How do you decide what to buy?

[jettrainfan]

Well, i went to my LHS hoping that the car i liked was $17 like a remember. nope, its was $22 

i brought $20 with me so i tried to forget it. I looked around and found 2 handsome boxcars. ATSF  NYC. Problem? If your like me where you could make 3-5 purchases a year, it could drive you insane. So i looked at the cars and i personally like NYC green but you can't beat red with black! so i bought the ATSF and it came up to $17somthing. (i wasn't in the mood to go for bachmann because every time i buy something that cheap, i realize i could get $3 more and i wonder why im missing $30! so it was anthem)

So if your in a situation like this, how do you decide?

[pdlethbridge]

I wait a few days and think about it and see if I REALLY REALLY need it

[Jim Banner]

If I had twenty bucks and the car I really wanted was twenty-two, I would walk over to the counter with my twenty dollars in my hand and talk to the person behind the counter.  I would tell him how it is.  He may surprise you and sell it to you for twenty.

But the guy behind the counter could equally well tell you something like "that is our price." or " we don't haggle."   What he is really saying is "I just work here.  They don't let me reduce the price."

Your next step would be to politely ask for the manager, or if it is a small shop, ask for the owner.  Because he is the guy who gets the final say on what the price is.  And keep your twenty dollars in your hand and in sight.  If the owner/manager isn't willing to give you a 10% good will discount, then you are in the wrong store.  Then it is time to politely tell him "thanks anyway." as you put your money back in your pocket and walk out the door.

Just remember - be polite.  NEVER demand.  But don't beg or grovel either.

Jim

[Doneldon]

JT-

I don't know exactly where Lakewood OH is, but I'm aware it's near Cleveland, so you must have a couple of good LHSs nearby.  Pick one of them and establish a relationship with the owner or manager.  You'll likely find him/her to be a great source of information and referrals to other people with answers if s/he doesn't know something.  You might also find that s/he is willing to work with you on price based on your relationship and your growing into the hobby.

By LHS I'm talking about a real hobby shop, not just a few trains or hobbies in a toy store or a chain outfit.  Those sorts of places typically are very short on knowhow and the freedom to help you get into the hobby via flexible pricing.  No, I'm talking about a shop that specializes in hobbies.  Ideally, it will be primarily or exclusively trains, but those are becoming harder to find all of the time as the internet siphons off much of the retail business.  However, I'd look for a shop (you notice I'm not saying "store") with a wide selection of train materials including some brass models, figures, books, several manufacturers' products, parts for scratch building (styrene, strip wood, metal pieces, etc.) and a test track for the gauges they sell.  

Model Railroader lists three such places in the Cleveland area.  I've never been to any of them but they must have more than a passing interest in model railroading if they are spending the bread to advertise in a specialty national publication.  The three are Depot Train and Hobby, 4342 W 130th St (216-252-8880); Wings Hobby Shop, 17112 Detroit Ave (216-221-5383); and Hobby's ETC (sic), 23609 Lorain Rd (440-979-1900).  Pick the closest of these and check it out.  You might also try letting your fingers do the walking, that is, call first and tell them you're looking for a good hobby/train shop and you're wondering what their train merchandise is like.  You might tell them you're a young person whose transportation isn't the greatest and that's why you are calling before making a trip.

I hope you find someplace close to home where you can establish a relationship and do business.  It could prove to be one of the best things you ever do to enhance your modeling enjoyment.

I'd also consider joining a model railroading club.  That will offer you loads of expertise, friends, a place to run trains before you have a finished home layout, and access to information about train shows and flea markets where you may be able to get some good train stuff for a favorable price.  Often, quite a bit of merchandise gets traded or sold within a club so it could also be a resource for attractively priced trains.

         --D

[jettrainfan]

Yep, i go to Wings, about a 2 minute bike and i usually stop by after the 5:00 passes if i catch it. its a great place to go and about 85% of the shop is model trains, 10% cars (tanks, slot, model, ETC.) and the last 5% is planes. They do have a test track and if i need a part, i go their and they give me it free! its a Husband/wife owned place. My grandpa knew the husband's dad and im a local. I used to bike their all the time but usually now its to check out the new releases. They have litterly everything you could probably want for a fair price. its always discounted and i find good pricing. half the stuff you cant find online. The one guy that is more of a part time person (i think its the brother in law) was talking about me joining a club when he noticed i was gonna purchase a kit. I wouldn't mind joining one, just need to find one at the moment.

I'm Planning on getting a job this summer so I'll probably buy the $22 car later in the year. The reason i don't ask them to cut the price down a little is because its not a big business. As most family owned, they probably get what hobby town USA gets in a week, in a month. I don't mind if i got to spend a little more. If its worth it, its worth it!

[full maxx]

well I always take more than I'm gonna spend...well I tell myself that I have a limit before I get there and usually stay in budget .... I'm looking to expand my little engineers set at the moment...got three more switches and some extra track for a couple of sidings so we can park what is not in service at the moment and use the 4-4-0 for the switcher as it won't pull alot anyway

[ABC]

If you are not opposed to five-fingered discounts, you won't have budget you funds, but personally I find it's wise to pay for everything I take out the door or else you'll have a bear on your tail before you know it.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

That was one bad thing about working at the Local Hobby Shop when i worked there,every payday i bought something, with the exception of train show weekends, i useally spent money at the show first, then what ever was left i spent at the store monday haha. the employee discount wasn't bad eather so that didn't help things. thats how i ended up with 120+ locomotives and probably around 400-500 peices of rolling stock.....i have over 100 peices of passenger equipment.  I got the George Washington Train set by bachmann for about $270.00...it retailed for $510.00....funny thing is that about 2 weeks later a guy came in wanting the set.

[buzz]

Hi
I would forget the do I need it  bit because the true answer is no
you don't.
In the situation you out line I would talk to the person in charge.
as for how do I choose what I would like for the railway
Does it fit what I am doing??
Do I like it??
are the questions I ask myself followed by how much does it cost??
the last question.
I usually check with the hobby shop on the telling bone before going there
I usually only get to visit the shop once a year the rest is mail order from the store in question.
regards John

[Doneldon]

ABC- Five-fingered discounts?  Where did that come from?

jettrain- I like your attitude, understanding and values.  It's quite mature for someone your age.  Please understand that I mean that in the most positive way, not in a critical one if it seems to read like that.  But a question: Do you know why they call it "Wings" if it's only five percent airplanes?  Or maybe their name is Wings. 

          --D

[richg]

I use low tech. Flip a coin.

Rich

[rogertra]

Even though I freelance and my goal is realism, not a collection of toy trains, I have one fairly rigid guideline regarding what I purchase.

It must be typical of what was seen in 1958 southern Quebec.

However, I did make one exception.

The RS-1 was never sold new to Canada but since the GER is freelanced and given the jobs that the RS-1 was purchased for, it's entirely feasible that the GER could have purchased three of them. 

Something you won't find of the GER are articulated locomotives as they were rare as hen's teeth in Canada and anything bigger than a 2-10-2 or perhaps 2-10-4s (If I convert my 2-10-2s to 2-10-4s) as anything larger was assigned to western Canada.

[BaltoOhioRRfan]

Even though I freelance and my goal is realism, not a collection of toy trains, I have one fairly rigid guideline regarding what I purchase.

It must be typical of what was seen in 1958 southern Quebec.

However, I did make one exception.

The RS-1 was never sold new to Canada but since the GER is freelanced and given the jobs that the RS-1 was purchased for, it's entirely feasible that the GER could have purchased three of them. 

Something you won't find of the GER are articulated locomotives as they were rare as hen's teeth in Canada and anything bigger than a 2-10-2 or perhaps 2-10-4s (If I convert my 2-10-2s to 2-10-4s) as anything larger was assigned to western Canada.

I should have menchoned I also do mostly prototypical era equipment, however i do a freelanced "B&O" meanign I see a steam loco i like i put it in a "what if B&O had one" area.  One exception is that i have a B&O Cylindrical hopper.

[Pacific Northern]

If you are not opposed to five-fingered discounts, you won't have budget you funds, but personally I find it's wise to pay for everything I take out the door or else you'll have a bear on your tail before you know it.

Is this meant to be humorous? It is not.

[Pacific Northern]

I am constantly comparison shopping, so I have a good idea of what the going prices are.

When I see something in the way a single piece of rolling stock at my LHS and it fits my time frame for my layout I usually buy it.

However, if I want, say a whole train like the Empire Builder I will check with the larger on line retailers.  Even with postage, etc, this is usually cheaper than a LHS.

It is nice when on reaches the point in life where they do not have any bills other than direct living expenses.