My rant for the day....

This follows my comments that MRS in Plumstead keep Vallejo.... and an attempt to save some other folks from making a long trip for nothing - as I did this morning

MRS appear to keep the whole range of Vallejo Model Air colours.... they do not keep the whole Model Color range. They only have about 100 (at the very most ) of the 208 product range...

Now I must admit that normally something like wouldn't bug me too much... except that when I phoned them yesterday I asked them if they had the whole Model Color range... to which I was told "yes, except for one or two that are out of stock - but those we can order"... Then when I arrived there today I was told that they do keep the entire range - that the SA distributor imports!. They also tried to spin some yarn about AV having another range or series within the Model Color range, and that the SA distributor brings one or the ranges in but not the other - "but not too worry, they are trying to bring the rest in". What a load of utter cods wollop!

Of course what also annoyed me was the attitude from the guy that helped me... told me to come back next month and check then! Firstly, how about trying to get the colours for me? And secondly, the reason I went in today to ask for paints isn't because I want them next month! It's because I want them today!
Then of course to be told "oh, come on!" when I ask about mail order to CPT's Northern Suburbs...

Thanks to that kak (to put it bluntly) service, I have decided to just order my Vallejo products from HobbyEasy... not only cheaper... but the whole range... and yes, I know, it is my very reaction to poor service and supply that is sinking LHS's worldwide...

What kind of service do you guys get from your LHS?

Here's hoping you guys get better and friendlier service from your LHS...

Rudi

You know what irritates me Tarok, not only poor service at model shops but what about rediculous pricing, ie A particular Dragon Figure kit at Toytrain for R54, Esswex same kit for R57 and wait for this one at Aviation shop 2 different prices for the same kit one of R115 and one of R120.

How is that for you my man?

Marius,

Totally agree with you, boet! It's these things that are leading to the death of the hobby in SA...

Well well. Thanx Maruis for mentioning that despicable of all LHS's Aviation Shop. We have only had hassles with this shop from day one. A snotty attitude towards your requests and a general "Can't give a damn" attitude has stopped our quarterly visits to this shop.

Most of the guys here prefer the internet as it is cheaper and alot beter on service. The LHS complain that we don't support them but then we ask them why should we. This same subject was broached on the GHQ forum a while back in which people complained that the internet was causing the LHS's to collapse. But the standing argument is why buy from them if 1. the service is crappy and 2. you can get it cheaper from the internet.

The LHS's has to addapt or die.

yip i totally agree. Aviation Shop's service stinks. When i started going there about a year ago they had a hell of a variety, lately they dont seem to have anything...and about thier attitudes...i am not even sure they are model hobbiers themselves. they are more interested in sitting behind the till try to look busy than helping their customers.

And lets not forget their prices. Prices in SA are ridiculous, and especially at the Aviation shop. Having visited Esswex recently for the first time i was pleasantly surprised, not only at "resonable prices" but alos at a wider variety of goods, although it is still lacks alot and leaves much to be desired.

I mean, who in thier rights minds, wont purchase online when faced with such "K*K" service? Even if it means waing a little longer for you goods to arrive? No hassel at facing the LHS shops owners, no more being treated like an invader rather than a customer with money to spend.

I will be invistagting two hobby shops in Pretoria this coming weekend. I will provide some feedback as to my experiences, but i doubt that i will find it to be much different from any other LHS shop in SA.

I dont know, LHS had better wake up and smell the coffee...

Without naming specific LHS's I have found that the most hobby shops are somewhat damaging to themselves.
First the service is dismal to say the least. As a customer you are ususally regarded as non-essential in the great scheme of things. When you ask for certain products, you are regarded as being from another planet. The LHS staff mostly know nothing about the hobby unless it can be radio controlled, and then some.

Out of all the available kits on the internet it is also amazing that the sole SA supplier can not obtain stock, but I can get it from Hobbyeasy at a third of the price sold locally. It would seem that some people have managed to obtain a monopoly on the importation of kits that they fancy and screw the rest of the modeling fraternity. The same goes for locally manufactured kits, albeit mostly resin, sold at exhorbitant prices, because no-one else "makes" it.

The youngsters out there can not afford to fork out a grand or more to get a decent kit locally, so obviously the hobby starts to suffer. And the LHS? Well they don't really care, as long as they can put a couple of bucks in their pocket.

On a positive note, George Winship has always been good to us and really puts an effort in to obtain what you need.

Somewhere our ladying must have sinked in as our two local LHS's, Toytrain and Speedway suddenly stocks good kits at a cheaper price than Esswex or Aviation Shop.

As someone who has now been on both sides of the fence I have to agree with some of you. However not with all you say. Anyhow without getting into great detail and getting negative, I would like to mention a new shop in Edenmedow, Edenvale. "Wheels & Wings"

I visit a lot of the shops with my MIG stuff but keep finding myself going back and visiting these guys just for fun. Why? Because they treat you so well, have very fair prices and help you as much as they can. To them bending over backwards is just part of the job

I do not want to descriminate and I have not visited EVERY single LHS out there, however Wheels & Wings I have found to be by far the most pleasent to deal with.

Just my 2 cents worth

Great,

How would i get to Speedway, Toytrain and Wheels & Wings?

Toy train is in Meyerton. You drive down the main street comming of the highway from vereeninging (can't remeber which sorry). There is a nice big bord on the fence of a school showing you were to turn of the main road. Go up about a km and turn left at the garage (can't remeber which garage it is) and just a bit down the road you will see a Super Frelon sitting next to the road to the right. Turn in, park someplace. Toy train is in the longish building at the back on the ground floor.

I would also like to take my time and thank Johan Schoeman of SA Miniatures. He is my go to guy for 1/285 scale stuff. I have had only great service from him. He is extremely helpful and organizes you some discount for large orders from the suppliers. Good bloke.

Toytrain is situated in Galloway str, Meyerton. Off the R59 left in Johan Le Roux ( coming from Alberton), straight on, first stop street at Pilkington Tiles, over the railwaybridge, miss first left, second stop street turn right into Galloway str. Oudewerf is on your right about 500 m from the stop.

Speedway is situated in the River Square Centre, Three Rivers, Vereeniging. Follow the R59 past Meyerton, take the Redan turnoff left, follow the road until it makes a 90 degree turn and ends against a t-junction, turn left in Houtkop rd, carry on straight till next t-junction, turn right, first left, t-junction right, robot left carry on staright next robot turn right, River Square on left, drive past, keeping left up to the end of the complex. Find parking, enter the complex at the Wimpy, walk past the Wimpy and into Speedway.

Hope this helps.

Wheels & Wings
Shop 11A. Edenmeadow Shopping Centre.

Tel: 011 452 1578. Fax: 011 452 1576

Not sure how to get there.

Thanks for your input Bomberman!

Graugrun

Thanks guys, sure that will help plenty.

www.plasticmodelbouw.nl

Nuff said...

Here are my experiences of LHS's in CPT... in no particular order...

Jeffrey Stein Sales: The service in the "factory shop" was great - very friendly. The downside was that the range was limited to what they imported. That said, you didn't go there if you were looking for something else. Price wasn't too bad, not wholesale but marginally less than what you'd get it for in your LHS.
The "factory shop" is unfortunately now closed, but the guys that operated it have opened a store in Observatory. I haven't been there yet, so won't comment on it yet.

Thom's Hobby Haven: Sadly they now keep very little plastic modelling goods. Assistance in this department is non-existant. IMHO the only good thing about this store is that they keep a decent supply of Humbrol - but I have found a new supply of this 1km from my home , see below...

Boyz and Dad's Model Shop: I haven't visited the new store in the High Street Mall, Bellville but I believe it's double the size of his old Tygervalley shop. Unfortunately that means there's twice as much Warhammer stuff... Generally, my experience with this store has been pleasant. The staff are friendly and always willing to help. If they don't have it they will try to get it for you. The biggest downside is firstly price, they are a bit more expensive than the other LHS's, and secondly they are getting more into the Warhammer scene and less into the plastic scale scene.

Young and Old Hobbies: This is a very local hobby store for me... literally 1 km from my home, and open till 20h00 for emergencies... upsides would be the time until they are open till and that they keep a fair range of Tamiya and Humbrol... downsides, price again, and the fact that it's seldom that staff acknowledge your presence when you walk in...

Model Railway Specialists: See my above rant... the only plus - they have a decent range of plastic and paint, considering that their main focus is railroad...

Speedmodels: main focus is RC cars... they keep the odd plastic kit, but nothing you can't find elsewhere...

Topflyte Hobbies: The store I used to work in... I honestly have no idea if this store is still operating. I know he was planning to retire and was closing shop. His core focus is without a doubt RC aircraft, but he still kept a few plastic kits... downside, he is known to be expensive and paints could be old/stale... upside, a kit that was expensive 5 years ago could be cheap now - yup, lots of old stock...

My national experience:

King Tiger Models: Run by Armorama local Matthew (aka Graugrun). Local distributor for MIG Productions. Excellent prices and excellent service. Matthew went the extra mile for me when I was looking for something he was sold out of.

My "international" experience:

LuckyModel: Good prices, and fair range. Biggest bonus of ordering from them is the postage options - like unmarked parcel and low value declaration which gets it past our friends at customs...

Plastic Modelbouw: Nice range and fair prices. On the range subject they even had the new Trumpeter 1/35 Chinook before the Hong Kong and US dealers! They are especially great when you get some sap to bring it back for you in his rucksack! :-) :-) :-) Just kidding, Michael! :-)


These are my personal experiences. I realize that your's may be different.... but hey, that's life! :-)

(insert donkey sound here)

Oh, I almost forgot.. I found a place in the V&A waterfront. I forget its name right now, but it had a bit of kits and a rack of Tamiya paint.

Is it me or is Tamiya extra thin liquid glue not exist in this country?

Hi Michael,

You're probably speaking about Peggity's Toys? Yeah, we have one at Tygervalley Centre as well...

I think you might find the Tamiya Extra thin at Model Railway Specialist, Young and Old Models, or the new shop in Observatory...

We can ask around on Friday if you're still coming to the meeting?Give me a shout during the week to let me know

Rudi

Actually it isn't! If I paid attention properly I would've remembered its name.. It was near the entrance closest to that craft market.. Sorry.. New guy in town

I did pick up some glue at Peggities, as they didn't have any.

There's a new shop in observatory?? Woohoo!

Yeah, new shop in Obs actually we'll be having a meeting there one of these months so make sure you're back in Cape Town by then :-)

Rudi

p.s. didn't miss much last night - except for fact that in SAAF museum was a pretty boring meeting

We were considering moving to Obs to start off with.. I think I found another reason now

I know the Dutch IPMS is a bit of a, well.. They won't be ejected out of a pub quickly..

Anywho.. soon.. Beer, boerewors and talking styrene..

Hi all. I would like to add a bit to Tarok's rant. Here is my expierence with a certain hobby shop in JHB which recently had some trouble with accomadation.

I phoned the owner on monday to buy some ground cover material (about R500 worth) and got the invoice the same day and payed the same day. The shipping on the bill was R65. For the amount I payed I would expect speed services. Not to be.

On wednesday the package had still not arrived. I phoned him and asked for the tracking number. He told me he'd phone me back. On thursday I phoned again. This time he told me that the pakage was damaged and never sent. The post office dropped a box on the bag he'd packed it in. He was going to resend it immediately to me. I asked if he was going to use speed services. He replied that he would if it wasn't too expensive.

I went on lunch and left my phone in the office. When I came back I found a missed call from him. I phoned him back. He told me that the package had been sent via priority mail and that it cost him nearly R100. I thanked him and asked when the package would be here. He told me on friday or saturday morning.

I phoned the post office this morning to find out where the package was. The lady asked how it had been sent. I told her via priority mail and gave her the tracking number. She immediately informed me it was normal mail not priority. I then asked her what the cost would be to send a 1.5kg (that's how much the stuff weighs about including the packing material) package via speed services over night and by normal mail. She told me R25 via normal and 57 via speed services.

As I see it I have been screwed out of R40. Not much you'd say but it is the principle. I've been lied to and because of this I would never again buy anything from this man. I would rather import the scatter material from the states and pay through my nose before I buy another thing from him.

Theunis,

Not a good story at all

I would very much like you to PM me and let me know as to who it is.

As a supplier to the shops I am very keen to know as to who are the good dealers and who are not. This is important for my MIG business! (this may be from someone who I thought was a good dealer). I could also let you know as to who you will have much better luck in the future. (don't forget to let me know as to where you live)

I look forward to your mail.

Or if you prefer to call me: 082 851-4708

Cheers

Matthew

Hi everyone,

On a positive note........ Matthew goes the extra mile for his customers.

Thank you Matthew, we appreciate the effort you put in to satisfy the finicky modeler.

As far as the MIG products go, we are converted. Great stuff.

Toytrain now also stocks MIG products. Well done Matthew.

101% in agreement! When I ordered a MIG pigment set from Matthew he didn't have it in stock. He went out of his way to source the set from a shop he had supplied and drew it from them. Thanks again Matthew!


BTW, I have to share this experience with you guys...
A couple of Sundays ago I ran out of Cyno, so I popped into the LHS nearest to me... I asked the guy at the counter (the owner I believe) for "Cyno"... the response: blank look followed by "huh?"... my response: "You know... CA Glue? Cyno Acrylite?" still the blank look..... " You know... Super Glue?"..... his reponse "Oh, I only keep this (Bostik Clear - not a CA), else try Game or Pick 'n Pay." - never mind that there is no Game in that mall... I guess the really scary thing is that appartenly this guy has won quite a few Figure awards at IPMS Nats in previous years...