Hi guys,
For those of you that live outside the US, and purchase things from online stores, which stores do you use? Which are the best, and which do you not recommend? I’m mainly looking at options for purchasing HO rolling stock, and locos (due to somewhat limited supply locally) if that makes adifference. Thanks.
Aaron
G’day
Ordering to your next-door neighbour, I’ve found there are a few good ones. Here are my top 4;
Avoid internettrains.com at all costs - they have a reputation for being dodgy.
Hope this helps,
tbdanny
Hi from Belgium,
A few years ago I put a lot of order with Miami Trains, but don’t see any advice about them now.
I have work with Caboose Hobbies and TrainWorld in the past whit a very good relationship.
Now I order often in a shop based in Deutchland because they follow all american trains and Whalthers stuff and it’s easier with the custom papers for me.
I have also put many orders to Fastrack and they service and relations are first rate.
Marc
Despite seemingly lower prices, ordering directly in the US does not always result in savings. Shipping charges and customs clearing/VAT can easily eat away any gain you expected to have. I did a couple of orders with Caboose Hobbies and was quite happy with the way my order was handled - fast shipping, customs pre-cleared. Total saving was to the tune of 5 % - not worth the hassle.
Fortunately, we have quite a good source for a lot of stuff here in Germany, with a lot of special prices.
Now, I only order those items in the US I cannot get here in Germany.
G’day mate.
I use Walthers. Not all of the items they sell are at full retail and every week they publish one hundred or more items that are on special. Unfortunately in my case, very often I’m not much interested in what they are offering on special.
Walthers is my on-line LHS of choice and in contrast to what I’ve just written above, most of the half dozen or so passenger cars I have ordered from Walthers recently have been priced at about half their MRSP - I made a ninety dollar saving on these cars and a few other bits and pieces.
I buy all my locomotives from private sellers on eBay - watch them on the P&P some of them can be tricky little devils and a trap for the new player, but I have had nothing but positive experiences buying locomotive models there.
Look across to the right side of your computer screen and you will see, Trainworld. Although it’s been a while now, in my dealings with these folks I have had good experiences. They are no fuss, are prompt with their order filfillment and they pack well - their published prices are good value as well.
I have tried many of the on-line stores suggested on other posts and have, for several reasons and have included $100.00 minimum order, high shipping & handeling charges, items shown on their website as being in stock but in reality aren’t, etc, I have always reverted back to Walthers. I know that there will always be most of what I want to order in stock there or I add any items that aren’t to the wishlist they provide for me on their site. Their service is fast and thorough and any enquiries I’ve made have been dealt with in a proficient and courteous manner. Sending confirmation e-mails advising receipt of an order from you, that the order is being processed and finally shipped seem to be built into their system and it’s the kind of hand-holding that keeps t
My advice to you and to the others in that thread about rating online stores is to become adept at shopping in eBay. When I first found my LHS and the online stores quoting a Proto 2000 switcher at $80+ and I then bought the same item “good as new” on eBay for $36, I never looked back.
123 eBay locos later, I would never buy from an online store when I could get the same item slightly used or, in many cases, new in the box, for half the online store price or less.
True, you have a few worries about being ripped off and lack of warranties, but many eBay sellers are as good as gold. Recently, danstraindepot in Florida arranged for a free test for a problem locos they sold me with the Walthers repair depot, despite the item being used, and they paid for shipping there and back for me. What a great seller.
Besides, haunting eBay and scoring a new Kato GP38-2 for under $50 is a lot of fun.
I have had good service, if not a lot (I only own a comparatively few engines…) from caboosehobbies, internethobbies, tony’strainexchange, modeltrainstuff, modelbahnott, factorydirectrains, BLI’s refurbished section at their own website, canadianmodeltrains, and two sellers using the ‘Buy it now’ option on ebay, but I’ll leave them anonymous.
-Crandell
Hi again from Belgium,
The shop I mentionned before in Deutchland is All American Trains www.aat-net.de
I work with them since two years and their service is great, they follow all the Walthers items saying nearly whats is avaible on the US market.
About E bay I didn’t like to buy trains there for two major reason; first before you receive your model you don’t know how really it is. Exchange or guarantee are not so easy to do or receive.
Second by buying at E bay you don’t support you hobby shop. When you find a good hobby shop you have the service and all the small things it will give you. Some items you need are guarantee whith a hobby shop and when you become a good customer some price could vary too. Making a visit to a hobby shop is always a pleasure because you find items but you could speak with another people.
My advice is : A good service is may be more important that the better price you can find.
Marc