On on the other extreme, the new approach of " I don't really need the dealer, just give me the lowest price and I'll go to the manufacturer with any problems " seems to be growing.
If this is the direction the hobby is headed, which manufacturer will be the first to abandon their dealer network, sell direct to the customer and control their own pricing?
Part of the issue is that for an increasing number of us, we live in area that were really never served by a local hobby shop that carried trains. If there is one, O-Gauge is an afterthought.
I really have no choice but to shop online.
So, that being the case:
My comment on the topic is that if a business is going to have a web presence, then do it right. Don't let it go stale. It's the new paradigm.
