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A-Baum

Good list of online hobby shops?

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Does anyone have a list or anything with the top 10,15 or 20 best online hobby shops out there?  I ask because if I google for a particular model, I will get very few results under "shopping". Typically from the big ones like Tower, RCmart, etc. But Tower stock is really bad these days, RCMart shipping to the US is nuts.  I found the Zoom Room somehow with a random search and they have a pile of kits that never show up on google so I assume there's a bunch of other shops like that out there that may have some stock and fall under the radar.  Just looking for more options.  Thanks!

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I don't order from shops outside of US so my experience is limited.

horizon, tower, stormer, amain, hobbytown, sheldons, superiorhobbies, bruckner, bp hobbies, banana hobby.  I fly planes too so the last couple shops are plane focused.

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Im in the UK and for me it tends to mainly be;

Tony (ebay shop)

Modelsport

Jadlam

Fusion Hobbies

Tamico (Germany)

T2shop (Rc Kleinkram - Germany)

Rcmart (Hong Kong)

I try and avoid buying from Japan now as every order without fail (even for marker pens that cost less than a fiver) has landed me with a customs charge and the additional royal mail ransom fee.

 

 

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This may be out in left field, but I find that ordering from ebay works a charm. There's a huge selection of goods, and you eventually get a hang of some ebay sellers that are competitively priced and reliable.

RCdamper for example, is a China-based ebay seller that has a good amount of Tamiya-focussed hop ups.

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3 hours ago, A-Baum said:

RCMart shipping to the US is nuts.

When I started looking into a new re-re to get my kid, I thought RCMart was amazing - low prices and great stock.  Then I saw the shipping charge.

I mean, they seem to be a great store for those who are in their area, but I can't do their shipping here in the states.

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42 minutes ago, DeadMeat666 said:

This may be out in left field, but I find that ordering from ebay works a charm. There's a huge selection of goods, and you eventually get a hang of some ebay sellers that are competitively priced and reliable.

This is probably where I'm going to end up at.  I have been seeing "Early May" turn into "Mid May" and then "Late May" and now "Early June" on various online shops as far as when they will be restocked.

It's funny, when I started looking back in February, there was plenty of places here in the US, even Amazon, that had kits in stock, I just wasn't in a rush and hadn't decided.  Then things started shutting down, and apparently a lot of people rediscovered their love of RC.

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3 hours ago, A-Baum said:

RCMart shipping to the US is nuts

Thats because of the covid crissis, I have a lot of orders from them and with the cheap prices for parts the shipping was also not that high and most of the times it was cheaper order from them, then anywhere else.

but now at this moment the shipping cost are sky high, if you want to buy a kit the same amount it cost you for the shipping, so for now I do not order from them anymore untill things are getting better.

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56 minutes ago, DeadMeat666 said:

This may be out in left field, but I find that ordering from ebay works a charm. There's a huge selection of goods, and you eventually get a hang of some ebay sellers that are competitively priced and reliable.

RCdamper for example, is a China-based ebay seller that has a good amount of Tamiya-focussed hop ups.

Yeah I've been hammering ebay for most of my needs with the exception of kits.  I've ordered servos, bearings, motors, transmitters, hop-ups and replacement Tamiya parts.  But there's few, if any reasonably priced kits on ebay. Most seem to be people taking advantage of the situation and gouging prices.  

Thanks for the lists folks.  Couple good ones in there I never heard of that I can check when the next itch comes (within the week probably)

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4 hours ago, Superluminal said:

Im in the UK and for me it tends to mainly be;

Tony (ebay shop)

Modelsport

Jadlam

Fusion Hobbies

Tamico (Germany)

T2shop (Rc Kleinkram - Germany)

Rcmart (Hong Kong)

I try and avoid buying from Japan now as every order without fail (even for marker pens that cost less than a fiver) has landed me with a customs charge and the additional royal mail ransom fee.

 

 

I would add Timetunnel to that list, really well priced, generally very quick and always super helpful

I've also had a lot of joy with a Polish model shop called Zabawke Modele. They're generally "not cheap" but then you'll find something that is way cheaper than elsewhere and it all balances out. Like Tamico, shipping is flat fee and fast. 

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When I am in the US, I would order RC items from AMain Hobbies, Amazon and directly from RC4WD for my many crawlers.

When in Europe I buy parts mostly from eBay and also from AsiaTees and RCMart. 

Since I travel a lot to Asia (not at the moment) I usually stop by Akihabara in Tokyo where there are many RC shops and parts are plenty and cheap.

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I am in the US.  I have ordered from Big Boys with Cool Toys and Zoom Room with good success (shipping can take a little while but that is because of the pandemic)

I just bought my Rally Beetle from Horizon Hobby on eBay (still trying to figure out how they are selling Tamiya kits) and had it in 3 days.

GravesRC in FL has been good.

be careful of small shops as many times their online inventory does not match what the physically have.  I got burned by Visalia Hobby back in the end of February.

you can also buy direct from Tamiya.

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Does anyone remember when Banzai Hobby used to stock Tamiya? Those were the days. Soooo cheap and reasonable shipping charges - I probably went a whole year in the hobby and only ever ordered from Banzai.

Nowadays only really useful for some obscure tools / tape / RC drift car bits. Sad times :( 

Plaza Japan is reflective of what the proper 'retail' prices of Tamiya should be, without all the import duty. They will ship to the UK, but you definitely will get import fees. If you order enough stuff ( > £40) it's still worthwhile as the cost of fees is less than the huge savings you can make on RRP.

 

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1 minute ago, ChrisRx718 said:

Does anyone remember when Banzai Hobby used to stock Tamiya? Those were the days. Soooo cheap and reasonable shipping charges - I probably went a whole year in the hobby and only ever ordered from Banzai.

Nowadays only really useful for some obscure tools / tape / RC drift car bits. Sad times :( 

Plaza Japan is reflective of what the proper 'retail' prices of Tamiya should be, without all the import duty. They will ship to the UK, but you definitely will get import fees. If you order enough stuff ( > £40) it's still worthwhile as the cost of fees is less than the huge savings you can make on RRP.

 

I do,  amazing value for just about everything.

I used to buy my Hop Ups, wheels and tyres from them.

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2 hours ago, Scott_CT said:

you can also buy direct from Tamiya.

Unless they are clearing out inventory, their prices are absolutely insane. I know they do it so they aren't competing with their hobby shops but $750 for an Avante, $275 for terra scorcher, $343 for a hotshot and $534 for a sand scorcher...unless you are absolutely desperate and money means nothing it's just not a viable place to get kits.

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Anyone have any experience with Active Powersports out of California?

In other news, my Novafox finally shipped from Tamico, but all the emails are in German so it's been fun using google translation.  Should get it in a week or two perhaps?

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5 minutes ago, A-Baum said:

In other news, my Novafox finally shipped from Tamico, but all the emails are in German so it's been fun using google translation.  Should get it in a week or two perhaps?

This. Just got an email from DHL, totally in German, and spent a funny few minutes reading it to myself in a cartoonish "Zee Germans" type of accent. I only placed the order yesterday, they've been fantastic at getting it together and getting it sent. Got to love that service. 

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21 minutes ago, CakeOrDeath said:

This. Just got an email from DHL, totally in German, and spent a funny few minutes reading it to myself in a cartoonish "Zee Germans" type of accent. I only placed the order yesterday, they've been fantastic at getting it together and getting it sent. Got to love that service. 

Awesome.  I placed mine around a month ago when there were restrictions on shipping but I wanted to reserve a novafox as I knew they'd be gone soon.  So this weekend I paid the 16 EUR DHL international surcharge fee (???) and it finally shipped.  Whatever.  Just glad I got one.  I had a used one when I was younger and it was in rough shape so it'll be nice to have a NIB one to build.  But...I have a top force coming so I may throw the Novafox on a shelf for a later time.  I also have some hop ups to my TT-02 to do and replacing my son's cracked dt-03 chassis.  ABW....Always Be Wrenching...

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On 5/18/2020 at 10:31 AM, A-Baum said:

RCMart shipping to the US is nuts

How nuts if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious as I just bought a Terra Scorcher from RCMart myself and I'm in Canada. The car was discounted by 38.2 % which was great -counting also that most other hobby sites say "late whenever" about restocking- but the shipping was steep indeed. It came to 169 usd for the car and about 75 usd for international shipping (the only option offered). So yep, shipping did cost almost half the price of the kit. Still, considered what's going on in the world and the discounted car it was worth it for me, but the shipping price does sure hurt.

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2 minutes ago, Ferruz said:

How nuts if you don't mind me asking? I'm curious as I just bought a Terra Scorcher from RCMart myself and I'm in Canada. The car was discounted by 38.2 % which was great -counting also that most other hobby sites say "late whenever" about restocking- but the shipping was steep indeed. It came to 169 usd for the car and about 75 usd for international shipping (the only option offered). So yep, shipping did cost almost half the price of the kit. Still, considered what's going on in the world and the discounted car it was worth it for me, but the shipping price does sure hurt.

Well I just now quoted a Terra Scorcher from RCmart.  $169 for the kit and $175 for express international shipping which is the only option.  WOW.  Couple days ago there was a $95 USD shipping option but that's not available anymore.  So RCmart is just not viable anymore until this all settles down.  I just paid like $55 shipping from Tamico which I thought was very steep but they had the Novafox which I couldn't find anywhere else so I thought it was worth it.  For me, not worth it on cars that will be in stock somewhere here in the next few weeks/months. 

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1 hour ago, CakeOrDeath said:

This. Just got an email from DHL, totally in German, and spent a funny few minutes reading it to myself in a cartoonish "Zee Germans" type of accent. I only placed the order yesterday, they've been fantastic at getting it together and getting it sent. Got to love that service. 

If you don`t mind me asking are you UK based and is it still worth it ordering from Tamico with exchange rate and covid at the minute? As far as I can work out after a quick shuftie this morning things are a little bit cheaper and more importantly in stock. Just wondering what delivery is like

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So if buying through online shops, how much less should they be compared to the listed SRP from Tamiya USA's website? I ask because I am also lurking around several online stores; both overseas and here in the USA. I find that most online retailers are selling their kits at least 25-30% below SRP and that's without shipping or any store coupons... 

Would you say that's an acceptable price range? Example is Tower Hobbies. I am looking at their Dynahead. It is listed at $263.20 compared to $376 on Tamiya USA. If you do the numbers, that's about 30% off... if you include their coupon for $35 off (non-SS member) and not including the sales tax, the price will come out at %39.3 percent off SRP. 

FWIW, I was able to secure my last kit (Manta Ray) from AsiaTees. I paid like 133 shipped to me here in the East Coast of USA. Compared to RCMart, their shipping is significantly less. 

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