Who would be a shop keeper?

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hi chaps

As the title says….Who would be a shop keeper?

Last night, sat on the settee, in front of a warm fire and all the modern comforts, watching the rain trickle down the window………and out of shop hours too

Bearing in mind the nearest model shop is 35 miles away and it's Winter, I decided to go shopping………..On the net, of course!

I ordered…….Packet of fretsaw blades, tin of flux, two bandsaw blades and a spokeshave…….Without leaving my settee and it will arrive within a few days!

I sat back and realised how easy it all was and then thought of the poor shop owner…….Who would be a shopkeeper these days?

The wind of change is certainly having it's effect in the High Street

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

High street revolution

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

I still like to go into a shop and see what I am buying when possible. Friday, whilst in Manchester couldn't resist having a look at the new Modelzone in W H Smiths and bought accessories.

The problem with internet buying is the trouble you have to go to if things aren't right and it has to be posted back for exchange or refund.

On BBC radio 4's Moneybox programme the other week it was mentioned that if you bought over the internet, you have a right to a refund if you don't like the goods, but if you buy from a shop you are only entitled to a refund if the goods are faulty. On Euronews this was featured and the EU are soon to pass laws about consumer rights for exchange/refund (2015 I think).

Tony.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Tony

It is nice to visit a well stocked model shop, but they are quite rare these days

Steve Webb's in Frodsham is like an Aladdins Cave!….But it's 35 miles away

Where can you find a camera shop these days?……PC World I suppose, but hands on is essential for the top of the range gear

The Pound shops are beginning to get their act together now…..Some are like grocers shops!

We must have bought about six all singing, all dancing TV sets in the last 25 years, without the services of a qualified expert…..Needless to say, they were only partially set up properly

i used to love looking in cigar shops…..Those were the days…….Alas….All gone

Blame the Wind of Change……..3D printers are a mystery at the moment

Ah well, such is life?

All the best Tony…..Bob

Bob

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

This is nothing new. I went to the USA over 30 years ago and was driven to the "biggest and best hobby store" that Dallas had to offer. It was little more than a shack, situated on a dusty backroad behind Love Field airport. The old proprietor was quite a character and showed me around his workshop at the back of the store, but it was the almost total absense of big-ticket stock items that amazed me. There was ONE two-channel Futaba radio and maybe three or four assorted small i/c engines and, apart from some House of Balsa model aircraft kits which he'd bought cheap from the wholesaler, that was it. The rest of the stock was balsa, ply, glue, paint, Solarfilm etc.
He explained that the big mail-order stores could sell these big-ticket items cheaper than he could buy them, so most modellers bought almost all of their expensive goods this way and just used his store for convenience or for bits they'd run out of. In a country where the local store can be 50+ miles away I guess that mail order makes sense, but I do feel for the poor soul who invests his time, money and effort into opening a model shop just to have customers come and handle his stock then clear off and buy it cheaper on the 'Net.
I'd be interested to hear from our Aussie and Kiwi members about how they buy their modelling goods.

Dave M

[Kimosubby ShipyardsParticipant @kimosubbyshipyards]

Hi Chaps,

as you're talking model shops thought I'd ask is there a problem at Westbourne Models (down South). I'd put in albeit a small order for a brass prop (Dec 4th) and have heard nothing. All I got was a confirmation email for the original order. Two follow up emails from me just after Christmas have no reply and I couldn't get through on phone yesterday. Normally they deliver in days.

Over here, we rely on internet shopping and the occasional mainland visit to "fill our boots" (that's car boots). We can't expect the local model shop to stock all goods, and we are a very capricious lot (modellers in general that is, not just Manxies).

Hi Dave, you posted as I was compiling, (we don't count as that foreign.)

Aye, Kim

Edited By Kimosubby Shipyards on 05/01/2014 11:10:42

Edited By Kimosubby Shipyards on 05/01/2014 11:10:58

Edited By Kimosubby Shipyards on 05/01/2014 11:11:35

[IAN_IParticipant @ian_i]

Hi People…

I had a shop some twenty years ago (general goods), in the south lakes Ulverston and remember one miserable Sunday afternoon a lady called in for a bag of sugar and when paying.., she said “ I can get this ten pence cheaper at Tesco “… so I had to say it… NOT ON A SUNDAY YOU CANT….LOL

Once trading opened up seven days a week we closed.

The son in law has just started on the Post and we had a chat about this… and we think he will probably be one of the remaining workers over the coming years as you say all the shops closing, we will still need delivery and return pick up.

No need for shop front sales if all are looking for products on line.

I still have a problem buying a book on line… like to see/ feel the item size of print pictures all that, and when it comes to buying a model boat or piece of kit, I do like to see it talk to the person I am buying it from.

So as you Bob… I travel miles to Lancaster Model shop, to buy items and usually order motors and hold it with them until I call next time as I do not want to see them disappear.

Our local paper shop is also struggling as many read the news on line and order magazines direct.

Its all a new world of cloud storage and hard drives, makes my boxes of magazines in the garage look very old world.

Best regards,

Ian

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

The Spokeshave I ordered last Saturday night arrived yesterday!

That's good service for you?

Bob

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

I tell you what. Io would not mind being a shop keeper. If the shop was for model boaters run by model boaters who actually knew about model boats. Seems very difficult to find the knowledge in this day of helicopters, planes and cars running about all over the place. Would not mind even having a pool in the back to try them out on. Now that would be my kind of shop.

Andy (looking forward to winning the lottery)

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It's all about 'footfall'.

In the good old days when modelling was a really popular activity it could support local model shops as there were lots of modellers in any typical locality to support the business. Now of course modelling is very much a minority interest and there are simply not enough local people to get through the door to keep a shop viable unless it also has a very good internet presence as well.

Times change unfortunately.

Colin

[Andy CParticipant @andyc56856]

I think that maybe true. you only need to look at any high street these days to see the decline in any shop.

Andy

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