Toy copters in line of fire

CLARIFICATION: The 11 complaints against HobbyTron.com in 2005 are

complaints about the company in general and do not refer specifically

to the helicopter in question. That toy was only introduced on the

company's Web site in late 2006.

OREM — Complaints are piling up at the Better Business Bureau of Utah about tiny toy helicopters and a slow-to-respond retailer that sold them.

Bureau officials say there are 85 complaints pending against HobbyTron.com, an Orem-based online retailer that sells the "Picco Z" helicopter. And comments from frustrated customers keep coming.

"That's a huge number," said Jane Driggs, bureau president and CEO. "Most companies, even an Internet company, have a dozen (complaints) at any one time. Every day we're getting more."

Many patrons of HobbyTron.com were expecting a lightweight, remote-controlled helicopter. However, many have reported that the $40 toy broke soon after its maiden flight, came broken or never came at all, Driggs said.

The bureau received 11 complaints in 2005 and 46 in 2006 from HobbyTron.com customers, Driggs said. The 85 current complaints are from the tail end of 2006 and into this month.

"(The year) 2007 is shaping up to be a bad year," Driggs said. "We're hoping that they'll eventually catch up from this Christmas rush and resolve all the complaints."

Because of the unresolved complaints, the Better Business Bureau's Web site lists HobbyTron.com as having an "unsatisfactory record."

The complaints are also filling e-mail accounts and phone-mail boxes at HobbyTron.com.

HobbyTron.com is working diligently every day, basically 24 hours a day, to do all they can to respond as quickly and efficiently as possible to take care of customers' concerns," said David Politis, a company spokesman.

The bureau is also concerned that the company may have violated a Federal Trade Commission rule by not informing customers they were out of a product, Driggs said. Some customers have reported their credit cards were charged, but they never received the toy helicopter — which was touted as one of the hot holiday must-haves.

All concerns will be dealt with, company executives say, but the holiday-rush and a labor shortage have slowed down the company's response time.