So does this do anything for Futaba ?

no more discount coupons from TH. hopefully Futaba can find another distributor

HH has some of the best CS anywhere, and if Futaba was with them I might consider buying Futaba products again.

I hope Horizon can do something with their web pages though. They've never had what I would call a user friendly website. Tower was always much easier to navigate.

Overall though, I hope the transition goes well and that business can get back to normal fairly quickly.

Originally Posted by CHUCK

So does this do anything for Futaba ?

Only in the sense that they are a creditor in the bankruptcy. Futaba is its own company and they are only associated with Hobbico because they contract Hobbico to market, sell, and service their product line (which includes O.S. Engines).

Nobody knows what they will decide to do as a result of Hobbico going under. I'd be surprised if they wanted Horizon, who competes directly against them with their Spektrum radio line, to be responsible for the marketing, sales, and service. But who knows? I certainly don't.

Originally Posted by Truckracer

I hope Horizon can do something with their web pages though. They've never had what I would call a user friendly website. Tower was always much easier to navigate.

Overall though, I hope the transition goes well and that business can get back to normal fairly quickly.

Really? Tower hobbies website is crap imo. Horizons was always much better. Tower has been old and out of date for the last 10 years so this was inevitable.

I see only good things from HH’s good CS.

Originally Posted by Judge

Only in the sense that they are a creditor in the bankruptcy. Futaba is its own company and they are only associated with Hobbico because they contract Hobbico to market, sell, and service their product line (which includes O.S. Engines).

Nobody knows what they will decide to do as a result of Hobbico going under. I'd be surprised if they wanted Horizon, who competes directly against them with their Spektrum radio line, to be responsible for the marketing, sales, and service. But who knows? I certainly don't.

They really should just make a Futaba America to handle marketing and service and then distribute through multiple outlets. Who knows what they will do though.

Originally Posted by rpstar

Really? Tower hobbies website is crap imo. Horizons was always much better. Tower has been old and out of date for the last 10 years so this was inevitable.

At least I could find what I was looking for and with little effort on Tower’s site. Can’t say the same for Horizon’s. Yes Tower’s was bare bones and without much flash but it was functional. I guess we all look for different things in functional web navigation.

I wonder if CA customers will have to now pay tax on orders from Tower?

Originally Posted by Ira d

I wonder if CA customers will have to now pay tax on orders from Tower?

State law requires any retailer with a physical presence in the state to collect sales tax. Beyond that, we as individuals are also required to pay sales tax if the retailer does not collect it.

Originally Posted by Judge

State law requires any retailer with a physical presence in the state to collect sales tax. Beyond that, we as individuals are also required to pay sales tax if the retailer does not collect it.

Do you Know anyone that pays tax on out of state purchases when the retailer does not collect it? I know that
is what CA would like but I have never heard of anyone doing so.

try buying a motor home in a state with no sales tax and then registering it in California. my ex father in law tried that. didn't work out as well as he hoped.

and yes, the state board of equalization will tell you that it is your obligation under the law to pay tax on goods purchased out of state. the law is more or less meaningless on the stuff we buy, but the state doesn't want businesses going across a border to buy million dollar hardware to avoid sales tax. buy it where you like, but you are still going to pay. the state also wasn't too thrilled when they found out that many of the vendors at older AMA shows were selling retail for cash and not collecting or declaring tax on sales.

now back to "What will happen to Futaba?"