cobrajocky

I'd like to see listings here for all of you that have found great alternative online stores, whether in Asia or preferably in the US or Canada, to HobbyCity / aka United Hobby, etc. Places that sell very good Li-PO's like the better Zippy's from Taiwan or Korea, equivalent motors to the Turnigy branded motors (UH's private brand name, but they really don't make them), parts, etc. There has to be lots of alternatives to the high priced shipping that Hobby City / United Hobby charges and the lousy ship-out times that they have become lately!

I'm fed up with United Hobby / Hobby City! My last two orders of motors, parts and batteries claimed to be in stock, sat in their warehouse, paid for through Paypal confirmed, for over EIGHT days! This has happened in my last three orders (all well over a hundred and fifty bucks each) since late November. They take too long answering emails from customers and always have the same excuses month after month why they didn't ship. No more buying from these HK slacker for me.

Please post online dealers with URLs if RC Universe will allow, that you've had good buying experiences with, great prices and PROMPT fair shipping costs. It will help all of us looking for good deals from very good dealers or store chains in these challanging financial times. :^)

I'll start out with my two favorites I've used since early 07 -
BPHobbies.com (great prices, ships next day at a fair cost)
and as a lot of people know - TowerHobby.net (join their club and get free shipping for over $149 orders), discount emails and always some kind of sales. [&:]

Ones to stay away from (from MY MANY EXPERIENCES)-
NitroPlanes, aka RaidenTech, aka Xheli, aka hobbypartz, aka bananahobby, and a dozen other aka's (they all have the same or similar phone numbers and models). Their published model specs and claims are BS, many won't even fly and I've gotten models broken or missing parts (MY actual experiences!) [:@]

mclina

I'm looking forward to seeing some replies. I know that there are lots of places with better service than Hobby City, but I have never seen anything, especially Rhino LiPo's and Turnigy motors, at anywhere near their prices. I have had really good luck with them but I would gladly shop somewhere else if I could get the same quality products for similar prices.

huck1199

You can look for products Hobby City stocks in the USA warehouse. This gives you faster and cheaper delivery.

cobrajocky

Yeah, but then they jack the prices on the same US inventoried items to nearly twice the price of the HK stock, which wipes out any savings! What do those reds think, we're stupid? Their US warehouse shipping is too high too for what it cost to ship from a commercial account. I have a commercial business with USPS, UPS and FedEx accounts; so I know what it shold cost by weight to various shipping zones.

United Hobbies / Hobby City / Hobby King plays the eBay game - offer unbelievably low item prices and then screws you on the shipping. Sorry, been there and seen that way too much. I won't buy on eBay either 90% 9f the time.

mikegordon10

3DX Hobbies in NJ. I got some Turnigy motors and speed controls. They were more moneythan Hobby City but the shipping was free ($100+ order) and from the time I ordered over the phone till it arrived at my door in Utah was 4 days. Ya can't beat that with a stick!

cobrajocky

Thanks,

But their mark up for the TR 35-30B 1400kv Brushless Outrunner at $39.99 is more than double what I paid ($18.90) for that same motor from H.C.! (god I hate defending H.C.) At that make up - +100% - shipping ought to be free for just the price of the motor. I have to assume that United Hobby is giving a better price to dealers than just us regular customers, so to me $39.99 + shipping is a rip-off. Brushless motors are dirt-cheap to make. I was told in confidence by someone in marketing at a major US Distributor at the AMA show in Pomona CA, $6 for a 28mm and $8 for a 36mm class motor. I wonder if the Oil Industry has a hand in Brushless Motors? :^P

3DX Hobbies does have a lot of nice goodies and shipping fast, as you reported, are big pluses. The Hyperion YAK 55 SP "10" ARF looks like a good deal!

mclina

And the verdict is?

It is really tough to beat Hobby City on anything but a really small order. When Rhino or Zippy batteries cost a third or less of what everybody else sells LiPos for, and Turnigy motors cost a third or less of what a comparable Eflite or Axi motor costs, paying $19 for air mail really isn't all that bad.

As long as you pay attention to the in-stock status of what you are ordering, fill your shipments to the maximum weight, don't buy anything that you need in two days, and don't expect to ever return anything or get warranty service, they are the best.

larrysogla

I have bought thousands of dollars of items from Hobbycity.com and from Towerhobbies.com. Both are superb in prompt shipping and in pricing and in the discounts on top of their already cheap prices to begin with. I am NOT IN A HURRY when I order and I pay close attention to the "in stock/out of stock" status of the item. On my recent Hobbycity.com order, their inventory control showed "in stock" but when it came time to fill up the shipping order the status changed to "backordered". Why, because the computer showed inventory present but when I hit the "pay now" button, somebody had beat me to it and so it is just a matter of seconds and somewhere, somebody in the world wide web was ahead of me in hitting the "pay now" button. NO SWEAT, if I were in a hurry I would drive many miles through the notorious Los Angeles traffic and buy the item first hand from some driving distant hobby store that might be closed by the time I get off from work or after my picking up my daughter from night school. Heck it is more convenient and way, way cheaper for me to click the "pay now" button and let UPS, FedEx, the U.S. Post Office earn their keep fighting the bumper to bumper L.A. traffic. Hobbycity.com and Towerhobbies.com come out a lot cheaper in the final analysis. Merchandise return shipping!!! Hey there is NO FREE LUNCH in this world except salvation through our Lord. I am just happy there are online stores that offer 1/3 the price of the local hobby stores and Towerhobbies.com even has free shipping for me as a member. Delayed shipping due to airfreight and ground shipping accomodations.......no problem with me.....I can live with that. 'Nuff said.
God Bless, always
larry

cobrajocky

Larry,
I'll agree with you completely on TowerHobbies, and lets not leave out HobbyPeople (globalhobby.com, parent company) for near immediate shipping of orders; but sorry I can't agree at all about Hobby City / aka United Hobby. I've ordered nearly a $ thousand in motors, LiPO's, servos, etc since early last year (08) and their shipping fees are outrageous for the weight shipped (I own a company that ships internationally, we import from Taiwan and Japan too; I KNOW the postage and UPS/FedEx rates!) and they have turned into SLACKERS at the prompt shipment of your "Confirmed Paid" order of items IN STOCK! They've gone from maybe 2 -3 days to 8 -10 days! My last order I had to file a Paypal dispute to cancel a $101 order for parts IN STOCK that SAT in their warehouse for 10 DAYS unshipped (and PAID FOR). I sent emails to complain about the lack of shipment, which went unanswered. They always have excuses, always blaming someone else. BS.

United Hobby makes none of what they sell, they are only a distributor and online dealer. Chinese, Vietnamese, etc Pacific Rim manufacturers are notorious for private labeling product for anyone waving money. No such thing as "exclusives". Some other dealers with better shipping practices, rates and prices has to be out there. We just have to find them and share that info with fellow RC Modelers.

exeter_acres

My Feedback: (2)

Sorry you are having a bad time... I have had good luck...
I just ran a quote for a 2lb box shipped to Hong Kong
http://ircalc.usps.gov/IntlMailServi...2&P=2&O=0&sd=1
$just shy of $30 for Priority....

They actually shipped it Express... and I paid almost 1/2 of the Priority....

Seemed pretty fair to me....

cobrajocky

Just so you know, companies get "preferred rates" even from the USPS, but in Communist China (PROC) and Hong Kong IS NOW part of PROC, the "CC Govnmt" subsidizes some of the shipping costs for business shipping OUT of China (HK) for obvious reasons GNP from China. That subside is TWICE the discount rate WE American business get for the USPS! Their Govnmt does that for the airlines, hotels booking foreign tourists, etc.

So your great shipping fee ain't so great in reality for what they pay. And it still doesn't console my 10 days sitting in their warehouse experience, or the many complaints I've seen on United Hobbies forum site.

Besides, this string is for looking for alternates to Hobby City, not defending them. Maybe you could start a string called "How I love Hobby City", OK!!??

flaminheli

Everytime I order from Hobby City I recieve the items within about 8 days from when I placed the order. The most I have paid in shipping is $21.30 on a rather large order. I can't see anything wrong with that. The savings definantly outweigh the shipping costs. I also order from Tower Hobbies all the time and I also recieve the order around 6 days from when I order it.

mclina

The thread was looking for alternatives to Hobby City, and it doesn't look like there is one, and most of us don't seem too upset about it.

cobrajocky

DITTO!

Lets keep this string SPECIFIC!! - "this string is for looking for alternates to Hobby City, not defending them."

If you (anyone) loves HC, maybe you could start a forum string called "How I love Hobby City", OK!!?? Or send them a Valentine next Feb 14th.



Now, in that thought - I have another alternative I just remembered that I've had good experiences with in great prices (join their "club"), ships FAST and free from here in the US: advantagehobby.com

The Ghost

Websterphreaky, I have had nothing but great service from HC, postage and delivery is only 4 days. 2Kg EMS Express to the US is only $36.79, same to Australia is $33.75 only 3 bucks difference and we are lot closer. The batteries that I use are $100 at HC, They are $600 out here, I know where I will buy them and live with the postage.

Cheers

cobrajocky

I guess you just can't read, huh? Lets keep this string SPECIFIC!! - "this string is for looking for alternates to Hobby City, not defending them."

flaminheli

LOL, looks like another happy customer websterphreaky. Sorry, I couldn't resist. By "string" I think you mean "thread". If we keep it specific it will die out fast because of the lack of other companies that sell cheap with great shipping.

mclina

Like Mom always said, "if you don't have anything bad to say, don't say anything at all".

cobrajocky

Thank you so much for your comments that certainly reflect your level of IQ and do so much to help other hobbyists that would like to find ALTERNATIVE sources instead of playing your juvenile games. Suggestion, try growing up and helping instead if hindering.

And for your info, String is another commonly used term that has been around longer than Thread for forums, way back to the days of BBS's.

I give up, too many dopes on this forum.

mikegordon10

Well you didn't like my on topic suggestion about 3DX hobbies so I guess your not going to find that super secret cheep site with free the shipping.
Give "The anointed one" a call maybe he can help you out

websterphreaky, you said "I give up, too many dopes on this forum. "

Does this mean your going away? Could this be true?
So sad, too bad, let not the door hit you in the butt on the way out.

flaminheli

I apologize for having a laugh at your expense websterphreaky. Please continue your "string".

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

This thread has gotten a bit out of control so I'm closing down.

Thread locked.

Ken