Online UK model shops with live stock levels

[notlawnomis]

Just wondered if anyone knew of any other model shop websites that give online stock levels apart from MK Racing and Microtech. I like to know when order something it is actually in-stock, hence no delays in recieving goods!! I'm not trying to give any particular model shop free advertising on Jimmy's site, just handy info to know!!

Cheers
Simon

[CAClark]

I'd be interested to know to, I only used Modelsport but half of their stuff is always marked out of stock... I'm gonna check those you just mentioned.

Cheers!

[Rick]

Demon tell you, they also remind you when its in the basket before checkout

[mobile chicane]

dms racing in whatford almost always have what I need even for obscure or older cars they do take their time to call you back though but I suspect its due to customer demand rather than lazieness.

[mark christopher]

whats wrong with a phone call to check

[notlawnomis]

Absolutely nothing, but thats not the question. You could say why bother with the internet, its just another service. Not everyone has telephone access during the day all the time, and people don't seem to answer the phones after 8pm!!! Have I justified myself!!

[Kopite]

Originally Posted by notlawnomis

Absolutely nothing, but thats not the question. You could say why bother with the internet, its just another service. Not everyone has telephone access during the day all the time, and people don't seem to answer the phones after 8pm!!! Have I justified myself!!

that's what i was thinking

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by notlawnomis

Absolutely nothing, but thats not the question. You could say why bother with the internet, its just another service. Not everyone has telephone access during the day all the time, and people don't seem to answer the phones after 8pm!!! Have I justified myself!!

ooooo handbags

only asked, i never trust just doing it off the net, allways call them myself

[DCM]

Originally Posted by mark christopher

ooooo handbags

only asked, i never trust just doing it off the net, allways call them myself

I never call, and only buy from places with stock levels..... and never had an issue.... it is just as secure/insecure as paying for it over the phone....

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by DCM

I never call, and only buy from places with stock levels..... and never had an issue.... it is just as secure/insecure as paying for it over the phone....

where did i say i dont pay on the net? i just call to check stock is 100% there, if not i go else where

the stock may be "live and showing" but its only as good as the guy pressing the stock levels in the 1st place to get orders in

i have a tab at my local shop, so i just order what i want and pay when we sort it out

[spenner]

Theraceplace.co.uk has stock levels at the side of the parts...

[notlawnomis]

Originally Posted by mark christopher

ooooo handbags

What is it they say about sarcasm??

Thanks to all posting relevant information

[Darren Boyle]

mobile chicane,
thanks for the kind words, you are quite right if we dont phone you back straight away it is not since we are up the pub!!! Some days can be hectic beyond all proportions, but we ALWAYS phone everyone back before we leave work that day (even if it does mean staying really late to do so sometimes)

I agree with Mark, a phone call is not that hard if you MUST know that your order is all in stock, but as mentioned a phone call with a boss breathing down your neck is not always easy, but then if you are online ordering just send a quick email instead, thats not too hard!!

Most shops we know who use a stock checker are all less than accurate, as mentioned before, only as good as the person updating the live stock levels on the system. Today we recieved 6 large boxs from CML including B4's back in stock, new B44 hop ups, Axial kits, the new RC12R5 kits, RC8 new optional parts and tons and tons of spares/everyday items, we had a 7 box delivery from Horizon with new Losi brushless systems, over a dozen kits and 8 pagrs of spares (30 items per page), we had 1 box from Schumacher full of sapres and we had 5 boxs from Hobby Co (Tamiya) with 8!! New kit releases. We had four members of staff working today and apart from serving, answering the phones, replying to emails, processing/packing orders we ALL spent the whole day (9:30am to 7pm) unpacking these orders alone (never mind getting them on the shelves). IF I stress IF, we had a stock checker, NONE of these would be updated on our sytem as of today and anyone looking at our site tonight would see zero stock on ALL these items, we therefore would not get the custom, people would go elsewhere, yet we DO have the bits in that they need......

I see stores everyday that have pages and pages of "none" or "not in stock" "0" or "by special order" on the stock checkers, is this really what people want? How many times have those of you who like the stock checkers had an order arrive WITHOUT an item that said it WAS in stock when ordered, since we have had dozens of people tell us this happens on a "fairly frequent" basis, which to me is a waste of time having it, if it is only a "close guess/probably right stock checker", it needs to be 100% all of the time or not at all IMO.....

P.S. Do MK have a stock checker?? Never seen it myself when we check prices etc, only seem them on Microtech and Modelsport on the sites we price check against.

[martboy21]

well said DMS/Darren! Hes got a point peps

I rang at least 20- 30 rc shops off the net on my mobile trying to get part as1598 next day delivery in time for Sunday

did i get them.....no of course i didn't! one placed said were in stock but when rang they told me live stock was obviously wrong

At the same time all the shops that stocked it but were ''no stock'' i had to ring to find out whether that was true as well!

WHO KNOWS I GUESS ITS JUST SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS!!!

[Darren Boyle]

Thankyou

[Southwell]

Originally Posted by DMS Racing

P.S. Do MK have a stock checker??

Yes.

[Mrs.TeamXtreme]

www.xtreme-rc.biz have one too, but it is hard to keep it all on there as between serving,phone calls,orders etc you don't always get the time. On a rare occasion we have had something on the web that we have not had available - as a customer may have purchased it or reserved it in the shop. Saying that we probably also have a lot of things - spares etc in the shop that is not on the web.

[frogger]

I have implemented enterprise level ecommerce systems for the last 5 years and I have seen many times over that customers HATE not knowing what is in stock and what is not and expect something that shows in stock to be in stock and be delivered fast. It is absolutely unacceptable to have to call up in addition to placing an order online, it adds an unecessary step and it will hurt your business. The only reason shops get away with it at the moment is because most are as bad as one another and customers are resorting to having to call up.

There really is no excuse for any company not to update stock levels, it's a standard part of running any business. If they get loads of boxes of stock and staff is so busy selling and working then they need to employ more people (as they are obviously doing good enough business).

Customers are demanding creatures and they are very fickle when buying online. Loyalty shifts VERY quickly. Look at Towerhobbies for example, good stock updates, good loyalty scheme, reasonable prices, constant discount promotions, etc. (not a great looking site but hey, no one is perfect). There are a lot of UK shops that can learn from them. Those that do will survive and prosper and those that don't won't.

[Lee]

I have to agree with frogger, if i am looking for an item and it has 0 stock next to it i will look elsewhere. The shop may have it in but i am not going to call up to check "just in case".

If there is stock, they get my money, simple as. I always check the shops with stock counters on the site first too. Its just easy that way.

Not having a stock counter is like Dom turning up to a national and keeping his stuff in the van. It just doesn`t make sense.

[Darren Boyle]

Frogger, whilst I accept the "principal" of everthing in your post, I do have to disagree with how it applies to OUR industry.

You say it is as simple as employ more staff. Firstly good, honest, trustworthy, effecient, polite staff who know about R/C cars do not grow on trees!!! There are opnly a few of these people. To employ the average person full time in a retail shop would set the avaergae owner back around £14K (minimum) per annum plus tax's. To afford an extra payrol of £14K a retail shop in our business needs to take an extra £80K per year JUST to pay this persons wages and break even. This is not like most other industries, customers want the price, the price drives down the profit margin which makes it not possible for staffing like that which you see in sports shops for instance (where mark ups are far bigger and staff out number customers by two to one!!!)

To compare to Tower Hobbies in the US is like comparing a McDonalds burger frier to Gordan Ramsey!!! Tower employ over 500 people and turnover millions per year, they SHOULD be perfect, but they still are not.

For a customer to phone (or email) is not as hard as the ever growing "lazy" generation make out that it is. The time it takes to send an email or make that call far outways searching through all the "stock check sites" to find one with your item thats showing as "IN"!! Sending an email is definatly quicker than waiting the extra few days for stuff to arrive from the US!!!!

There are a lot of UK shops that can learn from them. Those that do will survive and prosper and those that don't won't

Bit unrealistic there, the shops who dont employ this type of system will do just fine, just ask the scores of regular customers who happily use them already and have no need to check stock etc. They already recieve a fantastic service and "most" parts they order arrive in timely fashion. I am sure a LOT of UK shops would love to "earn" like Tower but "learn" I doubt it very much.