MouseSurplus.com feedback

emnbensdad · Post by **emnbensdad** » Mar Mon 23, 2009 11:44 am

On another topic here I questioned whether or not buying from MouseSurplus.com was a good thing since it had taken so long to get my order from 3/2/09.

This morning I sent them a note BEGGING for a response. I finally got one and it was very nice. To their credit, they had oversold the item and were scheduled to get some in this week. They never communicated it to me so I was in the dark. Here is their response:

Hi David,

I sincerely apologize for the length of time it has taken to get the watch
to you. The watches were over sold - no excuse, and definitely not your
problem, but I wanted to be honest with you with regards to the situation.
More watches are on their way to us and it will make it to you by your sons birthday.

Again, I am so sorry for the delay and the lack of communication regarding your pocket watch.

If you have any additional questions or concerns please feel free to contact
me at sunni@mousesurplus.com or at our store (863) 422-0000.

Sincerely,

(I deleted the full name on purpose.)

So, I'm more at ease. I still won't be 100% satisfied until the watch arrives.

I know some have expressed pleasure about ordering from them but have issued warnings that it does take a long time to receive the merchandise.

I'll post when it arrives.

David

Post by **horizons1** » Mar Mon 23, 2009 12:01 pm

I visited them while on a trip to Orlando last year and my impression was they were a mom & pop operation trying to be big. That may explain the lack of response. The entire hour I was there I walked around the whole place and not once did someone ask me if I needed help.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Mar Mon 23, 2009 2:31 pm

We've discussed them before in this thread.

Here's my commentary:

The goods are largely legit, but the people running the joint don't have the same reverence for Disney that we do. Shipping can be a problem (depending on the item), but even if you go to their showroom, most of the stuff is pre-damaged, and based on the way I saw the workers slinging stuff around, it's a fair bet that not all of the damage was caused before they got their hands on it.

They don't always have their facts straight, and while all the stuff does seem to come from Disney, it doesn't always come from the place they say it does. Many of the "facts" they post alongside the objects they have for sale are not accurate.

That said, if you know what you're looking for, are comfortable with a (usually) reasonable markup, and don't expect any of the stuff to be of pristine quality, they do deliver the goods...so to speak.

If you can get to their warehouse, I'd recommend doing so, since the shipping costs are high and you'll get a better sense of the condition of the item (and prevent the shippers from letting a clan of angry chimps have at the box with tree limbs before it reaches your doorstep). Also I'd recommend going when the weather is nice, because the warehouse is incredibly hot in the summer. (Note that all the stuff is stored in that heat as well, when you consider your purchases.)

Anyway, as I said, do you homework and don't take everything the employees say as gospel, but if you see something you recognize, it is most likely the real thing.

I'd also like to add that those attraction manuals they're listing now appear to be photocopies of originals. I'm sure they still contain cool information worth paying for, but I'd keep that in mind if you're getting them for "collectible" or "piece of the magic" purposes.

emnbensdad · Post by **emnbensdad** » Mar Mon 23, 2009 8:41 pm

Mine was more of an impulse buy. I've never actually compared anything on their site with park merchandise.

My main purpose was to let folks know of their lack of speed in following up with my order. I had spoken about them in the chat room recently and commented on my experience.

And I liked your review of the warehouse and shipping, Captain Schnemo. My wife asked what I was laughing at and I told her she wouldn't understand the humor.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Mar Mon 23, 2009 9:59 pm

Have you ordered from them in the past and had slow shipping/responses as well, or is it just this time? I ask because I've ordered (well, won things on ebay) from them a couple of times in the past and didn't have any problems like that, but the last time was a few years ago so I don't know if they've slipped overall or not.

Hope the watch gets to you in time for your son's birthday!

emnbensdad · Post by **emnbensdad** » Mar Tue 24, 2009 9:42 am

This was a first. I'm still confident (based on their email) that I will get it in time. Of course, if I don't, I won't say anything to my son. I'll be down at WDW in a couple of weeks so I could go by if I don't get it.

elizabethswann · Post by **elizabethswann** » Mar Tue 24, 2009 2:03 pm

I hope you'll be able to get it before your son's birthday!

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Mar Thu 26, 2009 1:43 am

emnbensdad wrote:This was a first. I'm still confident (based on their email) that I will get it in time. Of course, if I don't, I won't say anything to my son. I'll be down at WDW in a couple of weeks so I could go by if I don't get it.

Gotcha. Hope everything will work out for you.

emnbensdad · Post by **emnbensdad** » Mar Fri 27, 2009 12:59 pm

DisBeamer wrote:
emnbensdad wrote:This was a first. I'm still confident (based on their email) that I will get it in time. Of course, if I don't, I won't say anything to my son. I'll be down at WDW in a couple of weeks so I could go by if I don't get it.
Gotcha. Hope everything will work out for you.

And it did. My wife sent me a text message earlier today. When she got home from school today, there was a package in the mail!!!! When I got home I barely said hello before I ripped open the package. Included was the pocket watch we ordered and a nice card from Sunni at Mouse Surplus. She also sent along a Jolly Roger Flag (full size) just for the delay and for our trouble.

I don't know if they are officially connected to Disney. But, they have won my business. I'll just build in more time next time I order.

MadEye · Post by **MadEye** » Mar Sun 29, 2009 8:02 am

I've got 2 items from MouseSurplus. The first I won in an Ebay auction (Alien Encounter seat) and had no complaints (this was before the guy who founded the store/site cut ties with them. The second is a Boardwalk Resort nightstand I picked up directly from the store/warehouse (cast members get a discount as well... go figure.) and the only complaint I had was that one of the guys who works there was smoking in the storeroom by the bedsheets and stuff but far enough away from where they have the 20 - 30 nightstands from Boardwalk.

Oh and the only other complaint I have is the total disregard for the Horizons vehicle. Up-close and personal, it looks like he**!!!

Jacca5660 · Post by **Jacca5660** » Mar Sun 29, 2009 8:42 am

emnbensdad wrote:
DisBeamer wrote:
emnbensdad wrote:This was a first. I'm still confident (based on their email) that I will get it in time. Of course, if I don't, I won't say anything to my son. I'll be down at WDW in a couple of weeks so I could go by if I don't get it.
Gotcha. Hope everything will work out for you.
And it did. My wife sent me a text message earlier today. When she got home from school today, there was a package in the mail!!!! When I got home I barely said hello before I ripped open the package. Included was the pocket watch we ordered and a nice card from Sunni at Mouse Surplus. She also sent along a Jolly Roger Flag (full size) just for the delay and for our trouble.

I don't know if they are officially connected to Disney. But, they have won my business. I'll just build in more time next time I order.

I'm so glad you got everything in time! It's nice to know they added a flag for your troubled. A full size Golly Roger Flag just sounds to COOL!!

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Mar Sun 29, 2009 12:12 pm

MadEye wrote:Oh and the only other complaint I have is the total disregard for the Horizons vehicle.

This is my major concern with the place, in terms of theme park items.

Also if you look at the Alien Encounter seats they're still selling (you might not want to look at the price if you got yours a long time ago!), they seem to be a lot lighter than they were before. It looks like they've been stored in direct sunlight and faded.

(This last one could be my imagination, so take the comments for what they are worth.)

A look around the warehouse will give you a good idea of how things are handled there. Your smoking comment doesn't surprise me.

On the other hand, where else ya gonna go?

It seems unbelievable to me that Disney hasn't set up a division to handle this kind of thing, where they'd take good care of everything and give you a certificate of authenticity or something, in exchange for jacking the price up through the roof. I guess they figure it's just not worth their time.

MadEye · Post by **MadEye** » Mar Sun 29, 2009 1:57 pm

Captain Schnemo wrote:This is my major concern with the place, in terms of theme park items.

Also if you look at the Alien Encounter seats they're still selling (you might not want to look at the price if you got yours a long time ago!), they seem to be a lot lighter than they were before. It looks like they've been stored in direct sunlight and faded.

(This last one could be my imagination, so take the comments for what they are worth.)

A look around the warehouse will give you a good idea of how things are handled there. Your smoking comment doesn't surprise me.

On the other hand, where else ya gonna go?

It seems unbelievable to me that Disney hasn't set up a division to handle this kind of thing, where they'd take good care of everything and give you a certificate of authenticity or something, in exchange for jacking the price up through the roof. I guess they figure it's just not worth their time.

Of course, I did get the AE seat before Brian Ramsey, the one who started MouseSurplus left and started a new online store: SurplusKingdom.net. He hopes it takes off like MouseSurplus, and get a warehouse in the Orlando area soon, but says it is a long ways off. When it does, I'm so there!!!

As for Disney's involvement, I believe the prices would be much more expensive.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Mar Sun 29, 2009 7:12 pm

MadEye wrote:As for Disney's involvement, I believe the prices would be much more expensive.

Probably, although they are currently selling all this stuff to these guys, who presumably are not selling it at a loss. So they could certainly make money and make the fans happy at the same time. I'm not sure they play that game any more, however.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Apr Fri 03, 2009 2:48 am

emnbensdad wrote:And it did. My wife sent me a text message earlier today. When she got home from school today, there was a package in the mail!!!!

Glad to hear it arrived in time!

Captain Schnemo wrote:It seems unbelievable to me that Disney hasn't set up a division to handle this kind of thing, where they'd take good care of everything and give you a certificate of authenticity or something, in exchange for jacking the price up through the roof. I guess they figure it's just not worth their time.

I find it odd that, since they must have noticed this stuff sells on the interwebs, they haven't bothered to cut out the middle man and sell it themselves. It's like free money for tearing down old things. They used to have the occasionally auction on ebay, but I'm not sure they do that anymore (those were mostly for pins, anyway). Then again, they'd have to store everything carefully, as you say, and we all know from experience they just like to junk stuff on unused portions of the property.