LHS v. .COM supliers

[Anonymous]

I agree with the supporters of the LHS, and with flee307's comments...due to being in a low population area, we don't have a full-line LHS around here, but there are some within 100 miles.
Train shows are pretty good sources too, [ I may be prejudiced due to my participation in several train shows a year ].
regards / Mike

[emdgp92]

I've purchased a few things over the 'net, but I'd rather deal with my LHS. I get to joke around with the owner, see new products in person (and not in grainy photos), and have my engines looked at while I wait. All 3 of those things are impossible on the 'net!

[emdgp92]

I've purchased a few things over the 'net, but I'd rather deal with my LHS. I get to joke around with the owner, see new products in person (and not in grainy photos), and have my engines looked at while I wait. All 3 of those things are impossible on the 'net!

[Anonymous]

The other day I posted on another thread you could get white LEDs at Radio Shack for about $5. Someone corrected me saying they could get them online for $2.95. I checked it out and they were indeed correct. So I went to place an order for 1 and the shipping was $7. So just to be even I would need to buy 4. I need 1, not 4!

Then there is returns, it costs about $7 to mail anything of value back. Sure, it can be done a little cheaper, but what if the company claims they didn't get the return or it was damaged in shipping? It's $7, I shopped around.

Orders from the west coast ground shipping takes 4 days to Missouri. East coast 3 days. That's if they ship the day you order. Lot's of places wait and order it after you order and have it drop shipped or worse, wait to they get it, repack, and ship. I have waited 3 weeks for items. It take terminal hobby at least 3 days to get me packs and they aren't that far away. TIME.

Ebay, ha, other than shipping overcharges , junk defects, no return, selling used as new, selling brass track as NS, and outright seller fraud it's OK. Just be sure you know your prices. I have seen people pay $6 + $5 shipping for a toy boxcar that was $3.95 at the hobby shop new. I bought a brass loco that was wore out, missing the back cover casting, bent, and all glass missing. It was listed as "good condition missing couplers". The coupler pockets were broke off too! The sellers reply, "I don't know nothing about trains, looked fine to me."

So you pay list price at your local Hobby Shop. They have to make a living and feed their family. I never seen a hobby shop owner get rich. I never heard a someone say "get a hobby shop and get rich". I am sure what ever anyone does someone else would do it cheaper. But that's why our industry is in decline. Someday their may be no jobs in the US because Chineese Communist slaves, I mean citizens, are required to do it cheaper. Then what will we do to make money to buy locomotives and food?

Do you think www.XXXtrainsales.com will help you and give you hints or help? The internet is a great source of information, but companies are currently trying to take it over. They like that it's a store with no bricks and mortar that's open 24/7/365. The seem to sell a little cheaper, but they give little or no service, and lots make up for it in shippin/handling and selling clearance and refurb items as new. I have been on the net since 1994. It has gone from an online enclyopedia to a never ending commercial. It's getting harder every day to just find the info I need . This page alone has SEVEN ADS!

So my advise is do what you think is right.

[Anonymous]

The other day I posted on another thread you could get white LEDs at Radio Shack for about $5. Someone corrected me saying they could get them online for $2.95. I checked it out and they were indeed correct. So I went to place an order for 1 and the shipping was $7. So just to be even I would need to buy 4. I need 1, not 4!

Then there is returns, it costs about $7 to mail anything of value back. Sure, it can be done a little cheaper, but what if the company claims they didn't get the return or it was damaged in shipping? It's $7, I shopped around.

Orders from the west coast ground shipping takes 4 days to Missouri. East coast 3 days. That's if they ship the day you order. Lot's of places wait and order it after you order and have it drop shipped or worse, wait to they get it, repack, and ship. I have waited 3 weeks for items. It take terminal hobby at least 3 days to get me packs and they aren't that far away. TIME.

Ebay, ha, other than shipping overcharges , junk defects, no return, selling used as new, selling brass track as NS, and outright seller fraud it's OK. Just be sure you know your prices. I have seen people pay $6 + $5 shipping for a toy boxcar that was $3.95 at the hobby shop new. I bought a brass loco that was wore out, missing the back cover casting, bent, and all glass missing. It was listed as "good condition missing couplers". The coupler pockets were broke off too! The sellers reply, "I don't know nothing about trains, looked fine to me."

So you pay list price at your local Hobby Shop. They have to make a living and feed their family. I never seen a hobby shop owner get rich. I never heard a someone say "get a hobby shop and get rich". I am sure what ever anyone does someone else would do it cheaper. But that's why our industry is in decline. Someday their may be no jobs in the US because Chineese Communist slaves, I mean citizens, are required to do it cheaper. Then what will we do to make money to buy locomotives and food?

Do you think www.XXXtrainsales.com will help you and give you hints or help? The internet is a great source of information, but companies are currently trying to take it over. They like that it's a store with no bricks and mortar that's open 24/7/365. The seem to sell a little cheaper, but they give little or no service, and lots make up for it in shippin/handling and selling clearance and refurb items as new. I have been on the net since 1994. It has gone from an online enclyopedia to a never ending commercial. It's getting harder every day to just find the info I need . This page alone has SEVEN ADS!

So my advise is do what you think is right.

[Anonymous]

I haven't gotten much into the on line buying yet, and frequent most of the discount shops in Dallas, which are dwindling. I did buy some freight cars from the MDC site, when they had a special sale of 12 Husky Stacks for $60. I got a few deeply discounted buildings at another .com site, etc. When I do buy things from other than my local shop, its from other shops with newletters or ads in MR with fantastic prices.

[Anonymous]

I haven't gotten much into the on line buying yet, and frequent most of the discount shops in Dallas, which are dwindling. I did buy some freight cars from the MDC site, when they had a special sale of 12 Husky Stacks for $60. I got a few deeply discounted buildings at another .com site, etc. When I do buy things from other than my local shop, its from other shops with newletters or ads in MR with fantastic prices.

[MAbruce]

I have a couple of LHS's I visit (that have N-scale), but as I am on a limited MRR budget, I buy were I can get the best price. That is usually ebay or other on-line sources.

I'd like to purchase more from my LHS, and I do for those items that I can't get more cheaply on-line, but I just can't justify the extra cost in most cases.

Sorry folks, I'm not rolling in money. For me it comes down to the fact that I need to stretch by hobby dollar as far as possible (and then some), or I would never be in the hobby.

[MAbruce]

I have a couple of LHS's I visit (that have N-scale), but as I am on a limited MRR budget, I buy were I can get the best price. That is usually ebay or other on-line sources.

I'd like to purchase more from my LHS, and I do for those items that I can't get more cheaply on-line, but I just can't justify the extra cost in most cases.

Sorry folks, I'm not rolling in money. For me it comes down to the fact that I need to stretch by hobby dollar as far as possible (and then some), or I would never be in the hobby.

[Anonymous]

I saw a question similar to this on a different forum. I am curious if you have a LHS near you and do you shop there on a regular basis, or do you shop mainly on the INET? and why.

[Anonymous]

I saw a question similar to this on a different forum. I am curious if you have a LHS near you and do you shop there on a regular basis, or do you shop mainly on the INET? and why.