Sheldon,
Sure look like you live in a Model Train Heaven, however I will not change place with you. Where I live is also Heaven but of a different nature. Don't worry I am not completely isolated from model trains, I am some 120 miles from Montreal Quebec. There I visit 3 good hobby shop. In addition to that even tough I am 74 years old I can still drive long distances without problem. I have visited more than 10 times the Big E Train Show in West Springfield Mass, attended the Philadelphia, Detroit and Hartfort NMRA Train Show. I also like spending 2 weeks on the Virginia Beach water front and schedule my stay to coincide with the Tide Water annual train show.
But, there is alway a but, I know a time will come soon where I will have to keep my traveling to shorter distances. This bring me to M. B. Klein.
My dealing on line is solely with Klein, I like their business model and never had any problem with them. Their on line real time inventory system is fail safe, anyway it is with me, the pricing is good and they carry an extensive inventory. With today pre-order and limited run sometime a particular item can only be found there.
Two Canadian firms were mentioned in this thread, I have done some business with them but they are nowhere near the efficiency of Klein.
It was also mentioned to cumulate items and order a good volume to compensate for the shipping costs. Well I also do that whenever I can. I also sometime share purchase with other members of my club, also whenever possible. Some item are low inventory and if one waits too long he may very well miss it.
I said I was 74 years old this imply I am retired and on a fixed income, hobby money is not infinite and is unstretchable. That is why shipping costs has reached the deal breaker point for me. I am looking for alternatives, I will contact Klein Monday to see is the $30. is a maximum regardless of cost, number of items, size and weight of the parcel. If it is then I will try to split the shipping costs with other members of the club.
I did appreciate your input.
Jack W.
mlehman Geared SteamUSPS is being paid for by me, Galaxy, Sheldon and all other US taxpayers. We don't really care to do this, and UPS and FED EX prove that private enterprise does it better that a subsidized government entity. Geared Steam, Not to be nit-picky, but re-read Wilton's post just before yours. USPS is NOT subsidized by the taxpayer, with the exceptions noted below. They have to break even, even after being saddled with costs by Congress for retirement funded in a way that isn't imposed on the private sector. "The USPS is required by law tocover its costs, and it has not received taxpayer subsidies since theearly 1980s. However, it does receive an annual appropriation fromCongress of about $100 million (or 0.1 percent of its $75 billionoperating budget) as compensation for the revenue it forgoes inproviding, through congressional mandate, free mailing privilegesfor the blind as well as absentee-ballot mailing for overseas military..." That a quote from the Cato Institute, not exactly some liberal outfit. So no taxpayer in the US is sponsoring mailings to Canada or anywhere else at below cost.
Geared SteamUSPS is being paid for by me, Galaxy, Sheldon and all other US taxpayers. We don't really care to do this, and UPS and FED EX prove that private enterprise does it better that a subsidized government entity.
Geared Steam,
Not to be nit-picky, but re-read Wilton's post just before yours. USPS is NOT subsidized by the taxpayer, with the exceptions noted below. They have to break even, even after being saddled with costs by Congress for retirement funded in a way that isn't imposed on the private sector.
"The USPS is required by law tocover its costs, and it has not received taxpayer subsidies since theearly 1980s. However, it does receive an annual appropriation fromCongress of about $100 million (or 0.1 percent of its $75 billionoperating budget) as compensation for the revenue it forgoes inproviding, through congressional mandate, free mailing privilegesfor the blind as well as absentee-ballot mailing for overseas military..."
That a quote from the Cato Institute, not exactly some liberal outfit.
So no taxpayer in the US is sponsoring mailings to Canada or anywhere else at below cost.
Thanks Mike, you learn something everyday.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
The problem in Canada is not a lack of retailers. The problem is that none of our retailers are big enough to offer the deep discounts that the larger US retailers can. The Canadian market is only 1/10th the size of the US market. The attraction for us to buy in the US was because we could get better pricing on lots of items and the shipping was reasonable. That was before the trend to restrict shipping to USPS Priority Mail only. Going from USPS First Class to Priority Mail jumped the shipping by about $24.00 on an average purchase. That's no longer a bargain unless you are spending a lot of money, but if you spend a lot of money you are more likely to get charged duties. USPS First Class shipments rarely gather the attention of Canadian Customs, especially if they are under $100 in value. However, once you go to Priority Mail, Canada Customs seems to pay more attention.
Ultimately this will all be good for Canadian retailers because more Canadians will be buying at home.
It has also saved me a lot of money! I used to buy frequently on eBay because the low shipping costs were no big deal. Now I buy very rarely, and only from those sellers who still offer First Class shipping.
Just while I am beating my chest here, someone made the suggestion that private business should be allowed to take over the small parcel shipping industry. That model would work in the US but when it comes to cross border shipments, those private carriers charge huge handling fees for clearing customs. I got burned only once - I had to pay a $60.00 brokerage fee on a $30.00 purchase. Unless that changes nobody in their right mind is going to use a courier company to import hobby items.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
DAVE,
I am sorry you live where that are no "large discounters" in the hobby industry.
But, again, liek I said to Johnboy..there are NO bargains up there in CAN Land? Iff'n y'all supported your LHS's more, maybe there would be! By buying in the USA, and shipping, you DO risk the higher prices for the lower demand within CAN.
And I truly am sorry it costs so much now to ship into your country, That is the price you pay to MAKE things more competitive FOR the CAN. Hobby shops!
SO NOW< you need to get together and SUPPORT your LHS's up there so can be there for your hobby needs at a discounted price.
I always find it amazing and amusing that people DON'T WANT to pay "full retail", yet complain when there is no bargain" anymore. { I may look for bargain deals myself, But you don't see me importing my stuff form CHINA now do you??}
LIKE Sheldon, I am lucky, I guess, ...I can be at wholesaletrains,com brick and mortar store in 45 mins, I can be at Steamtown in 1.25 hours, and to Strasburg in 3.5 hours to shop or ride trains! Is it fate? Maybe, no, my father's J-O-B brought him out here many moons ago, and I grew up here......and I have returned { "though who knows why"?}.AND, obviously you may have not paid attention to USA users complaining about paying $10 shipping on a $50 loco!!! WIthin our OWN country! It costs GAS and DIESEL FUEL and JET fuel to get your products there!
Ah well, part of life is the journey to get there.....
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
To the OP and other Canadian residents:
I didn't see it mentioned in the thread (apologies if I missed it) but another Canadian online retailer worth looking in to is Pacific Western Rail
http://www.pacific-western-rail.com/ho_in_stock.php
They seem to carry only HO and N stuff, but they seem to be farily well-stocked. They are located in SW BC near Vancouver. I visited their retail shop once years ago when I lived in NW Washington. At the time, the "store" was little more than a warehouse/storage space. The main focus of their retail business is via the Internet. I don't know how their shipping within CAN compares with the other shops mentioned, but it's at least worth a look-see if you model HO and/or N.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
Dan, I know this business, I done some purchase in the past with them. Never again, I don't like their business practices. They are harrassing with email and phone calls. Right now there are some magnetic Air Hoses on the market. I would like some but will not get any as Pacific Western Rail is the sole distributor.
NAFTA supposedly made it easier to do business with our northern and southern neighbors by doing away with trade barriers between us. Well, the government postal systems have found new ways to keep retail goods out of each other's countries. Net result...........jobs, manufacturing and wholesale goods now move smoothly across our borders while the individual citizen at retail is newly shafted via the postal dis-services.
You just can't win as the little guy.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
I stopped using UPS a year or more ago over refusal of any and all damage claims. There is a point to all of this.
Late last year we were contacted from South Africa for a bunch of rail. They requested UPS, so we checked for them. UPS shipping on, oh, $300 of rail, was $950.00.
Yeah, just under a grand.
I think USPS would do it for $124.
Have had issues with this retailer,
Note the amount of old stock they have, most retailers with stock that old have marked it down in an effort to get rid of it, and the rest of their inventory have prices that are high to say the least, plus US dollars.
I can shop here or i could shop online at Modeltrainstuff and pay the shipping and taxes and save a substantial amount.
Gee, I just can't decide what I should do.
don7 Have had issues with this retailer, Note the amount of old stock they have, most retailers with stock that old have marked it down in an effort to get rid of it, and the rest of their inventory have prices that are high to say the least, plus US dollars. I can shop here or i could shop online at Modeltrainstuff and pay the shipping and taxes and save a substantial amount. Gee, I just can't decide what I should do.
Don, Interesting view, that retailers should only carry what just fell off the boat last week and should blow the rest out cheap?
That's a great view that now has us in the world of preorders and no inventory on store shelves.
You don't know, they might be doing qute well with that "old invenetory". What you call old, might be just what someone else is looking for. And maybe, just maybe, they were not in the hobby or in the market for that product when it was "hot and new".
Sure, a successful retailers needs to have what is new, but depth of inventory is ALWAYS what has set the great shops apart from the rest.
I don't know anything about them, but I would never judge them negatively because they are not closeout kings.
Sheldon
Hi galaxy:
I understand your point. We need to spend our hobby dollars here!
However, even if all Canadian model railroaders decided to purchase everything through our LHSs the market would still only be about 10% of the size of that in the US. Without any expertise in hobby shop economics I would still say that the Canadian hobby shops would be hard pressed to generate the volumes that allow for large bulk purchases. In fact, the US only has a few large discount retailers. I'm guessing that there are less than 10 (please correct me if I am wrong). If you do the math, that suggests that the Canadian market being 10% of the American could barely support one large discount retailer, and that retailer would have to go way out on a limb to invest the dollars needed to support bulk purchasing.
Simply put, unfortunately we just don't have the volume to support deep discounts.
Personally, I have made the decision to purchase as much of my stuff as I can through a Canadian dealer (Canadian Express Line).
And yes, there is no shortage of Canadians who love to complain about Canada Post's rates too.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL don7 Have had issues with this retailer, Note the amount of old stock they have, most retailers with stock that old have marked it down in an effort to get rid of it, and the rest of their inventory have prices that are high to say the least, plus US dollars. I can shop here or i could shop online at Modeltrainstuff and pay the shipping and taxes and save a substantial amount. Gee, I just can't decide what I should do. Don, Interesting view, that retailers should only carry what just fell off the boat last week and should blow the rest out cheap? That's a great view that now has us in the world of preorders and no inventory on store shelves. You don't know, they might be doing qute well with that "old invenetory". What you call old, might be just what someone else is looking for. And maybe, just maybe, they were not in the hobby or in the market for that product when it was "hot and new". Sure, a successful retailers needs to have what is new, but depth of inventory is ALWAYS what has set the great shops apart from the rest. I don't know anything about them, but I would never judge them negatively because they are not closeout kings. Sheldon
Personally, I love to find a hobby shop with old inventory. A couple of my favortie shops (sadly now gone several years) used to have lots of old stuff. They never marked up the price either. It was MSRP, but if it was 10 years old the price was 10 years old as well.
I was at a train show a couple of years back and one dealer had some SHS scale trucks marked $6.00 and some marked $9.00. I pointed this out to him since I was buying some and thought maybe he had made a mistake on the cheap ones since current retail was $9.00. He said no, he put the retail price on them when he got them and never changed it - a small break for his customers. Needless to say I bought him out of the $6.00 ones.
Of course I've been in a couple of shops that think their old stuff is some rare collectors item and they have changed the price to above current retail for comparable products.
Sadly, it's getting harder and harder to find a well stocked hobby shop - or even a poorly stocked one. Remember them well and tell your grandkids about the days when hobby shops abounded throughout the country.
Paul
hon30critter Hi galaxy: I understand your point. We need to spend our hobby dollars here! However, even if all Canadian model railroaders decided to purchase everything through our LHSs the market would still only be about 10% of the size of that in the US. Without any expertise in hobby shop economics I would still say that the Canadian hobby shops would be hard pressed to generate the volumes that allow for large bulk purchases. In fact, the US only has a few large discount retailers. I'm guessing that there are less than 10 (please correct me if I am wrong). If you do the math, that suggests that the Canadian market being 10% of the American could barely support one large discount retailer, and that retailer would have to go way out on a limb to invest the dollars needed to support bulk purchasing. Simply put, unfortunately we just don't have the volume to support deep discounts. Personally, I have made the decision to purchase as much of my stuff as I can through a Canadian dealer (Canadian Express Line). And yes, there is no shortage of Canadians who love to complain about Canada Post's rates too. Dave
I don't know much about Canada, but it seems to me that as fragmented as the US market is, someone in Canada could be running a "Trainworld" up there and making money.
The "deep discount" thing is done by being big enough to buy products direct from the manufacturer, and in some cases buying enough to get the lowest price level.
Example - Walthers is both a manufacturer and a distributor. Dealers who buy from them at distrubutor prices buy one or two each of items and buy both Walthers products and other brands at similar discounts from list price. Those discounts are not enough to allow much if any discounting and still cover any kind of store overhead.
But some dealers buy enough to get the Walthers products as if they were a distributor - the case lot price - those are dealers who can discount Walthers products a lot. But no dealer is buying Bowser, or Atlas, or Bachmann, or Intermountain from Walthers and selling it real cheap - Walthers does not get those lines cheap enough to sell them as low as they can sell thier own products to volume customers.
To get the best price on those other lines you need to be able to buy enough directly from those manufacturers - the price Walthers gets as a distributor for them.
The volume price cuts out the middle man, and gives the dealer the margin needed to discount and still make money.
Ever since Horizon bought Athearn, all Athearn is sold directly through Horizon, who is also a manufacturer and a distributor. BUT, Athearn is only sold by Horizon - there is no separate "dealer" price and "distributor" price. Sure, the really big customers likely get a few extra percentage points off, but not the 25% or 30% difference with other lines. Pretty much one price for all. And Horizon only sells to legit businesses, no week end, basement, train show, part time, dealers.
This is why Athearn prices have stablized and supply is steady - even with a China glitch here and there.
Bachmann sells to lots of dealers direct. I'm not sure what their minimum terms are, but near me there is one shop with TONS of Bachmann at the best prices anywhere - better than Trainworld or any website I have ever seen, including Ebay. And there are always big stacks of cases with shipping labels direct from Bachmann - not from any "distributor". And that guy never "blows out" old stock. He puts really good prices on stuff the day it comes in the door - and that is price - no matter how long it sits there.
More and more manufacturers are going to direct distribution - that is selling directly to any size retailer - and this will shrink discounts from "list price", but will allow manufacturers to hold retail prices down - even as the Yuan rises against the Dollar. They are effectively cutting out the middle man permanently.
I have purposely not quaoted and specific price levels as people inside the industry have asked me not via private message when these sorts of topics have been discussed before. But I assure you, no one is buying this stuff for 10% of the retail price and getting rich selling it you for for 60% of the retail price.
In fact, anyone with the deep discounts, more than 35% off, is not making all that much no matter how they are buying the stuff.
But it would seem to me that someone in Canada could or should be in the mega train store web site mail order business and do well.
Sheldon:
Like you said, you don't know much about Canada. What part of our market being only 10% of the US market do you not understand? We have many successful hobby retailers in Canada. Don't you think that if the mega/discount store concept would work here that some of them would be doing it?
hon30critter Sheldon: Like you said, you don't know much about Canada. What part of our market being only 10% of the US market do you not understand? We have many successful hobby retailers in Canada. Don't you think that if the mega/discount store concept would work here that some of them would be doing it? Dave
Dave,
My point was simply to explain to the unwashed how the deep discount thing works. There are a great many people in the world who buy into the myth that "everything" can be had cheaper if you buy "more". Not so, there is a bottom price and there is a reason some can offer those low prices.
I admitted I have no idea of the size or nature of the Canadian market for model trains, but there sure does seem to be a lot of you guys on this forum?
And I have no knowledge of your governments business regulations, taxes, etc., you may well be right.
Or, the business climate may just be such that no one feels any need/pressure to be the "discount king" of Canada.
Truth is it really is not the best thing for the hobby here or there in my opinion.
Stable fair prices and good supply would benefit the hobby and industry, not necessarily "rock bottom" prices - here and in Canada.
But what do I know, I've just been at this for 46 years and once ran a train department in a hobby shop.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL My point was simply to explain to the unwashed how the deep discount thing works. There are a great many people in the world who buy into the myth that "everything" can be had cheaper if you buy "more". Not so, there is a bottom price and there is a reason some can offer those low prices. I admitted I have no idea of the size or nature of the Canadian market for model trains, but there sure does seem to be a lot of you guys on this forum? And I have no knowledge of your governments business regulations, taxes, etc., you may well be right. Or, the business climate may just be such that no one feels any need/pressure to be the "discount king" of Canada. Truth is it really is not the best thing for the hobby here or there in my opinion. Stable fair prices and good supply would benefit the hobby and industry, not necessarily "rock bottom" prices - here and in Canada. But what do I know, I've just been at this for 46 years and once ran a train department in a hobby shop. Sheldon
Technically, it is possible, except the market is very fragmented. What sells in one area doesn't sell in another. Clothing is a real world example of that.
Living a a city of 1 million, we have only a few hobby shops that I am aware of. Toronto, with 2.5 million, probably has the same number, maybe less. In cities of that size, there are no well known 100% train shops. Montreal seems to do a little better in that.
There just are not big retailers of model railroad products out there, so they can't get the volumes, then you have to deal with customs and brokerage, which can quickly erase any savings. Then there is the freight costs. Nobody wants to tie up that kind of money in inventory to get the best price, on products for a small market, with limited appeal.
Then we get back to the problem of a very regional market, so what sells here may not sell well in another market.
I think you also have to look at the population differences between the U.S. and Canada. The U.S. has a population of roughly 314 million. Canada's population is roughly 34 million. Stands to reason that Canada is a much smaller and more fragmented model railroad market and is not as likely to have many high volume, large discount hobby retailers, if any at all.
Carl
"I could never belong to any club that would have me as a member."
So not being a world traveler, I have a question for our Canadian friends.
If you make trip to the US, like a vacation, and buy model trains while you are here, how much hassle is it to take them home?
Fairly easy, and I have done it many times. Canada just increased it's duty-free limit to $800 per person as long as you are gone for 48 hours or more. So, if me and the wife went on a strictly model train purchase trip, we could bring back a total of $1600 of model trains with use without paying duty and taxes on them.
I'm also lucky that I live in a city that is close to the American border. A family that runs the store just across the border allows you to use their store address as your shipping address, and will keep your package for about 40 days and will only charge you a $4 handling fee when you pick it up. So have your parcel arriving a few days before you have a trip planned and bingo. Stay your 48 hours and it's duty and tax free. (You also pay the US shipping rate, so it even saves you more)
I do have a local LHS, and while he is excellent, (I support him with a lot of purchases) and will bring in anything your want as long as it's from Horizon Hobbies, it does have a drawback. I wanted a new release Kato starter set with the Metra F40. MB Klein has it for $189.99 plus shipping. Horizon also offers it, but they have it priced at the MSRP of $300.00. Add in the 13% tax we pay in Ontario and bang a very costly purchase if I went through him.
So, if I need something like that. I just wait till our next planned trip, order it from MB Klein and include it in our total when we cross the border back into Canada.
Christopher
Modelling Amtrak in N Scale
DWPRS-11 Fairly easy, and I have done it many times. Canada just increased it's duty-free limit to $800 per person as long as you are gone for 48 hours or more. So, if me and the wife went on a strictly model train purchase trip, we could bring back a total of $1600 of model trains with use without paying duty and taxes on them. I'm also lucky that I live in a city that is close to the American border. A family that runs the store just across the border allows you to use their store address as your shipping address, and will keep your package for about 40 days and will only charge you a $4 handling fee when you pick it up. So have your parcel arriving a few days before you have a trip planned and bingo. Stay your 48 hours and it's duty and tax free. I do have a local LHS, and while he is excellent, (I support him with a lot of purchases) and will bring in anything your want as long as it's from Horizon Hobbies, it does have a drawback. I wanted a new release Kato starter set with the Metra F40. MB Klein has it for $189.99 plus shipping. Horizon also offers it, but they have it priced at the MSRP of $300.00. Add in the 13% tax we pay in Ontario and bang a very costly purchase if I went through him. So, if I need something like that. I just wait till our next planned trip, order it from MB Klein and include it in our total when we cross the border back into Canada.
I'm also lucky that I live in a city that is close to the American border. A family that runs the store just across the border allows you to use their store address as your shipping address, and will keep your package for about 40 days and will only charge you a $4 handling fee when you pick it up. So have your parcel arriving a few days before you have a trip planned and bingo. Stay your 48 hours and it's duty and tax free.
Thanks for the info.
13% tax? I seem to recall that down here we revolted from a King over stuff like that, and to be honest maybe we should again. But I can tell you 13% would cause a revolution for sure down here.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL 13% tax? I seem to recall that down here we revolted from a King over stuff like that, and to be honest maybe we should again. But I can tell you 13% would cause a revolution for sure down here. Sheldon
You're spoiled living in Maryland. Some places in the U.S. go over 11% combined state and local sales tax - more for meals.
The 13% is a blend of the Federal Goods and Services Tax and the Provincial sales tax. Our income taxes were lowered when the GST kicked in to compensate, and stores reduced their prices by about 8% to reflect the fact that the Federal Sales Tax had been revoked (at 13.5%)
When Ontario decided to blend the sales tax with the GST, income taxes were reduced again. Since it is a consumption tax, you pay more when you consume more. If you are "low income", you get a rebate as well.
That is about the only tax you pay, as anything made in the US is duty free (Free Trade). Most hobby supplies are exempt as well.
Problem is finding a hobby shop in the US where you are.
IRONROOSTER ATLANTIC CENTRAL 13% tax? I seem to recall that down here we revolted from a King over stuff like that, and to be honest maybe we should again. But I can tell you 13% would cause a revolution for sure down here. Sheldon You're spoiled living in Maryland. Some places in the U.S. go over 11% combined state and local sales tax - more for meals. Paul
I don't know about that, we just pay it in other ways. State sales tax here is 6%, there are no local sales taxes.
But Income taxes and property taxes are high enough.
My family left New England (okay, they were removed) in 1776 and have enjoyed Canada ever since.
Two seasons in my Canada, Modelling and Paintball.
Dr Gonzo ATLANTIC CENTRAL 13% tax? I seem to recall that down here we revolted from a King over stuff like that, and to be honest maybe we should again. But I can tell you 13% would cause a revolution for sure down here. Sheldon My family left New England (okay, they were removed) in 1776 and have enjoyed Canada ever since.
Respectfully, this is going in a direction we need not go on this forum. As I explained earlier in this thread to the OP, I live where I live as a result of fate and choice. I can buy all the model trains I want at competitive prices and with good access.
As for the issues of taxes and politics which don't belong on here, I did not bring it up, it was brought up as part of the "cost" of shopping in Canada.
To the topic of politics and taxes, there is a lot going on here in my own country that I am not in favor of (especially northeast of the Hudson River), but no other country appears better based on my personal beliefs and values. I will not discuss this further, having been admonished by the moderators on here for doing so in the past.
Canada must be just wonderful - except for not being able to by model trains at discount prices - I'll stay here thank you.
I am talking about inventory that is 10 to 15 years old and is being offered at its full MRSP.
Time to have a sale I think, but then again to listen to you they should just sit on it.
don7 am talking about inventory that is 10 to 15 years old and is being offered at its full MRSP. Time to have a sale I think,
am talking about inventory that is 10 to 15 years old and is being offered at its full MRSP.
Time to have a sale I think,
I knew of a shop that had full MSRP stock dating back to the early 90s and when he retired due to health reason another guy took over,closed the store and became e-bay store..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
don7Time to have a sale I think, but then again to listen to you they should just sit on it.
I think Fonzie used to say that.
don7 ATLANTIC CENTRAL don7 Have had issues with this retailer, Note the amount of old stock they have, most retailers with stock that old have marked it down in an effort to get rid of it, and the rest of their inventory have prices that are high to say the least, plus US dollars. I can shop here or i could shop online at Modeltrainstuff and pay the shipping and taxes and save a substantial amount. Gee, I just can't decide what I should do. Don, Interesting view, that retailers should only carry what just fell off the boat last week and should blow the rest out cheap? That's a great view that now has us in the world of preorders and no inventory on store shelves. You don't know, they might be doing qute well with that "old invenetory". What you call old, might be just what someone else is looking for. And maybe, just maybe, they were not in the hobby or in the market for that product when it was "hot and new". Sure, a successful retailers needs to have what is new, but depth of inventory is ALWAYS what has set the great shops apart from the rest. I don't know anything about them, but I would never judge them negatively because they are not closeout kings. Sheldon I am talking about inventory that is 10 to 15 years old and is being offered at its full MRSP. Time to have a sale I think, but then again to listen to you they should just sit on it.
Don,
Putting price aside for a minute, and also assuming for a minute this same shop also has a good inventory of current items, why would it be bad to keep those items if they are no longer made or available in other forms from other manufacturers?
I don't just "collect" current production model trains, I'm building a model railroad with a specific theme, era and setting. I did not always have the "opportunity or resources" to buy every piece that I might have wanted as it came along in the 46 years I have been at this hobby.
So I buy stuff that was made 10 years ago, or 20 years ago, or even longer, ALL THE TIME, when I find what I want.
I ran a train department in a hobby shop for many years, many products are "timeless" in their appeal. Maybe they don't sell like hot cakes on Sunday, but a good shop should have depth of inventory.
By your thinking, if all I sell is left hand turnouts, I should not stock right handed ones?
And by the way, to someone like me who remembers Athearn "yellow" boxes, stuff made 10 years ago is "brand new".
So, if a shop is well funded, and inventory "total turnover in dollars" is were it should be, and products are still relevant to the hobby, then they should stay and make full profit when they do sell - and they will.
And the greater the depth of inventory, the more customers will know that this is the place to shop, and more traffic will mean more of that stuff will sell. It is a self fulfilling process - in either direction.
The shop that "only" has new releases, will become known for that, and loose that other sort of business.
As for full MSRP, I've been down that road on several posts already - reread them.
BRAKIE don7 am talking about inventory that is 10 to 15 years old and is being offered at its full MRSP. Time to have a sale I think, I knew of a shop that had full MSRP stock dating back to the early 90s and when he retired due to health reason another guy took over,closed the store and became e-bay store..
And, I'll bet he did well. And while he may not have charged retail prices, I bet he did not give it away either.