After reading the thread on the Con-Cor/Walthers issues, I started to think about the PWRS shopping website and how good I think it is. It seems to have an awful lot of merchandise listed and it is usually the first site I use to look to see if an item exist. I also find it very user friendly.
I have always been suspicious of the Walthers site when it listed the availability of some products as it often showed different on the PWRS site.
http://www.pacific-western-rail.com/product_search.php
So how about posting a link to an online store that you think has the best search program. Now Walthers seems questionable at best. If it is a good one, we can add it to our bookmarks for future use.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I buy from either trainworld, or factory direct trains.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
For most items I first check out M.B. Klein (modeltrainstuff.com). For decoders, Tonys Trains.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Jimmy_Braum I buy from either trainworld, or factory direct trains.
Ya but who do you think has the best shopping/searching website? I buy from lots of different places, but start my looking on the PWRS website because I think it works well. Then I go price shopping.
Edit: Sorry I missed the point. I to normally visit the manufacturer site for info then shop around. It seems like every time I find a site with a good search engine they make changes to it, normally for the worse.
I'm not sure any of them have very good search engines - I struggle with search engines in general.
The Athearn and Bachmann manufacturer sites have some of the easiest to use menu choices to find products.
I've never done business with PWRS, only been on their site a few times. Being on the east coast off the US, and being near places like Model Train Stuff (I'm only 40 minutes from their store), and having them and a number of other good discount shops and outlets, there is little reason to buy stuff from the west coast.
As mailorder/web outlets go, I have likely bought the most over the years from Trainworld. Great prices and nearly overnight shipping from New York to Maryland.
But I still make large percentage of my purchases from brick and mortar stores, including my LHS which is only 1/2 block away and will order anything I need at fair discount off retail.
In this region we also have a number of train shows, near one every 45-60 days throughout the year......
I have only ordered from Walthers two or three times in 43 years.........and actually, while I have lots of their product from the 80's and early 90's, very little of their newer offerings are of interest. What is of interest is mostly their structures.
Last time I wanted any Con-Cor items, Model Train Stuff had them in stock, I picked them up in person.
So I tend to do my research on manufactuers sites, then go shopping.
Sheldon
Some sites have surch engines, but that is all that they are. If I am looking for memory for example, and Ask for DDR3 memory, what I get is all of the machines that have DDR 3 memory in it. In Google, this is to be exopected, but not if I am in a company website, in the memory section. What is needed is a FILTER, so that when I ask for DDR3 memory, that is the only kind that shows up. And if I ask for a specific brand, then only that brand shows up.
TIGER DIRECT was just bought out by a company called PCM, and their search facilities are simply not up to standard. Tiger had it good, these guys do not.
Web merchants have to learn how to FILTER the results rather than to search the catalog.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I have forgotten two or three of the places I had found stuff over the past 10 years and done some ordering, but I have never had significant problems with any of the following:
Caboose Hobbies
Trainworld
Modeltrainstuff
Factory Direct
Traintrack.net
Internettrains (only in past three years in my case...)
Modelbahn Ott
Valley Model Trains
Tony's Train Exchange
Litchfield Station
I do prefer sites with real-time stock indicators, such as MB Klein at modeltrainstuff.
For steam buffs, don't overlook BLI's refurbished page. It has a real-time stock indicator.
Lately I been shopping with Brooklyn Locomotive Works (BLW) and EBay. I use to be with N Scale Supply but they cancelled me out because of one order.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
RR_MelEdit: Sorry I missed the point. I to normally visit the manufacturer site for info then shop around. It seems like every time I find a site with a good search engine they make changes to it, normally for the worse.
I often go to the manufacturers sight first as well. Not being as savvy as a more seasoned modeler, I often don't know of a lot of the smaller "cottage" industries that exist that can provide some of the more rare items we may be looking for. With PWRS I can type what it is I am looking for and a lot of these small cottage companies pop up as making that rare widget.
So that is why I (in an unclear way I guess) was asking, what online store had the best shopping software, not "where do you shop/buy". A good online stores software can be like browsing the walthers catalog if it is easy to use and complete.
Well it (PWRS) doesn't seem very good. While it lists some stuff for S, only 1 thing (KD couplers) is in stock. The rest seems to be Available whatever that means (not explained anywhere that I could find). The major manufacturers - American Flyer, American Models, and MTH seem to be not included. Walthers at least includes 2 of these.
My choices.
Several B&M hobby shops that sells on e-Bay at good street prices with reasonable or free shipping.
Modeltrain stuff
Toy Train Heaven
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Hi Brent.
MB Klein and Trainworld/Trainland are my two main go to websites. When I can I like to visit the stores since you find things on the shelves not listed on the sites. Besides, I enjoy the atmosphere.
All the best.
Reinhard
Joe F
BATMAN After reading the thread on the Con-Cor/Walthers issues, I started to think about the PWRS shopping website and how good I think it is. It seems to have an awful lot of merchandise listed and it is usually the first site I use to look to see if an item exist. I also find it very user friendly. I have always been suspicious of the Walthers site when it listed the availability of some products as it often showed different on the PWRS site. http://www.pacific-western-rail.com/product_search.php So how about posting a link to an online store that you think has the best search program. Now Walthers seems questionable at best. If it is a good one, we can add it to our bookmarks for future use.
rrebellYou can get it for 25% less at model train stuff.
As I tried to say earlier, the question I was asking was not "where do you shop" or "who has the best prices". It was "what retailer has the best, easiest to use software that is always current, up to date and easily displays what is available from the most manufacturers". Some stores websites are so poorly put together and hard to use, I wonder how they stay in business.
BATMAN rrebell You can get it for 25% less at model train stuff. As I tried to say earlier, the question I was asking was not "where do you shop" or "who has the best prices". It was "what retailer has the best, easiest to use software that is always current, up to date and easily displays what is available from the most manufacturers". Some stores websites are so poorly put together and hard to use, I wonder how they stay in business.
rrebell You can get it for 25% less at model train stuff.
And I tried to address your original question on my reply, but my real point is I don't spend that much time on enough different "store" web sites to know who's is best - but I admit I'm "search engine challenged", not just with model trains.......
ATLANTIC CENTRALbut I admit I'm "search engine challenged", not just with model trains....... Sheldon
Ya, me too.
I'm glad I have kids. They even learned how to code in school, much more computer savvy than I'll ever be.
We have done what the security experts tell you to do as far as online shopping. Living rural, it makes an awful lot of sense to shop online. We got a credit card with a $1000.00 limit from an institution that is completely separate from any others we use. It stays buy the computer and anyone in the house uses it to buy what they need online. When we have bought something that is over a $1000.00 we just add cash before hand to the card which brings up the limit.
My son just shakes his head at some of the online train store retailers websites, saying they learned to do much better in grade 4. Third grade was the year they got their first laptops from the school and they get new ones every two years, so between my son in grade eleven and my daughter in grade nine, we have lots of used laptops laying all over the house. It is always easy to find one.
peahrens For most items I first check out M.B. Klein (modeltrainstuff.com). For decoders, Tonys Trains.
I'm really surprized that no one has mentioned hobbylinc.com. Just about all the products they distribute, are discounted....sometimes up to 70%. Loco's, rolling stock, scenery, track, paint, etc. etc. Shipping is usually around 10.00 give or take, but the money You save, offsets that and they have a very decent search function. I have ordered from them many times and have had no problem's with them.......many, many well known Mfger's.
I have no affiliation with them...just a satisfied customer.
Take a moment to check them out.
http://www.hobbylinc.com/model-trains
Take Care!
Frank
For 'search program,' do you mean accurate inventory, reviews, or historical information? If the inventory and reviews, my vote is mbklein and hobbylinc.com. History nuts (guilty!) love the Walthers info for descriptions of how different structures, etc. are used on layouts.
MBKlein is my go to site. Easy to navigate and like the feature that shows how many of an item are in stock. Trainworld is also good, better be ready to give your order though, Brooklyn babes are all business. Most complicated site I have visited is Blue Ridge Hobbies.
If you are making a large purchase it is often best to look to several sites. Some time ago I planned an order that was to total about $250, quite a few kits and smaller items. I found that a combination of orders was actually cheaper than ordering all from one site. I ended up paying three shipping fees, but overall saved about $20 on the total order. Not a bad saving for about half an hours extra time in planning. By the way, another site had a couple of items cheaper, but the additional shipping made it less expensive overall to pay a little more at one of the other sites used.
Good luck,
Richard
kasskaboose For 'search program,' do you mean accurate inventory, reviews, or historical information? If the inventory and reviews, my vote is mbklein and hobbylinc.com. History nuts (guilty!) love the Walthers info for descriptions of how different structures, etc. are used on layouts.
Ya, I especially like the sites that give historical info. My sister is always very generous to me trainwise, in fact every year she spends more on me than everyone else combined. (I wonder what she wants) Anyway she switched from a train shop with a lousy website to one with a great website just because it gave the era and historical info on what she was looking at. She knew it would fit my criteria.
I don't know how some of these retailers manage to cut their prices so much. I got my BS 4-4-0 with sound at 40% of retail. Saved $300.00 off retail. The guy had several in stock to boot.
I hope to get two of Rapido's Royal Hudsons next year. What really grinds me is, this is a Canadian manufacturer, selling a Canadian loco, yet I will get a much better price in the U.S. than Canada. I hate not supporting the local sellers, but I'll only go so far on price to do so, and that ain't far anymore.
MB Klein and Toy Train Heaven are my sites but TTH can be a bit slow fulfilling orders.I have been to Trainworld in Brooklyn. Might order online from them but the store is not worth the trip.
Joe Staten Island West