Supporting your LHS is a good thing

[HPIguy]

While I'm all for supporting your local LHS, it really comes down to whay you said in the first post. The economy is crap, which means it's crap for me as well. My nearest hobby shop is over an hour away, one way driving distance. And he's a small shop too, great guy though, we've been friends for years. So I have to factor in cost of driving there, plus my time into the purchase. If it's only a few dollars more, I'll go support him.....but sometimes it's a big difference in price and when added to the travel cost it's just easier to order online and have it dropped off at my front door........and cheaper to boot.

 

[charliejp]

I would like nothing more than to be able to walk in to my LHS and get the service I need. It just doesn't happen. When I lived in Tulsa, I bought everything from my local guys and they were great as long as I kept everything stock and didn't even mention upgrades to them. I still go by and visit when I'm in town but they know nothing about my old MT2 or my Savage. It's just an argument I don't want to have anymore. Actually my whole great states opinion is that the Traxxas line is 2nd to none and that's how they stock their stores.
Here in Okie City, the LHS is a good 45 minutes away with some of the nicest people. They are also big Traxxas fans though. Everytime I go in there, I buy buy buy when all I went for was a gallon of fuel. I just like hanging out and talking with the old guy that owns the place. I wish I lived closer because I'd be in there every day.

 

[Lessen]

The biggest reason I don't purchase more from the LHS's around me is that they just don't carry the stuff I want. I tend to sell myself on stuff that is not so mainstream. For instance my TTR buggy. Nobody around here carries TTR parts. If I need something for my Lazer I'm in the same boat. Then it seems like everytime I need something they generally do carry, they don't have the specific piece I need even though they may carry the line of parts I'm looking for. For instance I just bought RRP steel first and second gears for my TMaxx. I was at one of my LHS's that does carry RRP stuff but they did not have those particular parts.

In that instance I asked to browse a box of parts, so they got the box out and let me look through it. If they don't have enough sense to ask me what I'm looking for when I tell them I'm finished and I don't pick anything out then I don't feel bad about going elseware.

 

[digger]

I'm all for supporting a LHS, but they have to be willing to help me.

Had one here several years ago that had rc stuff. It was open on Tuesday and Thursday. Bought a small bottle of CA there once. About twice the price it cost me on-line. Had to have it though.

Got one that has been open for several years. This guy acts like he is doing you a favor to sell you something. Fuel was $10 more on the gallon. I got him to order something for me once... Truck delivers every week he tells me. After 3 weeks I ordered it on-line. Took about 4 days to get here.

Another one opened up last year. Just open Thurs. Fri. Sat. and Sun. That's cool, maybe it will turn into something? Talked to him for 45 minutes one day. Bought a Blade there and haven't been able to catch him open since. He's still there but I won't go back.

Got another that is supposed to be open evenings. Tells me to call him if I need anything, he will open up. That didn't work out either.


Consider yourself lucky if ya have a LHS that deserves to be supported.
I have 2 that are an hour away. Both of them are great. Honestly though, I won't drive that far for most of my stuff.

 

[Lessen]

Wow, that is really pathetic. unfortunately, going to mosy hobby shops is the same as going to the grocery store... except the grocery store almost never runs out of butter.

 

[Amoeba]

I find it really interesting hearing about the time it takes to get items ordered in. And by interesting I mean unfathomable. My LHS places their orders on Sundays, shipments arrive by Thursday. Every time. And if a vendor is back-ordered or the delivery is delayed the LHS calls the person who placed the order and lets them know, as well as providing an ETA if they have one. This process was explained to me by their newbie employee the first time I ever ordered something not in stock.

In fact, that might be a really good test for LHS quality. Ask them when they place orders and when shipments are received. If it's not on a regular schedule or they don't know, you might just have to treat the LHS as a "cash-n-carry" and anything not in stock gets ordered elsewhere. If particular models or vendor parts are important, ask them who they have vendor accounts with too.