Just a little gripe here - Thursday I went into my local model shop and bought a new soldering iron and stand (seperate items). The stand cost £8, the iron a couple of pence short of £20. On Friday I went into our local B&Q (about 1/2 mile from the model shop) and they had an IDENTICAL stand for £3.97. I didn't dare look at the soldering irons. Now while I'd like to support the local model shop, at their sort of prices, I think I shall call in there a lot less. Shame really.
I would very much like to support local shops however... recently I needed a 00 Daimler bus in Coventry Transport colours. The main Cogi dealer in town had London and Blackpool buses in the window but nothing representing Coventry. Of course he could 'order it for me special' but that would have cost extra and taken more time so I bought it mail order from Hattons in Liverpool instead. Excellent service and much cheaper than any local dealer was asking.
There are no Bachmann dealers with a CV1 postcode. There is a very good one at an out of town garden supplier for those with transport. There is only only model shop within walking distance of me which stocks Hornby. They are stored out-of-sight in an upstairs annexe and only a sign on the front of the shop gives any clue they are there. They used to stock Lima as well but I assume they no longer do? 90% of the shop's turnover is radio control cars and model railways are just a profitable sideline.
In sunny Manchester we have several model shops, three I use are the Model Shop in town, Waltons in Altrincham and SRA models in Stockport, each having their strengths and weaknesses. I always make a point of pressing my nose up against the window when passing and try and distribute my purchases across the three. If nothing else I always have a good natter with the staff, being Merchant Navy joining a club was never an option for me. I am currently working as a carer for a bit, so finances are very tight, but I buy most of my stuff from the shops rather than mail order (when well paid I used more mail order but I enjoy the chats)
???? Why should it cost more? You give him a certain sale, and he wants to charge extra for that? Weird.
I give a "firm order discount" to reflect the savings on instant turnover. At least 10% below my "shelf price." Least you can do for a customer who's willing to wait. :-)
It is common practice for UK retailers (of all kinds) to discount items in stock in order to shift them more rapidly and to charge more for special orders as they entail more work. My gripe in this case was that a local dealer refuses to stock items of local interest so I was forced to order from further afield.
It may have done, its been a few months since I was in Stockport. Pity if it has, it was worth a visit just to watch him building those Gauge O kits on the workbench behind the counter. He was a lot better with a soldering iron than I am, he even did a couple of 2mm scale brass kits for me (rare so I didnt want to risk making a mess of them).
"Extra work"????? Who's he kidding? All he has to do is add it to his regular order. That's what I do, anyhow. (My regular orders do tend to be made at irregular intervals, though. :-)) It costs no more to do up a "special order" as to do up a regular one.
Somebody is having somebody on, and not at all nicely, either.
And he refuses to stock suff of local interest? What kind of business plan is that?
Regretably, it is the kind of business which can afford to pay high city centre rents thus forcing the specialist model dealers (of which Coventry has many) to the outskirts of the city where they attract very little passing trade.
local model shop because the quality and service is second to none, much more than the box shifters. Most important when it goes wrong. However, you can do some good deals with small retailers if you try hard enough. With the solder stand it is caveat emptor, no one forced you to buy it. Next time look around before you buy and haggle with the small shop, because the big outlets will probably throw you out of their premises! Even though it is quite legal to bargain. Model shops are horses for courses, unless they trade in addition electronic components you can only expect a limited range of these items. B & Q might be good for DIY but even here you are limited in soldering irons suitable for model railways. I went to Maplins and bought a temperature controlled iron for under £30. Much the better tool for soldering DCC decoders. Steve
Yes, he always seemed to be building some impressive model when I visited as well! There is another business in the shop now, so unless he has just moved, he must have closed down. :(
I recently went to a local model railway exhibition and (amongst other things)hoped to come away with a Std Class 5. A local retailer had a stall there with the loco I wanted at £92.00. A certain large shop in Liverpool has it on sale for £59.00. I'd love to support my local model shop but I'm afraid I'm not paying £33.00 for the priviledge! Also it all depends what you want from a model shop. I model in EM (whoppee for me!) so the stuff I want is rarely stocked by model shops. Thats why I shop online at 2 or 3 outlets that stock what I want.
if you were happy with your purchases then, why not now? Did you feel ripped at the time?
You see, we all fall foul of the same thing... I love the "high street" feel & appeal, but I shop at tesco for the weeklies - including milk, which I could have delivered to my door for "a-penny-a-pint" extra... but I don't. Why? Cost. I bet you'll shop around for your next soldering iron.
No-one likes to spend more than they have to, but that model shop might sell
10 of those irons in a busy week. B&Q sell thousands up and down the country so they can afford to make just a few quid on each one. I used to have a retail outlet and that was effectively a high-street affair... we were suffocated by rent and council taxes... at the time I closed it, our profit margin across the board was 15.2% which on a weekly turnover of £2000 just doesn't cut it... "Argos have got that cheaper" was an all too common phrase I heard mumbled by empty-handed shoppers as they left.
you can't have your cake and eat it with shops. You get a personal service & backup with a price, or you go to Focus DIY and deal with vacant slack-jawed kids earning £4.30 an hour with no real interest in being helpful.
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