Fuel/Buy Local

[Rcmaster199 at aol.com]

Dan, Ron, I am fairly fortunate here in NEFLA to have a reasonably well  
stocked LHS, Hobby World. Club members get a 10% discount on any purchase.  
Additionally, Don the owner, gives another 5% discount on cases of fuel  purchased. 
Since I buy around 4-5 cases a year, he will typically give me  another 5% 
off, making these purchases pretty reasonable.
 
Over the years I am certain I've dropped a couple grand in those  hobby 
shops. I rubbed their back and they have mine. I encourage every  newbie I help to 
support them also.
 
Matt
 
 making In a message dated 3/2/2005 12:19:20 PM Eastern Standard Time,  
warrior523 at mchsi.com writes:

Ron,

I am not sure our perspectives are that far apart.  I  know locally very few
sport flyers by their fuel by the case.  Usually  one or two gallons a month.
I wonder if they realize that in your shop they  are more than likely getting
a great deal on fuel, since the shipping cost  are reduced and keeps the
price much lower.  I would venture a guess  (just a guess mind you) that if a
group wanted to puchase a bulk order  through your hobby shop you would be
glad to accomodate them and at the  best possible price you could provide.
This just adds to customer service  and often equates into customer loyalty
and a bit more profit.  As far  as buying from Tower, that is a complete
mess.  I have seen  Tower/Great Planes prices to anyone several points below
their wholesale  price to their hobby shop dealers.  Personally, I doubt if
my total  order from Tower Hobbies has reached a total fifty dollars in  30
years.  I worked in a LHS for several years and I understand  exactly what
you mean about buying radios from Tower, when your prices are  very close to
theirs.  Then to poor salt on the wound they come in to  the store to get
educated on how to use it.  I have oftened dreamed of  owning a hobby shop
over my lifetime of modeling.  However, when I see  what shop owners have to
deal with its probably a good thing I never made  the leap.  As I stated in
my first post I always try to support a LHS  first, but there are times when
it is not feasible to do so and it would  not even be beneficial to the shop
owner to try.

Dan
-----  Original Message ----- 
From: "Ron Van Putte"  <vanputte at cox.net>
To: <discussion at nsrca.org>
Sent: March  02, 2005 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: Fuel/Buy Local


>
> On  Mar 2, 2005, at 10:27 AM, Dan Curtis wrote:
>
> > Supporting  local hobby shops,
> >
> > It is always a good idea and  practice support your LHS, however we as a
> > pattern community tend  to require and use some pattern specific items
> > that
> >  it is just not practical for your LHS to carry.  Some of the items  we
> > commonly use in construction they cannot even order.  So  we support
> > them
> > when we can and we support other  sources when it is necessary.  As far
> > as
> > fuel,  many hobby shops cannot afford to carry much inventory and I
> > have  seen
> > several that really cannot warrant carrying more than a case  or two of
> > 30
> > percent if that.  So getting a  group together to by a large quanitiy
> > of fuel
> > does  not really constitute a lack of LHS support, at least in my view.
>  >  The
> > savings on the fuel purchase is more than likely  going into the hobby
> > shops
> > till anyway, at least in  my case. :)
>
> How about another perspective?  I have a  local hobby shop and try to
> keep prices down so local modelers can  afford to buy more to enjoy the
> hobby.  I live 95 miles from  Enterprise, AL and drive there to get fuel
> at Morgan Fuels, to avoid  the shipping/hazard fees.  I go to Morgan
> about every six weeks  and try to stock quantities of the different
> fuels, such that I get  close to running out of all fuels just before
> going back to Morgan  again.  I add a minimal markup.  I try to
> encourage the  locals to buy by the case to keep my incoming cash flow
> up and to  minimize the time I might be out of one or more specific
> fuels (Heli  30% for example).  Do you have a guess on how many
> customers buy  by the case?  Try three out of about 100 locals.  Then
> add  that to the guys who buy their radios from Tower rather that me,
> even  though my prices, including sales tax, end up being very near the
> same  as Tower's price plus shipping.  I call that frustrating.
>
>  Ron Van Putte
>
> > ----- Original Message -----
> >  From: "Pat Hewitt" <phewitt at farmersagent.com>
> > To:  <discussion at nsrca.org>; <discussion at nsrca.org>
> > Sent:  March 02, 2005 10:10 AM
> > Subject: Re: Fuel/Buy Local
>  >
> >
> > Just my thoughts. I am a local business man in  the mid-west and I have
> > a
> > problem when people DO NOT  support their local hobby shops. Our clubs
> > never
> >  have a problem going to them and asking for there help so why not
> >  support
> > them, yes I know you can save 20/30% but again where will  we be
> > without
> > their
> > help or better yet  with out their shops to shop in. ( I AM NOT A HOBBY
> > SHOP
>  > OWNER )
> >
> >
> > Thanks for letting me have  my thoughts vented.
> >
> >
> > Pat Hewitt
>  > Paola, Kansas


 
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