[SMILLAR]

Some of us are trying to get Great Hobbies to start stocking Gaui Heli parts. Below is an email I have sent to them expressing interest in Gaui.

If you are interested in helping the cause please send a similar email to jps@greathobbies.com

To whom it may concern,

I was given your contact information by the customer service department.

I was told that Great Hobbies may be considering stocking parts for Gaui Helicopters.
I currently own 4 Gaui helicopters and would love to be able to buy parts from a Canadian supplier. As you may know the primary Canadian supplier for Gaui helicopters (Rchelicanada.com) has decided to downsize. This move will leave many heli pilots without a way to get parts for Gaui models in Canada.

I wanted to send this email to voice my support for Gaui products. They have excellent designs, price and part quality. One of the nice things about Gaui is the long life cycles for each of the models. Rather than coming out with new designs they update the existing models. This is an attractive feature for Great Hobbies and its customers.
I believe that adding Gaui to your current product line would be an excellent business decision. I look forward to increasing my business with you in the future.

Thanks,
S.Millar

[Jimmy P]

Done, Scott hope it helps I have a few friends who also fly them. I was actually going to buy one right away again an X3. Seen one fly best trainer for 3D I've seen.

[SMILLAR]

Thanks Jimmy P!!

One of the Gaui Field Reps is sponsored and works for Great Hobbies. Its a slim chance that they will stock Gaui but if we show support it may happen. Please tell your friends to also contact them if possible.

I agree. Gaui's are some of the best trainer/Intermidiate 3D helis around. They are so easy to work on and the price of spare parts is very nice.

[SMILLAR]

We are making some progress on this. Have a look.

http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=645818

[RudeRebel]

I have sent my similar email to Great Hobbies. Quite honestly, this campaign should be targeting a small up and coming retailer who isn't already carrying so many brands, looking to make a splash in the Canadian market. You need only look at what Sab has done for RotorQuest and vice-versa to see how the model will work in Canada. A retailer like Great Hobbies who already carries about a dozen brands will be hard pressed to be able to come to agreement with Gaui without dropping some of their existing brands which is unlikely to happen. If they require the Canadian RC heli enthusiasts to all write them a letter before they realize what a good brand this is, they obviously don't know the products and are only chasing the $$$, despite the $$$ opportunity staring them in the face.

[RudeRebel]

Here is a copy of a letter/email I've drafted up which I plan to send to a smaller retailer on the cusp of greatness. I borrowed a bunch of parts from your original letter, S.Millar, so thanks for your inspiration

To Whom it may concern,
I am not a representative of Gaui, not a team pilot, nor in any way associated with Gaui, but rather I am an enthusiast who likes good products, supports local retailers, and is not afraid to spend money.

As a Hobby store in Canada, there are limited opportunities to stand out among the crowd in terms of competition. I know you, as a long time carrier of Blade and Align products, you must be feeling the pressure all the time as Horizon Hobby prices fluctuate constantly, and Align products are ever changing and the amount of upgrades is staggering, thus making it very difficult to keep a decent profit, or having to hold countless number of items in stock to keep your customers happy, or worse, just don't carry stock and lose business to others who do carry stock.

As I am not in RC heli retail business, I obviously don't understand all the nuances and contract agreements that are involved in carrying certain brands, but what I do know is that Gaui is quickly making a name for itself. They have excellent designs, and their price and part quality is awesome. One of the nice things about Gaui is the long life cycles for each of the models. Rather than coming out with new designs they update the existing models. This should be an attractive feature for Canadian retailers and its customers, and I wanted to send this email to voice my support for Gaui products.

What I also know is supply chain and there is a void of Canadian retailers carrying Gaui products, so there is an opportunity to stand unique among a see of retailers. I believe that adding Gaui to your current product line would be an excellent business decision. As you may, or may not know, the primary Canadian supplier for Gaui helicopters (Rchelicanada.com) has downsized. This move will leave many heli pilots without a way to get parts for Gaui models in Canada. You need only go to the popular forums like HeliFreak or RCCanada.ca just to name a couple, to see how popular this brand is becoming, and desperate customers in Canada (and even in USA) are for Gaui products. Please consider stocking Gaui Helicopters and parts. I currently own a Gaui X3 helicopter and planning to buy an X7. I would love to be able to buy my X7 as well as parts for my Gaui's from a Canadian supplier. If you were to become a supplier of Gaui, I would certainly promote your store to others, both locally when I fly, as well as on popular forums. I look forward to increasing my business with you in the future.

Thanks,
Robert

[Jimmy P]

Well done, I have been watching Greathobbies and what I see is a total down size in helicopter support. I fly several Raptors and they are all no longer carrying them, there are also no more JR heli's from them either. It is quite said to see but then again I haven't seen anyone else fly one in years.I used to drive to Winnipeg once a month for spares, but due to the lack of support I just do mail order now. I went to a shop dedicated to a brand I wanted to fly,I support them and they support me, I have already asked about Gaui but due to the support he gives, there is no room for another brand.

[gothicbunny]

Unfortunately it is a catch-22. Retailers will bring it in if there is enough demand. To have enough demand there needs to be availability.

[gothicbunny]

I've asked the same question in the past and there really wasn't many.

[SMILLAR]

I don't think we have an accurate way of telling how many Gaui owners there are in Canada.
Not everyone frequents forums or buys parts from the same source. I asked JC at Empire for an approximate sales number to help make a case for a Canadian vendor but I didn't get a response (not surprising).

One thing to note is that Gaui has made a lot of traction in the last year. Expanding the current line to include smaller helicopters has created a gateway into the brand. The X3 is a perfect example of this.

I found this survey to be a great example of the gains Gaui has made recently. http://www.helifreak.com/showthread.php?t=645984

Unfortunatly the lack of a Canadian vendor hurts the Canadian sales numbers. As gothicbunny says it's a catch-22. Retailers will bring it in if there is enough demand. To have enough demand there needs to be availability. I think it will take a forward thinking vendor who see's the potential in the brand before things get better.