Having read these posts relating to the Hornby 100 Duchess of Athol R3819, I consider it reasonable for Hornby to explain how this situation can happen this is especially so within a market leading organisation such as Hornby.
Regarding the now situation there are, as I see things, the following options:
Do nothing and initially assess and later verify the potential level and consequences of the ensuing customer dissatisfaction
Or
Alter the specification sheet regarding the quantity of the limited edition (I understand Hornby reserves the right to alter specifications as and when required) and produce another batch (Second Edition) – having predicted the impact on dissatisfaction and customer satisfaction as justification.
Or
Utilising process risk assessment methods to predict the impact on dissatisfaction and customer satisfaction, consider producing another limited or unlimited alternative product e.g. with TTS sound fitted and in the earlier powder blue Hornby Dublo boxes of the pre war and immediate post war period and certificates numbered in Roman Numerals. A Hornby Dublo train pack with TTS sound and 4 Hornby Dublo coaches with internal lighting would be good? The ”0” gauge 2710 models are selling (not) at £525 and now on eBay at £430!!
It is unlikely that a business like Hornby will intentionally take actions that many would consider unacceptable – e.g. diverting product guaranteed to stockists to their own direct sales outlet to achieve a small (in terms of their own business) increase in revenue, the level of customer perception that they would indeed take such action could be such that to overall benefits to the business would be diminished and potentially negative.
Finally there are suggestions that there has been a short shipment of 52 units. With a limited batch of 500 saleable units the costs incurred to recover the design, development, tooling and product promotion may not be recovered by the sale of the remaining 448 units suggested to have been made. The beancounters (accountants) within Hornby’s stakeholders may have insisted that all products break even at the very least and anyway is it reasonable to expect the lucky 448 reciepients of these locos to be subsidised by future price increases to recover the shortfall especially because it is certain sales onto second and third owners etc will certainly demand a higher premium than anticipated. Even with a substantial increase in number of units in the limited edition the now apparent demand will ensure a value going forward greater than many expected also the 52 units short shipped could then be added as first edition units (available only through Hornby?) thus a second edition with TTS sound and at a lower price may encourage the ownership of a second unit for actual use on a layout.
