Martin Harris - Moderator Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Are Ripmax connected with My Hobby Stores? I know their shops are HobbyStores but suspect this is a co-incidence. I haven't noticed RCM&E having any bias towards Ripmax which would then be their associated company... The Ripmax site seems to be where I last saw it... Edited By Martin Harris on 10/05/2012 10:01:06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I decided I would put it to the test Ordered 14 low value items, all stated as being in stock. It shows in my account the order has been placed and ready for picking, so we will see. I would have ordered 4 motors as well, but they are all out of stock. On the home page it says that 70% of the stock has arrived, but looking through, it appears much more than 30% missing, I wonder if that means they are not going to re-stock some items. I think placing an order is a better way of judging service, so now I'm waiting to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 What of Rob Carpenter, is he still employed by GS in some role. I guess the new owners would want to offer him a contract that debars him from starting a similar business for some time. If Rob C is a free agent he could start up a similar business again. He could do a Goodard Watts, set up Screwfix then sell to B&Q, then Toolstaion and sell to Travis Perkins. Did either of them see a challenge to their trade purchases. You no longer needing to hold a trade account to get massive discounts, the rest paying Top Dollar. I am waiting for some one with strong Chinese links to set up a similar business. If you have family in HK China, you have your local agent, who you can trust to a greater extent. Just in the same way as Lyons and many other businesses were established. If it is Ripmax at the back of the move, I hope they take note of Clinton Cards and others, that continued high charges, for low cost items, something that can be very difficult to sustain in the present climate. It is interesting that "Clinton Cards", purchased "Birthdays", before going under and being able to announce their restructuring and the way forward. There have been quite a number of similar business failures that have followed the Clinton format recently. Talking with my wife and daughters, they have said about all, very dismissively, they lost contact with their customers, prices to high, quality no better than others. Edited By Erfolg on 10/05/2012 10:12:45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Randall Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Rob Carpenter has now posted an explanation of what is happening on the GS forum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Reading Rob's explanation, it sounds OK. This is a major opportunity for myhobbystore, they could really make something of it, and it could be great for all modellers. To do that, they are going to have to up their attitude towards customers, a great opprtunity for them to change their reputation as well as make the GS work well. If they succeed, they will force HK to look at their UK pricing, which will be another benefit to us all. It's starting to look a bit more positive, lets hope the communication improves though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 just one mention still running of GC on the GS forums...I'll post it in a second... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben B Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 They need to sort out their postage prices. e.g. yesterday I went to order a new inrunner. The postage charges page showed 3.65 and mentioned a 30p admin charge yet checkout showed postage of £4.05. For one reason or another I didn't complete the order- but the maths didn't add up then. It appears the postal prices have increased overnight. Just now went to actually order the item and postage has changed to 4.60! Also, because my order was over £6 it only gave me the option of insured but then made me accept that because I had bought it via first class post it was uninsured? Do what? If I look at the postage table for that weight (150g) it should be £2.83+30p for first or £4.20+30p for insured. So which is it? Insured or first? It seems to me that they are charging for insured but stating that it is only first. Which appears to be contrary to what they are showing on the postal table. Even if they're charging me £4.20+30p for insured where does the other 10p come from? Grrr. Oh well, I'll wait to see what happens and if the order doesn't arrive just sue 'em to get my money back But it's hardly transparent. To be honest this whole thing has been an exercise in opaqueness. Why didn't Myhobbystore just make an announcement before or where they just hoping that no-one would notice the change in name and owner?!?! Will we ever get a formal announcement from MHS about this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly P Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 OK as promised Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I have read RC explanation. It is a great pity that Rob felt that he did not relish the challenge. To some extent, it underlines the need for the UK government to make it very much worthwhile (financially) for an individual to grow a business. I guess he started GC because he enjoyed the work, I am also guessing, he felt the risk was to high to the rewards to his family. With respect to Myhobby, I suspect that the full potential of the business will not be realised without sticking to RC's business model. Will they, I have no idea? I do regret that the business is moving to Peterbourgh. The reason, Cornwall and similar areas are crying out for work. I am sure that even the PO will feel the loss of business. If moving, I would have thought that the HK (UK) was the way to go. A container port, with good postal links. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Green Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Looks to me that there is an opportunity here to follow in Robs footsteps and create an on-line store that not affiliated to any big org, to serve those of us who like GC. The business model of cheap products & fast order processing obviouly worked. Just sayin' Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I was baffled when bringing up the GC website to find it called GiantShark. I could not even log in, and when trying the "forgotten password" link I was informed that my email address was not recognised. Like others, I think it reasonable to give the new business a chance, but it is regrettable that a small, thriving business that delivered the goods and demonstrated good and intelligent customer services has seemingly been swallowed up by a larger operation. GC were my first port of call for modelling goods - will GS maintain that status?? The name in itself is a real PR howler....It is almost as if we have lost a friend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Palmer Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Edge Sadly I think we have... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence Lynock Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I said in a posting a few weeks ago that 'cod was on the slide and prices were up on what bit of stock they had in, it was cheaper to shop at Hobbyking and pay the $3.99 Royal Mail charge for delivery to speed things up a bit than to shop at 'cod, £2.45 x presnt approx exchange rate = about $3.75 so not a lot in it postage-wise. One thing I have learned is keep a stock of the most important bits i.e ESC's, hinges, horns, and suchlike, if I feel an attack of the build fever coming on I order motors etc for whatever I am building when I unroll the plans, that way the big bits are available for when I need them, plan ahead and save money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I don't know if Rob is involved with G.Shark or not but I'd like to thank him for his past service, which was excellent. Good products, god prices and a lightning delivery. Thanks Rob Er... I meant good prices. Though perhaps I was right the first time. Edited By Barrie Dav 2 on 10/05/2012 13:52:54 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Barrie The GS web site states that he will be staying on in some capacity during the transition to MyHobbystore. I would expect that he will have some mixed emotions, and some conflicts to deal and adapt to, as the business is no longer is his and he is now longer the principle manager. Rob understood by either chance, maybe a convenient way of retailing , maybe a conscious acknowledgment that the inter net was a growing means of reaching a very large audience. On the other hand conventional shops cannot have the same presence without significant expenditure on rents etc., to have the same presence. To a large extent this accounts to how prices could be so keen. Others have acknowledged that the kits distributed by Myhobbystore do not exhibit the keen pricing that you would expect. Although i do not know, I suspect that the kits are contracted out to a specialist. The benefits of what should be a lean organisation, do not appear to reflect in their pricing regime. Lets hope it will be different with GS. As others have stated the benefit of the Internet is that custom moves to sites who offer the best value, normally that blend of price and service. Buying GC, by no means provides a fixed customer base. Edited By Erfolg on 10/05/2012 15:46:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Erfolg, I must have missed the bit on GS's website about Rob staying on for a while but my sentiment stands of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Barrie It was not meant as criticism, the brevity of these postings can often leave an unintended impression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Dav 2 Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Erfolg be reassured, I never considered your posting to be a criticism. Not in any way at all. Never crossed my mind in fact. I do agree with you that sometimes an unintentional meaning can be conveyed by a posting. I expect we are all guilty of this from time to time. There's nothing like chatting face to face. Barrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daithi O Buitigh Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 To be honest, the ham-fisted handling of the GC Forum (the block replacement in all posts) doesn't augur well for the future. If they can't manage a simple thing like taking over the running of a forum without making a complete horlicks of it, it doesn't look too good for any other 'innovations' Ah well - 'tis all just a cod anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve W-O Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I ended up placing two orders, just to stock up on bits and pieces, and both are marked as despatched! Looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I think a lot of us must be buying our odds and ends from GC. There is an alternative and that is HK. As suggested by another contributor, he buys all his odds and ends as stock items. I have also started buying for stock, in anticipation of future needs. What is interesting is that I can buy all my needs for at least 10 models for less than I can buy just enough from a MS. Odds and ends can easily cost £20 for one model from the MS. I used to come out of a model shop paying £50 for nothing. Thinking, is it worth building any models? I am hopeful that there will be others who fill the void of GC if GS does not cut the mustard, alongside HK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erfolg Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I thought I saw an alternative site to HK mentioned in the thread. I have been back to find the reference, can I find it, can I heck. I thought it was called "Alvi" or some such. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Palmer Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 Airtek maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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