Price hikes gone crazy!
09-20-2016, 03:47 PM
#1
Price hikes gone crazy!
What the deal with A-Main prices now? I race Yokomo and it seems like everything has gone up 35-45%.
Example: Part# YOKZ2-S2LD is now 17.95$
I bought this part June 27th for 12.99$
The full ball diff kit YOKB2-500MR is 47.49$ when it use to be 38$
Even a bottle of 32.5 AE is ASC5432 at 4.49$ when Tower has it for 3.89$
Example: Part# YOKZ2-S2LD is now 17.95$
I bought this part June 27th for 12.99$
The full ball diff kit YOKB2-500MR is 47.49$ when it use to be 38$
Even a bottle of 32.5 AE is ASC5432 at 4.49$ when Tower has it for 3.89$
09-23-2016, 08:38 PM
#3
What the deal with A-Main prices now? I race Yokomo and it seems like everything has gone up 35-45%.
Example: Part# YOKZ2-S2LD is now 17.95$
I bought this part June 27th for 12.99$
The full ball diff kit YOKB2-500MR is 47.49$ when it use to be 38$
Even a bottle of 32.5 AE is ASC5432 at 4.49$ when Tower has it for 3.89$
Example: Part# YOKZ2-S2LD is now 17.95$
I bought this part June 27th for 12.99$
The full ball diff kit YOKB2-500MR is 47.49$ when it use to be 38$
Even a bottle of 32.5 AE is ASC5432 at 4.49$ when Tower has it for 3.89$
$16 for a bottle of shock oil? Yep!
Bottom line is you are under no compulsion to shop there, but with their discount freight and coupon codes etc I still think they are cost competitive.
But they have to make a living right?
10-10-2016, 04:40 PM
#4
I noticed the same thing and have now switched to buying all of my cars and parts at Tower Hobbies. The first thing I noticed with A-main was that the shipping slowed down. I'd order my stuff on a Saturday / Sunday and get it usually the next Thursday or Friday. It started to be delayed until Mondays , which would cause me to go without what I needed for Friday night racing. 
10-15-2016, 07:30 AM
#6
Tower is world's better than A-Main. I fail to understand why anybody shops at A-Main. Their prices are average to high, their coupons are a joke, shipping times are slow especially if you choose the free shipping option (I think they're the only company that gets across the US on bicycle), and customer service is subpar.
Tower is cheaper, they have real coupons, shipping is much faster, and their customer service is unmatched. Stormer is awesome too. They have good shipping times and good customer service. In the past they weren't that competitive with pricing, but now that they post coupons on their site they have good pricing. RPP is also great, but they have more crawling and bashing stuff with not much racing gear.
Tower is cheaper, they have real coupons, shipping is much faster, and their customer service is unmatched. Stormer is awesome too. They have good shipping times and good customer service. In the past they weren't that competitive with pricing, but now that they post coupons on their site they have good pricing. RPP is also great, but they have more crawling and bashing stuff with not much racing gear.
10-15-2016, 07:40 AM
#7
Well I've never had a problem with amain, in fact their service has been excellent. As nexxus said, Australian hobby shop prices are over the top and most of the time is cheaper to buy from overseas as long as you are willing to wait a little longer. Tower is great too, love the easy pay payment method. Prices are good, with a code and shipping has been great too.
10-15-2016, 01:41 PM
#8
Tech Regular
Just for grins I added B6 Factory Team aluminum steering bellcrank, steering rack, and brass bulkhead to the shopping cart at both AMain & Tower. The total price is $60.32 at both sites. Maybe the price hikes are a reflection of the US dollar vs. the Yen?
I guess I'd see which one I had a better discount code for and order accoringly.
I guess I'd see which one I had a better discount code for and order accoringly.
10-16-2016, 03:09 PM
#9
Just for grins I added B6 Factory Team aluminum steering bellcrank, steering rack, and brass bulkhead to the shopping cart at both AMain & Tower. The total price is $60.32 at both sites. Maybe the price hikes are a reflection of the US dollar vs. the Yen?
I guess I'd see which one I had a better discount code for and order accoringly.
I guess I'd see which one I had a better discount code for and order accoringly.
10-16-2016, 10:33 PM
#10
Then do the same from Losipartshouse. They're the next place blowing up; their prices and ship times are stellar.
10-17-2016, 07:39 PM
#11
One big reason i like shopping at amain is the huge selection of RC Car/Truck brands. From huge companies to very small businesses they carry so many different brands. I definitely agree that tower has lower prices on most items and the coupon codes are better. But until Tower Hobbies starts selling brands like Savox, Schelle, Avid, Exotek, and Team Orion i will still be shopping at amain. Also Amain has a much larger selection of Mugen parts than tower hobbies. Also i've had 2 experiences with customer service at each place, Both times at amain it was the best customer service i've every experienced. Both times at tower hobbies the customer service was poor. Don't get me wrong though, i still like shopping at tower as well and frankly they get more of my online business strictly due to the often lower prices and better coupon codes.
10-21-2016, 05:52 PM
#12
The thing I've learned about AMain is to only make high-dollar purchases there, so the % discount codes make a difference and you get a little $ back through the VIP points. I also shop at their cycling site, and the points work for either, so in that scenario it's worthwhile. Also, I have found that AMain's discounts usually don't have many (if any) product exclusions, which I virtually always run into at other retailers. Nothing puts a bad taste in my mouth worse than when I see a good coupon for a retailer that has something I want, then I find out that item is excluded from the coupon/sale.
**and by "high-dollar purchases" I don't mean paying too much for one thing, I mean paying a reasonable/average price on one, big-ticket item or a full shopping cart.
**and by "high-dollar purchases" I don't mean paying too much for one thing, I mean paying a reasonable/average price on one, big-ticket item or a full shopping cart.
10-22-2016, 09:57 PM
#13
I'll start by admitting I live in chico CA and know folks at A Main. BUT I own a local biz and the 1st to be critical about pricing and customer service. I bought 2 pair of impact soft 1/8 scale tires on line from warehouse to be delivered for local pick up at retail store. They called and advised that their inventory was wrong and we went with a pair of the long wears and one regular soft. Long wears were 15% more but they ate it because it was their fault. For a bigger company they carry a lot of regional crawler items and have an amazing selection. Sure.....I have to pay tax in my state as you would for tower if you lived in theirs. Most manu's do announce price increases this time of year in all industries Have I, and do I buy from other places? SURE.....NO ONE IS ALWAYS CHEAPEST. No one always has the best customer service....I humbly for example refuse to buy Hobby Wing products despite the fact that they are the cheapest because they have zero customer suport. EVERY time I call Tekin with a question, they answer the phone and are great. I now am adding Reedy to that list with a recent issue with a Blackbox and they called me 3 times to talk to me before returning item....SO....Price is important , but its the whole deal....BTW...AMain donates soooooo much to the local and sponsers a lot of upcoming young racers. Will I buy from other places ...sure...I also spent S115 at retail store today w/o coupon because they loaned me tools during pavement run when I was testing motors. I'm not a homer, I just understand that after working for a 20 billion dollar company for 2 decades and now running a small deli, you offer good products at a fair price, and do your best with customer service, and hopefully some folks are happy....Thats my 3 or 4 cents about A main...peace everyone
