It still makes me not want to buy from him anymore. Last few purchases has been poor quality too, the Disney's a few months back. He has NEVER answered my emails if I had more than one question in it. I still have a feeling he do not like me, but as said, not sure why (perhaps when I complained he did not reply to my questions)

I rather check Bert, Barry, Paul, Nigel and Steve for items. Gotten to a point where I need to sell stuff anyway, I think. No more room and I constantly nauseous because I feel overwhelmed

Collector in me scream NOOOOO, NOT SELL ANYTHING, but I think downsizing is the only option. Got around 2000 films now I think

2000 is an awful lot to both store, enjoy anything like regularly, as well as look after.
2000 is around 1500 more than I'd be comfortable with personally and for me, it's a fine line between being a lover and user of film and having a hoarding disorder if anyone isn't able to actually find the necessary time to enjoy these things for as they were intended.

As for your decision with CHC Vidar, I understand fully the points you make and whilever we have land and sea between buyer and seller, communication is paramount in importance terms regarding our trust with any deal.

I used to have thousands upon thousands of vinyl records. They tended to last between 3 and 7 minutes on average, but even then one half hardly ever saw daylight. I have since whittled the collection down to around 1500 just for when I fancy a session with them but even this is probably too many for the time I can allocate to them while ever I have to work for a living.

Mind you, it is not 2000 features, lots of 50', 200' and 400' too. Around 300 features perhaps. And yes, it is getting more difficult to enjoy them all. Just have to kick my collector ass a bit more to make him see, it is necessary

:-)

It is many years since I purchased a film by mail order from Classic so my comments may not now apply since Phil moved his shop premises.

The problem was stock control, or lack of it. Films were not kept in the shop but in a warehouse. No one in the shop (Phil or Denise) would know offhand whether a film was still available, or not. Phil (usually) would have to go to the warehouse and physically check the shelves to see whether the film was still there, and available for sale.

I believe it wasn't a daily visit. Therefore, a person ordering by telephone didn't know if he was lucky or not!

The web-site sales listings were often way out of date which was also a problem.

I am sure that we all know that Phil has ben unwell for quite some time now so we must be grateful that he is still in business.

Blimy Vidar, i struggle to look after ours and we have around a total of 443 super 8 films, 200,400,600s,800s and features, 6 x 16mm features,(& rising), 6 x 16mm TV shows & 119 Ads,trailers and promo's. Thats a total of 574. It all takes a lot of care in order to make sure they all dont get any problems in storage and of course ensuring they are all cleaned with Filmguard.

I have to say we have sold in the past and continue to do so in order to buy new but i have indeed sold a few i wish i hadn't.
We have now made a deal with eachother, (it'l be hard), NOT to buy for the sake of it, Quality NOT quantity, and to now raise some cash, all donation accepted, in order to make sure we attend next years Blackpool convention, it give us plenty of time to raise a decent amount of dosh via ebay, (& not just cine films), The only reason we cant go this year is because we are booked for Florida for two weeks so it has drained me a bit now. (& still have the stress that my Wife wont go due to her Mum being quite ill, it is all very stressful at the moment).

So Vidar, if,(& only if), you wish to sell any features, 8 or 16, please do let me know. I will be hoping to build the 16mm collection to a maximum of 15/20 tops.

It is a shame that Vidar has had a bad experience with CHC,but he is not alone i no longer receive there magazine nor the lists I signed up to have they just stopped comming and when i tried to buy a film It was availble and within thirty seconds it was not.Anyway that was a while ago so I no longer bother.
Its no wonder theres no films about Vidar has them all........
I do think its a good idea to advise the users of this site of the problems one has occasionally,but also praise where praise is due as there are a lot of great people out there who do provide an excellent service without whom this hobby would not be sustainable.

Tom, all I can say is have a great time in Florida, it's a dream holiday and nothing less than you deserve. It is a great shame that your good lady isn't able to make the trip with you all but we of all people here, fully understand the strain and commitment she surely feels, and wishes to provide.

We had a dreadful year last year through close family terminal illness and it was extremely stressful for all involved to watch and be part of.
Your wife, yourself and your family as a whole, has our sincerest warm wishes for better health and blessings to all of you during this time. God bless.

Thanks Andy, we shall know nearer the time if she can come with us, its all booked and paid for so i am hoping so. I know she wants to go very much.

I hope so too Tom. She'll need the break and escapism no doubt.

Vidar "I did not get The Exorcist, but blood pressure could be affected by poor customer service" I have visions of your head just spinning round.

Ha, ha. Blood pressure 129/80, so not worried. Not angry either, just disappointed by being promised a film, to be lied to and not getting it

My loss? His loss? I do not know, butif I do not readhis list, I do not know what I miss, no problem

It is very frustrating Vidar,
i will add that generally i dont ever have a problem with Phil, if i reserve i do get, the last list did have three on it i wanted, i reserved them only to ring back and pay for them but told they were sold.
I could be wrong but i do know he has had a new person temporarily helping and i think somewhere along the line one was saying yes because they wernt crossed off the list but it was an in between thing if you know what i mean.
One was taking calls but not too sure what to do and the other was packing but also assuming they had been crossed off.

Tim. if your reading this i'll make you laugh, that poltergeist print your bought????
For once i was the first person to ring Saturday AM, i enquired about it because i knew there was an error on the list and i thought it should have read 4 x 600ft. It wasn't sold & i said i'll ring back in 5, I didn't know whether to take a gamble at that price and hope it was a derann LPP print, in which case i would have sold my Red Fox one, (even though theirs sod all wrong with mine, in fact it is A1), or perhaps as you thought, it may have been incomplete, (this is why dealers need to check what they are selling when it comes to big titles),
Anyway, i thought yeah lets have gamble, i rang back & You had beaten me to it. Fortunatly for me it turned out to be, as you said, the Red fox print re-edited. Phewww

I think it was me that got that print, Tom.

You are correct there John, where did i get Tim from

don't forget to book your weekend at blackpool in novemeber ask for Julie Vincent at the Hilton hotel where there will be 1000s of super 8 films and 16mm all for sale and can be viewed before you buy no ringing up see what you buy at much cheeper prices

He must not like me either! :)
When I emailed about "Poltergeist" Flat. He replied, "Too late". Nice.
Then a few years back I inquired about a Fumeo 9119 for sale. He said it would only work on 220V. I said I understood that and I have a convertor for the voltage difference.
No reply. I sent a 2nd email. No reply.
I have never purchased anything from him and most likely never will.
I'll stick to Ian, Foster, and the Forums.

Since he says 220V, does it mean you are in the US? Then Steve Osborne should be on your good trader list.

Steve is on my GREAT trader list. Great customer service, he sends out the film immediately even before receiving payment, great prices, yes. He is one of the best around.

Shame there isn't a Steve then in every country then based on what's just been said! Though I have to say, Ian has been more than fair with me on countless occasions.

Alan, i will back that up 100%. My first, (shamefully years too late) dealing with Steve was when i bought my Grease feature. A forum member put me onto him when i was hunting this title down. I put out my request, as this was my first sale i paid $200 (which back then was around 160£, the film arrived with lots of magazines and leaflets, mounted on 2 x 1200ft spools and re recorded in stereo by its previous owner, since that first purchase the few films i have bought from Steve have been sent with an invoice, suffice to say i pay on the day i get the goods. The trust works both ways, the only downside is the shipping from the US can be a little high.

That is why I want Steve to become a Norwegian, but I probably go totally broke
:-)

I have sent films off to some forum members before they even have paid me and I will put films aside or you can pay over 3 months

I just think it's great all around to hear stories not only of the negative experiences with the global dealers left in film but also the positive ones where clearly there is a rapport and trust between dealer and seller when a film of considerable value can be sent hundreds or thousands of miles without any kind of payment being made at the outset.

Hats off to dealers and private sellers alike, when there is sufficient trust to know nobody is trying to " pull a fast one" over anybody genuine remaining in the hobby! Very credible activity all around!!

I think the only reason i have never bothered trying to deal with Mr Osborne at The Reel Image in the US is only because I know sometimes communication can be somewhat difficult as I believe Steve is very "Old School" regarding global communication and things can often take quite some time apparently if you're expecting a swift reply to a particular enquiry.
With over 4500 miles separating our nations, I have no doubt this at times could prove somewhat frustrating.

No more so than Alan's experiences though it has to be said and that is with good communication methods apparently!

Tom,
when you purchased "Grease" from Steve Osborne,did you get stung for VAT and import duty?
as I understand it,anything imported from a non EU source is liable to these duties.

I didnt on that one. It was around ten years ago now