HobbyTron Review: Remote Control Toy Stores

Founded in 2004, HobbyTron markets itself as a "magical portal where children find everything they need to dream" - though their most distinctive characteristic might be their bizarrely monotone celebrity endorsement videos featuring the likes of Kendall Jenner and Kim Kardashian demonstrating toys (because nothing says "magical childhood dreams" quite like unenthusiastic celebrity product demos).

A basic but buggy shopping experience

HobbyTron offers straightforward navigation through categories like drones, flying figures, RC cars, and RC helicopters. While you can filter and sort products, the functionality is finicky - you'll often need to reload the page just to change sorting options, which makes for a frustrating experience when you're trying to compare prices.

Limited selection with questionable reviews

The product selection at HobbyTron is surprisingly small, with just 9 cars, 10 drones, 22 RC helicopters, and 28 "flying figures" - mostly Marvel characters with propellers awkwardly attached to their heads. While customer reviews are present, they're difficult to trust - we found 5-star reviews complaining about never receiving products, which makes it seem like it was only allowed on the website by mistake. (Some online retailers only publish 4- and 5-star reviews, and systematically remove anything lower.)

RC cars starting at $10

This remote control toy retailer's drones span from $25 for a Marvel Captain America motion-sensing model to $60 for a Marvel-licensed Deadpool drone. RC cars show a similar spread, starting at $10 for a basic Lamborghini Aventador and topping out at $100 for a Bugatti Chiron 1:10 scale model (making it the most expensive item we found across all categories).

A toy store, not a hobbyist heaven

Looking for parts, accessories, or the ability to build your own RC vehicle? Despite HobbyTron's name, you won't find them here. The selection focuses entirely on pre-built toys (and rather basic ones at that) - which makes sense given their stated mission of catering to "lil' dreamers" (though we'd argue even kids deserve better-quality options).

Free shipping on orders over... ?

HobbyTron's shipping policies are inconsistent - they advertise free shipping at both $75 and $100 minimum orders (pick a lane, folks). For orders under the threshold, you'll pay an unspecified shipping fee that's only revealed at checkout, with delivery promised in 4-7 business days via UPS. Currently shipping only within the US, HobbyTron will send multiple items from the same order in separate boxes if needed. You'll get tracking information by email once your order ships - assuming it actually does, given the concerning number of customer complaints about undelivered orders. We'll get into those later.

A warranty more like a warning

This remote control toy retailer offers a "45-Day True Warranty" that sounds better than it is. While they'll replace items with manufacturing defects within 45 days of purchase, the fine print excludes lost, crashed, repaired, or modified items - which, for a store selling remote control vehicles, feels like they're expecting things to go wrong (and washing their hands of responsibility when they do).

Returns process can take 6 weeks

Before returning anything, you'll need to email for an RMA number and wait 8-10 business days just for a response. Once approved, you have 30 days to return the item with all original packaging and manuals intact. Then settle in for another 2-3 weeks of processing time - or up to 6 weeks during holidays (perhaps they're using their remote control toys to move packages around the warehouse?).

No refunds on open items

Want a refund? Keep that box sealed. You have 30 days from receipt to return unopened, unused items, but you'll pay return shipping and face a steep 20% restocking fee. Opened items are only eligible for replacement under the warranty program, and even then, if your exact item isn't available, they'll send you what they consider a "comparable" item (their definition of comparable might not match yours).

An "F" rating from the BBB

This remote control toy retailer has earned an "F" rating from the Better Business Bureau, primarily due to their failure to respond to 30 complaints and leaving 2 additional complaints unresolved. Out of 119 total BBB complaints, this pattern of non-responsiveness paints a concerning picture of their customer service priorities (or lack thereof).

Customers are frustrated

While you'll find 5-star reviews on HobbyTron's individual product listings (where they can control the narrative), customer reviews found on third-party review sites are more troubling, with a staggering 39% of reviews being one-star ratings. The complaints follow a consistent theme: undelivered orders, defective products with no support response, and excessive shipping charges. One customer's experience perfectly captures the frustration: after their 4-foot crane arrived defective, they spent three weeks attempting to contact the company, only to encounter full voicemail boxes and radio silence. Another customer reported being forced to pay for rush shipping they hadn't requested, yet their order still didn't arrive within an expedited timeline.

A remote control toy retailer that's lost control

With an "F" rating from the BBB, a concerning 39% one-star review rate, and a warranty policy that seems designed to dodge responsibility, HobbyTron earns one of our lowest ratings. This remote control toy retailer's pattern of non-responsiveness to customer complaints, excessive shipping charges, and challenging return process makes them impossible to recommend - even for the most desperate holiday shopper (unless you enjoy the thrill of wondering whether your purchase will arrive, work, or ever see a response from customer service). Save yourself the headache and steer clear of this store entirely.

Learn More  ➜

On the HobbyTron website