Reservations about reservations, was Re: Precision Craft CF Cabooses

[NW Modeling List]

I totally agree about money down.  I have money in one brass dealers hands that I provided for a reservation 6 years ago and still no model has been produced.  With Broadway Limited (and all other plastic), at least at my local Arkansas hobby shop I can make a reservation without putting anything down.  My reluctance to do reservations wasn't usually because of money down or not, but what I have to pay for the model once it came out.  As we all know there are lots of dealers/sellers on the internet or eBay that provide significant discounts on most plastic models and if they are out of state there is no tax too.  When I make a reservation at my local hobby shop I am obligated to buy the model at their price and pay tax.  So I didn't make a habit of reserving models with them betting that I could buy the model(s) at a discounted price and not need to pay tax through the internet.  I have reciently adjusted that philosophy and will reserve all models that I don't want to risk missing out on.

As for reservations and buying models in today's' model railroading market......Athearn (no longer a family operation) too has made some changes in the way they do business and you don't see everything announced being produced or you might see a only a limited run when it is produced.  Smart businesses understand their market(s) and produce accordingly.  It's about margin and return on investment.  It's a different market for model railroading than it was 10 years ago and the companies producing products have evolved.  Few anymore are family companies like Athearn and Varney(Lifelike)used to be.  I've been in model railroading all my life (55+ years.....) thanks to my Dad.  The good old days were great......... but look at the variety, the quality, the attention to prototype details, and technology we now have.  As long as the manufacturers and suppliers have good return on their operations we will continue to have more and more great stuff to choose and buy from.  It's our hobby but it's how they pay their bills and eat.

Ed Painter 


-----Original Message-----
From: nw-modeling-list-bounces at nwhs.org [mailto:nw-modeling-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Modeling List
Sent: Thursday, June 18, 2009 7:27 AM
To: NW Modeling List
Subject: Reservations about reservations, was Re: Precision Craft CF Cabooses

I certainly understand the importance of reservations from the 
manufacturer's standpoint.  However, I have some reservations about 
forking over cash before I see the product in question.  Before I go 
spend several hundred dollars (which is still a lot of money to me), I 
want to know that the model is worth it, what the construction and 
detail quality is, and hopefully see a review by a competent and 
impartial (are you listening, Bachmann?) reviewer.

So, companies that ask me to drop a couple hundred bucks in the pot in 
hopes of getting what they promised will have to look elsewhere for the 
funds.  IF they make a good product and IF it reasonably priced and IF 
it is something I need and IF I have the money, then and only them will 
they get my money.

Sorry, just had to rant a bit.  I mean, c'mon!  Did Athearn require 
advance payment on models?  Varney?  English?  Bowser?

Ken Rickman

NW Modeling List wrote:

> I never realized the importance of advanced 

> reservations relative to model production scheduling (at least at 

> Broadway Ltd).  If you look at it from their prospective (as a business) 

> why would you go to the trouble of producing something that has no 

> apparent market.

-- 
Kenneth Rickman - krickman1 at carolina.rr.com
Salisbury, NC

"Once admit that human life can be guided by reason, and all possibility 
of life is annihilated" - Leo Tolstoy
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