Is it just me or....

[Aftrshck]

Every Hobby shop I enter...the majority of the folks have an attitude of arrogance and very little assistance...It is quite frustrating coming from a person trying to get into the industry, yet every time I walk in I get so frustrated that I throw my arms in the air...the only saving grace at this point is coming in here to get questions answered...yet sometimes I am afraid to ask, just from the history from other sites.

I am not complaining about the folks here at all...I am just complaining because I went to 4 different hobby stores today (Sunday) and one guy was nice but appeared very new.

I work in customer service (retail sales) and I even know that our store is not like that at all, we strive to be nice and try to answer questions, yet I do not get that feeling when I walk into a hobby store...

sorry...thats my rant....

 

[rossb]

You gotta go in knowing exactly what you want and how much you are willing to pay. Do your research.

 

[Aftrshck]

they are supposed to be there to help and assist...not just punch in a price in the cash register....I mean sheeesh...sometimes you go in looking to them for ideas and suggestions....if i wanted someone to run a cash register...then wouldnt I just goto walmart???

 

[jetmechG550]

That's the case at most LHS. There are very few I have ever been to where the pimple face dork behind the counter didn't think they were God's gift to RC. It's rare for me to go into any LHS unless it's for something stupid. I place my orders usually on sunday night or monday and have what I need by thursday the latest. If I'm in one and I hear them giving out bad info, I put an end to it.

 

[RevoME]

I avoid the stores, takes care of fake smiles, and is generally cheaper.
Online, if I can find an answer here I'll buy based on that, if not and I feel not confident about it enough I just wont buy it.

Our hobbystore is the very same way, and I buy just my consumables (fuel, plugs, filters, tires) there. This is generally limited to a walkin buy and then stop on the way out to look @ stuff. Since they do not have the skills to sell I'll go and buy what I just looked at online.

 

[Aftrshck]

well, I am getting to that point...I am just trying to learn a bit more about the tuning and it would be nice to have someone around here locally that could give just a little nudge to assure me its all good kinda thing....I dunno...I guess after 4 stores, I got irritated....and what is worse...it isnt the pimple faced dork...it was the older guys!!!!! MY age guys.....no one shares information!!! oh well...guess its how it goes....

 

[nitroghost]

I know how you feel I had a hobby shop owner tell me three weeks after I got a t-maxx from him that it was normal for a t-maxx to over heat after 1/4 of a tank.

The way I learned was to go to the shop and ask where every one is running. Or gust hang around and talk to people in the shop who is buying things for there trucks. Most people are happy to help the new person in the hobby. I try to help all I can.

 

[Aftrshck]

well, I am glad I am not alone in this feeling...oh well...just wish there were people that were there when I was there...hehehe...

 

[HeartBreak]

Just like Jet says, it's most shops that are that way anymore. Since the advent of "RC Pro Series", it's really gotten bad. You get the people behind the counter that cater to racers only. Oh, and heaven forbid you mention anything except a car, or even mention mail order.

I've often said that Hobby shops are like the fictional restaurant in Spongebob Squarepants. You have a manager, who spends all their time in the office. One employee that busts arse to make the customer happy... Then you've got the slouch that's there just to warm a bar stool.

As you can tell, I used to work in a local hobby shop. I took care of the track, the scoring equipment, handled repairs, and did sales on top of that. I handled everything except ordering; and to a point, I was doing that too. I would take down orders and the manager would review and then place them. What I didn't know, I would ask someone who did know (for example, the aircraft guys; I actually spent time at the local fields just watching and learning), so I could help the next person.

I also used to hold down a pretty full race schedule; thursday nights (nitro), friday nights (electric), and sundays (both).

That's the key to keeping the hobby going; helping. Give help, get help; it's that simple.

It really chaps me something fierce when I visit a hobby shop and experience what you went through. Anymore, I go online for parts, and buy only fuel locally. I don't run often enough to warrant buying a case; but I would if I did. The $4 for shipping from Tower is cheaper than the $8 in gas (Dodge Durango) it takes to get to the nearest LHS; then you have sales tax *spit* on top of that. And the mark-up.

Instead, I oft-times come here, hit the search button and find out what I need (If the manual doesn't have the information I need), then off to Tower or Ebay I go.

 

[Aftrshck]

Yea, I am ordering the shock parts I broke tonight from tower...do any of you guys have a membership there?? is it worth it???

 

[nitroghost]

The member ship is not really worth it you will save on shipping if you spend 100$ or more. I don't know about you but I am not spending that much all the time. There shipping is slow as can be. and some of there scratch and dent stuff is for members only but with eBay who needs it.

 

[Aftrshck]

is there a better place to make purchases from????

 

[nitroghost]

compare the prices with horizon hobby and tower hobby. Also check eBay but beware of shipping prices on eBay.

 

[HeartBreak]

I had a membership with Tower way back in the day. Granted, there are some perks, but not nearly enough to justify the cost.

Since I live fairly close to the Reno NV facility, an item ordered friday morning gets here monday, and that's using the el-cheapo Parcel Post... Priority actually costs more and takes longer. The only time it comes in handy is if the item is coming out of the Champaign Ill facility.

 

[jetmechG550]

A Main, B Main and Carolina's RC are the three I order from most. One of our club members is a fuel dealer and I get fuel from him, I usually get two-three cases at a time. Heartbreak, not sure what you mean about RC Pro Series. The Pro is often confused for meaning Professional when in fact it's Promotional. I run RCPS Nitro Offroad and it's definitely been a good thing for RC racing. ROAR is a complete joke unless you run on-road. The LHS, do nothing around here for racers though, it's all about the noob coming in and then selling them every stupid thing they don't need or if they know what they need or want swaying them into something else. I will say this, there's a couple of tracks that have a hobby shop and those are the one's I will support as the guys they have working in there aren't the typical pimple faced puke.

 

[nitroghost]

I live in Cary North Carolina and it takes about a week and a half to get anything from tower.

 

[olds97_lss]

www.stormerhobbies.com is a pretty good place to buy from as well. Their prices for things I typically buy are cheaper there than at tower or horizon. Not a lot cheaper, but if I spend $50 or more, I typically save $10-$20 over tower. It all adds up. Horizon for some reason always seems to be the most expensive.

As for your LHS issues, I completely understand. I've been to 6 or 7 hobby stores in my area (within an hour drive or more) and I only have 3 guys out of the 7 stores that I'll even talk to, two of which are in the same store. I try to take my business to both whenever possible and rarely do I go to any others. Two out of the three guys run the stores or at least are the managers.

There's a staff member at one of the two stores that is known as the "mouth breather"... Probably about 40-45, pot bellied, mullet, cross earing in his ear, sounds like darth vader. I've watched him hand out some of the worst advice I've heard, so much so that I cornered the guys a few times he was "servicing" and asked them a few questions, then pointed them in the right direction. I've gone so far as to help guys out when the store is busy, just to get them some kind of help.

I don't get it either, but with LHS's, your typically very limited and have almost no choice but to go to one that stinks just to get the consumables.

 

[Aftrshck]

Yea, I am in a bind and need a few parts by wed...thursday at the latest, cuz we are going out of town....and spending 14 bucks in 2 day shipping for parts that fit in an oversized envelope is a drag....

 

[HeartBreak]

A Main, B Main and Carolina's RC are the three I order from most. One of our club members is a fuel dealer and I get fuel from him, I usually get two-three cases at a time. Heartbreak, not sure what you mean about RC Pro Series. The Pro is often confused for meaning Professional when in fact it's Promotional. I run RCPS Nitro Offroad and it's definitely been a good thing for RC racing. ROAR is a complete joke unless you run on-road. The LHS, do nothing around here for racers though, it's all about the noob coming in and then selling them every stupid thing they don't need or if they know what they need or want swaying them into something else. I will say this, there's a couple of tracks that have a hobby shop and those are the one's I will support as the guys they have working in there aren't the typical pimple faced puke.

I was basically referring to the effect it has on the club racers' ego in this area. It pretty much made all the club racers here think they're "elite". Which, in some sense they are. There's a core group of about 10-12 people at any given time, with maybe one or two people that come and go. I can't tell you how many people have shown up at their track (back when I used to attend, before I opened my eyes) and quit the hobby the next day.

In my opinion tho, it's (RCPro) a good thing because it exposes the hobby to a much wider base of potential hobbiests. But, it also brings in people with faaaaar too much enthusiasm (watch the movie Kicking-and-screaming sometime, you'll understand what I mean). The kind of people that winning is the only option.

A guy I used to race with, and considered a pretty good friend, once put it this way: "this is a hobby about toy cars. TOY. CARS."

There are the exceptions to the rule tho. There is one hobby shop here in the area that I do go to from time to time, where I get my fuel. Not only is it closer, but the staff actually does know what they're doing. It's family-run. The dad covers the aircraft and boats, the kid covers the cars, and the mom covers all the artsy-craftsy-foo-foo stuff.

Now, as for A-Main hobbies, I used to know the owner/founder of that site... I personally won't do business with him, but to each their own, ya know?

 

[Aftrshck]

thanks guys....I totally appreciate all the help you all are giving me....keep it coming....it looks like stormer hobbies is cheaper....but not sure about the shipping part of it yet....all I know is I need a slew of parts by Thursday....preferably wednesday....