Hobby Lobby

[shoopdog]

2 hours ago, ewetwo said:

I get a 40% off coupon every day in an email from Micheals.

 

Wish they would send me a 40% coupon, never received more than 20%.

[peter31a]

Michaels here in Ontario, Canada used to have 40, 45, 50% off coupons on a regular basis. Since the pandemic hit they’ve been only 30% for months now.

[Dave Van]

49 minutes ago, HomerS said:

Especially property taxes! 

Even in rural WV we are getting a increase this year....added to a re-evaluation!

[keyser]

If they think they can drop that discount on a jillion ladies buying craft stuff, they're delusional, or unmarried. 

Nothing like a couple million women (not sexist just demographic) ticked off on Facebook. 

PR debacle, fun to watch.  ? 

Edited January 24, 2021 by keyser

[vamach1]

2 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

The sad fact is that this has hurt the hobby overall. When Avenel Hobbies in New Jersey went out of business after 30 years, the owner told me it was a direct result of the Hobby Lobby that had opened a mile or two up the road.

He said his kit sales dried up, and customers would show up with the HL coupon and demand he matched it.  He said he couldn’t, their price was less than he paid his distributor for the kits!

And we all did this to save a few bucks. Destroyed the long term for a quick immediate buck!

I remember going to Avenel Hobbies in the 1990’s. I lived in Virginia but it a must stop if I was up that way.  I discovered some kits I have never seen before made by Lemans Miniatures (1/87) along with some 1/43 resin and metal kits if I remember correctly.  There was no where I could find these unusual models (no internet back then) anywhere in person unless I wanted to drive to Toronto Canada to MiniGrid.   I enjoyed Wayne Moyer’s build articles which walked through these mainly “European” kits and Avenel had things you would never find in a ToysRUs or other national chain.  For better or worse the mainline plastic kits are not enough for an independent store to survive.  I collect s lot of diecast cars (mostly 1/64) and frequent a small auto repaint and diecast toy business that carries M2, Greentlight, etc. and his prices are competitive with the box stores and it saves a lot of time going from store to store or bidding online and paying shipping charges.  There in no incentive for him to sell plastic kits as he makes most of his profit on the chase cars that come in each case he get from a Distributor.

[vamach1]

9 minutes ago, keyser said:

If they think they can drop that discount on a jillion ladies buying craft stuff, they're delusional, or unmarried. 

Nothing like a couple million women (not sexist just demographic) ticked off on Facebook. 

PR debacle, fun to watch.  ? 

I alluded to that but you got straight to the point - yes that is their primary clientele.  ?

[Dave Van]

Back when you had to print the coupon....I'd print 2 or 3 before driving 2 hours. If I only needed one I'd give the other to someone in the kit area.....you would be amazed how many did not know of the 40% off. Even today when I hear someone talk about the high price of a kit I tell them to pull the coupon up on their phone.......yep...they never had heard of it!!

Doing away WILL hurt overall sales......but how many of us go in there and just buy one kit with the 40% and only because of the coupon?? Sales of kits may slow......cloth, yarn, crafts, beads etc.......not so much IMHO Only! 

[Erik Smith]

Well, the only reason I’d ever step foot in the place is now going to be gone.

[Tom Geiger]

3 hours ago, Dave Van said:

Back when you had to print the coupon....I'd print 2 or 3 before driving 2 hours. If I only needed one I'd give the other to someone in the kit area.....you would be amazed how many did not know of the 40% off. Even today when I hear someone talk about the high price of a kit I tell them to pull the coupon up on their phone.......yep...they never had heard of it!!

I’ve had the same experience.. people who had no idea! And were very grateful.

And when they had one register open and a long line, I made sure everyone on that line knew about it!?

And single guys.. a great way to meet women who understand guys that have a craft!  Hey babe, how’d ya like my magic coupon!

[Mike999]

15 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

And single guys.. a great way to meet women who understand guys that have a craft!  Hey babe, how’d ya like my magic coupon!

While I was working in Egypt, my house in Los Angeles had a drastic water leak.  It was a tri-level townhouse, the leak originated in a top-floor bathroom and came straight down to the garage...where my unbuilt model kits were stored.

One of the insurance adjusters, a young woman, called me a few days later to let me know about the clean-up progress.  She said, "I told them to be careful with your Tamiya kits,  those things are expensive."

"Thanks.  But how do you know that?"

"Because my boyfriend builds them."

[slusher]

14 hours ago, Dave Van said:

Per my son who has a buddy in management at Hobby Lobby the 40% coupon will end forever FEB 28. No real reason was given  other than 'current market conditions' was given for the end of the 40% off. The retired banking analyst in me sees the $15 hour wages along with other rising cost and taxes made this happen. So get those models at 40% before March 1 folks!! 

Thanks Dave, mine has the same kits all the time.  That’s going to hurt their models sales. If mine would get some new kits. I would go once in a while. Now with no coupon it’s cheaper too shop on the internet..

[Mr. Metallic]

Well if they continue to run the 40% off all model kits sale all the time then what's the difference? you'll just have to pay attention to which weeks the sale is running if you are travelling some distance specifically to shop there. 

I don't expect them to run it every other week like they have been for the last few months. If they only run it once a month I'll be happy. But I hate to think that they're running the sale every other week right now for some ulterior motive

[TonyK]

A few weeks ago I decided to go to Hobby Lobby when they had the 40% off all kits. Walked out empty handed. They just never seem to have anything new.

[paul alflen]

Dave Van, you said the 40% off coupon will go away, but will the 40% sale in the hobby category away? When H.l. ran the 40% off sale the last few months the shelf were always empty at my stores!

[slusher]

17 hours ago, TonyK said:

A few weeks ago I decided to go to Hobby Lobby when they had the 40% off all kits. Walked out empty handed. They just never seem to have anything new.

That’s the problem withe the one in my area...

[Mike999]

I was in my closest Hobby Lobby today and it had one new 1/25 scale car kit:  the '70 Ford "007" police car.

Also the 1/16 scale '55 Chevy convertible, which I haven't seen in this store before.  

Because I'm an ancient geezer who has been hoarding for a long time, I already have several '70 Ford Galaxie kits.  An original AMT, a couple in the Model King "white box," and a couple more of the last AMT/ERTL issue.  The kit was Unobtainium for a long time and 4-doors are hard to find, so I would pick them up when they were available.  But the new decals/light bar don't do much for me, and neither does the "molded in vintage police cruiser blue."

[SCRWDRVR]

I was in our local HL today and picked up the new "007" 71 Mach 1, I would have liked to have gotten the 70 Galaxie since I don't have one....

[mikemodeler]

Stopped in the HL in Indian Land SC today and they have kits @ 40% off this week.

[HomerS]

It's official......

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - If you’re a fan of crafts and coupons, you’ll probably not be shocked to hear that Hobby Lobby has an option that will save you 40 percent on a single item at the register.  But did you know that long-available option is about to disappear?  The chain store is about to take a pair of scissors to the option, saying it’s doing away with the popular promotion that has allowed customers to hold out their cellphones at checkout for a quick scan and a big discount on everything from wall art to party supplies.  “By making this decision, we are intensifying our efforts to discount thousands of items every day,” Hobby Lobby said in a statement. “This will offer a better value instead of providing a discount on only one item with the coupon.”

So when does the coupon expire? Hobby Lobby said it will honor the promotion through Feb. 28.

[Dave Van]

That kinda verifies my intel......unfortunately......I do think they will, maybe have to, bring out something to replace it.....it's part of their DNA!!

[TonyK]

The new Hobby Lobby situation doesn't work well for me but I'm just one guy that doesn't go there very often but.....

Once in awhile I suddenly run out of a color of paint; maybe a can or bottle because I didn't stay on top of my inventory. I can run down to Hobby Lobby and buy some paint at 40% off. Now that's not gonna happen. Not a big deal but was always kinda nice to have that going for me.

[HomerS]

There's one not far from my office so I could stop by when they had the 40% sales.  I rarely made it a point to go when they had just the coupon as someone likely bought the entire stock of one kit that I wanted.  When I bought a kit, it was usually accompanied by a couple cans of paint and an 'oh that's new' 1/64 die cast or two.

Low quantity in stock....priced above the market.....one check out line open......isn't that the same game plan Toys R Us followed to the grave?

[89AKurt]

I live about 3 miles from one, or I should say it was built that distance away.  Been going in almost every week with the flyer coupon, to buy paint or Evergreen, occasionally artist stuff.  Have bought only one kit, since there isn't anything I want.  It will suck when the coupons stop.  Michaels is about 3 miles the other direction (again built less than 36 years ago), after one purchase, if you go back within a timeframe, you get 40% off.

[larman]

I am guessing they will continue the 40% kit sale, maybe once a month. If so, I will wait until then to buy models. I pretty much used the 40% coupon on my phone nearly every time I have gone in for something, but I will not buy the models at their retail price. I have access to 3 Hobby Lobbies in my area and before the Covid sitiuation, there was usually a pretty decent selection of newer kits. Hopefully things will return to the way they were when this is all over. If not, I have WAY too many models anyway, so I will just buy less and find deals on the internet.

[niteowl7710]

They could just...ya know...price stuff like a normal store instead of shelf racking everything at MSRP. I mean Wal*Mart & Target don't put a 40% off coupon because they're not charging the highest end price for everything.

Throughout the existence of HL, buying a model kit there with the 40% off would only save me about 40-60 cents over going to my LHS. 

I know a lot of people don't have a LHS. I get that...but man buncha middle aged dudes got sucked in by the same coupon marketing designed to lure in old ladies who fancy themselves as "crafty". Seems like you're getting a sale, and in fact just paying what the regular asking price really is...not actually saving a thing.