How Many of You Have Purchased From Forum Sponsors

That's a very good idea. As I said earlier, I first try to get all I can from my LHS, but next time I make a purchase from a forum sponsor I will tell them I appreciate their support for the OGR forum.

I have purchased from several of the sponsors, but to be honest, many of these purchases were when they had ads in OGR and prior to their forum sponsorship. 

 

Jim

Used to be a train shop a 1/2 mile from me, that's when I got back in the hobby. Bought a lot from him starting out but him working a full time job and trying to run the shop part time didn't work out for him & it only lasted 2 years in a one horse village he just couldn't get enough business to keep going. My next local shop is a small hobby shop which I go to next about 15 minutes away.  If I head North about a 1/2 hour away is Gardner, The Train Doctor a forum sponsor,  & if I was in East Rochester I would go to Despatch Junction about 45 minutes away until it burned down last year but they are rebuilding and plan last I heard to open before Memorial Day 2015. I have bought online from forum sponsors with good luck but I try to support the brick & mortor stores first if possible before going to the Internet.

Scale Rail,

   You bet, Patrick Trains and Charlie Nassau, and others all get some of my business,

along with our local train/hobby shops.  I also hit the train shows for original Tin Plate.

Got to say it was a pleasure dealing with our sponsors, everyone so far has been great.

PCRR/Dave

I've bought from nine sponsors that I can recall - some before they became sponsors.  I've learned about great sale items through forum announcements, but have to make a better effort to mention OGR when ordering.  I appreciate our sponsors. 

Just got a shipment from Tranz this week. But I deal with Mario's, Trainworld and a number of other sponsors. Add purchases from fellow OGR members and lots of good deals.

Don't buy much, new modern stuff and, if I do, I go the LHS route but not saying I would not deal wit a sponsor.

Yes. I'm especially fond of Beth at Public Delivery Track. Always a pleasure to deal with.

 

Gilly

When I counted it up, I had made purchases directly from 12 forum sponsors. 

I have ADBLOCKER set (because of all the unwanted ads that come up on OGRR's page) so I don't see the sponsors;

 

but I have ordered a bit recently from Nassau Hobbies that I would not have done if they hadn't been a sponsor.

I bought Smoke fluid indirectly from JT MEGASTEAM !  I bought three bottles of various Christmas scents in November from hobby shops in my area ( Milwaukee , WI ) & Waukesha, WI .

 

 

99% of my purchases have come from forum sponsors. I have supported these same vendors years ago when they were merely magazine advertisers, long before they were "hip" forum sponsors.

I go first to my LHS and then check with one of the OGR sponsors for availability and delivered price.  At last count I have bought from 9 of the Forum sponsors. 

Alan, what "...unwanted ads..." are you talking about? The only ads you should see here are those of our sponsors.

I've seen every post here and only sponsors have been discussed. Don

I have purchased from the sponsors.  Matt

I talked about some that are not sponsors.........

 

Just got a shipment from Tranz this week. But I deal with Mario's, Trainworld and a number of other sponsors. Add purchases from fellow OGR members and lots of good deals.

Rich

 

It may be just me and my computer, sure hope so. But I did get all sorts of unwanted ads that popped up on OGRR's site. Then with the three blockers set in place, they went away; and sadly so did the sponsor page.

 

I have used various Malware eliminator programs as well that closed off most of the adware that was infecting my PC. So it is likely not you but me!

Over the past three years I've made many purchases from OGR sponsors. All transactions have been satisfactory. There's no local LHS so I look toward train shows, OGR sponsors and the buy/sell board. All have been helpful.

 

I'm planning on picking up a Lion Chief + diesel later this year and that will be from an OGR Sponsor.

I buy quite a bit from sponsors, but in most cases I had relationships with them long before they became sponsors. I do check the sponsors when I am looking for some new item that I'm not already buying on a regular basis from somebody. I've discovered some interesting new products and new sellers that way. 

All of my usual shops are now forum sponsors, so yeh, I purchase from sponsors.  And I do now try to purchase from a sponsors first, before looking elsewhere.  Many of them are the good guys of our hobby anyway.  However, there is one forum sponsor that I would never purchase from again, ever if the were the only sponsor here. 

I don't buy directly from some of the sponsors but use several of their products, Ross Gargraves, Scenery Express to name a few.

I have purchased from multiple forum sponsors.

 

Bob

Unless I'm at a train show or buying off our buy/sell board I only buy at forum sponsors.

-Greg

By checking the list of sponsors , I think I always purchase from them without knowing it they seem to be the best dealers and manufactures in the business! Most I deal with at York and other train shows but some like Gryzboskys are my go to train stores.

No purchases since 12-30-14, Charles Ro. Ordered a late Christmas gift given by my Household CEO, late because before the holidays I couldn't think of anything train-related I really needed. [Cab 1L and 1 L Base.]

 

My go to LHS has always been the Train Loft 30 miles up the road. But I am well-equipped, aging out and rarely buy anything significant.

yes, just the other day from Nicholas Smith Trains and have used Sunset 3rd Rail, and Nassau Hobbies.

Just Trains, Charles Ro, Trainworkd, Nicholas Smith, Sunset 3rdrail.  Just works out that way based on who has what I am looking for and at a good price. There are probably others that I can't think of right now.  Like to spread my purchases around if poossible to give everyone some of my business (too many hobby shops going under these days).  

I have purchased from several of the forum sponsors.

 

Neal Jeter

I have bought from many of our sponsors and my LHS.

 

Jack

I buy from Forum sponsors either online or through shows like the Big E. Haven't had a bad experience yet.

 

I think the point of the thread was whether you support sponsors so that as a side, Alan's job could be a little easier when selling the webpage.

 

If you had issues with sponsors like the posters stated below then just say I dont support a sponsor. Instead of these ranting diatribes at unknown sponsors that are fairly useless. You can surely watch the TV show without buying into the 90 second commercial. However, here if some sponsor is unworthy, Rich  or Alan should know so that they can decide if it's true and that the rest of the OGRR family is not equally burned by a bad sponsor as you.

Also, by these posts don't you think you do a disservice to all the other sponsors that are doing well.

 

However, there is one forum sponsor that I would never purchase from again, ever if the were the only sponsor here. 

 

Some have bad websites, some have good websites.

Some have great customer service, others not so great.

Some have great prices, some don't.

 

If you can't say something good...consider not saying anything at all.

I've always said that people buy from people they like.  So we've probably all developed our favorite toy train suppliers over the years.  The fact that some of these have become forum sponsors is a very recent phenomenon -- at least for anyone who's been in the hobby for more than a few years.

 

So I'd say yes... I've purchased from forum sponsors.  But the sponsoring piece came after-the-fact, if you know what I mean.    I've also purchased from other suppliers in the business, and will naturally continue to do so, simply because I've enjoyed a great customer experience when dealing with them.  The fact that they may not currently sponsor the forum doesn't in any way lessen that fact.

 

David

 

I don't use any ad blockers other than the one built in to IE 11, but can't you set them to allow ads on certain sites? I think this is configurable in IE 11. Even so, I think a list of the sponsors posted somewhere would be nice to have. I think the OGR folks have stated a reason for not doing that, but right now I don't recall what it was?

I just wish there was a page where I could see all the sponsors listed, it would make it easier for me to try them all first. I accept that there is a business reason this approach isn't taken. I can still wish.

This is coming. I have it up and running beta-testing mode right now, however it is not available for you to see just yet.

 

We'll go live with it soon, once I'm sure all the bugs are worked out.

Rich,

Thank you!, Thank you!

It's been slow coming. I for one will appreciate your labors.

 

God Bless,

"Pappy"

Dear Rich,

 

I for one am happy to hear this as it would increase my hits to reference this list as there are many people who are interested as well and would reference it as I would. I applaud your vision of "one good turn deserves another and another"!!!!

 

Mike Maurice

Good news, and good luck with the testing.