schlags62

A while back there was a topic about Wal-Mart and other mega stores handleing "real" RC. Has anyone seen this in the stores or does anyone have an update on all of this?

THanks

rclynx

PEP BOY'S handles TRAXXAS [&:]

SlashBasher

My Feedback: (8)

I saw rc18t's and losi minis on toys r us's website...

IloveMYxt2

Well ToysRus sells HPI stuff:

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3451165

BullRC

We don't need Mega-Mart handling hobby level RC. Support your local hobby shop!

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

ThunderbirdJunkie thinks that hobby-level RC's are too much of a high-risk investment for the big box stores like Wally World and Meijer to carry in this current economical climate. They lack the knowledge to handle the stuff, since it's more like owning a Ferrari than a Corolla to maintain and repair them.

schlags62

The only reason I asked was that around Christmas someone started a thread that mentioned this and I just wanted to see what had evolved since then.

DaveG55

I disagree with both Bull & TBJ.

I hope that the big box stores start selling them. Further, I hope they start getting sold in LOTS of places, places like PepBoys and even Kroger and Publix for that matter...

IMHO this can only help the hobby, and even hard core hobbiests, as a whole. It will get new blood into the hobby and while it won't all be sunshine and roses, it will bring money and new inovation to the hobby. And maybe, just maybe, the prices on some of the rc stuff will start to come down to reasonable levels. I mean really, why should 4 tires that are 6" around cost as much as one tire for my 1:1 car? Why should a 3cc nitro engine cost as much as a motor for my lawnmower???

TBJ and Bull are right in some ways though, hobby grade rc's are more complicated  than the toy stuff, but I don't see where they are sold as an issue. I liken it to golf, I'll buy clubs anywhere that I can find them for a good price but I don't expect Dick's Sporting Goods to help improve my game. For that I go to a professional. If there are more people in the hobby who need help, and no, WalMart won't be able to help, they will be seeking out the LHS's for that help

rclynx

Big box stores, thats the very thoughts that have this economy as screwed up as it is. Trouble is people like you want something for nothing. You want prices all the same accross the board move to China. Its Hobby Shops and Mechanic shops, small shops of all kinds that make the USA what it is. If people didn't drive the prices down by having everything made in China and other places everyone would have RC's that weren't all just so much junk to repair every day. There are many people whom wish the prices were higher and the product was better and it was made by Americans that have pride in what they do and make. If you buy a product that says made here in the USA chances are it really wasn't. GM and Chrysler have gone broke because of the companies that have been allowed to come into the USA hire all none union workers and forced the auto companies to have 90% of there cars parts made in Chine and other places. American cars are junk since the 60's when the other companies moved in and forced the americans to compete. Its been the same thing in the hobby field and nothing is produced in the USA any more. A core hobbiest still makes the best products out there because they are Americans with the intellegence to make it the best not because he can buy the best...........its not availible. A lot of those people whom can do that type of work are Hobby Store owners. (there not there for the money because of all the cheap jerks out there buying from e-bay. You had better support your Hobby Shops or you will be standing in lines at WalMart and K-mart waiting to make an exchange of a pile of junk that 1 out of 20 are what there suppose to be

RCcars4me

Wow...I support my LOCALHOBBYSHOP!
Wal-Mart and others need to stick to what they do best...and that is take up space (and my favorite bashing spots )

rumotech

I have to say I wouldnt want Wal Mart selling me something that nobody that works there knows about.  I prefer driving out of my way to goto my LHS. Online sales have killed so many LHS in the past 10 years it's not funny. I would rather pay a mom and pops hobby shop a few bucks more to help keep them in business.

IloveMYxt2

But it stinks when LHS charge an arm and a leg for something. Its not a matter of a few bucks, but saving 50 dollars or more. The LHS around my area likes to add a whole lot to the MSRP and that is why I do a lot of my shopping online. I am not rich, so if Ican get a battery for 30 bucks compared to 130, I am going online.

There is one hobby shop, RCLYNX, that gives me great deals.

jbooker82

My Feedback: (4)

Hobby Shop is a big kids store / man cave. I dont want to stand behind some gal argueing over a price of an Item and digging through her purse trying to find coupons.

ThunderbirdJunkie

My Feedback: (3)

Because that engine is made in far lower volumes to much tighter tolerances than your typical, generic Chinese lawnmower engine. If you want expensive, price out a 22hp Briggs twin...eep

Now don't confuse what ThunderbirdJunkie thinks is going to happen with his opinion. He totally agrees with you.
And he wishes one tire for his Jeep was as cheap as a set of 40 series Pro Line beadlocks and Moab XLs...

And do you think the guys that work in sporting goods know anything about tents or guns? Does anybody in appliances know anything about vacuum cleaners?

ilanstylz

My Feedback: (12)

I can respect that some of you would rather support your local hobby shop instead of spending less online or at a huge franchise....... However I'd rather buy online or a huge franchise and save money that would allow me to buy more products, then spend money at my LHS that is a ripoff........... I could care less if I buy at a place to where the employee didn't know crap about the product, because as long as I know what I'm buying is good it shouldn't matter what the employee knows or not............

rotzilla

f@#% scab mart, i dont shop there, i wont shop there. if they were the ones carrying our hobby it would be time for me to get out. as one poster said thay are a good chunk of our problems these days....

SAVAGEJIM

I went to wally world the other day. I bought about $5 of stuff (floss and toothbrish) and I wanted to buy more. But fortunately, I came to my senses and stopped. Walmart is part of the reason why the economy is hurting. No, they are not a cause, but they certianly do not help. Wallyworld has driven MANY local mom & pop stores out of business by serious price undercutting and a tactic they call "loss leader."

Loss leader is where wallyworld will purposfully sell a set of products at a loss so that ppl will go in and buy that, but at the same time, they will buy other non-loss leader products. Then, thus is how wallyworld screws you: once the loss leader has done its thing, they increase the prce of the loss leader back to profitable prices and take over what the mon & pop store used to do. TAnd this is nothing short of a monopoly tactic. (Anti-trust laws are supposed to be in place to protect from such actions.)

And wallyworld will no less use loss leader tactics on our RCs as well. They will drive RCstores out of business. And when theu have the monopoly on RCs, they low-balling standards will force the quality of our RCs to be no better than that of wally world toys. I regret buying my floss and toothbrush at wallyworld; I regret giving them a single dime.

So, I say down with wallyworld and thumbs down on wallyworld and RCs. I would prefer Sears of JPPenny to sell RCs than wallyworld anyday. Actually, I say RCs need to stay in the purview of specialized RC stores.

Savage_Dias

I would LOVE to support my LHS but they only carry what the owner & his buddys are racing at the time. They say they can order anything you want & I've gone that route just to show support. I asked the owner to order something for me & caught a glance at his monitor.... He was on Tower Hobbies & had the nerve to calculate a 40% price increase in front of me! I told him I could order it online way cheaper & not have to make a special trip to his store in order to get it. He asked me what I would pay for it & I roughly quoted Tower's price. He told me that was about what he would pay for it but he had to add a little for shipping. I told him that I was a club member of an online r/c store & I could get free shipping as well as a discount if I ordered enough stuff. He told me from then on I could get what I needed for Tower's price plus a couple bucks. I've been there multiple times ready to buy at whatever price since he won't let employees give discounts. Most of the time he's there but they still don't stock what I need. I've had to walk out of there empty handed because he didn't have ANY shock oil, paint, body clips, glo plugs, etc... These are common items that I would've readily bought from anyone in town if it would've been available. 

sonicj

My Feedback: (2)

i bought korean lipo cells on clearance at walmart the other day!

foodstampz

The internet is great for finding out abotu things. but come on guys the shipping is ridiculous.. find a good local hobby shop like mine, and i wil give you better deals than the ones online. promis =e that

dominicevans

You guys go on all day about how good Hobby Shops are and how they are better than online BUT

you also fail to realise that many many many places aren't like USA where there are hobby shops all over the place many of us out side USA don't have anything called a hobby shop nor any place that really sells hobby grade cars nor parts. Therefore the internet has brought all of the RC population that don't have access to a hobby shop into R/C .

ilanstylz

My Feedback: (12)

I have two local hobby shops in my area, and its still a 45 min drive for me....... The only good thing about them is that they both carry parts for the rc's I own, the bad thing is the prices are ridiculous, which is why I go online..... I save hundreds of dollars shopping online because I get discounts if I spend more and shipping for me is always free........ I still every now and then will go to my LHS if I don't wanna wait for a part, but its rare and they don't like it when I keep rubbing it in their faces that I can find the stuff for alot cheaper online..........

foodstampz

i really dont understand why its cheaper online, when all distros are the same price..the main point i make with online sales is. you have to read between the price.. you can see a savage flux at the hobby shop for 700. the see one online for 650.. add shipping and whatever else costs and it wil quickly hit the same price..
if your getting stuff for free its probably cheap stuff..

and sorry to hear aboutt he no lhs in your area.. It is interesting that online sales have pushed allot of peope into the hobby. as it turns out,, sometimes people that buy online come to my store and are happy that there is a real store to look at items..

MadManAndrew

Just imagine the returns line...

ilanstylz

My Feedback: (12)

I get shipping for free because I'm a club member with Towerhobbies, so anything I spend over 150 its free shipping...... So if I were to order a savage flux online for 650 I'd actually get it for 590 because I get 60 bucks off orders of anything over 300, and its shipped for free..............

As far as cheap stuff I get the exact same stuff any hobby shop would sell....................

I agree it is nice to go in and look at the stuff you are buying from, and thats what I do... I'll go in a buy a few minor things, but if I see something that I know I can get for alot cheaper online, I will.............