Another Model Shop lost

"Roger T." wrote

Me too, although I've only used them since W98SE, and without any problems too despite dire warnings to the contrary. Having said that I do update Windows regularly, run a quality firewall and AV software, which gets updated on a daily basis.

John.

I can't remember when I last used my killfile for *any* posters to this ng, and I went back over a couple of day's postings from "Jerry" before I binned him, just to be sure I wasn't being unreasonable.

However, finding nothing but confrontational opinionated buffoonery from the pathetic fool, I concluded he must use this newsgroup only for stress relief and decided to no longer be a witness to his self-administered therapy.

stress relief

therapy.

Stop talking about yourself ! What you don't like is that there is another opinion other than your own, it is you who is posting confrontational opinionated buffoonery. You don't like someone else showing your to be the ignorant moron you so plainly are.

... as should anyone who is switched on - no matter what platform they prefer. Surprising the number that don't

My above experience was not an isolated one.

A few years ago I made a momentous (for me anyway) decision to sell my modern stock, and concentrate on the late 50s/60s. So, because of an advert in a model mag suggesting that part-exchange was welcomed at a shop not too far away from my route between home and temporary work site, I took 3 locos in boxes to the shop and asked how much I could expect for them in p/e for new stock I wanted to buy. The guy in the shop took all three boxes, put two on the counter and ignored them, but took the third out of its box, put it on the test track and ran it backwards and forwards a few times. I had no idea of their value but I began to suspect that I might have a rare item.

The shop owner then polished his customer charm technique - "how much do you want for them?" This took me a bit by surprise because I thought the idea was for him to tell me how much he was prepared to pay me. So I said that I had no idea of what they were worth, (my initial idea of what they might be worth had been affected by his total indifference to two items and his careful inspection of the third).

After about 5 minutes of a stalemate conversation consisting of him asking me how much I thought they were worth, and me replying that I had no idea, he suddenly said he would give me =A31. I made as if to put the boxes back in the bag, when he told me that I must have some idea of how much they were worth as I obviously thought =A31 was too low. I would have liked to exit the shop as quickly as possible, but the third loco was still on the test track out of my reach, so I thought of a round figure and said "you can have them for =A3100". His reply was "now you are just being stupid". Oh, right, so it was me who was being stupid, but then he offered me a price somewhere in the middle, which seemed not too bad so I accepted, paid the excess on the locos I wanted and legged it before he changed his mind or tried to humiliate me some more.

Needless to say, I have not been back there again, and never will, even if the shop was giving stuff away.

Ultimately, no. But if you're prepared to send stuff back, a photo will do (and you don't tend to get that luxury with books, only a formalised description in most cases). I'd rather a choice of items I can look at remotely than travel miles on the off-chance, or be pressurised into buying by phoning up.

Mark.

he suddenly said he would give me £1. I made as if to put the boxes back in the bag, when he told me that I must have some idea of how much they were worth as I obviously thought £1 was too low. I would have liked to exit the shop as quickly as possible, but the third loco was still on the test track out of my reach, so I thought of a round figure and said "you can have them for £100".

Out of interest, do you remember what the locos were? Maybe we can answer why he was so keen?

Andy

I think they were a 56, 60 and 31. The 31 was in r/f coal livery, and I think the 60 was as well, but I cant remember the colour of the 56.

"But what you describe above is not your local model shop, as you say you were visiting the area, you didn't know which days they were open and you obviously had not formed any sort of 'customer relationship' with the owner / staff."

Problem is they don't know I'm only passing through, I might have been new to the area checking out my local shop, theres no oppurtunity to build up a customer/retailer relationship.

I don;t think all shops are like this, I've no doubt been unlucky, it's just that the image of the "friendly local shop" isn't always true, and sometimes the impersonal distance of the internet, which allows hassle free browsing, can be more user friendly than some local shops. Hopefully this will sort the wheat from the chaff, and the shops that deserve to continue inbusiness will thrive.

wrote

Did you find that a problem? I can't see why you think looking through said box would be any more difficult that the proprietor doing it for you.

John.

Perhaps the proprietor should have his small parts better organised.

Maybe it's not the proprietor who is responsible for the packs getting all higgledy-piggledy. Customers are lazy people, who tend to pull out packs to look at them, then put them back, but "where did it come from? I don't know, I've got no time to work it out, I'll just put it here."

There's also the browse effect. You might find something else to buy, thereby giving the proprietor an extra sale he wouldn't have had.

The message from "John Turner" contains these words:

My line is "Why not just pass me the box - you don't know what else I might come across that I didn't know I needed..." That way the proprietor can get on with serving the other customer(s) or holding court with his mates.