Which do you prefer and why?
Area hobby/model train shop.
Online website(ie, walthers.com)
Auction site(ie, ebay)
Mail Order Catalog
Shows/swapmeets
"yes"
A local hobby shop will give you a discount. Most likely the hobby shop is connected to walthers who can get them the shipment in < 1 week. So you don't have to pay shipping. But you do have to pay tax. Plus a hobby shop will offer great advice. So they are always my first choice.
If it's a unique item, or don't want to wait for the hobby shop, I go straight to the source. (ie: eBay, walthers, micromark)
If it's a super deal, I'll buy it online. (micromark sometimes has some great deals on stuff)
And train shows/swap meets are a good way to pickup unique or out of production items.
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
I'm pretty much stuck at online shopping. My closest store is 300 miles away and they do not stock much American railroading items. So I order from the US directly. but I do like going to that store. In an ironic twist of fate my brother lives 500 meters from that store and he hates trains!
Magnus
Area hobby/model train shop. - In my area there is only one, some model railroad equipment but priced way over typical markup. Only on rare occassion will I shop - odd super sale event.
Online website(ie, walthers.com) - I do use a few of the on-line web sites, If you check around there are good deals and most have resonable shipping and handling charges to Canada. Have a few favorits.
Auction site(ie, ebay) - a couple of good sites, for what ever reason many of the vendors advertise S/H charges in error, they seem to mix up the International rates - Canada with European destinations- You really have to check - There does seem to be a general trend to pad the S/H though.
Mail Order Catalog - no
Shows/swapmeets - never attended any - yet
All the ones you listed I have done. There's nothing wrong with either, I use them in different situations.
I like my LHS as they usually have prices set lower there. It's also nice to go in and talk to people who know the hobby.
I usually go on Ebay for the discontinued stuff. I usually find my WC locomotives off of Ebay.
It my LHS doesn't have the stuff I need/want, I'll mail order from them. Usually I get my super detailing parts this way.
I like the Shows and swap meets as they are low prices. But for locomotives, I NEVER buy any there unless I know there brand new.
My Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/JR7582 My Flickr Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wcfan/
I prefer first, online ordering then Ebay.. Truthfully, for me anyway, the local hobby shops suck. I'm sure they would order anything I want, May give a discount after they stop laughing at the question. I use to buy a lot from local shops just to have it then. Even then they gave a blank stare when I would ask about a discount. Nowadays, it costs me no less than $6-$8 for a round trip, aggrivation of dealing with all the a-holes on the road, wear and tear on my car, usually (even after a phone call, IF they answer) to find out they don't have what I want. With Ebay, I can get a pretty good sense of who to trust if I can find what I want. With online ordering a 30% discount is typical even without asking, and shipping in many cases is free.
Yes, putting ones hands on the goods before purchase is a nice thing, chances are pretty good that if somethings wrong they'll deal with it appropriately, there's a human voice to talk to and all that fun stuff. It's been my experience that when something goes wrong with an online seller, they are more than happy to rectify it, AT Their expense for shipping. If I'm buying used items on ebay, I try to only buy from reputable sellers. The only bad online experiences I've ever had were with electronic office type equipment (and it only took one to insure I'd never do that again).
Hobby shops use to be a fun thing for me, no more.. You can have them if you like, I'll keep my sanity and deal online.
rolleiman wrote:I prefer first, online ordering then Ebay.. Truthfully, for me anyway, the local hobby shops suck. I'm sure they would order anything I want, May give a discount after they stop laughing at the question. I use to buy a lot from local shops just to have it then. Even then they gave a blank stare when I would ask about a discount. Nowadays, it costs me no less than $6-$8 for a round trip, aggrivation of dealing with all the a-holes on the road, wear and tear on my car, usually (even after a phone call, IF they answer) to find out they don't have what I want. With Ebay, I can get a pretty good sense of who to trust if I can find what I want. With online ordering a 30% discount is typical even without asking, and shipping in many cases is free. Yes, putting ones hands on the goods before purchase is a nice thing, chances are pretty good that if somethings wrong they'll deal with it appropriately, there's a human voice to talk to and all that fun stuff. It's been my experience that when something goes wrong with an online seller, they are more than happy to rectify it, AT Their expense for shipping. If I'm buying used items on ebay, I try to only buy from reputable sellers. The only bad online experiences I've ever had were with electronic office type equipment (and it only took one to insure I'd never do that again). Hobby shops use to be a fun thing for me, no more.. You can have them if you like, I'll keep my sanity and deal online.
I just read an "AT THE THROTTLE" in the April 1990 Model Raolroader about supporting your local store. I am lucky here in Mesa Az. I have a great LHS about 6 miles away. Todsy I went there and bought a Walthers item for $10, that last week was on Walthers for $7. Why, cause I want Roys to be there for me. If that item I bought was not what I wanted , they would have said , no biggie and put it n stock , Today I saw a Rock Island car i didnt know xisted , it was on display there. If there is a show in town , i wil go there and look for stuff thats been around a long time , but I wont by new stuff , what if 2 weeks down the road it stops working?
I know there are lots of reasons to by online etc , but I will do every bit of shopping I can , even at higher prices , to support my Hobby Shop. By the way I have been going there 20+ years and still love em.
I've done the first three (hobby/train shop, website, and Ebay). It basically has to do with what I'm looking for, where it's available, etc. I've gotten rolling stock from hobby stores, Walthers (and other websites), and Ebay. Track, roadbed, etc. for when I was putting down my track was all from my local hobby stores. Some things, like my Walthers interlocking tower, are hard to find. So if I couldn't find something at my local hobby store, I typically will Google the item or search Ebay. Ebay also allowed me to find the custom painted auto carriers (as well as some that are out of production) that I have.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's