For years I ordered from Walthers through a local hobby shop. I always checked availability on the Walthers site before ordering though.
Joan placed her order on the same day every week so I knew when to order and when I could expect to receive my parts, loco, track, decoders etc. One real bonus was I didn't have to pay shipping. Unfortunately the shop is gone now, Joan retired when she reached 70 and couldn't sell the business.
I have another shop that will order anything I need from Walthers as long as it is in stock. Again, no shipping and a predictable schedule. I rarely order from Walthers directly as I feel their shipping rates are way too high.
If an item is not in stock on the Walthers website, I order from the manufacturer or an alternate supplier directly, by-passing the LHS. Not the best policy perhaps, but practical and time saving in most cases.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
galaxy Rick, NOTHING really. Supply and demand are becoming less part of the equation and it is looking more like we get whatever we get from whatever suppliers who will supply whatever they feel like.
Rick, NOTHING really. Supply and demand are becoming less part of the equation and it is looking more like we get whatever we get from whatever suppliers who will supply whatever they feel like.
On the contrary, supply and demand is absolute master here.
Its a niche hobby where every product is a niche on its own.
dti406It reminds me of the days in the 70's when the shop I worked at would send in an order to Walthers of 34 legal size pages, we would get 2 pages back of stock.
Oh yes,the good old:"Your Dealer can get it from Walthers" days..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIE dti406 want to support my LHS but Walther's makes that impossible what can we as consumers do to rectify this situation? Rick J Rick,Maybe your LHS has some outstanding debts and a zero line of credit ? There may be some hidden reason. The reason I think that is my not so LHS gets anything I order as long as its in stock.
dti406 want to support my LHS but Walther's makes that impossible what can we as consumers do to rectify this situation? Rick J
want to support my LHS but Walther's makes that impossible what can we as consumers do to rectify this situation?
Rick J
Rick,Maybe your LHS has some outstanding debts and a zero line of credit ?
There may be some hidden reason.
The reason I think that is my not so LHS gets anything I order as long as its in stock.
No just got some Accurail Doors and Cal-Scale parts in last week and another order went in today, but due to the Holiday will not get till next week.
And to another poster, Accurail is made in the USA, so there is no reason not to have the parts other than laziness and cheapness of Walthers to order them.
It reminds me of the days in the 70's when the shop I worked at would send in an order to Walthers of 34 legal size pages, we would get 2 pages back of stock. But back then we could get stuff from other suppliers like Cleveland Hobbies etc., but between Walthers and Horizon most of those wholesalers are out of business.
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
I generally order from who actually has the product (or claims to). I recently walked away from ordering something at one of two hobby shops within an hour or so from me because he was going to order it (from the manufacturer), and the process was going to take some time (his ordering cycle, how quickly the manufacturer fills the orders, shipping time, etc) and involve some risk that it could drag out. He was even priced lower than ordering online, but I didn't want to run the risk of the delay extending into a back ordered situation that took months. I didn't need it the next day, but I needed it in a week or two to complete something.
There was a time when I would not have worried about the possibility of the ordering process dragging into months, but that is not where I see conditions today.
The owner of the other hobby shop near Hooterville and I talked when I was there a few weeks ago, and he has had issues with several suppliers, including Walthers. Between poor availability, long lead times, and often no outlook and minimum ordering requirements/commitments with some suppliers, he was not a happy camper.
One guess, based on the trends we have seen in recent years, is while manufacturers have moved increasingly to announcing a product, accepting pre-orders, then delivering down the road assuming the numbers justify production, I could easily see Walthers moving much more toward "just in time" inventory with those products that are not on a pre-order basis.
- Mark
dti406 what can we as consumers do to rectify this situation? Rick J
what can we as consumers do to rectify this situation?
You can try to get from the search function on Walther's to see if someone who Walther's sold to might still have the parts you want.
It seem the Chinese manufactures will kill off the hobby, not because of lack of interest.
IFF'EN, and thats a big IFF'EN, IFF'EN I had the ways and means, I 'd start producing MRR stuff here in the USA and then people could complain instead about my "high prices" instead of "lack of supply".
There is ALWAYS something to complain about.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
I wanted a second operating switch stand to match another I have from RIX. I looked on Walthers, and they were sold out, with no estimated arrival date. I checked the RIX site, and they had taken the trouble to note that the mold for that model had cracked, and it would be some time before they were available again.
Walthers did all they could, and I must give high marks to RIX for keeping us informed.
As for the switch stand, well, it's just like they say: When they made it, they broke the mold.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Or, if you feel that strongly about supporting your LHS, then have your LHS order directly from each manufacturer,
As far as Walthers is concerned, who knows what issues there may be between Walthers and the two manufacturers.
Rich
Alton Junction
I prefer to support my LHS as well, but before I order anything, I always check the Walthers site first to see if it's actually in stock. If not, I'll order direct from the manufacturer.
You end up having to pay the extra shipping, but at least you get the stuff.
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
dti406I go on Bowser's website and the Cal-Scale parts I want are in stock, I go on Accurail's website and the parts I want are in stock.
I guess I would have ordered directly from those two companies rather than complain, but that's just me.
Same issue here with Accurail undec Hoppers, shows in stock on their site, but my Walthers order through LHS is still b/o. Maybe....
-Manufacturer's site not up to date and/or fictitious
-Walther's has to order x number of units before mfr will ship
-Items come in and go out intermittently and the LHS has nothing else coming their way
Mine doesn't move.......it's at the station!!!
A while back I ordered some Cal-Scale and Accurail parts for some projects I am working on from my LHS to get through Walther's. They all come back as Back Ordered!
I go on Bowser's website and the Cal-Scale parts I want are in stock, I go on Accurail's website and the parts I want are in stock. Remember I ordered one of these parts over a year ago and the other about 6 months ago.
I sent an E-mail to Walther's and they answer that they cannot get the parts from the suppliers.
I want to support my LHS but Walther's makes that impossible what can we as consumers do to rectify this situation?