ElementGunfighter
TBH mate your maths doesn't add up; you've had several good experiances with a company and because you had one bad one (and even that could've been out of FB's control) you decide to bad mouth them when everyone is quite happy to praise the same company. Instead of emailing either phone and speak to Andy or post up on their forums.
Bad mouthing companies for providing a service to a niche market will only serve to bring the cosy situation we have now, crashing down around our ears. Now you have to order parts from the U.S. that are very hard to get hold of, from small companies, or are for rare and mystic gats that are out of production. Keep slagging companies off and eventually you'll be left with the choice to either order directly from the manufacturers' European contingent (who will know they are in demand and will be able to charge whatever they wanted, and people would pay it) or order from the U.S. for even the most simple stuff like a Cocker threaded barrel, ASA or whatever. Then no-one will be complaining about delivery times, I guarentee that. All that's hassle that I for one CBA with, I doubt anyone else can.
Use the forums to praise companies you have had outstanding service from, show you are appriciative or else shut up; sort it out yourself and go 'elsewhere' next time, no need to cause them further damage on something that could have not been their fault, or a one time mistake.
Don't let that experiance sour your view of Fat Bobs, I, aswell as most people here, have nothing but praise for them. Andy will even take stuff down to the walkons for people to buy there, he could just say 'no, if you want it for the walk-on order in advance', but he's a top lad and will fulfil the shopping lists.
Another reason to deal with them again is that they are one of the few companies I have seen that are fully hooked up with NPS which means they can get gear from companies that other shops can't; wanting ICD/Empire/Diablo but won't deal with FBs? Unless it's the more popular stuff from them, forget it, you aint getting it within the U.K.
/rant