Scalehobbyist.com is my favorite online hobby store. The best search engine, the lowest prices and the best customer service in my experience.
I buy most of my kits from ScaleHobbyist and Hobbylinc. Occassionally SprueBros. if I cannot find what I am looking for on the other places.
Hobbylinc is good for finding some hard to find kits and prices are great. I also like the fact you can review kits and post pictures of your completed kits to earn points. The points can be used to further discount kits. They sometimes have contests on their facebook page to earn points as well. The only downside is they are limited in the accessory and decal area.
Scalehobbyist has great prices and I like that they link detail kits and accessories with the kits. It is also easy to search for things.
https://www.scalehobbyist.com/index.php
I have two LHS near me. One is Hobby Town and the other is a family owned place.
I generally buy all my supplies (paint, glue, ETC,) and occassionally kits from them.
Another benefit of visiting the LHS is that the person behind the counter may have expertise you don’t have. I visited Military Hobbies in Fullerton*, CA recently and through their advice got some high-quality inexpensive kits** I would have passed up if I was sitting behind my computer.
- Great store. Highly recommended.
** Airfix 1:72 Hurricane, Spitfire, and Do 17z. Battle of Britain, baby.
I’ve found some good deals on www.AdvantageHobby.com.
You guys make some good points, I’ve started to notice the buy it now features which is legit, and nothing against eBay really or anyone who likes using them. Im just not a fan. Had a bad experience with it a while back so it left a bad taste in my mouth if you will. My mother is a huge Amazon freak and has the prime and all these specials and reward points and some times she allows me to take advantage of that when I’m purchasing kits. But I’m actually a very impatient person so most of the time I like going to the LHS. Yea it’s more pricey but you get the “experience” as I like to say. Same with going to the movie theatres these days.
I’ve found Amazon with Prime membership (free 2-day shipping) to be about the same or less expensive than eBay plus “slow boat from China” shipping charges. OTOH, if a kit is OOP, chances are MUCH better finding it at eBay.
A while ago I was looking for a 1:24 Mopar 383/440 V-8 to build a more authentic General Lee (which came with the Hemi, which was only used in the movie). I could buy a whole kit from Amazon cheaper than sellers were selling the parts to build the engine on eBay.
It pays to shop around.
I’ve had to order (Vallejo) paint and detail parts from Sprue Bros. Good service and acceptable pricing. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them again (and I have).
My LHS is in the business of going out of business. Lease is up and nobody knows if they’ll find somewhere else to hang their shingle. That means no restocking, and other customers have picked the place pretty clean. That will leave Michaels and Hobby Lobby as the only local alternative to the internet. Local Michaels has a poor selection. Hobby Lobby is much better, but round trip is an hour plus. Have to weigh time/gas/wear and tear/the unknown of them having what I need in stock vs. having things shipped.
This isn’t a small town. By area, Jacksonville Florida is larger than NYC and LA combined. It’s the gateway to the rest of Florida, with I-95 running right through it, and the eastern end of I-10. It’s just that people would rather watch college football than build models.
Another problem with my LHS, even before this “in the business of going out of business” thing, was that they are more interested in selling $500 R/C planes and even more expensive quad-copters than they are in selling <$100 kits. A $3 bottle of paint? They couldn’t care less. “Follow the money.” It’s tough to be loyal to a business that isn’t loyal in return.
I tend to agree with you Arved as far as the LHS go. Here in Quebec, I have a Michaels about 20 miles away and they carry nothing I want or need. I travelled 70 miles, one way, yesterday and attended a store. I found the prices reasonable, the staff super knowledgeable and left with two models, paint, putty, magnifying glass and happy with my purchases. Having said this, it is 70 miles away so will be attending twice a year. When I go to Florida for the winter, there are two hobby stores near me and I will be paying them a visit next month. In the meantime, online is my way to go. Go Jays Go!!!
Danny