WAL MART

[Eshaver]

Stan , it's the SAME way in Richmond Virginia . We have Two Hobby Lobby's , two Hobby towns on either side of the river . The distance is considerable for either , well , for me . We HAD a "Real Hobby shop back in 2012. . Wal mart "Played " selling models in the area I guess a couple of years back . The selection resembled that of a Michael's . Point is , running a hobby shop has become so danged expensive , it's just not viable to have one now a days .

I thrived on Hobby shops as I'm in the exhibit business and looking at some picture on line is not the same as having a piece in your hand . Course too, my business has gone to the South Pole in the last eight years as museums have just stopped using contract labor like myself too ....................

[SfanGoch]

Personally, I think Wal-Mart, and other big chain operations, suck big wind. I'm glad that there isn't one in NYC. Wal-Mart, and other big box stores, follow a simple, and abhorrent, business model. They move into an area; start offering items which are found in the local mom & pop stores; lowball prices which the local stores can't match, causing them to lose business and eventually close, leaving the box stores with a monopoly. Once they establish themselves as the only players, they jack up their prices on those items and/or eliminate them from the inventory because they weren't profitable in the first place. Their only goal was to eliminate the competition. It's a tactic reminiscent of blockbusting once used by real estate agents and developers.

 

Edited March 3, 2016 by SfanGoch

[1930fordpickup]

Personally, I think Wal-Mart, and other big chain operations, suck big wind. I'm glad that there isn't one in NYC. Wal-Mart, and other big box stores, follow a simple, and abhorrent, business model. They move into an area; start offering items which are found in the local mom & pop stores; lowball prices which the local stores can't match, causing them to lose business and eventually close, leaving the box stores with a monopoly. Once they establish themselves as the only players, they jack up their prices on those items and/or eliminate them from the inventory because they weren't profitable in the first place. Their only goal was to eliminate the competition. It's a tactic reminiscent of blockbusting once used by rel estate agents and developers.

Spot on Joe. I have been saying this for a few years, and I get funny looks from people.   

[mikemodeler]

no i didn`t wake up from a comma  -  my WAL MART  had them 2 weeks ago  - 

Not being a smart @$$ here Stan, but did you ask anyone at the store why they disappeared? Might be they are re-setting the aisle and moved them elsewhere or maybe into the back room. It's worth asking them what happened, if for no other reason you will know what their plans are going forward.

That said, consider using online places like Plastic-Models.com. I used them last week and it took 3 days from when I placed my order to when it showed up on my doorstep. Much bigger selection than Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby and they have paint and other detailing items not found at those big box stores. They usually have various coupons for certain dollars off or free shipping and I always can find $25 of stuff to order to get free shipping!

[gtx6970]

Personally, I think Wal-Mart, and other big chain operations, suck big wind. I'm glad that there isn't one in NYC. Wal-Mart, and other big box stores, follow a simple, and abhorrent, business model. They move into an area; start offering items which are found in the local mom & pop stores; lowball prices which the local stores can't match, causing them to lose business and eventually close, leaving the box stores with a monopoly. Once they establish themselves as the only players, they jack up their prices on those items and/or eliminate them from the inventory because they weren't profitable in the first place. Their only goal was to eliminate the competition. It's a tactic reminiscent of blockbusting once used by rel estate agents and developers.

Amen,

And its the primary reason I avoid Walmart like the plague 

[stavanzer]

My Wally's has models on the shelf right now. Opened, and a bare bones selection, but there. About 6 total feet of shelf space.

[bubbaman]

lady said they discontinued them - hobby lobby is about the same price  but then i looked up  PLASTIC MODELS.COM  and they look good just wish i could see the box  for real before i  send for it

[Mark]

Every time I walk into a Wal-Mart, I walk out wondering just why I went in.

The stores around here quit carrying model kits in 2006 or 2007, but a couple of them have brought them back periodically.  Never much of a selection, and the prices were never anything to write home about.  Outside of a genuine hobby shop (which a lot of areas don't have now), Michael's or Hobby Lobby are a better bet for kits; the selection is better at those places, and you can usually use a coupon to knock the price down.

I was more bummed when K-Mart quit carrying kits years ago.  They usually had a decent selection, including a number of things you could count on: AMT '57 Chevy and '71 Nova, the Monogram Early Iron '29 Ford roadster pickup, and at least one version of the '55 Chevy (Badman or the black street machine).  

[Harry P.]

Personally, I think Wal-Mart, and other big chain operations, suck big wind. I'm glad that there isn't one in NYC. Wal-Mart, and other big box stores, follow a simple, and abhorrent, business model. They move into an area; start offering items which are found in the local mom & pop stores; lowball prices which the local stores can't match, causing them to lose business and eventually close, leaving the box stores with a monopoly. Once they establish themselves as the only players, they jack up their prices on those items and/or eliminate them from the inventory because they weren't profitable in the first place. Their only goal was to eliminate the competition. It's a tactic reminiscent of blockbusting once used by real estate agents and developers.

 

Or another way to look at it is... free market capitalism at work.

Some win. Some lose. No way around that. When the market is open to all comers, the big fish are going to swallow up the guppies. If you're not comfortable with that concept, then you're not comfortable with free market capitalism.

[mikemodeler]

lady said they discontinued them - hobby lobby is about the same price  but then i looked up  PLASTIC MODELS.COM  and they look good just wish i could see the box  for real before i  send for it

Places like this forum can help you identify the model before you send off for them. There is usually a thread on any given model and if not, start one and you will get some information back from the members here.

The prices at Hobby Lobby are closer to MSRP, knowing that many people will be using the 40% off coupon. A $28 kit at Hobby Lobby is less than $17 with the coupon, not a bad deal.

[Snake45]

Walmart is a great place to buy staples, commodities, and everday items. It is NOT a good place to look for specialty or enthusiast gear or equipment (such as items of interest to those on this board). There are other and better places for that.

[SfanGoch]

Or another way to look at it is... free market capitalism at work.

Some win. Some lose. No way around that. When the market is open to all comers, the big fish are going to swallow up the guppies. If you're not comfortable with that concept, then you're not comfortable with free market capitalism.

I'm a firm believer in free market capitalism; just not at the expense of the local small business owner, who is the backbone of our economy. Once small businesses are eradicated by these chains, there is no longer any choice. You are forced to buy from only these places because there is no other alternative.

Homogenization and cookie cutter stores aren't my church. I like different. Vanilla sameness is frightening. That might be a concept that's embraced in tract housing communities in Culdesacia, USA. They love their mega-malls filled with generic sameness in the same way that cardboard covered with ketchup and shredded, pasteurized  process cheese is passed off as pizza in those same locales and nobody knows any better. 

I don't know what the situation in Chicago is; but, my city has been transformed, and not in a good way, by the introduction of these big box stores. Midtown Manhattan has been turned into a dystopian mega-mall filled with nothing but crummy chain restaurants serving faux-Italian food and the previously mentioned box stores which have driven out local businesses because the landlords quadrupled rents in order to force them to close and bring in box stores, chain pharmacies and banks (one could find 3-4 of each on a single city block; and repeated on the next block ad nauseam). Only they are willing to pay $1 million/mo. for a space that until recently rented for $10K/mo. Times Square has been taken over by the evil Rat Empire and turned into a boring white bread-plain Disney Superstore. I preferred it when it was a seedy, somewhat dangerous area a la "Taxi Driver" where you can catch three third run Kung Fu flicks for two bucks, hit the penny arcades and grab a slice of real pizza afterwards.  

 

[Slomoslam]

I'm a firm believer in free market capitalism; just not at the expense of the local small business owner, who is the backbone of our economy. Once small businesses are eradicated by these chains, there is no longer any choice. You are forced to buy from only these places because there is no other alternative.

Homogenization and cookie cutter stores aren't my church. I like different. Vanilla sameness is frightening. That might be a concept that's embraced in tract housing communities in Culdesacia, USA. They love their mega-malls filled with generic sameness in the same way that cardboard covered with ketchup and shredded, pasteurized  process cheese is passed off as pizza in those same locales and nobody knows any better. 

I don't know what the situation in Chicago is; but, my city has been transformed, and not in a good way, by the introduction of these big box stores. Midtown Manhattan has been turned into a dystopian mega-mall filled with nothing but crummy chain restaurants serving faux-Italian food and the previously mentioned box stores which have driven out local businesses because the landlords quadrupled rents in order to force them to close and bring in box stores, chain pharmacies and banks (one could find 3-4 of each on a single city block; and repeated on the next block ad nauseam). Only they are willing to pay $1 million/mo. for a space that until recently rented for $10K/mo. Times Square has been taken over by the evil Rat Empire and turned into a boring white bread-plain Disney Superstore. I preferred it when it was a seedy, somewhat dangerous area a la "Taxi Driver" where you can catch three third run Kung Fu flicks for two bucks, hit the penny arcades and grab a slice of real pizza afterwards.  

 

Wow, you prefer your streets dangerous? Interesting.  Maybe Venezuela is more your speed?

[Slomoslam]

Or another way to look at it is... free market capitalism at work.

Some win. Some lose. No way around that. When the market is open to all comers, the big fish are going to swallow up the guppies. If you're not comfortable with that concept, then you're not comfortable with free market capitalism.

Exactly. Way to hit the nail on the head.

[SfanGoch]

Wow, you prefer your streets dangerous? Interesting.  Maybe Venezuela is more your speed?

Been to Juarez and Tegucigalpa. Great places as long as you're conscious.

Unless you lived and experienced things the way they were in my neck of the woods, you wouldn't understand. It was a 24/7 adrenaline rush as opposed to strolling through a pedestrian mall in a coma. You want some pepperoni on that cardboard?   

[The70judgeman]

The Walmart by where I used to live sold models for a short time. I bought the last one on clearance. The Walmart by where I live now still has models, but they really don't have much of a selection and don't really restock either. Just a matter of time?

[martinfan5]

 You want some pepperoni on that cardboard?   

Mmmm, cardboard pizza

[Snake45]

I still checkout the car toy aisle for diecasts. I've picked up a couple VERY nice 1/24 diecasts at VERY reasonable prices in the last few months.

Got another nice one just now--M2 1/24 '66 Mustang GT in Emberglow, one of my favorite Ford colors ever. $20--less than retail of most new kits--and right out of the box it looks about 80-85% as good as if I'd built it myself from a Monogram kit. After I spend an hour or two tweaking and paint-detailing it, it'll look 90% or more as good as if I'd built it from a kit. That's an excellent expenditure of time and money to get a long-wanted model on my shelf.

They also had a nice white '69 Z/28, but I already bought the Hugger Orange one.

I like to put these things on my desk or bookshelf at work. If one gets stolen or damaged, I won't be as heartbroken as if it had been a kit I'd invested 40+ hours of work into.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Snake45

[slusher]

Been gone from all WM stores in my region for 10 years.

Same here if not longer then 10 years.

[Harry P.]

I'm a firm believer in free market capitalism; just not at the expense of the local small business owner, who is the backbone of our economy. 

Joe... if the free market is open to all comers–big-box stores and mom-and-pop shops alike–how do you protect the mom-and-pops when the big-box opens next door, selling the same stuff, but for less money?

I also like "diversity" as far as shopping choices go... I like the idea of supporting the little guy and local businesses... but as altruistic as that may be, it's not going to stop the market from evolving and shifting. The only way to keep the big boys from putting the little guys out of business is government regulation of the big boys in some way... and if we do that, we no longer have free-market capitalism.

The answer is that the little guys have to figure out a way to fill a need the big boys don't or won't, whether that's more personalized customer service, carrying items the big boys don't, or some other value-added service. If they can figure out a way to carve out a small spot of their own in the marketplace, they'll survive. If they can't out-do the big guys in some way or another, they won't survive. That's just the way free-market capitalism works.

[Snake45]

The answer is that the little guys have to figure out a way to fill a need the big boys don't or won't, whether that's more personalized customer service, carrying items the big boys don't, or some other value-added service. If they can figure out a way to carve out a small spot of their own in the marketplace, they'll survive. If they can't out-do the big guys in some way or another, they won't survive. That's just the way free-market capitalism works.

Can I get an AY-men from the choir?

[Mark]

A lot of the smaller stores (not just hobby shops, but hardware stores, auto parts stores, and the like) go under because the carry too much "dead" stock.  That's money tied up for the owner, that they have no reasonable expectation of getting back any time soon, if ever.  The bigger stores don't let that happen, or if they do it doesn't happen twice.  Nothing sits on the shelf for very long...keep everything moving.

I'll buy local when I can, but when I see a kit at the local store that is priced above retail, and I can snag the same thing at Michael's or Hobby Lobby with a 40% off deal, guess where I'm going.  When the craft/hobby chains started setting up shop around here, the big local shop's response was to raise prices.  Not smart.

[gtx6970]

Joe... if the free market is open to all comers–big-box stores and mom-and-pop shops alike–how do you protect the mom-and-pops when the big-box opens next door, selling the same stuff, but for less money?

I also like "diversity" as far as shopping choices go... I like the idea of supporting the little guy and local businesses... but as altruistic as that may be, it's not going to stop the market from evolving and shifting. The only way to keep the big boys from putting the little guys out of business is government regulation of the big boys in some way... and if we do that, we no longer have free-market capitalism.

The answer is that the little guys have to figure out a way to fill a need the big boys don't or won't, whether that's more personalized customer service, carrying items the big boys don't, or some other value-added service. If they can figure out a way to carve out a small spot of their own in the marketplace, they'll survive. If they can't out-do the big guys in some way or another, they won't survive. That's just the way free-market capitalism works.

I agree with  you,,,to a point.

 

I know someone who worked high up at Walmart . And its not good.

They would force suppliers to constantly lower there wholesale price , to allow Walmart to sell  at said product in order to undercut there competion. Then once competition was eliminated they would raise prices, slowly but surely .

I wonder how much todays Walmart compares to the  Walmart Sam Walton had envisioned.

 

Home Depot, Loews , Tractor supply , they're all basically the same with a different name over the door

I sure wish the small local owner hardware store was down the street. They're use to be a family owned shop right up the street from me,,,been there since the late 1800's . At least up till Home Depot and tractor supply moved in. I can assure you ,,the service is no where near the same.

Maybe I 'm the odd duck,I prefer to  buy on quality and service during and  after the sale ,,,,much quicker than the up front price.

We needed to buy a new dishwasher last fall. After hitting all the usual suspects. I decided to try my local family owned place . Sure enough he had the exact same model BestBuy had ,,actually had it in stock and $40 cheaper

Edited March 5, 2016 by gtx6970

[highway]

Joe... if the free market is open to all comers–big-box stores and mom-and-pop shops alike–how do you protect the mom-and-pops when the big-box opens next door, selling the same stuff, but for less money?

I also like "diversity" as far as shopping choices go... I like the idea of supporting the little guy and local businesses... but as altruistic as that may be, it's not going to stop the market from evolving and shifting. The only way to keep the big boys from putting the little guys out of business is government regulation of the big boys in some way... and if we do that, we no longer have free-market capitalism.

The answer is that the little guys have to figure out a way to fill a need the big boys don't or won't, whether that's more personalized customer service, carrying items the big boys don't, or some other value-added service. If they can figure out a way to carve out a small spot of their own in the marketplace, they'll survive. If they can't out-do the big guys in some way or another, they won't survive. That's just the way free-market capitalism works.

I have to agree, and I have to laugh at those of you who think Walmart is just out there to drive small businesses out of business. If that was the case, there would be no small businesses around a Walmart, but I know for a fact small businesses still survive around a Walmart. I happen to drive and make my living delivering groceries to Walmart stores in western PA, eastern OH, and most of WV, and I see small businesses, including hobby shops, near all the stores. There are three hobby shops around Wheeling, WV where I grew up and lived until I moved to Wintersville OH to be closer to work a year ago, and those three hobby shops are surrounded by three Walmart stores that are within a 10 to 15 mile radius and for a while, all three of those Walmarts carried models. None do now, but the small shops all survived. The Walmart in Steubenville, OH did stock models until about a few months ago and there are still a few on the toy clearance shelves. but guess what, NO HOBBY SHOPS IN THIS AREA TO EVEN DRIVE OUT OF BUSINESS!!  The closest shops to this area are all about 30 miles away, the three in the Wheeling area and in and around Pittsburgh PA. 

Oh, and also since through the day I get to interact with the store managers through the day making my deliveries, it is not the store manager's choice to carry models or not, that is corporate. One manager told me it depends on the type and size of the store, the large supercenters that carry the most inventory are usually the ones you'll find models in, smaller stores just don't have the shelf or backroom storage space to carry everything a large supercenter can. 

[Tom Geiger]

A lot of the smaller stores (not just hobby shops, but hardware stores, auto parts stores, and the like) go under because the carry too much "dead" stock.  That's money tied up for the owner, that they have no reasonable expectation of getting back any time soon, if ever.  The bigger stores don't let that happen, or if they do it doesn't happen twice.  Nothing sits on the shelf for very long...keep everything moving.

The Walmart formula is that the entire store turns over every six weeks.  They have their vendors on net 90, so vendors literally own all the merchandise in the store. That's why it's so cheap and easy for them to add new stores. Nothing sits stagnant in a Walmart. They know how much every linear foot of shelf space should generate in profit. There are many more products that would like to be in that store than they have shelf space, so Walmart picks and chooses.  Then they tell that vendor the price they will pay. It's up to that vendor to figure out how to sell that product at that price, finance it all for 90 days and make enough profit to stay in business.  Quite a program.

Oh, and Walmart doesn't do their own purchasing. They give vendors access to their computer systems and it's up to the vendors to manage their inventory in the Walmart system.  They produce and ship to the need.  Their systems are so sophisticated that Walmart can give up to the minute information about every store, being fed directly from the cash registers.

I got educated in this when I worked for a major pharma with a considerable over the counter presence in Walmart.  There is also a 2 hr documentary on the Walmart Formula that regularly gets repeated on the cable channels.  There are companion  documentaries done by the same people on Costco and Marriott.  Quite enlightening if you want to learn a bit about how business actually runs.

Edited March 5, 2016 by Tom Geiger