Jump to content
 

Hornby Rocket - pre-order from Hattons


WisTramwayMan
 Share

Recommended Posts

I too have got mixed up in this topic, receiving the same email that my order could not e fulfilled.  I felt annoyed, and now it seems that Hattons received their allocation, I am disappointed that they did not inform me sooner, so I could have looked elsewhere.  I actually contacted Hattons a few days before receiving the 'we are oversold' email when I saw the model appearing on eBay asking for further information on the pre-order and they sent the following:

 

Good Morning Mr XXXX,

 

Thank you for getting in touch regarding your pre-order.

 

We are aware that the models have arrived in stock with Hornby, these are now being stored at their warehouse and shipped out to retailers. We do expect our allocation to be arriving with us this week and as soon as they do your order will be processed and sent straight out to you. We'll keep you updated via email as usual.

 

In the meantime, if you have any further questions please let me know.

 

Should I feel more annoyed?  Possibly, as some of the points seem to suggest that Hattons knew how many models they would be getting.  At that point the model seems to have been sold out everywhere, so the ship had sailed and I would not have been able to find another supplier.  This may have been different if Hattons had let me know back in early January when I placed my pre-order.  I think that is the issue many of us have now.

 

I put a post on the Hornby forum, where there was a generally mixed reaction, with some saying it wasn't Hattons fault and that Horny was to blame.  I don't agree with this.  We all knew that this was a limited edition, so the retailer taking the pre-order should have had a robust system in place to track how many pre-orders they are getting vs their known allocation, in my view.  The thread on the Hornby forum was removed as the moderator said that was not the place, so I'm pleased that RMWeb have kept this one open here.  Hattons are probably digesting how much this has annoyed some of its customers.

 

Like others, I am voting with my wallet.  Hattons will no longer be a first port of call when I'm seeking anything for my hobby.

  • Friendly/supportive 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

For me the first port of call depends on requirement, availability and price.

 

I don't default to one retailer, 'though following that general guide above there have been several prevalent sellers - Hattons included.

 

It does appear that some communications were a little lacking, which was obviously unfortunate.

 

Al.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
21 hours ago, Ronny said:

 

By the way, nobody is forcibly removed from an aircraft due to overbooking. If nobody leaves, you just sit there until the airline ups the offer until a volunteer emerges.

 

Nothing whatsoever to do with Hornby Rockets but I feel the need to set the record straight.

 

It was United Airlines . I feel sure there will be YouTube footage . It was certainly reported in the news at the time . He was manhandled from the plane . Come fly the friendly skies!

  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, Legend said:

 

It was United Airlines . I feel sure there will be YouTube footage . It was certainly reported in the news at the time . He was manhandled from the plane . Come fly the friendly skies!

 

It was and there is - do a search on YouTube for 'a passenger forcibly dragged off a United Airlines plane' - the first hit.

  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 03/03/2020 at 16:12, atom3624 said:

For me the first port of call depends on requirement, availability and price.

 

I don't default to one retailer, 'though following that general guide above there have been several prevalent sellers - Hattons included.

 

It does appear that some communications were a little lacking, which was obviously unfortunate.

 

Al.

Update on Rocketgate - I'm told that Hattons will be offering customers who had preordered, but missed out, on R3809 the opportunity to order a R3810 at RRP (I believe £179.99), so keep an eye on your inboxes. 

 

It may not be the ideal solution, but given what's happened it's probably about as good as solution as it'll get and at least allows those collectors caught up the chance to obtain a loco that in both forms (3809 and 3810) seems pretty much sold out elsewhere.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

As this thread drags on and on, you have to remember that retailers are in a “no win” situation.  If they try to get more than their allocation and the item doesn’t sell, they are left with models that are keeping the shelves nice and warm, then left with the frustration of having to sell them at a greatly reduced price.  The other scenario is that they get their allocation but it’s over subscribed and people are disappointed.

 

It’s entirely possible that the preorders were taken so fast that the computer or those dealing with it, just couldn’t keep up with demand and some people fell through the net.  Remember that we are all fallible human beings and try as we might, we can’t please everyone.

 

My final thought is, if you didn’t get the model (any model), stop whinging, deal with it and move on.

  • Like 3
  • Agree 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, WisTramwayMan said:

Update on Rocketgate - I'm told that Hattons will be offering customers who had preordered, but missed out, on R3809 the opportunity to order a R3810 at RRP (I believe £179.99), so keep an eye on your inboxes. 

 

It may not be the ideal solution, but given what's happened it's probably about as good as solution as it'll get and at least allows those collectors caught up the chance to obtain a loco that in both forms (3809 and 3810) seems pretty much sold out elsewhere.

Meanwhile other vendors are still taking orders at lower price, for example Gaugemaster who never seem to one to get a mad rush of orders presumably because most think they are expensive ie RRP only, have R3810 too pre-order at £165 albeit now saying limited availability

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/Hornby-r3810.html

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Ribird said:

And to throw a rope in all of this, I received an email from Hattons saying Hornby is pushing the release of the R3810 Rocket to May 2020 now.

Can hardly be helped. The current crisis is impacting both manufacturing and export of goods

Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, jools1959 said:

As this thread drags on and on, you have to remember that retailers are in a “no win” situation.  If they try to get more than their allocation and the item doesn’t sell, they are left with models that are keeping the shelves nice and warm, then left with the frustration of having to sell them at a greatly reduced price.  The other scenario is that they get their allocation but it’s over subscribed and people are disappointed.

 

It’s entirely possible that the preorders were taken so fast that the computer or those dealing with it, just couldn’t keep up with demand and some people fell through the net.  Remember that we are all fallible human beings and try as we might, we can’t please everyone.

 

My final thought is, if you didn’t get the model (any model), stop whinging, deal with it and move on.

Or wait for the next batch. The popularity of this ensures they will keep coming.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Interesting...

 

Hornby said this, on 31 January, in their Engine Shed.....

" both the R3809 and R3810 Train Packs are currently in transit, being due to arrive during February 2020. "

.....  May is on Hattons website for the R3810, too.

 

There is nothing about it in Hornby News, either.  I have entered an enquiry.

 

Julian

 

 

 

Edited by jcredfer
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, jcredfer said:

Interesting...

 

Hornby said this, on 31 January, in their Engine Shed.....

" both the R3809 and R3810 Train Packs are currently in transit, being due to arrive during February 2020. "

.....  

 

There is nothing about it in their News, either.  I have entered an enquiry.

 

Julian

 

 

 

In transit doesnt mean they had left the Country. China is not exactly small, plus it's Docks regularly get log jammed with goods waiting to be loaded.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, jcredfer said:

Interesting...

 

Hornby said this, on 31 January, in their Engine Shed.....

" both the R3809 and R3810 Train Packs are currently in transit, being due to arrive during February 2020. "

.....  

 

There is nothing about it in their News, either.  I have entered an enquiry.

 

Julian

 

 

 

Why not just use common sense. I'm sure Hornby REALLY enjoy answering tons of pointless enquiries that are easily answered by thinking before becoming a keyboard warrior.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

Why not just use common sense. I'm sure Hornby REALLY enjoy answering tons of pointless enquiries that are easily answered by thinking before becoming a keyboard warrior.

 

Indeed - it's not as if there's anything else BUT Corona on the TV news at the moment !!

 

John Isherwood.

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, jcredfer said:

Interesting...

 

Hornby said this, on 31 January, in their Engine Shed.....

" both the R3809 and R3810 Train Packs are currently in transit, being due to arrive during February 2020. "

.....  May is on Hattons website for the R3810, too.

 

There is nothing about it in Hornby News, either.  I have entered an enquiry.

 

Julian

 

 

 

Just to add another slant - I too have now seen the Hattons R3810 e-mail and it does indeed state May. This, however, does not tie in with what I was told earlier today by Hornby customer services, that the R3810 Rocket is coming in as one delivery by the end of this week but then has to go through Hornby QA. This is as far as they went. Assuming it's correct, I would then expect it to be late next week, possibly the week after, before Hornby agents started getting their stock.

The alternative slant is that it is only the Hattons extra stock they say they have got coming in to cover the extra R3810 orders is subject to delivery to them in May. Which given what Hornby said regarding all the delivery is coming in in one go gives rise to the question where Hattons' extra stock is coming from. There's probably multiple possibilities, but I certainly don't know the answer.

Guess we'll all have to wait and see just what happens. Fingers crossed.

  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

Why not just use common sense. I'm sure Hornby REALLY enjoy answering tons of pointless enquiries that are easily answered by thinking before becoming a keyboard warrior.

 

Common sense, without information = uninformed speculation.  

 

Keyboard Warrior = a person who makes abusive or aggressive posts on the Internet, typically one who conceals their true identity.  I have been none of those things, simply asked, politely, for information about a notified change of date.   

 

I am perfectly capable of thinking, thank you, despite your implications, and there are many more possible reasons, some of which might even be true, but remain, just, speculation.  

 

Julian

 

 

  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, jcredfer said:

 

Common sense, without information = uninformed speculation.  

 

Keyboard Warrior = a person who makes abusive or aggressive posts on the Internet, typically one who conceals their true identity.  I have been none of those things, simply asked, politely, for information about a notified change of date.   

 

I am perfectly capable of thinking, thank you, despite your implications, and there are many more possible reasons, some of which might even be true, but remain, just, speculation.  

 

Julian

 

 

The Hornby website now says Spring 2020 for delivery of R3810. Which would indeed encompass May.

 

At the current time, with current serious issues, there could be many reasons for that delay. I think it's just a case of being patient now, it should arrive eventually.

  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, jcredfer said:

 

Common sense, without information = uninformed speculation.  

 

Keyboard Warrior = a person who makes abusive or aggressive posts on the Internet, typically one who conceals their true identity.  I have been none of those things, simply asked, politely, for information about a notified change of date.   

 

I am perfectly capable of thinking, thank you, despite your implications, and there are many more possible reasons, some of which might even be true, but remain, just, speculation.  

 

Julian

 

 

Exactly. Firing off emails to Hornby without thinking of the current situation shows a distinct lack of cs. 

I've had the misfortune of working in a customer service office where thoughtless and pointless emails and letters simply delayed us from dealing with real enquiries. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

I've had the misfortune of working in a customer service office where thoughtless and pointless emails and letters simply delayed us from dealing with real enquiries. 

 

And I've had the misfortune of dealing with 'customer service' offices just like that!

Edited by truffy
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Denbridge said:

Exactly. Firing off emails to Hornby without thinking of the current situation shows a distinct lack of cs. 

I've had the misfortune of working in a customer service office where thoughtless and pointless emails and letters simply delayed us from dealing with real enquiries. 

 

That's your opinion to which you are perfectly entitled, so enjoy the speculation, as you might wish.  

 

I made a simple, polite, enquiry, with good reason and the reply might give a number of others the answer they want, thus preventing further speculation and some other enquiries.  If you considered it a "misfortune" to answer a simple, polite, enquiry about a, possibly altered, delivery date, perhaps the task was not entirely suited to your perception of customer services and the tone of your replies.

 

Julian

 

  • Agree 2
  • Friendly/supportive 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
6 hours ago, WisTramwayMan said:

The Hornby website now says Spring 2020 for delivery of R3810. Which would indeed encompass May.

Perhaps they are fitting traction tyres to the next set so it can pull something...

ducks, runs for cover, only joking...

  • Funny 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

A family member who works in marine shipping has said the problem they have atm is finding crews to go sail the ships out of china. they have at least three in dock ready to go but no-one willing to go there and retrieve them at the present time 

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
On 02/03/2020 at 21:43, Robin Brasher said:

If someone has waited 38 years for Hornby to re-introduce the 'Rocket' set, pre-orders one, the order is accepted and by the time he finds out that it is out of stock he cannot get it anywhere else it is reasonable to expect him to be upset.

 

Despite this I expect that Hornby will be supplying some more 'Rocket' sets soon and then everyone will be happy.

 

It may be 38 years since Hornby made the Rocket, but I would be surprised if anyone has been sitting waiting 38 years for the next one.

 

I know what you mean though ;)

 

Like you, I suspect that the non limited edition model will be produced in much larger quantities to the benefit of both Hornby and its customers so all the fuss appears to be about the colour of the box, and perhaps the names of the carriages.

  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...