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Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

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Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

Old 12-08-2005, 12:51 PM
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Zipperneck
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Default Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

Yep, that's the question.

Are Ace Hobby Disturbutors crooks or what.

Tower Hobbies directed me there because I am looking for a replacement carburetor for a Thunder Tiger Pro 46 engine, and said that Ace is the US distributor.

I asked them for a quote - we'll see what they have to say.

Why am I asking if they are crooks?

They list the Thunder Tiger Pro 46 engine at the Manufacture's Suggested Retail Price (which doesn't mean jack IMO) of $182.99.[sm=eek.gif]
See: http://www.acehobby.com/ace/TTR9141.htm

Compared to Tower's price of $79.99[sm=thumbup.gif] See: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXKF97&P=ML
- that makes me kinda wonder what the heck is going on with Ace. More than double the price![:@]

Any comments?

Zip
Old 12-08-2005, 01:09 PM
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Scar
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Default RE: Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

My interpretation is different. Ace appears to be providing good prices to their distributors (like Tower), and not competing with them. Thus, they quote the street buyer a price, but it is a "list" price. The street buyer then checks with the local hobby shop, or the mail order house, and gets a better price from the distributor.

Perhaps you have no other distributors close to you in France. If you were next door, you would check with local hobby shops and find similar lower prices.

I don't have a problem with Ace if they want to maintain their Supplier image, and avoid competition with their distributors. I also understand that others may disagree.

Good luck,
Dave Olson
Old 12-08-2005, 01:25 PM
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Default RE: Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

That's a good way to look at it, and is most likely the case.

They bid themselves as "North America's Friendliest Distributor".

If you can't s***w your customers with a smile on your face, who can you?

I don't know, but I find selling an engine for 220% the going market price is going a bit overboard. Maybe they specialize in selling RC stuff to the US Govt.

Maybe I missed something. This could be the limited edition gold-plated version. Who knows?


We'll see what they want for their carb assy. Here in France, my LHS wants 55 euros for it (about 65 bucks). At any rate, I'm not putting a $65 carb on an $80 engine.

Looks like I'll just have to order another engine. I've had pretty good success with those Thunder Tiger 46 Pros.

Zipper
Old 12-08-2005, 01:39 PM
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Default RE: Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

I just got an email from Ace concerning my request for a parts quote.

In their favor, I must admit that their response was wicked fast.

They mentioned that they do not sell directly to customers and that I should see my LHS.

Granted, that does not explained their insane price indicated for the engine.


I humbly retract all my insinuations relative to their business practices. I rest corrected.[sm=frown.gif]

Old 12-08-2005, 02:41 PM
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Default RE: Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

By the difference between original post time and retraction post time it seems like you were awful fast to bash Ace. Wouldnt it have been better to wait for their response before you complained? Actually you didnt even complained, you flamed them! I think folks are too quick to criticize sometimes.

I crashed a plane with a TT pro 25 and when I took the engine apart to clean it I acidentally broke the little metal tab that keeps the high end needle setting. I contacted customer service for TT and they sent me a replacement for free even though I had broken it. I cant remember if that was Ace or not but needless to say it seems to me that customer service for TT is pretty good.

All that to say, it would be a common courtesy to at least try and get everything worked out before accusing someone of being a crook.
Old 12-08-2005, 03:30 PM
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Default RE: Ace Hobby Distrubtors - Crooks?

You're right. And as I mentioned in my last post:


"I humbly retract all my insinuations relative to their business practices. I rest corrected. "


I could have let it ride, but I didn't. I decided to retract my statement publicly and as rapidly as possible. I recognize I was pretty fast at lashing out.

Tower has offered to get the pricing info on the parts I need. Depending on that price, we'll be able to see if they come clean or not.

Zipper


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