the local model shop...long may it live..

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

I do like the model shop for buying things like torque rods and wood and tiny bits like collets etc

[Doug Ireland]

Postal strike, what postal strike! Ordered a heap of stuff from Webbies last friday and it arrived monday afternoon! The nearest LMS to me is over thirty miles away so over 90% of my shopping is online.

[Chris Channon]

Hi all, big red face here, i DID use a naughty word in a previous post, i really am sorry, i proof read all my posts before sending, this one did indeed pass me by, really am sorry all.

This forum is one of, if not, the best on the internet, sorry if i offended anyone.

Regards as always

Chris.

[Peter 'Ivanna Crashalot' Savage]

It is quite different, some other forums are a bit more forgiving

 

Model shops are also good because you can see the actual size of the part, and you get them straight away

[twinstar]

My LMS's are one where they guy talks for ever and makes you wait whilst he chats casually for an hour (not an exaggeration) to the guy that came in before you, then when he does eventually serve you, scoffs at your choice of servo / model etc etc   then tries to sell you something that, according to him, only he sells.

 

my second nearest model shop is an, overpriced chain store, has naff all balsa and rubbish choice of coverings. Sells lots of ARTF and just One glider.

 

The internet is far less rude, often has better value, and a far larger selection. established shops like SMC and steve webb offer good turnaround and a personal service that i cant actually get in person in my own local shops !

 

With the advent of forums and skill sharing on the internet, the "expert" in the shop is no longer necessary the expert anymore, or the best place to get help, they are however a salesperson.

Edited By Timbo - Administrator on 05/11/2009 20:10:14

[enrico]

looks like we in the north easthave the best local model shop in the country.I have had battery packs made up,transmitter switches changed ,loads of advice all in warm and friendly shop. What happens when your bargain parts from china go wrong or are not working when they arrive. I just pop to my local model shop change them and go flying

[ken anderson.]

a man after my own heart is enrico-i've been in the shop's with him when i've seen him make the onion's cry--but back to the thread title-we're spoilt by the shop/lad he mention's and in return we support him........long may he be there.......(gladston's,bedford street north shields....)

 

           ken anderson.....

[Doug Ireland]

Posted by Peter Savage on 05/11/2009 17:35:42:

It is quite different, some other forums are a bit more forgiving

 

Model shops are also good because you can see the actual size of the part, and you get them straight away

 

 

Peter, you made a couple of good points here and I'll address the second one first:

 

I totally agree that you can see and touch what you want to buy before you buy it and that is something that a lot of us miss when ordering stuff online. That's the problem a lot of us have that don't have a LMS

 

With regard to the first part of your post. This is a public forum and as such is viewed by all age groups of the general public. Ask yourself this, do you swear or permit others to swear in front of your parents, I'm hoping the answer is "no"?, Therefore it is up to us to conduct ourselves accordingly and uphold the excellent standards of this very public forum.

[Big Bandit]

Hi all,

 

I agree completely with Peter and Doug, I prefer to see just what I'm buying, and take my time over it. May be it's an age thing with me. I also feel fortunate  that I feel I have a good relationship with the owner of my "local" who knows the score. It hasn't always been that way. At one time we had a number of LMS within driving. walking, distance, they were all good, but all gone leaving a great void. Over the last three years we have someone who is ready to set up shop and build relationships with his customers and get to know and respect them. this is certainly reciprocated from my point of view.

 

A typical example is when an old mate of mine wanted to buy me a significant birthday present. and the first person he when to was the LMS owner to ask what I liked to do as a builder and flyer.  Tony of Tony's Models and Hobbies in Leicester did him and myself proud. Yes he's in business to make a living but he is still fair, and still has time for his customers and I respect that, I still buy the odd bit's off the interweb, but if I support Tony I feel he will always support me by keeping a good stock of what I and his other customers need.Pity there aren't more like him.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris.

[ken anderson.]

well i must be the old school as well-you cant beat running your hands over whatever it is you go in to buy...and actually seeing the thing in the flesh is an added bonus-today i was in and...they had the new mini twister heli in and demonstrated it in the shop...kong hong-not for me give me the LMS forever.............

 

     ken british anderson.........

[Big Bandit]

Spot on Ken, it's worth a few bob extra when needed to build relationships and get what you want when you need it, that way every bodies happy.

 

I'm off to the local store in the village, just had word that they are flogging all booze half price and turning it into a Co Op. The end of civilisation as I know it .

 

Cheers,

 

Chris.

[ken anderson.]

chris-yal die young man-happy but young----that's one thing kong hong will never beat us for - the cheap fuel.....

 

          ken anderson....rip young chris.....  's...

[Capt Kremen]

On a recent business trip to West London, (with time to kill before my appointment), I popped in first to 'Addlestone Models'. 'Good Morning Sir' greeting without prompt 'Anything I can assist with?' Alas they didn't have what I needed but at least they were making some effort at civility and 'customer service'. Next stop, 'Slough Models'. From the magazines you know they carry quite a stock. Pity they don't carry manners or customer service though. No greeting on entering their premises. I found one or two items (about £50-00 worth actually) and was about to ask for some servos. The assistant when eventually dragging himself seemingly reluctantly from nothing especially urgent said, in a curt, sirly manner 'You buying those?' 'No don't trouble yourself' I said leaving them on the counter in disgust at their attitude. Final stop 'West London Models in Harlington. A friendly greeting and really helpful advice. Needless to say I spent a few 'pennies' They were happy, I was happy.

Buck your ideas up shops we are voting with our feet 'n fingers on the net! 

Edited By Capt Kremen on 06/11/2009 22:59:36

[Pete B]

Hmm, similar experiences, Capt K. I've shopped several times at Addlestone Models and found them friendly,helpful and patient, so I'll go again.

I too went on from there to Slough Models one day. Bought a kit and some bits (about £80) and left feeling I'd been several hundred pounds short of raising some interest in me as a customer. Got the impression it might be a shop for 'professionals' only..............

 

Pete

[ken anderson.]

bump and all that--- following on from asher's comment in the mag(asher's the editor)....try and have a read of his comment re:- the local model shop's...at the start of the mag...

ken anderson ne...1 . LMS dept...

[Paul Marsh]

I was thinking of starting a thread relating to that.

I have three good model shops near by, and usually get to others outside my area when I'm on site, usually quite conviently passing a model shop on my travels. Most are good, some are a complete waste of time. On place I went to (no names) had no stock in at all, and just a small front room with a few uninteresting items. If one doesn't sell it, how can one sell it?

[Ian Jones]

My LMS is about 2 miles from my home and I want it to stay that way, 'nuff said.

[Paul Marsh]

I have 3 nearby. Steve Webbs, about 40 mins away. Barnstormers about 25 mins away, but 10 mins from work. Quite handy. And Tony Hill models about 15 mins from home. All contribute to my needs, as are different size, but  may stock different items to one another, or have specialist areas, such as electric knowlage/stock.

Edited By Paul Marsh on 26/07/2012 21:57:40

[GrahamC]

Hmm... Me thinks that this issue is a little more complicated than at first sight. I now know the propriater of my LMS fairly well and get free coffee and a chat when I go in there from time to time, even though he knows I buy some stuff from Giantcodshark and HK.

However if what he tells me is true, and I have no reason to suggest it isn't, my LMS is in danger from some of your LMS's

I happened to be in there are few weeks ago when he had just a had a row with ???????[major wholesale company] about getting his hands on the ???????'s [long anticipated foam product] that he had been promised.

He tells me that the wholesaler says everyone pays the same, but then how come some of the larger retailers are selling them for less than he pays for them?

He has also told me in the past that he could buy a well known brand of radio more cheaply from a well known LMS for less than he pays the wholesaler.

Odd isn't it?

By all means support your LMS, but please remember that the problem is not only with those folks who buy odds and ends from HK. Its far more complicated than that.

Do the wholesalers [and there are only a few] want a vibrant LMS scene in the UK. If they do, what are they doing to make it a manifest reality? I would suggest that it is very much in their interest to make sure the LMS survives. After all, in today's world, If I can't buy it in my local shop, I'm not going to mail order it from a well known shop that they supply 150 miles away, am I? I'm going to buy it from Hobby King or direct from HongKong via ebay becasue its cheaper.

Small local shops closing will ring the death knell for people like Ripmax. At the moment they get some of the money I spend on the hobby via my LMS. If it were to close, they would get none of it.

There are a handful of shops in the UK who are able to sell well below the price of most LMS, and most of us could name them. How are they able to do that? Is it purely down to volume? We are talking about prices 25% lower or more in some cases. Are we heading for a future where the UK has three or four big and not so local model shops?

As it happens I bought my last model from one of the big three or four, not by mail order, but by visiting the shop, when I happened to be driving past. I supported a LMS. Should I be proud? Or should I be wracked with guilt that I spent money in one of the companies that is a real threat to my LMS?

[MikeS]

I do prefer to buy from my LMS but find that I do not always have time to get out from the office.

One thing I do hate is when I visit a local shop is how you get treated. I used to use Addlestone Models in surrey but have long since stopped going there after I waited some 20 minutes to get served while the chap behind the counter finished his phone call which to me was a personal call.

Service like this is never going to win repeat business. Also nothing worse than the customer in front of you is have a good chat with the staff and when you get served your done within a minute or so and without even a how are you etc.

I think if you spend hundreds each month in the shop you get remembered and welcomed but spend a few quid once a month you can forget the tea and cookies.

In this day & age you would think that all model shops would give the customer the first class treatment not matter what he buys. This will bring the customer back each time.

I buy most of my stuff online and would rather pay the postage cost than the petrol cost driving there.

 

Edited By MikeS on 27/07/2012 00:22:14

[Cyclicscooby]

Doh, I just said my bit in the 'buying abroad' post..

In essence, I use them as much as I can....... Afford to... !!

Everything is RRP at minimum... And that's if it's in stock..

I do genuinely feel a need to support them,whether this is realised, I don't know..

At my Beloved old Heli shop in Ledbury, Martin would ALWAYS round the bill down, once he knew me...

My current LMS has had £100's, if not £1000's off me, over the past 6yrs +, and i've never had so much as a penny discount, regardless of cost or quantity.... Poor... I've found Penn Models, the next LMS out, to have VERY poor service.. Totally ignored at the counter for minutes.. !! Prices OK, but assistants useless..

I've been to Whitchuch models about 10 times, a 120 mile round trip, but the reason for this petrol useage, is his EXCELLENT service... Prices OK, stock 10/10, and a small discount EVERYTIME...

Sorry to rant on, but it's annoying to know there are good ones out thee, but none near me..

Luv

Chrisie.. xx

[bouncebounce crunch]

The main problem is it is cheaper to rent a warehouse in the backblocks than a nice shop on the main street or shopping centre, so shelf space is at a premium, remember, rent, electricity, council rates, insurance, advertising, plus the shop owners wages; i'm sure he is getting rich. I support my model shop 35km away by having a visit when i visit the town centre, yes there are cheaper places to buy online, they are warehouses in the backblocks, but at least if you buy from your local you can go back to your local and sort any problems out, my store will get it in for you at retail price, and if there is a problem, returned and refunded in full no problem.

The next issue is magazines promote products and give a guide to what should/can be stocked on those valuable shelves.

next is, the longer a product sits on the shelf (not all products are consignment) the less money you are putting toward your wages, so turnover counts just as much as any customer through the door.

Each store should have a website for stock listings if not they will fade away.

no I am not a shop owner and after researching all the fine details I wouldn't be brave enough today.

cheers and support those little guys and gals from bbc.

[Dave Bran]

The problems in the model trade seem endemic to all.

The last order I placed with my LMS was for a replacement cowl, quite a dear item despite being a part, so in theory profit worthy.

I personally checked that the UK based importer had some in stock. They will not sell direct.

Months later, having asked after it several times, I'd given up and found another way, when the LMS owner suddenly asked me if I still needed it as he was about to do an order.........he'd never said he wasn't going to do it when I requested it!!

While there I bought some Locktite, at full price........could have gone to Halfords half a mile away on the route back and saved money......as I turned to leave I realised the bubble pack had been knifed open, when I showed him this, he said he'd only used a little bit and it was "probably still all right".

Not modelling, but as more examples of service decline :

1. I put a piece of machinery to a machining firm to fit modern oil seals to, IF I'd had the machine tools I could have done it in a couple of hours.................they took seven MONTHS!!

2. I put an item to be chromed to a firm, they accepted it. Weeks later and no return to my enquiries or other comms I visit to find they have not done it "as it does not fit our tank". They THEN say the firm "next door" (not connected) should be able to do it. Somewhat stunned I take it next door, they say yes...weeks go by, I visit, yes, they found it doesn't fit their tank after all. No thought of contacting me or replying to mails.

I take it away, and find yet another firm, now 65 miles away. I take it, they say they definitely CAN do it. Six weeks maximum.

That was January 17th.

The cost for this "service"??? £654, half paid up front!!!!!

I

[bouncebounce crunch]

If you are seriously copping thad crudd, Dave, there must be a consumer watchdog like here in Oz to stop that poo; Days late are bad enough for me to be on the hornblower for advice, and that usually only happens with companies that are owned or run by other nations here in oz. 20% is our maximum upfront agreement advised by our consumer commission here. I always buy locktite from the hardware or mechanical parts store.

anyhow good luck. bbc