AnnMarie, nobody likes competition in business. Life is easier without it.
While I completely agree that it's easier for dealers to work from one catalog, it's the perception of controlling the entire supply chain that troubles me. GP is hardly a monopoly, but the trends over the past 15 years kind of trouble me. The amount of consolidation and 'one stop shopping' is pretty amazing. It may be that many of these companies were failing or that their owners were becoming somewhat aged, but (and correct me if I'm wrong) the RC industry has grown quite a bit in that period.
On a different note, I do have a question for you that is somewhat topical, if just out of my own curiousity. Hobbico/GP seems to be adding more and more diverse products to its fold. As a support person who deals with all of it, do you find that a bit daunting at times? I do admire your diligence in all the work you do. At some point do you see yourself focusing on one particular area, due to the expansion of the product line?