HobbiCo / Great Planes / Tower Hobbies

[RGunn]

You guys have scared me with this thread as I got a $50 Tower gift certificate as a gift. I just 'burned-it' on a new LiPo charger even though I don't need one at the moment. One of the few things I could find still in-stock that I could use..., eventually.

 

[skinnyj]

Could STRC know more than we do, to not worry about getting a lawsuit by releasing that kind of data ?

Or maybe they're just fed up with Hobbico not paying them, to the point of doing stuff without really thinking like releasing private stuff :/

It's never good to burn your bridges that way. People remember that kind of stuff. Hobbico could go under, but the people employed will find other jobs. You never know when you might have to work with the guy you told to piss off later down the road.

 

[mikemcE]

I suspect from comments here and at the LHS this has been occurring for some time go many suppliers. Payroll is payroll, have to have cash flow, or your people suffer. STRC has a large Traxxas following as they make good products


Hang up and Drive

 

[makya]

Could STRC know more than we do, to not worry about getting a lawsuit by releasing that kind of data ?

Or maybe they're just fed up with Hobbico not paying them, to the point of doing stuff without really thinking like releasing private stuff :/

I'm not sure why so many people keep thinking it's illegal to show your books. I can publish my bookkeeping in the local paper if I want to, it's not illegal. The only reason it would be illegal, is if it was put out there by an entity that had no ownership to the books.

 

[Brian Alderman]

Could STRC know more than we do, to not worry about getting a lawsuit by releasing that kind of data ?

Or maybe they're just fed up with Hobbico not paying them, to the point of doing stuff without really thinking like releasing private stuff :/

What’s illegal about posting what they did? It’s not slander if it’s true, which obviously it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ditchrat]

I'm not sure why so many people keep thinking it's illegal to show your books. I can publish my bookkeeping in the local paper if I want to, it's not illegal. The only reason it would be illegal, is if it was put out there by an entity that had no ownership to the books.

How about because it is a federal crime?

What’s illegal about posting what they did? It’s not slander if it’s true, which obviously it is.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

§ 806. Harassment or abuse

A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:

(3) The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of section 1681a(f) or 1681b(3)¹ of this title.


1681a(f)
The term “consumer reporting agency” means any person which, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and which uses any means or facility of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports.


1681b(3)(b) Conditions for furnishing and using consumer reports for employment purposes


Really not hard to figure this stuff out, being a small business owner in the past, knowing these kinds of regulations is kind of important. Or at the very least knowing enough to ask questions before being stupid.


So yes STRC could get hit with a rather large lawsuit and a discussion with an attorney generals office for doing this.

 

[Brian Alderman]

How about because it is a federal crime?




§ 806. Harassment or abuse

A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:

(3) The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of section 1681a(f) or 1681b(3)¹ of this title.


1681a(f)
The term “consumer reporting agency” means any person which, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and which uses any means or facility of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports.


1681b(3)(b) Conditions for furnishing and using consumer reports for employment purposes


Really not hard to figure this stuff out, being a small business owner in the past, knowing these kinds of regulations is kind of important. Or at the very least knowing enough to ask questions before being stupid.


So yes STRC could get hit with a rather large lawsuit for doing this.

Whatever bud............how are they trying to harass or abuse anyone?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[svt923]

How about because it is a federal crime?

§ 806. Harassment or abuse

STRC isn't considered a debt collector under Sec 806 which specifically excludes "any officer or employee of a creditor while, in the name of the creditor, collecting debts for such creditor".

 

[Robbob]

Its no different then if a bank publicy posts a foreclosure. Theyre basicaly telling the public youre not paying your bills.

I see it more as STRC is trying to do damage control for customers who cant get their product. Its not a supply problem, they have the product. The problem is they shipped product to someone who hasnt paid them for it BUT did sell it and collect money for it.

The reseller got paid ...... now its time for the supplier to get paid. If you cant pay it then you dont get anymore of it. Its called business, not charity work.

Dont bash STRC ..... stop buying chinese knock offs and support your locals more. Dont be mad at a problem when we all are part of the cause for it.

 

[makya]

How about because it is a federal crime?




§ 806. Harassment or abuse

A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section:

(3) The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of section 1681a(f) or 1681b(3)¹ of this title.


1681a(f)
The term “consumer reporting agency” means any person which, for monetary fees, dues, or on a cooperative nonprofit basis, regularly engages in whole or in part in the practice of assembling or evaluating consumer credit information or other information on consumers for the purpose of furnishing consumer reports to third parties, and which uses any means or facility of interstate commerce for the purpose of preparing or furnishing consumer reports.


1681b(3)(b) Conditions for furnishing and using consumer reports for employment purposes


Really not hard to figure this stuff out, being a small business owner in the past, knowing these kinds of regulations is kind of important. Or at the very least knowing enough to ask questions before being stupid.


So yes STRC could get hit with a rather large lawsuit and a discussion with an attorney generals office for doing this.

STRC isn't considered a debt collector under Sec 806 which specifically excludes "any officer or employee of a creditor while, in the name of the creditor, collecting debts for such creditor".

^^^^.

I've owned several businesses in the past, and just started another. I've also been through this scenario when the housing market crashed. as a first party, it's legal. as a third party debt collector, it is not.

 

[Scrap]

§ 806. Harassment or abuse

consumers

I don't think tower is a consumer.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

I didn't know there were so many lawyers on this site... :lmao:

 

[soze]

I have no interest in seeing any of these shops go under. Doesn't benefit anyone in the hobby. Hopefully they get their house in order, weed out inefficiencies and get some stability.

 

[Robbob]

Have the filed Chapter 13 yet? Probably gonna be their safest way out of the mess and would extinguish a lot of financial burdens now.

But then again ...... they need a better end game for when the protection is over.

 

[CM9000]

I have no interest in seeing any of these shops go under. Doesn't benefit anyone in the hobby. Hopefully they get their house in order, weed out inefficiencies and get some stability.

the best thing for the hobby right now is to cut out the middle man. most hobby shops I know will ship product to your door.

get rid of hobbico and others like tower, hobby shops doing more direct orders with companies like traxxas and smc, and more hobby shops can pop up. I don't support companies like amain or tower for the sheer fact its not supporting the companies parts or the company within itself.

for the smaller companies like what robbob or dlux has I am happy to order straight from them. like I said in the vp thread, cut out the middle man and there is less room for errors.

 

[durok]

At least Amain has a brick and mortar shop... A very nice one, from what I understand.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

the best thing for the hobby right now is to cut out the middle man. most hobby shops I know will ship product to your door.

get rid of hobbico and others like tower, hobby shops doing more direct orders with companies like traxxas and smc, and more hobby shops can pop up. I don't support companies like amain or tower for the sheer fact its not supporting the companies parts or the company within itself.

for the smaller companies like what robbob or dlux has I am happy to order straight from them. like I said in the vp thread, cut out the middle man and there is less room for errors.

I think there's some confusion here. Sure, Tower resells products of other manufacturers, but they are also the direct reseller for their parent company Great Planes/HobbiCo.

Getting rid of the middle man means getting rid of most online resellers. If you want to devastate the industry killing internet sales would be a great way to do it.

More hobby shops will not pop up as a result. Hobby shops have been closing in droves for many reasons. One is that the hobby just isn't popular enough to support most shops. And most of the shops that do exist frankly suck and they often leave a bad taste in the mouth of newbies.

 

[skinnyj]

If Hobbico were to crater tomorrow, there would be no more Axial, Arrma, Duratrax or any other brands they own. I wouldn't call that a good thing.

As for hobby shops and their decline, I think it has to do more with kids being glued to electronic entertainment and not being interested in modeling, train layouts and RC.

 

[DukeMinnix]

If Hobbico were to crater tomorrow, there would be no more Axial, Arrma, Duratrax or any other brands they own. I wouldn't call that a good thing.

As for hobby shops and their decline, I think it has to do more with kids being glued to electronic entertainment and not being interested in modeling, train layouts and RC.

The parent company could collapse and sell off the smaller entities that are profitable to other companies in order to try and save liquid. It happens all the time. Those companies you just named off would still exist as brands, they would just be distributed by someone else most likely.

 

[JatoTheRipper]

If Hobbico were to crater tomorrow, there would be no more Axial, Arrma, Duratrax or any other brands they own. I wouldn't call that a good thing.

As for hobby shops and their decline, I think it has to do more with kids being glued to electronic entertainment and not being interested in modeling, train layouts and RC.

The profitable brands would be sold off which would include Axial. I highly doubt Duratrax would survive. Arrma is questionable.