newbies flailing in the pits
12-24-2009, 09:46 PM
#32
tuesday my son and I were at Hobbytown USA in Tucson playing around with our mini E-Revos and we saw this guy in the pits who had the "please help me " look on his face. He was a very nice guy who had just bought a Losi Aftershock monster truck (nitro) there at the hobby shop that day. The hobby shop people sold him the truck, also sold him a glow-plug igniter, an Onyx battery charger and a bottle of byrons 30% fuel (truck's instructions call for 20%) The newbie had no idea how to use any of it and when he went inside to ask they told him they were too busy to help him. What a bunch of asses!. When you sell a self-confessed newbie something like that you should at least show him the basics. My son and I helped him charge his RX pack and we borrowed a glow plug igniter from the shop because his takes at least 8 hours to charge. We helped him start and break in the motor and then he drove it slow at first to continue the break in. We showed him how to use the charger and also told him that 30% fuel will work for now but will be kinda fat for the long run and recommended he use 20% after this gallon was gone. It just pisses me off that the hobby shop would sell this guy an entire package and not give him one bit of advice at all. We also told him about this forum so he could ask more questions that come up
12-24-2009, 10:18 PM
#33
thats a chain francise for you, they just hired anybody who doesnt know crap about r/c peroid, thats why if u have a small hobby store around where u, live at go to them the owners of them. lhs hire people who know there stuff and will usally help u more.
12-24-2009, 10:46 PM
#34
Ive worked retail and they tell you to know your product and Ive also worked and am working wholsale also basicaly a distribution center that is a half a city block long and you need to know your product and if someone can learn a distribution center then why not a hobby shop like hobby town bottom line there just there for a paycheck.
12-24-2009, 11:13 PM
#35
Ive worked retail and they tell you to know your product and Ive also worked and am working wholsale also basicaly a distribution center that is a half a city block long and you need to know your product and if someone can learn a distribution center then why not a hobby shop like hobby town bottom line there just there for a paycheck.
12-25-2009, 06:03 AM
#36
What about the Customer service thing? He just spent $800 and then got ignored..I dont think Car dealers sell cars to people with no drivers license. They really didnt need to take hours to show him how to operate it, but a little push in the right direction like, Go online and learn this, or read the instructions before you do anything..would have been nice IMO
customer service? that's the first thing everyone crys about, but a hobby shop isn't BurgerKing, you can't "have it your way." the hobby shop was "busy," how can't people not understand this?
i mean, are you for real. when you buy a stereo system at BestBuy does a guy offer to come to your house to show you how to hook it up? no, they expect you to read the detailed instruction manual included in the box. frankly, if some guy/kid is so impatient that he can't be bothered to read the manual then he doesn't need a hobby where patience is needed.
12-25-2009, 06:06 AM
#37
I have a rule. RTB. Read the book.
If you've read your radios manual, then I'll help you tune it. Don't waste my time with " How do you set expo?" questions. At least show some effort to figure it out first.
Read the darn instructions so at least your close enough to figure out what I'm trying to tell you.
If you've read your radios manual, then I'll help you tune it. Don't waste my time with " How do you set expo?" questions. At least show some effort to figure it out first.
Read the darn instructions so at least your close enough to figure out what I'm trying to tell you.
12-25-2009, 08:12 AM
#38
I guess this is why I am so loyal to Carolinas RC. Been shopping there since I was a Noob. First they will never sell you anything you don't need. They always steered me away from the expensive stuff. If I had a question it was answered and demo'd. I've been in the shop many times and watched Noobs come in and they tell them what to buy (correctly). Then watch the noob do the opposite of what they said.
12-25-2009, 08:46 AM
#39
I have a rule. RTB. Read the book.
If you've read your radios manual, then I'll help you tune it. Don't waste my time with " How do you set expo?" questions. At least show some effort to figure it out first.
Read the darn instructions so at least your close enough to figure out what I'm trying to tell you.
If you've read your radios manual, then I'll help you tune it. Don't waste my time with " How do you set expo?" questions. At least show some effort to figure it out first.
Read the darn instructions so at least your close enough to figure out what I'm trying to tell you.
One example of a company I think that has "adapted and overcome" is Traxxas (I hate to say it). Someone with no contact to other R/C'ers has a good shot at running and having fun with a Traxxas car. This is because the vendor has gone to extreme lengths (DVD's, how-to's, etc) to cater to new players. You could sell Traxxas at a Walmart. They've adapted their product to work with a lower level of service at the retailer.
One idea for shops to address these issues and make newcomers feel welcome, what about organizing classes? Get's some newbies together to get the social aspect, make new rc buddies at the same level, plus would allow some hands-on experience. All that in addition to building revenue, and increasing loyalty to the shop.
One idea for shops to address these issues and make newcomers feel welcome, what about organizing classes? Get's some newbies together to get the social aspect, make new rc buddies at the same level, plus would allow some hands-on experience. All that in addition to building revenue, and increasing loyalty to the shop.
At my local hobby shop every saturday is our get together day. Bunch guys come to the shop, shoot the bull, work on trucks, think of new ideas of track desgins and the list goes on and on. We let the newer customers know, hey a bunch of guys will be around on saturday stop by we will help you out with a repair , tuneing your truck or you may have some questions we can anwser for you. If for some reason we dont know the anwser we will find out for you. There's some days im out on a job site up in a 12 story building doing some work my phone goes off. One of the new guys drop me line and needs a little help ill stand there help him over the phone much as possible. At my local hobby shop we have guys driving from another state over 1.5hr just to do business with my lhs. Which they drive rite by 2-3 other shops just to get to my lhs. He will help you with your purchase and answer your questions. If he cant anwser your question he'll get one of us guys on the phone to answer your questions. Call me old fashion but thats what some customers still want.
If its possible I would recommend local hobby shops adapting the way high end camera stores operate.
If you buy a camera which costs around $1000 they give you free lessons and tutorials at the store from where you purchased.
You buy a buggy ($1,000) you get the same thing. A 2 hour how to do the basics would go a long way. I would have even paid to attend.
If you buy a camera which costs around $1000 they give you free lessons and tutorials at the store from where you purchased.
You buy a buggy ($1,000) you get the same thing. A 2 hour how to do the basics would go a long way. I would have even paid to attend.
God help me please!!
12-25-2009, 09:01 AM
#40
I talk to people before I buy anything, and I spend my $ with people that "specialize" in what Im looking to invest in 
"if you dont have the time or knowledge to back the product you are attempting to sell me, you have no business selling/representing it in the first place"............JMO
"if you dont have the time or knowledge to back the product you are attempting to sell me, you have no business selling/representing it in the first place"............JMO
12-25-2009, 09:36 AM
#41
At my local hobby shop every saturday is our get together day. Bunch guys come to the shop, shoot the bull, work on trucks, think of new ideas of track desgins and the list goes on and on. We let the newer customers know, hey a bunch of guys will be around on saturday stop by we will help you out with a repair , tuneing your truck or you may have some questions we can anwser for you. If for some reason we dont know the anwser we will find out for you. There's some days im out on a job site up in a 12 story building doing some work my phone goes off. One of the new guys drop me line and needs a little help ill stand there help him over the phone much as possible. At my local hobby shop we have guys driving from another state over 1.5hr just to do business with my lhs. Which they drive rite by 2-3 other shops just to get to my lhs. He will help you with your purchase and answer your questions. If he cant anwser your question he'll get one of us guys on the phone to answer your questions. Call me old fashion but thats what some customers still want.
I feel that it should be standard with any purchase amount .
Awesome to hear!
Boy that sounds alot like some advanced autos and auto zones around here. I ask for a rear main bearing kit and they try to give me a set of wheel bearings for the rear end
God help me please!!actually thats why small hobby stores are better than chain francise lhs.
yea i really dont know how somebody, get figure out on how to give u the right part its right on the computer!!
and plus the small lhs are way cheaper than the hobbytown usa thats for. sure but i understand why hobbytown, usa charges so much since the owner of the shop has to pay the francise too on what he sells.
12-25-2009, 02:54 PM
#42
At my local hobby shop every saturday is our get together day. Bunch guys come to the shop, shoot the bull, work on trucks, think of new ideas of track desgins and the list goes on and on. We let the newer customers know, hey a bunch of guys will be around on saturday stop by we will help you out with a repair , tuneing your truck or you may have some questions we can anwser for you. If for some reason we dont know the anwser we will find out for you. There's some days im out on a job site up in a 12 story building doing some work my phone goes off. One of the new guys drop me line and needs a little help ill stand there help him over the phone much as possible. At my local hobby shop we have guys driving from another state over 1.5hr just to do business with my lhs. Which they drive rite by 2-3 other shops just to get to my lhs. He will help you with your purchase and answer your questions. If he cant anwser your question he'll get one of us guys on the phone to answer your questions. Call me old fashion but thats what some customers still want.
12-25-2009, 04:32 PM
#43
This is great information for anyone in the retail side of the hobby or wanting to get there. I am a small volume dealer running an online shop but hope to open my own LHS next year. I am taking every one of these suggestions to heart and hope others do as well.
As for HobbyTown, they are atrocious. There are a few in WA and the couple times I have gone in there they just sucked. One example was I was delivering a couple lipos to a customer that was over 100 miles from my office and at the last minute he asked for Traxxas plugs instead of Deans that were on it. I stopped at the Hobbytown, bought some plugs and asked them to solder both on for me. I was told their "solder guy" was on lunch and would be back later. I waited for 20 mins and when he showed up got charged $5 for him to do it.
First of all, if you can't solder WTF are you doing working in a LHS, and what happened to free solder on plugs you buy from them? It takes 30 seconds and .10 worth of material. Why charge $5? I will never again step foot in one of those shops.
Businesses are made and broke on word of mouth and customer service so busy or not, $100 profit or $10 that customer has literally thousands of places to buy that product. He chose your store, you should help him with whatever he needs.
As for HobbyTown, they are atrocious. There are a few in WA and the couple times I have gone in there they just sucked. One example was I was delivering a couple lipos to a customer that was over 100 miles from my office and at the last minute he asked for Traxxas plugs instead of Deans that were on it. I stopped at the Hobbytown, bought some plugs and asked them to solder both on for me. I was told their "solder guy" was on lunch and would be back later. I waited for 20 mins and when he showed up got charged $5 for him to do it.
First of all, if you can't solder WTF are you doing working in a LHS, and what happened to free solder on plugs you buy from them? It takes 30 seconds and .10 worth of material. Why charge $5? I will never again step foot in one of those shops.
Businesses are made and broke on word of mouth and customer service so busy or not, $100 profit or $10 that customer has literally thousands of places to buy that product. He chose your store, you should help him with whatever he needs.
12-25-2009, 04:41 PM
#44
yea that is screwed up lol charging $5.00 to solder a plug on, personally i hate soldering thats why i do nitro man. yea i dont understand hobbytown, usa espially if u order from them they say that they lost it or something else lol.
12-25-2009, 09:07 PM
#45
At my local hobby shop every saturday is our get together day. Bunch guys come to the shop, shoot the bull, work on trucks, think of new ideas of track desgins and the list goes on and on. We let the newer customers know, hey a bunch of guys will be around on saturday stop by we will help you out with a repair , tuneing your truck or you may have some questions we can anwser for you. If for some reason we dont know the anwser we will find out for you. There's some days im out on a job site up in a 12 story building doing some work my phone goes off. One of the new guys drop me line and needs a little help ill stand there help him over the phone much as possible. At my local hobby shop we have guys driving from another state over 1.5hr just to do business with my lhs. Which they drive rite by 2-3 other shops just to get to my lhs. He will help you with your purchase and answer your questions. If he cant anwser your question he'll get one of us guys on the phone to answer your questions. Call me old fashion but thats what some customers still want.
on Saturday racers are racing