Whats is killing the local hobby stores?

[juicesqueezer]

	Quote: Originally Posted by classclown
	What if you were the guy on the other end of the phone, calling in, and no answer because some jerk demands service at the counter?

Apparently you never worked in customer service or understand the concept of good customer service. As a consumer, I think the customer standing in front of the cash register is more important than someone too lazy to come in to the store. That is what you have voice mail for and then call them back when you are finished with your paying customer standing in front of you. Sorry, but that is a no brainer! Jerk, i don't think so...................

[vmceachern]

I have got to chime in here. I am good friends with a couple of local owners and they will agree that this is not a hobby anymore, at most it is a recreational sport due to the over commercializing and RTF stuff flooding the market from China. The local shops are mere toy stores, the only way to say it is a hobby is if you build your projects from a kit (which is almost impossible to find anymore) plans, or scratch design. Don't get me wrong I am just as guilty as the next guy at getting sucked in to these quick and easy plug and play toys, but i will always build and the shops are not geared for that aspect anymore the quick sale makes them the cashflow so they can keep there head above water.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by juicesqueezer
	Apparently you never worked in customer service or understand the concept of good customer service. As a consumer, I think the customer standing in front of the cash register is more important than someone too lazy to come in to the store. That is what you have voice mail for and then call them back when you are finished with your paying customer standing in front of you. Sorry, but that is a no brainer! Jerk, i don't think so...................

Apparently, from your previous posts, and this last one, your one of those *costumers who demands service and total attention, and gets pissed when you don't get it. The costumer is not always right, like people like you seem to think all the time. What I meant in my post, in case your too dumb to figure it out was, you would've been pissed that no one was answering the phone. How dare they do it to mwa! Now, go squeeze some pulp out of an orange.

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Ipwnuathalo
	Plus how many hobby shops have a 1600ft runway with perfect Bermuda grass out the back door to go fly at?? Ummm...only those owned by people who made their money in a different industry? Whats is killing the local hobby stores? Ummm...since they are low-margin, low-profit, labor-intensive retail businesses that appeal to one of the smallest demographic groups in society, pretty much ANYTHING that goes even slightly wrong can kill them. Is it just me, or are these questions pretty easy?

You obviously don't know Mac.

[smokin]

the LHS's having a rough go of it is in part a result of the Walmart philosophy of consumers these days. i am not throwing stones at anyone here at all but the truth of our current, and probably future, marketplace economy is very much so the fault of the customer.

customers want to pay LESS for everything. this makes life VERY expensive!!!

the local grocery store is no more becasue walmart can sell thier groceries for a bit less. now, you get a sometimes inferior product and most all of the time inferior service, but ... it's cheaper right?

WRONG!!!!!!

because of the desire for cheaper groceries by one person, that person's neighbor then loses his job at the local grocer's due to it's closing from the walmart opening up. well, that guy when employed, used to be able to "afford" to be the customer of another neighbor of Mr Cheap Grocery Wanter at his bait and tackle shop... that particular bait and tackle shop sells a quality product for a reasonable price and just so happens to have the most knowledgable staff on the planet! or should i say "had". due to the unemployed grocer, and many like him, now being forced to only "squander their money" on things like food and heat, the bait shop owner no longer has the "means" to pay the necessary wage to the upper eschelon of employees. so, he lets them go and tries to handle things himself only to go out of business due to the main reason for his previous success not being the prices, but the help. so, the now unemployed bait shop owner no longer has the means to go to his favorite tavern on his way home from work in the evenings. this former worm seller is not alone here... over half of the patrons of that particular tavern have fallen on hard and unemployed times due to their employers folding against the "bluffed" better hand of walmart. so, you guessed it... the tavern closes down. and guess who owned it and is now unemployed himself???

Mr Cheaper Groceries! the same guy that wants to "work and have a job" like he used to, doesn't get to because he just had to pay a little less for a loaf of bread! thus pricing himself out of work!

ok... sorry... story over!


today's RC'ers don't go and have coffee and talk with a LHS owner and other customers. the local hardware store is suffering the same fate. and, remember...there are no more "dime" stores... there are only dollar stores... that you spend a dollar at and acquire something worth a dime! there is no more downtown. and unfortunately, all of our LHS's have been downtown!

[classclown]

And that is why I stay away from Wally World. I only go there if its after midnight and I absolutely need to get something at that time

[smokin]

not to people watch? some "scary 'uns" in there! LOL

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by smokin
	not to people watch? some "scary 'uns" in there! LOL

LOL! I remember that thread. I think I posted that I would rather go watch the ***** fights at the monkey cages at the zoo.

[smokin]

[SmoothFlying]

	Quote: Originally Posted by juicesqueezer
	Our local hobby store is 40 miles away. Sometimes he has it, sometimes not. Gas, forget it. No engines, planes, etc. He will order, but heck, I can do that. Oh, if he gets a phone call while you are asking for help or paying, he answers the phone instead. That is a no no as far as good business sense goes. Take care of the customer in front of you. We did have a small hobby shop open in our little town this year. He came to me and asked what he needed to carry. When they found out how much they had to buy from some vendors, he ordered from others and stocked very little and lasted approximately 3 months. Go figure. As a business man for 30 years, i was shocked when he told me what quanities of stock he must carry from folks like Hangar 9, etc. Ya need big bucks to get into this hobby. I believe the days of the LHS are numbered. Just a fact of life. The major manufactures and distributors are dictating the results. There is no loyalty. If you believe there is, take a look at DLE and their deal with Tower. Let's see how long the little guys last. Is DA next?????

I would love to see your face when you pulled up to my hobby shop I fly and buy at!!!!

[classclown]

	Quote: Originally Posted by TeamFlatout
	I would love to see your face when you pulled up to my hobby shop I fly and buy at!!!!

Exactly, we have a shop out here that stocks everything, DA 50,85,100. For the bigger ones, they'll get it for you, same price like getting it from DA. The place has pretty much everything. If there is something they don't have, they'll get it and drop ship it to your house. And the coffee is really good too..... .... .. .. . and Mac's place is damn good too.

[smokin]

i am terribly jealous of guys with a great LHS! don't take 'em for granted if you've got 'em, cuz we ALL wish we had access to one!

[50%plane]

I shop at walmart because it's one stop shopping. I can buy my groceries, motor oil, and even socks there. I only have to put up with stupid people in one store....

Last time I went to a LHS, they had nothing that I needed. On top of that, I can only go on Saturdays because they close before I can make there after work. And when they do have something I need, they jack up the price.... For example, one Hitec 7955 cost $125 from them, and I bought them for $90-95 from ExtremeFlight....(back when they first came out)

[DadsToysBG]

	Quote: Originally Posted by 50%plane
	I shop at walmart because it's one stop shopping. I can buy my groceries, motor oil, and even socks there. I only have to put up with stupid people in one store.... Last time I went to a LHS, they had nothing that I needed. On top of that, I can only go on Saturdays because they close before I can make there after work. And when they do have something I need, they jack up the price.... For example, one Hitec 7955 cost $125 from them, and I bought them for $90-95 from ExtremeFlight....(back when they first came out)

I've got to jump in on this one. I have a LHS and the only pricing I can go by is Tower. Did you think to ask him if he could match pricing? I know if I can I will match any price?
I fly GS and turbines and there are many companies that won't sell to me wholesale. I stopped selling electric because of Hobby City in China. With the price wars going on in gas, how can a small store even stock gas engines. I'm putting together a new 42% and I have to go to the net to get certin items for the plane.
What I can offer is knowledge, experience and time. YES the small store is between a rock and a hard place. When GP sells me a plane and Tower offers $60 off it makes it hard.
This is still fun for me. When I opened the store the club had 20 members now over 80. We now have 800ft of black top and 13 turbine holders. I was the first with a trailer now the parking lot is filled with trailers and large planes. I like to think I am part of the reason we've grown. Really what is the problem with giving me a shot at the sale. I can have it in my store in two days at the same price. If something is wrong you come to me to fix it, not some voice on the phone.
Some of are right I can't get everything and a lot of country has no store to go too. But for those that do use them if you can. Dennis

[FlyinTiger]

Good to hear! I would love to have a hobby store like yours in my area...an owner that uses his and other products, not just a sales clerk.

Best of luck to you, I hope your store does well.