Backorders from Suppliers

[Dream Lessin]

Does anyone else have problems with overly long backorders fro Ridge Road Station and Charles Ro Supply?  I ordered some stuff in May and I am still missing about a third of my orders. 

[two tone]

Check with company your order may have fallen off thier system, it happens some times to us all regaurdless who the supplier is

[altterrain]

I don't believe in back ordering or preordering. I only order what's in stock. Large scale trains are a small market and the manufacturers only produce small lots at a time. You never now when the next lot will be made or when it will get to the US. I have always had only great service from Ridge Road and they have always been responsive via email or on the phone.

-Brian 

[Mr_Ash]

I only order stuff they have instock, no problems sofar

[Dream Lessin]

They have been called many times now and both can not tell me anything about when things may be coming in.  Im not asking them for dates, i was asking them for month time periods.  Our family runs a small business and this is no way for a company to act.  If we worked as these two are we wouldnt be around anymore. 

[GearDrivenSteam]

It's tough sometimes because companies advertise things that they do NOT have in stock. I've even called some companies before I order and had them tell me it was in stock, when in fact it was not. Kinda misleading for sure.

[DMUinCT]

   Welcome to the real world!!

   Both Ridge Road and Charles Ro are fine companies run by good and honest people.  I've dealt with them for years, and I know Charles Ro.  I feel sorry for them, and any dealer that is at the mercy of the most Manufactures today.    Think of the Catalogs from Manufactures as a "Wish Book".   If not enough Orders come in, the product may go to the end of the production list or even be canceled.  Then you have the problem importing from China.

    I have had an order canceled, I have had to wait 3 years for a car I ordered.  I am still waiting for a set of "O" gauge cars that was advertised to ship in November 2006.

    I no longer "Advance Order" and cancel if  "Backordered".

[Curmudgeon]

I can tell you USA (Charles Ro), if the order is a certain length of time old, falls off the map.

I am actually kind of glad about that, as some things I ordered 6 and 7 YEARS ago for customers has yet to show up.

And, since said customers are no longer active in the hobby, it's a good thing.

[GearDrivenSteam]

I wasn't implying any specific company with my comment. I've dealt with Ridge Road, too and am very happy with their service so far. They have good prices, too.

[cabbage]

Well....

I have to confess that I seem to spend most of my life waiting for back orders!!! The std method is that I send e-mails to the suppliers saying "this is what I would like" and I normally get one back saying "we haven't got any at the moment -but we will make some more in a couple of weeks time!"

After having waited a month for my two bags of sleepers, I have now run out of chairs. That means that I have gone through 300 chairs in under 1 day, there is a further 500 chairs on order, which will mean that, (again), I will run out of sleepers -before I run out of chairs...

Am I bothered -not in the slightest!!!

regards

ralph

[Anonymous]

I must admit I have had problems with several of them to. When a shippment comes in and it is only not even 1/2 of the order I have learned now to call them back get money back. Then find someone who does have the item instock. I keep all invoices, even ones that has dated back to when I got into this hobby.

That is why you seen me help people get stuff they need. People hate me to call them.

Toad

[cacole]

If the G-scale manufacturers follow the lead of the HO crowd, practically everything will soon be pre-order only.  The only saving grace is that some dealers don't demand payment up front.

Bachmann seems to have already done this with G-scale to some extent by announcing a proposed item but then never putting it into production because their announcement apparently never generated enough interest in the form of orders.