Whats is killing the local hobby stores?

[Pistolera]

	Quote: Originally Posted by BoneDoc
	We may need to redefine what "local" means as well..........That's why I consider www.3dhobbyshop.com a local establishment. Those who have talked to Ben and flown his planes know exactly what I'm talking about .

Yeah....if Ben were any more local, I'd be more broker
Earle

[crhammond]

If we're picking the #1 choice it would be stock for sure for me. Even the big on-line places like TBM, Chief and Airwild don't have everything you desire in one place. I have had great service and prices from all 3 of them (plus Tower and Horizon from time to time.)

We are lucky that a store opened near here that has ALL the GS goodies on the shelf. He gets a DA order every week and carries Aeroworks, Deitrich, Airwild, Mejzlik, Pete, Dubro, Futaba, Hitec etc etc etc. www.hiflightrc.com I am not sponsored by them. I have just had GREAT service, really competitive prices and they keep a ton of GS stuff in stock. I have pretty much stopped my on-line ordering other than very custom items since they opened to the public. So it CAN be done... but they have a HUGE investment in inventory. MILLIONS for sure.

I buy from the LHS's whenever I can. Dubro parts, glue, glass, balsa, covering, radios etc. I try and spread it around too since they all support our contests and have for many years. LHS support local jobs and contests and are a great meeting place to see your flying/driving/heli buddies. But they often don't cater to GS...

It is ALWAYS cheaper to buy local for me even if the markup is quite a lot higher. To ship too Canada, convert the dollar, pay taxes, brokerage fees etc is very expensive.

I think the service from most on-line places is WAY better than the average LHS for GS stuff which is a shame. They just deal in such volume and the employees tend to be GS flyers themselves.

I owned a store focused on RC cars from 2001 to 2003. There is very little margin and unless you open a BIG warehouse and do tons of volume and VERY carefully manage your inventory and costs you will not make a dime. All the money is in the spare parts and small items so you have to move a lot of them. Kits, motors etc have almost no mark up (at least for me 6 years ago they didn't.)

[3D Meatshield]

I voted easier because I'm lazy and hate to drive. Also, because I am sure many of you as well have the same problem- no shops within (even an unreasonable distance) that cater to GS at all. I have one about an hour away, and truth be told a high school kid that has read MAN for a year would know more about gassers than these clowns do. On top of that they are arrogant and rude because they know they are the only game in town when it comes to GS.

I bought my qq yak and my da 50 from these guys, and when I bought a mej prop from them later on, that was the last time they got my business. I am arrogant enough myself, I don't want it from people that are taking my thousands. So they won't get it.

(However, I go out of my way to buy glow stuff from a guy 20 miles away, because he is an awesome old dude and just to visit with him is worth the drive.)

[Al Lewis]

If your local hobby shop is anything like ours it's geared towards RC cars with a few boats and electric park flyers thrown in. Typically there aren't enough RC gasser guys around to support them carrying the items we need. They always tell you they will order things for you but I can do that on-line and, in some cases, get extra discounts without driving to the store twice.

[FENWAYFLYER]

I have a friend that went to our local Hobby store looking for a prop for his new Da 85 He asked the owner why he didn't carry any 26,27,28 on up props. I owner said they come that big, who the hell uses those. Little does he know the field is 20 min from his shop and over 2/3 of the people their fly gas.

My point is after telling the owner this he didn't care. They Cater to cars, boats and helis.

[BoneDoc]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Pistolera
	Yeah....if Ben were any more local, I'd be more broker Earle

But you'd save tons on shipping charges over the months and years .

... wait a minute, wasn't he local to you at some point?

[phippsj]

You should replace "other" with "all of the above". If the LHS has it in stock and they can provide outstanding customer service, then I'll buy from them, even if I have to pay a little more. However, they never have what I need and I always get the same answer "no, but we can order it for you" after waiting forever for Billy or Bobby to get done counting inventory or spending hours on the phone ignoring me. Well, I can order for me on-line and not mess with the hassle of the LHS.

LHS's are great for folks just getting into r/c or others who like to be into a little of everything (planes, cars, trucks boats, etc). Some folks just like to "shop" at a "hobby" shop all day long. Heck, I like to go in once in a while with my kids and check out all the new r/c trucks and park flyers.

If your r/c interests are somewhat concentrated, such as giant scale gassers or turbines, then there is very little for you at the LHS and everything is available on-line.

[Kirk]

I find it is a lot cheaper online than buying at my LHS. State sales tax here is 8.25% and that will usually cover the price of shipping but with Tower for example, free shipping and 10-20% off regularly. I shop the bargains and free shipping. I

[Mithrandir]

I would say the Dumb A$$ Tards that work at many of'em and don't know nuthin 'bout nuthin....

[planestiffi]

I give the guys credit that work at shops there are so many different products and to have info on all of them thats alot to know they all have their specialties and the shops that are lucky enough to have someone that know a little about most then they are that much better not all shop employees know it all and if they dont then shame on them for not saying so

[planestiffi]

If you call large dist like horizon and ask for product support the ask you what the item is you are inq about and give you a tech in that product.

[Neogenesis]

It was fairly easy around here.

-Lack of stock beyond a .40 glow plane
-prices were not that bad to start with, but steadily increased to the point of it being cheaper to order a kit online and pay for shipping.
-It got worse when the knowledgeable husband passed, we miss him dearly
-The hardware got expensive then stock was reduced
-Prices continued to climb as even more stock was reduced, they basically drove themselves out of business.
-The business is now closed, there isn't a local LHS for 60 miles or so now.

Neo

[vmceachern]

People now a days are willing to wait the extra time to order what they need as do I, I build what I fly so plan the purchase of items during the build of the project. I have a couple of shops within 1hr and more within 2 hrs. and utilize them for small items re: glue, extra piece of wood,or items to make repairs. Most are stocked in a general fashion but not specialized ,i call them toy stores. It also has alot to do with the owners mentality.You know what they say : GREED RULES THE HEARTS OF MEN or the wives whose names these businesses are in.

[3ddd]

i always called ,if they had it i went and got it,if they didn't i had them order it/i fiqured the price plus shipping and that was a fair price to pay the local shop.dynamic hobbies in hemet ,ca is one of the best local shops i have ever delt with and i still buy from them even thou i live a thousand miles away

[flying skunks]

my LHS is about 15 minutes away and is Chief Aircraft ......
gotta Love it ..