Hobby Search

[Mudkip Orange]

It'll be interesting to see if this is 20% of MSRP or 20% off the regular Hobby Search discount.

[David]

I was already planning on getting some stuff from Hobby Search over the weekend, so I held off a day for this sale. I didn't go all out, but I did buy a few more items then I had planned before the sale, mainly some freight stock, and it sealed the deal to get a second loco in the order.

 

The 20% off is from the MSRP, so it's mostly a +10% discount on the usual 10%. You also get 5% in points (I believe the regular is 1% or 2%).

[bill937ca]

Regular HS points is 5 per cent.

[Hobby Dreamer]

Thanks for the heads-up! 

[KenS]

I was already planning on getting some stuff from Hobby Search over the weekend, so I held off a day for this sale.

 

I did the same. I'd been planning an order for a while now, and went to do it this weekend and saw the notice, so I held off. The extra 10% off beyond the usual discount was nice to get.

 

I didn't actually order anything more as a result.

[Guest ___]

Here;'s an order that arrived last week. The shipping time was about 7-10 days. That is from when I received notification of shipping to when it arrived at the PO.

 

[SubwayHypes]

wow some of the prices on there are tempting me.  i havent spent money on N scale trains in 4-5 months i guess its time to break the seal again!

[qwertyaardvark]

Looks like the sale got extended to the 28th of February due to popular demand~~ ... exactly around the time i get my next allowance... looks like i found the place i'll blow my next half G ^_^

[bill937ca]

Other hobby dealers in Japan have sales in progress, but not model train related.

[bill937ca]

The sale at HS is almost over.  Within an hour Japan will go into Feb. 27th. and the sale ends Feb 28th Japan time.

 

http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/results.html?query=Tokyo

[David]

The sale at HS is almost over.  Within an hour Japan will go into Feb. 27th. and the sale ends Feb 28th Japan time.

 

http://timeanddate.com/worldclock/results.html?query=Tokyo

 

Thanks for the reminder, I wanted to order some things. Better do it tonight.

[bill937ca]

 

Thanks for the reminder, I wanted to order some things. Better do it tonight.

 

You are welcome, David.  I figured that there might be some last minute buying plans out there.

[Guest ___]

I just slipped an order in at the last minute.

[David]

Looks like it's still on, suggesting the sale ends at the end of the 28th...which is less then 1 hour from now.

[bill937ca]

The sale has been extended until March 31st.  I suspect this might become a semi-permanent pricing policy. Its about the only way to get people to spend in this economy.

[David]

The sale has been extended until March 31st.  I suspect this might become a semi-permanent pricing policy. Its about the only way to get people to spend in this economy.

 

Works for me (and them I guess since I tossed a bunch of money their way).

[David]

Oh, and anyone else see the G gauge D51 on reserve for $160? I'd be sorely tempted if the shipping wouldn't double the price. Does anyone know if "Atomic" has a website, they seem European based on the fact that the rest of the G gauge stuff looks British.

[bill937ca]

Oh, and anyone else see the G gauge D51 on reserve for $160? I'd be sorely tempted if the shipping wouldn't double the price. Does anyone know if "Atomic" has a website, they seem European based on the fact that the rest of the G gauge stuff looks British.

 

Careful. Read the specs. 1/40th, 28mm plastic track, battery power, radio control, 30 mins running time, 3 hours recharging

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10111145

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/search_e.asp?Typ1_c=104&scope=1&scope2=0&urikire=1&itkey=Atomic

[Lawrence]

What is going on at Hobby search? they seem to have an awful lot of stuff out of stock or with waiting lists, is this normal just after Xmas for them.  Makes search through a real pain when you find something you like only to see "long time out of stock"

[disturbman]

It's allways like that. Nothing new here. This is how the hobby works in Japan. Production are limited and items get usually quickly out of stock. Don't bother browsing after the 3rd page.

[bill937ca]

Some things listed on the Hobby Search web site go right back to the beginning of production by manufacturers like Modemo in 1998.

 

Generally track is always available although maybe not every single piece and usually structures are available although every year the stock gets thinner and thinner after New Years and into March.  March 31 is the Japanese corporate year end and usually in April stock levels begin to rise again.  By summer just before the Matsuya Ginza show and JAM most structures are back in stock.

[cteno4]

What is does make for is a fantastic online catalog of most of what has been out there for quite a while with the major players. Not totally inclusive, but most of the main things are there somewhere! they also usually have several great reference pictures for the items which is also a big help.

 

Japanese dont tend to warehouse as much inventories and stores dont tend to keep really heavy inventories of any single object. thus like others have noted its more short runs that go out of stock w/in a year usually (at times only preorders get covered!).

 

over on Hobby World they tend to only list the items that are in stock or that they are pretty sure the can get ahold of w/in a week or so. Hobby search only lists stuff in stock. the waiting list may push them to try and get more in stock of something that they are out of and might be able to get more of, but im not sure on that. they dont tend to want to do backorders/special orders (but they will do it from time to time). HW is pretty good at doing backorders and special orders if you request them.

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Lawrence]

Thanks for the info guys, might hold off a bit till mid April before diving in again

[Guest ___]

I do find it interesting is when the item returns to production it is added again to the catalog, so you may see the same item with the same p/n listed two or three times with the oldest pages reading out of stock. Just lately they are getting in to the habit of reviving the old pages' status to reflect inventory on hand.

[cteno4]

i think they do this with a re-release mainly. in the past i have gone on the wait list for items out of stock and when it comes back in to stock been routed to the original page to order it. so some dont get new entries. i think they just treat a re-release like its a new product. that being said when i looked at some of the tomytec stuff that got second production runs (re-released) they did not get a second listing. perhaps they didnt take that to be a re-release like a train set thats been out of production for a long time.

 

even so its a great store house of info!

 

cheers

 

jeff