HobbyTron – A Toy Junkies Best Friend.
Written: May 24 '03 (Updated Jul 30 '06)
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When my oldest son started poking around on the internet looking for some science and crystal kits he landed at HobbyTron from a Google web search. The name sounded real familiar and after I saw the logo of the site I realized that I’d seen it listed at Epinions as a featured site. I told him to check the prices on the sets and see who had the cheapest price and I’d look at the shipping fees and we’d make a purchase based on those two factors. HobbyTron had the lowest price on several of the kits he wanted and a few others that were on his list were a few dollars more but when we sat down and looked at the shipping fees of other sites - HobbyTron was the winner.
Navigation
The easiest way to get around the site is to look at the bottom of the page where all the products are separated by category. Inside each of the main listings you’ll find the sub directories. Clicking on any of them will take to directly to the section and if at any time you get lost, click the HobbyTron logo at the top of the page to go back to the main page of the site. I’ve never had a pop up when browsing at the site and every there is kid friendly unless of course you are offended by naked anatomy kits [these don’t really show any nudity]. On the right side of the main page you’ll also find sections for the most popular items as well as age appropriate sections.
Prices
I’ll say this in all honesty, some of the prices aren’t the best that you will find on the internet but when you look at the selection of items that they offer – including older toys that aren’t easy to find in retail stores – it makes up for it. Since I am a hard-core Lego junkie, I am always on the look out for not just the newest sets, but the older ones as well. A good example of this is the Jedi Starfighter that is listed at the site at $29.99 that is sold at Amazon.com for $19.99 and at stores like Wal-Mart and Target for $17.99 or less. Trying to find this in retail stores is a little hard these days – that doesn’t mean that they aren’t available but since the newer Star Wars sets are slowly making their way on to the shelves, the older sets are being marked down. The prices, for the most part, are average with some items being higher than normal and some being lower. My best advice would be to know what the average price of an item is [including the shipping fees if ordered or shopping online] and to make an informed decision based on product availability as well as available coupons. If you know your toys, you will be able to spot a real bargain – and don’t forget to check online for coupons or code discounts that will allow you to save even more!
More Than Just Toys….
As I mentioned, I wasn’t the one that found this site, it was my oldest son. He was looking for a few crystal growing sets and this is one of the sites that came up in the search. While he was at the site he found the chemistry experiment set that he wanted and it was about $6.00 less than at other sites. If you want to check out the one that he ordered – you can view it at this URL: www.hobbytron.net/product2361.html. The site also offers anatomy models [with my favorite being the brain mold – perfect for Jell-O at Halloween], weather kits, earth science project kits and the very popular erupting volcano. This site has a great selection of anatomy kits and the prices are a little less than what other online merchants are charging for them.
If magic is your thing, you’ll find a ton of magic kits, tricks, videos, props and accessories. The boys ordered a few of the coin changers [pennies to dimes] and tortured me for hours “Look, it’s a penny, now it’s a dime… look mummy… look!”. There are beginner and intermediate magic tricks and props available at the site and from what I can tell, the prices look to be average with other sites and retail stores. This isn’t a section that we visit very often, but it is one that the boys have bookmarked. The only negative thing about this part of the site is that the smaller items and props usually don’t have any type of information listed.
Customer Service
HobbyTron
1216 South 1580 West, Suite B
Orem, UT 84058
[877] 606-8766
[801] 437-1714 - fax
[801] 434-7664
support@hobbytron.net
If you ever have questions about a certain product or need more information, there are several experts at the site that you can email. You can find these in the customer service section of the site and they include transmitters, remote controlled vehicles, electronics, robots, toys and science kits. The support@hobbytron.com address can be used for any questions about products, shipping or warranties but to get the quickest response, be sure to check and see if there is a specific person to contact. When you order from HobbyTron you’ll get a confirmation email when your order is accepted as well as one when it is shipped so you will have the tracking number. There were a few times that I didn’t get an order confirmation email but I chalk that up to Yahoo, not HobbyTron. I’ve only had to contact customer service a few times with questions about products and always received a quick response and a complete answer.
Return Policy
When you make a purchase from HobbyTron you are covered with a 100% money back guarantee for 60 days after you receive your order. Please note that the return address is slightly different than the main address [listed above]. You don’t need to contact them to get an RMA [return merchandise authorization] but I suggest that you call them ahead of time to let them know you are going to be returning an item. This way they can tell you if the item is in stock or if you are going to exchanging it, they can make sure there is a suitable replacement. Pack up the item securely and mail it back to them within the 60 day period and you can get an exchange or refund [minus shipping fees] once they receive the item. It would be a good move on your part to insure the package or send it with delivery confirmation in case it is lost in transit.
HobbyTron
1216 South 1580 West, Suite C
Orem, UT 84058
Shipping
Most orders are shipped via UPS. Each order will be different and cost is calculated according to the weight of the item as well as where is it to be shipped. You can check your shopping cart at any time to get the shipping fee estimate of your order. In some cases items will be shipped by another carrier and if you would like your order shipped via another method, please call the customer service team and they will try to arrange that. When you add an item to your cart you will see all the different shipping options available to you. Some items are only shipped via UPS Ground while others can be shipped 2nd Day, Next Day or International. Since you can see the shipping fees for the items and choose the one that is best for you, you never have to worry about falling over when you go to complete your order and see the total shipping fee.
Another great feature to the site is the UPS page that allows you to track your shipment. When you get your email with the shipping confirmation you can cut and paste the number in the box and it will give you the location of the package as well as the estimated delivery date.
Things To Know
If you are a smart internet shopper you’ll know to “check the net” before you shop – not only for the best price but for online coupons and codes. Do a search on Google for “hobbytron, coupons, codes” and chances are you’ll be able to find something to knock down the total price of your order. Some are for a percentage off your total order, free shipping or the ever-popular $5.00 off $20.00. Be sure to check the codes for expiration dates and if you are unsure about it, feel free to email them about it. If you come across a site that has an offer or deal that is too goo to be true [like 50% off your total order] I’d have to question the site – some times you will come across sites that piggyback or link to another site. Be sure the links that you click on connect you directly to HobbyTron so your information will be safe. My best piece of advice is to get the code, email HobbyTron if you are unsure about it then go directly to the site without clicking on links from other sites or coupon pages.
You can sign up for their free newsletter from the main page of the site. This allows you to get advanced notices of sales and discounted items as well as online coupons that might not be available to other people or visitors to the site. You will need to activate the subscription by clicking on the link in the email or you won’t be added to the list. I generally get one email about every ten days from them and so far haven’t noticed any junk email or spam associated with signing up from this newsletter.
The Bottom Line
While they might not have the absolute best prices they do have a wide variety of items including Lego, K’Nex, robotic controllers, magic sets, earth science project kits, remote controlled cars, electronics and components and model planes and cars. They also carry FM transmitters, parts for remote controlled vehicles as well as robots and tons of model cars, planes, vehicles and model paints. There are some parts of the site that we haven’t really explored, but I am sure as the boys get a little older they will be looking at purchasing some of the model planes and remote controlled blimps that are listed at the site.
HobbyTron gives you great service, a wide variety of products to choose from and decent shipping – the prices aren’t the best but I’d rather pay a few dollars more and not get raked over the coals with shipping and “handling” fees and have a 60 day return policy if I ever need to use it. If you have any question about the site, contact their customer service department – they’ll get back to you quickly and answer any question you have. When they say ‘customer satisfaction’, they really mean it.
As always, thanks for the visit!
^V^ Freak ^V^
© 2003 Freak369
Office Playground, Lego World Shop, Baylit, Things From Another World, New England Comics, Westfield Comics, KBtoys.com, Happy Toy Depot, Childcraft, Hobbytron, Playmobil, Lunchboxes Online, PEZ, John's Toy Store, Board Games Express, Action Figure Xpress, Plush Dreams, Sanrio, Slinky Toys, Fun To Collect, eSticker, Sticker Giant, Snoopy Store, Toy Wiz, USAopoly
Recommended:
Yes
What product did you purchase or try to purchase? Lego Mindstorm kit, crystal growing kits
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