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Your Local Hobby Shop

Old 08-20-2007, 10:57 AM
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Hi Everyone,

Just a quick survey. What do you expect from your local hobby shop? Good service? Competitive Pricing? Large variety of products? Replacement parts? Mods?

Do you usually check with your LHS first before you purchase something online?

Thanks.
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Old 08-20-2007, 11:07 AM
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I expect my local hobby shop to bring in what the customers want. I am a racer and I work at a shop. I don't know everything about the Baja's but I expect our shop to have what the bashers are telling us to bring in (if there is a group demand, not just one person), as well as what the racers are asking for. No shop will have every part for every car but the shop has to look at what is popular in that area and cater to that.

Not everyone will know everything about every product in the shop but a couple of people with a good product base is pretty much required.

If the pricing isn't competitive, it doesn't matter how good the servic is, and vice versa.
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Old 08-20-2007, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by stanky626
Hi Everyone,

Just a quick survey. What do you expect from your local hobby shop? Good service? Competitive Pricing? Large variety of products? Replacement parts? Mods?

Do you usually check with your LHS first before you purchase something online?

Thanks.

i would like to have any of those things, and i use to have faith in my LHS, but sadly they have let me down to many times so now i go online for everything...my LHS has no parts for any of the kits i have except for universal items like some tires and wheels, heck they doent even have any bearings for wheel or clutch and those are the most common sizes there is....also the prices are insane i called and ask the price on a MBX5R and there price was $679 US and they also wanted $399 for a werks B7.21PRO....i could go on and on if you open the gates on this subject with me it never stops, so im gonna leave it at that....sorry for all the venting...

Jason
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Old 08-20-2007, 11:13 AM
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oh and im not running odd kits, so thats not why there are no part...

Jammin X1CR buggy and Mugen MBX5T truggy....
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Old 08-20-2007, 11:33 AM
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I order everything through my lhs. We have 3 very good, no great ones here in the KC area. They stock almost all of the common parts and can order anything you want and have it for you in 3-4 days.

Their pricing is also just as competitive as on-line shops.

Hobbytown USA North Kansas City

Real RC Raceway

and

Fastlane Hobbies


Later,
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Old 08-20-2007, 11:43 AM
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Originally Posted by CRASH
I order everything through my lhs. We have 3 very good, no great ones here in the KC area. They stock almost all of the common parts and can order anything you want and have it for you in 3-4 days.

Their pricing is also just as competitive as on-line shops.

Hobbytown USA North Kansas City

Real RC Raceway

and

Fastlane Hobbies


Later,
Well CRASH, I just wanted to say thanks for supporting THE BOSTON RED SOX seeing your from KC.

RED
SOX
NATION
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Old 08-20-2007, 12:31 PM
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Scottmisfits, huh... what did you say? Sorry, I was busy staring at your avatar.

You guys bring up good points. If your LHS did carry the parts you needed at a reasonable price (slightly higher then online), would you support your LHS?

How about if the part wasn't stocked, but they could order and receive in 2-4 days? Would that work?

Thanks for all your input.
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Old 08-20-2007, 01:26 PM
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anytime they can get a part in stock that quick is pretty good. I know my LHS does drop shipping, where you pay for something thats not in stock, but it is shipped right to your door instead. This really helps, especially if you have to drive a good while to get there.

My lhs has just about everything in stock for every kit that is raced in our area with prices that are just as cheap as online.

You should expect everything from your lhs, you are spending more of your time and possibly more money to have some useful human interaction and support a local business, thats how I see it anyway.

A hobby shop should have parts top back up every type and brand of kit they sell and have the more popular after market parts for them.
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Old 08-20-2007, 03:37 PM
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A few of my local shops tick me off. Two kits that I purchased locally, neither of the shops that I got them at carry *any* parts for them. Then they have the gall to display a sign stating "support your LHS". The standard line is "I can order them, we should have them in 5 days". I've gotten burned too many times when 5 days later, no parts yet. Online for me from now on. I can order the parts and have them next day with UPS ground. No thanks, I'll order them myself, have them quicker, and spend less, and no wasted trips to the local shop. Most of the employees are clueless, so they don't even have service to offer. Or worse, offer misleading information.
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Old 08-20-2007, 03:39 PM
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Originally Posted by stanky626
Hi Everyone,

Just a quick survey. What do you expect from your local hobby shop? Good service? Competitive Pricing? Large variety of products? Replacement parts? Mods?

Do you usually check with your LHS first before you purchase something online?

Thanks.
well, It used to be the opposite. I almost always ordered from the internet, because the LHS couldn't compeat. But ever since The HobbyTown U.S.A HobbyPlex opened up in Omaha Nebraska, I haven't shopped online for a long time. Not just because I'm a loyal customer, but because their prices are so competitive, that It's easier, and I get that instant gratification that most men would kill for!

They are usually priced just as low as the lowest internet pricing, and sometimes even better!

I can't find a cheaper price on the internet for an O.S. V-spec, the closest price I've seen on the internet is $279.99, the Plex sells it for $269.99-$259.99 depending is it's on sale or not. Fuel is about 2-3 dollars cheaper, and parts are dead on even with the internet. Plus we have a world class indoor carpet track- hopefully to be the future site for the carpet on road racing nats, and outdoor offroad track, which is getting a new face lift as we speak.

I may sound like an Infomercial, but that's only because I actually believe what I'm saying.

Plus I actually feel like I'm spoiled because of the great facility we have. www.hobbyplexraceway.com
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Old 08-20-2007, 04:57 PM
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Wow, it's nice to have a major franchise that's competitive. For some reason, the Hobbytown's in CA just don't impress me though. Just my opinion. Maybe because they're not a Hobbyplex.

I like the LHS that carries a small variety of hard-to-find import items. That makes them a little more unique. Of course, the other products, support, parts, pricing etc also needs to fall in place.

Thanks again for the input.
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Old 08-20-2007, 06:07 PM
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Originally Posted by trebor
Well CRASH, I just wanted to say thanks for supporting THE BOSTON RED SOX seeing your from KC.
He thought those were X-mas stockings...

I'm with Crash. He understands the Importance.
I my self have made 2 online purchases in 12 years of racing.
I try to support the track 1st then the hobby shop.

Support the local team 1st. You will feel better about your self and the people you race around and it will give you some pride in the support you create.

Its safer and easier to let your hobby dealer deal with the bull that comes with on line orders.
The way things are going online will be the only way to get parts.

In the old days you could go to the shops and get any thing you wanted and it was all in abundance. From a spontaneous purchases to a hot item purchases. Now days very minimal is stocked and its all targeted to the basher. Thats because all the racers have gone online.
Not tooting my own horn. I prefer the shops over the net. I honestly understand the discounts some of the racers are getting. I've been temped to step over to the dark side a few times myself.
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Old 08-20-2007, 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by stanky626
Scottmisfits, huh... what did you say? Sorry, I was busy staring at your avatar.

You guys bring up good points. If your LHS did carry the parts you needed at a reasonable price (slightly higher then online), would you support your LHS?

How about if the part wasn't stocked, but they could order and receive in 2-4 days? Would that work?

Thanks for all your input.
if my LHS carried my parts i would pay more to get them the day i need them...
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Old 08-20-2007, 07:10 PM
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I have two hobby stores close to me.

1. 10 miles away is Elite Hobbies in Covina, CA. Great service and very low competitive prices especially on high dollar items. Great service but sometimes doesn't carry everything I need.

2. 4 miles away is Tony's Hobbies in La Puente. Great selection, they almost stock everything but I hate going there. It seems like they will sell you anything just to make a buck. I've seen them sell things that aren't necessary to inexperience hobbyist. Horrible shop is terms of service. I really try to limit my visits into Tony's Hobbies.
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Old 08-20-2007, 07:44 PM
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I would like competitive prices from my LHS and the ability to receive what I want in a timely manner.

I don't expect my LHS to carry every part or every RC. I understand he has to carry what sells. He sells more Traxxas Nitro Rustlers than Losi 8ights. So.....

But this may come to pass, my LHS has promised to match any advertised price from some of the bigger on-line stores.

I don't mind the wait for the parts usually a week.
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