I went on the St Aubins web site for their blow out sale and was very disappointed. I was hopping to get at least one thing. To me it was not a blow out sale. The rolling stock I was after I still can get at a lower price from Ridge Rd. Plus the selection was not much unless you want a caboose or a diesel. I wonder if the LSOL members got all the stuff before it was open to non members. Oh well guess I will have to wait.
You mean you’re not a member? GASP!!!
Andrè Schofield said:LOL Its not worth the money when you have great sites like this. Plus I dont buy that much to make it worth it.
You mean you're not a member? GASP!!!
Shawn said:I'm letting my subscription to LSOL expire this month and have deleted the GR site from my favorites. I'll probably not renew the magizine this coming year either.Andrè Schofield said:LOL Its not worth the money when you have great sites like this. Plus I dont buy that much to make it worth it.
You mean you're not a member? GASP!!!
Rudy, you mean you haven’t joined the majority of us, who have been “kicked off” that site. Never looked back once off, but am a little peeved he used one of my pictures for his Calender AFTER he apologized to me for not getting the story from the “horses mouth” so to speak, and then still kicking me off even AFTER he heard my side!!! but did apologize, I had given permission to use my pics just prior to him kicking me off, but thought it was very tacky using it after that!!! What a charming “prince” of a fellow he be!!! I think the relationship with above train retailer has hurt them, but oh well it’s they’re problem not ours!! Regal
I considered subscribing to GR (I haven’t for a couple years), I decided not to.
I think I get all the information I need from LSC.
I’ll invest in the layout instead!
I just extended my subscription to GR. I find it quite interesting and informative.
I ordered off St Aubin’s ONCE. The charged me twice for shipping (once to them, once to me). - which is a practice I’d never heard of, or seen, before or since… The guy on the phone treated me like I was an idiot when I called for an explanation.
They got to keep their #!&* $20 charge, but could offer now to sell dollar bills for fifty cents, and I’d pass. There’s other, better vendors out there.
Mik said:
I ordered off St Aubin's ONCE. The charged me twice for shipping (once to them, once to me). - which is a practice I'd never heard of, or seen, before or since.... The guy on the phone treated me like I was an idiot when I called for an explanation.They got to keep their #!&* $20 charge, but could offer now to sell dollar bills for fifty cents, and I’d pass. There’s other, better vendors out there.
At least from Aristo, if the dealer orders more that $1500 wholesale, they get free shipping. St Aubin’s shipping policy is a scam.
I walked into St. Aubin once. I didn’t get any help and finally walked out. I’ve never bought anything from them and never will.
Jon.
Bruce Chandler said:Interesting quote. I find many of the articles still quite intersting after all these years. But I also stil l Look forward to Model Railroader and NG & SL Gazette. To me you need a break from these screens. Also, I llike the writings of many of the authors. ;-)
I just extended my subscription to GR. I find it quite interesting and informative.
One can get much more comfortable with a book or magazine.
Computers are nice, but I can read a magazine while I soak in the tub.
And when high winds knock out my power, it’s nice to have some magazines around.
Ralph
I’m a member of the forum associated with St Aubins, but like Shawn I have not found the St Aubins connection to be of any price advantage so I have yet to purchase anything from them. I suspect that the market will ultimately settle the issue - if enough people like the store and feel the prices are fair, they’ll buy and support it. If sales from that forum-store connection are minimal, the respective parties will realize that it isn’t working and that they need to try something else.
I have a continuing subscription to GR for the same reasons as Bruce & Ric. Plus I like to take the mag with me when I visit my LHS to have a price reference when comparison shopping… That, along with a little bargaining, has resulted in the LHS owner discounting prices enough to come reasonably close to the “online” price.
I do understand that there are pressures in that magazine business to avoid severely negative reviews even when the product may warrant them. But if a product has minor flaws or serious flaws, I have observed that the information is usually available right here on LSC, and often sooner and in more detail than elsewhere.
Mik said:
I ordered off St Aubin's ONCE. The charged me twice for shipping (once to them, once to me). - which is a practice I'd never heard of, or seen, before or since.... The guy on the phone treated me like I was an idiot when I called for an explanation.They got to keep their #!&* $20 charge, but could offer now to sell dollar bills for fifty cents, and I’d pass. There’s other, better vendors out there.
Back when St. Aubins and LSOL first joined at the hip I ordered a bunch of Center Cab Switchers online as they had them really cheap way below what other places were charging for them. Greed was part of my motive I admit. I never received even one and after going into pissed off mode I started my chain of emails and phone calls to the store and the web site of LSOL. The head lady at LSOL thats doing the hand holding with the store wasn’t a lot of help and the store people were no help yet the engines showed as being available on the site for the same price. That was strike one.
Strike two was a few months ago when one of the bosses of the LSOL did a write up in their forums about a eating joint a ways up the hiway from us that had a large G Gauge layout in it. We went up there the same week and find that the place was out of business.
Third strike was just ongoing with the way their moderators run rough shod over the forums messing with people about little sh**.
Bruce Chandler said:I've been getting their magazines since I was a kid in junior high school. Back then I suscribed to MR magazine.
I just extended my subscription to GR. I find it quite interesting and informative.
Back in the 80’s when I got back into model railroading hot and heavy I subscribed to MR again along with GR when it first came out. I’m not sure but I think it might have gone under a diferent name then. We lived in a mobil home then so really all I had space for was a wall mount N Gauge layout but I had big dreams.
We moved here in 1996 or 97 and then I also subscribed to CTT as I had dreams of going back into Lionel O gauge. I kept getting all those magazines of the various gauges and finally I went into G Gauge in the back yard in 2005.
Now I have a small O gauge layout in the shed for old times sake and two G Gauge layouts in the back yard and side yard with schemes to connect the two one day when the wife will give me right of way between the two.
I dropped all the mags except GR and since day one I always looked forward to them coming but now when the GR arrives it’s like “oh well, more junk mail.”
I also enjoy GR, Timber times, etc… Like Bruce said you do get a lot of intresting articles and most of the write-ups are by people from these forums. Plus like Ralph said I enjoy sitting by my wood stove on a cold snowy night thumbing through a magazine or a good book.
Getting back to St Aubins I just recently bought a pack of knuckle couplers and 2 ore cars. They charged me $18 for Shipping. I think for now on I will stick with Ridge rd and Wholesale. (The trick with wholsesale you just have to call to make sure item is in stock) Ridge Road is great, if their site says it is in stock and the item really is not. They will call and let you know that day or the next. For the most part their site is 99.9% accurate.
Yeah too bad most of the retailers haven’t heard about priority shipping boxes, or maybe they have and just like making the extra money on shipping??? what do you think. You can cram it into one of 5 different size boxes and ship anywhere for one price. I think $13 shipping for an item is outrageous when you can ship a 1/2 dozen items in the $5.00 priority box that I’m talking about. Both the item i’m thinking of and the box!!! Just another way to rip the consumer off and make up for the glut all along the food chain up to the Manufacturers. I think it is also a bunch of hooey which I just recently found out about, that manufacturer’s can dictate price to the wholesaler, and the retailer, and if they don’t comply they can’t get the product!! Any way you look at it that’s price fixing!! That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it" The Regal
I have ordered a couple things from Ste Aubins. I asked if they had the item in stock, was told yes. Not 100% true, as it was drop shipped from the Mfgr. I got my iten at a good price, but at least be honest. I keep think about hanging my head in there when I am in Chicago sometime just to check it out.
Shawn, agree that the sale was a bit of a let down. Ditto to Ridge Road having good service. Nice folks to vist too if you are ever in Rochester.