kidkadet

My Feedback: (1)

I was in my LHS the other day and was talking with the owner. I asked him how his business was doing and his reply was that he was having a hard time compeating with mail order companies.

This made me start thinking. What are we going to do if our LHS goes out of business? If our LHS closes we will be forced to buy everything mail order which means that we will have to wait for everything. I don't know about you guys but if I run out of fuel saturday I want to be able to drive to the LHS and buy so to fly on sunday.

I don't have anything against saving money, but I think from now on I will buy everything I can from my LHS.

Live Wire

You will get by , Know I by from a mail order house,

WADE

My Feedback: (19)

I like to support my LHS, but I also buy via mail order. If he can match the mail order price then I buy from him. He does that quite often. Of course, sometimes you need something quick and it sure is nice to have the LHS.

Wade

Rforce1

It's also nice to be able to "touch" a product before you buy it, something that you just can't do through mail order. I'm fairly lucky, I have four hobby shops all with in 30 min drive, one is 2 mins from the field, really nice for fuel, props, etc.. I buy just about everthing from them, even though it will at times cost a few dollars more. Unless I can save a substantial amount of money, or the LHS can't get it, I'll avoid mail order, just to make sure the LHS's stay around for a while.

rc.hackmaster

My Feedback: (4)

i only support my lhs. i would rather see a guy in my area stay in bussiness than some other guy in another state that i cant even see face to face. besides i fly with the shop owner and the employees. i consider them friends. and friends help friends. nuf said! doug

David Cutler

At the moment the LHS competes on service and the e-commerce places compete on price to counter the better service offered locally.

Guess what will happen if the service competition is taken away when the LHS stores close?

Why should the e-commerce places then bother to get their slice of the cake by offering low prices?

That's right; no reason at all.

Then watch the prices on line rise to at least the levels of the local stores now.

It's happened many times before.

David C.

GrnBrt

My Feedback: (5)

Yup, I like Tim's also!!!!!

ben flyn

See post #10 at thread: Help, I want to open a hobby shop!

Nitro Blast

My Feedback: (2)

I guess I'm pretty lucky. Within 5 miles from my home are 3 hobby shops. 1 private and 2 corporate.

Long ago as a youngster I worked at one of the corporate stores, then at one point I worked at two stores at the same time! Years later I got into the hobby busness myself and started recieving Hobby Merchandiser magazine. After learning more and more how HOBBY PEOPLE operates as a company I refuse to toss them one thin dime.

I'll go 1/2 mile further, pay 10% more more and be darn happy about it.

Minnreefer

I will try to use my local store, but if they don't treat me well, then I have no problems going online. most of the LHS'S around me are very competitive with online prices. The other thing to remeber is there will just about alwas be a LHS in larger markets, there are a lot of people that don't fuly use the net and there is always someone that needs supplies and need them now.

Just my 2 cents worth

Jon

smokingcrater

works both ways.... our local hobby shop picked up and left town to move to a different city 80 miles away, for the possible opportunity of a larger store (chain). So currently only mail order is an option, although I will make the 160 mile round trip for fuel, cheaper than shipping it anyway.

Bob Peterson

I really agree with supporting the LHS. I can't believe how many guys don't realize the value of having experienced modelers working in the shop. I'll gladly pay a little more for the same thing at the LHS. Where would the 'new guys' go to get basic info? If the LHS doesn't have it, then I will go mail order. Also once in a while for a special sale. On the other hand, some LHS aren't worth going into. If you have a GOOD shop, support it. That's my opinion, so there.
Bob

JakeInHartsel

My Feedback: (1)

I started flying U-Control in 1948, and the same issue existed then. If the LHS simply sells kits and provides no other value add to their service the won't survive. Since returning to RC recently, I have gone to LHSes that talked down to me or even ignored me when I asked questions about the sport (I fley in the late 50's and early 60's and a lot has changed). I also have gone to LHSes that took time to answer my questions and were very helpful. Those LHses that are helpful seem to be busy, the others aren't so busy.

If I owned a shop that wasn't very busy, I think I would put some effort into finding out why.

vtol_guy

I have 2 LHS, one about 12 miles from me which is quite good and another which is about 25 miles from me, this one though is a lot better equipped for things i need but i prefer the one thats 12 miles from me, its more of a family business so we all know each other pretty well. That doesn't mean that i don't mail order though

redrocker

For many years a LHS was a major resource with all kinds of spare parts from obscure old engines, etc. Many at our club made it a point to shop there and buy big items like radios, engines, and kits, even though the prices were slightly higher than mail order. The guy running the place knew the hobby, and was a good resource. For some reason he ws replaced by a warm body who did not know much about anything except rc cars; then it turned out that inventory was disappearing and the warm body was replaced by another warm body who was not much help at anything. Sales fell off, and the shop closed. A very unfortunate loss to the community.

Now I live in a small town and the nearest LHS is over an hour away, so I do much more mail order buying now. But- I truly wish there were a local shop I could browse in. That browsing used to be damaging to my checking account!