Hobby Search

[rankodd]

I'm 100% sure that they lock in the price that you order/pre-order at. So, if you've got an open order, or an already established pre-order, then you're safe. Any new orders will go in at the new price, though.

[The_Ghan]

I concur with Rankodd ... I have 2 orders on reserve with HS - the E5 full set and the 0-2000 full set.  I paid for the E5 last week on the old price.  I noticed today that although the prices have gone up for the 0-2000 if you want to reserve one now, my price from 5th March of 20% off is still displayed on my order.  I will remember to check my email confirmation and order confirmation when the time comes, but expect HS to honour the 20% discount as ordered.  Right now their page is only giving 15% off.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[keitaro]

is it normal for hs to take 3 days to give payment request.

 

they told me one item was out of stock i said can it and they didn't reply after that 2 days later i want my payment request

[The_Ghan]

Unusual Keitaro,

 

Send them a polite email asking what's up.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[Martijn Meerts]

I recently got a payment request for my latest order a day after the final item came in stock. It might take a bit longer if you decided to cancel an item from an order though, since often times you can't cancel things (especially pre-orders etc.), and they still do a lot of the stuff manually it seems.

[keitaro]

ahh ok yeah i wanted 2 of an item but they only had 1 so they said cancel or take the one so i said cancel the item.

 

still i hope they send soon i want by next friday so me and the little one can play saturday heh 

 

he loves the trains i'll have to record him one day soon

[KenS]

HS has been really slow with the payment notices lately.  My E5 notice didn't arrive after two days, and it usually takes one, so I used the payment link on the Order Status page (reached via the User Menu link at the top of the page).  Shortly after, I received the notice that my V15 set had come in.  I don't need it immediately, so I decided to wait. I still don't have it (three days and counting), and if the email doesn't come in tonight I'll probably stop waiting and use the link again.

 

And I didn't cancel anything on either order.

[Guest ___]

Strange my BBQ payment request was like only a few hours after the notice it was in stock earlier this week.

[bill937ca]

Maybe staff were injured in the earthquake.  Their newsletter today said desks and shelves collapsed....

[clem24]

I've noticed some items like Sankei aren't even discounted anymore. Looks funny when they cross out the Y1,400 and replace it with the "sale" price of Y1,400. 

 

Looks like HLJ will be getting my business for Sankei stuff.

[The_Ghan]

Clem,

 

I noticed this with Tomix platform without roof.  I sent them an email and they replied that it was a mistake.  It now has the usual markdown.  I suggest you send HS an email of the particular item you're interested in and see what happens.

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[bill937ca]

Further indication that things are changing.  HS restocked the Greenmax Nagoya Railway (Meitetsu) Series 1000 Panorama Super `Blue Liner painted train at $0 discount.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10061891

 

Jeff said it was 18,400Y a year ago.  Quantity is limited to one, which means it may be getting rarer.

[The_Ghan]

Further indication that things are changing.  HS restocked the Greenmax Nagoya Railway (Meitetsu) Series 1000 Panorama Super `Blue Liner painted train at $0 discount.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10061891

 

Jeff said it was 18,400Y a year ago.  Quantity is limited to one, which means it may be getting rarer.

 

I want one!  Any other Japanese hobby shops selling this?

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[bill937ca]

I want one!  Any other Japanese hobby shops selling this?

 

I've looked at Tokyo Rail, he doesn't have it. I was kind of curious what his price would be.   Also checked Rainbow Ten and Ace of Bicycle.  No luck.

 

Worse when you Google Micro Ace 791224 nothing comes up other than HS in English and in Japanese and the Micro Ace home page in Japanese.  Looks its pretty much gone.  

 

HS seems to be able to come with odd items now and then.  It could be suppliers clearly out last items or it could items misplaced on shelves turning up in spot inventory counts.

[The_Ghan]

Ha Bill,

 

I did the same searches !!!

 

Cheers

 

The_Ghan

[David]

Since the 18th Hobby Search has been having a "sale", however it's confined to the bargain area. On the plus side they've increased the discounts, most are about 40-50% off now. On the down side it's mostly items that have been in the bargain area for a long time at 30% off. On the plus side they've been adding a small number of items each day.

 

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/list/758/0/1

 

Deals that appeared today:

The Microace JNR DD51, 8-car Hoki 9500 and Yo 5000 freight car set for only $138

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10045233

Microace JNR 11-car fish set for $105

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10073203

 

And yesterday:

The Kato 485 series (basic and expansion)

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10042621

 

Some GreenMax has also appeared..

 

I'm tempted by the fish set, as it features working doors. The JNR aspect though puts it off.

[bikkuri bahn]

The JNR aspect though puts it off.

 

JR doesn't run fish trains, nor express, mail, LCL, general merchandise, or mixed trains, in other words, anything really interesting...

[scott]

Dangit, they got me, despite my attempts to hold off buying for a while. I resisted the "bonnet-head" 485, since I want a later type, but then they listed the Micro Ace Iida-line 119 marked down from 9800 to 5880. 

[disturbman]

Hum! The "Fish Train", if I hadn't gone for Kawai's boxcar, I would have ordered that one.

[Mudkip Orange]

Bargains, you say?

[rankodd]

HO can be scarily expensive. My entire z-scale layout - trains, track, structures and all, probably will cost less than that.

[westfalen]

The JNR aspect though puts it off.

 

JR doesn't run fish trains, nor express, mail, LCL, general merchandise, or mixed trains, in other words, anything really interesting...

A good reason to backdate your layout to the 60's/70's and you don't have to reach for the credit card each time Kato brings out a new Shinkansen.

[marknewton]

Bargains, you say?

 

Given the build quality, finish and level of detail, it's a fair price for a brass loco in HO scale. It compares well with similar HO scale brass locos made for the US, European and Australian markets. I can't afford an RTR one right now, but I'm sorely tempted by the kit version.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

HO can be scarily expensive. My entire z-scale layout - trains, track, structures and all, probably will cost less than that.

 

It can be, but then I've seen some riotously expensive Z scale stuff too. 

 

But to be fair, these World Craft models are at the top of the high-end market.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[rankodd]

HO can be scarily expensive. My entire z-scale layout - trains, track, structures and all, probably will cost less than that.

 

It can be, but then I've seen some riotously expensive Z scale stuff too. 

 

Heh :) You do have a point. Most of the European prototype stuff for Z is pretty ridiculous.  Rokuhan and Pro-Z have done wonders for the Japanese Z market, with a little help from Sankei.