Hobby King Got Small
 

Looks like our friends at Hobby King may be biting the dust for real this time. They have stopped advertising everywhere, and although their website is up, it is very messed up. I recall they FCC levied a fine against Anthony Hand, and three of their US subsidiary companies back in 2017. They might have let the deadline for payment laps and might now be on the hook for the fine (three million dollars) plus penalties. I have to wonder if the competition from other, less expensive Chinese sellers, and Hobby Kings own horrible customer service is what has done them in. Maybe they will stick around, but they very likely will never be the big dog hobby shop they once were.

So long Hobby King. I wonder what Chrissy47 is going to do for work now? ;)

Seems to me that seeing any hobby related business failing is never a good thing. What I find incomprehensible is that some look upon this with glee!

It becomes much easier to comprehend when HK's "business model" of non existent customer service is examined . NO other single hobby related business has had the numbers of "I've been done wrong" threads on the hobby forums as HK . Couple that with HK's practice of using shills/trolls to try to quash the bad press , and I'd say HK is the only business in our hobby that will have so richly earned it's demise .

Once the FCC heat really cranks up . expect the grand opening of "Hobby Emperor" from the ashes of HK ....:rolleyes:

Well Steve, they have a long history of less than stellar customer service, to put it mildly. Their business practices, particularly customer service after the sale, have always been exceptionally poor in my book, and I know there are plenty of other who would agree. Now they have got themselves in hot water with the US government, and they have had this coming for a long time. I don't feel bad at all, they should have known better. AFWIW, there are more than a dozen hobby related businesses in Hong Kong who are filling the gap nicely. There are a dozen more here in the US that are doing alright, despite the drop in interest in the RC hobby. I am frankly glad to see them get what they handed out to customers for so long.

If they ever start treating people right maybe they will make a comeback.:cool:

Lol,, you guts keep saying they are done for, and they keep on keeping on

Well, I just ordered 5 new 6s lipo batteries from them and they were on my doorstep 6 days later. I have been getting all of my batteries from them for the last 10 years or so and have yet to have a problem with Hobby King. This will be the 4th season of use for the last batch of 6s lipos I got from them.

Hobby Klunk will just pop up under an new brand. Same faces same service same business model. Skunk can't change its stripes.

Dennis

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...3377cb06f8.jpg


;) My three favorite Canadians couldn't have said it better ....

That's a good one. I guess old Chrissy47 is having a fit right about now, He will have to find another way to make money.:rolleyes:

Theres a big HK ad in the latest issue of Model Aviation but as usual they don't have prices for the junk they sell.
its almost like Harbor Freight and I get an ad from them almost ever other day!
Michael Johnston