Harry P. Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Who pays full MSRP for anything? Seriously... why would you, when there are so many places to buy stuff for way less, including model kits.
martinfan5 Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Who pays full MSRP for anything? Seriously... why would you, when there are so many places to buy stuff for way less, including model kits. I have no idea why Greg, what LHS in town are you talking about ?
LAone Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 man, it really depends on what im getting. sometimes ill pay for it, and sometimes its more...lols thats only cause its discontinued. as most of you try to suppost LHS, i do my best to do so. i buy all my paints(but even getting paint is getting hard) and supplies from them and every now and then ill buy a kit. but it depends on how they price it. i buy j-tin kits, aoshima, fujimi ect, but man, they kill me with their prices on some of these. i can save anywhere between 15-30 bucks on a single kit. sorry, but thats too much for me. i would rather wait a week or 2.
Greg Myers Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Micheal's, JoAnn's and Hobby Lobby coupons are all well and good, however they usually don't carry new kits.
Greg Myers Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I have no idea why Greg, what LHS in town are you talking about ? Andy's @ 59th Ave and Greenway across from the Thunderbird School of Management
philo426 Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I will do it on occasion to support my LHS but generally I use the coupons and internet to find bargains.The last one I paid full price for was the Moebius Chrysler 300 worth every penny imho!
1930fordpickup Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 I seldom buy model kits anyplace but a LHS, and I don't quibble too much about the price either. I figure it this way: I WANT that LHS to be there the next time I visit, and the next, the next, the next and the next. If all any of us did was to rely on an LHS for just glue and paint--how long do you think they would stay in business? (having spent a 30-yr stretch of my life working in, and owning a LHS, I can tell you, none of them will last very long selling only paint, glue and miscellaneous supplies. So call me old-fashioned, but trust me, if the time ever comes when model car kits completely lose shelf space in a retail store (Brick & Mortar), it won't be but a pretty short time and you will see NO model car kits, even online. There is a "HIGH COST" to low prices, more often than most people think. Art Well said Art , the more the discount stores move in the less choice's we have .
martinfan5 Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Andy's @ 59th Ave and Greenway across from the Thunderbird School of Management NIce guy, small selection of kits, but has a very nice selection of aftermarket stuff, Tamiya products Well said Art , the more the discount stores move in the less choice's we have . Well then good thing there is the Internet, its the world largest hobby store
Rob Hall Posted June 29, 2012 Posted June 29, 2012 Andy's @ 59th Ave and Greenway across from the Thunderbird School of Management I forgot about that place...I've been there once, not bad...I just don't get out to the westside very often.
Harry P. Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 Well then good thing there is the Internet, its the world largest hobby store Exactly. World's biggest selection, they never close, and they ship to your doorstep. I'll be honest... if the last brick and mortar hobby shop closed tomorrow, I couldn't care less, as long as there's an internet.
sjordan2 Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 Exactly. World's biggest selection, they never close, and they ship to your doorstep. I'll be honest... if the last brick and mortar hobby shop closed tomorrow, I couldn't care less, as long as there's an internet. In general, I agree. But to me, a hobby shop is something like thumbing through a printed encyclopedia (or opening a box of chocolates). You never know what you'll find, and you may be inspired to consider resources you never thought of or heard of. You can pick up aftermarket parts in your hands and judge the quality and size for your needs, etc. etc. etc. You can find different things that are for model trains or aircraft or RC that open up new ideas for model cars. Online, you pretty much have to know what you're looking for and you don't get all that other stuff.
Nick Winter Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 If I want it at the time I see it I buy it, in the past it has bit me in the arse, but it has also worked out in my favor as well. Nick
Longbox55 Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 I tend to get most of my kits from Slot & Wing Hobbies in Champaign IL. They are consistantly $10 LESS than Hobby Lobby/Micheals/Hobbytown. Then there's the Scratch and Dent section of the store that gets even cheaper. Best deal I found there was a Fujimi GTR full detail kit for $15. Only thing wrong was the box was a little bit damaged.
martinfan5 Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 In general, I agree. But to me, a hobby shop is something like thumbing through a printed encyclopedia (or opening a box of chocolates). You never know what you'll find, and you may be inspired to consider resources you never thought of or heard of. You can pick up aftermarket parts in your hands and judge the quality and size for your needs, etc. etc. etc. You can find different things that are for model trains or aircraft or RC that open up new ideas for model cars. Online, you pretty much have to know what you're looking for and you don't get all that other stuff. I would agree with that, but most of the LHS here dont carry any of the aftermarket stuff, most do have a good selection of kits , its really nothing special. If you are wanting old hard to get kits, or just older kits in general, they are not the place to look . The only thing I really find the LHS good for is for buying paint, and supplies , thats it for me, but thats me, and how I feel.
2002p51 Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 Exactly. World's biggest selection, they never close, and they ship to your doorstep. I'll be honest... if the last brick and mortar hobby shop closed tomorrow, I couldn't care less, as long as there's an internet. Only problem with that Harry, is what happens on a Saturday afternoon when you've run out of a certain color paint, or need fresh blades, or anything like that? You're stopped until the UPS guy can bring fresh supplies.
Harry P. Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 Only problem with that Harry, is what happens on a Saturday afternoon when you've run out of a certain color paint, or need fresh blades, or anything like that? You're stopped until the UPS guy can bring fresh supplies. So you put it aside for a while and live your life.
rmvw guy Posted June 30, 2012 Posted June 30, 2012 By JoAnn's do you mean JoAnn Fabrics? Do they have kits? I've never been in there. If they do, how is the selection? .....Waiting for an answer on this one....ANYONE? And seriously, I have visited my LHS and asked for something, and stood there while he looked it up on the internet. Could I have done this myself and saved money? Probably but, remember to consider shipping and of course sales tax. It pays to shop and compare, just ask any woman. Or better yet, have her pick it up for you while she is at JoAnn Fabrics.
MAGNUM4342 Posted July 1, 2012 Posted July 1, 2012 No Jo-Ann fabrics that i've EVER been in has had model kits.
Hedgehog Posted July 3, 2012 Posted July 3, 2012 I only think that everybody should try to support their LHS since that's one way to help our community.
ZTony8 Posted July 3, 2012 Posted July 3, 2012 I don't pay list price-EVER.I'll use coupons or look for clearance prices.I have a local connection to a HS owner in Pittsburgh.He'll send the kits to one of my fellow club members who sells them for him in this area-at 25% of list.I acquire the bulk of my Tamiya kits from a LHS when they put the slowest movers on 40% off clearance each January.
mikemodeler Posted July 4, 2012 Posted July 4, 2012 I have scaled back my model buying but in reality I buy a kit when I see it, and price is usually secondary to availability. Let's face it, if you have been in this hobby for any length of time, you have seen the demise of retail locations for kits. Hobby Lobby and Michael's are the two biggest remaining retailers but they are not up to date with new releases and their inventories are hit and miss, depending on location. I used to shop there on a regular basis but my recent purchases from them have been mostly in the clearance section or supplies. With the exception of a couple, most of the Hobby Town USA stores in the Carolinas charge close to if not full retail so I usually just window shop there and pick up some paint or glue. The one closest to me seems to have better prices and I will pick up kits there as they seem like nice folks and willing to keep their inventory fresh. I have and will continue to shop the internet but when I purchase, it usually is a larger order to take advantage of shipping. I like the fact that places like Modelroundup and Tower Hobbies offer discounted MSRP prices and I can order at 6:00 AM if I want. Swap meets are where I can find those old kits or the resin kits that I want to see before buying. I have also found some good deals on detail items at them as well. Bottom line, our hobby is not as big as it once was, IMO, but I think due to the internet we have the ability to see and learn more about it!
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