LHS vs Mail Order

**chicken** · #1 07-15-2006, 12:54 PM

Howdy Folks,

I have been in RC racing for a number of years and I constantly read or hear of people bragging about the "deal" that they got online or with a mail order for their RC products. This is an ongoing battle and I just wanted to open up debate on why anyone would consider not supporting your local hobby shop (LHS). In the first place, most LHS will work with you to be competitive with the online or mail order folks. Just patornize the shop and establish a relationship with them, they will help. If the LHS does not have what you want, they will order it and have it to you within days. If you race, this should be a concern of yours because I will tell you that money is not made on the track. Instead it is made with the hobby shop and it is that hobby shop which keeps the race track open.

Any way it's your choice, but before you decide, consider how much fun it would be to race on that online flyer or catalogue.

The debate is on, share your views....

**LoneSA_MiniZ** · #2 07-15-2006, 05:04 PM

Since I am a new hobby shop, I for the most part match two online store's prices. Those two are Tower and Horizon, I have seen some other shops using that practice as well.

As a dealer I have MAP pricing, in which if I am caught by my vendor going lower than, I can lose my said dealership.. So I obey that, while rcmart.com (dinball) for example does not. Mainly because they are based in China, or they could even be selling fake products (they are real, but lets say Team Orion only ordered 20,000 ball bearings, but the factory made 25,000 and kept 5,000 to sell online themselves).

Ebay is a problem for both an LHS and online retailer, as many people on there do not follow the rules and sell new items below MAP. I had an item on there not too long ago, that was just collecting dust, so I risked putting it below MAP, and beleive it or not I got a warning from my vendor. Only because someone else complained though, the vendor admitted they cannot watch everything, and let me go ahead with the sale since it was an old product anyway.

While I was talking with them, they did complain about the above mentioned overseas seller... lol

To put the prices into perspective, if I sell a plane at the MAP price. Lets say the plane is $189 my cost, and the MAP is $229. After I pay shipping, I make $10...

Need to run, add more later! Had this typed for like 4 hours now, doh!

**PD2** · #3 07-15-2006, 07:34 PM

Ah yes, the age old question and debate of buying at the LHS or buying online! Gotta love it! Personally, I use both! I have bought serveral items from the LHS and I have bought several from on-line vendors (this is aside from the used/second hand gear that you can pick up at e-Bay, Hobby Talk, etc, etc.). If I'm looking for a high dollar item for less, then I'm sorry to say but I'm going to buy on-line - and not from dinball/RCmart - but from the best place for the best deal. The only foreign dealer of on-line parts I have dealt with is Champ R/C who is a LHS, but located in Japan - being there, they ALWAYS have the CHEAPEST parts when it comes to the high end gear - period! But, when it comes to grabbing the parts I need to fix that car or if we are talking about the price between on-line and in the LHS being dollars difference, then yes, I will give my business to the LHS.

I understand that the LHS is the one who is supposed to be there and with our support they can produce great tracks and services. At present the only shops in the Houston area that can say that a patron supports the local track and shop when we buy from them would be Fastrak, Randy's and Mike's - and that's IF you race at that track!

The other side of this coin is the shop owners themselves and the support staff they have on hand. Let's put it this way, ANYONE with $250K cash can build and own a NICE LHS and even possibly a track. BUT, not EVERYONE can run a shop and track. Its about people skills - knowing your customers, understanding what is important to them, knowing who you are catering to in the local community and how best to let them know you are there for them. Too many get into it for the wrong reasons - I'd be more apt to trust a shop that I knew the owner was an ex-racer and lover of the hobby than not.

I know that this topic has many, many side, but this is just my thoughts that are skimming the surface of a very broad topic.

Good stuff!

PD2

**cjtamu** · #4 07-15-2006, 09:44 PM

I always go to the LHS first. If I know there's a big difference b/w the on-line price and their's I'll ask them about it. I don't ever ask them to match it (sometimes they do), but just see what they can sell it for. Sometimes they get the short end from a distributor (like Great Planes) who drops the price on their retail side (like Tower) after the LHS has ordered it at the old price. I order all my parts through the LHS also. By the time you add up shipping costs, you really don't save much on-line and having as many shops as we do around is a benefit to everybody. The only things I get on-line are Novarossi (from my buddy Nitro Dan) and bearings from Avid, and Joor is a local guy. The only things I buy on eBay are either used equipment or old stock that nobody can order. I'm with Chicken, it's important to give your LHS all the support you can.

**cjtamu** · #5 07-16-2006, 07:55 AM

Didn't get to finish this last night. The other thing I get on-line are manufacturers that don't distribute to the LHS. Things like Promatch and SMC batteries, the high end Mini-Z hopups (Atomic, PN, etc.), Banzai motors. Motors and batteries like that are so much better than what you can buy "Stock" you can't just go with stick packs, etc. Wish there was a way to run those through the LHS, but far as I know there's not. We need to get some LHS owners on here to talk about this too.

**LoneSA_MiniZ** · #6 07-17-2006, 10:06 AM

I agree with cj, there are a ton of parts that I cannot get. As an LHS that is.. I am an Atomic dealer, but I have yet to place an order with them, not enough Mini-Z action here in SA to warrant the min order they require.

I goofed on Friday and I special ordered an airplane for a walk-in customer. Since I do not charge shipping, I matched the online price from Horizon. Thinking shipping would only be the usual $10 I did not worry about it. Check my statement this morning and $25, so I lost money on that sale! DOH, smart one.. I did not think about the fact that it was a .60 size plane and they weigh more..

Batteries you are right, I can go after a dealership from Promatch, etc. But then as a LHS I have to track even more vendors. So I think that stops some LHS's from doing it. I have a ton of small vendors since I am a toy store as well, so I am used to tracking all my vendors so it is no biggie to me.

The min order requirements suck though, one of toy vendors requires a $5k min order. Thomas the wooden railway was $2.5k.. Atomic is only $500, but I really do not need $500 in those parts yet, that is money I can spend on building a track.

Well not to bore you guys, I need to go place an order for more helicopter parts. I have two customers that probably break everything on the heli at least once a week.

**cjtamu** · #7 07-17-2006, 10:44 AM

Yeah, that's why I don't like to ask them to price match, just see what they can do. The LHS deserves to make money, and I don't mined paying a little more b/c they need to profit. I did it to Bucky twice this week on the motorcycle. Kyosho dropped their price $65 below what he was selling it for, b/c they used to get it from Great Planes. Same thing with the speedo/Rx combo, they were $35 below his price. That's $100 total and I have a kid in college, one about to go and one in private school, LOL. He offered to match the price on the bike and sold me the speedo for what it cost him. So break even more or less, but he'll make it up in batteries and small parts, ha ha ha.

**LoneSA_MiniZ** · #8 07-17-2006, 11:32 AM

I am glad Kyosho did what they did, my old cost on a Mini-Z was something like $159 (not sure if my memory is correct), and Tower had them listed for $189 or something.

Now Kyosho has MAP of $129! My cost is much lower than that, but it makes it more affordable for begineers. Most of the stuff I get from Kyosho has great price points, and I can actually make money on it.

I want to order one of the new electric touring cars to see what it looks like.

**GoFaster** · #9 07-17-2006, 03:03 PM

I go where I can get a good deal. I don't need help from anyone. Usually I know more about these things than the people selling it and I hate someone to talk like they know something and don't. lol

**madf1man** · #10 07-17-2006, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoFaster

I go where I can get a good deal. I don't need help from anyone. Usually I know more about these things than the people selling it and I hate someone to talk like they know something and don't. lol

Nuthin worse than a no it all consumer!
Theres to many choices outthere and to many ways to buy. Easiest and fastest route is usually the first choice.