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the reason I started this thread was...
I was flipping through a few older (well for me older) late 80's and 90's sky & tel/astronomy mags and crusin through there adds and thinking to myself "my god, where have all these old fav astronomy stores go?!?!?"

pocono, quasar optics (canada), 6 scope city stores from las vegas to other areas in Cali. , the astronomy shoppe, astro mechanics (canada), winchester electronics (sold qhy ccd cameras), etc. etc.

correct me if I am wrong on this, but has anyone noticed a surge in higher end stuff now coming from europe?? eg italy and england??? if so it's not a bad thing at all but I never really saw and european adds in the 80's and 90's...

and as for stores going out of buisness... what if a big player like Meade closes shop??? most of the astronomy shops today have meade and celestron products and rely on sales from the big 2 producers... losing one could spell trouble for a few astro stores,,

kb

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Yeh, check it out at the local store and then go buy it online and save the 9.3% sales tax and get free shipping. Hard choice, but it is the way of the world now. You have to bring something else to the table (like good and unique products and services) to make it. But it has always been that way to some extent.

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Yeh, check it out at the local store and then go buy it online and save the 9.3% sales tax and get free shipping. Hard choice, but it is the way of the world now. You have to bring something else to the table (like good and unique products and services) to make it. But it has always been that way to some extent.

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And then wonder why your local shop closed their doors! If no one supports the local economy we all lose.

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Exactly! I make a point of buying from my local shop, Company 7, even though local is a 3 hour drive. I like to be able to see and handle it before I buy it and some box shipper on the net doesn't give me that option. They've helped me get my equipment serviced, loaned me scopes/eyepieces, even supplied equipment for an astro vacation to Barbados.

I own a small business and make a point of doing business with other local small businesses. I don't want Walmart to be my only option..

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Yeh, check it out at the local store and then go buy it online and save the 9.3% sales tax and get free shipping. Hard choice, but it is the way of the world now. You have to bring something else to the table (like good and unique products and services) to make it. But it has always been that way to some extent.

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And then wonder why your local shop closed their doors! If no one supports the local economy we all lose.

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At the brick and morter stores you get something you can't get online--Customer Service. Let's see, I paid $500 for the 102XLT...Yes, it's about $30 more than the online price...Know what I got for that $30? I got my scope/mount/tripod all put together, the mount properly aligned and set (some of the initial settings for your mount are critical and usually do not need changed unless you travel a good distance); the scope collimated, finder aligned, and know that there were no extra parts left over ("wonder where this was supposed to go?). I was also given a quick lesson in aligning the finder, and general scope use. I was also given some hints about balancing the scope, the tracking knobs, etc... I just ordered motor drives yesterday and asked how much to have them install them....$0, nada, nothing, zip...why? Because I bought the scope and mount from them as well!!!! While money is important to us all, I've come around to where I'm gonna support my local business...why, because they're local....and I've grown accustomed to "Customer Service". Not to mention, the price difference is negligible when you compare what you get for the price. That being said, sometimes you don't really have a choice, and that is where the internet excells........

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Gus touched upon an important point in his reference to Walmart. Touch and feel is important to many, but often relates only to sales. What about service?

Over the course of years, I found I was dead wrong in my perception of how important this issue is to many. You can find many threads where folks state they received a product with an issue, and having it replaced was then referred to as 'great service'. Add a year, call that same retailer and ask a simple question to 'tech support', and it's painfully obvious most don't give a damn about service (or know anything about the product their company sells).

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That's why I buy from Company 7, they take care of any problems I may encounter. They have facilitated repairs for me that would not have gone as smoothly without their intervention. I don't mind paying a little more to know that I won't be ignored if I run into any issues.

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If I was to ever go into a store such as Astronomics, I'd have to bring a change of underwear with me.

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Astronomics would be a nine hour drive from Louisiana. I would HOPE you would bring a change of underwear for an over-night trip.

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If I was to ever go into a store such as Astronomics, I'd have to bring a change of underwear with me.

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Astronomics would be a nine hour drive from Louisiana. I would HOPE you would bring a change of underwear for an over-night trip.

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I thought I read somewhere that they provide complimentary disposables for those that have problems controling themselves .

In the interest of misinformation being distributed , I was just joking . I believe you need to bring your own .

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Rod I thought about you the Last week, I pick up a bottle of rebel yell 80 proof burbon. Very very smooth, move over JD. LOL

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JD? Feh!

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