get so wrapped up in a hobby or collecting that I feel the need to suck someone's balls like that.

[ryanmercer]

You don't have to fellate him, you just have to not waste his time or try and resell. Fact is the guy almost certainly has the largest Atari collection in the world STILL after decades of being in business. He's just like the Soup Nazi, the soup is worth it so you follow the rules. The Atari is worth it, so you follow the rules.

[Osgeld]

No soup is worth me kissing someone's ass to take my money

 

Besides half of what he sells is snake oil

[Kyle22]

Snake oil???

[Osgeld]

Oh yea like his patented gold plated controller blah blah blah it sounds like a rant from keetah

[ryanmercer]

Gold plating connectors isn't snake oil, it helps prevent oxidation of the connector/contacts which allow for a more reliable connection over time.

 

Edit: here is an article that says the exact same thing if you don't want to believe me https://www.cnet.com/news/are-gold-plated-connectors-worth-it-morrisons-mailbag/

 

And here is a thread with several people saying the same as me http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/69661/why-are-high-end-audio-connections-gold/69670

Edited November 23, 2016 by ryanmercer

[Kyle22]

Oh yea like his patented gold plated controller blah blah blah it sounds like a rant from keetah

First you pick on Brad, calling his fine products "snake oil", and now you start on Keetah.

 

I like 99% of what Keetah has to say.

 

This exposes an ugly trait about your personality...

 

Do you have a good thing to say about anyone?

 

Edit: Or am I "rant"ing?

Edited November 23, 2016 by Kyle22

[Turbo-Torch]

Oh yea like his patented gold plated controller blah blah blah it sounds like a rant from keetah

 

I heard Keatah has "a small group of folks" working on a new platinum plated 5200 controller! He just needs time to give his final approval...being busy running the firm, flying a plane, servicing the Mercedes and Tesla, getting another PhD, etc.

 

Of course there will also be his own brand of soup nazi rules...he will NOT sell to collectards or hoarders!

[+save2600]

I've got several of the Best gold boards now and it's not just the fact the dome contacts are gold plated (which obviously helps improve conductivity, etc) but they're also stiffer/more rigid, which gives them more of a "snap" or a clicky-type tactile feel. The boards also have a better, more improved adhesive keeping everything in place. I think the boards themselves are a little thicker or at least more rigid also. Absolutely no snake-oil shit going on here. Just a great all around improvement to the CX-40.

[Kyle22]

@Turbo-Torch: Very funny (not). BTW, I drive a Mercedes and I service it. Are you going to start on me?

 

Edit: My Mercedes has 295K miles on it, and still running strong. Will your car make it that far?

 

Edit: Edit: If this was meant sarcastically, I apologize

Edited November 23, 2016 by Kyle22

[GlowingGhoul]

First you pick on Brad, calling his fine products "snake oil", and now you start on Keetah.

 

I like 99% of what Keetah has to say.

 

This exposes an ugly trait about your personality...

 

Do you have a good thing to say about anyone?

 

Edit: Or am I "rant"ing?

 

Here's an ugly trait about your personality. You immediately blame those who have a bad experience with Best as being at fault for violating unwritten rules. How is someone supposed to know not to ask more than one question? How is someone supposed to know not to order too much, or too little, or too much/too little being shipped to the "wrong" place and therefore uneconomic (in his view, not necessarily the view of the person paying the shipping). Do you exercise these cautions in every retail transaction? Do you bow at the grocery store and apologize for possibly buying the wrong number of items or buying too many of one item (an undefined amount, just to make things exciting)? Have you refused to buy something at a store for someone else because if the store finds out you'll be banned? Oh, well, as long as they "have the goods" any behavior is tolerable.

[Kyle22]

Anyone here at AtariAge has the opportunity to read all these comments about Brad / Best. So, if you piss him off, it's your own fault.

 

I prefer to have a friendly relationship with him. All it takes is Common Sense.