Online UK model shops with live stock levels

[frogger]

I know how the UK retail industry compares to the US industry very well, it's my job. We do business in all segments of the retail industry and consumer goods, product manufacturing, the whole works. If something is true then it's the fact that its not easy. The problem is some think it is, some think it's as simple as putting a catalogue with a paypal system online and suddenly they are up there with other online retailers.

It's not just in hobby shops that people are spending less and less money, it's in all high street retail stores country wide while online spending is increasing in double figures every year and the predictions for 2008 and 2009 are sky high. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that in the near future a bricks and mortar only business will find it hard to compete and survive.

Stores that do online business well can grow from nothing to multi million pound businesses really quickly. Tower hasn't always been a big successful company, they started somewhere as well. Cain at RCModelImports do a very good job of his online store and his online stock levels are usually spot on, so does Andy at RC Direct, maybe it's because they run online only shops that they can focus on it more.

So the sentiment of post is to highlight that it's very tough but necessary for shops to make the effort of treating their online stores with more priority than their instore businesses. Your local instore clientelle is nothing compared to the potential of your online clientelle so if you want to survive and prosper it really is the only way forward.

Don't get me wrong, the idea of a local shop is still very appealing but only if I can go there and pay similar money for something I can get delivered to my door step by tomorrow. A lot of our bricks and mortar customers are still driving customers into their shops with stuff like order online and do in store pickup.

As a consumer I am fickle, I want to find the stuff I want very easily, I want that stuff as cheap as possible and I want it now and if I don't like it then I want my money back. That's the reality businesses are facing and it's those stores that get closest to giving consumers what they want that will become 500+ employee companies that make millions, the rest will always struggle to make ends meet.

[Darren Boyle]

Frogger, when I saw that you were replying to the thread a few minutes ago, I did wonder what "sort" of reply that the thread and indeed I was going to get!!! Some people cant discuss things civilised on forums, BUT I have to say what a well written and spot on reply you have just added!!! Well done.

It is difficult for shops, most people know that, but some shops do seem to enjoy making it harder for themselves than they really need to with below par service. Good stock, good service, keen prices, swift delivery and knowledge backed advice is all KEY to our hobby/business etc which is what we as a shop try to offer. The online side of things is ever growing as you say, it now forms over 65% of our business alone, which is why (for those who have been to our store will know) we changed the shop around 18 months ago to be more focused on the mail order side with a far smaller shop frontage.

We recently have implemented several key changes and improvements to our website since we recognize the growth in this area, BUT for the reasons I have already given, of staff costs etc, we cant justify a "fully functional" stock checker at this time, it simply would not be as accurate as it needed to be, which for me would not be good enough.

Lets all face it, as you say, in an ideal world we all want everything in stock in surplus, the cheapest possible prices, next day delivery (same day if we could), no quibble refunds, free delivery and 24 hour access to answers to every R/C related question we can think of............but we wont experience all of that in this industry, in this country for some time to come, the r/c industry simply is not big enough here.

The turnover of the business's you mention (and I am NOT knocking them) will be far less than some of the larger stores in this country and a small fraction of the likes of Tower, this alone will make it possible for these guys to keep thier sites well updated and accurate. Indeed a few years back when we were a lot smaller and internet business was not so swift we too could of managed things like a stock checker really easily, but not nowadays, not with over 24,000 online products to manage, there just is not enough time in the day, pherhaps we should apply to "him upstairs" for an extra hour or increase the days in the week to 8!!! LOL

[frogger]

please don't for a minute think I am knocking you or any other UK shop, brick and mortar or online. I want everyone to be successful and making millions because it'll be good for everybody.

[Zedman]

This isnt a negative idea its a suggestion, I have no idea how much and how hard it is to set up which is the reason I'm asking but how much does a point of sale bar code system cost to set up in a small high street shop, my local wine and sundery shop has one and it monitors there stock for them ?

[Darren Boyle]

Zedman,
They are big money, we looked into one a few years back, i am sure they may be cheaper now, BUT the biggest problem is when we go racing on a sunday and take stock trackside with us to sell, we cant take the scanner too, so how would we be accurate over a weekend on our website and how much work would it create logging in all sold items from a weekend on a monday morning, this is why we never got one.

Frogger,
I like your train of thought, I will let you know when we make our first million!! LOL

[PaulRotheram]

Originally Posted by DMS Racing

Zedman,
They are big money, we looked into one a few years back, i am sure they may be cheaper now, BUT the biggest problem is when we go racing on a sunday and take stock trackside with us to sell, we cant take the scanner too, so how would we be accurate over a weekend on our website and how much work would it create logging in all sold items from a weekend on a monday morning, this is why we never got one.

Frogger,
I like your train of thought, I will let you know when we make our first million!! LOL

not sure on how big the software/hardware is, but surely you could have a laptop trackside and be able to keep it 'up to date' this way? just a thought - i've no idea on the system on hand so i'm just giving my amatuer suggestion!

[Zedman]

Always go for the easy option )

Sell the stuff track side but keep the tab with the bar code on, ie give the punter the gear but tell him u need the card board bit, take a sellotape dispenser to reseal his bag ( for every probelm there are many solutions ), )))

Ohh and when u get back to the shop monday just put everything through as a cash sale on one order, should take 3 mins max (scan bleep, scan bleep etc ) tax man is happy also )

[pro4nut]

Off topic but just to explain the issues with computer managed stock and electronic stock control.

I now work as a department manager in a medium size supermarket i am responsible for 18 aisles and many thousands of stock items. we have 8 artic lorries a day arive at the store and all of the stock is computer managed. the system is live but, here is my point, we only have an inventory accuracy of 80%. to acheive this figure i have 16 hours of labour spent a day checking inventory accuracy. computer managed stock sytems are fantastic but sadly you need to involve human beings who very carefully stuff it up everyday for you.

as far as till systems in a small store couple with inventory management you are looking at about £15000 for a robust system linked to a website. this requires constant updating and you have to program your entire stock database which means for each item in the store keying a 13 digit number (barcode) attaching a sku and description for each item setting up pricing sub categorising the products for ease of search and then inputting your stores entire inventory into the system.

i would be surprised if any uk stores run anything like this or could even justify the cost.boring but i get paid for it.

[Zedman]

Exaclty the feed back info I was asking for, since the customers started the thread lets try to help our model shops with as much info and help as possible to enable them to help us )

[Darren Boyle]

At £15K I think we will manage just fine without it!!! When we looked it was only around £3K for a fairly standard basic system, I winced at that, for £15K per year I can add another memebr of staff, far more use!!!! Just need to be sure that they would add £80K to our turnover to justify their payroll........

[DaveG28]

Its funny reading this thread, the absolute 2 best shops I have dealt with in terms of "friendliness" over the phone etc are actually DMS and Tower!!!

DMS always ring me back if they can't answer straight away (in fact I need to return their call at the moment) and items always arrive quickly, plus they are a pleasure to deal with.

Must say too though, Tower are EXACTLY how I'd want large businesses to work in my experience, their website is great for giving product info/stock status, and when I've rung them they too are just really friendly and helpful, just understandably lacking in detailed knowledge of the products in comparison. We in the UK really can learn a lot from US customer service generally.

so keep up the good work to both!!

[Darren Boyle]

the absolute 2 best shops I have dealt with in terms of "friendliness" over the phone etc are actually DMS and Tower!!!

Dont believe it mate, we are a miserable bunch really!!!!! LOL

and items always arrive quickly, plus they are a pleasure to deal with

Your cheque is in the post to you, £10 per compliment I think is the going rate............

[mobile chicane]

I always phone even if the shop has a stock checker as even the best systems will take time to update and refresh also if they have what I want I can reserve or order it there and then so its not out of stock when I do go and collect it.


having delt with RS for about 10 years and having many disapointing trips to trade counters where parts should be but arent I prefer the direct phone call aproach.

Just a thought with the lazer zx5 being as cheap as it is for bits I genraly carry almost a complete car in spares so I can repair trackside or next day I then have a week or 2 to restock my spares no panic


unless richard saunders wipes out my chassis and top deck at 4m 30s into the last 4wd final when I'm actualy winning for a change

[Rich D]

Yeah to add - i rang DMS about some parts 5 mins before closing one night. Very nice, polite and helpful fella.

If someone rings our place 5 mins before close then the ice maiden who is our secretary gives them a very frosty reception lol.

[Darren Boyle]

Very nice, polite and helpful fella.

You are the lucky one then, now we know who!!! LOL

Being serious, thanks for the kind words.........