Being from Australia, the shipping costs from the US are too much of an unknown for me… there is something special about the confidence of handing ove rthe cash and getting what you paid for right there and then… If someone could convince me that I could really save money, I woul use the internet to buy MR for large ticket items…once I had worked out what I really need from seeing the product either at my local MR shop or at a train show. The concept of supporting the “small guy” is admirable and certainly a factor for me, but if I could buy cheaper I would… maybe some Aussies have had sucess with US internet purchases?
I got to thinking about the volume purchase aspect of competing with these large online houses. It reminded me of the problems the Mom and Pop hardware stores had once the Home Depots moved in. Here in New England, most of them are still in business, but most are affiliated with either Ace or True-Value. I’m not sure how these work organizationally, but I suspect they are more like buying co-ops than top-down corporations. The individual stores retain their ownership and character, but get the advantage of bulk purchasing and national advertising.
It would seem that hobby shops could also benefit from this sort of thing. Is anyone doing this?
Leon, I agree with you. The mass marketers don’t want into the business and that will kill the business. The cool part of Sears was the Christmas catalog and seeing trains. The old movies of kids looking in a store window at a Lionel running in the window. The hobby has changed into a collectors world. BLI come on. They make beautiful trians, that look great and sound fantastic. But if you don’t want them when they decide, you miss out. What a croc. Same with proto 2000. What happened to making trains for all, not just $300-$600 dollars engines with a short sales life. And Brass, please. While it is great for collectors, how many people actually have one?
Spacemouse and myself, both in the hobby for less than 3 months have had a blast with our kids, and THAT is the most important part. I love going to my LHS, but they are not friendly to my kids. So I drive 45 miles to a store that is almost full price, but much nicer to my kids. I internet order what I want, or I travel.
I did look into opening a store, I figure I could outsell anyone in the business in town and close by. But with all the scales, and parts, selling trains seems to be a losing business. Trains cost too much, and there are too many items you have to carry. Unless you specialize in 1 scale, and have a huge market, and so many people tra***alking entry level, the market will die, and the internet will be the only place along with the shows. Too bad for all of us.
Maybe I’ll give up on the store idea, and start a train club. One where rivet counters are banned, and anyone can run any train. Kids are always welcome, as that is the future of our hobby. One where we have entry level how to’s at least once a month, and where the most improtant aspect is fun.
Take care all and ENJOY trains, no matter where we get them,
Tim
About ten years ago, I was very much into RC Cars, I raced them every weekend at my LHS. I had 2 friends that I work with that were also into them as well. At the time we talked about what it would be like to build our own indoor track with hobby shop attached. It came down to needing to get many things that the LHS didn’t stock and we would have to get through mail order (mail order was much bigger then).
After reading this post it had relit that thought process, but with a slight twist. Inorder to have the buying power as well as the prices that would make it successful the LHS would have to be turned into a NWHS (Nation Wide Hobby Shop). Something that was a franchise and it had its own warehouse and multiple suppliers inorder to be able to get those hard to buy/find items.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I prefer to hold something in my hand and compare it with a like item before I buy it. This is especially true for new items. Pictures on the interenet or in a catalog are not always good enough for me. I am a hands on person and would prefer to make as many of my purchases that way.
In case you were curious the LHS that I used to do my RC racing at is now the LHS that I frequent for my MR needs. It is not bad but their rolling stock and locomotive stockage doesn’t include enough BN/BNSF stuff for my liking, and I am forced to use other methods to get what I want and need often times.
Just my[2c]
-Gary