HobbyKing
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | E-commerce, Retail |
| Founded | 2001 |
| Founder | Karen Wu, Anthony Hand |
| Headquarters | Hong Kong , Hong Kong |
Area served | International |
Key people | Toby Osmond (CEO) |
| Products | Model airplanes, remote control models |
| Website | www |
HobbyKing is an e-commerce platform based in Hong Kong that specializes in selling model airplanes and remote control (RC) models.
History
Established in 2001 by Karen Wu and Anthony Hand, HobbyKing focuses on providing affordable products tailored for model enthusiasts. The business serves a diverse customer base, from novices to seasoned hobbyists, playing a vital role within the international modeling community.
The company grew by setting up regional distribution centers, currently maintaining seven warehouses located in Hong Kong, Australia, the United States, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and China. As of 2024, four of these warehouses remain operational: Europe, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The UK facility resumed operations on September 15, 2023, shortly after the European warehouse reopened the previous month.
On June 5, 2018, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a penalty of $2.8 million against HobbyKing for selling products that utilized unauthorized radio frequencies. Toby Osmond took over as CEO in January 2019. Subsequently, on July 23, 2020, the FCC issued a forfeiture order mandating HobbyKing to settle the imposed fine.