Support your local train shop ?...

[Pruitt]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tracklayer

The reason I was so mad was because I'd told the guy I'd be back in a couple of weeks to get the engine and he took it out of the case and put it under the cabinet for me. At that time it was priced at $99.95. Two weeks later I come back to get it and he's marked it up to $124.95... Now you see what I'm saying. Wouldn't you be a little ticked off too ?.

Aside of all this. What type loco is that in the photo you're showing in your replies ?.

TL

Yes, I certainly would! Maybe you already said that - I apologize if I missed it. Under those circumstances I think you were certainly treated poorly, and I would have told Wayne he could go pound sand up....; well. you know the rest.

The loco is one of the earlier P2K 0-6-0s. I figure in another six months or so it'll have collected enough dust to be considered fully weathered![:D]

[ICRR1964]

For one thing Tracklayer, and for your information. This is the 2nd time I have piped up to you about one of your threads being allot of BS. So get of your high horse and quit crying about being a victim all the time. I will agree with most here about you putting up a thread and then keep adding things to it to make yourself look like a victim. Look at it this way, you waited to give anymore info until page 5, that was after you got kicked in the head several times. Now your crying about a head injury is causing you to say things out of text!

I guess you like being the victim all the time, and think everyone should have a pitty party for poor old Tracklayer all the time. You have accused several members about them kicking you in the head, then look for expect them to say their sorry. Not this time for me!

[:D] Step aside boys! I want another kick, maybe I can kick it over the fence this time! You dug this hole Tracklayer, so lay in it.

[bdmcnally]

First I would like to say that I have been hobby shop free now for over 6 months! I had been trying to quit for what seemed like years! What it boils down to is,”would you rather pay more later or save now?”

Brick and mortar stores pay the same for items as the online stores do; however your local stores have to pay for a lot of overhead, that cuts into their profit which explains why your local store raised its prices. This could also mean he may plan on getting out of the business soon. If he is complaining about cost of living, how is raising the prices helping? He’ll sell to fewer but for more, thus leaving him in the same boat. If he sold items at a lower price he could drive more customers in and make the same if not more just in volume.

There are 5 hobby stores in the Seattle area, all of which are about 45 minutes away. My options are either to drive through traffic, wasting both gas and time, to buy an item, or to just buy it online. Gas and time = money, so why not just use it to pay shipping and save the time for modeling? I can get the exact same items online.

As far as deals or sales go…the only time I ever see a sale or deal in one of the local stores is on items no one wants that have been out for a while. I can save more just by ordering it in advance.

I have never once been contacted by any of the owners or employees of any of these stores about new items coming out. I have been contacted quite a few times by 2 online retailers about items coming out 6 months from now. How can you beat that? I ordered 3 diesels w/sound and DCC and saved $51 each by ordering them in advance, That’s $153! Money that can be spent elsewhere.

If my local hobby shops want to compete, they have to start playing the game called business. Just about everyone reading this, (sorry to put any words in any of your mouths) looks for a good deal, whether it be service or price.

Note from a past comment…When you see deals like 50% off they are cutting themselves hoping that you will buy other items at full price. They are also hurting the industry as well when they do this by cutting everyone else. There is no way that anyone can make money this way, if he/she is making money, my first question would be where did they get the items?

There are 2 online retailers that I deal with and trust, and I am narrowing that down to one here very shortly, not because one is bad either, just one is a little more service oriented.

[bdmcnally]

Did you happen to leave a deposit with the item 2 weeks prior? If you didn't why would you expect it to be the same price? Maybe he/she could of sold it before and they didn't know if you were coming back or not. What insurance do they have? Now if you did put a deposit down or confirm the price with them before you left that day it would be a different story, then I would say, find a new shop or a new way to shop!

[bryanbell]

Waiting until page 5 to add more details to the story does sound suspicious but I don't want to be accused of kicking someone while they're down so I'll leave it alone.
This thread is entertaining to read with everyone taking pot shots at each other but arguing through forum posts is pretty lame. It all seems like a waste of time and internet to me but to each their own so flame on with this thread.
Time to go take care of some bidness. [:p]

Bryan

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Brunton

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tracklayer

The reason I was so mad was because I'd told the guy I'd be back in a couple of weeks to get the engine and he took it out of the case and put it under the cabinet for me. At that time it was priced at $99.95. Two weeks later I come back to get it and he's marked it up to $124.95... Now you see what I'm saying. Wouldn't you be a little ticked off too ?.

Aside of all this. What type loco is that in the photo you're showing in your replies ?.

TL

The loco is one of the earlier P2K 0-6-0s. I figure in another six months or so it'll have collected enough dust to be considered fully weathered![:D]

I kind of thought it had a familiar look to it. I've got a 0-6-0, but it's motor bit the dust, so now it does side track "sit" duty...

TL

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bdmcnally
[

If my local hobby shops want to compete, they have to start playing the game called business.

Didn't we decide the word is bidness?


m

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICRR1964

For one thing Tracklayer, and for your information. This is the 2nd time I have piped up to you about one of your threads being allot of BS. So get of your high horse and quit crying about being a victim all the time. I will agree with most here about you putting up a thread and then keep adding things to it to make yourself look like a victim. Look at it this way, you waited to give anymore info until page 5, that was after you got kicked in the head several times. Now your crying about a head injury is causing you to say things out of text!

I guess you like being the victim all the time, and think everyone should have a pitty party for poor old Tracklayer all the time. You have accused several members about them kicking you in the head, then look for expect them to say their sorry. Not this time for me!

[:D] Step aside boys! I want another kick, maybe I can kick it over the fence this time! You dug this hole Tracklayer, so lay in it.

ICRR1964, you've gone completely overboard... Let's you and I just keep our distance from now on. Everyone can see that you're really enjoying running me down. One of these days you'll be the one on the short end of things and I'll be there to get my kick or two in - with interest.

TL

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

QUOTE: Originally posted by dave9999

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICRR1964

Come one guys, look at who posted the thread. He's not happy unless hes got his name up in lights. If he's dumb enough to drive that far for a good deal and then drive back. Well? It was an expensive day that day then. Not to notice his thread he started is almost identical to a post someone left about a week ago, but the words have been changed around. [zzz] ZZZZZZZZZZZ!

Not so fast...if I had agreed to purchase a loco and the proprietor had agree to set it aside, and visibly put it under the counter, the deal was for $99.95 and it was sealed. If I drove all that way to find that he had jacked up the price 25% in anticipation of my wanting it, that is tantamount to breach of contract, and I could probably win in small claims court. I'm not a lawyer, so I could be wrong, especially with respect to that state's law. In my books, that way of doing business is "smarmy."

Crandell,
Another way to look at this is that Tracklayer waited 'til page five to mention
that the loco was set aside for him... maybe it's just me, but it sounds a little
like embellishing the story to favor his complaint(whining).

I have never understood why everyone who has a problem with eBay, a LHS or
an online dealer has to flood the forum with their complaints. These issues
would be better handled if they would just contact the person that they have
the issues with. I am fairly certain that if this evil shop owner could give
his side of the story, we would probably hear a completely different version.

Regardless, the shop owner has every right to price his merchandise as
he sees fit... it's up to us to decide to buy or not buy. And slinging mud without
giving the other party an opportunity to defend themselves is a cowardly way
to handle things. Tracklayer, if you feel so strongly that you were done wrong,
confront the owner... stand up to him. We can do nothing about this.

Also, I fully support my LHS.... both of them. And I appreciate them as much as
they appreciate my bidness. I am thankful to have a LHS where I can
purchase items or just shoot the bull for hours.

I guess some folks wake up looking for things to complain about... I deal with
folks like this all of the time. Life's way too short for that. Dave

Understood, Dave, but until I have incontrovertible evidence that Tracklayer is fibbing, I feel I should take what he tells me at face value. Now, I am not so naive that I don't realize that most of us use hyperbole from time to time, but if we are to accept the facts as stated, then I stand by what I said. If a witness were to offer proof that the events did not take place, I might agree that his waiting to toss in the trump until much later might be taken as grandstanding, or an attempt to save face. God knows we have seen that tactic on this forum before.

-Crandell

Thanks selector, but I should have included everything in the original posting. Never send me to the grocery store without a list if you get my meaning...

TL

[edkowal]

Why is it that when some people have either a good ( I won a KATO diesel on e-bay ) or a bad ( this thread topic ) experience they find it necessary to share it with this community ?

I don't consider my own shopping experiences noteworthy enough to share with this large a community, whether good or bad . ( For the record, I was successfully able to buy a quart of milk and a loaf of bread today. Congratulate me. ) I just don't understand why every little triumph or setback is worthy of being written up.

It's not going to make any difference to me whether someone else has a bad experience at a hobby shop several thousand miles away. Nor will it make any difference to you whether I was able able to find a book that I had been looking for. A little less whining and searching for congratulations about every one of life's little triumphs would be welcome.

-Ed

[ICRR1964]

No problem Tracklayer. You won't have to worry about me starting a thread just for attention. Besides, 9 times out of 10 you are just running off at the head about nothing looking to start some sort of flaming to make you look like some sort of victim. So I just will consider the source where this thread came from. Why do you think I never reply to any of your post. I'll be darned if I will add to your collection of stars and numbers to make you be on the front page all the time. The real good post get bumped from the first and second page real fast from you putting up new threads all the time.

You like to run of at the choppers to everyone else, and thinks thats ok. But when some one does it back to you, its wrong. If your going to dish it out, you better learn to take it! I don't like or attend pitty party's. You did get your thread to turn in to a flamer though, so you got it done.

I will not be one of your followers, I have my own mind and thoughts and knowledge as far as MR is concerned, personally I think your just BS artist. Last post in this thread for me so enjoy![^][^][:)][:)][:-^]

[Anonymous]

I must say, Tracklayer is posting a lot of threads(and polls) that don't provide us w/ much information. However you're not posting as much as you used to so you get some credit there. But who cares "what do you like better large or small steam?" or "which loco would you get rid of if you had to get rid of one?" I'm trying to learn and the threads and polls i mentioned don't help at all (even though i may have replied to some of them).

[Anonymous]

I will pay a couple more dollars to support the Local Hobby Shops...just for the reason being you can always count on them. Ebay is unreliable. SUPPORT your LHS or this hobby may soon be gone.

[selector]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bdmcnally

Did you happen to leave a deposit with the item 2 weeks prior? If you didn't why would you expect it to be the same price? Maybe he/she could of sold it before and they didn't know if you were coming back or not. What insurance do they have? Now if you did put a deposit down or confirm the price with them before you left that day it would be a different story, then I would say, find a new shop or a new way to shop!

Oh, please!! Is it really that difficult to understand? If I had agreed to sell you my car and you agreed to come by two weeks later with the cash, and when you returned I said, "Oh, and I want another $500 bucks, by the way," would you agree and smile as you handed over the extra cash....that you knew you were going to have to bring...to get the car that I hadn't shown to anyone else 'cuz I agreed to leave it in the garage, out of sight?

Gawd!!!

[Adelie]

Well, we seem to be split into several distinct camps here:

1) Those who think the hobby shop owner is right. Some think he is always right because the Constitution guarantees him the right to do whatever he wants and forbids customers from going elsewhere or saying anything not glowing about the experience.

2) Some think Tracklayer is a chronic complainer who should be tarred, feathered, shot, the body burned at the stake and the ashes collected, put in a can and given to NASA to ship into outer space.

3) Some who think he should be summarily executed for threatening to be done with the LHS. After all, as the LHS goes, so goes the hobby, so goes the economy, and thus the fate of the free world. Why he must be some sort of communist or something.

4) Some who think Tracklayer is right and the hobby shop in question should be burned to the ground.

5) Still others who don't know if he is right or wrong, but think that, since it's his money, he can spend it where he likes. Those same people probably also believe that, if they don't want to hear what he has to say, they can ignore the thread.

Does that about sum it up?

[selector]

Pretty much...[%-)][(-D]

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Adelie

Well, we seem to be split into several distinct camps here:

1) Those who think the hobby shop owner is right. Some think he is always right because the Constitution guarantees him the right to do whatever he wants and forbids customers from going elsewhere or saying anything not glowing about the experience.

2) Some think Tracklayer is a chronic complainer who should be tarred, feathered, shot, the body burned at the stake and the ashes collected, put in a can and given to NASA to ship into outer space.

3) Some who think he should be summarily executed for threatening to be done with the LHS. After all, as the LHS goes, so goes the hobby, so goes the economy, and thus the fate of the free world. Why he must be some sort of communist or something.

4) Some who think Tracklayer is right and the hobby shop in question should be burned to the ground.

5) Still others who don't know if he is right or wrong, but think that, since it's his money, he can spend it where he likes. Those same people probably also believe that, if they don't want to hear what he has to say, they can ignore the thread.

Does that about sum it up?

Adelie, I've got to hand it to you, you've done your homework on this thread...

I want to make one final statement and then leave the matter behind me.

If I'd known how much mud slinging was going to take place, I wouldn't have ever started the thread. I just wanted to share the bad experience that I had that I felt the other members on the forum might like to know about - I just didn't get all the fact in like I should have in the beginning.

I also want to say that I got angry with ICRR1964 because of what he said, but maybe he's not all that wrong, maybe I do post a lot of nonsense topics just for attention - not that I'm the only member that does, but still, it does clutter up the forum and take up space that could be better used. I will try and refrain from doing this anymore.

To sum up the topic. I feel that I was done wrong by a guy that's always kept his word over the years, and has put a number of items back for me before that I've always gone back and gotten in a couple of weeks as promised, but then, he's never raised the price on them 25% either... And to compound the insult, is rude over a damaged car that I asked him if he would cut me a deal on.
I was already down on train shops because of other bad experiences with other owners, but this took the cake!.

Thank you everyone for your replies and input whether for or against. And like I said in the beginning, if you have a good train shop in your area you are truely blessed...

Happy railroading.

Tracklayer

[CP5415]

Did Tracklayer get anything on paper from the LHS guaranteeing the price on the locomotive in question?

Did his LHS remember why the item was put aside & for whom?

It's been common practice for eons for ANY merchant to raise prices to keep up with inflation, taxes etc etc etc in that merchants business so that he can stay in business & support his/her family.

I'm not slamming, or meaning to slam anyone BUT did he get a guarantee on the price?
When ever I put something aside at my LHS, he always willingly puts on a piece of paper that he provides, one for him & one for me, what I have put aside, at what price & he puts the persons name on the items so that they don't get mixed up.

If he didn't get a guarantee on paper about price, he has no reason to complain.

Just another 2 cents from me.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I enjoy going to the mrr shop, meet other mrr's, talk about trains, I like to see what I am buying. I like to save money and use it to buy other mrr items. On line/mail order and local mrr shop, they have there good and bad points.

[Anonymous]

Now, having read all of the thread comments, you have to ask yourself the question, "Why would anyone pony up $50,000 or more to open up a new train shop and take the risk of not being able to make enough money to live on?"

Some guys really know how to encourage investment in locally owned and operated retail stores. IMHO Tracklayer's opening comments and the thread title itself may cause potential train shop investors to shy away. There may be some very good folks that will be discouraged from from starting such a venture.

[Adelie]

I think I'm more likely to win the lottery than this thread somehow preventing a LHS from opening, Capn.

There was a thread a few months back asking whether or not anyone would open a hobby or train shop these days. The resounding answer was no. A lot of people had a lot of good points and ideas, and there are certainly examples of "doing it right" that have been successful. But the general feeling was that it was a venture that one probably was not going to earn a living at and may not even break even at.

But if I were convinced I had an idea for a business that could work, I had done all the research necessary, put together a business plan and bounced it off people (impartial, business and finance people) and they thought it was a potential winner, I don't think a thread about somebody's bad experience with another such business and their sour feelings would stop me. If anything, I'd read the thread to see if I can perfect my "what to do" and "what not to do" lists.

[BurlingtonJohn]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Adelie

Well, we seem to be split into several distinct camps here:

1) Those who think the hobby shop owner is right. Some think he is always right because the Constitution guarantees him the right to do whatever he wants and forbids customers from going elsewhere or saying anything not glowing about the experience.

2) Some think Tracklayer is a chronic complainer who should be tarred, feathered, shot, the body burned at the stake and the ashes collected, put in a can and given to NASA to ship into outer space.

3) Some who think he should be summarily executed for threatening to be done with the LHS. After all, as the LHS goes, so goes the hobby, so goes the economy, and thus the fate of the free world. Why he must be some sort of communist or something.

4) Some who think Tracklayer is right and the hobby shop in question should be burned to the ground.

5) Still others who don't know if he is right or wrong, but think that, since it's his money, he can spend it where he likes. Those same people probably also believe that, if they don't want to hear what he has to say, they can ignore the thread.

Does that about sum it up?

Sounds like the beginning of a new poll to me!

Regards,
Burlington John
[8D]

[Anonymous]

Well, if Tracklayer said he wants to now kick ICRR in the face, then he's no better, probably shouldn't have made this comment to bring this topic to the front again, aw well. Without LHSs how are we going to get new people involved in the hobby too!???!!!

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dannydd

Well, if Tracklayer said he wants to now kick ICRR in the face, then he's no better, probably shouldn't have made this comment to bring this topic to the front again, aw well. Without LHSs how are we going to get new people involved in the hobby too!???!!!

Tracklayer (I) didn't say anything about kicking ICRR1964 in the face, he (I) said ICRR1964 had kicked him (me) in the face for no reason.

As for LHSs in general, they're not all bad, just the ones with sky high prices and grumpy, greedy owners that don't keep their word...

TL

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tracklayer

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICRR1964

For one thing Tracklayer, and for your information. This is the 2nd time I have piped up to you about one of your threads being allot of BS. So get of your high horse and quit crying about being a victim all the time. I will agree with most here about you putting up a thread and then keep adding things to it to make yourself look like a victim. Look at it this way, you waited to give anymore info until page 5, that was after you got kicked in the head several times. Now your crying about a head injury is causing you to say things out of text!

I guess you like being the victim all the time, and think everyone should have a pitty party for poor old Tracklayer all the time. You have accused several members about them kicking you in the head, then look for expect them to say their sorry. Not this time for me!

[:D] Step aside boys! I want another kick, maybe I can kick it over the fence this time! You dug this hole Tracklayer, so lay in it.

ICRR1964, you've gone completely overboard... Let's you and I just keep our distance from now on. Everyone can see that you're really enjoying running me down. One of these days you'll be the one on the short end of things and I'll be there to get my kick or two in - with interest.

TL

opps, did you forget this, and no you haven't had a chance to go back and check on what you said, looks like the head injury is showing!!!! reeks of hypocricy!!!!! to high heaven!!!! you can't resist can you??????[xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][}:)][}:)][}:)]

[Anonymous]

As a former part owner of a video game website I can tell you honestly e-commerce ain't the cakewalk everybody's making it out to be. You get overhead here too. My partner and I had to pay start-up fees, hosting fees, and hope to hell that your server actually works. Our server didn't and it would crash every single week. After a few months of this we decided to cut our losses and get out. I'd consider doing it again if I can find a partway decent server or maybe sell something else entirely.

[Tracklayer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dannydd

QUOTE: Originally posted by Tracklayer

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICRR1964

For one thing Tracklayer, and for your information. This is the 2nd time I have piped up to you about one of your threads being allot of BS. So get of your high horse and quit crying about being a victim all the time. I will agree with most here about you putting up a thread and then keep adding things to it to make yourself look like a victim. Look at it this way, you waited to give anymore info until page 5, that was after you got kicked in the head several times. Now your crying about a head injury is causing you to say things out of text!

I guess you like being the victim all the time, and think everyone should have a pitty party for poor old Tracklayer all the time. You have accused several members about them kicking you in the head, then look for expect them to say their sorry. Not this time for me!

[:D] Step aside boys! I want another kick, maybe I can kick it over the fence this time! You dug this hole Tracklayer, so lay in it.

ICRR1964, you've gone completely overboard... Let's you and I just keep our distance from now on. Everyone can see that you're really enjoying running me down. One of these days you'll be the one on the short end of things and I'll be there to get my kick or two in - with interest.

TL

opps, did you forget this, and no you haven't had a chance to go back and check on what you said, looks like the head injury is showing!!!! reeks of hypocricy!!!!! to high heaven!!!! you can't resist can you??????[xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][xx(][}:)][}:)][}:)]

dannydd, your reply was totally stupid.

TL