RE: rc kits
HorizonHobby.com would cover some other major brands. Horizon distrbutes Losi, Sportwerks and Dynamite and Mach products.
Other brands are sold thru hobby shops. Tower, Hobby People and Horizon are distributors who also market their own products. That is why you won't see Losi on Tower, and you won't see Duratrax over at Horizon.
When you visit Horizon or Tower, you are visiting a distributor, not a true shop. They are NOT on-line equivalents of a hobby shop. Visit a hobby shop site such as Hobbytown USA's website, since they do business with most distributors, so they have just about everything....
...except that companies like Kyosho and Schumacher (and others) distribute themselves or are not connected with Horizon or Tower, so alot of actual hobby shops don't stock their stuff, but can get it. Most shops stick with what the big distributor has, which is way they are loaded with HPI and Traxxas stuff. These guidelines don't apply to all shops, as some top notch ones are loaded with goodies from all over the world, and they are connected directly to manufacturers PLUS big distributors.
EMPHASIS: Tower and Horizon are not the equivalent of on-line hobby shops. They are distributors, and as such, won't have the largest selection. True hobbyshops have the biggest selections, even if it means placing an order rather than buying off the shelf.