Hobby Search purchases NO LONGER include free donation!

[CaptOblivious]

Update: The affiliate program only pays commissions on first-time purchases with Hobby Search. My enthusiasm for the program was misplaced. While we certainly don't want to discourage first-time buyers from using the affiliate link (hint, hint!), I should emphasize to those members that wish to give something back to the JNSForum community that the affiliate link is, as it sadly turns out, not a method to achieve this end.

Although Darren is taking a hiatus, he is still paying the bills. Your donations are deeply appreciated, and have been a tremendous help with his out-of-pocket expenses. But we've decided on a strategy to migrate away from a strong reliance on donations. We'd prefer to avoid advertisements on this site, if we can help it.

Thus is the admin team proud to announce that JNSForum is now an affiliate with Hobby Search. If you visit their site with the link below, JNSForum receives a commission on your purchases. So, now you don't have to feel uneasy about dropping a couple of Benjamins on a mere four-car set, because it includes a free donation to your favorite forum!

We know that many of the members here regularly use Hobby Search. (We also know that many of you don't. You shouldn't feel compelled to start! This isn't an advertisement!) Bookmark this link (or look for the Hobby Search logo on the front page) to use the next time you do decide to order from Hobby Search. (The link is good for anything they sell, too, not just trains!) Just click on the link, and any purchases you make from Hobby Search (for the next day or so? not sure how long exactly) will automatically count towards JNSForum's commission:

http://www.1999.co.jp/idevaffiliate/idevaffiliate.php?id=114&url=59

With thanks again,
The Admin Team

[inobu]

Is the links not working? or Do I have a problem?

Inobu

[domino]

The link does not work for me either.

domino

[inobu]

I think there site is down. Can't get to them through Google either.

Inobu

[to2leo]

Sorry I am confused how it works, do we need to mention that we come from JNSforum to Hobby Search?

[CaptOblivious]

Curious, the link works for me…can someone else confirm that they can visit Hobby Search, but not through the link?

The way it works is very simple: Click on the link, and shop as you usually would. Nothing more for you to do, the rest is handled automatically in the background!

[David]

I'm not having any trouble with the link or with hobby search, and wasn't having any issue when it was first posted.

[Lawrence]

Have had no probs with either IE8 or Firefox, I do have one question, going off a bit here sorry, but how do you tell if a train is motorised, I cant imagine http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10102826 is, not at that price!!  Am I missing something

[CaptOblivious]

Have had no probs with either IE8 or Firefox, I do have one question, going off a bit here sorry, but how do you tell if a train is motorised, I cant imagine http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10102826 is, not at that price!!  Am I missing something

Lawrence: Just a quick response. No Tomytec trains come motorized: you will have to buy a kit to motorize it; there are also kits available for upgrading the trailer cars to metal wheels, and replacement pantographs that look a bit better.

[Lawrence]

Have had no probs with either IE8 or Firefox, I do have one question, going off a bit here sorry, but how do you tell if a train is motorised, I cant imagine http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10102826 is, not at that price!!  Am I missing something

Lawrence: Just a quick response. No Tomytec trains come motorized: you will have to buy a kit to motorize it; there are also kits available for upgrading the trailer cars to metal wheels, and replacement pantographs that look a bit better.

Thanks, showing my ignorance, again

[David]

Should also note that TomyTec railway collection items, in addition to lacking a motor, have plastic wheels and pantograph. The plastic pantograph can be kept if you don't mind the looks, but the plastic wheels are not very good runners. If you click the link for more information in English you'll find the part list:

The power of the TM-08 (20M class A), is trailer of TT-03, the pantograph is
TOMIX (0230) PS16P please use the.

TM-08 is the power car, TT-03 are the unpowered wheelsets (you would need a set for each unpowered car) and Tomix 0230 is the Pantograph (checking how many come in the package vs. how many are used in the train).

[cteno4]

works fine for me in safari drops me to the english rr page. its now my default bookmark for going to hs to drop $$$. hope this gives you a good little income stream. will be nice knowing some of my bill will be headed your way all the time! too bad this wasnt around during the 1/2off shipping sale, i dropped too much money during that time along with preorders.

cheers

jeff

[Eliphaz]

good work getting a sponsor for the forum, you couldnt have picked a better one!
 I wouldnt mind seeing an ad for HS, with the appropriate link on the JNS top page.

[CaptOblivious]

good work getting a sponsor for the forum, you couldnt have picked a better one!
 I wouldnt mind seeing an ad for HS, with the appropriate link on the JNS top page.

There has always been a very small one, on the left, down about halfway. That image also uses our affiliate link now. Perhaps I can make it a little more prominent?

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Sadly I assume this will only apply to stuff purchased/ordered after this was agreed. Had it been a week or so earlier the forum would have benefitted from one of my pre-ordering sprees!

I have a number of items that have been reserved, but not yet paid for. Still, I'm a regular with them, so no doubt something will crop up in the near future...

[Eliphaz]

There has always been a very small one, on the left, down about halfway. That image also uses our affiliate link now. Perhaps I can make it a little more prominent?

sure, if they will pay more. Ill be using that to click through to HS from now on.
and hopefully so will many 'guests'...

[keiman]

Great news, is their site down for maintenance or temp shut down for the break that Japan will be enjoying over the next couple of days.
Only got one pre-orderat presentand that is the Bandai container cars- will be back into ordering stuff at the end of the month.

[Eliphaz]

?? I have been browsing there all day.

but note -

We are on holiday from August 12 to August 16 (Japan time, GMT+9).
We will not ship orders or answer emails during this time.

[rankodd]

Damn. I wish this had been done a couple of weeks ago. I've got tons of stuff coming for the Project Party :(

[keiman]

?? I have been browsing there all day.

but note -

We are on holiday from August 12 to August 16 (Japan time, GMT+9).
We will not ship orders or answer emails during this time.

OK must have bee n a problem from my work PC

[CaptOblivious]

I figure, the way the "what I'm waiting to be delivered" thread keeps growing, we should do OK, even if it's a little late. I think the affiliate program is very new, anyway.

Thanks for the positive response!

[keiman]

I figure, the way the "what I'm waiting to be delivered" thread keeps growing, we should do OK, even if it's a little late. I think the affiliate program is very new, anyway.

Thanks for the positive response!

Just put in a very small order, for a spare electric point.

[Toni Babelony]

Ah cool, though just in a bad time as I'm heading for an economic downfall Great to hear some good sponsoring is here to support these great fora!

[bigford]

Ah cool, though just in a bad time as I'm heading for an economic downfall Great to hear some good sponsoring is here to support these great fora!

I just got hit by the economic downtown freight train

[IST]

Very good news and good to hear that Hobby Search sponsoring this forum in this way. 
I will use it however I have to spare my money to a New-Zealand trip in the end of this year.

[disturbman]

Great idea, too bad it missed the previous month consumerist crazyness. :)

[DanMacK]

Excellent Idea!  It's just too bad Hobby Search no longer stocks T-Gauge :(

[CaptOblivious]

Well, the affiliate program wasn't so excellent as I had been led to believe. Thank you to all who have made purchases using our affiliate link! But it turns out JNSForum isn't paid a commission unless it was your first purchase with Hobby Search. Which means that, to date, we have earned a sum total of 700 yen from this program, and we don't stand to earn much more than that.

In other words, the affiliate program is not at this time a suitable substitute for the Pay Pal donations—it simply doesn't provide a means for members to donate to JNSForum more than once (and not at all for long-standing HS customers!)

[Eliphaz]

all right,all right, its not as good as we hoped, but hey, 700 already means it works!
 so thats more reason to put the banner on top of every page. dont be shy with it.
whenever I log in there are 10-15 unregistered guests on as well. give them a guiding hand...

[CaptOblivious]

Eliphaz,

Point well taken: I just don't want well-intentioned members to be under the false impression that every time they shop at HS, they are making a donation, because (as it turns out) they aren't. :(

[to2leo]

I wonder if other Japanese Hobby stores are interested in advertising their business here to help support the forum?

[cteno4]

hobby world use to have a flyer in most boxes that i think said something about affiliate program or the like.

cheers

jeff

[Eliphaz]

question - does the reffered party have to buy something, or does every click through give points too, purchase or not?


and-  I think there is room for both HS and HW on the banner line....

[CaptOblivious]

question - does the reffered party have to buy something, or does every click through give points too, purchase or not?


and-  I think there is room for both HS and HW on the banner line....

Elephaz: If a user clicks the link, makes a purchase, and creates a new points account for that purchase, we get a percentage; otherwise, nothing.