silverj

I would have to say that I feel like an exception to the mass of people here. I have 4 LHS's within 25 mins., three of them have very friendly and knowledgable personel. I also feel the need to support the LHS due to the internet revolution. I deal with two Hobbytown's and a GREAT local shop named ROY'S. I will continue to shop at them as long as they are around. I have found also that the more they get to know you and intern the more you spend with them the better they treat you, and even give you discounts.

So Cal

My LHS is a HobbyPeople, I hate going in there. The only people i will talk to is this blonde kid and the manager, they are the only guys in there that dont have their head up their arse. I have needed parts many times and they not have it. They almost NEVER have the parts i need, they dont carry losi product, and only carry traxxas, XTM and trinity monster brew fuel (same as traxxas) AND theres only TWO people in there that know crap about rc's. I went in to get clutch springs for my buddys savage for his birthday. I called before i went in so i didnt make the trip for nothing, (even tho its only 4 miles away) they say they have them. I get there and say i need clutch springs for a 3 shoe clutch. He asks what car i said savage, he looks around for a minuet and comes back with a bag of the whole clutch assy, for 30 bucks. Im like dude any clutch springs will work all 3 shoe clutches are the same. He tells me NO they arent. The manager sees me arguing with the guy (the manager knows me kinda, and knows i know my chit) he asks me what i need, i tell him, he walks over and grabs xtm springs and says here you go. While the guy i was arguing with says, "those wil fit a savage?" I almost died laughing. I have ALOT more stories but would be a huge post. So whenever i can i go to Hobbytown USA thats like 12 miles from me because they are knowledgeable, polite, and carry a wide assortment of parts and almost ALWAYS have what i need in stock.

nitrosportsandrunner

some pretty funny stories

at my LHS, the guy only flies planes. its all he knows. yet, he sells surface vehicles.
he has a really weird attitude to anyone that comes to buy surface vehicles/parts.
its like he really doenst care if he sells anything other than planes. i
ts like im bugging him by buying surface stuff from him!

SAVAGEJIM

I tell you, a store clerk with an attitude like that is only digging his own grave deeper and deeper and he will VERY soon wind up selling off his etire stock to fleabay vultres/chop-shoppers.

I can understand his frustration, but honestly, I have spent way more at my local RC stores buying individual parts and other gear (including batts, fuel, and electronics when I blow a servo and cannot wait for mail to deliver from fleabay). I know I have pumped in thousands to local RC stores already. And I have yet to buy a whole RC from them, so they do get good business from me just from selling me parts and supples.

True, most local RC stores whould love to move the whole RTR and kit RCs off the shelves, but I know for most of us who walk into our local RC stores, we spend a bit more in parts and supplies.

Matt_Gruizinga

My Feedback: (1)

you would think that about shipping prices but not only are they getting all this stuff for WAY CHEAP, if you are a member to tower hobbies, anything over $10 bucks has free shipping and I'm sure you could work out a deal with tower to get it very cheap because you are putting in $1000 orders at least once a month.

Chris_RC

Oh ya, OCRC is sposnored by Hot Bodies/HPI and gyrohobbies and rons hobbies. Forgot about that. I drive 2 hours and 3 minutes to get there too!

Where did they say that on their website?

warheadforever

Other then my LHS overcharging about 5-30 bucks on stuff, I don't have a problem with them, parts are cheap it's just the trucks they kinda over charge on, but they do have an over head to pay so I don't mind to much.

Access

Front page, under the heading "February 16th 2009"

The_Collector

Have two LHS in Reading and a Hobbytown in the outer shopping area. One of them in town has been there for almost 50 years, my Dad used to go there when he was a kid. It's a really bad section of town now, and alot of poeple get shot there. I only go there occassionally to pick up some old stuff to put on eBay. It's funny to see the stuff on the wall that hasn't moved for many years, like a generic pack of AA NiCd's that are over 20 years old. The old, disgruntled man that has the store never cared for the surface vehicles, only could relate if you talked about plastic models. He isn't much help with anything, you have to rummage through dusty boxes.
The other one is in a better area and is much better in every way. All items are very overpriced but the people are alot more helpful. Never had a problem with them.
Hobbytown isn't bad. I can usually make-do with what they offer and they're easier to get to. If you run a newwer Traxxas, HPI, or AE, you can get your parts there. Prices are about right for a brick and mortar.

suzukiman650

Yup, I will give the LHS business but refuse to place orders with them. I have had too many experiences where they say they have ordered something and they don't or it takes 2 months to appear. If I need to order I do it online.

cat samich

i have two shops near my house

one is a hobby town about 45 minutes away, and the other is a mom and pop type privately owned store. and of course its ten minutes from my house.

the hobby town has great service and always has what i need when i go in,

but the store thats only ten minutes away sucks, the owner wont look you in the eye when he talks to you. it makes me think that everything he says is bull.
my parents always told me that when people can look you in the eye when they tell you something its because its the truth. and on top of that they have such a crap selection.
almost every time i go in there he says "i can have it here in three days" [&o]

it sucks that i have to drive 45 minutes or order from the net and wait every time i want something. it has gotten to the point that i keep several sets of a-arms, bulkheads, and bulkhead braces on hand for my maxx because i know the local guy wont have what i want and i dont want to drive to get it. i place a random parts order with tower almost once a month to keep my stock straight.

dkastil

my lhs is verry good and all the guys know what they are talking about with no bias or attitude , it is als hobbyshop the only prob is they are 20 miles away not far but city traffic can be a biotch they are smart and have web site with good prices and almost anything you can want alshobbyshop.com with ebay and the net if you have a LHS the only thing that will draw sales is good staff that know what they are doing .

joeyhatch11

nothing scary about mine. It just has two old men who think everything your bring in, thats not bought from them, is junk. Plus they love to as$ rape you with their prices. But if you do buy from them and manage to break something, they tell you, you dont know how to drive. Bunch of angry old men. I buy online and wait for the parts. it beats taking a trip there and coming home pissed and broke. Hahaha

mazdaprotege4

My Feedback: (32)

I would agree, if I am just picking up parts, it is much cheaper to go to the LHS. I was looking for some bullet connectors and they were like $8 for one pack shipped on eBay or Tower. For that price I was able to get two packs. But for actual trucks/buggies I always buy those off ebay (the cheapest place that I have found so far).

HomeDawwg

I went to a LHS that i was told were good and knowledgable people. So i went there for a few supplies (diff oil, air filter, was also looking for a 2.4 ghz radio at the time).

First i asked for the diff oils i wanted, he didnt have couple of them and suggested to me to use 3k weigth oil for my rear diff. I was after 1k but thought what the heck il try 3k. Get home get the diff open and clean and go to fill it. Then im thinking to myself, geez this oil is thick. Looked at the bottle and it was 30k weight! And it cost me $25 AU (bought some 1k from another shop for $15 AU).

Also while i was at the shop iwas just having a chat to him, and i asked about his radios. He said get a Dx3s, they are the best everyone who races uses them blah blah. I said mate i know quite a few people that have range issues with spectrum products. He was like nah dont be silly thats just internet talk no-one knows what they are talking about. I said no thanks lol.

THen he showed me this rb 21 engine he had there. Asking about $600 AU for it (not sure on model). I said yeh they are great motors but im not prepared to pay that just for an engine since i dont race. I said my next engine will most likely be a go-tech 5 port 21. He goes nah mate dont bother those Go's are useless, and would cost you about the same as this RB. I said nah no way ive seen them with pipe combo for $330 AU. He said nah thats impossible with the current economic climate. When i got home i checked out the link id seen that motor on earlier, and guess what, its still $330!

That guy was a clown and made me not bother with the drive over there again. There are a couple of other blokes that work there (and probably arent so bad) but ive found a better shop wiht heaps better prices and dont try and feed you crap.

hands without shadows

I buy my vehicles and expensive hop-ups on line. I only visit the LHS for parts they have in stock. If they are ever going to give me crap about it I'm going to tell the owner straight to his face that I'm in this hobby because of online prices and that he should quit *expletive* and be happy that I buy anything from him.

Ttam Says Blarg

Here is my dilemma I go to the hobby shop and ask for a servo and they tell me 40 dollars. I go home and find the same servo on tower for 15 dollars less. I ask for a motor an esc whatever its usually 10 to 50 dollars more depending on what it is. The only hobby shop I know of has a corner devoted to rc the rest is to models and crafts and stuff like that. Customer service bla its ok not amazing not horrible. So as I'm spending money (keep in mind here that I'm a broke 17 year old with no job) I'm spending 20-60 dollars more than I would at tower. I just don't have that kind of money to spend. On top of that I spend a 100 at tower and they offer coupons. No hobby shop I know of offers coupons. Plus the hooby shop only carry's Traxxas a little bit of Losi and couple of other cars and helis. Nothing to do with Tamiya (except paint) so I'm going to have to buy from Tower or Tamiya USA anyways. Shipping who cares I have to wait a few days better than driving down the hill and dealing with the lovely San Bernadino traffic.

ScottStaypuff

I'm in the Canton Ohio area and Aerotech Hobbies has always been good to me. Sometimes their prices beat the online shops believe it or not. They carry some parts for Duratrax (I have an Evader) but have lots of stuff for Traxxas, Associated and Losi. They have some other stuff too. I give them 1.75 thumbs up overall. lol They are nice too.

There's another shop near me called Magic Hobbies (Strasburg, Ohio) and they are nice, they don't have much selection as they are just starting out but they are willing to order and prices seem ok.

The only other shop close is Classic Hobbies (Akron, Ohio) and they have an "ok" selection of replacement parts but they are much more concerned with running the on site indoor and outdoor tracks which is good too.

Chris_RC

What hobby shop are you talking about?

Ttam Says Blarg

Busy bee hobby.

EvaderST00

i went in to get some part for my e maxx and im looking at the wall of parts and i was looking for almost 15 min before they asked "are u almost done looking". i was shocked! when i told them what i needed they were rude and everything and when a regular came in they were friendly and helpful. we have 3 shops near me and one is rude one is overprices and the other is the best ever. they are called sidetrax hobby and he is very helpfull and is ok priced.

MarkWesterfield

I'm a hobbyshop owner that has an onsite indoor off-road track, and this thread has been intresting to say the least.

We pretty much keep stock on hand that is can be run on our track (1/10 electric off-road, AE, Losi, Kyosho)

Profit from a car kit sale $30 - I price the kits $5 higher than tower hobbies.

Same profit from electronics or batteries, motors, anything high-priced, $30, not a percentage, but $30. Thats trying to be competitive with internet prices.

Parts on the wall are typically 100% markup, If it cost $5 on the tag, I payed $2.50. Thats pretty much what everybody else charges too.

I rent the building from a friend for absolutely dirt cheap and we are barely turning a profit trying to be competitive with internet pricing. I wouldn't open a hobbyshop a second time. Its pretty tough with the amount of time and effort to make very little money.

Not to mention, there may be some hobbyshop owners/employee that customers don't like, but not every customer is a good customer either.

The_Collector

What gets me is how some of these owners/ employees can have such an attitude dealing with their customers. I have a business of my own and sell directly to my customers. Even if I'm having a bad day, and only see one customer in the entire day, my attitude changes as soon as that customer is in front of me. It's just good practice to have. People do not want to deal with other people who are unpleasant to be around. I think the same applies to the employees. The way they treat the customer will directly affect the general state of that establishment (who is their employer).