Another Model Shop lost

[ you said ] My nearest local model shop is selling Bachmann Standard 5MTs for £79.95 each (and it is the best part of 10 miles away). A quick glance through a few well known mail order web pages shows the same locos on sale for between £55 and £62. Even if I discount the cost of a 20 mile return trip and add postage onto the cheaper item, and I buy 8-10 locos per year (not unusual for me) I am going to spend £150 more at the local shop. I dont see how you can carp at people like me for thinking we are being clever, without admitting that anyone who buys the more expensive version is being stupid. [...//...]

Depends on how much you value having a local model shop I suppose, even if it is a 20 mile round trip, you'll be the first to complain though when you can't get in the car and dash to the shop for that vital part (or what ever) you need at 4:30 on the Saturday before a Bank holiday.

It also depends on things like whether you get to try out a new engine on the shop's test track before buying it. Which you can't do with mail order. My local shop would check every locomotive in front of the customer buying it, and sometimes even lube it. That is part of the service you are paying for. I'd rather have that service, and I want those shops to stay in business.

Well my friendly model shop is open to negotiation on prices and usually works out a little more than mail order and postage. So I try to use them for big purchases as well and get the specialist things that he does not stock at model railway exhibitions or on line.

Chris

And having shops in expensive locations like the meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield.

Chris

No, I wont complain at all.

Yes, that is the real benefit of the net and online 'shops', being able to source stuff that no local shop would ever find economic to stock or products that can only be obtained from another country.

But your average punter who expects a cut-throat price yet expects the trader to stay in business won't have the services of an accountant to advise him/her, nor, I expect, would they bother to listen to an accountant in any case. We live in an age when politicians and journalists seem to be incapable of looking farther than the ends of their noses, and that attitude tends to rub off on readers and listeners. And I expect we are going to get many examples of it over the next four weeks. :-)

Jim.

Yes of course that has occurred to me - in fact it is unusual for them as they usually charge full retail price for most items. Perhaps they think better to sell some product at smaller margins than none at all at full margin. You cannot bank percentages.

The Internet will kill off many niche retail sectors, model railways won't be the only casualty, and as far as I can see there is nothing to stop it happening. This will be a great shame as I would rather pay a little extra and see the product in the flesh, perhaps get a little advice and most importantly if there is a problem the solution involves a short journey and immediate rectification, not a long drawn out hassle.

"Gary Carter" wrote

Sadly full RRP is not a reality for most model retailers; we all have to compete on price to some extent with all of the big mail order boys. We discount our shelf prices to the point when we're able to compete when postage and other hassle is taken into account, but we also aim to offer a much higher quality of service to our customers by testing models, doing routine asjustements on new items and the like.

There are a fair few people around who whilst unwilling to pay full whack, are willing to pay a bit for for a quality personal service.

Oh yes there is - it's all about using the internet to provide something that the faceless mail order houses don't offer. My business has thrived over the past three or four years as a result of additional business picked up from the net - and not because we give stock away or because we've got a flash website.

John.

Well I am pleased that it is working for you, Shrewsbury Models is my local shop and I will be very sad if this story turns out to be true. I do buy quite a bit of stuff from them and they are very helpful.

Gary

Dear Crazy Horse,

If you need the address of a proper news server which is completely free and doesn't require any registration I can give you one.

(kim)

journey and

Interesting, I've travelled a lot for business over the years and this nomadic lifestyle has lead me to seek out near by model shops and make the odd purchase. On my experiences I've never found a shop that offers friendly advice (or even a friendly atmosphere), most want my card/cash item in the bag and me out of the door so they can chat to their collegue or make a cup of tea or disappear into the back (after an exhausting session of staring at me wander round the shop). I've moved towards buying online as I've found tradional model shops to have an almost intimidating feel to them (and this is regardless of the ammount I've spent).

My local shop (which has been mentioned here) adds to this by having a fairly small shop area with very little stock on display, so browsing is impossible, you tend to go and buy what you have in mind and make very few impulse purchases, plus it's location is close but not easy to get to, especially in summer and autumn where the combination of tourists, agricultural traffic and narrow lanes make it a complete nightmare.

Why, what's happening over the next four weeks?

(kim)

Are you doing a bit of trolling, Kim? :-)

Jim.

Well? Did your screen run out of ink?

I'd like to recommend RD Models in Cambridge.

Good stock, reasonable prices, and always prepared to offer advice and suggestions.

Cheap parking is nearby.

I have no connection with them apart from being a very satisfied customer.

completely free

All the info has been supplied and it's all availably to read if you wish - obviously you don't know how to read / understand message headers !...

Although I wouldn't suggest Kim's news server as it limits the number of messages each user can send in each 24hr period.

"Brian Watson" wrote

I love to hear postings like that - it just continues to give hope that there is a future for small shops.

John.

He may not have wanted the information. For those that do the address is news.aioe.org Just paste it into Outlook Exprees as the name of your news server.

(kim)