So where do you purchase your kits from????

[weareborg]

As the title of this post suggests, I was wonder if you guys have any specific supplier of your kits, or do you just get them from your local model shops??? I know this is mainly focused at the UK builders on here, but i would be prepared to buy from overseas. I was doing some google searches the other night for suppliers, and I came across [ URL removed]. When I clicked on the Contact us link, it turned out that there supply warehouse is actually about a mile or so from my parents house, and you can go in and buy what ever your after from there, or they have another shop in the city centre. Thinks its time I went back to Stoke and visited the folks

 

[Airframes]

That sounds like one of the places I use - Model Hobbies I'm guessing?!
I normally use my local Model Shop whenever possible, but of course they can't stock everything, so I use MH, Hannant's and a couple of others I know might have out of production or discontinued kits etc. Unfortunately, two of the oldest and best shops in the UK have now gone, taken over by a mediocre 'toys/models' chain, which is a shame. One was in Manchester, relatively local to me, and the other in my original home area, in Newcastle (on Tyne, not Staffs!), which was useful when visiting relatives and friends etc.

 

[mikewint]

I'm in the US but i have found that lots of kits are available on Ebay especially the older kits. I have received kits from China often with free shipping

 

[Loiner]

I always try to buy from a shop if possible, or second best at a stall at one of the shows, I rarely buy on-line unless there's no serious option - this is purely to support the shops as I think they add a lot to the hobby. Browsing in model shops stacked to the ceiling with hundreds of kit boxes and taking one home with you has to be one my happier passtime memories, and there is something of a modelling community now with the people I bump into in these shops. But if people don't support them by using them when possible, how can they hope to survive.

 

[BombTaxi]

There are no model shops near me, only a few Hobbycraft superstores, which have a pathetic range of Airfix and Revell starter sets, and an equally pathetic range of Humbrol/Revell paints. So I buy almost exclusively online, from Hannants or Models For Sale, only going to Hobbycraft for glues etc if I happen to be going that way. I used to visit Hannant's North London shop, but now I work nights I just order online, as I don't really have time to go in the day.

 

[N4521U]

Before I came to Oz I lived in the SF bay area and there was a small but pretty well stocked shop near to San Lorenzo I used to freguent. In San Jose was the biggest shop you would ever want to visit. So, no problem.

Here in Oz the local shop is not all that well stocked, more into radio control. There is a big store in downtown Sydney, but little or no accessories. There is another in Newcastle that seems to have lots, and I have used them thru the net.

But there is a shop in Adelaide who caters to my every whim. I make sure I contact him with plenty of lead time, that Is the trick! If he doesn't have it he will get it in and ship to me. Either way, parking in Sydney is 13.00 for the first hour, mail is much cheaper no matter what.

I want to use an established, small shop when as often as I can....... without US shopping them they will not survive. And That would be shameful. Even if it is two bucks more!

 

[Lucky13]

Some of the online shops here in the UK, ebay and my local shop as well....

 

[Crimea_River]

I try to support one of my local shops. The owner is a great guy and has tons of inventory and is not averse to bargaining. He's hurting a bit from people doing online orders and says business is not what it used to be.

When I have bought on line, I've had good success from squadron.com. Sometimes they have some really good sales, especially on decal sheets and books.

 

[vikingBerserker]

eBay, Squadron.com, Hannants.com and locel hobby shop.

 

[Njaco]

I have the pleasure of living one small block away from the shop I've been going to for 40 years. Of course that was after my dad closed his own! But other than that I have done Ebay but its a lot of work to really get something - and after about 20 kits from ebay I haven't been disappointed .

 

[BikerBabe]

My preferred shop is a local shop a couple of bus stops from work, called Model Hobby.
I used a shop called Stoppel Hobby earlier, but since I discovered that they're overpricing basically everything, I've changed my supplier.
For example, Stoppel charged approx. 3 US$ per Humbrol tin, a shop in Valby near Copenhagen - RC Communication - charges approx. 1.75 US$ per Humbrol tin - and I needed a lot of colours, so of course I bought the rest of the paint that I needed, at RC Comm.

Stoppel charges 240 DKK/44.60 US$ for the 109 that I'm currently working on, Model Hobby charges 149 DKK/27.69 US$ - that's a price difference that can be felt, of approx. 16 US$!
And for the Galland figure that I bought recently, I used Model Hobbies.co.uk - that's not the last time I shop online, as I can get kits and stuff a lot cheaper in the EU than I can here in DK.

I can forget about getting any stuff from any american sites/shops, since everything sold sent from the US is heavily taxed as soon as it hits danish soil, so it'll have to be something very special, before I buy anything from the US.
Unfortunately, I'd say, since the US has got some very nice online modeling shops.
Ebay.com and other online auctions is out of the question too, if the seller resides in the US.