When I was having an eye exam this morning, I commented to my eye doctor that I'm into model railways. My eye doctor then said that one of his other patients is also a model railway enthusiast. Apparently, this patient had said that model trains is a dying industry because a local model train store was struggling to compete with internet sales of model railway items. (The patient probably meant that selling model trains via retail outlets was a dying business, but I didn't have a chance to ask further.)
This triggered two questions in my mind. One is similar to our LHS thread, where I've already commented. Is Internet competition really cutting into the sales at LHS's to the point that many are struggling? As I've said elsewhere, I do try to support my LHS's because all of the ones that I visit offer excellent service and advice. Having said that, because my cash-flow is tight at the moment, I have to take advantage of good Internet deals, etc., if I want to expand my collection. I simply can't afford to pay the higher retail prices all the time.
My other question is this: Is the model railway hobby declining because it cannot compete with other hobbies? Personally, I suspect that it isn't struggling -- it's just readapting to the times. I think this forum alone proves that model railroading is a vibrant hobby, but my eye doctor's offhand comment still got me wondering. If it's true that a major model train store is struggling, does this mean that fewer people are into model trains?
Thanks in advance for any feedback -- I realize that these are loaded questions!
Rob
This triggered two questions in my mind. One is similar to our LHS thread, where I've already commented. Is Internet competition really cutting into the sales at LHS's to the point that many are struggling? As I've said elsewhere, I do try to support my LHS's because all of the ones that I visit offer excellent service and advice. Having said that, because my cash-flow is tight at the moment, I have to take advantage of good Internet deals, etc., if I want to expand my collection. I simply can't afford to pay the higher retail prices all the time.
My other question is this: Is the model railway hobby declining because it cannot compete with other hobbies? Personally, I suspect that it isn't struggling -- it's just readapting to the times. I think this forum alone proves that model railroading is a vibrant hobby, but my eye doctor's offhand comment still got me wondering. If it's true that a major model train store is struggling, does this mean that fewer people are into model trains?
Thanks in advance for any feedback -- I realize that these are loaded questions!
Rob