Live Wire

When your LHS closed what did you do to help. Looking for people that would miss their LHS or really care. What could we do to get people to understand that we are just trying to make a living What would happen if your local gas station with great prices closed You mean that the PRICE DOES NOT matter

YNOT

It is hard to be in a business that the importer/distributer/wholesaler also has a retail outlet that has more money then any LHS.

And in a world where you can look at 100% of what is offered and have it delivered tomorrow via FedEx, it makes it difficult for a LHS to make it.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

We had 3. The two that closed were run by guys that knew nothing about the hobby and noone there would listen to us as to what would sell. The other is not much better but has other things to keep it afloat.

We pretty much have to mail order everything. It really kind of bites.

FrancisPerson

I buy at the local hobby shop for all things and only go online for things they are not available at the LHS or are "much" cheeper.

Francis

heli_Rod

I also do my best to support LHS. I realize it is hard for LHS to meet the prices that the online mailorder business can offer. As long as they are reasonable close on price, I'll pay the extra. I'd much rather buy locally from someone who lives in the area than from a large corperation promising investors a profit!

However on the downside, for example...just a couple weeks ago I bought an expensive item from one of the LHS. When I went to use it, I found out it had been tampered with. Someone had taken parts out and exchanged them with cheaper parts. I don't know if it was done in the store or someone had bought it, exchanged the parts then returned it to the store, but the bottom line was the LHS refused to replace it. And I felt they basicly had accused me of the swap. That store has lost a customer that spends around $5,000 a year on the hobby! I found another LHS store that was more than willing to be supportive.

Customer support is one of the main reasons I like LHS. No support.....BYE!

Just my opinion.

Rod

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

I buy mostly from my LHS. He has good prices and supports our clubs and even sponsors our fly in event. Thanks Mark!

Trollmaster

Wel I just found out ours is closing/selling /retiring. We have two others in town that have no experience or customer service .Sohhhhh I am stocking up on that company that sells all the hardware. I have a 2-56 set and now a 4-40 set. I forgot the name of the company but both deals here went great. I found it.

http://www.microfasteners.com/

skeeter_ca

I like to see, touch and smell what i am looking to buy. I'll pay alittle extra for that service. Even having a guy to talk to is nice but not always needed. I buy very little online and what i do buy it is because the LHSs don't or won't stock them.

Crash Campbell

Hi All,

You are lucky to have the choice. I have to travel over 500klm to my nearest store in Sydney and then take a trip to the outer suburbs as there isn't anything in the CBD.

Like most of the flyers some distance from the cities I do most of my ordering on line. Great fun when choosing covering, pilots etc. Thank heavens for Col Taylor in Wagga Wagga, he has a huge range and prompt delivery but it isn't the same as being able to browse[].

Cheers,

Colin

Live Wire

Well I am getting some good responce. A lot of people don't realize what it takes to run a small business. The overhead will eat your lunch, and you can not keep an inventory like the distributors and importers do. Then being able to deal with all kind of customers good and bad and still be able to say that you had a great day.
There are people that get their kicks out of trying to P.O. the owners and managers and never spend a .01 in your store but have more inventory than you do in their shop at home.
I just miss the people coming in and being able to shoot the bull with them and help when I could

13BT

hi Crash,

When you mention the CBD, do you mean Sydney CBD? Hobbico is on the second floor in one of the big malls in Sydney. Another big store is Frontline Hobbies but thats in Newcastle. Both shops are very spacious and well stocked.

Trollmaster

Many owners of some of these stores also have no customer service, inventory or "people skills" or brainpower to operate and deserve every bit of bad luck that comes their way.

dr_wogz

My Feedback: (3)

I try.. but... mailorder wins out..

We have a few, R/C oriented LHS..

One, is s drive, has a 'membership' policy (Become a member for 'average' pricing), and will pick the guy out of the check out line who'se buying $$$. The first guy in line, with teh two packed of hinges gets passed over / served last. They're out, in my books, for that, and their 'membership' prices are the sams as the mail order outlet.

a few othrs are no longer 'hobby shiops' but more craft/ toy shops now. Unless it's a basic item, good luck!!

The last, the one I frequent the most is a hobby wholeseller. Great prices, and usually a good selection. But if he dosen't have it, he will order it, but that can take 2 weeks - 6 months to get! An no, he's not a hobbeist, jsut a salesperson / business man. If he dosen't have it, he has soemthign "that'll work in a pinch..." (He screwed my wife on a christmas purchase for me. She asked for 'servos'. She got servos. Just servos. No moutning hardware, horns, grommits, etc. Just two servos from a radio kit.)

Mail order, for me, is the only way to go now..
I pay only one tax; GST
I have done enough business with them, that I occasionaly get a freebie!
They have great customer service (well, untill my last order they did. got 'the new guy' on the last one)
They have what I want, the manufactureres i want, and in stock.
They have a great website / check out. So, shopping is a breeze!
They have more than what all my LHSs combined carry..

So I have to wait a week for stock to arrive. It's only a week I have to wait. But that's the only down side..

Great Hobbies, i love you guys!!

PLANE JIM

My Feedback: (109)

What part did I play was the question? Well, I bought all the LHS left over stock and sold it on EBAY

aimmaintenance

What part did I play? I probably would be the cause of it's demise being as how I almost always buy online. Find the items I want, click the buy button, do a little check out thing, and a couple days later the stuff is on my porch when I get home from work. Kinda hard to beat that.
Our LHS is about a 40 minute drive so I don't go there hardly ever but at least he is smart enough to go online with his business instead of just standing around whining about internet sales kicking his rear. He's not completely up and running on the net yet but when he is I will shop online with him.
Times are changing and businesses should as well.