John-NYBWI remember we were developing a system that needed to do a date calculation and we had to allow for leap year. That's easy. Just figure out if the year is divisible by 4. But there is an exception. Years ending in 00 are not leap years.
Or, do you mean "Years ending in 00 are not divisible by 4"??? The last time I checked every 4 years is a leap year and that includes years ending in "00".
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
So, $9.95 is too much to pay for shipping and handling? $4.00 is acceptable. $0.50 for an envelope!
You should be glad that you are not in Canada! Shipping for an average eBay item is often more than $20.00 Cdn. regardless of whether it is from the US or Canada. Envelopes might be around $15.00, rarely less than $12.00. Some vendors in the US want more than $50.00 S&H for a single freight car, and that doesn't include the car! Needless to say, I don't bid on those.
I have two hobby shops that I deal with, both online. They are both Walthers dealers so I can get Walthers items at retail (in Cdn. $), and their shipping is quite reasonable. The closest one is a 4 1/2 hr drive, and the other one is about 2500 miles away, so shopping in person isn't an option.
I also order directly from the source if the S&H is reasonable (less than $20.00 Cdn.). When placing those orders I usually add in items just to add to my inventory.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
John-NYBW ATLANTIC CENTRAL At only 20 I was managing the train deartment in a local hobby shop, at that point I already had over 6 years experience behind the counter and 10 years experiance in the hobby with some excellent adult mentors. So the point is, I'm not bragging, I'm just saying I understand what these businesses are up against every day to survive. In 1970, there was actually a lot more markup in model trains than there is today - and very few got rich then either. That's why I never opened my own train store...... Sheldon I spent most of my career in data processing in state government. I also spent time working for a retailer, a bank, a software service company, and as a consultant (aka rent-a-programmer). Before getting into data processing I worked a number of other jobs in various companies. I understand perfectly that retailing is a difficult business and for many it is a struggle to stay in business. As a consumer, that is not my concern. My concern is getting the most value for my money and the companies that do the best job of giving me that will get my business. If a company goes out of business because they can't give me as good a value for my money as their competitors, that's life. I don't owe a company anything any more than they owe me anything. When I do business with a company, it is because we were able to make a transaction at a price agreeable to both of us. Companies that don't offer me a product at an agreeable price won't get my money and I won't get their product. They can sell their products to other customers and I can buy products from other companies.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL At only 20 I was managing the train deartment in a local hobby shop, at that point I already had over 6 years experience behind the counter and 10 years experiance in the hobby with some excellent adult mentors. So the point is, I'm not bragging, I'm just saying I understand what these businesses are up against every day to survive. In 1970, there was actually a lot more markup in model trains than there is today - and very few got rich then either. That's why I never opened my own train store...... Sheldon
At only 20 I was managing the train deartment in a local hobby shop, at that point I already had over 6 years experience behind the counter and 10 years experiance in the hobby with some excellent adult mentors.
So the point is, I'm not bragging, I'm just saying I understand what these businesses are up against every day to survive.
In 1970, there was actually a lot more markup in model trains than there is today - and very few got rich then either.
That's why I never opened my own train store......
Sheldon
I spent most of my career in data processing in state government. I also spent time working for a retailer, a bank, a software service company, and as a consultant (aka rent-a-programmer). Before getting into data processing I worked a number of other jobs in various companies.
I understand perfectly that retailing is a difficult business and for many it is a struggle to stay in business. As a consumer, that is not my concern. My concern is getting the most value for my money and the companies that do the best job of giving me that will get my business. If a company goes out of business because they can't give me as good a value for my money as their competitors, that's life. I don't owe a company anything any more than they owe me anything. When I do business with a company, it is because we were able to make a transaction at a price agreeable to both of us. Companies that don't offer me a product at an agreeable price won't get my money and I won't get their product. They can sell their products to other customers and I can buy products from other companies.
That's fine John, I'm a bargain shopper too. But what is the point of coming on here and bashing the guy who could not offer you a deal?
When I sold tools, one of the garages I called on had two signs over the service desk.
One said - "We take no issue with those who sell for less - they know what their work is worth".
The other said - "The mechanic who works on your car while you drive it did not come to work today".
It was one of the best and busiest shops in town.
A great deal of the time, you get exactly what you pay for - or - you never get what you don't pay for.
I have $200 locomotives I only paid $75 for new in the box, but I understand that was a special situation that made them available at that price.
There are lots of things is this hobby that I will not pay the "going rate" for - but am I on here complaining about prices? - no - just the oposite.
The man wants or needs whatever price he sets, I either want it or I don't. I'm not going to talk bad about him because of it.
As I said earlier, I walk away from customers who think I charge too much - and I have more work than I can do - Despite ones that thought my prices too high, others obviously realize I am a bargain.
John-NYBW ATLANTIC CENTRAL If I may ask John, what did you do for a living before you retired? Sheldon I was a mainframe computer programmer. When I retired in 2001, I was fast becoming a dinosaur. Mainframes were giving way to networks and distributive processing. Fortunately we still had a few vital legacy systems that needed my skillset and knowledge of those systems. A few years after I retired, those legacy systems were outsourced and our shop got rid of the mainframe. I really haven't paid much attention to the business since I retired. I don't know how much is still being done by mainframes. I do know one thing. Not a single line of computer code I wrote during my 25 years in the business is still being executed. Obsolescence is a fact of life in computer systems.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL If I may ask John, what did you do for a living before you retired? Sheldon
If I may ask John, what did you do for a living before you retired?
I was a mainframe computer programmer. When I retired in 2001, I was fast becoming a dinosaur. Mainframes were giving way to networks and distributive processing. Fortunately we still had a few vital legacy systems that needed my skillset and knowledge of those systems. A few years after I retired, those legacy systems were outsourced and our shop got rid of the mainframe. I really haven't paid much attention to the business since I retired. I don't know how much is still being done by mainframes. I do know one thing. Not a single line of computer code I wrote during my 25 years in the business is still being executed. Obsolescence is a fact of life in computer systems.
So I'm going to guess you worked for some large corporation, possibly the same one for all or most of your career?
I only worked for two large corporations in my whole life - one for only 4 days, and the other just part time for about 18 months. That was enough for me.
I have never worked for any other company that was larger than about 30-40 employees total - imagine a car dealership or medium sized construction company.
At age 23 my father helped me start my first business, a MATCO TOOL dealership. Tool dealers like MATCO and SNAPON are independent businesses, sort of like a franchise but not exactly. You represent their product but you are more independent that things like McDonalds, etc.
I did that for 8 years. It spoiled me.
I have a long list of different "careers" on my resume - when I did work for other people I seldom stayed more than a few years in one place.
At age 22 I was writing computer code for early industrial Programable Logic Controllers.
I have worked in most every trade in construction, from hands on to management.
I have been a real estate home inspector.
I have worked in various aspects of the automobile business.
Today I design houses, supervise and perform historic building restorations, and do custom remodeling.
I have owned or managed a number of retail businesses, I have invented products, produced them, and brought them to market - custom tractor parts, HiFi speakers.
I have no formal college degrees, but do have some formal education in Architecture, Engineering (electrical and mechanical), and Historic Presevation.
I always find these threads on cost interesting and would bet real money that I could tell which posters ever ran their own business by their comments.
I don't care what a seller asks for something and I have no loyalty to any train store. Cost and/or convenience are the main factors. We live in a free market society that lets us have choices. We have the choice to make more money for the things we would like or we can use our time to whine about the cost.
If you buy a beach ball for $5.00 is it cheaper to have it shipped inflated or uninflated?
What is the fuel cost alone to fly a 200lb man from Chicago to Sydney on a Boeing 777LR? Before complaining about what you have to pay, finding out and understanding why is a learning experience which is better for everyone.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
I remember we were developing a system that needed to do a date calculation and we had to allow for leap year. That's easy. Just figure out if the year is divisible by 4. But there is an exception. Years ending in 00 are not leap years. Except there is an exception to the exception. If the year is divisible by 400, it is a leap year. We were given a standard that said we had to calculate for the exception and the exception to the exception. I said that's dumb. We know 2000 is going to be a leap year, what do we care if this program fails in the year 2100. Another member of the team said jokingly (I think), "We don't want them tearing down our statues.". I lost the argument but didn't adhere to the standard in the code I wrote. If they are still executing that program in 2100, they deserve for it to go bad.
John-NYBW I was a mainframe computer programmer. When I retired in 2001, I was fast becoming a dinosaur. Mainframes were giving way to networks and distributive processing. Fortunately we still had a few vital legacy systems that needed my skillset and knowledge of those systems. A few years after I retired, those legacy systems were outsourced and our shop got rid of the mainframe. I really haven't paid much attention to the business since I retired. I don't know how much is still being done by mainframes. I do know one thing. Not a single line of computer code I wrote during my 25 years in the business is still being executed. Obsolescence is a fact of life in computer systems.
To my knowledge, at quite a few sites around the world, a small bit of me wakes up every 40 milliseconds, does its thing and goes back to sleep. I retired 8 years ago, but my software lives on.
I don't know about the observatory I once worked at. I wrote all the telescope control software, plus data acquisition and processing stuff. It would be a huge job to replace it now, so if they're still using the equipment, including the equipment, they're still using the software. My guess is, though, those old computers would have given up the ghost years ago and would not be repairable.
Of course, I always commented my code really well.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley My old LHS was a Walthers dealer, in the catalog and the small-print pages of MR as well. I could order through him from Walthers and get the catalog price or the monthly flyer sale price, with no shipping charge. So, I could get lots of small stuff for quite cheap. Yeah, he never made big profits, and when the landlord jacked up the rent, he retired. I have ordered a few power supplies from China. They are fine, basically the same as what I could get here from brick-and-mortar places for a third the price, and no shipping charge. I figured the Chinese government was subsidizing the shipping. When watching the progress of shipping, I saw the package arrive in L.A. about two days after I ordered it, and then take a week or more to get to my house via USPS. And I can't be without my truck tuner. I have one in my workshop, and another upstairs at the layout.
My old LHS was a Walthers dealer, in the catalog and the small-print pages of MR as well. I could order through him from Walthers and get the catalog price or the monthly flyer sale price, with no shipping charge. So, I could get lots of small stuff for quite cheap. Yeah, he never made big profits, and when the landlord jacked up the rent, he retired.
I have ordered a few power supplies from China. They are fine, basically the same as what I could get here from brick-and-mortar places for a third the price, and no shipping charge. I figured the Chinese government was subsidizing the shipping. When watching the progress of shipping, I saw the package arrive in L.A. about two days after I ordered it, and then take a week or more to get to my house via USPS.
And I can't be without my truck tuner. I have one in my workshop, and another upstairs at the layout.
I still order things from Walthers through my LHS and I don't have to pay the shipping charge either. Since they are replenishing stock from Walthers every week, it doesn't cost more to have special order items included with their weekly shipment. My LHS has been in business at their current location in a strip mall for over 40 years. Rarely when I go in am I the only one in the shop and there are always at least two people working the store. On weekends or before Christmas there will sometimes be a third so I'm guessing they are not struggling to stay in the black.
If you get things from China 10 days after you ordered it, you are doing quite well. I've seen things take 5-6 weeks. If I order something from Amazon and the estimated delivery date is more than a week away, I know where it's coming from and I cancel it.
We sell homemade soap on line. The shipping increases with the quantity you buy.
We use the simple Post Office Prioeiry Mail boxes. We know how many bars of soap we can put in each size box. The Pay Pal software does the work. We charge shippin at exactly the rat that we have to pay to the post office. They give us free shipping boxes.
If the price looks high to you, that IS the price we have to pay to ship our items.
For a simple object like a left handed smoke shifter you could simply put it in a padded envelope ($1.00) and ship it foist class aat your local post office ($0.50) and charge the customer $1.50 postage and handling.
A bigger joint will have a computer system that will drop the item in a box, seal it and ship it via UPS or FedEx and what ever bulk rate that carrier gives them.
But no, they do not even sell left handed smoke shifters.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
hjQi I am willing to pay a reasonable shipping. I just bought a few decoders from Litchfield Station and they charge $4 for USPS first class and $6 for priority. $9.95 is too much...
I am willing to pay a reasonable shipping. I just bought a few decoders from Litchfield Station and they charge $4 for USPS first class and $6 for priority. $9.95 is too much...
I agree completely, especially when I'm paying more for the shipping than the item. I don't care whether a company charges seperately for shipping or includes in the price of the item, what matters to me is the total cost of the item. When the shipping cost is disproportionate to the cost of an item, it makes it kind of tough to offer the item at a competitive cost, not when there are options like Amazon that offers flat rate shipping for an entire year's purchases or ebay vendors who offer reasonable shipping charges or not charges at all.
kasskaboose One way ot offset flat shipping costs is purchase things you might need later.
One way ot offset flat shipping costs is purchase things you might need later.
The keyword in that is MIGHT. I actually considered loading up an order with MicroMark to reduce the shipping cost per item. The problem with that is that anything I could buy from them now that I KNOW I'll need later I can get from Amazon and pay no additional shipping. I asked myself, how am I saving money by buying more things now that I could buy cheaper in the future if and when I need them. The obvious answer is I'm not. That might be the purpose of MicroMark's high minimum shipping cost. I'm sure there are people who will load up an order to buy a half dozen things they'll need in the future. What I have discovered is that is not necessary. I can buy from Amazon paying no additional shipping beyond my membership fee or buy on ebay from a vendor who charges little or not shipping costs. With their pricing policy on shipping, I don't see how MicroMark is going to be able to compete for my dollars.
One thing not mention, but is worth considering is supply and demand (cue the groans from Econ 101). A LHS needs to make money in a very competitive market. They have a ton of hands in their pockets, so the have to pass the cost to the consumers. Larger places, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc. make more on just folks doing models.
Returning to supply and demand, you have more demand for a widget and there's a limitied supply of it. Prices are naturallly naturally higher than normal. For example, I'm interested in tank cars. Online they go for 30-40$ each! Of course I'll get more from a swap to save on price and shipping costs. Just one example to consider. One way ot offset flat shipping costs is purchase things you might need later.
wrench567 Lichfield station last month shipped a partial order and sent the backordered item later with no additional shipping.
Gotta love Litchfield Station.
richhotrain tstage I purchase the majority of my decoders & DCC supplies from Litchfield Station; not only for the good prices but also because they only charge $4 for S&H. To me that's very reasonable for a padded envelope that only weighs a few ounces. Other well-known vendors may have comparable pricing but charge $10 for S&H for the same items. And "MSRP Walthers" charges a flat $13 so I only purchase from them via my LHS when things are on sale. Tom It seems like the bigger retailers have fixed price shipping. Isn't Micro Mark basically a fixed charge shipper? Rich
tstage I purchase the majority of my decoders & DCC supplies from Litchfield Station; not only for the good prices but also because they only charge $4 for S&H. To me that's very reasonable for a padded envelope that only weighs a few ounces. Other well-known vendors may have comparable pricing but charge $10 for S&H for the same items. And "MSRP Walthers" charges a flat $13 so I only purchase from them via my LHS when things are on sale. Tom
I purchase the majority of my decoders & DCC supplies from Litchfield Station; not only for the good prices but also because they only charge $4 for S&H. To me that's very reasonable for a padded envelope that only weighs a few ounces.
Other well-known vendors may have comparable pricing but charge $10 for S&H for the same items. And "MSRP Walthers" charges a flat $13 so I only purchase from them via my LHS when things are on sale.
Tom
It seems like the bigger retailers have fixed price shipping. Isn't Micro Mark basically a fixed charge shipper?
Rich
I agree, Rich. The fixed price shipping is a convenience for the vendor so they can ship the item/items quicker in the same-sized shipping container and don't have to spend time calculating shipping costs (time & money). With that being the case, those located farthest from the vendor get a more fair deal on the S&H costs.
My LHS is about a half hour away during a blinding snow storm and sometimes an hour and a half on a nice sunny day. Years ago they were fantastic and had a ton of MR stuff in all the major scales. The past few years it seems more models and RC stuff is encroaching in the MR isles. Don't get me wrong, they are still fantastic and will order in anything I want but at retail price. Track, ballast, and cork roadbed is still twenty percent off in stock and they keep that stuff stocked up.
My online ordering for decoders and electronic stuff is either Lichfield station or Tonys. But lately Tonys has gotten rid of the minimum shipping and charges at least $12.95 just for a decoder and small things. Lichfield station last month shipped a partial order and sent the backordered item later with no additional shipping.
My ebay purchases are hit or miss with the MR hobby. My RC helicopter parts have awesome prices and usually free shipping or just a couple bucks, but most of them come from overseas.
Pete.
Alton Junction
ATLANTIC CENTRAL richhotrain Another problem for me is trying to find what I want or need. This past Friday, I drove to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown USA looking for modeling paint. Total joke. I will no longer bother with Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Hobbytown USA was poorly stocked. I wound up mixing various shades of the colors that I needed from half filled (or less) bottles of old Pollyscale paint. Rich Don't know what kind of paint you want, but I use Scalecoat and buy it direct. https://minutemanscalemodels.com/ Sheldon
richhotrain Another problem for me is trying to find what I want or need. This past Friday, I drove to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown USA looking for modeling paint. Total joke. I will no longer bother with Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Hobbytown USA was poorly stocked. I wound up mixing various shades of the colors that I needed from half filled (or less) bottles of old Pollyscale paint. Rich
Another problem for me is trying to find what I want or need. This past Friday, I drove to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown USA looking for modeling paint. Total joke. I will no longer bother with Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Hobbytown USA was poorly stocked. I wound up mixing various shades of the colors that I needed from half filled (or less) bottles of old Pollyscale paint.
Don't know what kind of paint you want, but I use Scalecoat and buy it direct.
https://minutemanscalemodels.com/
John-NYBW MicroMark's profit is not my concern. That is their concern. My concern is getting the best value for my money. I wouldn't have gotten that if I had bought this item from MicroMark. If another vendor can undercut them by 40%, I would be crazy to buy from MicroMark. All vendors are in competition with other vendors, large and small. MicroMark lost this sale because a little guy offered me better value for my money. This is just one sale out of millions each year. MicroMark has to decide if they can afford to lose the market share these small time vendors are taking from them.
MicroMark's profit is not my concern. That is their concern. My concern is getting the best value for my money. I wouldn't have gotten that if I had bought this item from MicroMark. If another vendor can undercut them by 40%, I would be crazy to buy from MicroMark. All vendors are in competition with other vendors, large and small. MicroMark lost this sale because a little guy offered me better value for my money. This is just one sale out of millions each year. MicroMark has to decide if they can afford to lose the market share these small time vendors are taking from them.
Agreed, and the next time MicroMark might have the right item at the right price, even with the shipping.
It pays to shop around - everytime.
Point is, they did not loose business that was of any value to them. If they don't make money they will not be there to sell anyone anything. If they are truly charging too much others will put them out of business. But truth is, in the big picture, they are as competitive as anyone in this business.
John-NYBW richhotrain Shipping charges are the least of my problems. I haven't had a LHS for better than 10 years now whereas I had 3 to choose from within a 10 to 15 minute drive from my home way back when. The closest one now it a minimum of 30 minutes away, up the Interstate and tolls to boot. Another problem for me is trying to find what I want or need. This past Friday, I drove to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown USA looking for modeling paint. Total joke. I will no longer bother with Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Hobbytown USA was poorly stocked. I wound up mixing various shades of the colors that I needed from half filled (or less) bottles of old Pollyscale paint. When I lived in Columbus, OH, I too had 3 hobby shops within a 10 minute drive. After I retired, I moved out of the city and now it's almost a mile drive to those same stores and one of them has cut way back on their model railroading selection. I still frequent my main hobby shop when I am in town but since the pandemic began, I find myself going into Columbus far less often. It would have to be an item I needed immediately and very badly before I would make a special drive into town. I figure even with my economy car it costs me at least 3 gallons of gas not to mention over an hour and a half of additional time out of my day.
richhotrain Shipping charges are the least of my problems. I haven't had a LHS for better than 10 years now whereas I had 3 to choose from within a 10 to 15 minute drive from my home way back when. The closest one now it a minimum of 30 minutes away, up the Interstate and tolls to boot. Another problem for me is trying to find what I want or need. This past Friday, I drove to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown USA looking for modeling paint. Total joke. I will no longer bother with Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Hobbytown USA was poorly stocked. I wound up mixing various shades of the colors that I needed from half filled (or less) bottles of old Pollyscale paint.
Shipping charges are the least of my problems.
I haven't had a LHS for better than 10 years now whereas I had 3 to choose from within a 10 to 15 minute drive from my home way back when. The closest one now it a minimum of 30 minutes away, up the Interstate and tolls to boot.
When I lived in Columbus, OH, I too had 3 hobby shops within a 10 minute drive. After I retired, I moved out of the city and now it's almost a mile drive to those same stores and one of them has cut way back on their model railroading selection. I still frequent my main hobby shop when I am in town but since the pandemic began, I find myself going into Columbus far less often. It would have to be an item I needed immediately and very badly before I would make a special drive into town. I figure even with my economy car it costs me at least 3 gallons of gas not to mention over an hour and a half of additional time out of my day.
Perspective is an interesting thing.
I am 65, still working, and have lived in Maryland my whole life.
I have never lived "in a city", did spend some of my young adulthood in an old builtup suburb of Baltimore, but grew up in the "rural suburbs" south of Baltimore and now live in the really rural suburbs to the north between Baltimore and Phily.
Growing up, or the last 26 years up here, NOTHING is 10 minutes away. Well we do have two cute little towns, each 10-12 minutes away. But you are not going to find everything you need there.
Economy cars, not here, they don't meet our needs.
I drive this:
And the wife drives this:
John-NYBW ATLANTIC CENTRAL MicroMark is a little bitty company compared to AMAZON - they can't do that. Buy from whomever suits you, but you are wrong if you think they are "ripping you off" on the minimum shipping cost. They likely still don't make a fair markup selling a single truck turner with the $9.95 shipping. Their hope is you will place larger orders that they can fill efficiently and the shipping charges will be a much smaller percentage of the cost. Even for retailers who are now buying most hobby products direct from the manufacturers, margins are slim. I would wager that the vendor I bought the item from on ebay is much smaller than MicroMark yet he doesn't find it necessary to charge $9.95 to ship the item and presumably he is still making a profit. I never accused MicroMark of ripping me off. Had I bought the item from them, it would have been a transaction at a price agreeable to both parties so no one would have been ripped off. The title of the thread is how vendors lose sales. In this case, MicroMark lost this sale because they choose to charge an exorbitant minimum shipping charge. If they think it is in their interest to discourage customers from buying buying single items, that is their choice. My choice is to buy those items elsewhere.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL MicroMark is a little bitty company compared to AMAZON - they can't do that. Buy from whomever suits you, but you are wrong if you think they are "ripping you off" on the minimum shipping cost. They likely still don't make a fair markup selling a single truck turner with the $9.95 shipping. Their hope is you will place larger orders that they can fill efficiently and the shipping charges will be a much smaller percentage of the cost. Even for retailers who are now buying most hobby products direct from the manufacturers, margins are slim.
MicroMark is a little bitty company compared to AMAZON - they can't do that.
Buy from whomever suits you, but you are wrong if you think they are "ripping you off" on the minimum shipping cost.
They likely still don't make a fair markup selling a single truck turner with the $9.95 shipping. Their hope is you will place larger orders that they can fill efficiently and the shipping charges will be a much smaller percentage of the cost.
Even for retailers who are now buying most hobby products direct from the manufacturers, margins are slim.
I explained above in a separate response EXACTLY how that Ebay vendor could sell you that product for that price. I took a look at his little Ebay store. I assure you he is one guy, working out of his basement with ZERO overhead.
And that is fine, he deserves your business as much as the next guy.
But MicroMark cannot make money doing that.
I have been in business for myself most of my life. I happily walk away from people who think my prices are too high or who are not comfortable with how I do business (we do custom construction work, restore old houses, etc. and I do residential design work) most work we do is time and materials - few quoted fixed prices. Right now we are booked until fall........
richhotrain Shipping charges are the least of my problems. I haven't had a LHS for better than 10 years now whereas I had 3 to choose from within a 10 to 15 minute drive from my home way back when. The closest one now it a minimum of 30 minutes away, up the Interstate and tolls to boot. Another problem for me is trying to find what I want or need. This past Friday, I drove to Hobby Lobby, Michaels, and Hobbytown USA looking for modeling paint. Total joke. I will no longer bother with Hobby Lobby or Michaels. Hobbytown USA was poorly stocked. I wound up mixing various shades of the colors that I needed from half filled (or less) bottles of old Pollyscale paint. Then, there is eBay. I am a big fan of eBay, but lately the prices that are being asked for locomotives and passenger cars are outrageous, not only New items but also Used items. I won't overpay and apparently neither will anyone else because those items just sit there day after day after day. So, as I say, shipping charges are the least of my problems. Availability and pricing top my list of complaints. Rich
Then, there is eBay. I am a big fan of eBay, but lately the prices that are being asked for locomotives and passenger cars are outrageous, not only New items but also Used items. I won't overpay and apparently neither will anyone else because those items just sit there day after day after day.
So, as I say, shipping charges are the least of my problems. Availability and pricing top my list of complaints.
For new locos and rolling stock, ToyTrainHeaven, Trainworld, ModelTrainStuff.
Used stuff - Ebay, but not as much any more.
Big train show here three or four times a year - picked up some goodies at the last one in Feb, next one in three weeks.
I order direct from manufacturers who sell that way (even Walthers for some things). Companies like Spring Mills Depot, Kadee, Campbell Scale Models, and a list of others.
We have a number of good train shops in this region, none of them "close" to me.
All are an hour or more, but are worth the drive once in a while. Most of them will ship, pick up the phone, no fancy web stores.
Pro Custom Hobbies
The Yankee Dabbler
Mainline Hobby Supply
Nicholas Smith Trains
Strasburg Train Shop (yes, where the real steam trains run every day)
Gilberts Hobby Shop (Gettysburg)
Star Hobby
Again, they are all an hour or more away, but have lots of good stuff. Some have really good prices, all are ok on prices.
Give some of them a call.
I could be wrong, but there is some data to suggest that the Mid Atlantic and New England have the highest concentration of modelers - more demand = more stores, even as the number of store declines.
When I was a young man, there where more than a dozen just in metro Baltimore.
Sheldon really hit the nail on the head on this one. Couldn't of said it better myself.
I will only add this please:
There is a joke in the restaurant business - we lose money on every plate but we make up for it in volume.
I have owned and operated a bakery cafe for the last 22 years and when we do ship product we have to pass those costs on to the customer. We simply don't have the kind of relationship with USPS or UPS that giants like Amazon have. If we ate the shipping our already small profit margin would virtually dissapear.
So I will kindly ask that you give brick and mortar's the benefit of the doubt and continue to patronize them as nothing would make Jeff B happier than you stopped and bought from him exclusively!
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
- charles