thewholeyearin,
And the goal of a business is NOT to supply a demand (that's economics), the goal of a business from a financial perspective is to "meet and exceed shareholders expectations." And from a strategic management and marketing standpoint, a business must CREATE Demand, not simply attempt to supply it, especially in low profit-margin, highly competitive environments like specialty retail. The edge that a local hobby shop has is service, knowledge, access to face-to-face communications, and typically in RC a racing crowd. This is the strategic advantage that the local hobby shop owner must exploit. The problem is your biggest competitors are also your biggest allies (in the parlance of the famous genious on the subject of competition - Michael Porter, Harvard School of Business) YOUR SUPPLIERS! This is illegal in larger scale businesses like the automotive industry, it violates antitrust (anti-competition) laws.
I agree with most everything you are saying here. In my earlier "econ 101 post", I started to write about the fact that a good business actually 'creates' a demand - I.e. Apple's Ipod, but I didn't, as it seemed like it might dillute my point.
At a high or basic level, businesses provide services - I.e. an obvious one is supplying a market demand.
I'd add that exploited entities allow themselves to be exploited to some degree. I don't know the solution to this, but I'd imagine one option would be for LHS band together to negotiate with US distributors or foriegn suppliers and hold them accountable to agreements, otherwise they need to adjust their business models to include additional, more profitable channels, such as an online storefront (Probably the same margins, but usually a lot lower overhead if built and maintained correctly).
Most importantly support RC racing with the $$ you have available, race clean, race professionally and work to grow rc from a "hobby" to a legitimate "sport" lawnmower racing is on ESPN, why not rc. Because a PA annoucer yelling for marshals and breaking up fights over petty crap is not good TV!
This is largely due to a failure of the organizers, and/or lack of a active and strong governing body...
I take it you've not seen, Orange County Choppers on Discovery Channel or other 'Reality' TV Series! Fights over petty crap may not be 'good' TV, but it does get high ratings! LOL
Now, I feel, we're getting somewhere with the dialogue! Tis' good! Sure we sort of hijacked the post topic a little, but it is all loosely related to helping someone make a purchasing decision, so I don't feel so bad about it.
Good stuff!
