Local Hobby shops

[rckjeep]

So someone tell me the point for shopping at your LHS again. So I've been having issues with Hitec servo's. What type of issues's the both took a crap within a day of each other. After taking some advice from a LHS employee. He wasn't some dorky kid either. So I go back there today to try and exchange one of my bad servo's. He said all he can do is send it to Hitec for repair. "how long will that take?", I ask. Three weeks, he says. I tell him so then why did I spend $15 more here than online to have to go thru the same thing with the manufacturer? I don't know about you guys but I've worked in a few different industries and the hobby industry is pretty F'ing lazy. Sorry I'm just a bit pissed that they wouldn't help me out.

[sambmx]

i totaly agree so very lazy,and anything outside there world is no good ive never found my shop helpful with anything. i did go to a shop in long island the owner didnt know a thing but one of his employees knew his stuff what a diffrence it makes insted of the usual (why the f*** did you cut your rims! are you dumb thats an aircraft reduction on that pede tranny!?!bbs in the tires !!) bull. I only go there when i need something quick and feel like spending double the money it is online for the same amount of help and service the computer gives me.

[JasonInAugusta]

In defense of the Hobby shop...

You can't go to Tower and sit, hang out, and "talk shop".

You'll find that the more you shop at your LHS, the better they'll take care of you.

[rckjeep]

RC Unlimited was the shop. I've been going in there sometimes 3 times a week spending $40-50 each time. I can talk shop here.

[JasonInAugusta]

Man, that does suck.

[MudXBogger]

hey jason what lhs do you go to? and have you been to Hobby Mart in Roswell or the smaller hobby town in deluth?

[JasonInAugusta]

Hobbytown here in Augusta, GA.

I used to run the RC section at a local hobby shop, but poor management led to its death.

I told'm when I quit that in a year they'd be out of business.

They proved me wrong, it took two years for'm to go under.

But I've seen (and been on) both sides of the argument...the LHS can't match the prices that we can get online and customers want that lower price.

I've actually seen times that the LHS would lose money if they sold an item at the price that was listed online.

I've also seen people buy items online, like RC vehicles, then come to the hobby shop with questions and expect you to cater to their every need...for free. They want the support, yet don't want to spend their money with you.

When that happened I'd tell them that if they dropped it off for repair, they'd be charged for repairs, but if they stayed and learned how to correct the problems they were having that I'd help them for free. The online shoppers would end up shopping with us and the customer actually learned how to do maintainence on the vehicle.

That's until the management (who were all the role-playing type) ran off most of the customers with rudeness, starting cutting my orders and ordering more of their Warhammer stuff citing higher profit margins.

A fairly well-rounded hobby shop turned into a convention center for Warhammer and Pokemon gaming.

But, luckily, Hobbytown has what I need or will order it. He tracked down what was said to be the last set of Tamiya Mammoth wheels/tires in the states. I had already called Tamiya, etc trying to find out who had some I could buy. Ol' Dave tracked a set down for me.

Haven't been to other shops in GA...never been in those parts of the state.

[toyofast]

Boy...

I shop online for most my stuff that I can't make or get built. Servos, ESC's and the like.



But you go into RC Plus in Salem and you'll see this on any given Saturday, Crawlers showing up to hang out and BS for a few hours.





Not only can you hang out, BS, get good prices but you can race on the carpet track, with your own car or take a spin in a rental

[nktrnl]

I know Ive said it many times before, but 99% of the time I buy on line. The one lhs Im more than willing to deal with, dosent carry crawler parts. So what ever I need he will order for me.
Just the other day I was sitting in class and over heard a classmate say he just bought a t-maxx. "Did you pick up a Revo, or 2.5?" oh no I could only afford the original t-maxx. "oh...how much was it?" $375.."WHAT THE ****?!" Oh yeah I wanted to grab the Monster GT but it was $700.
well...thats why I buy on line. I am suprised though I found a new hobby shop that sells alot of truck stuff. The price isnt too bad either...but it would be another thing if someone would help you. I had stuff in one hand, cash in the other and stood there for 10-15 min and no one said a word. So I left it on the counter and left.

[Jam1sstang]

Our LHS isn't the best for getting parts. I only go in there if I need something in a hurry. (to see if they have it) But most of the time they don't have what I want. And everytime I have ordered through them, it takes weeks to get. That's why I deal online. Plus, I run my own hobby business and am getting set up with some manufacturers to get things at cost.

I went in to my LHS the other day and was visiting with them about some INTEGY products. I was saying how I am set up to buy at cost. And one of the employees said "we can get you INTEGY parts" 8O Why would I by through you and pay mega markup when I can get them at cost? They didn't have an answer.

So, I rarely go in there anymore.