I really want to support my LHS....but

[OnTheRightTrack]

O.K. I'm all about supporting my LHS and I do go to the local Hobby Town for supplies and the occaisional kit. However, when it comes to railroading...damn its tough. I have a great little shop literally right down the street from me. Angelo's Hobbies and they are all helpfull and friendly and I have bought a few accessories from them. The problem is that internet dealers especially modeltrainstuff.com is WAY and I mean Way cheaper at least %100 or more in some cases. I want to support the local guy but I'm not made of money is it rude to try and negotiate on prices?? Please advise.

 

[Ronzzr11]

Well as long as you are a regular customer to your local hobby store, I can,t see that it would hurt to ask about a discount, after all, the worst he can say is no !!
Ron

 

[Jannie]

Same story with me over here in Cape Town,South Africa.......most rolling stock go for $60-70,locos for round $200 + & track switches round $40 each.......But I have bought stuff from them & every time I got discount.....round $20-30 off on $100.......alot of HO scale(scenery etc) & N scale (scenery etc).......

So go for it....I mean model stuff worldwide are expensive.....but,ask for discount...you never know untill you ask...

 

[galaxy]

It IS a dilemma.
I have a LHS 5 minutes form me. If I need something quick I will go there. BUt their prices are rahter high, or only 20% off MSRP of WAlthers catalog only.
But I have to say i have another "LHS" about 45 mins away who also has an internet business many of you know well:
http://www.wholesaletrains.com
At their brick and mortar store {Lantz's Hobby shop} I tend to spend more there if I go just cuz their prices are so low and I'mlike a kid in a candy store, or I can order online and pay the shipping..gas to get there/shipping whats the difference? They have some of the best prices around.
I also have about 1.25 hours away another "LHS" also known to you as:
http://www.internethobbies.com
So I can go to either if I order online and have problems and complain LOUDLY {LOL}.
I try to support the LHS closest to me, but they don't have the selection I want or at a price I'm willing to pay. I once asked them if they could match wholesaletrains.com's price AND the shipping cost plus a mere 10% as the lowest they would take for a product, and they said no...so they lost the sale to wholesaletrains.com!
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Kitchen Measures

 

[lmackattack]

Its a tuff call.I bought a new BLI loco from my LHS for $230. loved it so much I wanted a 2nd one. I searched online and found the same one on ebay, new in box for $150. Learned my lesson. Now if the LHS had one listed for say $170 I would have bought it from him even tho it was a litte more than online. Shipping adds about $5-10 over and the extra $10 knowing that you can have it now and support the LHS are a bonus. After buying that new loco at MSRP I cheanged my trend into buying used Locos and undec rolling stock. Many times I can find these for dirt cheep on Ebay or other online sites. I then buy decoders,paint,decals etc.. from my LHS. This way I can get cheep locos and still support the LHS. In the end I spend more at my LHS than online. just last week I spent around $100 at the LHS for decoders and paint supplies and $30 on line for 4 Athearn BB freight cars.

 

[Motley]

I try to support my LHS as much as I can. But the thing that really kills you is the TAX. Oh the tax....

So I've been trying to split up purchases online and at the LHS. I certainly don't want them to go out of business, that would not be cool. Another reason to shop at the LHS, is you get the stuff in your hands, I can't stand waiting for the UPS guy to arrive with my new toys. And if you have problems with something, it's alot easier to return it the the LHS than hassles shipping back and forth when purchasing online.

 

[Rub]

I rarely buy anything over $5.00 from the LHS. Don't get me wrong, He is a great guy but, money is a HUGE factor. I do 95% of my shopping online. 4% at shows and the last 1% at the LHS.

IMO it would be a waste of time to try and hagle on prices at the LHS.

I look at it like this: Would you try to hagle prices at your local supermarket?

 

[OnTheRightTrack]

Good point about the supermarket but having worked in Retail most of my adult life I would say the supermarket is not expecting to make 100% on everything they sell.

 

[Littlefoot14]

Galaxy- Where about in NY are you? Im from the Lake George region and there is zilch for hobby shops around here. Unless you like RC, ohhh the abundance of RC


OTRT- I would set a buffer-zone when it comes to purchases. If its under a $20 difference, id say go for the hobby shop. If its between $25 and 40 difference, i guess think about it. Anything over that id probably buy online. Definetly try and support your local hobby shop as much as you can though. When considering a purchase, remember that whenever your buy online, you wont be getting nearly the same level of service. Maybe if you showed the hobby shop a price from a regular name (not clearance/blowout website) distibutor, they might match it or come closer?

 

[RexHea]

I figure we get gouged enough by the manufacturers and distributors and don't need another inflated mark-up by an LHS. I would only have 2/3d the layout if I had bought exclusively from an LHS. For me, shipping cost vs. local tax is even on a $100 order.
That said: if your LHS owner is knowledgeable, helpful, and offers a 15-20% discount, then he should be considered for some of your needs...unfortunately, that's not my case.

 

[galaxy]

Galaxy- Where about in NY are you? Im from the Lake George region and there is zilch for hobby shops around here. Unless you like RC, ohhh the abundance of RC


?

I am in the Binghamton area. There is one not 5 mins. from my house.

Wholesaletrains.com is in the Elmira/Corning area {Horseheads} and the other is N of the Scranton PA Area.
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FISTING VIDS

 

[Coy]

I have a few shops in my area, one sells everything at manufacturer MSRP, one sells for about 10% over Manufacturer MSRP, and one sells for about 25-30% under MSRP.

The one that sells so cheap has a limited stock, and only carries a few brands (BLI, Atlas, MTH, Intermountain,Kato, IHC, Bachman, Soundtraxx, etc.) but I always give him my business if it's something he has that I need, because it is cheaper than any place I have ever found on the internet, even with tax.

 

[julienjj]

I have 3 shop nearby, one that is a giant warehouse, so he almost never get specials items. He has a lot of building and structure for reasonnable price. until recently he was mostly selling MSRP but now lost of sales to the internet (we have 14%taxes, so that cover shipping)has forced him to lower is price to what you see around the web (minus ebay)ex.:a RTR dash-9 is now about 88$. Sad thing he almost only stock CN and CP locomotive. So no UP . Atleast he have everything in the rolling stock at decent price.

Other one has price on msrp or slighly under, but hes flexible, so its not impossible to buy 5-6 switch and get one free

Last one is msrp, but hes handy to get parts for many loco

 

[TMLW]

I buy most of my trains online because the prices are a lot better. Most of the time though I will buy paint and detail parts through the LHS. Most of the decals I use I order them directly through Microscale because I will have them in a few days. The LHS usually takes about 3 weeks to get them in.

 

[Lester Perry]

Michael & Rex, Sales tax? What is that?

 

[tankist]

It IS a dilemma.
...

No its not a dilemma - its a no brainier. there is competition going and you vote with your wallet. if you could get item from seller A, why on earth would you get it from seller B who is more expencive (well, unless for some reason yo want the item today). it is not up to you to keep someones failing business afloat, its up to store owner to come up and implement a successful business plan to make profit.

the only thing i get in LHS is paint and model kits.

 

[ST214]

I get a lot of my cars from my LHS, but not so much powerwise. I do get a 20% discount, so on cars shipping evens out the on-line savings, but on power, the discount on-line is much more as the dollar value is more, so that's usually where i go.

 

[diburning]

The reason why most brick and mortar hobby shops can't beat online pricing is because they have to pay their lease on the store, income taxes, etc. With an online store, they can stash all the stuff in their basement, and sell at a steeper discount, while some, not all, cheat on their taxes as well.

 

[tankist]

what prevents brick and mortar LHS owner to also sell online? even if its only an ebay store. and e-tailer also has to pay lease on his warehouse. if brick and mortar LHS owner chooses to not sell online whos problem is that?
i am not into this hobby to support anyone's business, best price gets my vote, viva la competition!

 

[diburning]

Well, some do both. However, whether they sell online or not, they still have to pay the lease.

Not all online e-tailers have warehouses. Like I said before, some just stash it all in their basement (If I had the capital to open an online store and stash it all in my basement, believe me, I would too )