Canadian Mail Orders

[rockislandmike]

You know, maybe I got spoiled by Walthers, but it's almost a month since I placed an order at Hobby Circle, and it's yet to arrive here. I emailed them and they said it had been sent - a rather short, terse note I thought. I don't think I'll be using them again - too bad, they have really good prices.

Just submitted a small order to internettrains.com; we'll see how they do.

So far, my current theory is to order locomotives from elsewhere (cause you can usually get much cheaper prices than Walthers), but miscellaneous type stuff it's better to order from Walthers.

Just my Canadian opinion, of course. I'll let the other Canucks know how the internetrains order proceeds.

 

[Partsman]

For the most part, I intend to use my local hobby shop for 'day to day' supplies.

I've never ordered from the US directly, assuming that the lesser value of the Canadian $, the shipping charges, the customs duties and federal sales tax would make the item just as cheap from my local.

What is your slant on this, Mike?

Bill - in southern Ontario.

 

[Lighthorseman]

Mail Ordering Stuff...

If you've not ordered from the US before, here is something important to keep in mind. Whatever you do,

DO NOT HAVE YOUR ITEMS SHIPPED U.P.S.!!!

Not to knock them, but because they're not the Post Office, they have to BROKER every single thing over $30.00 (CAD) over the border, resulting in a huge C.O.D. fee when the driver shows up at your door!

I should know.


That's just my 2 farthings worth.

 

[farmer ron]

I try to support the local hobby shop as much as I can, although I do price comparative shopping, I am very fortunate to live near the border and have a US post office box, have ordered the odd rr book that would cost too much if the hobby shop ordered it and would take for ever to get here. The last book I ordered was on sawmills and it took four days to arrive at the po box. I also, in my price shopping, add in the exchange rate and duty rate and more often than not it is more expensive to buy in the US. Of course I often see, via the internet or rr mags, very good deals in some of the discount places but have heard some of the horror stories about buying there also. Keep us informed on how it goes with internet trains. I agree with lighthorseman, the orders are usually sent within a few days and it is more often than not the Canadian Postal Storrage Corporation that is the problem. I know when I was in northern BC and ordered out of the US the package arrived in Canada, usually Montreal or Ottawa within a week then would take a month to get to the west coast then longer up to us. Sometimes I had thought that the pony had died along the way. Ron....

 

[rockislandmike]

I *always* check out the local hobby shops first too. Modeling MoPac and Rock Island, though, not likely to find anything (except maybe the odd boxcar, which I probably already have). So I end up doing mail orders every second month or so. I often order from Credit Valley (cvrco.com), but they also don't keep much stock on hand of the above, or other roads I'm interested in.

Bill, my slant on your comment is this: if I special order from my local hobby store or mail order, they're going to have to pay the customs, shipping, and exchange anyways. And then they're going to want a profit on those expenses as well - so I'm better to just go straight to the U.S. myself.

And I always order with the cheapest shipping option possible, so I've never had to pay UPS fees. Good information to keep in mind, though, STeve.

 

[Partsman]

I guess I hadn't factored in any profit for the local man.

They do it for the love of the hobby, don't they?

Thanks for your reply, Mike, and thanks to Steve and Ron also for the good tips..

 

[TinGoat]

Cross Border Mail Order...

Although I haven't done so myself. I have heard that Caboose Hobbies is supposed to be good...

Having a P/O box south of the border is handy for those who live close to it. My Brother is in Vancouver with a P/O box in the states.

Although I haven't done so yet. He says that I can use the P/O box and he will then mail the item(s) to me in T.O..

Have any Canucks used Traintown Canada????

 

[kf4jqd]

Hobby shoppes

I also go through the local hobby store. He is an authorized dealer for Walthers. He's pretty good on getting your stuff. There has been a couple of times he had to reorder my stuff, but I always got it! He also honors the sales catalogs.

I have sent George to him George seems to be happy. Besides that, I let him deal with the ordering and shipping headackes from Walthers.

Andy

Hobbt Connection: Rothshild, Wisconsin
www.hobbyconnect.com

 

[rockislandmike]

My order from Hobby Circle just arrived today in the Great White North (actually, it's still more green than anything here in Edmonton, but you know what I mean) - 32 days after I placed the order.

Only $19US shipping on a $146US order, that's pretty good compared to others.

They did mess up mildly, however. I placed advanced reservations for two Atlas tankcars; they sent me an old road# from the first run (Hooker Chemicals if anyone's curious). I'll have to get in touch with them and fix that.