It's about to get very interesting!
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/forum...?TID=16610&PN=1
Long story short:
As part of Hobbyking's expansion we will be opening our first retail store in Sydney, Australia within the next 60 days.
This store will be stocking both locally aquired R/C gear and HobbyKing products, it will also act as a HobbyKing service center.
This is a pilot program and once the bugs have been ironed out, replicated in other regions.
Cool, will be great especially if located out our way.
Has anyone told HK that Parramatta is the geographics/population center of the Sydney area. Now that I think about it the Auburn area is an even better area, just down next to the new Costco co-op center.
However given Sydney high rents I'm not sure the pricing will be as good as online. But I live in hope
Wow, wonder what Ultimate, Kellets and the other retailers will think of this!
A service centre as well as a retail outlet - interesting.
perhaps they could get some cheap rent out schofields way..
Now here's a great idea !!!
Maybe they could get a warhouse/shop in TUCKS RD TOONGABBIE. I recon that would be awsome. Certainly is central enough. We would probably even let them be affiliated with our club... maybe.
yeah that would be good gazz for sure
Gday All
This is going to shake things up retail wise for sure.
However I don't think the LHS is going to suffer that much though, HK does not stock gear of the same quality and LHS's have a loyal customer base due to the generally high end top branded items that they sell and the support given for same.
It will indeed be interesting to see where they locate the store.
Cheers
Rob B
Cheers
Rob B
Also, I thought the point of buying out of Hong Kong that we dodged taxes - GST etc. Does this mean that the prices won't be as super cheap as we're used to?
Well John - I expect we're already paying import duties and GST on stuff we get from the NSW warehouse anyway, so a retail outlet would probably have similar pricing. If I was "Mr HobbyKing" I wouldn't even consider going through the hassle of constructing a retail presence if my own mail-order busines run out of the same state could significantly undercut it on pricing.
Rob - you know more about marketing and economics than me mate, but I dunno about quality and loyalty. Sure enough, there's always a market for Hacker, AXI and Scorpion motors over Turnigy ones for example but how many of us go to the LHS for premium stuff as opposed to mail-order? As for customer loyalty ... I'd love to agree with you on that one, but I don't think "Wings 'n Things" and "Castle Hill Hobbies" would see it the same way.
I'm guessing that their retail pricing will be about the same as their warehouse+postage pricing and I reckon that once word gets around that you can buy ARF planes and batteries at those prices, it will be really uncomfortable for the LHS's in the Sydney area - more's the pity. Anyway, time will tell.
Hmm - another interesting development. A chap over at RCGroups is saying that HStore at Carringbah is actually to become the HobbyKing retail outlet!!
(26-03-2011, 04:14 PM)yarrumevets Wrote: [ -> ]Hmm - another interesting development. A chap over at RCGroups is saying that HStore at Carringbah is actually to become the HobbyKing retail outlet!!
So all us westies have to drive down to the shire for counter service?
(27-03-2011, 09:24 AM)Skidz Wrote: [ -> ]So all us westies have to drive down to the shire for counter service?
Heh, heh, heh ... yes, we'll all drive down there in a convoy and let 'em know we've hit town
(27-03-2011, 05:33 PM)yarrumevets Wrote: [ -> ] (27-03-2011, 09:24 AM)Skidz Wrote: [ -> ]So all us westies have to drive down to the shire for counter service?
Heh, heh, heh ... yes, we'll all drive down there in a convoy and let 'em know we've hit town
Got it!
HStore just need to insert a "K" between the H and the S and you have HKStore!
Gday All
This location is bad news, I do not have the required vaccinations and visa's to get into The Shire. Does anyone know if your basic Hazmat pressure suit would suffice for a quick visit?
Cheers
Rob B
If you try to get into the H Store, they are upgrading the website with some amazing announcement to come.
I've actually bought parts from them before,it yakes a whole day from my place return trip on a Saturday - take a picnic lunch you shall need it!
They located near Miranda Fair - actually off the main drag in a side strreet, if you blink you'll miss it!
There is another hobby shop "Vaggs" on the main drag a couple of blocks.
Looks like the rumors are true; Email from Anthony Hand.
Get ready for the HobbyKing Store Front
This photo [left] was taken by a customer last night.
And here is what HobbyKing's Director has to say about it;
In an ever increasing effort to drive more value into the R/C market HobbyKing has begun piloting retail store franchises in select regions around the globe, underscoring HobbyKing's commitment to the R/C industry.
Each store will retail both HobbyKing and other branded products and will also serve as a service center for warranty and technical support.
Products sold online can be serviced in-store as well as sent back to your local service center.
At a later stage 'HobbyKing Store Front's will be filling local internet orders and pre-ordering requested items from any one of HobbyKing's warehouses locally and abroad.
We hope that the HobbyKing Store Front network combined with increased service levels and a 24hr support desk (ETA May-15) will improve quality of service and ultimately customer satisfaction.
We will let you know via email the moment a store opens in your region, in the meantime if you have a local store that you would like ! to see carry our products please tell them to email us at cs@hobbyking .com
Regards
Anthony Hand
HobbyKing.com
I dont understand why HK would want to open a store up down there.
I used to live 2 blocks from Vaggs Hobbies and the Shire is not exactly booming with RC clubs. Personally I think they stuffed up big time with their research and have put it in the wrong place.Their counter sales will suffer because no one wants to travel to the outskirts of Sydney to save a few dollars.
The central west (Around Parramatta) would have been more central for all Sydneysiders and there are heaps more RC clubs
IE: Parramatta, Blacktown, Penrith, Sydney RC car club, St Ives RC car club, Hornsby and Warringah.
Putting the store out this way would have put the local stores on notice and made them drop their prices to stay competative, which would have been good for every one (except the local RC shops of course, but hey what goes around comes around)
Bad move HK
Gazz
While not ideal,at least we won't have to go
To hong Kong or Batemans bay
Yes thats right Paul
But this is a RETAIL store, so it will be very interesting to see how the shelf pricing compares to the net.
Gazz
(27-03-2011, 09:24 AM)Skidz Wrote: [ -> ][quote='yarrumevets' pid='5201' dateline='1301116489']
Hmm - another interesting development. A chap over at RCGroups is saying that HStore at Carringbah is actually to become the HobbyKing retail outlet!!
So all us westies have to drive down to the shire for counter service?
Yes its true H Store is it i was there on Sunday and they were put up the Posters and stuff !!!
Very interesting news indeed...
There is another avenue to persue for this name / brand changeover. It is I belive, mainly due to HStores weekly / monthly car and fly experiance in the meni sports stadium.
Always packed, always exciting and a great place to trash around a relativly cheep car / plane.
Thats my thought on the matter.
Well, it would seem that as we thought, pricing at the shop will be comparable to the online/warehouse pricing (it couldn't be much different really).
If you go to the HK website and then to the pages that show the Aussie warehouse items, you'll notice on many of them as you scroll down the page that there's a little icon indicating that the item is available at the Caringbah store, with no mention of an alternative cost.
Here's an example ...
[
attachment=1217]
So, all we need is for them to actually open up for trade and then summon the strength to fight our way through the throngs!
(01-04-2011, 07:00 PM)yarrumevets Wrote: [ -> ]Well, it would seem that as we thought, pricing at the shop will be comparable to the online/warehouse pricing (it couldn't be much different really).
If you go to the HK website and then to the pages that show the Aussie warehouse items, you'll notice on many of them as you scroll down the page that there's a little icon indicating that the item is available at the Caringbah store, with no mention of an alternative cost.
Here's an example ...
So, all we need is for them to actually open up for trade and then summon the strength to fight our way through the throngs!
Geeez!! Retail means you gotta go there. Who the heck is going to go for the parcel service from Caringbah. It costs the same from Bateman's Bay for crying out loud.
All I can say is that HStore must have put up a really good PowerPoint presentation. Until they call me Bilbo Baggins and I grow hairy feet, I aint going to "The Shire". Petrol will cost more than I save going there. I reckon they got the demographics ar5e about.
I hear ya Dave and I agree - but I'm going to go and have a look at some point, just to see the stuff up close. Whether I can be bothered making a trip over there once every couple of months is going to depend on what they end up stocking - which may not be too much, given that the building itself is not something on the scale of a Bunnings.
Told you so....
Retail store my arse... Why burn the fuel and waste half a day going down there when it costs less to order online and it comes to you.
Nice example Steve. I almost ordered one of those this week but no one has any batteries for the little sucker, all on back order, so I gave it a miss.
I will go and have a look when I get a chance, but that will be it.
Gazz
The lipo packs they use better be bullet proof
Can the Club afford one????
Hi guys. I know where that shop is it’s not far from my brother-in-law and sister-in-law’s house and I’m lucky if I get to visit them two a year so I’m not just go over there and have a look, not sure the reasoning behind locating the shop there it would be much better than either Parramatta or Blacktown area I think I’ll stick to ordering online.