The Little World

And we’re not talking about wing walks either.

I want a kit. And a specific kit – having done my research in regard to it. Its the best for my purpose – and good news – it was a new Airfix release late last year and has been seen in the local hobby shop in the past few months.

A trip to two of our city’s remaining shops, however, has revealed that there are none of this kit in there right now. There’ll be another one visited tomorrow to see if there is any luck ( note – I do not ring ahead as frequently the junior who answers cannot provide a sensible answer…). Let’s hope.

If not, I have a choice; either wait until this kit is re-stocked, or order it on-line from a Sydney hobby shop. For some this would not be a quetion at all – out with the credit card and send the order through. However, I have thought the thing through past this knee-jerk response.

Note that I mentioned two of the remaining shops in our city – and a thrid to see. There used to be many more, but two have closed down in the last six months. While part of the reason they may have closed is management flaws, part may have been the increased trade in on-line supplies. If I were to further this form of commerce, I might be putting further pressure on my local shops – the ones I duck into for paints and kits and tools. I value the facility of going into a place and looking around for inspiration.

As well, the freight charges to send a plastic model safely across the continent add another 40% to the cost of the kit. If i wait until it returns locally, I can save enough to buy the paint and extra decals for it.

I know that there can be the occasional beef from people here in Perth who have gone into a shop and seen a kit for $ 10 higher than they could get it from overseas or interstate, but in the context of the hobby, that $ 10 spent to keep the shop local is a good bargain. And if they are bitten by the courier charges after all, what’s the point?

Next Day Addendum: I went to the northern suburbs shop and found the exact kit I wanted for precisely the price that it is in Melbourne. I spent $ 5 in petrol, but saved $ 20 in shipping – the spare $ 15 is, indeed, the paint for the kit plus a sheet of decal paper and ink to make the markings for it and for the other planes in the squadron. I am ahead of the game!

Oh, the joy of busy hands, eyes, and mind.