Big news here: AMain is going to be taking over HobbyTown’s online sales, and HobbyTown will be licensing the AMain name to retail stores and racing facilities. Sounds like a big win-win to us! HobbyTown will be able to offer a primo online shopping experience, AMain gets more store locations, and it’ll be easier for all of us to blow the grocery money on RC stuff whether online or at the parts counter. Online versus brick-and-mortar? Not here–both modes are valuable to RC’ers, and AMain and HobbyTown are both stoked. From Twitter:
AMain is super-pumped to partner with @hobbytown and work closely with retailers. #retailersfirst #amainhobbies https://t.co/MgVxsPgtTl
— AMain Hobbies (@AMain_com) April 22, 2016
We are ready for the partnership ahead! #retailersfirst https://t.co/21FL7VxVW7 pic.twitter.com/XSvEIJRYpI
— HobbyTown (@hobbytown) April 22, 2016
Full press release:
From AMain Performance Hobbies
Hobbytown Unlimited, Inc., the franchisor of the largest chain of independently owned and operated retail hobby stores in the US is partnering with AMain Performance Hobbies to manage and execute hobbytown.com online merchandising, sales and ecommerce fulfillment. AMain Performance Hobbies, an industry leader in online hobby retailing will utilize the amainhobbies.com platform to host and manage the hobbytown.com website.
In addition to online collaboration, HobbyTown will license the AMain brand to franchise brick & mortar retail stores and racing facilities. AMain franchise stores and racing facilities will operate with the full support of the HobbyTown system including the exclusive SMART POS and inventory management system, performance reporting, operational and marketing services, and access to exclusive BuyersClub product distribution including proprietary products developed by Firelands Group. Radio control products will be the focal point of the AMain retail store merchandising mix, promotions and racing activities.
The successful HobbyTown cobranding or conversion model introduced in 2012 that blends well-established independent retailer brands with the added value, services and support provided by the HobbyTown franchise will be extended strategically to qualified independents under the licensed AMain brand.
HobbyTown President Bob Wilke credits the alignment of core values, mission and vision shared between the organizations as the key motivation to pursue the joint effort to grow and expand brick & mortar hobby retailing. “The alignment between HobbyTown and AMain extends beyond shared values and the opportunity to gain synergy from the focus on core competencies. We are on the same page with the belief that the future growth of the hobby industry is dependent upon increasing the profitability and viability of the brick and mortar retailers. If the hobby industry focuses on increasing retailer profitability, the result will be an expanded physical footprint of stores to showcase and promote the hobby industry. When that happens, the profits will follow all the way through the industry supply chain.”
AMain Co-Founder and CEO Kendall Bennett believes that the brick and mortar hobby stores are vital to our industry. “As an avid hobbyist and owner of two brick and mortar retail stores, we have learned a great deal about the hobby consumer over the last 10 years. Brick and mortar stores provide a critical entry point for new hobby enthusiasts, while online retailers cater to hobbyists in need of a wider selection of unique and hard to find products. Over the past several years, it has become increasingly clear that the relationship between online retail and brick and mortar must become better aligned to serve the hobby customer and to increase the overall health of the hobby industry. A partnership between HobbyTown and AMain provides an amazing opportunity to accomplish these goals.”
HobbyTown is promoting the 2016 HobbyTown National Convention theme “Retailers First” as a rallying point for increasing the viability of hobby retailers for the greater good of the industry. #retailersfirst
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