online, or hobby store

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite

Hobby shop. I may be terribly old-fashioned, but I've got this PRIVACY thing about letting my card# travel over the internet.

Don't blame you. This is a little off topic, but here's a tip:

Get a card separate from your main account and use it exclusively for online purchases. Ideally, use a credit card instead of a debit card and just pay it off each month. Then if someone steals the number, close down the account and you have no liability, get a new card number and you are in business again. Meanwhile, your personal account keeps humming along.

The worst possible thing you could do is use your normal personal account debit card to make online purchases. While the liability is still limited on a debit card, if someone steals your personal account debit card number, you'll be screwed up for days, perhaps even weeks, trying to sort out the mess, sign depositions, wait for refunds on stolen funds, move to a new account, etc.

Just a recommendation to save you some grief and allow you to safely purchase online. A little cleverness and you can outsmart would-be crooks.

[twhite]

Hobby shop. I may be terribly old-fashioned, but I've got this PRIVACY thing about letting my card# travel over the internet. Besides, I'm lucky, I've got two really fine hobby shops here in the Sacramento area--Bruce's in Sacramento and Railroad Hobbies in Roseville. Usually if one doesn't have what I need, the other will. or if both are out of stock, they'll order it for you and usually get it in quick. Occasionally I will order from the Walther's catalogue, but not online. But my local LHS's get 99% of my business.

[jfugate]

I most often purchase from my LHS, but do internet too, for things my hobby shop does not regularly carry ... more esoteric stuff like Northwest Shortline bearings or something. But for the staples (paint, ground foam, couplers, cars, locos) I prefer the local hobby shop.

I only pay shipping if I have to, and I'll often save up so I can order the online stuff in quantity to spread out the shipping costs across multiple items.

That said, ebay has a really nice model RR section these days, it's sort of the worlds largest online swap meet, and it's always open! I buy lots of used cars and locos from ebay, and you often get them with kadee couplers and already weathered.

[cwclark]

I purchase from both...online if there is a sale on or something I really want and from the LHS when i need something in a hurry and don't want to wait for the UPS guy for over a week to deliver it...Chuck[:D]

[Anonymous]

Both for me too. I usually buy engines on line, mostly ebay, and buy landscaping, track, miscellaneous items from the locals.

I know I could get better deals on these items on-line, but I see it as a way of preserving a dying breed. Its worth the extra $2 on items to keep these guys in business. I see it as a social program for the local guys. Guess that's why I'm a Democrate. Some times you have to help out the little guys so we have their wealth of knowledge close at hand.

[simon1966]

Both. I have a great LHS, but will buy from E-bay or on-line store according to my needs and availability of items.

[Anonymous]

I buy online, my hobbyshop isn't very close and they are more into other hobbies.

[BRAKIE]

Both..I usually like to see my freight cars before I buy them as I do my locomotives.Of course I only buy at discount hobby shops as a rule but,been known to pay full price at times and if its the only way to get the other wise out of stock item.

[ericsp]

I buy mainly from local hobby shops.

[Anonymous]

Always hobby store just to support there business, some times I also buy from train shows, they always have good stuff there...

[Anonymous]

I purchase all my hobby items, from the very large to optical screw, from my LHS. The hobbyshop owner has put one heck of an investment into the stock that is carried, regardless of how meager the pickings are. I have tried the internet, and got burned enough times to make the internet, overall, just as expensive as the LHS. And I do like to feel, examine even scrutinize the items I purchase. I have been in this hobby for many years now, and I have never felt the need to purchase lots of stuff for dirt cheap. I look, wait, look some more. After awhile, I can always get exactly what I want. And my LHS is extremely good when handling my special orders. If I want something bad enough, I am patient enough to wait a couple of weeks for my order to be filled. The hobby is a personal thing to me, and dealing with the folks at the LHS helps me keep it that way. I also do a lot of scratch building (cars, buildings, locomotives) and the multiple little detail items I purchase are rarely found on the internet.

I do not begrudge those that are happy with internet purchases. This hobby has many facets, enough so everyone can find what fits them best. I am an old curmudgeon, and I enjoy acting like one.

Tom

[on30francisco]

I usually buy on-line because of the greater selection and lower prices. The hobby shop in this area is not well stocked with the products I want and sells them at list price. When I'm in the South Bay I go to a hobby shop called The Train Shop which has a good inventory and great prices.

[Anonymous]

[orsonroy]

I voted hobby shop, because that's where I still spend most of my hobby money. But I buy virtually all my high-ticket stuff, like engines and track, online. These days, it's virtually impossible to beat the 'net's prices on most stuff. You have to know what you're looking for though, and trust the retailer and the manufacturer (buying things sight-unseen can be dangerous, but I haven't been burned yet!)

[rogerhensley]

QUOTE: Originally posted by elias

I buy from a hobby shop, but did not know how many of you guys actually order online.

Bad question. This is not an either/or question. I buy from LHS whenever possible and from the Internet ONLY when the dealer has a hobby shop. But you can see that I do buy on-line. In my case, the nearest LHS is 30 miles away and has a rather poor selection although they will special order. It is much better for me to drive 40 to 50 miles to two shops that have a good selection of what I want.

It also doesn't hurt that they both advertise in the local NMRA newsletter. They support the hobby and I will help support them.

[Anonymous]

Both. An LHS is very useful if you want to ask questions, or check up on something before buying. I'm planning another trip to mine on June 3rd (after my university exams are over), but as it's about a 90min drive each way I don't get there very often. Internet shopping does offer better prices (though my LHS has recently cut their prices on a lot of locos and cars (Athearn blue box Dash 9s were £49, now £32, for example)), but without our support the LHS will not be there to offer help, advice, and a sympathetic ear when it all goes pear-shaped!

I'd agree about being careful shopping online. I wouldn't use paypal, after all the stories I've heard about problems. I only buy online from 2 or 3 retailers, all of which have assorted awards for security, etc.

[ClinchValleySD40]

No decent hobby shops in the area and way over priced. Bargain shop on line mostly.

[CP5415]

LHS here.
I don't like paying for things I can't touch before shelling out the cash for it

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I shop at my local hobby shop only. I've had credit cards that have been used online by someone else[}:)], and no matter what Paypal says, thier site is [:(!]NOT[:(!] secure[banghead]!! Someone got into my Paypal account and tried to spend almost $6,000 out of my checking account using [soapbox]Paypal[soapbox], luckily for me a friend works at my bank and she called me to ask if I had made purchases that large. I told her "NO" and she said"I'll put a stop-payment on those, and I'll set you up a new account, and you'll just need to come in and sign the paperwork" I told her THANKS[:)] for being such a good[:D] friend and watching out for my interests[:D], so BEWARE OF BUYING ANYTHING ONLINE, SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE IS TRYING TO GET YOUR BANK/CREDIT CARD NUMBERS RIGHT NOW!!!

[IRONROOSTER]

Actually, I buy the most at trains shows, then online, then the LHS. I do this mainly because my LHS doesn't carry S scale.
Enjoy
Paul

[AggroJones]

Big ticket items are purchased online. Small things like paints, brass castings, and the ocassional freight car kit are obtained through the LHS.

[Anonymous]

the thing online has that hobbyshops don't is what seems like an unlimited selection

[FThunder11]

Custom Railway Supply on the west side of Colorado Springs, Colroado (naer Garden of the Gods) I like this hobby shop because that will fix anything that you buy from them for free! Its great.

[Anonymous]

hobby store, you always have those old men who start talking to you about how things work and how their layout is and stuff very helpfull, sometimes anoying because u just want to buy it and start working on it!![:D]

[Anonymous]

Both, not much of a variety of LHS in this area, online is sometimes better, but if I buy online from a place in the sates, I have to pay deuty to ship it over the border, sometimes making that way much more expensive.

[dickiee]

Without the internet it would be difficult,at best, to persue the hobby from a practical standpoint. I have no LHS within about 2 and 1/2 hrs of drive time.

Richard

[simon1966]

Both. I get better deals on line ususally, but like to get stuff from the LHS as I enjoy the conversations in the store.

[Anonymous]

I buy from a hobby shop, but did not know how many of you guys actually order online.