Surplustronics Trading Ltd

Would remove that star if possible. I collect phono cartridges and ordered a new stylus for one of them on their website. The stylus arrived 2 weeks later here in USA. Excited, I opened the package and found a yellow product rather than the red I had ordered. These 2 products have very different diamond tip geometries. The yellow costs $ 15 and the red costs
$ 99. A substantial difference. Mistakes happen, so I emailed the distribution manager, Rowan, asking him to send me what I ordered and I would return the wrong item. Simple, right? Not for Rowan! He emailed back «you’d have to have a very professional experience to tell the shape apart from others. We have on the other hand, had an expert coming back for more and more of these same ones and raving about them. They are what they say they are»
Wow! I have been collecting for over 30 years and use a laboratory Nikon microscope to check my stylus tips for wear and it was easy to conclude the wrong one was shipped. SoI told Rowan again that I wanted what I ordered…
Rowans next response: «it would seem regardless of what we send you it will not satisfy, so by all means send that one back to us for a ull refund»
What is going on here? By now I start to suspect maybe this is standard procedure to charge $ 99 and then send a $ 15 product and when a customer eventually exposes the bait and switch, that customer is treated as an imbecill or idiot by the distribution manager, Rowan. Why did Rowan just not offer to ship what I ordered? Well, now it gets more intriguing…
So I reiterate my desire to get what I ordered?. This time Rowan responds:
«The stock we list and hold to our knowledge, was as listed. This is the first of many sales of the item to have had a complaint and we had no knowledge of them not being what we ordered, listed and sold»
OK, the fact that the company has no knowledge of what they ordered, what they listed to customers or sold to customers does not bode well for us customers to actually receive what we ordered, at the correct price. Ask me, I know all about it. Still no apology from Rowan!
As of today, the company still lists both the product I received at $ 15 and the one I ordered at $ 99! Since I no longer expect to receive what I ordered (they may NEVER have had it, unbeknownst to them!!!) I offered to keep the product shipped since sending it back would cost more to me than the value of the product (International shipping) The company would then credit me $ 99 on my card and I would be held harmless and the mistake or what ever would cost the company only $ 15.
Here is the resonse from Rowan the distribution managare at Surplustronics:
” The website remains as it was because we have not had a moment to change it yet…
Admitting that the wrong product was sent would not be correct in that we understood it to be correct…
I have nothing to send you because the stock is not as it should be…
Fact: the stock was different from what we were lead to believe
Fact: if you return it, i will refund you
Fact: i hace nothing better to send you“
So, from hinting that I do not know what I am talking about, Rowan now admits that the COMPANY HAS NO CLUE WHAT THEY RECEIVE INTO INVENTORY OR SEND OUT FROM SAME INVENTORY. However, they certainly know how to charge for products they do not have! If you suspect you were subject to the same switcheroo as I experienced, you can always contact customer protection at MBIE NZ.
Rowans latest emai:
«I understand completely what you want us to do, but what i required is final»
Wow! Rowan understands that I do not want to pay out of pocket for the company’s mistakes and gettting nothing in return. But he REQUIRES me to do so. What a business model: Customer orders $ 99 product, and is shipped one worth $ 15. When I object, The company representative insinuates I do not know what I am talking about since only «PROFESSIONALS» How unfortunate for the company I happened to be a «PROFESSIONAL» busting their little switch and bait scheme.
So there you have it, accept what Rowan «requires» or bust! 2016? I refuse to let the Rowans of the world win!
At all cost, stay clear! Unless you like being humiliated by Rowan, the distribution manager at at Surplustronics of NZ.

An incredibly practical store to go to if you need any electronic components. Far wider range than Dick Smith. I was trying to fix an old dictaphone, my only hope of hearing what was on some old tapes that I found. I took it in and the guy was very patient and helpful. He came up with a solution and then went to track down all the necessary components that I needed. I took like 20min of his time and it only cost me like $ 5, so I apprecciated that. All kinds of intersting things in this store, heaps of cool surveillance equipment, audio gear, computer parts, and everything you need to creative with electronics. Perfect for DIY types who like inventing mental contraptions.

Surplustronics is the type of place people say «they have everything, including the kitchen sink.» But only if they are referring to electronic things — so whatever the equivalent of the kitchen sink is in electronics land, Surplustronics has it. Whether you want disco balls, record player needles, resistors, capacitors, replacement vibrators, Surplustronics is the place to go. The staff are super friendly and happy to help you get exactly what you need — or let you browse for as long as you want. They do light hiring as well, so if you are having a party, this could be the one stop shop for you.