I went into this thing called a shop....

[JamesF]

A shop, you say? I've heard of those. They're sort of a bit like Amazon, but with pictures you can touch?

James

[bomberbaz]

A shop, you say? I've heard of those. They're sort of a bit like Amazon, but with pictures you can touch?

James

Nothing like amazon mate, they have to pay tax like you and I

[Ben Ritchie]

Yes, that was the one Ben

The big Meade ED's (the old doublets not the new triplets) have had mixed reviews over the years but I reckon a good one would be a scope to be treasured.

You would probably have to spend as much again on a suitable mount though !

I saw it at a star party in upper Michigan, there was a 7" f/15 achromat there too - looked like the artillery had arrived. Never got to look though, clouded out. From what i've read a lot of the bigger Meade EDs had problems with the lens cell, but if you got a problem-free 'scope they were pretty reasonable at the time.

[jonathan]

I was just admiring all the empty spaces in town today where those shops I rarely went in are now shut... Jessops, Gamestation, HMV... they offered nothing I couldn't buy online cheaper, and with a full return policy that means I wouldn't have to go back into town if I changed my mind or if it was faulty. Not sad to see those big chain shops go, makes way for smaller more interesting shops. The only shop I knew of in town that sold telescopes (Skywatcher, if I recall) closed quite a while ago, their main business was video games though and that particular market was over-supplied in town at the time, and the owners had some grudge against Sony which I'm sure can't have been good for business.

[Black Knight]

Glad I'm (theoretically) near the end of buying astro related stuff.

I didn't think there was any such thing as being near the end of of buying astro related stuff!

[Black Knight]

The rise of internet shopping over traditional bricks and mortar retail is like watching natural selection in action. It was obvious years ago exactly how it was all going to work out, yet the dinosaurs seemed completely unwilling or unable to adapt to the new trading environment, and so became extinct. I'm pretty sure it didn't have to be this way for many of these moribund retailers. It just needed a recognition that things were changing, some imagination and some will.

The daft thing is, there is a recognition at the moment that some online retailers may need to branch out and start opening showrooms to grow their business - even if those showrooms are simply showrooms that allow you to peruse some stuff which you then order online. So hopefully town centres won't stay completely desolate.

[jonathan]

The daft thing is, there is a recognition at the moment that some online retailers may need to branch out and start opening showrooms to grow their business - even if those showrooms are simply showrooms that allow you to peruse some stuff which you then order online. So hopefully town centres won't stay completely desolate.

I'm sure Apple must do most of their business online, their few Apple Stores and authorised resellers are mainly for people to browse the hardware and get some face-to-face help, or a place for them to bring their hardware in for repair.

[Tim]

Shops are responsible for their own demise, they have been overcharging for years and blaming overheads etc.....

What a load of rubbish. If you don't have a clue what you are on about, please keep quiet so as to avoid offending those of us that do.

[Tim]

Hats off to ANY shops that manage to stay open these days, with spiralling energy costs, minimum wages, extortionate business rates, costly health and safety regulations compliance, business bank account rates and shortage of capital for investment, PCI DSS, competition from global brands and shattered economy.

What is missing is investment in the future in the way of skillsets, experience, and training. Everywhere around is evidence that we are quickly turning into a culture reliant on the skills and abilities of others. How many shops can you go into today and find an expert in their field? Cherish them now, because when they are gone, they wont be coming back.

[swamp thing]

Like John I remember going into fullerscopes many years back. In fact before the big Meade frac had pride of place.

In the days I remember it was before they were a Meade dealer, and all their own scopes were on display including the huge 6" brass fracs on mark IV mounts.

In fact I still have a B&W brochure of their scopes. Beautiful, including their massive fork mounted 24" scope. I think it had something like seven focuser positions

[Black Knight]

Shops are responsible for their own demise, they have been overcharging for years and blaming overheads etc.....

I seem to remember that in the early days of the internet shopping revolution, the often quoted advantage of buying online was that prices were low because the online retailers did not have to invest in expensive retail premises, train staff, provide support, pay business rates in expensive areas of town and so on.

I've noticed over the last few years that that argument has somehow gotten turned on its head. The often quoted argument now is that people shop online because bricks and mortar shops overcharge and blame overheads. But this argument is simply wrongheaded. The reason why internet prices are low (tax loopholes notwithstanding), is precisely because online retailers do not have the kind of overheads traditional bricks and mortar shops do.

[Black Knight]

I'm sure Apple must do most of their business online, their few Apple Stores and authorised resellers are mainly for people to browse the hardware and get some face-to-face help, or a place for them to bring their hardware in for repair.

It's Apple's showroom model I was thinking of actually. Not that I like it particularly

[Naemeth]

Not wanting to get into an argument here, but shops charge enough to be able to cover their costs whilst making a profit. Exactly the same as how any other retailer operates, or in fact, how any other for-profit business operates. I don't think high-street shops are just charging a lot to make a huge profit, they are charging the lowest price they can whilst still staying in business. After all, small shops have huge national or international companies to deal with.

[Qualia]

I neither have membership of an astronomy club, nor friends, so I've never really got to try any of this stuff out.

In a similar boat here. The nearest astronomy shop is about 300km away. There is no astronomy club to speak of and generally, I don't tell anyone that I'm interested in stargazing. From past experience, I get the strong impression that they think I'm either doing something

like this:

or this: .

Thank goodness for a place like SGL.

[Monty]

Are you sure it didn't have "Santa's Grotto" in big letters on a sign outside???

[osbourne one-nil]

1368572666[/url'>' post='1934999'] I get the strong impression that they think I'm either doing something

like this:

or this: .

Thank goodness for a place like SGL.

The wife of a friend used to joke (at least I hope she was joking) that on clear night, she hoped I wasn't pointing my telescope in her direction. I didn't know how to explain to her that whilst my scope was an f4.8, it was doubtful whether the field of view would have been wide enough.

[bomberbaz]

The wife of a friend used to joke (at least I hope she was joking) that on clear night, she hoped I wasn't pointing my telescope in her direction. I didn't know how to explain to her that whilst my scope was an f4.8, it was doubtful whether the field of view would have been wide enough.

Probably very wise that you didn't, hahaha