Large Scale Central

Trainworld staying home

General Discussion
#1

I got an email from Trainworld yesterday that they will not be attending the big upcoming train show. I wonder if this is a sign of the times that maybe they are in trouble? For many Garden Railways issues they have only had 1 page of ads, they used to have 3-4. I recently stopped by a somewhat local train shop and the owner said that large scale sales are flat. I said it could be that everyones layouts are still buried with snow but he said even Ebay is flat. I haven’t noticed that.

Of course Trainworld does sell other scales but maybe they are noticing a slump. It is a big commitment to attend a big show.

The good news is they are having a 20% off sale on most items. Check them out.

#2

Heck of a sale!

I don’t know if it means they are in trouble or not…I would think “not”. What it likely does mean is past sales at the show have not been enough to cover expences, or at little profit. I have a few items I need, they have them. At 20% off I think it’s time to pick them up.

#3

If I’m not mistaken, I believe there not attending because of what Aristocraft did to them

and the other Dealers and will no longer support them or there show.

No more Aristo listed in there sales ads in Garden RR either.

#4

Hey Nick, I like TrainWorld - I’ve been to their store in Queens. I gotta ask, What did Aristo do to them and other dealers?

Tim

#5

Thank you Boomer. That happened so long ago that it didn’t even register. Actually, I am an Aristo dealer. You will see me listed in their dealer data base as the Freight House Restaurant in New York.

I am still very upset about what they did and have written Scott Polk about it. I spent a small fortune on Aristo products and part of my getting Aristo to allow me to be a dealer was that I could demo many of their products. I have more trains running and more G Scale on display than most train shops.

There are few places someone can go and get a hands on demo of the Revo in action with several locos running, sound etc…

I felt we were building a mutually beneficial partnership and that they kind of screwed me.

It’s frustrating for me when guys come in asking questions. I only get my brain picked, answer dozens of questions, waste a lot of my time and loose the sale to their website

But, I feel that in time they will see they have made a mistake and realize that they need dealers, for the reason I stated above.

There is a lot of competition and to have “sales people” is an undeniable advantage.

I decided early on to go with Aristo because of the Revo and some other personal preferences, I am not sure I made the right choice. But I’m in deep at this point.

All that said, they are great people with a good product (when available).

We’ll see how it shakes out.

Tim

#6

Yes ever since they went direct, Aristo products has been slowly disappearing from brick and morter store and from online dealers listings as they sell off their old stock, I think its ultimately going to be a very stupid decision for them. I for one WILL NOT buy something big ticket like a new locomotive or such, without having see it in person or talked to dealers about reliability or quality experience, that was one of the best thing about a local shop , the ability to see it and fiddle with it and run it on the test track. Even if your local shop didn’t have chances are a dealer at a show would, and you could very often get the same information there and very often being able to buy it right there on the spot.

Now though if the dealers don’t carry Aristo anymore, nor do the stores, how the heck are you supposed to feel confident about buying the darn thing?

Its like Ford saying, please buy a car from us, but sorry we’ve closed all our showrooms and you can now only purchase it online, we’ll deliver it to you sight unseen and untested, you don’t need to see it in person just rely on our advertisements to tell you all the truthiness you need to know our product, and when they deliver it, its the wrong color or something is damaged but since all the dealers are closed now you have to pay to ship it all the way back to Dearborn and they’ll try to get it fixed in a few weeks.

That’s bloody madness but that’s close to whats happened.

#7

Excellent points, well presented Vic!

#8

On the Trainworld discussion, if I may…

I’ve been to 3 or 4 shows and am always amazed at how few deals there were! I wont name names, but some dealers were going there and selling at retail. Basically moving their stores for two days. I truly believe some of them were bringing most of their stuff back home with them and hence not seeing a reason to go. Some others where offering great deals, I’m sure with the idea of bringing nothing back with them, and they were mobbed. Most of the people carring bags were carring THE SAME BAGS!

Tim

#9

Tim McCabe said:

. . . .

There are few places someone can go and get a hands on demo of the Revo in action with several locos running, sound etc…

All that said, they are great people with a good product (when available).

We’ll see how it shakes out.

Tim

There’s clearly a transition going on, between brick-and-mortar stores versus the Internet. Apple solved the hands-on problem by opening their own stores, as do the cellphone vendors.

But for our stuff, there’s a real chicken-and-egg problem. I can usually get to a show to see a new product, grill the vendor and demand a demo. Many people can’t, and I don’t know why you’d buy something like a $1K new loco, or a Revo system without a demo.

Making it worse for the internet guys is having to pay for return postage if you don’t like it!!

#10

Tim McCabe said:

On the Trainworld discussion, if I may…

I’ve been to 3 or 4 shows and am always amazed at how few deals there were! I wont name names, but some dealers were going there and selling at retail. Basically moving their stores for two days. I truly believe some of them were bringing most of their stuff back home with them and hence not seeing a reason to go. Some others where offering great deals, I’m sure with the idea of bringing nothing back with them, and they were mobbed. Most of the people carring bags were carring THE SAME BAGS!

Tim

I have seen “full retail” sellers also at shows, I don’t get the mentality, train shows are usually a great place for dealers to clear out alot of old stock at sale prices in one weekend, but what got my goat was one show where some joker selling old USED stuff at dam near full original MSRP, needless to say he was very lonely at that show.

#11

Boomer Keel said:

Aristo - Craft buisness model:

  1. Load gun

  2. Shoot foot

(http://images.persephonemagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/takei-lol.gif)

#12

Pete Thornton said:

**…**Many people can’t, and I don’t know why you’d buy something like a $1K new loco, or a Revo system without a demo.

I have done both. I know of no one who runs 1:20.3 in my area, not one. The only LGB Mikado, Alco, or Crocodile I have ever seen run are the ones on my layout. Same goes for the Bachmann Connie, Mallet, 45 tonner, and American.

Going to a show to see these items in action would cost me the same price as just buying them (too far to travel). The LHS’s have always had a poor selection and never demo anything. The internet accounts for 98%+ of my purchases. It is possible I am not alone in this and Trainworld realises that.

Those near the big stores/shows may not know how good they have it!

:slight_smile:

#13

I have been in a shop that had a large tabletop large scale train running, or ready to run, all the time. To my knowledge he had brisk sales. Seeing a working G scale train is what sells them. It was the only shop I have seen that did this. I discovered later that LGB offered a $500 credit yearly to any store that had an LGB set running in their store. This was verified by the visiting LGB rep. Regards, Dennis.

#14

I didn’t get email, and don’t see a discount price on anything I’ve been looking at. is it a coupon code or am I just shopping the wrong items? don’t see mention on pages either?

What am I doing wrong?

#15

HI Cale it is a 20% off sale on Aristo, MTH, and Bachmann 10% on LGB and Piko but you need to mention the code word GSHOW.

As for Aristo shooting themselves in the foot I think they did when they decided to bypass the dealers. USATrains is another one that doesn’t have the best reputation amongst dealers. Up at the Springfield show USAT always has a large booth and sales on items. At other dealers at the show I saw USAT product for more money than what I could buy it at the USAT booth. Not good for the little guy trying to make a buck.

As for brick and mortar dealers I don’t usually buy much from them I do like to see, touch and talk trains at dealers and shows but when it comes down to it these chunks of plastic are expensive so 98% of my stuff is preowned. If the dealer has used stuff at a good price and I need it yes they get my business. It can be very difficult to spend more money at a shop when you can get it cheaper online.

A sign of the sad times but true.

#16

thx Todd

order placed and used code, I’d prefer to view actual shipping and applied discount amount, but I’m gonna take them at their word :slight_smile:

#17

Were talking about discounting at a show, and I completely agree. But, isnt Trainworld discounting pretty drastically already? It would not make sense for them to discount further at a show. Discounting a discounted price = no profit

#18

Todd Haskins said:

. . .

As for Aristo shooting themselves in the foot I think they did when they decided to bypass the dealers. USATrains is another one that doesn’t have the best reputation amongst dealers. Up at the Springfield show USAT always has a large booth and sales on items. At other dealers at the show I saw USAT product for more money than what I could buy it at the USAT booth. Not good for the little guy trying to make a buck.

As for brick and mortar dealers I don’t usually buy much from them I do like to see, touch and talk trains at dealers and shows but when it comes down to it these chunks of plastic are expensive so 98% of my stuff is preowned. If the dealer has used stuff at a good price and I need it yes they get my business. It can be very difficult to spend more money at a shop when you can get it cheaper online.

A sign of the sad times but true.

I can see why the manufacturers are trying to use direct sales instead of dealers/retailers. There aren’t enough brick-and-mortar stores left to cover the buying population. I’m lucky in having Star Hobby close at hand, but then I’m in a major metro region.

Star Hobby, I noticed, doesn’t sell at a discount just because they are at a show, although I notice they do try to clear some overstock/obsolete items (I assume) at low prices. No reason they should, either. They are coming to us, so they have the expense of transport and runnng two stores that weekend.

I don’t mind paying more at a store - saves on shipping and hassle. And I have bought stuff at Trainworld, both online (very efficient) and at the shows. I think the tendency in the past to sell heavily discounted items at shows [looking at you, Nicholas Smith,] has created an impression that shows = deals. Have you noticed that deals are fewer these days since the recession started? I suspect sellers are getting savvier and don’t overstock these days.

In other items, e.g. clothing, the online sellers are dealing with the “look-and-feel” issue by offering easy return shipping. Maybe Aristo and USATrains will have to go the same way if they want us to cough up $1000 without seeing the item.

As I suggested earlier, it’s a transition . . .

#19

One other problem no one has mentioned with Aristocraft’s decision. Without “stocking” dealers where do you go to find product. Look at Aristocraft’s website and how many items are really available. Dealers would buy product and hold in inventory until sold giving all of us multiple places to find a specific product. Now the mfg is out it is plain unavailable. Give me a good dealer any day, that is who will get my business.

#20

I don’t want to turn this into an “Aristo” bash but this is not limited to them, or Trainworld.

I buy from Trainworld on occasion, I also buy from a Midwest dealer from time to time. They don’t stock what I buy! My last two orders have been drop-shipped direct from USA! I don’t really care either, as long as I get what I want all is good.

It’s not Aristo, or USA, or Trainworld…It’s the way it is these days.