I was looking at Digitax stuff on Amazon today and came across this deal. A Digitrax DT402D throttle for $1214.98 + $3.49 shipping. You would think at that price it would be Prime...free shipping...lol
Wow! And it's not availiable from Digitrax, been replaced by the DT500D, MSRP is $250.
Happy shopping!
Mike.
My You Tube
I'm thinking on offering code 83 rail joiners at $300 each.
No shipping.
Maybe a quantity discount. But, ya know, I still have to turn a profit.
Ed
I don't buy trains or supplies over Amazon. Their prices are expensive than getting them at hobby store websites.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
While Amazon may be the big gorilla for many online sales items, from that I have seen, model railroad hobby items are far from price competitive so far. Maybe some day that will change but for now, not so much.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Well, no wonder they're asking $1,200+, the listing says that it is leather-bound! It must be an artisanal, hand-crafted DT402D.
One reason I find trying to use Amazon very annoying for a lot of things is that there are a lot of listings that look like they were assembled by software, not by anyone who has actually seen the product.
For some of the inflated-price listings, I suspect that the person offering the item doesn't even have it on hand, and thinks he can hustle and track down the item in question if they get a sucker to bite at his ridiculous asking price. But no buyer who knows what the item is worth is going to play that game.
This is especially evident in the case of a lot of books on specialty subjects, such as railroading.
And don't get me started on the jokers using print-on-demand services to sell you hardcopies of others' material scraped off of web sites...
-Fritz Milhaupt, Publications Editor, Pere Marquette Historical Society, Inc.http://www.pmhistsoc.org
fmilhauptFor some of the inflated-price listings, I suspect that the person offering the item doesn't even have it on hand, and thinks he can hustle and track down the item in question if they get a sucker to bite at his ridiculous asking price. But no buyer who knows what the item is worth is going to play that game. This is especially evident in the case of a lot of books on specialty subjects, such as railroading.
I have purchased a lot of out of print Railroad/Model Railroad books on Amazon at bargain prices. On a few of them the $3.99 shipping has exceeded the cost of the book. On others the cost of the used book has been close to the original retail, which seems fair if you can't find it anywhere else.
Sometimes paying even more can be justified. Up to the buyer if worth it. I have willing paid up to three times the original retail for several books by Charles Small. ( am still missing one book from my "Small collection".)
I ignore listings that I consider too high even if it's a book I would like to have. and yes there are some rediciously high prices from some sellers. I bought some books in the $10-$50 range that other sellers listed at over $100 or even over $1,000
I use several book search websites. If an older book is available the best price is usually found on Amazon. New books are often discounted.
EBay is also worth searching. Some BuyItNow from Goodwill type stores are a real bargain.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
I use Amazon Prime extensively for all kinds of routine things. Typically, I'd rather that to driving to stores and "shop".
For model railroading current production stuff, my first stop is MBKlein (modeltrainstuff.com), essentially my new (sorta) LHS. Next stop is EBay, particularly for not current product offerings, such as certain locos).
Amazon & my actual (30 miles) LHS are rare in satisfying my needs or desires.
While there may be a trend, I doubt Amazon will compete in this specialty area very well for as they are worse than EBay in breadth of offerings; e.g., HO UP locos, in my case. I wonder how much Amazon may erode some of EBay's and MBK's model train business over time. I notice, for instance, that Athearn has it's currently available direct orders online at EBay, if I'm not mistaken, but not so sure about MBK doing so as yet. The profit chain just can't afford too many middlemen. I like the breadth of MBKs offerings, and doubt I'll see anything approaching that anytime soon on Amazon.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Last time I looked, most model train items on Amazon appear to be retail or higher, and not much selection. On the otherhand there are some real bargains in books. Especially used books.
A lot of local booksellers (new & used) use Amazon to increase their market.
As I said in previous post, the book search websites I search usually find the best prices on Amazon
Amazon has hundreds of resellers. They try to monitor potential problems, but check the sellers approval rating before proceeding. We would not buy from anyone with less than a 90% rating. Report anythng that looks suspicious.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
My experience is that you need to know prices before ordering from Amazon. Many things are cheaper, but others cost more than a local store. Or another online retailer is cheaper.
Good advice when buying from anyone online or local.
It is often worthwhile to buy local even if it cost a little more.
Don't forget to include shipping and taxes in cost.
The only things I had ever gotten MRR wise off of Amazon, is only a couple things. I have only gotten a bulk package of Kadee's, at a very good price, with free shipping, and a NIB/OOP Spectrum SD45 with DCC on board, again with free shipping, and the same price as what I found on eBay.
It all comes down to "Buyer Beware", or know exactly what you are purchasing, and how much you should be paying for it.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
After an attempt at identity theft that was eventually tracked to an Amazon employee, I avoid them like the plague.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
At one time, I think I bought a book over Amazon. I don't get the appeal for doing general shopping via Amazon.
- Douglas
Medina1128 After an attempt at identity theft that was eventually tracked to an Amazon employee, I avoid them like the plague.
Amazon is a reputable company which deals with the occasional issue fairly and promptly. If you avoid Amazon like the plague, you should probably avoid the internet like the plague and unplug from it altogether. The worlds isn't 100% safe.
My wife and I have been using Amazon for years and what few issues have arisen, have been dealt with to our satisfaction.
Doughless At one time, I think I bought a book over Amazon. I don't get the appeal for doing general shopping via Amazon.
Obviously Amazon isn't perfect, but the appeal is, in general, they are a one stop shop. If you are a prime member, and you order items which qualify, shipping is free. The appeal is pretty obvious once you start using it. Perfect? No. Model Railroad products is a good example of something Amazon isn't competitive at so far, but for many other product categories, they are very good. Related to the hobby, I bought a large roll of plaster gauze on Amazon which was a good deal cheaper than Woodland Scenics or Scenic Express. As always, if you know your prodect, you can quickly see which items are a good buy.
riogrande5761 Doughless At one time, I think I bought a book over Amazon. I don't get the appeal for doing general shopping via Amazon. Obviously Amazon isn't perfect, but the appeal is, in general, they are a one stop shop. If you are a prime member, and you order items which qualify, shipping is free. The appeal is pretty obvious once you start using it. Perfect? No. Model Railroad products is a good example of something Amazon isn't competitive at so far, but for many other product categories, they are very good. Related to the hobby, I bought a large roll of plaster gauze on Amazon which was a good deal cheaper than Woodland Scenics or Scenic Express. As always, if you know your prodect, you can quickly see which items are a good buy.
I'm not disrespecting Amazon or users thereof. I just don't have much occasion to buy stuff that doesn't require inspection first, or doesn't have a convenient method of returning the product and unwinding the transaction.
Bought a put together chair online once from the online arm of a big box store. Chair didn't assemble well, and I couldn't even return it to the store. Had to repack a the heavy bulky box and tote it to the nearest UPS store to send it back to the actual distributor. Had to wait in line to check in there.
I'll buy pizza and trains online, but not something that might not return well.
I buy a lot of modeling supplies on Amazon. Last year I got a nice digital caliper on their big daily deals event in the run up to Christmas for $14.99. I don't know if they are accurate enough to do critical machine work but they are good enough to make my HO scale models more accurate. I've found Tamiya paints that aren't carried buy a lot of US retailers there. Free shipping direct from Japan and arrived in less then 2 weeks. I buy things like microbrushes there at prices much better then the hobby retailers sell them for.
I've opnly purchased one model railroad item. A tank car that the listing said was HO. Turned out it was N scale. Had a paid return label in my email within a few minutes and a refund before the tank car got back to their warehouse.
Jeff White
Alma, IL
Amazon does tend to have lower prices on MR books than Kalmbach (Dare I say this here).
I wait for the new publication to come out and then order it. My latest purchase was Jeff Wilsons Guide to North American Diesel Locomotive.
Joe Staten Island West
Well, supplies are a whole other can o' worms...
I will say that Amazon had the absolute best price on my PanPastels sets that I had found, with free shipping offers to sweeten the deal.
And, if you have a Amazon Card, you get points everywhere, which gets you all kinds of freebies on Amazon... Even some higher deals if you get enough points built up.
I have bought a few MRR things through Amazon, but haven't actually paid for them myself. I've earned Amazon gift cards a few times through wellness stuff at work and used those. Didn't really care if I was overpaying compared to other sources, it was money I never really had to begin with!
Mike