COMMERCIAL: Some help appreciated with possible business venture

Living in France and modelling UK I find myself almost living in eBay as very few dealers in the UK make enough effort to catalogue their goodies online. There are specialists with limited range, there are dozens of sellers of RTR but mention the word "Spares" or "Decals", "Name/number plates" and silence reigns.

Buying is not a problem for anyone as PayPal type systems, ordinary bank cards etc suffice for just about everything.

However, the Germans have some bizarre bank card habits which can leave you frustrated rather, and come to think of it the Austrians are similar. My old Lloyds card worked in the African wastes and the US back woods but would not buy petrol in France. My French card was unwelcome in Italy! You cannot use cheques (euro) freely between member states and the UK clings to its dark ages pound sterling and almost unique time zone.

In short dealing in Euro or sterling is really a myth and the plastic reigns supreme.

There is however definitely a market in Europe - even if it is only me!

Regards

Peter A Montarlot

"peter abraham" wrote

There are specialists with limited range, there are

I suppose it's a simple question Peter of retailers stocking what provides a return for both the space utilised and the cash investment necessary.

It used to be a relatively simple matter in the old days with Hornby where maybe 100 spares would vitually cover their entire product range, but after the acquisition of models from Dapol and the shift of manufacture to China the number of spares has probably increased more than ten-fold, and availability from the manufacturer is limited to a few months after the last production run of that particular model.

The same with name, numberplates and decals. The various ranges are just too vast for most small retailers to carry in any sort of depth. When all the small shops are gone due to competition from the mail order big boys, the situation will only get worse.

John.

Until recently you couldn't find Hornby stuff over here in The Netherlands for love nor money. At least I couldn't and I frequent things like Eurospoor and the train market in Houten and frequently wander around the big towns in the Randstad.

Curiously enough, a couple of years ago I started seeing Hornby stuff in what was then my local hobby shop in Utrecht. Indeed, the wagons were actually cheaper to buy there than in the UK! Equally curiously enough this change of heart seemed to coincide with Hornby's live steam product.

Recently I've seen more places stocking Hornby basics (few engines here, trucks there) and they all seem to have one thing in common: the live steam product. Looks like it's managed to create a presence here where previously there was none.

As to the original idea... if I had a job (and therefore readies) I'd be interested, especially when at the last show (couple of weeks ago in Rijswijk) there was only one stand selling BB motorised bogies and then at the stupid price of more than EUR 72. As it was I picked up what I suspect is a Lima motor bogie for EUR 10 to stick in the cheaply bought Lima coaches that I plan to butcher for an experiment (assuming I can mount it).

The original ideal may work but (a) the prices have to be reasonable and (b) I agree with what Peter said: plastic reigns.

-- Rod

I do appreciate the problem - especially the big guys who grab the Xmas trade and leave the problems for the full timers. That is not my beef! There is a long list of accredited repair / dealers for Hornby but an amazing number have no stocks.

We have the same problem here as traders of all shades refuse to keep stock and expect the customer to know exactly what they need and be prepared to pay in advance even if the result is anincorrect component. Most of the spares numbers are caché to the trade and not available to the end user. When I had my own business (electronic and pneumatic controls systems) there was every effort to shut out people like me even in the various trades involved.

Yes everyone must make their living but one of the ailments in Europe is to shed all support sytems and trained, skilled technicians in favour of fast buck, quick turnover using cheap unskilled sales people.

Gosh, that feels better.

Peter A

Montarlot

it).

Funnily enough, the same thing happened here in Atlanta USA. The local big hobbystore stocked live steam, and now has a small collection of Hornby / Bachman. Rob

The British are coming!

Cheers, Steve

The message from "Steve W" contains these words:

David Jackson wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk:

Technically don't we still have a claim on California ... natives, the real owners excepted of course?

The message from Chris Wilson contains these words:

Possibly. But would we _really_ want it?

David Jackson wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@zetnet.co.uk:

Oh good grief no!

I'd sell it off to the highest bidder.

Well, the Hawaiian State Flag still incorporates the Union Jack (Flag), a symbolic hangover from when we *did* sell the state off to the highest bidder, so there is a precedent!

Cheers, Steve

John Ruddy wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@eclipse.net.uk:

Well I need a Christmas present for Granny next year, I usually give bath salts ... do you think you could have it gift wrapped? :-)

"Chris Wilson" wrote

Have they fixed all the bits that broke in the last earthquake?

John.

But we've never owned Hawaii (or the Sandwich Islands as they used to be called). Originally they flew a version of the Red Ensign, because of the Kings friendship with a Naval Captain, and later it was changed, but still kept the Union Jack part.

The message from John Ruddy contains these words:

A management buy-out, perhaps?

Sorry for the late response. The idea (which is in it's very, very early stages) is to start with RTR in OO and N and then expand into other areas such as kits, spares and accessories if the market demands it. I agree that most payments will be done by credit card. As a modeller in Europe, wouldn't you find it more convenient to know *exactly* how many Euro you are about to spend, rather than having a rough idea and then finding out that it's a bit different when you get your credit card statement?

Del

Hawaii was never British. The Hawaiian king just liked the flag.

The message from Arthur Figgis contains these words:

Shown on