Thanks for the input GTX765Personal customer service will be one of the things we will offer.We will have an Ebay store an at present am making a list of allthe outdated stock which will be offered for sale in a specialparking lot sale, then what doesn't sell, goes on Ebay.There are trains, RC cars and RC planes of all kinds that needto go!One of my goals will to keep an adequate stock of the latestmerchandise that moves well, and to take care of my customers.A layout in the store is being looked at, as this place will need tobe totally rearranged.I am looking into the possibility of a second store which willbe relocated to a much better location.There is second store involved but it has a very low sales volume, and I am looking at a much better location, and putting up a building to suitthe needs of what I intend to do.
The Ebay store will be kept current and will compete with any and allother online sites as I will have someone constantly researching thecompetition.My goal is to be the best!I've been in many LHS's across the country and so I have a good idea for what works and what doesn't.
TheK4Kid
My LHS:
When i come in he always greets me and allows me to go into the back room and grab a pop. Once i am in the store if anyone dumped some used stuff for trade or cash he will let be dig through it before putting it on eBay. He even sold me a Trix bigboy for under $400 because someone did not want it and dumped it off. He will allow me to bring in locos new in the box and trade at the price i paid for it. He will also bring prices down on certain items and even install a sound decoder into a HO Kato loco and not charge labor. Anytime he gets stuff in or has used stuff he will call me and see if I am interested. If i am interested he will hold it for me. I need a LHS store to be like this, you build friendship with the LHS and get to be treated well. I notice when the person working everyday at the LHS is the owner it makes a difference.
Once again I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to reply to my survey question.
I am seriously looking at the purchase of a LHS and your responses have given me some good ideas as to how to make some improvements.I have been so busy doing research and working on new ideas for this LHS I haven't had anytime to work on my own layout, but this will happen with time.Thanks again and happy MRR'ing to everyone!
a) staff/owner who knows just about everything train related
b) huge selection of structures, locos, rolling stock, scenery items, etc.
c) stuff in every scale (even some narrow guage)
d) massive selection of books, magazines, how-to's, etc.
e) everything in stock at all times
f) a layout in some scale, which always draws your attention
g) more scratchbuilding supplies than you could imagine
h) and finally, more than just trains, like R/C cars, planes, model cars, etc.
I'd like to thank everyone for their inputs.I am still doing some research into the thepossibility of making the investment into this shop.
Many of you have mentioned a large inventory, a display layout and a knowledgeable staff and I agree. Now I am not complaining, but the one I have nearby has one aisle devoted to HO, the display layout is so high that a person needs to be at least 6 feet tall to see it - I am 5'10" and can't see the back of it and there is only one guy in the train section I will deal with (he is only there in Thursdays and is the only one who knows DCC) because the other one is a little cranky and more often than not, doesn't have accurate information. Like I said I am not complaining because I am in there at least once a week, I just envy those of you who have s GHP nearby. But I do find myself ordering more and more on line...
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
I would like to walk into a good hobby shop that does not have a bunch of old man standing around with a case of bad body oder. Maybe sell some speed stick next to the train smoke.
Medina1128 4merroad4man I am shocked that, given the number of jokesters and pranksters on this board, that no one mentioned a young 5 foot 9 inch blonde, This reminds me of a dog chasing a car. What's he going to do if he catches it? At my age I'm just happy that my wife thinks I'm a stud-muffin.
4merroad4man I am shocked that, given the number of jokesters and pranksters on this board, that no one mentioned a young 5 foot 9 inch blonde,
I am shocked that, given the number of jokesters and pranksters on this board, that no one mentioned a young 5 foot 9 inch blonde,
This reminds me of a dog chasing a car. What's he going to do if he catches it? At my age I'm just happy that my wife thinks I'm a stud-muffin.
At my age, I'd like to see a no-host prune juice bar and free hors d'oeuvres..
Not to mention free valet parking.
Andre
Hi pilotguy72,
Well being that you have a FAST MODE of transportation, just fly on over to FWA (122nd Tactical Fighter Wing) or KGWB and I'll provide the ground transportation the rest of the way.
You can stash that fast machine in my hangar at KGWB, it might fit, I'll pull my 46 Ercoupe outside.I'll even give you a ride if you'll give me one! LOL!Flying is my other hobby!
Getting ready to go to a place called "The Land of Osh" at the end of next month for a week,or otherwise known as "Mecca" to all pilots!
I think the idea of a club in the store is excellent! It will likely bring in lots of business, and also have some interest and make the store known. I know if my local train store had a club I'd love to join!
Dave.
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR
I'm lucky, my better half wouldn't say a thing!
One item I forgot to add to what I would like to see in a hobby shop. An owner who appreciates his hired help. I cannot fathom why any buisness owner would bad mouth his employees to a customer. First when I go in , it is for a psoitive expierence not to hear grumbling about how bad the help is. Secondly I have always thought it stupid for a buisness owner to bad mouth his or her help to the customer , because it in essence says - I am an idiot and do not know how to hire people and therefore not capable of running a buisness and not worthy of my customers support with their hard earned dollars.If you have an issue with help do it behind closed doors with the individual not in public.
Midnight Railroader TheK4Kid TA 462, Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed! This is a bad idea, I think. No employee actually works 8 hours continuously, and if they did, they'd probably quit.
TheK4Kid TA 462, Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed!
TA 462,
Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed!
This is a bad idea, I think.
No employee actually works 8 hours continuously, and if they did, they'd probably quit.
MR:
Of course, you don't want an employee who ignores customers, or worse, looks up to see Pistol Packin' Pete (sadly a possibility in any retail store). I guess the potential for trouble would depend on the employee. Some people are better multitaskers. Others yak on the phone and ignore customers.
I'm also reminded, however, of the owner of Shinohara, who used to clean up switch castings with a file between customers at the company's hobby shop, keeping busy with company business, if I remember MR's writeup correctly. I've often seen owners or employees here repairing customers' items in between customers as well. An employee with that kind of work ethic would really help a shop succeed.
TheK4Kid TA 462,Thanks for your reply.My policy of allowing employees to work on their personal toys on companytime will not be allowed!
With this in mind, I'd rather see them take up those spare moments on hobby-related stuff rather than personal phone calls, smoke breaks, and the like.
Not sure I would enjoy working for someone who takes such a hard line on the subject, and you may drive away solid, model-railroad-specialist employees with it.
What would I like to see ? A hobby store with the following :
I do not know what the complications of shipping Ebay items outside the USA is, but I'll have someone very familiar with Ebay operations looking into this matter! People wanting to learn how to install decoders, etc, will be covered by seminars.I will welcome any local train club which wants to build a layout in my store, and if space allows, a slot car track.The present building has limited space, but a store with more space is definetly being looked at.There is a big slot car facility located a very short distance away.However there are no LHS's anywhere close with a decent in-store layout.I look at an in-store layout in this way.People ( customers) can see trains in action, and a couple of local club guys could operate it.In exchange, I'll give them an extra good deal on train item purchases.It gives them a place to run their trains, and explain things to my customers.If it boosts my sales, I'll respond in kind by allowing them to purchase items at a good discount.Perhaps it will bring new members into their train club, and customers can see trains in action, rather than just seeing them setting in a display case.It could be a two way street!If people come in to see the trains running, perhaps they'll purchase something during their visit.I have personally seen people in the store to purchase a train set for Christmas or a birthday, but have no idea of how to assemble it or run it.I will have a layout from a Lionel starter set, up and running so the details like these can be explained!A product demonstration is a must!I will not be a baby-sitting service to youngsters that just wander in to watch the trains, that problem will be controlled.
TK4K:
Good luck, chief! You'll probably need a lot. Starting or rebuilding a business is never easy.
One thing you might do is experiment a little. Interest varies by region. Certain things get snapped up and others shelfwarm. The LHS has had a plain CR auto boxcar on the shelf for a million years, but when I ordered a Proto Mather boxcar kit and had them put it on the shelf to gauge (I was doing a little experiment of my own) it got snapped up quickly.
You might want to look at what your dealer is currently discounting, and pick up a few items that would seem to have broad appeal, then see which sell. Get more of the ones that do, and mark down the ones that don't to recover your cost and keep them from gathering dust. The risk should be minimal, and you'll gradually get a feel for what turns over quickly in your locale. The revenue from these sales will help you stock my stripwood and styrene displays.
Obviously it isn't something you want to do with big-buck items, but half a dozen different freight cars wouldn't be bad at all. Try a range of eras and skill levels. I'm surprised at how few LHS's seem to do experiments like this. A lot of 'em seem to stock only what the owner is interested in, or whatever people ordered and then lost interest in...this last one seems like an especially good way to fill the shelves with nonmovers.
Medina1128ME, with a load of cash!
ME, with a load of cash!
Medina 1128,
Bring me a load of cash, and I'll send you home with a load of train goodies!!!!I hereby issue this disclaimer that am NOT RESPONSIBLE for what the "better half" says or does when you arrive home with your load of goodies!
Hope to see you soon!
Mister Beasley,,
No ATM will be in the store.There arean adequate number of banks and ATM machines nearby.I'm not going to be a bank or loan compqany.
I will have competitive pricing and also will have an Ebay storealso.The present owner has a website, but it it is inadequate and he scoffsat an Ebay store.
I will service what I sale.The present policy of people coming in with broken products with NO RECEIPTSthat they purchased the item at this store and expecting FREE repairs or FREE replacement without a receipt will NO LONGER be honored!The present owner loses a great deal of money with this policy.
Repairs of products under warranty will be handled quickly and efficiently.Repaiis out of warranty will cost an hourly rate plus parts, but will be repairedin the store repair shop.There is a huge quantity of old stock in the store which MUST GO, and I willconduct a parking lot sale and LIQUIDATE IT!Much of it has been on the shelves 10 years or longer.It's time for it to go BYE BYE!!!
My theory is this-It hasn't sold and is taking up valuable shelfspace for new products.If customers feel like I do, I get tired of seeing the same oldstock on the shelves, and very little new stock when I visit this store.
What doesn't sale will go on Ebay at bargain basement prices The parking lot sale will take place prior to my purchasing the businessbecause I am not going to purchase stock which is 10 to 20 years old!I and my partner have cut a deal with the present owner to do this, and makeother changes and monitor the results.If our business ideas succeed, we will purchase the business.
I have conducted this survey to get a feel for what people want to see in a hobby shop.It is true that many products can be bought online and be delivered to your front door.But the "personal touch" of dealing with a local shop owner is llost.And if something arrives broken or in a non-working condition, you are faced with boxing it back up and sending it back and waiting for a replacement.Not so if you purchase it from me!The old saying goes "You get what you pay for!"
Everyone have a great day!
TheK4Kid I'll look at the possibilities of an ATM. in the shop, but also what it costs.Anyone with information on this, please let me know. There are several banks nearby though.
I assume you plan to accept both credit and debit cards, so what's the point of an in-store ATM? A customer can just use the card directly. Sure, that means a fee for you, but it's no difference to them.
Would an ATM generate additional foot traffic? Maybe. Would this be potential customers? Maybe. Or would it be people who trudge through your shop just to get cash to go next door for their Latte? Seriously, I think you'd be better off without an ATM. It can be a magnet for groups of kids you would have to keep an eye on.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
COMING SOON!!!!
BIG PARKING LOT SALE!
Trains, Planes and RC Cars included.
Major price reductions, details soon!
[ I'll look at the possibilities of an ATM. in the shop, but also what it costs.Anyone with information on this, please let me know. There are several banks nearby though.]
K4:
Bank's will pay YOU rent for the space needed to house their ATM. It costs you nothing. But...
Bank's have to fill up and remove cash and maintain/repair the machine; offsetting that, and rent, by charging a fee to the customer for each transaction processed. A hobby shop probably wouldn't provide them with enough traffic/fee income to offset their costs. They would rather rent space in gas stations and casinos. I don't think they would be interested in putting one in a hobby shop.
- Douglas
I'll look at the possibilities of an ATM. in the shop, but also what it costs.Anyone with information on this, please let me know. There are several banks nearby though.Competition with the internet is fierce, therefore this shop will have its own well maintained Ebay store.
But customer service WILL BE NUMBER ONE!Sure internet prices are usually lower, but what happens when something arrives broken or inneed of service?A shop that backs its products and provides in-store repair service ( we will have a full service repair shop in the store with at least two repairmen)Buy it in our store or on our Ebay store, and we WILL SERVICE and REPAIR IT or REPLACE IT if necessary.
If you buy it in my store, you may pay a little more, but you'll get more in the long run.I intend to have a test track, or layout to test train items on.If it doesn't work brand new out of the box, we will repair or replace it free of charge.This will not apply to RC cars or airplanes that come back, totally destroyed by a crash and the customer says, well something went wrong and I want my money back or a new car or airplane.This is happening now,and the present owner loses a lot of money giving in to people like this.If I eventually relocate the shop, and I do have my eye on a piece of property that will allow flying of model airplanes, I'll gladly teach you to fly competently, but it will not be free.As far as learning to fly RC airplanes I STRONGLY RECOMMEND using a flight simulator program first!
My concepts and intentions are to adapt to market changes to survive.Too many LHS's don't and they fail.True, we are in tough economic times, but I DON'T SEE companies like Walthers, Athearn, MTH, and many others going out of business, so this tells me there is still a market out there.My profit margins may not be very high, but I intend to due a high volume business!And I am looking at the possibilities of opening more stores in the future, not just here, but elsewhere.
My employees will be trained to be POLITE, COURTEOUS and HELPFUL, and KNOWLEDGEABLE to my customers, if they fail at this, they ARE OUT THE DOOR like JUMPING JACK FLASH !
Look, any hobby shop needs to have basics: a good staff that knows their stuff, financial resources and high quality stock with good depth. The location is important, but over the years I have noted that people will drive to get to good businesses that make them feel welcome and know their product. And yes, as unusual or unthought of as it sounds, an ATM in the shop or a bank nearby would work wonders for business. Our LHS's in our area are under the gun right now and are showing signs of failing to meet customers' needs for product and service. It is a little sad as the ones remaining all started out so strong.
Would you prefer to see {[(a nice layout}]) or a layout combing maybe three scales or three separate layouts, say and Ho scale, an S scle and an O scale Or would you prefer to look at train equipment in {[(a display case}]) or actually se it in action on a layout? What if {[(a local club was allowed to build and operate a layout and help explain things to the buying public}]), in exchange for lower prices on train equipment purchases from the hobby shop?
~G4
19 Years old, modeling the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Cascade Railroad of Western Washington in 1927 in 6X6 feet.
Chicago is about 160 miles from Ft Wayne.
Show up for our parking lot sale and I'll treat you right!Yes we WILL HAVE and Ebay store!This store does have a website, but it's very ineffective!The present owner only wanted to pay the webmaster $7.00 an hour,and no bonuses or commissions, so the webmaster quit and the site is not updated or monitored,and the LHS owner wonders why he keeps losing money???I am having the business audited and professionally appraised.His selling price is way out of line.I am demanding a complete inventory be taken.The parking lot sale will take place before transfer of ownership, so I don't get stuck with allof his outdated inventory, and have to pay what he wants for older merchandise.Right now, he wants whatever he payed for 10 year old merchandise 10 years ago.NO WAY!!!It is setting on shelves taking up space that newer fast moving merchandise should be occupying.There is some nice train stuff, but it is old, and there are some real nice RC airplane kits, but they will be getting discounted a major amount to just get rid of them!Anything over one year old is going bye bye!Employees working on their own helicopters, or airplanes or perusing the internet on my time will end!
My incentive? Get caught working on your own stuff? Watch ing movies on company computers? Making long distance phone calls on company phones???-GET FIRED! Employees running up 1000 to 2000 dollar tabs on helicopters or RC cars or airplanes and carrying them out the door and paying 10% a month will end. Maximum tab will be 200 dollars.
Doesn't leave the store until it's payed for.Right now, there is about 6000 dollars of inventory that employees have purchased and carried out the door without having it 100% payed for.This owner is just WAY TOO LAX on policies!Small items will be going behind glass counters or shelves.
!News at 11 with film! LOL!
I'm not an expert but I think if you do this an Ebay store at the very least is a must especially with stock as old as 20 years old laying around the store. I have found old stock in hobby shops near me bought it and flipped on ebay and made a profit. There are a lot of guys looking for old discontinued items for various reasons and they are willing to pay more than original MSRP for it if the have to. You will need to monitor ebay to see what is selling for what price but it may be worth it. Is the shop your looking at in the Ft. Wayne area or elsewhere? I'd like to know when you have the big clearance sale. How far is Ft. Wayne from Chicago anyway.
Dan Metzger