RMweb Premium petethemole Posted January 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 13, 2015 I'm fortunate to have two good local model shops and I support them both. However I have to shop on-line, e.g. for wagon kits as neither carries the ranges I want to select from. If I visit a town with a model railway shop I try and buy something. If I was stuck without a shop I'd have to buy on-line, and Hornby's site would be one place to look. As for books, I buy new in shops, but much of what I'm after is out of print, or just not stocked locally. I need to go on-line to the book dealers that still have what I want in stock, or hold remaindered stocks (not always at remainder prices), or buy s/h. Some hard to find books don't come cheap either. It took me a year (ish) to find a book I wanted at under £100 (just), in as new condition, that turned out to be in a s/h bookshop about 5 miles away. Pete Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 The internet is no longer IMHO the future. There are a series of reasons why, from history to natural cycles to privacy, hacking etc, that the whole internet thing is running out of steam (see what I did there!). Growth in key bits of the internet is slowing. The internet is not going away but it is no longer the next big thing. IT was the next big thing. We have already had Web 2.0, which was a huge damp squib. I wouldn't put a lot of money behind your premise here. I don't think "IT" was ever the next big thing, though corporate IT will grow particularly in light of privacy, hacking, etc. I shan't go into Internet of Things since we would be way off topic, that is until Hornby buys into the next generation of "connected" railway models that, someone will suggest, will replace DCC one day - at which point the independent model shop proprietors will need to be IT specialists to get customers' model trains running. There's not a lot to add to this topic that hasn't been said but here's my two cents anyway: With small independent retailers, Hornby gets a nationwide network of people who will showcase Hornby's products including scenic items and Skaledale as well as rolling stock, will upsell customers with other Hornby products beyond the trainset and the track pack mitigate quality issues and customer frustration by test running models at the point of sale and managing returns are usually passionate about promoting model railways as a hobby since expanding the hobby expands their business can give intelligent advice to new-comers to the hobby, encouraging them to do more than a trainset + trackmat and are welcoming to regular customers encouraging return business Certainly internet direct selling is necessary today, and is a high impact in terms of reach but Hornby's website is not friendly to the non-enthusiast who doesn't understand model railways already and the independent retailer is the Hornby's best advocate in reaching new customers in terms of what is possible with model railways. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
totally loco Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 Really not sure where to put this question. From various things I have seen and read, i would agree that Hornby do not make it easy for independent retailers to stock their products. I have heard that several retailers have cancelled their Hornby accounts. Is there anyone who can either confirm or deny this? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted May 11, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 11, 2015 Afraid I can't confirm that eithet but 1 thing that is not always easy to get is spares, particularly if like me you live way awsy from anywhere that has them to sell direct. Makes me wish that more model shops would stock apares in order to make it easier to purchase spares. I don't if anybody feels the same but that's my opinion anyway. I believe Hornby have very much restricted their outlets for spare parts compared with their previous system for spares & repairs. As far as retailers are concerned the system is simple - first of all Hornby require retailers to do a minimum level of business (in money terms) with them and that is not necessarily unusual; I believe the amount is not particularly onerous. However their trade terms only offer retailers a discount (on recommended price) of 10% which really is a very small margin and probably less than some retail businesses can realistically afford. So some might well have decided that they simply cannot afford to stock Hornby Group products or they don't sell a wide range of such products to make it worth their while should they, for example, just stock Hornby model railway items. And of course they face competition from Hornby's direct sales organisation which every now & then sells current catalogue items to retail customers at well below the price charged to retailers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
totally loco Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 This is the problem. The competition from their own sources is nigh on impossible. this was the reason I would love to find out if other retailers have cancelled their accounts with Hornby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oakydoke Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Hornby were giving a 15% discount off everything through their online shop last Friday. Before that they had the factory sales and there's another of these next month (June) with up to 70% off. The independent retailers have a lot to contend with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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