Large Scale Central

TRAINWORLD's brilliance -- A Proposal

General Discussion
#1

Considering TRAINWORLD’s brilliant no-cost move to announce (read market) PIKO’s new loco on this site, the door is now open for others.

So…

SUGGESTION:
Get a jump on this possible problem by not making it one: Create a “NEW PRODUCTS” section whereby manufacturers submit new products graphics and description. No reader commentary permitted. All reacting assessments and commentary will be in our REVIEW, PROBLEM SOLVING, and GENERAL DISCUSSION.

Hopefully, large scale commercial interests will feel free to offer if they know their efforts are not followed with rebuttals on the same site. If needed, Bob can set a time limit on the manufacturer’s visuals and narratives.

Try it and see who bites.

Wendell

#2

I just reread my own idea.
I like it.
The plan is not unlike Model Railroader’s New Products section – only large scale instead of S, N, O, HO, HOn3, and X,Y, and Z.

#3

Wendell,

Your suggestion circumvents Bob McCown’s paid advertiser policy, don’t you think?

#4

Can someone please explain this. Maybe I am tired or out of it, but is this about stores/manufactures posting advertising within the context of the forums?

Just curious and thanks

Stacy

#5

RESPONSES:
1 - Circumvent paid advertising?
The feature is New Products – as with Model Railroader’s section in their magazine and on-line.
The intention is to provide Large Scale product information in a large scale setting. NO vendors.
Bob can set any limitations he wants – size, length of wording, visual requirements, etc.
If he wants to charge, that’s up to him.

2 - How is it different from current sponsorships?
The difference from current business sponsors is to limit contributions to describing/showing new Large Scale products without promoting or identifying a retailer. The presumption is crafty retailers, such as TRAINWORLD, can enter LSC and promote a given product with the goal of readers ordering it from them. I don’t think TRAINWORLD paid a dime for that promotion. I think there is a need to know of new large scale products. The need is outside of what is selectively shown every two months in Garden RR since their purpose is to review not just describe.

Wendell

#6

Wendell, you’re a bit behind the power curve.

Check here.

#7

Steve-
Thanks for the response.
The proposal initially cited at the start of this thread is very specific to only listing new products.
The recent extensive thread you noted was not a discussion limited to ONLY the listing of new products by manufacturers – that’s with only any pricing reference being retail and NO reference to a retailer.

Criteria:
–New product listings from backyard and large companies alike.
–No advertising of retailer
–No retailer, distributor promotion or such identification other than for more reader information.

Try Model Railroader’s listings as an example.

#8

I implied the question, but didn’t ask:

Would you like a NEW PRODUCTS section, similar to Model Railroader’s announcements?

Hopefully, we will get data from the smaller backyard manufacturers as well as the Big 3.
And, we can get it long before it is both announced and reviewed in Garden RR magazine.

NO vendors, No reviews, just a description and photo of the latest large scale products.
Our reviews and our other responses would continue to go in the current sections.

#9

Sure, that would be cool.

#10

It would be nice for a good source for news on new products.

#11

Notes & News in GR is a most useful tool for me.

IMHO a Notes & News forum here would be a good idea.
Perhaps along the lines of the page(s) in Garden Railways magazine which is divided into sub categories.

Engines and rolling stock.

Accessories and details.

Electronics and software.

Miscellaneous.

I agree with Wendell. Only manufacturers and only retail prices.

#12

Hopefully, Bob reads this section and will offer his thinking.

The beneficial feature is NO dealers just manufacturer description/photo. Just the new product. is the focus.

In short, there is a benefit to manufacturers – large and small – sending in their product description as soon as it is marketable. They then know the product will be known to us in the shortest amount of time. We don’t need the necessary two month publication hiatus or until testing and a review has been written to know of the product. Garden Railways is still valuable as it later supplies both product description in detail plus their review.

Any other support?

#13

What absolutely stuns me is the 3,800+ number of responses to Michael Moran’s notice that PIKO will be selling a Camelback in June. WOW! A NEW product gets full attention and is THE big news maker on LS Central.

All this interest in a NEW large scale product – a loco no less! BIG news.

Yet, few of you registered your interest in a regular posting of “NEW PRODUCTS” on this website --ironically, the website devoted to large scale. We are a natural source for large scale immediate new product information outside of the bi-monthly Garden Railways.

Further evidence of our interest in getting new product information, is TRAINWORLD’s clever PIKO submission on this site – they know of our interest in getting “NEW” product information that is NEW not history. So why not have PIKO and other mfgs. have direct access to a NEW PRODUCTS listing???

Meanwhile, what is Bob’s opinion of running a NEW PRODUCTS section whereby manufacturers submit data. NO dealers. NO pricing other than MSRP. Just the facts. This instead of waiting 2 months for the news.

Or do we wait for another clever manipulation by TRAINWORLD – not the mfg?

You say — "

#14

700+ readers of this posting – few votes???

Question is simple:
Would you like to have a NEW PRODUCTS section on this site?
The limitations are NO dealers and no “deals” – just MSRP and a description/photo from manufacturers, either backyard or major mfg.

Benefit? We would be able to receive new product data ahead of the bi-monthly Garden RR mag.

Your vote?

#15

Yes, I would find this feature useful.

Tom

#16

SOUNDS REAL GOOD TO ME TOO -

i DON’T SEE ANY DOWN SIDE TO THIS

SINCE THERE IS NO :ADVERTISING" AS SUCH - ONLY INFORMATION ON NEW PRODUCTS

THIS WOULD BE VERY CONVENIENT SOURCE FOR ME AND OTHERS

#17

Actually, I think the new forums that Bob has done are fine for what you want.

Personally I would have just included manufacturers, not vendors, but guess what, you can read whichever forum you want, so only read the manufacturers forums.

Greg

#18

Greg Elmassian said:

Actually, I think the new forums that Bob has done are fine for what you want.

Personally I would have just included manufacturers, not vendors, but guess what, you can read whichever forum you want, so only read the manufacturers forums.

Greg

Not only that, getting the manufacturers (or their designated importers) on board could be a bit of a challenge. They usually like to cook their own stew. As always strictly my opinion.

#19

Wendell Hanks said:

700+ readers of this posting – few votes???

Question is simple:
Would you like to have a NEW PRODUCTS section on this site?
The limitations are NO dealers and no “deals” – just MSRP and a description/photo from manufacturers, either backyard or major mfg.

Benefit? We would be able to receive new product data ahead of the bi-monthly Garden RR mag.

Your vote?

Wendel, you are really starting to sound like those folks I ban from the site I moderate. You know, spammers. Why are you pushing so hard for this idea of yours? Hasn’t Bob done enough with his new section?

Oh, and Hans is right. Manufacturers usually like to post on their own site. Besides, many of the big name manufacturers probably would’t have the time to maintain a thread here full time.

#20

Wendell Hanks said:

700+ readers of this posting – few votes???

Question is simple:
Would you like to have a NEW PRODUCTS section on this site?
The limitations are NO dealers and no “deals” – just MSRP and a description/photo from manufacturers, either backyard or major mfg.

Benefit? We would be able to receive new product data ahead of the bi-monthly Garden RR mag.

Your vote?

I think you are stepping on our host’s toes with this voting idea. Bob McCown has said many times that he is the benevolent dictator here. Let it go. If Bob wanted to do such a thing he would do it. JMHO