Corgi item no.AA31909
Potograph Copyright © Collin Riley 2005

Okay, Folks, the Story Doesn't End There. The original vendor insisted on refunding my money and my shipping costs. So I was wrong; vendors do care! So I received my brand new "Paddy" from a different vendor, and look at what I got:

• The prop doesn't turn.
• There is glue on the wing fillet.
• There is a lump of something under the roundel on the right wing.
• There is a wear mark where the rubberband held the plane to the stand.

In short, the thing is such a mess I'm not even going to add it to my collection. And since I opened the package, I won't return it to the vendor.

Corgi, WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO YOU?

Legends collection. Looks like this will be a nice model, if I can get my hands on a collectible copy.

A mere smear. That run of glue is the first thing I saw when I received this model. It seems funny that the (mythical?) inspectors at the factory, and the diligent (?) inspectors working for the vendor, couldn't spot the thing.

Wanting to return the model, I emailed the vendor, but before getting a reply noticed that I must call first for instructions. So I called, and was told that Corgi handled returns, and that I should call them. I was also told that with the hassle of postage, restocking, and returning the model to Corgi, the vendor would lose money on the transaction. However, the vendor told me to call back if Corgi wouldn't take the model. (My thought at the time being, "Well do they take defective models back, or don't they? You don't sound too sure.")

Corgi doesn't want your defective models. Defective models can be returned only by those who purchased them directly from Corgi. Remember that when you receive a defective model.

Vendors inspect models before they are shipped. Remember that when you are wont to complain about poor quality or defects. (See the wings came off for more information.)

Horns of a dilemma. So what is the poor, cash strapped, and unsatisfied collector to do? I don't want the model. Corgi doesn't want the model. The vendor doesn't want the model. And, of course, the vendor doesn't want to lose money. But, then, I don't want to lose money. And certainly, Corgi doesn't want to lose money.

Final disposition. I decided to send the model back to the vendor and not ask for a refund. This way I learned a lesson in economics (how to lose money), and got a good story for my Web page. The vendor won't lose money, since he can sell the thing again, or use it as a paper weight. And certainly, Corgi won't loose money because they won't know what happened (and probably wouldn't care).

Everyone comes out a winner, even the other vendor from whom I ordered a replacement (however, see blue sidebar). If that vendor doesn't run out of copies before I get mine, a picture of the plane will eventually appear on this page.