This sounds familiar. Parallels to train shops.

Very true.  And the shipping outfits have pretty much leveled the playing field in this regard with top-notch, predictable delivery service.  So folks are more "comfortable" having merchandise shipped directly to them nowadays.

I can remember years ago when folks just felt better about driving to the local store to purchase a big-ticket item they could touch-and-feel... then bring it home.  If it was DOA, they'd just drive it back for an exchange or refund.  Easy enough.  The retail business model was built upon that thought-process.

However, today's paradigm shift is VERY real, and businesses like Best Buy and Staples are now forced to close retail outlets due to a change in consumer buying behavior.  Heck, most of what you can buy at Staples can be purchased cheaper online at Amazon.com.   Me?  I'm old-fashioned, and I still like to drive to Staples even it's just to buy a box of pencils.  

David

Soon stores will only be found in museum streets and on toy train layouts.    

The thread starter's point begs this question. With all of the activity this week on the Forum about the Vision Line Big Boy, would you buy it from your local dealer if their price was $ 100.00 more than the lowest price offered by one of the dealers who have made various offerings this week to Forum members?

Until recently I made all my purchases via the local train shop, I would get 10% off list, but it was worth it. Like Frank I was good about paying cash or check. I would never charge a large ticket item at the LHS so he could avoid the commission hit from the card companies

He has closed (health reasons) so now I am one of those online buyers. I really don't like the experience vs having a place to drive to and hang out for a bit.

As for the original subject, it is quite common to hear that Best Buy is nothing more than a showroom for Amazon. Not sure whats going to happen when BB closes.

I try to support the local guys when I can, but if there's a huge difference..... 

How folks spend their money is a very personal matter.  So nothing that's said here on the forum will change their ways.  It is what it is.

Some would say yes, others will say no.

As I've said here before, my "new-purchase" toy train interests have migrated away from O-Gauge to Standard Gauge, so I'm having a grand ole time watching these Big Boy pricing threads on the sidelines.   

This offering is a "first" for Lionel in many ways, and I doubt any of the big dealers is sitting back on their laurels.  By insuring that EVERY order that's placed somewhere will get produced, buyers have COMPLETE choice with whom they place their order.  Prior to this, buyers walked on thin ice at times if they chose solely on price... only to later find their dealer of choice was shorted by Lionel when product deliveries were parceled out.  From what we've been told, THAT won't happen here.

So yea... even though I'm not buying one, I'm curious (in more of a rhetorical way), how many folks are "switching dealer loyalties" just to chase cheaper pre-order prices.

We've heard relatively little (at least publicly) from one of Lionel's biggest dealers.  Yet other dealers were quick to hit potential buyers with email blasts or forum "ads".  I just find it interesting to see how different dealers are approaching sales of these "built to order" items in different ways.  And then, of course, it's even more interesting to watch the ensuing consumer behavior.    Never a dull moment, for sure.

David

My opinion is outdated. To me, if you go there, and you look there, and ask questions there, then you buy there. If you don't buy there and then go buy on line to save money that's classless but that's just me.

I'm with you 1,000% on this, Scott.  But we're retail dinosaurs. 

I can tell you flat out that for every person who thinks like we do, there may be an order of magnitude more who don't think twice about doing the exact opposite.  That's exactly why companies I mentioned earlier are seriously re-thinking their bricks-and-mortar retail operations.  Folks walk into the store... do the look-and-feel... compare products... ask questions... then walk out empty-handed and make a few mouse-clicks at home -- or maybe even a few finger swipes in the car on their iPhone. 

David

I'm with you guys here, but as you say I think we are in the extremely small numbers of people that think this way today.

Maybe in fifty years no one will be verbally taking to each other.

And the only language taught in school will be txtese.  

Its sad but when us old guys close our stores it will be the end. I do not see any young guys wanting to enter the business.

Best regards

Pat

WWW.PATSTRAINS.COM

Have you sat in a room with a group of young people recently?  It's quite disconcerting watching them text each other rather than talk. 

My Grandpa who passed away in 1982 at 86 year of age never really liked talking to people on the phone 'cause he was so accustomed to speaking with people face-to-face in his dealings. 

Our generation (and our parents) became the "phone talkers", and now we're watching a whole communication paradigm shift again as the new upcoming generation prefers browsing websites, clicking mice, swiping fingers, and texting as opposed to talking on the phone.

Ironic when you think about it.

David

I feel that when the local hobby shop disappears it will be then be the end of many of these hobbies (not just our trains).

Why?

Where will people go to learn about how to do these hobbies?  Some of it can be learned from the Internet, but nothing beats hands-on experience.  Also, how many people will want to deal with sending their broken "toys" to a repair facility every time a part breaks (mainly radio control vehicles)?

Stuart

Oh to have a Local Hobby Shop , you folks that have one close by are lucky. I don't know of one in my area , Rockwall TX (NE of Dallas).

Brent

The door swings both ways here...

Ignoring a new customer, giving them the stinkeye from afar, openly griping about their method of payment... Equally classless.

There are a LOT of people that would buy local, but for the fact that the shop owner is a grumpy old phart with a chip on his shoulder, marking everything at 20% over MSRP.

I'm tickled that there is a great place like Besser's Whistlestop within driving distance, and my local shop Despatch Junction is reasonable on things, though it did take several visits and cash purchases before the old guys there started to warm up to me.

Isn't it all just a part of the changing retail world??? Change is really the only constant.....it's just the speed we see it today makes it shocking to us.

We have a very small shop in town that charges over MSRP on new limited supply and hard to get items. I don't know if it is 20% or not though. Everything else is MSRP. It's a long way from me and they have very little stock in the store, which is pretty small to begin with and has N, HO, & O, maybe more gauges. The proprietor is nice, not grumpy at all. Not my regular LHS though, only been there once.

I certainly think so and don't believe that the transition away from small retail in any way spells the end of the O gauge hobby. Although I wasn't in the hobby at that time I have heard stories from a close friend about Lionel's attempt to set up production in Tiajuana of all places. If the hobby survived that I would think that it would survive anything -- and I'm a pessimist. Since that time MTH has entered the market and both suppliers have kept up with technology in the form of DCS, DCC, TMCC, Legacy and so on. To me that's a good sign.

The plastic model companies tried that too....a disaster of huge proportions!!! Wonder what incentive was out there at the time that tempted them to try????

Try this: The first and last time I tried to buy a locomotive from our LHS,  56 mile round trip. They were glad to take my order for full retail plus shipping. Guess what I did?

Full retail wouldn't bother me.  And 56 miles one way is nothing in Texas.  I wish I had an O gauge shop that close.  However I admit the "plus shipping" might have put me off, at which point I would've tried negotiating.  But we all do what we gotta do.

Pete

Simple.  It was the same then as it is now with China and/or Korea: cheaper labor.  Having said that, what at least on the surface was the cause of the Mexico production failures was supposedly Vic Rado (head of the Toy Group Divsion of Fundemensions) for rushing the entire outsourcing project, or that the GMs of the plants deliberately sabotaged the Mexico production efforts (according to Mr. Rado).

I agree 56 one way would be OK!!!

Brent

Yes i would but we haven't had a hobby shop here for several years, or one close by.

NO!  But then I wouldn't buy it. [period]

I don't know about ma and pa hobby shops.  But I know people are tired of many of the chain store brick facilities. 

They really want to purchase an item or two.  Well. usually the item or two is out of stock.  

Then there is the check out.  I wonder if it is actually constitutional.  You know, the no-torture amendment. The clerk might ask if you find everything you needed.  Ok, fair enough.  But then they ask you if you want their credit card.  Their savings club.  Charity of the week.  Meanwhile, the line is longer than the one on the Jersey side of the GW Toll Bridge on I-95 a few months ago!

And those CEO's on UNDERCOVER BOSS:  They would be better using their time as UNDERCOVER CUSTOMERS.  No paying customers, no money coming in.

I think it was MacDonald's who said that that happens within the three feet of the front counter is what makes or breaks the business.

Paramedics have the ultimate customer.  If a patients heart stops, they have 5 mins. to get it restated.  Or there is no more customer.  The customer is DEAD.  

CEO's need to get that model of customer concern in their companies top to bottom, if they want the company to have a heart beat!

Brian, I would buy it from Tony in a second if he was only $100 more than Pat's price! It is worth the extra c-note to have the convenience and security of having my LHS back up the sale. Plus I consider that a small price to pay to support my friend!

The future hobby shop will sell drones. With mounted cameras, microphones, speakers, and other toys - they will be the rage. So much more involvment than with an RC plane or car.

You're there, Bub.  

Not sure the exact miles.....but my LHS is 2 3/4 hour drive at 70 mph on the interstate.....56 miles would be fantastic!

RD:

I agree with you completely. But that should be no surprise to you.

Supermarkets have been saying "foul!" because stores like Target and Walmart are selling groceries. But it was OK for THEM to sell flowers, greeting cards, prescriptions, etc.