I am close to retirement and have been toying with the idea of starting a web site/e-business dedicated completly to model structures, detail parts for structures, scratch building parts etc…
There are thousands of e-businesses that carry everything train related, and I think there would be a nich for this site.
Another reason is because there is only one LHS within 100 miles from my home, they are very over priced, and the have almost nothing in the line of structures.
Anyway, what I would like to know from you nice people is, What would you want a company dedicated to your model structure needs to carry as far as inventory.
Also, what policys do other web companys have that irk you? Back-orders, payment methods etc…
Thank you!!!
David
I like a true “shopping cart” interface, rather than having to fill out a form with part numbers and prices, etc., or calling the order in. Of course, I also like to see a phone number in case I do need to call.
I really, really want to see whether something is in-stock before I order it.
I think all e-tailers should be capable of shipping an order either that day or the next. If Trainworld can do it, so can everyone else.
I like a good search engine on a website. (Right, so I can search for good engines. [:D])
I like pictures. For a DPM “Front Street Building” or “First National Bank” kit, the name is pretty meaningless. Putting the dimensions of a structure on the web site is also very helpful.
David, I think you are correct regarding a niche for this type of web site. As I have become more and more interested in the scratch building aspects of the hobby I have found it difficult to find the parts that I need. Most LHS’s even good ones, don’t carry a wide inventory of these kinds of parts.
Things that would be good.
Shopping cart
Inventory status
Credit card processing
Decent photos of the products (Can’t be overstated for this type of product)
Good accurate dimension information for the products
hints, tips and even tutorials to show the use of the products.
Ability to compare products, for example if looking at scale windows from different makers, can they be compared easily?
Good luck, if you decide to do it.
Let me play devil’s advocate.
What is your source for the parts? Most distributors require you to be a “brick and mortar” store to set up an account. If you buy from the few manufacturers that will sell direct to you the minimum orders will be fairly high. The shipping will be expensive, orders going into Canada are usually held for customs, and your orders going out also will be a cost to be considered. To have a decent inventory will require an investment of thousands of dollars. Your profit margins will be thin as you are competing with other retailers/discounters/mailorder businesses. Check the ads in MR and look at dealers that have discounted DPM, Walthers, etc, You also will be tied to your computer filling a few orders, answering questions, fielding complaints as to “why isn’t this in stock?”, etc
You will have very little free time to enjoy your retirement activities and any money made will most likely not be worth the effort, investment, or time.
These are just my thoughts and I am sure others may have differing opinions.
Mark B
a/k/a hershchloe
The only way to make a small fortune in model railroad selling is to start with a big fortune!
Bob Boudreau
i always liked companys that let you use PAyPAl and i would like a company that keep in stock things that are less common but still needed by other modelers.And i would like a nice return policy with no questions asked. just some thoughts.
I will not need to rely on this as a form of income , also I plan to restrict my marketing somewhat to the Canadian market. I have secured the rights as a distributor for several products (nationwide) so the hobby shops will need to order through me also. I have already established the paypal system, and will try to only list what I have in stock. Yes shipping and customs can be an issue,
but I believe there are many Canadian modelers that would like to see some unique products that they can relate to. Tim Horton`s, (portion of sales would go to their childrens foundation, from that model) Chip stands, Ski sleds, ice fishing houses, CIBC banks, etc…
I married a french girl and relocated to Canada to be in her home (she spent a lifetime in mine) But I have noticed that much of our hobby is American orientated, Dont get me wrong, I love America, am a Vietnam era vet, but there is defenite difference. (just look at ebay, lots of sellers will not ship outside the US, lots of buyers will not buy stuff from outside the US.)
My thought was to develope a medium sized following, and treat them GREAT!!!
ps. If I do get this off the ground would any of you be willing to contribute tutorials?
I buy ALL of my model railroading supplies online. We have a Hobbytown and they …well, you know. I look for competitive pricing first. Since it’s a hobby, it’s not a necessity. That means (for me anyway), that I just can’t throw all kinda money at it like some people. Then I look for customer service. I have a Bachmann On30 Climax that I knocked off the layout table. That’s a 52" drop. It was 100% my fault, but Bachmann replaced it. I look for speedy shipping. I hate ordering something, paying for it, and have it arriving a month later. What’s up with that? I think the LHS will be a faded memory in ten years anyway, so we might as well support the internet. The only hobby shops that were really ever any good were the mom and pop ones, and they are all but gone.
Yes I’d be interested if…
You were offering time period pieces such as houses, barns, small business’s (I model 1950-60 rural Nova Scotia)
you were selling scratch building supplies.
You were offering CP or CN specific structures, switch stands, bridges, etc?
Please keep us posted
Fergie
Definately, Don’t forget detail parts. If the LHS is truely destined to become a faded memory, then making detail parts a part of your inventory would draw me to your web store.
My LHS has an amazing inventory of parts ect, I’ll miss them if they close out of business.
Hey Stripes, I look forward to seeing you get online. I have ordered two items from Canadian HS. One I cancelled because the thing is out of production, the other should be here early next week. Otherwise I’ve bought in stores 2 hours away or futher and I’ve spent a whack on eBay.
I would be interested in Canadian style stuff but probably not anything too specific (ie: the CN Tower wouldn’t draw my interest at all, but CN style stations might). Detailing parts would be cool. Decal sheets would be welcome…stuff like that.
One of your issues will be with shipping. Our postal system is a money sponge. Got any ideas of how to deal with that? No way I’m going to buy an Athearn box car for $15.00 and pay another $10 or more to have it mailed to me. I’d rather wait until I’m in the city and pay the same.
I sure wish you luck with your plan though!
Bill in Alberta
A good niche would be N scale scratchbuilding and detailing supplies since very few shops carry them. edealers are generally limited too. Even Walthers is limited. Mainly because N scale is not a popular scale to scratchbuild in due to size and it isn’t worth the bother for many dealers. Currently, It can take as long as a year to gather scratchbuilding supplies for a project as you shop around with several dealers. But if you made this your specialty, carrying just about everything made, I think you would do well since there are enough N scale scratchbuilders nationwide to support you. They would make you your one stop shop.
If you set up your buisiness right, you should not have a problem with suppliers. Especially if you specialize in something that many others don’t want to bother with.
One thing. When I use to order from Walthers it took so long and was never thier fault, wasn’t in stock, was this or that. If it isn’t in stock say so, but don’t advertise it like it is. Also give a good idea how long it takes for you to finally send it once you have my money. Do you send it normal mail or bulk? That would tell me if it will be one week or one month.
In the long run, look at the way Walthers works and do the opposite. Most of the stores I have ever been too prefer NOT to deal through Walthers if possible.
Also CLEARLY state your return policy in less than 100 [or 1,000] words preferably.
That’s about it.
I hope you do well and most of all enjoy yourself. [:)]
Stephen
One of your issues will be with shipping. Our postal system is a money sponge. Got any ideas of how to deal with that? No way I’m going to buy an Athearn box car for $15.00 and pay another $10 or more to have it mailed to me. I’d rather wait until I’m in the city and pay the same.
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Ya, Canada post is a real threat when it comes to shipping. One thing I will do is have a shipping calculator so there are no suprises. I am a member of Ventue One, which will give us an 8% discount on shipping costs.
Also, I recycle boxes, peanuts, etc… from local businesses so I do not have to charge a dime for packing material, And I get to help the enviroment!![;)]
I am also looking at combined shipments to areas,to save money, but the downside is delayed shipping.
Also, I can not even dream about competing with the big shops, I only will sell Structures and detail parts for them.
Thanks for your input!!!
David
That is an issue I am trying to deal with! What scales do I carry???
I have this N-scale DPM on ebay at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6061940624&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&rd=1
shipping is only a $1.15 to Toronto in a small padded envelope. But this is my second listing for this item, and my LHS charges $17.95 for exact same item!!! Sheesh!!!
Unless you can find some unexplored niche and be able to supply it to the modelers, whether it be specialty sound, onboard cameras, custom loads, special resin or other castings, you may find that you would be up against some stiff competition. As Bob said, you could lay out some serious $$$ for having available inventory. Hope you can find that special niche of the needs of many modelers. Good luck.
Be pepared to do some serious shows to get the exposure needed.
Bob K.
The biggest problem with an online ebusiness is getting the word out that you are there.
To get good Google placement you either need to pay for some good Search Engine Optimization for your website (figure $1500 minimum) – or you can do a pay per click ad on Google and getting good placement there involves bidding against your competition. I had a friend who bid a $1 per click and he got prime placement at the top of the list … until he got the bill for the 1000 plus people who clicked on his link but never bought anything the first month … ouch!
MR ads start at $150 for teeny tiny and go up to $5000 per issue for a full-page full-color ad.
You can easily spend hundreds to thousands per month just trying to get the word out – and figure 1-2 percent of those who see your ad may eventually bite if you keep it up and aren’t a flash-in-the-pan outfit.
You either need to find a speciality niche not being filled by others or you need to be ready to compete with the big guys online. The problem with a speciality niche is just that – it’s not mainsteam so your complete market could be a few thousand people who may eventually buy a few things from you – if they know you exist. The most clever niche would be to find something everyone needs but no one is doing.
This is not something you should consider as a get-rich-quick part time scheme. Be ready to lay out thousands to get set up and to advertise, and plan on sticking it out for at least two years before finally getting out of the red in such a venture.
Not exactly true Bob…While I didn’t get rich by being a part time Train Show dealer I did make good money at the shows I was a vendor.
Mark B said:Most distributors require you to be a “brick and mortar” store to set up an account.
Mark,Not exactly true…All they require is proof you have a small business.A small business license and State Tax ID number is all you need…Also your place of business can be your basement or garage.
How else do you think train show dealers that hasn’t a shop get their merchandise??
David,Don’t be afraid to sell at local train shows as well as working off the net…As far as getting the world out there are model railroad forums that allow advertising for a small fee.Check out that route as well.
Above all plan your business well and proceed on and don’t be discourage by the doom and gloom sayers.
.
What I was refering to is scratchbuilding supplies and details which very few specialize in. What you are selling is an N scale structure kit . Everybody sells N scale structure kits which can sit on shelves for a year. Plus you are selling on ebay so you are viewed as a secondary market dealer. Not an e-tailer. 50 sales under your belt doesn’t get browsers to spring cash automatically.
Running a successful e-buisiness does not happen over night nor does buisiness fall in your lap. The only way you will learn it is to just go out there and sell.
What I was refering to is scratchbuilding supplies and details which very few specialize in. What you are selling is an N scale structure kit . Everybody sells N scale structure kits which can sit on shelves for a year. Plus you are selling on ebay so you are viewed as a secondary market dealer. Not an e-tailer. 50 sales under your belt doesn’t get browsers to spring cash automatically.
Running a successful e-buisiness does not happen over night nor does buisiness fall in your lap. The only way you will learn it is to just go out there and sell.
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Ok, thanks for the clarification. As soon as I get my feet wet(so to speak) I will not use ebay for sales . To me it is just like asking questions here! What do people want, and what is missing in the big e-world. Basic market research.
Thanks,
David