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<DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"> I'm also lucky in the fact that my LHS carries many cases on fuel on hand I gerenally buy 2 cases at a time, the 2 reasons why I don't do the FUEL BUY is storage I use about 10 to 12 cases a year really don't have room to store that much at one time, and I do like supporting this one shop, always good prices and she knows RC airplanes. If I was in another place maybe the FUEL BUY would be the better choice, guess I'm just lucky having her here and hope she remains here for many years to come.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="MS Sans Serif"> Steve Maxwell</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt Arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=Rcmaster199@aol.com href="mailto:Rcmaster199@aol.com"></A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To: </B><A title=discussion@nsrca.org href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> 3/2/2005 12:42:58 PM </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Fuel/Buy Local</DIV>
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<DIV>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.</DIV>
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<DIV>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.</DIV>
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<DIV>Matt</DIV>
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<DIV> making In a message dated 3/2/2005 12:19:20 PM Eastern Standard Time, warrior523@mchsi.com writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Ron,<BR><BR>I am not sure our perspectives are that far apart. I know locally very few<BR>sport flyers by their fuel by the case. Usually one or two gallons a month.<BR>I wonder if they realize that in your shop they are more than likely getting<BR>a great deal on fuel, since the shipping cost are reduced and keeps the<BR>price much lower. I would venture a guess (just a guess mind you) that if a<BR>group wanted to puchase a bulk order through your hobby shop you would be<BR>glad to accomodate them and at the best possible price you could provide.<BR>This just adds to customer service and often equates into customer loyalty<BR>and a bit more profit. As far as buying from Tower, that is a complete<BR>mess. I have seen Tower/Great Planes prices to anyone several points below<BR>their wholesale price to their hobby shop dealers. Personally, I doubt if<BR>my total order from Tower Hobbies has reached a total fifty dollars in 30<BR>years. I worked in a LHS for several years and I understand exactly what<BR>you mean about buying radios from Tower, when your prices are very close to<BR>theirs. Then to poor salt on the wound they come in to the store to get<BR>educated on how to use it. I have oftened dreamed of owning a hobby shop<BR>over my lifetime of modeling. However, when I see what shop owners have to<BR>deal with its probably a good thing I never made the leap. As I stated in<BR>my first post I always try to support a LHS first, but there are times when<BR>it is not feasible to do so and it would not even be beneficial to the shop<BR>owner to try.<BR><BR>Dan<BR>----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: "Ron Van Putte" <vanputte@cox.net><BR>To: <discussion@nsrca.org><BR>Sent: March 02, 2005 10:49 AM<BR>Subject: Re: Fuel/Buy Local<BR><BR><BR>><BR>> On Mar 2, 2005, at 10:27 AM,
Dan Curtis wrote:<BR>><BR>> > Supporting local hobby shops,<BR>> ><BR>> > It is always a good idea and practice support your LHS, however we as a<BR>> > pattern community tend to require and use some pattern specific items<BR>> > that<BR>> > it is just not practical for your LHS to carry. Some of the items we<BR>> > commonly use in construction they cannot even order. So we support<BR>> > them<BR>> > when we can and we support other sources when it is necessary. As far<BR>> > as<BR>> > fuel, many hobby shops cannot afford to carry much inventory and I<BR>> > have seen<BR>> > several that really cannot warrant carrying more than a case or two of<BR>> > 30<BR>> > percent if that. So getting a group together to by a large quanitiy<BR>> > of fuel<BR>> > does not really constitute a lack of LHS support, at least in my view.<BR>> > The<BR>> > savings on the fuel purchase is more than likely going into the hobby<BR>> > shops<BR>> > till anyway, at least in my case. :)<BR>><BR>> How about another perspective? I have a local hobby shop and try to<BR>> keep prices down so local modelers can afford to buy more to enjoy the<BR>> hobby. I live 95 miles from Enterprise, AL and drive there to get fuel<BR>> at Morgan Fuels, to avoid the shipping/hazard fees. I go to Morgan<BR>> about every six weeks and try to stock quantities of the different<BR>> fuels, such that I get close to running out of all fuels just before<BR>> going back to Morgan again. I add a minimal markup. I try to<BR>> encourage the locals to buy by the case to keep my incoming cash flow<BR>> up and to minimize the time I might be out of one or more specific<BR>> fuels (Heli 30% for example). Do you have a guess on how many<BR>> customers buy by the case? Try three out of about 100 locals. Then<BR>> add that to the guy
s who buy their radios from Tower rather that me,<BR>> even though my prices, including sales tax, end up being very near the<BR>> same as Tower's price plus shipping. I call that frustrating.<BR>><BR>> Ron Van Putte<BR>><BR>> > ----- Original Message -----<BR>> > From: "Pat Hewitt" <phewitt@farmersagent.com><BR>> > To: <discussion@nsrca.org>; <discussion@nsrca.org><BR>> > Sent: March 02, 2005 10:10 AM<BR>> > Subject: Re: Fuel/Buy Local<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > Just my thoughts. I am a local business man in the mid-west and I have<BR>> > a<BR>> > problem when people DO NOT support their local hobby shops. Our clubs<BR>> > never<BR>> > have a problem going to them and asking for there help so why not<BR>> > support<BR>> > them, yes I know you can save 20/30% but again where will we be<BR>> > without<BR>> > their<BR>> > help or better yet with out their shops to shop in. ( I AM NOT A HOBBY<BR>> > SHOP<BR>> > OWNER )<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > Thanks for letting me have my thoughts vented.<BR>> ><BR>> ><BR>> > Pat Hewitt<BR>> > Paola, Kansas</FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
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