31 replies to this topic

[MG Brown]

MG, just so you think I'm all mouth with no action, this is my track, that I built in my building.

I do not recall saying that about you? When did I say so?

[MSwiss]

I was going to mention last night, that there is an MG as the OP, and an MG participant (Michael Gerbetz, who signs his post, MG) and point out the possible confusion.

I guess I should have. LOL.

[MattD]

My error , MG. It was Michael that I was responding to. 

 

I know many slot guys that have tried all sorts of ways to interest more people, I am certainly not alone in doing that.     

 

The results are about the same for everybody. Swiss probably does the best job possible and he is a rare exception. In more ways than one!

[mgerbetz]

Sorry Gents,
Its Gerbetz. I will sign that from here forward.

Cheater,
No, I don't think that would do it.
And yes, I agree with your last statement.

Gerbetz

[Brian Czeiner]

I don't believe new tracks are the answer. It would certainly be nice but without new people, it will only siphon customers from other stores in favor shorter travel distance. 

 

While big 5000 square foot stores are awesome, smaller foot prints can also work. Our store was 1800 square feet with a 1000' drag strip, a 96 lap Windsor and an HO track which was later sold and replaced with an oval by the new owners. We printed thousands of flyers and distributed them in an effort to recruit new racers. In the end, I would suspect nearly 80% or more of our customers were new to the hobby. We opened in 2007. Many of those racers still race today. In fact, the next owner and current owners were customers in our store.  

 

We did a small car show each year along with picnics and other things. Some ideas worked, some did not. Bottom line is the hobby in our area grew for a short period of time.

 

Here is a video I created about our store. 

 

https://www.youtube....jhQyi59f_k&t=9s

 

 

We all need to support our stores. Both the manufacturers and customers. It is a hard balance. Without stores the customers have no place to race and manufacturers have no place to sell. We all turn to ebay for deals. With the ability to ship anywhere, stores could give discounts to clubs or private tracks. I have several clubs who we ship to that go through a few stores to place orders. I drop ship them direct. The store makes a sale without ever touching product. The logistics take some getting use to but it is benefiting all of us. Yet there are stores who reject this type of sale with a club.

 

I'm with others on this thread. We need to think out side the box. 

[Clyde Romero]

anything is possible

that's how we got to the moon, remember?

what you need is exposure to this hobby

remember how we, the old no hair, gray hair crowd, who are currently keeping it alive found out about it?

it was given to us by our parents as gifts for the holidays or birthday presents.

Hobby shops pushed slot cars on our parents and the rest was as the say is  history

I can only speak for myself but I never saw an ad on my black and white TV for slot car racing, yet I was hooked

granted it was a different time, but the hobby exploded in the 60's for a reason

the hill is going to be steeper this time around because of the availability of games you can play on your iPhone

in other words you don't need to go anywhere to entertain yourself

but those who have ventured into the RC car racing world have successfully transitioned into slot cars

for a many reasons

there is no easy answer to this but we collectively can turn this hobby around with an effort if we want too

because the clock is ticking

I will be 70 years old in august

the oldest racer I know races at our track and he is 83!

I want to do it as long as Roy has been doing it

so I have 13 years in front of me so to speak

keep the conversation alive

there are solutions out there

 

Clyde

 

[slotracer43]

My answer is yes, but it's going to take an approach or approaches that the industry and its participants have so far declined to embrace.
 

And it's going to take a lot more places for people to practice the hobby than we have now, which might seem like a separate issue but really isn't.
 
Is it possible? Yes. Will it happen? No.

What approaches has everyone declined to embrace?