I’m not going to name names but the “worlds largest hobby shop” in Colorado got my business only one time and that’s the last time. On the phone they repeatedly showed their incompetence and seem to put more priority on internet sales rather than direct phone sales. They quite literally sold a rare consignment item that was already mine and I had already given them payment for and they did it after they already told me it was mine. They gave me a few runaround excuses and when they mistakenly let it be known through some inconsistency that their story was a lie, and to my complaining wife of all people, they basically just said sorry, too bad. I can’t replace that item. Keep in mind their story came out several days after the order was placed at which time they STILL hadn’t packed it up to go.
I don’t care how large you are. I don’t care how famous you are or how much business you do. I don’t care that your name is the now extinct last car on a train. I don’t even care how many people would stick up for you and how many happy customers you have. With me you get one chance to mess up and it doesn’t matter if it’s the first transaction or the 100th. Messing up is also the last one. You will never get another cent from me and your own incompetence, lying and deception is to blame. I merely placed a phone call, said what I wanted, was told it was in stock as the person on the phone claimed to be looking at them, told they were mine, and gave payment info. That part of the transaction was smooth. It was not receiving contact for several days and not having anything get shipped until I called back several days later causing one of the 70+ year old pieces that I was told were mine to get sold out from under me that made me mad. I don’t see how my attitude could have had anything to do with it. It will affect any transactions from here out though. I’ll buy from ebay first as at least I can
I was to the Model Railroad shop this afternoon and picked up a few things. As I said earlier my 1st train set came from there in 1950 and yes Fred is still there taking care of my needs. they have everything you need and if they don’t, they will get it for you.
If we’re ranting, I’ll give a bit of vent to my own pet peeve.
An LHS near where I used to live would charge quite high prices, even for stock that has been sitting on the shelf for years. It wasn’t moving because of the high prices, and they weren’t inclined to lower the prices in order to move it to get new stock in.
For example, they have an Atlas N scale shay from the original (2001) release for $AU 300. With the currency conversion and shipping included, the pre-ordered one from Caboose Hobbies works out to about $AU 165. And this was typical of this hobby shop’s mentality - ‘you’ll pay top dollar for old stock’. I sort of felt sorry for their model train guy - I could tell he wanted to mark it down and move it on, but his hands were tied by the owners.
As with all retail stores, it seems there are good hobby stores and bad hobby stores. I live only 10 minutes away from one of the good hobby stores, and I like to give them my business because of it, even if it means paying a little more sometimes. I’ve been going there for even longer than it’s had it’s current owner, so they know me by name.[:D] And as for some hobby shops downgrading to really cheap stuff, mine actually upgraded a little after the owner decided the Life-Like train sets were poor quality.[:D]
If any of you guys ever pass through Bloomington, don’t forget to give them a visit! (http://hobbylandfunstore.com/)
I guess I’m real lucky as I live only 2 blocks from The Model Railroad shop in Piscataway.I have been going there since I was born (and father and grandfather before me) My Dad got me my first train set there a Lionel set the year I was born (1970) its still in the original package. Couldnt ask for better giys than there. I also go to Avenel Hobbies(not much trains)as I also build regular models.The Model Railroad shop now has a website so they have gotten into the 2000’s lol, Warren runs it and he is good at computers and a whiz at wiring.
I have to drive a little over 2 hours to the nearest store to me. However, I have made the trip numerous times and have found the employees very knowledgeable. Last Saturday they were extremely busy and I had to wait a while to talk with them. But when I did it was like I was the only one in the store. He answered all my questions thoroughly and helped me and my retired father very much. They are The Antique Barn in Wilson NC right off of I-95. The drive is worth it, not only do they know their stuff, but they have it in stock at reasonable prices. These guys do trains!
I like the guys at the swap shows that won’t barter or negotiate prices and have a whole ton of stuff- it makes me wonder if they used to be hobby stores that went under and still want premium price for the stuff they bought- I don’t know about them but I wouldn’t want to keep hauling it back and forth everywhere.
There was one guy that had something I was looking for; I asked him if he’d go down on his price and he said “nope-firm.” Turns out, with shipping, I could get it cheaper on Ebay (and I knew that). I told the guy sorry and I hope you have fun hauling it around some more.
A couple of the posts about stores that refuse to mark down old inventory reminded me of an LHS I used to go to when I lived in Northern California (East Bay). They had a glass display case of various locos, and for maybe 3 years there was this same Atlas switcher there in CP livery. As far as I know I was the only modeler in the area that did Canadian roads. One day I raised the question of the CP switcher - said it had been there for 3 years at full list price, and did he want to get it off the books? Well, he looked at me like I was crazy and declined. And yes, he was the store owner.
It seems to me that turnover of inventory would be pretty important to an LHS - especially for more costly items - so why not at least recover your cost and invest in more popular stock that will move? And make a customer happy at the same time? Instead, they keep paying for this dead inventory (the opportunity cost / cost of money tied up in non-moving inventory) and stubbornly hang on in the hopes that some day somebody will walk in and pay full list.
Anyway, as a general thought, I agree with all those folks who believe that paying more than intermnet prices is fine, provided the LHS is friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful. Cheers.
I believe that all high schools should have the senior class operate the school bookstore and perhaps even the cafeteria. We would all be better shoppers if everyone understood what’s involved in running a business. Too many people think that the sales price of the product minus cost of the product equals the profit on the sale.
I used to know a woman who ran a small country store in a very small community. She used to go to a large super store to buy some of the products to sell in her store because she could buy them cheaper at that store than she could buy the same product from her wholesale supplier. Her store was too small to enjoy the economy of scale enjoyed by the superstore.
That brick and mortar hobby shop has rent, utilities, payroll, insurance, etc. The refusal to “dicker” on that one item is not the point. If he has to negotiate prices individually his overall gross will suffer. Check the parking lot. Does he drive to work in a Mercedes? Does he seem to be disproportionately wealthy? Or is he just trying to earn a living like you are?
You’re right on the nose there! My LHS owner absolutely does not drive a Mercedes Benz. He drives 2 Lexus’s instead and lives in a $700,000 home that is paid for. Hmmmm…How do I know this? Because in Scott County all real estate records are kept online for all to see.
On the flip side, no one said you have to be smart to own or run a small business. My ex-brother-in-law is proof of that. 10 years later and he’s still running from the IRS AND still in business.[:D]
I travel about 45 miles once or twice a month to Lins Junction in Lansdale PA. Farther than 2 larger shops that are closer. Nice shop with a very friendly and knowledgeable owners. They stock all quality higher end product including a full line of Digitrax and NCE DCC and other electronic goodies. It’s a good thing they’re not closer, between the 2 DCC systems, 6 sound loco’s, and a boatload of buildings, rolling stock, and signal equipment, they’ve emptied my walled many times.
You have to admit it’s sort of like watching the wright brothers try and fly a 747, actually they probably sold the Wright Brothers their first train set.