Best deals on supplies?

[mopacbuff]

Gents,

I am all for supporting my LHS, but the closest one to me is 25-35 minutes away (on a very good day with no snow) and leaves a bit to be desired in selection of even the most basic items (caters to toys and such).

So, tonight I found I needed some xacto blades and some styrene, so I jump on Walthers website. In just a few minutes and a few mouse clicks, I found EXACTLY what I needed, win for me. The total for the few items came to $10ish and some change, right in line with ye olde LHS. I finish the order process and shipping is $8.95, basically doubling the cost of my supplies.

I went ahead and clicked send on the order, because I need these goodies and I don't know when I'll make it to town from the farm. It is sometimes a bear for me to get to town and get what I need, I live out in the sticks, it's a pretty good trip to the LHS and it's a crapshoot whether I'll find what I need.

I in NO WAY fault Walthers for their shipping charges, they are standard (I know, I used to sell a LOT of stuff on eBay), and reasonable. I'm just wondering, other than ordering larger amounts, keeping my head out of my butt so as not to run low on supplies, and looking for sales. Is there a better way/place to order goodies online?

I'm talking basics here, styrene, blades, detail parts, etc, nothing exotic.

Again I buy at my LHS when/if I can, but a PITA is still a PITA.

Thanks

MPB

 

[tooter]

Because the minimum shipping charge can punish customers for small orders, I group items to make it worth my while.

You can experiment by putting items in your cart and going to checkout to see how much the added items add to the shipping charge. You'll discover that you can usually add a fair amount of items to your order without raising the minimum shipping charge... then it becomes a better deal. If you consider the time spent and the cost of operating a vehicle, the shipping charge will look like a good deal.

Greg

 

[mopacbuff]

Greg,

Thanks for the reply. Since I drive a big ole gas guzzling 3/4 ton pick up truck, shipping charges ARE a good deal to me, just looking for the best deal for my time/trouble/$$.

I actually enjoy sitting here at my puter, beer in hand, and doing my shopping. If I were buying a loco, or a structure kit or something, I'd just figure shipping into the price of the item, but for BASIC supplies, expendables, I'd like to find the cheapest route possible.

I guess I'll just pay closer attention to what I have on hand, and look at what I'll need soon and make larger orders in the future.

MPB

 

[diburning]

Xacto knives can be bought at office supply stores like Staples, Office Max, or Office Depot. Styrene can be bought from various hobby stores, not necessarily ones that cater to the model train crowd.

 

[Trussrod]

Say MPB,
I live rural like you do so mail order is the only convenient way to order in many cases especially with gas being about $3.25 per gal.

Shipping charges are a PITA and many places will deduct it if your order is over a certain amount.

I just received a fairly sizable order from Micro-Mark, $264.00 and they reversed the shipping charges of 17.95 to ship 18 items to me and I think the weight was about at least 6 Lbs. MM does seem to have the same $8.95 shipping for orders less than $50.00.

I think if your order, with MM, is over $??.00 it's free shipping, I couldn't find what amount that was but my charges were reversed, so maybe it a $100.00.

I was connected with a Distributor of MRR supplies who had a considerable selection of items I had posted on the site under, Foothill Station, but that went South when the owner passed away and no-one took over unfortunately so now I'm left searching for a new source, talk about a PITA!

 

[mopacbuff]

Frustrating.

I called the LHS today, with Walthers part numbers in hand, and asked if I could tack some grab irons, lift rings and spark arrestors onto their Walthers order. Which they told me was weekly. I offered to prepay with a debit card and explained my situation of living out past no where and so forth, and that I wanted to ensure the parts were at the LHS when I go to town.

They wanted to charge me $5.00 shipping TO THEIR STORE, and I'd still have to drive to pick the items up! They're already going to order from Walthers and these tiny items could not have increased their shipping costs, plus they would have made whatever markup there is between Walthers wholesale and retail. Since I was planning to prepay, they would not have been stuck with unsellable, special order items.

So frustrating! I want to support my LHS, I really do, but stuff like this makes it difficult. I understand their profit on this particular transaction would have been minimal, but who knows what else I would have bought off their shelves when I went to pick up these items? I'm sure I would have bought something (or several somethings).

Guess I'll stick to mail order, unfortunate for me AND the LHS.

MPB

 

[kz9]

I never pay for shipping to my LHS. I really only buy stuctures there. I just bought the entire Ethonal, urban, and farm related kits from walthers. It was 3 BIG boxes and did not pay anything extra for shipping and also got a great deal on them (30% discount)

I e-mail them my order and they call me when its in.....

 

[mopacbuff]

Update, not so frustrated now.

Whilst looking on Walthers web site, I found another LHS in a nearby town that I wasn't aware of (I don't get out much, lol). It's even a bit closer to me, and it's in an area that I go through quite a bit.

I called them and explained the situation. The guy told me that "that's pure BS, I'll order whatever you need with my normal order (bi-weekly) at no extra charge". He even has some detail parts in stock that I was going to order.

Win for me, win for this LHS and a loss for the other LHS. Seems to me that if more shops had this type of attitude, there would be more support for the LHS.

MPB

 

[NH Mike]

Update, not so frustrated now.

Whilst looking on Walthers web site, I found another LHS in a nearby town that I wasn't aware of (I don't get out much, lol). It's even a bit closer to me, and it's in an area that I go through quite a bit.

I called them and explained the situation. The guy told me that "that's pure BS, I'll order whatever you need with my normal order (bi-weekly) at no extra charge". He even has some detail parts in stock that I was going to order.

Win for me, win for this LHS and a loss for the other LHS. Seems to me that if more shops had this type of attitude, there would be more support for the LHS.

MPB

The 2 LHS I frequent do it that way also. Anything I want they add to their store order no problems. If I need something they have to buy direct rather from Walthers or other usual distributers then they will both offer some kind of a break on the shipping as well as pricing the items at normal discounted shelf prices.

Charging shipping for items added to a periodic bulk order isn't being very customer friendly in my opinion.

Another source for X-acto blades and other useful small hobby tools is a local chain of hardware stores like Ace or Tru Value. Maybe even Tractor Supply although there isn't one near enough to me to say for sure.

 

[diburning]

Another source for X-acto blades and other useful small hobby tools is a local chain of hardware stores like Ace or Tru Value. Maybe even Tractor Supply although there isn't one near enough to me to say for sure.

I go to an office supply store like Staples They have a good selection of X-acto blades there.

 

[Trussrod]

Glad you got things straightened around to your benefit MPB, it can be frustrating at times and large places are hard to deal with for sure.

If it's of interest to any of you, I'm just now getting re-established with a distributor so I should again have a fair assortment of items available along with making other contacts too and I'm not going through W's in anyway, I got burned by them in the past and once is enough!

I should again post at least a site link on the forum you guys can go to to check out various items your interested in that I can order for you and ship direct to you.

I don't know about your areas but the last time I filled-up with Mid-Range gas it was 3.35/gal so having to drive back and forth very far can get to be fairly costly.

As a side thought, you can put a fine grinding wheel in your dremel tool on low speed and resharpen the exacto blades to to make them go even further.

 

[Berkshire Brian]

there is only 2 hobby shops near me, one is run by an older gentleman who has not updated anything or ordered anything it would seem in at least 15 years. He is only open when you call him. The other hobby shop mostly specializes in model cars and rockets.

At the end of the day its cheaper to order through Walthers or GoHobby for me.

 

[Berkshire Brian]

Xacto knives can be bought at office supply stores like Staples, Office Max, or Office Depot. Styrene can be bought from various hobby stores, not necessarily ones that cater to the model train crowd.

Micheal's in the MA (i dont know if they are in other states) have 40% off coupons on their website and most of the time on the back of their receipts. They sell alot of hobby supply stuff like complete xacto knife kits. 40% off $25 xacto kit, is a killer deal.

 

[galaxy]

You are lucky enough to have found another LHS to work with you.
Shipping costs are a reality with internet ordering, just as they were tacked onto catalog orders years ago, when catalogs were teh way to order and the "internet " of the day. SHipping charges are NOTHING NEW.

I live 45 mins away from http://www.wholesaletrains.com and they do have some hefty shipping charges sometimes,especailly for heavier items. But I can spend the shipping charges in gas if I drive there, and if the item isn't directly on their shelves at the time, I have to order it anyway on the 1-3 or 3-5 business day {usually} timeline. They ship fast and can be on my doorstep very quickly. I have another LHS that is 5 mins away. but they carry a very limited supply of items and will order from WAlthers at 20% off with their regualr Walther order, but it can take some time as they place Waltehrs orders when the "have enough to order".

I expect to pay at least $10 in shipping regardless who I order from unless they offer free shipping for over a certain $ amount, but I'll be darned if I'm gonna spend more just to get to that level if I don't need it. But it is coming form several hours or days or another state or more away, I figure it is worth it!

I also know the minimum 1 lbs. shipping charge at UPS is about $4.50 cost to a business. Add in "handling" and the cost of shipping supplies, boxes, bubble wrap, air bags, peanuts, and the labor of someone to pack it up, and $10 doesn't sound so unreasonable, really. Not sure what the minimum is at FedEx, but I'm sure it's at least competetive with or more likely higher than UPS for Overnight delivery cost to the vendor. {I have a freind who ships UPS for his small business that's how I know the UPS minimum cost to vendor.}
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[mopacbuff]

Wow, guess I don't have it so bad and should stop b1tching. LOL

Seriously, I was just frustrated, mostly due to my own lack of planning, gas being $3.11/gallon here (and my truck takes a pretty healthy drink) and now that I found the other LHS, mail ordering should be minimal.

I will still mail order items. WHEN the price is right and WHEN I can order enough to make it worthwhile. Or, on occasion when I just, absolutely, positively have to click on it, LOL.

Here's to supporting your LHS when you can, and mail ordering smart when you have to, cheers.

MPB

 

[diburning]

I have my LHS order from Walthers and Horizon Hobby. This way, I get a great discount, support my LHS, and still get to "mail order."