Bigshark

I changed over from electric to glow for everything other than my e-sailplanes after moving within a mile of a great flying field a few years ago. The latest Hobby Lobby catalog was sent to me recently and it has one page of glow planes (for conversion to electric), one page of sailplanes, and that is it.

My first bird was a Hobby Lobby skimmer kit. My second was also a skimmer and survives to this day. I guess I'll have to go to Aerocraft direct if I need another one.

It's really kind of sad to see a Hobby Lobby catalog with almost nothing in it for me. Thanks goodness fot Tower or I'd have nothing to read while........ahem..........indisposed.......

Tommygun

My Feedback: (2)

Yeah, they've gone mostly electric. I know what you're talking about though, back in the 80's they had an amazing amount of stuff, including a full scale Mini Max ultralite plane you could buy as a kit. Like it or not, this is the future of the hobby.

Hossfly

There is always the AMA's magazine, "Model Aviation" and for real modelers "Flying Models".

Bigshark

@Hoss

Unlike some, I actually read Model Aviation, not just wipe my hind quarters with it......




@Tommygun

I hear ya. They even did away with their higher performance sailplanes so there's very little to drool over. If I wanted a styrofoam electric ducted fan or a styro warbird or a styro 3d plane I'd be on hog heaven.....but I don't.......

rambler53

My Feedback: (494)

I had a recent bad experience (1 week ago) with the Flycam2 camera deal with an extra battery $89. The camera felt really flimsy, the camera battery wouldn't charge or last more than 20-30 seconds, so the extra battery was an absolute necessity. The instructions were a joke, I guess I need to read all the forums and find how everything is set up, firmware upgrades required, etc. Instead, I asked for a refund, and figured the 15% restocking fee was all I'd lose. It took a week to get an RMA#, then they inform me if it's not in retail sale condition, a 50% restocking fee could apply. I didn't take the chance. I can do better reselling it. Apparently these faults are generally accepted, but in this day and age, $89 buys a lot better camera out there, higher resolution, memory card included, more robust a case. I suppose if I had a foamy EP plane that weighs 14 oz, it would fit that application. I have a .40 size plane, I could use a camcorder if I wanted to. Hobby Lobby states:

Restocking Fees for Returns
Hobby Lobby will assess a 15% restocking fee for all returned merchandise, provided it is unopened and in perfect retail condition, and ready for subsequent resale.

Items returned that are not in retail condition may be rejected and sent back to you, postage COD, or, at the exclusive option of Hobby-Lobby, may be assessed a 50% restocking fee.

SteveW

My Feedback: (36)

Why would there be a 15% or 50% restocking fee on something that is defective? If a battery won't charge or hold a charge for more than 30 seconds it's not re-sellable, period!!

carrellh

Hobby Lobby really has not changed much. They have been selling mostly electric stuff for several years. So, you'd get a catalog and think it was great.

Your interest has changed so you notice that they have mostly electrics and those great catalogs are not so great any more.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

"Hobby Lobby has almost nothing I want anymore! "

I can say the same thing with Tower......have almost one of all their tools, accessories, etc.

MetallicaJunkie

I remember a few months ago the president of Hobby Lobby came on here(RCU) and made a thread saying that they were restructuring it and would soon start catering to the glow/gas crowd ...havent seen that happen yet.... TBH Hobby Lobby could disappear tomorrow and my heart wouldn't skip a beat

RAMFlyer

My Feedback: (65)

Yeah, and he said customer service would be second to none! I can tell you that isn't true... Placed an order for a number of small things only HL carries and found out about the backordered items after the order was placed. Went back and forth with "customer service," (an oxymoron) for a couple of weeks: "That will be in next week; That is in and will go out Monday; That won't be in for six weeks; We don't know when that will be in." NEVER AGAIN!!!! They lost this customer for good.

AlphaWhisky

I tried to order some gear - EDF kit - from them some months ago. Got a brief reply they would no longer supply outside USA or Canada although they had previously supplied me with sundry gear a couple of years earlier.

I scrubbed their site from my PC and won`t be back. Hobbyking is better for me and plenty others worldwide. Is the writing on the wall?

Alan W

Bigshark

I realize that my tastes have changed. It was just shocking to not see at least the Thunder Tiger engines listed or more than a page of "conversion" planes or any of the "hotliner" gliders they used to carry.

No kits, no glow, no gliders......no drool and no sale.




As to service and the like, three or four years ago when I bought my Senior Telemaster it seemed alright.... though come to think of it there was some shipping damage the lead to a bit of recovering and re-gluing the fuselage. I didn't expect a new plane or anything but the emails I sent to their service people were never answered.

I'll probably contact Sig for a cadet if I ever crash my Telemaster.

Bigshark

I'm pretty close on that myself.....


Now I just need one of each of the Top Flight warbirds and about 5 years with nothing else to do.....

Woody218

My Feedback: (24)

There's very little that Hobby Lobby carries that I'm interested in. I haven't made a purchase from them in years.

Miken96

I ordered the body of the F-16 on the 12th of November... It was showing as "IN STOCK" when I placed the order button and paid with Pay-Pal. On the 27th of November, I logged on and saw it was backordred? I called and was told it woul dbe in on the 2nd of december. On the 5th of December, i was told again that it would be in on the 9th of December. On the 11th of December, i was told it wol dbe in on the 16th. On the 18th, I was told they were in, and mine was being shipped priority to make it before Christams. I was just told today (29 Dec) that none would be in before teh 10th of February? Mr. Larry Powell has recieved 3 E-mails and I have read reciepts for each one. he has NEVER bothered to reply to me. Now Hobby Lobby is saying that it will take 5-10 BUSINESS days to get my refund...!?
My R/C Club (Stealth City Flyers) used to purchase from this dealer EXCLUSIVELY... We are now in search of a new supplier for our fun fly prizes...
I will NEVER purchase from this company again! If my experience is ANY example..... STAY AWAY from Hobby-Lobby!!!!!!!!!!

Stickbuilder

I used to live very close to Hobby Lobby in Brentwood TN. They quit carrying most of what I had any use for. I quit going there and buying anything. Now they do sometimes carry some of the scale instruments that I need, but that's about it. The, "Gentleman" who is their Customer Service Manager was probably the worst choice for that job that they could have found. I have found another source for the instruments from Poland, and now order from them. As far as I'm concerned, Hobby Lobby is done. I won't buy from them any longer. I don't do electrics anyway, so that's no great loss for me or for them.

Bill, Waco Brother #1