Hobby Shops: Is it fair?
 

I believe a part will fit my car but I am not sure. Often times I call my local hobby shop and have them get parts. They call me when they get in and I drive up and pay for them. Is it okay to have them order a part, determine fitment (i will know by holding it in my hand) and then if it doesn't fit walk away. I would thank them of course.

Is that common practice? Is that acceptable? Should I tell them that I am not sure before they buy it? It is a common part. Could they easily return it?

Thanks,
Zack

If you don't buy it, they can always sell it to someone else.

Be upfront with them.
Tell them you don't no if its a part you can use or not. And if you can't use you wouldn't want to buy it.
Then let them decide if they'll order it for you or not.

Not right
 

No thats really not right. I see this kind of stuff all the time with Amazon.com. People order shoes, but are not sure what size will fit them correctly so they order six different sizes of the same shoe. They find which one fits them and ship the rest back using the free return system. This is fine for the big companies that have this free return service, but even that bugs me. When you are dealing with a mom and pop type of shop they don't have the huge funding or capital that some other places do, and cannot afford to do stuff like this. If you do it once they might let it go, but if you do it more often they could end up banning you from their store. I have stuff sitting in my collections that I have ordered in error. The way I look at it is if you order something by mistake you eat the loss and find a way to sell it yourself. It's not your hobby shops fault that you made a mistake. Don't dump your ignorance on them. That is just not fare to them. A shop like that has a very tight budget to work with and cannot afford to have huge inventories laying about. Especially if it is an item that they do not usually sell. You asked, so I am sharing a different perspective.

I have spent a lot of money on " was hoping that would fit".. Usually I find a use for it later or I goes in the pile... The local shop here has you pay 15% to order parts I believe. If you don't come get it or it isn't the right thing you et the 15% or buy it and sell it.. I wonder if you go in there again and ask them to order something if they will "get right on that" LOL

I don't see a prob with it especially if it is a common part or brand. Someone will buy it. I know ive walked in my local shop and bought something someone never picked up.

worldly problems
 

Put yourself in the shoes of the business owner. If customers come into your store and order stuff and then decide that the order is a mistake, what would be your position? Every once in a while is probably not all that bad, but if everyone starts this trend these businesses would be out of business pretty quick. This is exactly why there are hardly any mom & pop stores left in the USA. Places like Tower Hobby are large enough to handle things like this, but the little shop is not. But why should you care, right? Its not your business, or your money, right?

Lets step this up a little. Order something from the UE store or RCM. Then when you get it you decide that it is not quite the right part for what you though it was or what you planned to use it for. So you contact Robin or Mike and ask for a refund. What do you think his response should be? You might get this once, but I am willing to bet that the second time you would run into a brick wall. Somebody has to pay for these mistakes. Why should the business owner pay for YOUR ERROR? Making mistakes like this is how we learn to do more research, and order the right thing the first time. We can go back and forth about this all day long and the bottom line is if you cannot see how wrong this is on your own, then you are not going to see an opposite view.

Okay I will seek to be above reproach and will not do this. I will order online and eat it if it does not fit. HOWEVER I did say that I might tell them first that I am not sure. Thus letting them decide to order it for me or not. I will update this thread with results.

Thanks Jerry and everyone else.

-Zack

Sorry
 

I am sorry if I came on a little strong about this. I try to understand and look at things from both sides upon making my judgments. If you enter into some kind of an agreement before hand that is one thing. Still as the saying goes, it never hurts to ask. BUT do not be disappointed or get angry if they say no. Businesses like this try to bend over backwards to maintain good customer relations, but I would never ask someone to eat my mistakes. I simply try not to make the same mistake twice. Recently I purchased a full set of Mega-Maxx tires thinking that they were for the Maxx platform. When I got them in the mail I immediately saw that these are for a smaller 1/16th scale vehicle. I did reach out to the seller for return assistance, but never received a reply. Oh well that is my fault for not researching the purchase further before spending my money. Luckily it was only a few dollars. Of course if it was for something over $100 I would have been more careful for sure.

If you tell them you are not sure they may know for sure, one of the biggest reasons we all hate losing our LHSs is that the knowledge they have and the advice that they give can be invaluable. If they do not know, they can make a judgement call on it based on the likelihood of you taking it, the likelihood of them selling it on if you don't, and what it is worth to keep you happy.

Well said
 

Very well said. In terms of doing the right thing always ask, but abide by the answer received.

The world is a pretty sinful and rough place, and I try to live by the things I learned growing up. My parents were surely far from perfect, but my mother always tried to raise us with Christian thinking. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Regardless of who they are or what they believe in. I also spent more than 20 years serving in the US Navy and I carry so many things from that experience, including the fact that our integrity is the one thing that we live by as an example to others. Do the right thing even if you know that no one else is watching. I am also far from perfect, but I have to live by the same rules of life that I have learned as an example for my kids to learn from. Otherwise what kind of father would I be. I never mean to offend anyone, but sometimes my way of thinking ends up doing just that. I cannot apologize for that, but I do apologize if my words are too harsh for others way of thinking. These words tend to get lost in others in todays doggie dog world today. Follow your heart.

Truth.. In decisions pause and make sure they have the integrity your parents instilled in you. Once the RC's are on the track and kicking up dust that goes out the window. Thats only for real life Integrity

Don't expect anyone else to be responsible for your screw ups, experimenting costs money so man up and pay the price. :whip: :na: :mdr:

Didja see the smileys at the end? I whipped you then I stuck out my tongue and then I thought I was really funny :sarcastic: