Whats up with Hobbylinc?

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Great question. They have been out of stock on virtually all Aerotech reloads and single-use for months also.
 
I emailed them last year specifically about LOC components. They replied, saying something about they still haven't decided if they were going to continue their relationship with the new owner. I don't know about Aerotech reloads. I used to buy all my mid power reloads from Hobbylinc, but now purchase all reloads from our local vendor.
 
I've sent an email inquiry to Hobbylinc and will report back if I hear anything.

I know AT has been behind on some stuff and for a while I thought it might be this, but it's been too long now for this to be plausible.
 
I cancelled my orders from them a few weeks back, after waiting for 8 months.
 
Well, I'll give him another 20 minutes, but that's it!

[video=youtube;fP_m7BoYDBY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP_m7BoYDBY[/video]
 
Strange...I used to buy so much MPR rocketry related things from them. Wonder why this shift on all MPR/HPR rocketry things, but not LPR?
 
I've sent an email inquiry to Hobbylinc and will report back if I hear anything.
FWIW, I haven't heard anything from Hobbylinc after I pinged them on 4/2, and they are still out-of-stock on virtually all AT stuff, so I can only assume that they have dropped Aerotech.

It's too bad, because I spent a lot of money at Hobbylinc and it was a nice one-stop shop for MPR motors, LOC parts, and building supplies.
 
I'm buying supplies and finding out that they are "Out Of Stock" on all LOC and AT kits? Are they not carrying them anymore??
I put in an order for a number of an AT motor "on clearance" they claimed was in stock and included some other stuff to justify the postage. They emailed a notification that they only had ONE of the "on clearance" motors in stock and didn't expect more until months later. I cancelled the entire order. Now, their web page claims they don't know when they'll arrive. My question is, if the items are "on clearance", why are they ordering more of them? Are they just trying to attract orders with on-sale motors they'll never get or get in a timely manner counting on people to do what I did and order other stuff that is in stock to fill out the order?

Hobbylinc only has a fraction of the very wide AT selection they used to have. Maybe stocking issues from AT are a problem and they just decided to stop carrying them?
 
My question is, if the items are "on clearance", why are they ordering more of them?... Maybe stocking issues from AT are a problem and they just decided to stop carrying them?
The "clearance" pricing appears to be automated and random, with no regard to whether they actually have the item in stock.

For quite a while I assumed that AT had a massive backlog, but there's been essentially no stock of any AT at Hobbylinc for months. I've had no particular trouble getting AT hobbyline items elsewhere, so I don't think that explains it.
 
The "clearance" pricing appears to be automated and random, with no regard to whether they actually have the item in stock.

For quite a while I assumed that AT had a massive backlog, but there's been essentially no stock of any AT at Hobbylinc for months. I've had no particular trouble getting AT hobbyline items elsewhere, so I don't think that explains it.
Could it be a matter of AT giving stocking precedence to retailers who don't deep discount their motors?

F32-8T 24/95 Single Use Motor - $11.99

https://www.hobbylinc.com/aerotech-...e-motor-f-composite-model-rocket-engine-63208

F32-8T 24/95 Single Use Motor - $17.99

https://www.buyrocketmotors.com/aerotech-f32-blue-thunder-24-mm-single-use/
 
Could it be a matter of AT giving stocking precedence to retailers who don't deep discount their motors?
Maybe, but I expect that AT sees the same money regardless of how much the retailer sells the product for. Hobbylinc did this for years and AT seemed OK with it.
 
Considering the new owners of LOC seem to be selling at higher prices and not discounted like crazy like before.... I'm guessing hobbylinc doesn't want to deal with them. At the current prices, I'm betting not many people will.

It has seemed for awhile that hobbylinc made some bulk purchases at really good prices, and stock has been going down for awhile. It may be possible that the rocketry manufacturers didn't find the deals in their best interest to continue. They were some pretty steep discounts, considering the prices HL was selling at.
 
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Sale “flyer” just out today lists only 16 sale items. Out of stock on all AT reloads. Looks like it will cost a lot more to fly my mid-power stuff now :(

Tom
 
Looking at non-rocketry items they are out of stock on certain things as well. All "toy" R/C -- they don't sell "hobby" R/C -- are sold out except the most expensive item. Mostly they have plastic models.
 
^^-- If I search for that, I can find it, and more, but not through the front page categories? weird. I'll revise my opinion from them being out of enough stuff it doesn't look good, to them being disorganized enough they could restock next week, or still have their site showing out of stock a decade from now.
 
This morning I received an email from Hobbylinc informing me that a particular AT motor was back in stock. I must have requested the notice a long time ago. Anyway, I took a look and it appears they have restocked most if not all of the AT reloadable motors they carried in the past. However, they no longer offer the great discount as before. It is only 8-9%.
 
^^-- If I search for that, I can find it, and more, but not through the front page categories? weird. I'll revise my opinion from them being out of enough stuff it doesn't look good, to them being disorganized enough they could restock next week, or still have their site showing out of stock a decade from now.

I've placed and my last order that got fulfilled by HobbyLink in August of last year.
Since then, all orders have either been auto-cancelled after 6 month of them giving up on stocking items I ordered, or I cancelled the orders myself having given up on HL.

Sadly, they are either going out of business, or doing their best to convince their customers that that's what happening to them.

a

P.S.: wildman and sirius rocketry now get my $$ instead.
 
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Being localish to me, I wanted to try Hobbylinc a few years ago before I got out of rocketry for a while but even back then, they hardly ever had anything in stock. The other local vendor near me keeps everything in stock as best he can. I liked Hobbylinc’s prices but always being out of stock turned me away for good. I’ve also noticed LOC and Aerotech kits going up in price a good bit. Eventually it’ll just cost too much to fly anything higher than an Estes D/E.
 
I only fly low power, so all my orders have been for low power engines (miniAT through D) and for kits and body tubes and Estes tube cutter guides and fin guides.

Been using HobbyLinc for at least 5 years.

I've never had an order delayed or messed up, shipping has been relatively fast (not Amazon Prime fast, but I've always gotten my orders in 5 business days.)

Seems like they are well stocked on Low Power stuff.

Prices have been pretty much competitive (Uncle Mike's Rocket Shack did better on prices for Body tubes, but they don't sell any tubes except for BT-20 "tough tubes" anymore).

Could the issue be with Aerotech? I've noticed seems like it's hard to find Aerotech hardware in stock anymore.
 
They used to be my goto dealer for mid-power motors but like for you, they are never in stock.
 
hobbylinc shows lots in stock today, but very odd on descriptions and hazmat on a e load or too for 29 40/120

quest looks gone
 
hobbylinc shows lots in stock today, but very odd on descriptions and hazmat on a e load or too for 29 40/120
They've always had a hard time getting the hazmat right, so that's nothing new, although this is worse than usual.

With a typical discount of 9% and occasional sales of specific items at 15%, I agree that there is not much to recommend Hobbylinc above other vendors any more.
 
I think at least part of it is lack of organization and timely updating of their website. For example they are still listing The Launch Pad as a manufacturer with all kits showing "out of stock", even though TLP went defunct a couple of years ago. But if they have an item you want in stock, their prices are still the best, in general. Picked up an HV Arcas (AT) a couple of weeks ago, way cheaper than other retailers.
 
They have eliminated the category that used show the "G" reloads. To find them, select rockets, rocket engines, skip the categories and select aerotech and scroll thru the list. I agree that there is little reason to use them for engines anymore. Balsa Machining Services has 10% off and flat rate shipping (and you can order high power reloads at the same time). At Chris' Rocket Supplies you can also order Loki reloads and other supplies. Wildman, with a club membership is another choice (although it is hard to tell from the website what the discount on hobbyline reloads is).
 
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