Retailers

[Rocket Doctor]

Has anyone had any problems with making rocket and motor purchases, let's say, a hobby shop compared to the massmerchandiser versus online.

And, if you approached a manager in a massmerchandiser situation, were they eager to help and get items, or, did they think you were a nuisance.

Has anyone told you that they were willing to order what you wanted?

Where would you make a purchase and why?

[barone]

My only problem is they keep asking if I'm 14 or older..... :D

[tbzep]

My only problem is they keep asking if I'm 14 or older..... :D

Well.....are you? :p

[AKPilot]

Why do you ask Dr.?

[Peartree]

The only 'trouble' that I have had is that mass merchandisers only stock two or three motor varieties (with the exception of Hobby Lobby whose prices are higher). if I need more than that and I don't have a 40% off coupon, I go to our regular LHS. I've never had any trouble there except I haven't yet convinced them to expand beyond the basic Estes line.






Yet.

[chalinaty]

My LHS will order stuff for me if I pay 50% in advance. And his prices are high. And he only orders from his suppliers, whose selection is limited (no Aerotech, Fliskits, Semroc--strictly Quest, Estes).
No mass merchandisers in Canada (as far as I know) carry rocket stuff except for Toys 'R' Us. They carry one of two RTF starter sets and no engine packs, from what I've seen. I've never bothered to ask about ordering.
I do get a lot of stuff from Taras at Sigma/ARG in Toronto. He is very accommodating and will pretty much get whatever I ask for, although there are some limits as to what he can bring into Canada. His prices are excellent.

[Mark II]

My LHS put their kits up near the front of the store where they are easy to see, but it really hides the motors. The keep a good supply of the Estes catalog on hand (when it is out) too, so I have to say that they do support model rocketry. (No rocketry mags in the magazine rack, though. :( ) They stock a decent variety of kits from Estes, Custom and Quest, and when I went there the first time, they even had a whole bunch of Stellar Dimensions kits in a clearance bin. (I still kick myself hard for not realizing what those were at the time and not grabbing as many as I could. This was right after I became a BAR.)

All of this is to say that they meet my criteria for supporting the hobby. But at the same time, the two "older" men who run the shop (one is around my age - i.e., a "boomer", and the other is about 10-15 years older) don't seem to have participated in the hobby in at least 30 years, and rocketry isn't even close to being their main business. I say this because I have gotten some really odd responses when I have tried to buy motors there on a few occasions. The shop sells Estes motors ranging from 1/2A6-2's through the E9 series. They have very few, if any, 13mm motors - which is fine, because I can get plenty of those at Wal-Mart. But they also don't seem to realize that "T" motors even exist. I went there several times to try to order 1/4A's for an upcoming meet, and both owners tried to insist that no one makes 1/4A's, even though they were listed on their order sheet from their distributer.

In one visit I mentioned that I was looking for some thin plywood for fins, and both of them were totally aghast at the notion. That is, until I mentioned that I was building mid-power models to fly in E, F and G motors. Then they both became alarmed. The older owner insisted that no one made motors larger than an F, and both asserted that I needed to have "a special license" to purchase any motor larger than a D! (Even though I had purchased E9's there before with no problem.) Now don't get the wrong impression - the two owners and their staff have always sought to be helpful and accommodating whenever I have been there, and have never outright refused to sell me something. They also do keep the shop surprisingly well-stocked and up-to date, especially considering that it is in a remote corner of the state, with only a small local population. (Other than the fact that they don't sell anything for fiberglassing, their selection of building supplies is first-rate, too. And if you happen to be into model railroading, or glow-motor R/C models ...) But these have to be the most unusual responses that I have ever gotten from any vendor when I have tried to buy rocket motors.

Mark \\.

[Rocket Doctor]

Why do you ask Dr.?

I had heard that some retailers don't like it when we ask for rocketry items............