How are you buying your modeling stuff in 2020

[Paul Marsh]

I want to run a poll to see how people are buying modeling items in 2020. As there are no shows and model shops are using social distancing, although open are not the once aladdin caves , so the options are:

• Buying from model shop direct;
• Buying from a model shop online;
• Buying from internet only vendor (eg, Hobbyking; Banggood, etc)
• Buying from classifieds , eg. BMFA, Facebook
• Buying from club members;
• Buying from eBay/Gumtree.

[Steven S]

We have 2 model shops in town, one allows 6 customers at a time and the other takes phone or internet orders and has curbside service. I have been using both shops to pick up my supplies.

[Doctor Chinnery]

So far a Galaxy Wasp kit from Pegasus Models via their website and a pre-loved Scorpion from a fellow CMFC member (via BMFA Classifieds). So far I have always been happy with transactions via BMFA and club members, and obviously you are very unlikely to be stitched up in either case. With Pegasus/Galaxy you won't be disappointed - strong Trad' British kits that do what it says on the tin.

[J D 8]

As I live at the edge of the world,The same as 2019, model shop on line or the flea bay.

[Bob Cotsford]

Options 2, 3, 4 and 6 so far this year. MSL, Pegasus, KLM, Nexus, Banggood, classifieds and ebay and of course the very excellent T9Hobbysports.

[Robert Parker]

Online shops and e-bay for me. No change really, same as JD

[Richard Clark 2]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 21/06/2020 16:00:47:

I want to run a poll to see how people are buying modeling items in 2020. As there are no shows and model shops are using social distancing, although open are not the once aladdin caves , so the options are:

• Buying from model shop direct;
• Buying from a model shop online;
• Buying from internet only vendor (eg, Hobbyking; Banggood, etc)
• Buying from classifieds , eg. BMFA, Facebook
• Buying from club members;
• Buying from eBay/Gumtree.

I live near Southampton, which is a town of about 300,000 people. It used to have about six model shops but over the years all of them have closed.

Now I mostly use Sussex Model Centre over the internet but of course doing that you can't 'browse', even if 'The Virus' didn't exist.

I also use Spire Models near Salisbury quite frequently. He has no internet presence, but very extensive stock, often of unusual and interesting things from Europe, But he is currently closed due to 'The Virus' (yawn). For the last few years he is only open three days a week. And apparently he doesn't need the money so I have no idea whether he will reopen or not.

I've never used HobbyKing, Banggood, eBay or anything similar, nor have I ever bought anything via the BMFA, fellow club members, or social media.

[leccyflyer]

Posted by Paul Marsh on 21/06/2020 16:00:47:

I want to run a poll to see how people are buying modeling items in 2020. As there are no shows and model shops are using social distancing, although open are not the once aladdin caves , so the options are:

• Buying from model shop direct;
• Buying from a model shop online;
• Buying from internet only vendor (eg, Hobbyking; Banggood, etc)
• Buying from classifieds , eg. BMFA, Facebook
• Buying from club members;
• Buying from eBay/Gumtree.

All of the above, except the first one.no local model shops open here.

[ken anderson.]

apart from 5 min epoxy and super glue...….the rest is now totally on-line,we have no more model shops where i'm located.....its a bit of a bummer for any new person who wants to take the "hobby" up …… but if there are no shops selling modelling stuff what can you do?....RIP modelling as we all knew it.....will it survive/carry on...…..to be honest I don't see how...most of the youngins aren't bothered about building and flying a model aircraft. The majority who do our hobby are older....and like it or lump it that's it, present day...…. we're doomed to quote old frazer…...shrinking hobbyist's=shrinking hobby shops=minority interest....hope that all comes over as I see it...

 

ken Anderson….. ne...1 as I see it dept.

Edited By ken anderson. on 21/06/2020 17:54:51

[cymaz]

I will shop anywhere to get a good deal, good service and value for money.

Went looking for a Vauxhall Zafira.....eventually bought a C4 Grand Picasso. Cheaper, newer, nicer dealer, bigger inside, cheaper to run. Went and did a 160 mile round trip for it......nothing in Deepest Cornwall.

Apologies for getting side tracked.

Edited By cymaz on 21/06/2020 18:54:17

[Test Pilot]

The hobbyking/internet effect - also known as local model shops closing.

The constant search for the cheapest price. The local shop may be a few quid dearer for that kit or radio, but he has rent and rates etc to pay. Those that buy all the big ticket items at the cheapest price on line shouldn't be surprised when the local shop they only used in emergency for a pack of hinges or pot of glue closes because he can't make a living anymore.

I'd honestly pay an extra few quid for a kit and support the guy who gives his time freely to help solve problems, and I do so quite regularly. How the local shopkeeper keeps his cool with people bringing him stuff they've bought from Bangood or Hobbyking asking for his knowledge and experience (free of charge of course) to solve their problems is more than I'd do. I'd tell them to ask hobby king for help and see how they get on.

Support your local shop or lose it. I had enough wood and other bits, all bought locally to keep me going through lockdown. Will stock up from the local shop when I need more. Hope he survives, he deserves to.

[Richard Acland]

I am buying everything online from UK model shops. Too many to mention. I bought a lot of stuff from Hobbyking in the past. Recently tried to buy some servos and they had hardly any thing from their vast range available. I decided that it would be best to support UK only model companies. Fortunately most of them seem very busy. The only down side is carriage costs which to me seem to be a bit of a rip off.

[paul d]

I'm with Test pilot, use em or lose em! I haven't needed much lately but the bits I did need I got from my local model shop ( addlestone models).

[Michael Kulagin]

I've been quite fortunate with shopping. George at 4-Max is only a short bike ride away so is my first port of call for bits & bobs, just don't know how the Acro-Wot kit slipped in! Collection system agreed with George. Steve Webb for covering film and Sussex Models for the bits I can't get from George. Tinternet shopping involved there. At long last Andover Models are open again and no need for social distancing. With all the stock Nev has upstairs there is only room for one at a time.

[Ray Wood 4]

By phone ordered, TJD models at Dartford & SLEC, Poundland epoxy & superglue 😄

Regards Ray

[Skippers Walker]

Hi Paul

I live close to Romney Marsh in Kent and the nearest model shop is at least an hour plus drive away!

Almost all of my most recent purchases have been from trawling the net for advice and best prices. I have used Hobbyking a few times and Bangood on two occasions in the recent past. I do find that most hobby shops are very helpful but today's delivery costs can been quite alarming at times! e.g £3.99 for small items costing much the same figure.

SW

[Test Pilot]

There are occasions where my local shop can't supply what I want. Case in point is SIG koverall, which it seems only Pegasus can supply (Sussex occasionally). I usually make up my order to the point where P&P is a small percentage of the order value, or even free. There's always stuff I can buy and put on the shelf to use at a later date.

Royal Mail prices aren't subsidised like postal services in China, and the staff preparing my order, packing it and taking it to the post office are entitled to earn a realistic wage. I know my local guy will go to the post office and queue if necessary to get a single package in the post that day to give his customers a decent service. He deserves to be paid for his time, but I 'd bet his charges for P&P don't get anywhere near covering it unless he's got lots of orders to send. A single one certainly won't but being the decent chap he is, he wouldn't hold on to it until he's got others to send.

My order of preferred supplier is

1. Local

2. UK Proper shop (read Sussex, Pegasus, TJD etc)

3. Only if something is unique to Far East suppliers and totally unavailable via UK outlets - China

I understand the model trade has been busy with mail order during this lockdown period, lets all remember how they served us well and continue to support them as things gradually return to normal. If we don't there will be a few more to add to the inevitably massive unemployment numbers that this country is going to have after this pandemic is behind us.

Use it or lose it.

[cymaz]

Well said TP

[Murat Kece 1]

The nearest shop to Aberdeen is in Edinburgh. I have no choice than than the Internet/online.. I have been buying from SLEC, Sussex, Leeds, Nexus, Pegasus, Steve Webb and also fair bit of Amazon- some China unavoidably. I agree we need to protect the UK economy even though a lot of the stuff we buy from local shops are coming from Far East too.

The service from the shops have been excellent.. Let's support them to sustain this..

[Test Pilot]

Posted by cymaz on 21/06/2020 22:28:34:

Well said TP

Thanks Cymaz.

The hobby seems to be most buoyant where there is a shop to create interest, we really can't afford to lose any more to the Chinese bargain basement sellers.

I miss being able to go to a model shop in virtually any town I visit, like it was back in the day.

[iflylilplanes]

Still using what balsa I have in my stock, re-using control horns, motor mounts, the odd hinge if it's in good nik and fuel tanks. I have a good supply of engines both IC and electric.

Cheers,

Dave

[Richard Clark 2]

My problem with HobbyKing, eBay and so on on is the often very dodgy quality. Cheap servos of a make you've never heard of, fake 'Futaba' servos from Banggood, piano wire like limp spaghetti, ARTFs made of out of splintery over-fertilized estate grown balsa and near zero glue so it all falls apart on the first bumpy landing, undercarriages that rip out, imitation 'carbon' wing joining rods, etc etc. etc.

Many of us model flyers accept an 'internet' quality that we would never accept in any other field. The problem is NOT 'real' shops, whether with or without an internet presence charging more for the same thing. It's the sea of utter junk from some big far away suppliers.

Would you trust this junk in an airliner you were flying in? No, so don't trust it in a model plane either - unlike a 15 quid portable music player they are airborne vehicles that don't just stop working if a component fails. Places such as Sussex, Dumfries, and Pegasus, or your local model shop, are run by people who have at least SOME interest in model planes

[leccyflyer]

Posted by Murat Kece 1 on 21/06/2020 22:33:24:

The nearest shop to Aberdeen is in Edinburgh. I have no choice than than the Internet/online.. I have been buying from SLEC, Sussex, Leeds, Nexus, Pegasus, Steve Webb and also fair bit of Amazon- some China unavoidably. I agree we need to protect the UK economy even though a lot of the stuff we buy from local shops are coming from Far East too.

The service from the shops have been excellent.. Let's support them to sustain this..

Hi

Just in case you don't know, the nearest model shop to Aberdeen is Models Unlimited in Inverurie.

Scoonies Hobbies in Kirkaldy is another small traditional model shop which is well worth a visit. Marionville Models, which used to be a very good model shop in Edinburgh is now a counter in an industrial unit.

[leccyflyer]

Posted by Richard Clark 2 on 22/06/2020 05:06:11:

My problem with HobbyKing, eBay and so on on is the often very dodgy quality. Cheap servos of a make you've never heard of, fake 'Futaba' servos from Banggood, piano wire like limp spaghetti, ARTFs made of out of splintery over-fertilized estate grown balsa and near zero glue so it all falls apart on the first bumpy landing, undercarriages that rip out, imitation 'carbon' wing joining rods, etc etc. etc.

Many of us model flyers accept an 'internet' quality that we would never accept in any other field. The problem is NOT 'real' shops, whether with or without an internet presence charging more for the same thing. It's the sea of utter junk from some big far away suppliers.

Would you trust this junk in an airliner you were flying in? No, so don't trust it in a model plane either - unlike a 15 quid portable music player they are airborne vehicles that don't just stop working if a component fails. Places such as Sussex, Dumfries, and Pegasus, or your local model shop, are run by people who have at least SOME interest in model planes

Hobbyking does seem to have gone down a lot in terms of the stock that they carry, and I understand there has been a change of ownership/management. However they did used to carry some good stuff, of good quality - their covering film IMO is second to none -every bit as good as Profilm and miles ahead of traditional Solarfilm. Their budget motors and ESCs generally worked well and were perfectly fit for purpose, as were the Frsky radio systems that they made accessible to a large market and which were not stocked by high street shops. It appears that stock in these have run right down recently and retrenched to the global warehouse, requiring Frsky users to source their gear from other sources. I found T9Hobbies to be excellent in that regard.

In terms of being run by people with an interest in model aeroplanes they certainly used to have upfront involvement by active flying modellers and designers - people such as Tom Hunt and Stuart Warne were both involved with the company in designing, implementing and promoting some of their models and equipment.

[Bob Bertram]

I have decided to spend my money in the UK as much as possible. During lockdown have bought wood from Balsa Cabin and a Blink kit from AWD plus a motor, props and ESC from a couple of online shops. If I am desperate for glue, I have Hobbies about 3 miles away, nice ply too and Pegasus is only 24 miles. We need to support our own economy as much as we can.