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Author Topic: The sad decline of the model shop  (Read 79387 times)

RAAArtyGunner

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #75 on: June 15, 2014, 09:44:14 pm »

Not splitting hairs subculture, I did say NE London, not Middlesex or Essex. When I was into control lines planes I was always in H J Nichols, I am not sure I want to travel for 25 minutes and then struggle to park, also the cost of parking is almost the same as the Post Office rip off charges.

There used to be a model shop in Chingford, I went there twice. I asked about some timber when I was building my Puffer, I might as well have been talking Russian to the boy. Second time I was after a charger I had seen on their website, they had the box but no charger and not sure when if ever they would get any more in. I wonder why it has shut?

A lot of companies on the internet do not have premises to visit, it is much cheaper for them to be a virtual shop. It is not much cheaper for the modeller though, as Post office rip off charges make it more financially viable to go to EBay and the far east suppliers, who a lot of the time do not charge postage. :o :o :o :o

It is included in the starting price, isn't it. {:-{ {:-{
 
Someone has to pay postage.  O0 O0 O0 O0
 
That's the same as buy one for ten pounds and get one free, no, they are five pounds each %% %% {-) {-)
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Gunna build those other boats one day.

Peter Fitness

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #76 on: June 15, 2014, 11:54:38 pm »

Here in Lismore we have 2 shops, 3 if you count Jaycar Electronics, which sell modelling items. 2 are basically toy shops with modelling departments, but their main focus is on cars, trains and aircraft, boating related items are scarce. Jaycar stock quite a good range of electronic equipment, some of which is useful for boats, plus they have a good stock of batteries of all kinds. As a result of all this, I do rely heavily on internet purchases, and have dealt successfully with a number of English companies.


Peter.
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raflaunches

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #77 on: June 16, 2014, 08:52:40 am »

In my local area (Wellingborough-Kettering-Corby) there used to be one or two model shops per town, now due to the bad times there are only 4-5 left in my entire area- Geoff Stubbs of Oundle, Toymaster in Rushden, The Loco Centre in Wellingborough, Models For Sale in Raunds (trader), and the one in Northampton. But these are mainly plastic modeller or railway shops, only Geoff Stubbs in Oundle usually has anything close to model boat stuff.


I support my local shops as much as possible- usually buying paints and plastic models for my other hobby but I've seen too many disappear recently. My favourite was T&R Models in Wellingborough but when the owners retired and sold the business the new owner didn't carry on with the big selling items such as railways and scalectrix so other smaller items like model boat stuff could be sold there too without too many problems. Unfortunately he went into plastic modelling too much and cut out the stuff that keeps a model shop going and he closed down 2 years ago.
The Loco Centre which has taken over the model shop scene in Wellingborough is getting better and better each time I go in there for stock but its going to take them a few years to build up enough stock and experience before they enter the model boat world.


I now usually buy model boat fittings and the alike from shows or visit Ron Dean in Peterborough which is always worth a laugh, and failing that I go to the dark side and buy online... for the moment...
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hopeitfloats

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #78 on: June 16, 2014, 12:26:50 pm »

you aussie guys have float-a-boat in melbourne. that has to be model boaters heaven. cant think of anything they haven't been able to supply me or at least something that will do.
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html

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #79 on: June 16, 2014, 07:35:55 pm »

Just an historic county now. Enfield is part of Greater London.

You are promoting this store, but obviously do not know where it is. North London or Middlesex it aint NE London
Hobbystores Enfield
 497 Hertford Road,
 Enfield,
 Middlesex
 EN3 5XH


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html

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #80 on: June 16, 2014, 07:43:42 pm »


It is included in the starting price, isn't it. {:-{ {:-{
 
Someone has to pay postage.  O0 O0 O0 O0
 
That's the same as buy one for ten pounds and get one free, no, they are five pounds each %% %% {-) {-)

Define postage
This sensor HC-SR04 Ultrasonic Range Finder Distance Measuring Module Sensor Arduino Pi Pic on average is £2.99 in the UK some with postage which will be £3.20 and some with out. I brought the same item from one of our far east cousins for £0.99p post free, explain to me why I should be ripped off by the Post Office. By the way I also brought the Arduino for £2.99 post free, average UK price is about £14.00, plus postage. It seems to me the only people making money out of our hobby is the Post Office
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radiojoe

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #81 on: June 16, 2014, 08:00:48 pm »

Yes I would agree with that, I wanted a LR11 battery, like an AA but half the length £7.99 in ASDA for a pack of two, I paid £2.99 post free for the same Duracell two pack, and got them in two days, a sign of the times maybe but as a pensioner it's a no brainer.
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derekwarner

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #82 on: June 16, 2014, 11:40:06 pm »

I suspect that air parcel postage originating in China with a Hong Kong tracking number is heavily subsidised by the ruling Government

A colleague was astounded at the rates that Australia Post [on website calculator]  quote for a one kilogram parcel to China, UK or USA...... >>:-(

I will find the e-mail & copy the costs..........Derek

oops....it was a 1.5 kg parcel................
•   International postage from Australia to other parts of the world is very expensive…here is a calculation link via Australia Post
•   1.5kg parcel from Australia to China with signature is approx $41 AUD
•   1.5kg parcel from Australia to England with signature is approx $84 AUD
•   1.5kg parcel from Australia to USA  with signature is approx $90 AUD
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hopeitfloats

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #83 on: June 17, 2014, 08:20:16 am »

same destinations but from nz and in AUD. 39 to china. 41 to UK and 44 to USA. someone is ripping you guys off.  didn't say if signature was required.
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Dave Cook

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #84 on: June 17, 2014, 09:01:13 am »

I live in the Preston area and again there are very few model shops around , my nearest one is Scale Hobbies in Skelmersdale, 22 miles away but i prefer to travel to the shop , we have a good chat and Steves knowledge of model boats as been a great help to me , The number of times i have gone to buy something i thought was right for the job only to find he comes up with something better and some times cheaper . You just don,t get this service on line and when you go to the shows the stands are often to busy to ask advise . LONG LIVE THE MODEL SHOP.
 :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-))
 
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HUNTER

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #85 on: June 17, 2014, 09:13:05 am »

Mr H,
What about that blooming good, old guy in Hampden Park who has an internet shop and does shows, birthday parties and bar mitzvas and has been doing it for 28 years! {-)
As for postage, please don't kick the internet sellers. Here is an example of the Post Office way of charging. I have an order for a delicate item that is 25 mm thick and weighs just 30 grms but only costs say £4.99. At 25mm it will fit the Large Letter profile of 76p BUT if you wrap it in one layer of bubble wrap for protection, you go over the 25mm to 40mm - this now puts you into the SMALL PARCEL profile which jumps to a whopping £2.90 OR £4 for Recorded OR a massive £6.15 for Special Delivery. These prices are for Franked mail which is cheaper than stamps.
WHO IS RIPPING WHO OFF!!!!!!!!!!
Needless to say most of our orders have to go out in this profile. >:-o . The Post Office know what they are doing. Screwing the business man and the customers.

We used to have three model shops in Eastbourne...then two...then one...now all we have a toy shop selling mainly RTR stuff.


Bob's Models was a personal favourite..always full of people chatting, whatever you wanted was normally on the shelf, if not Bob would do his utmost to get it within a day, and even phone you up to say your item had arrived (if the wife answered the phone he would always claim to have forgotten the price...). The kettle was always on, you even had your own mug, and there was a selection of stools to park your rear end on.


His wife was as knowledgeable as he was, a real gem she was.  A cracking shop, but rent increases (I think) forced him out of business...such a shame.


Rich
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HUNTER

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #86 on: June 17, 2014, 09:26:20 am »

Sorry to jump in here but my business is on the Internet and at shows. As for service on line , I spend half of time on the phone talking to people, giving advice from my 58 years experience and even telling them where to get items which may be more appropriate to them. At the shows when you are busy you ask the guy who wants advice to come back in 5 minutes when you can talk to him. So please do not classify all Internet/show sellers as the same. I can assure you we are not.
 As a matter of interest we and a few other manufactures who felt that it was important to be honest and helpful to our customers formed an association back in the years gone bye, it is called the MMMA which stands for Marine Models Manufacturing Association. This association is made up of all of the Major well known Companies.
Best Regards
Hunter
I live in the Preston area and again there are very few model shops around , my nearest one is Scale Hobbies in Skelmersdale, 22 miles away but i prefer to travel to the shop , we have a good chat and Steves knowledge of model boats as been a great help to me , The number of times i have gone to buy something i thought was right for the job only to find he comes up with something better and some times cheaper . You just don,t get this service on line and when you go to the shows the stands are often to busy to ask advise . LONG LIVE THE MODEL SHOP.
 :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-))
 
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radiojoe

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #87 on: June 17, 2014, 02:51:21 pm »

I really have to support internet shopping, without it I could not do the hobby of boat building, when you consider the number of items that is needed, working models in particular, and 30 minutes on the computer usually has all or most of the components on there way to you, and I have to say most of the companies I deal with cannot be faulted, most show when an item is out of stock and give some indication of when it will be in stock, but if one supplier is out of an item you can usually find it with another, yes postage is the down side, but is usually offset by the fuel getting to a model shop in another town, and like as not you come home empty handed anyway,
I've heard some say you cannot expect shops to stock every item that you might want, but that is exactly what I expect, if a customer is visiting a shop, any shop, they should reasonably expect that shop to stock whatever that shop would normally sell, hence the saying "my stock and trade" , no stock = no trade, I used to love the old model shops but alas when I do visit one, maybe in that particular town on another matter I come away disappointed {:-{ <:(
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inertia

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #88 on: June 17, 2014, 04:11:57 pm »

I recently visited one of the 'premier' model boat retail establishments in the UK - no names, no pack drill. I was sadly disappointed. The stock level appeared to be poor (apart from the usual large glossy boxes) and the place was very untidy. Granted they probably had a few bits and pieces that you wouldn't find in your local Hobby Store, but I don't see how they could justify the reputation they used to have - unless their mail order trade is superb.
I'm with Radiojoe; model shops are very rarely the way I remember them and the easiest way to get what you need is to let your fingers do the walking etc. Driving (and parking) in towns these days is an expensive and time-consuming activity, so why not let some other berk do it for you? Alternatively if your local model shop is a genuine treasure then do just that - treasure it! You're one of the lucky minority.
BTW it's Royal Mail who are the newly-privatised rip-off merchants, not The Post Office (as our local sub-postmaster keeps reminding me!), and Chinese businesses are helped by huge state subsidies to their postal service.
DM

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HUNTER

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #89 on: June 17, 2014, 07:10:31 pm »

That's strange, the last time I bought stamps (postage) from the POST OFFICE, I had to make the cheque payable to POST OFFICE COUNTERS!!!! Not Royal Mail. I think your sub postmaster doesn't want to accept responsibility. My main post office states that all of the time that the post is still within the confines of the post office they are responsible for it including postage. Once the post has left his care it belongs to Royal Mail. So when the post gets lost or is late do not blame the post office blame Royal Mail. But at the end of the day lets all agree to blame the Royal Mail who ever it now belongs to. The staff at the Post Office up and down the land do a good job, that includes my POSTMAN or should I say Royal Mail delivery person. ;D
Regards
Hunter :-)



I recently visited one of the 'premier' model boat retail establishments in the UK - no names, no pack drill. I was sadly disappointed. The stock level appeared to be poor (apart from the usual large glossy boxes) and the place was very untidy. Granted they probably had a few bits and pieces that you wouldn't find in your local Hobby Store, but I don't see how they could justify the reputation they used to have - unless their mail order trade is superb.
I'm with Radiojoe; model shops are very rarely the way I remember them and the easiest way to get what you need is to let your fingers do the walking etc. Driving (and parking) in towns these days is an expensive and time-consuming activity, so why not let some other berk do it for you? Alternatively if your local model shop is a genuine treasure then do just that - treasure it! You're one of the lucky minority.
BTW it's Royal Mail who are the newly-privatised rip-off merchants, not The Post Office (as our local sub-postmaster keeps reminding me!), and Chinese businesses are helped by huge state subsidies to their postal service.
DM
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html

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #90 on: June 17, 2014, 07:39:14 pm »

Mr H,
What about that blooming good, old guy in Hampden Park who has an internet shop and does shows, birthday parties and barmitza,s and has been doing it for 28 years! {-)
As for postage, please don't kick the internet sellers. Here is an example of the Post Office way of charging. I have an order for a delicut item that is 25 mm thick and weighs just 30 grms but only costs say £4.99. At 25mm it will fit the Large Letter profile of 76p BUT if you wrap it in one layer of bubble wrap for protection, you go over the 25mm to 40mm - this now puts you into the SMALL PARCEL profile which jumps to a whopping £2.90 OR £4 for Recorded OR a massive £6.15 for Special Delivery. These prices are for Franked mail which is cheaper than stamps.
WHO IS RIPPING WHO OFF!!!!!!!!!!
Needless to say most of our orders have to go out in this profile. >:-o . The Post Office know what they are doing. Screwing the business man and the customers.

I would never blame the sellers I know they are being ripped off by the Post Office, who have no idea what customer service is
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html

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #91 on: June 17, 2014, 07:42:15 pm »

I recently visited one of the 'premier' model boat retail establishments in the UK - no names, no pack drill. I was sadly disappointed. The stock level appeared to be poor (apart from the usual large glossy boxes) and the place was very untidy. Granted they probably had a few bits and pieces that you wouldn't find in your local Hobby Store, but I don't see how they could justify the reputation they used to have - unless their mail order trade is superb.
I'm with Radiojoe; model shops are very rarely the way I remember them and the easiest way to get what you need is to let your fingers do the walking etc. Driving (and parking) in towns these days is an expensive and time-consuming activity, so why not let some other berk do it for you? Alternatively if your local model shop is a genuine treasure then do just that - treasure it! You're one of the lucky minority.
BTW it's Royal Mail who are the newly-privatised rip-off merchants, not The Post Office (as our local sub-postmaster keeps reminding me!), and Chinese businesses are helped by huge state subsidies to their postal service.
DM

I stand corrected on that, you are right it is the con artists under the disguise of the Royal Mail that are the rip of merchants
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NFMike

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #92 on: June 17, 2014, 11:16:59 pm »

Er, excuse me, silly question. If the Royal Mail are such rip-off merchants why are you or your sellers still using them? It's not like there isn't UPS, DHL, FedEx, MyHermes and a dozen others who'd be more than happy to do the job instead.

Or is it that they are all less convenient and/or more expensive than RM?

Nordsee

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #93 on: June 18, 2014, 11:11:40 am »

You have to look outside of the High Street to find model Shops, I have found them on Industrial Estates (Rents are cheaper, car parking easier.) For anyone in South East Kent, then Ashford Models is well worth a visit, lots of goodies and a knowlegable owner too. I am nothing to do with him, just a very satisfied customer...
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HUNTER

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #94 on: June 18, 2014, 12:00:58 pm »

Sorry, my friend but just at the moment the cost of small light items are cheaper with Royal Mail every time. The carriers come into their own when the size /weight increases.
Er, excuse me, silly question. If the Royal Mail are such rip-off merchants why are you or your sellers still using them? It's not like there isn't UPS, DHL, FedEx, MyHermes and a dozen others who'd be more than happy to do the job instead.

Or is it that they are all less convenient and/or more expensive than RM?
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inertia

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #95 on: June 18, 2014, 02:05:28 pm »

Just to demonstrate; I am sending a couple of small models to Scotland in a box 50cm x 33cm x 33cm. The weight is 2.3Kgs.
Here are the various prices I've been quoted:
Royal Mail First Class Signed For                             £16.95
Royal Mail Second Class Signed For                        £14.85
Royal Mail Special Delivery (Next Day)                    £26.60                         
Parcelforce Express 48 (2 days delivery)                £12.98
My Hermes 3 days Signed For  (and collected!)      £6.44

Bit of a no-brainer, innit? As Graham says, Royal Mail is cheapest for the smallest packages but they have increased their prices by over 100% in the last 2 years. Do you suppose that privatisation might have had something to do with it? And did you know that the taxpayer will still foot the bill for the pensions of currently-employed RM staff? Sorry - straying into politics there  :-X
DM
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NFMike

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #96 on: June 18, 2014, 02:26:42 pm »

Thank you both. You have confirmed that for some things Royal Mail is not competitive, but for others they are. They are not 'rip-off' merchants as some have suggested, any more than, eg. DHL might be expensive if you used them to send a postcard to your granny in the next village. They are competing in an open market and as Inertia has shown it's up to the individuals or companies who wish to send stuff to pick the company and service that suits their budget.

If you think you are getting ripped off as a buyer then start shopping more selectively. For instance, on ebay when you do a search you'll usually get a list sorted by - "Time: ending soonest". First thing I usually do is change it to -  "Price + P&P: lowest first". Simples. On other websites I try to find out their delivery charges before filling the basket, and I often have several tabs open on different shops with a basket in each so I can compare total cost including p&p. It's perhaps no surprise that often the 'cheapest' place actually isn't  :-)

radiojoe

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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #97 on: June 18, 2014, 06:59:29 pm »

just got home from Milford-on-sea where I called into Milford models& hobbies, true he does specialize in railways but has an adequate stock of basic model making materials and bagged parts and at last I came away happy, when I find a model shop worthy I am the first to sing their praises and give them credit, if only Nigel was in Gosport I'd be in there every week  :-)) :-))
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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #98 on: June 20, 2014, 07:41:43 am »

Sorry Hunter , I was in no means tarring you all with the same brush , but I would say people like yourself are in the minority .When seeking advice at shows I have NEVER been asked to come back later , but that's really good if that's your policy .   :-)) :-)) :-)) :-))
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Re: The decline of the model shop
« Reply #99 on: June 20, 2014, 08:07:04 am »

so radiojoe whats wrong with mainly trains and planes in stoke rd ? granted they dont open on mondays and close at around 4 pm during the week , but for such a small shop i notice its very well stocked with a range of timber and ply , lots of glues , metal racks are both full as are the fixings stand and possibly the best selection of servos on the shelf in the whole area !  theres another shop in cranleigh lane , porchester , which is open until 9pm most nights and all day on sundays which also carries a good selection to keep our models working . ive no connection with any of the local shops apart from being a customer ! jon
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