Your Thoughts

[Grimracer]

With the HobbyExpo 2004 so close..

Lets take a moment to talk to the re-sellers and the manufactures of high performance boating about showing products and why is it we see so little of it.... also those of you that are not into manufacturing parts or kits your input is healthy too.

Let me explain. Most every race I attend I like to take a full line of products we offer. It has just as much for me to do with selling stuff as it has to do with letting the boater know that Power Surge Racing Products, LLC. is there to help them with their needs. At the Internats this year I saw what I felt was a OK list of re-sellers but only OK. It was nice to see Futaba showing there products but what about..

Dumas

Aeromarine

SpeedMaster

Hughy

Octura

ABC

On and on and on…

At the next Chicago show..or heck the IMPBA Internats or NAMBA Nats lets see..

Competition Marine Design there

B+M leecraft there

Marine Specialties there

Rocket city racing there

PHM racing there

Tanks 4-U there

Seaducer there

Hopper tunnels there

Props 4-U there

Reptile racing there

Aeromarine there

Racecraft bearings there

Crapshooter boats there

PB there

Tidewater there

Speedmaster there

Octura there

ABC there

Hughy there

Geraghty performance (Hi Rod)

West Systems

More and more and more and more… sorry if I did not name you..

The list goes on and on of other great dealers of boat products but you will likely not see any of them there. Hard to grow a healthy sport when nobody knows they can get cool stuff like this.

Man o man we have some good stuff out there..and just think.. we are still nothing more then a cult sport. We complain about growth, we blame the organizations that we belong to for any decline in numbers and we sit and wait for the hobby to grow its self..

Bottom line.. you have to water “something” to get it to grow. We have the something we just lack the water.

Maybe at the next big race IMPBA Internats and or the NAMBA Nats.. we offer up two days of dealers to the racers.. This area and time would be for the MFG and re-sellers to showcase their products and services. Its not reaching out side our main market but it would be a good start.

Thoughts?

Mike Zaborowski

Owner Power Surge Racing Products, LLC.

 

[Paul Pachmayer]

Hey Mike,

Funny you should bring this up. I was checking the vendor list for this weeks hobby expo in Chicago, pretty slim pickins. I don't want this to sound like a dig but I didn't see Power Surge on the vendors list? I talked to a couple of FE vendors who thought it wasn't worth doing the Chicago show. I must say I don't blame vendors for not going, like you said boating is a niche market and the shows cost some coin to get in. It's no better at the LHS either. Al's is the only one remotely close to me that carrys any kind of boating stuff and I really don't care for thier poor service.

Paul.

 

[Ron Olson]

For those who have not been to the show in Chicago, there is a boat pond for the Manufacturers to run their boats in. It's not big, maybe 30'x60' but I've seen electric and nitro boats being run in it. At least they are making an attempt to let others see what's out there. Mike knows how the Toledo Expo is, really slim pickings there with Aeromarine, Midwest, Robbe, K&B, Danvo plus offerings from Horizon Hobbies and a few other smaller outfits.

Yes, the Manufacturers would do themselves good to set up booths at the NAMBA Ntas and the IMPBA Internats. At the 2003 Internats there wasn't much. Mike, Walt Barney, John Brown and I think Randy's Hobby Shop were it. With the amount of people (and Dollars) that show up every year, you'd think that they would be more interested, even if they showed up for a day or two.

 

[Jerry T]

If you are into nitro boats, the Chicago show is like a toy store for little kids. I used to go but, it's a waste of time, You don't really see anything that pertains to the nitro racing group.

My 2 cents worth.

 

[TimD]

An important factor when it comes to exhibitions (well it was when I was working in the industry) is the cost of the exercise and will you gain new customers as a result.

 

[Ron Olson]

The Chicago show also covers a broad spectrum of not just R/C but model railroading, slot cars, die cast, plastic models, board games and just about everything that you'd find in a typical Hobby Shop. If your interests are into more than R/C, you will enjoy the show more.

Sometime next Summer, the date and location have yet to be announced that I know of, I think that the RCX Chicago show will be more to our liking. I can do without Monster trucks and Tuner cars, those I can see elsewhere.

BTW, at the Gas Nats a few weeks ago, I saw pix of a lot of Dealers and Manufacturers bringing their products along, they must have been doing something right there.

 

[TomMoorehouse]

do you know how much a booth at the hobby expo is????? try like $5000

 

[Paul Pachmayer]

Hey Guys,

do you know how much a booth at the hobby expo is????? try like $5000

Yep, what makes matters worse is the poor mark up on hobby stuff. A dealer is lucky to get 40%, on average I understand it's more like 30%. Funny thing is that in most retail situations they (the stores) look to TRIPLE their money.

Paul.

 

[Ed Radz]

Hey you boat suppliers

The cost of the booth at the Chicago Show is pricey. Perhaps what you should think about is several suppliers getting together & splitting the cost of a booth. Try also to get NAMBA & IMPBA to go in on it. I've been to that show when I was into model railroading. It is the place to get your hobby & product in front of the public.

Just my 2 cents.

Later!

Ed Radz

 

[Grimracer]

Im not sure about the Chicago show but at most you can not split a booth. The cost is a problem for sure. I know that i could not re-coop the money spent.. at least right away. The Toledo show is more like it.. less money and more RC.. RCX might be the way to go but agian i bet its big bucks.

Paul is right.. the mark up on hobby stuff is horrid.. Except the slot car stuff.. the mark up is not all that great but the cars and parts (dont know about the new toy slot car stuff you see in shops now) but the good racing stuff is sold at full retail.. by everybody and every shop.. its all the same.. you have to have a track..... years ago the slot car industry was almost dead because of mail order and today.. its about as strong as ever. they have no mail order.. (from what i remember.. its been about 8 years since i have raced slots)

I think that the nats be it APBA, NAMBA or The IMPBA need to make available a day or two for the MFGs to showcase there products.. give them a good area to show. allow the MFGs to offer race specials and the like..

I remember years ago at the Byron flying show that part of the fun was going through the MFGs booths..

Paul,

The money is the main reason i do not show there.. However now it is a selling show.. for years you could not sell to the public.. it might pay.. to risky however..

Grim

 

[Precision Boats]

Hey Guys,

I'm with Mike, we do need to get as many dealers and mfg, to the nats to help promote this hobby. I'm still young by a long shot but I don't think that this hobby will make it much longer. I see more and more people getting out, which only make the larger mfg to stop making the boating parts that we need. i.e. O.S. They sell less and less of the marine motors each year so they are slowly pulling that line. But I know that it is really hard for all the dealers and mfg to make it to each large race. At least it is for us. But we are going to try to go to places where we can promote the hobby as much as possible. Precision Boats is know going to carry Speedmasters full line of products and keep a lot of the products instock to take around to the races. Also, earlier this week I and JYD Racing (mfg of the Hornet Tunnel) were talking about splitting a booth at the Atlanta RC Expo this year. So hopefully I will see a few of the other dealers and mfg there. We just need to promote RC Boating to its fullest.

Just my 2 cents also

Josh

 

[Paul Pachmayer]

Hello Mike,

The money is the main reason i do not show there.. However now it is a selling show.. for years you could not sell to the public.. it might pay.. to risky however..

I'll see ya there anyway. Even though its a sell show I would highly doubt seeing the return needed to justify the cost.

Paul.