It's all or nothing...
I was just up at Keith's Hobby Shop to look for some supplies...
They specialize in R/C cars, Boats and military stuff...
They've gotten completly out of Model Railroad stuff. Not even Flextrack or roadbed (Which is what I was looking for...)
Talking to the guy at the counter, he suggested George's Trains or another one out in Scarborough. (East End of City which is too far away...)
He also said that the only way to make money on Model Railroading is to carry everything possible, or else don't bother.
It's all or nothing...
Is that the curse of having too many choices and products available???
The one thing that really strikes me as far as retailing Model Railroading is this...
When I was a kid, you could get train sets and supplies from the department stores. Woolco was just down the street and there was a lot of Model Trians in the Sears and Eaton's Catalogues. Especially at Christmas, but year round too.
Now, you can't buy any Model Railroad stuff except from Hobby Shops. It's like the manufacturers have painted themselves into a corner, because they won't authorize anyone except Hobby Shops and toy stores to sell their products...
I remember a thread on the "Ask the Bachmann" message board a while back about this.
The supposed logic behind this is that the department stores cut into the smaller Hobby Shop's sales/profits. So the manufacturers are trying to protect the LHS's. But, to me, it is not working out that way.
The way that I see it is like this... You should be able to get the basics at a department store. Some Track, Turnouts and low end rolling stock, as well as trainsets at Christmas. This increases the exposure of the Hobby to the common Joe on the street.
BUT... For service, advice, conversation and top end stuff, go the the LHS.
It's like going to the corner store to get bread and milk, but to the grocery store for the rest of your food.
Go to the department stores for convenience to get some basics, and go to the LHS for the rest...
The other arguement is that the Internet sales are killing the LHS's. If this is the case, then maybe the manufacturers should be stopping internet sales. This won't happen, because the manufacturers are more interested in sales than in protecting LHS's. Even though they say that they stopped supplying department stores to protect LHS's.
Ultimatly, perhaps, the manufacturers should stop interfering altogether. Eliminate "Authorized" and/or "Licenced" distributors and retailers altogether and let the market decide who can sell what.
hmmmm.... Looks like this is turning into a rant.
I was just up at Keith's Hobby Shop to look for some supplies...
They specialize in R/C cars, Boats and military stuff...
They've gotten completly out of Model Railroad stuff. Not even Flextrack or roadbed (Which is what I was looking for...)
Talking to the guy at the counter, he suggested George's Trains or another one out in Scarborough. (East End of City which is too far away...)
He also said that the only way to make money on Model Railroading is to carry everything possible, or else don't bother.
It's all or nothing...
Is that the curse of having too many choices and products available???
The one thing that really strikes me as far as retailing Model Railroading is this...
When I was a kid, you could get train sets and supplies from the department stores. Woolco was just down the street and there was a lot of Model Trians in the Sears and Eaton's Catalogues. Especially at Christmas, but year round too.
Now, you can't buy any Model Railroad stuff except from Hobby Shops. It's like the manufacturers have painted themselves into a corner, because they won't authorize anyone except Hobby Shops and toy stores to sell their products...
I remember a thread on the "Ask the Bachmann" message board a while back about this.
The supposed logic behind this is that the department stores cut into the smaller Hobby Shop's sales/profits. So the manufacturers are trying to protect the LHS's. But, to me, it is not working out that way.
The way that I see it is like this... You should be able to get the basics at a department store. Some Track, Turnouts and low end rolling stock, as well as trainsets at Christmas. This increases the exposure of the Hobby to the common Joe on the street.
BUT... For service, advice, conversation and top end stuff, go the the LHS.
It's like going to the corner store to get bread and milk, but to the grocery store for the rest of your food.
Go to the department stores for convenience to get some basics, and go to the LHS for the rest...
The other arguement is that the Internet sales are killing the LHS's. If this is the case, then maybe the manufacturers should be stopping internet sales. This won't happen, because the manufacturers are more interested in sales than in protecting LHS's. Even though they say that they stopped supplying department stores to protect LHS's.
Ultimatly, perhaps, the manufacturers should stop interfering altogether. Eliminate "Authorized" and/or "Licenced" distributors and retailers altogether and let the market decide who can sell what.
hmmmm.... Looks like this is turning into a rant.