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Post by dlagrua on Apr 16, 2024 23:40:02 GMT
Just had a chance to look through the Atlas O gauge catalog for 2024. I looks like over 95% of it is BTO and orders must be placed by May 22nd. This market philosophy sounds like it benefits only Atlas and not the customer. Atlas seems to believe that all the risk is all on the customer and not on them. How can we be expected to purchase something that no one has seen or used? Maybe they will display prototypes at York but is that the answer?
CORRECTION: Thanks Dave, the final day for ordering Atlas BTO product is May 22nd.
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Post by rockymountaineer on Apr 17, 2024 4:08:07 GMT
Just had a chance to look through the Atlas O gauge catalog for 2024. I looks like over 95% of it is BTO and orders must be placed by March 22nd. This market philosophy sounds like it benefits only Atlas and not the customer. Atlas seems to believe that all the risk is all on the customer and not on them. How can we be expected to purchase something that no one has seen or used? Maybe they will display prototypes at York but is that the answer?
Dennis, such is the new business model for toy train manufacturing. By forcing its dealer network to place orders by May 22nd, importers are hoping not to carry much inventory in the States. I think Atlas has been doing that now for the last few O-Gauge catalogs. Aside from a small handful of customers who might prefer paying full-MSRP by ordering directly from Atlas, it's primarily the dealers who are carrying most of the risk IF THEY CHOOSE TO ORDER EXTRA PRODUCT BEYOND THEIR CONFIRMED CUSTOMER PRE-ORDERS.
Charles Ro and Trainworld seem to be the big dealers who absorb Lionel's extra BTO product. And Mr. Muffin's Trains seems to be the dealer ordering extra BTO product from MTH and Atlas-O product. There are others, but those 3 are the biggest national dealers who -- for the time being -- continue to stock extra BTO product. How much extra though is anyone's guess.
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Post by mrmuffin on Apr 17, 2024 15:35:56 GMT
We order extra BTO items from Atlas, MTH and Lionel. We have a pretty good handle on how many to order. If you preorder on our site, no payment is required. We post actual pictures when they get here and in our newsletter. If you don’t like what you see, just cancel the preorder. Is the manufacturer transferring the risk of excess inventory to the retailer, yup, but we rarely get stuck. Most extras are sold by the time they get here.
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Post by Adam on Apr 18, 2024 11:03:50 GMT
Some interesting items but nothing really calls my name.
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Post by superwarp1 on Apr 18, 2024 11:42:43 GMT
No special runs on the 2-8-0, what's up with that?
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Post by rockymountaineer on Apr 18, 2024 21:39:33 GMT
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Post by dlagrua on Apr 19, 2024 0:44:21 GMT
The picture that you posted of the 2-8-0 looks very nice. At a price of $800 it will probably sell out of low quantity production. The mystery becomes the shipping date. When I see something that I like, the money is put down and I take the product home with me. Here with Atlas the process becomes give us the money and you receive a small slip of paper and a promise date that might be off by a year or two. Quite honesty I can't operate that way. In my business everything is sold, paid for, boxed and the customer takes it right home immediately after payment. I hold to the same standard for myself. Whatever the deal is with BTO is just not an ethical business practice. It might be good if you are purchasing a custom one of a kind item, but for production, no way they are getting any money from me upfront.
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Post by Traindiesel! on Apr 19, 2024 3:08:50 GMT
Most dealers don’t charge you until the item ships.
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Post by ron045 on Apr 21, 2024 13:05:54 GMT
I'll never purchase a BTO again. There are plenty of other products actually on store shelves and websites.
I made one of those Atlas BTO purchases for a hopper car in early 2023 and thought it would be a good Christmas present for my son. Nearly 4 months into 2024 and Atlas still can't tell me when this thing is arriving.
They still have my $70 and I have nothing.
Ron
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Post by madockawando on Apr 21, 2024 19:16:21 GMT
I'll never purchase a BTO again. There are plenty of other products actually on store shelves and websites. I made one of those Atlas BTO purchases for a hopper car in early 2023 and thought it would be a good Christmas present for my son. Nearly 4 months into 2024 and Atlas still can't tell me when this thing is arriving. They still have my $70 and I have nothing. Ron Atlas is very slow with their trains, nice trains though. |
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