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Hornby model shop Tiers system


Phil Parker
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I will continue to treat the purchase of Hornby products exactly the same as I always have, and in a way that applies to all other manufacturers. If they make things I want (mainly but not exclusively SR/LSWR prototypes), I will buy them, and those items I particularly want will still get pre-ordered.

 

However, I have been coerced into switching all the Hornby pre-orders I had placed with Hatton's to another supplier. That retailer is one with which I already shared a proportion of my pre-orders anyway, but the decision effectively being Hornby's rather than mine, leaves a nasty taste.  

 

Where things will change, is the purchase of "nice-to-have" items with little (or no) connection to my main modelling themes. These, I'll be buying from Hatton's on principle and, if they don't get supplies, Hornby will lose the sale altogether. That decision has already placed the purchase of three locomotives in abeyance. I'll also be directing any new pre-orders for models from Heljan and Dapol to Hatton's to balance things a little.   

 

John

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13 minutes ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

So, Hatton's (tier 3), is not a "well run shop that offer a rich customer experience"? I have only seen the pics, not having been to Merseyside for a good many years. Looks pretty good to me.

 

 

And that of Rails, even more so. I've only watched a virtual tour, but I'd think their show-room/store will compare extremely favourably with anything Hornby are likely to put into a John Lewis branch. 

 

Ooh, yet another penny has dropped...:jester:

 

John

 

 

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7 hours ago, Widnes Model Centre said:

 

Thinking aloud, why was it the women in the family that worked there?

 

 

 

Women are much better at assembling stuff.

 

They could probably put together a H-D loco without even looking, and hold a conversation with their colleague at the next workbench. Women call this "multi-tasking".

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A personal principle I have decided to apply that:

 

(a) Makes me feel, rightly or wrongly, as if I'm doing something.

 

(b) May well save me from buying yet more "stuff" that'll get run for a week, bunged in the cupboard, and moved on in a couple of years when I think "why the heck did I buy that?" 

 

Given that the Hornby locos I'm currently ignoring are all industrials, and I already own one example of each, non-Hornby alternatives that are in the offing make more sense anyway.  

 

John

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1 hour ago, Andy W said:

Like in so many other areas, the volume of complaints on RMWeb can only be used as a way of measuring quality if you can relate it to the volume sold. As Hornby is still the market leader in UK model railways and sells in large quantities, there are plenty of complaints. But there are also plenty of complaints about some of the smaller "manufacturers". Just look in the Dapol section of RMWeb for wagon wheelsets not to gauge, couplings that don't couple, railcars that run better if you disconnect the drive from one bogie and so on. I'm not singling out Dapol here, you will find other examples, just suggesting that unless a business is small enough to be able to actually inspect product itself before it is shipped to customers instead of just passing it on as received from the far distant contracted actual manufacturer, problems are inevitable, and the more you sell, the more problems.

Some of them could be reduced by better inspection procedures in China, but these cost money. If you've beaten down the factory on price and play one factory off against another (which Hornby are known to do), you won't get much pre-delivery inspection.

I thought I prefaced my comments with:

 

2 hours ago, kandc_au said:

That is not to say other manufacturers don't have issues as well

At the end of the day it is up to Hornby to get their act together BEFORE telling others how to do it.
Biggest seller of model railways or not, there business model in recent years has NOT been the shining light to look up to.
The fact that they cannot even order sufficient stock in the first instance is damning evidence that they do NOT have the capability even now of running the business properly, let alone forecasting their own needs!

 

Khris

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8 hours ago, Widnes Model Centre said:

 

Well, had chance to read all of this.

 

Despite what you might think, we are very much in Hornby’s camp.

 

Am l going to return all my items that l have treasured for so many years? No. If l wanted l certainly would, but as Binns Road has gone certainly not driving down to Margate. Family history of connections to Binns Road would have my mother and aunts turning in their graves. Thinking aloud, why was it the women in the family that worked there?

 

Communication from Hornby needs work. I suspect they know that. Openness, honesty and integrity are big in our business. We expect the same, no matter who we are dealing with, be it customers or suppliers. 

 

We would like to get to the bottom of the Tier System, metaphorically speaking. It seems to us a tad flawed. As a family run business we are all in agreement. 

 

This is last year or so has seen challenges that l suspect none of us could ever have envisaged. As a model shop, we have to be grateful that we are still in business. We have seen too many businesses go to the wall and the jobs that go with them. 

 

Calls to boycott Hornby? Why would anyone want to see the company that has fulfilled our childhood  dreams in various guises disappear? 

 

Tired now, still got work to do on a promotion. If l don’t get it right my wife Gill will have me in Tiers.

 

Final word, who saw their first model railway in a Department store? I did.

 

I think for me would have been sometime in the 1970's  the Co-op department store in Luton (now long gone) they had  a fair range of Hornby stuff (not sure if they stocked other items too).  To me at the time it looked like  massive display  though in reality it was probably only a small section in one of the isles.    Also in the late 70's and early 80's we had at least three model shops in Luton plus a few toy shops that had some model products too.  Good old days. how times have changed! 

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Did hattons know what tier they were in and the implications before or after the 2021 launch. The difference being they took pre orders knowing they may have difficulty fulfilling them being in tier 3 or did Hornby bring in the tier system after orders had been placed?

Also were they prompt in cancelling my pre orders when they knew which tier they were in?

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The last time (or perhaps the time before) that Hornby tried to flush itself down the loo, it was strongly rumoured that a certain large retailer was offered first refusal on the company, but declined.

 

If true, I wonder how they might view that decision in retrospect.....

 

John

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36 minutes ago, Roddy Angus said:

I may be in a minority of one here, but I agree with what lies behind Hornby's tier system, that is not to say that I agree with what tiers any particular retailer has been put.  Is Hornby not simply wanting to ensure that the large number of small retailers spread around the country actually have the stock to sell to their customers?

 

If a few retailers, with a significant internet presence, manage to corner the market by ordering large numbers of popular items, possibly even the whole run of a certain item, and can guarantee to have those orders fulfilled, then they are in a position to undercut local suppliers due to the economies of scale, or the item simply not being available locally due to those particular retailers having secured all the stock.  In the long run, this will mean that shoppers are drawn to those specific retailers and other outlets suffer a drop in sales, possibly leading to closure.  This in turn forces more people towards those retailers with a significant online presence and the process starts again.

 

Is Hornby not simply protecting the smaller local supplier by trying to limit the influence of the larger internet suppliers?  They would be able to tell from the size of orders received whether the majority of sales are likely to be on the internet or by footfall.  For example, if I was a model shop in Alligin (look it up, it's near Torridon) and ordered 100 APTs, I am sure that Hornby would know that I was going to sell them all on line and not to passing trade.  If because of low overheads, I was able to sell at a discount and offer free extras, such as storage and postage, then I would be taking sales away from other shops.  Would anyone, as a manufacturer, want to aid the destruction of their seller network by assisting a few retailers to dominate the market? 

 

Once the seller network is destroyed, those few retailers remaining can then exert pressure to reduce the price they pay for Hornby's products, and Hornby have little option but to agree, as there are no local shops to sell to now, leading to a fall in income for Hornby, a reduction in research and new models and, eventually, the closing of the company.

 

Whilst I may not agree with exactly how Hornby are going around the process, and I do hope that there is a way that retailers can ask for a review of their tier placement, I can understand why Hornby feel the need to do something.

 

I have no personal experience of selling but my dad was a director of a small publishing company, which he and a few friends started from scratch, and I remember his complaints about major booksellers exerting pressure for more and more discounts, credit facilities etc. which they were unable to refuse due to the influence of those particular sellers in the market place.  This was in the days before internet sales when most people visited shops to buy books.  In the end, they had to sell the company as they could not make sufficient income to afford to pay staff as they got older and less able to do all the work themselves.  If certain retailers are allowed to get into a near monopoly position, then I am sure that exactly the same will happen in the model rail market.

 

I can understand why those that are used to ordering from Hattons are disappointed by Hornby's move, I do order from Hattons and Rails if a product is not available locally, but I can equally understand why Hornby feel that they have to prevent a small number of very large retailers dominating the market, to the detriment of others.

 

I apologies if my views upset anyone, that is not my intention, but any manufacturer has to protect their seller network if they want to survive.  

 

Regards

 

Roddy

That's precisely how Hornby would present the argument, but the converse is that they simply don't want any retailer getting/being big enough to stand up to them....

 

Get rid of them, make sure the medium-sized ones can't grow to replace them, and you can treat the rest exactly how you like. 

 

Moreover, putting a large, well-run and prosperous business like Hatton's under such pressure isn't without risk. Even before they arrive, it already seems clear that their generic 4-and-6-wheel coaches will be noticeably superior to the ones Hornby rushed to market in response to their announcement. It's also clear that the Hornby ones could have been rather better than they are, had they followed the normal development process.

 

A competitive attitude is good for all, a combative one often backfires. Placing Hatton's in a position where growing their own-brand range becomes necessary  rather than a business choice may not be altogether sensible. If nothing else, it will exacerbate the scrummage for scarce production capacity in China.  

 

John

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29 minutes ago, Edwardian said:

Well, first we had the decision to stop supplying Rails (frustrating many customer pre-orders).  That led me to the decision to scale back Hornby purchases because my appetite was simply taken away, I found, by the bad taste in my mouth; I was simply not motivated to re-order elsewhere. It's stopped me overdoing it on the Pecketts for one thing! 

 

Now Hattons appear to have been demoted, again frustrating many customer pre-orders. I hope those who excoriated Hattons over cancelled pre-orders will feel somewhat abashed and place the blame where it truly lies.

 

I haven't the patience for the platitudinous guff articulated in explanation for the tier system. It seems obvious from a mile away that this is a further way of sticking it to large retailers who have the temerity to commission their own models, which is evidently a weird and unattractive obsession of the current management that rather let's down all those fine and talented people in the Hornby workforce who, rather than engage in spiteful stupidity, simply get on producing some very fine products.  Their efforts, and a fine brand, for me, are being needlessly tarnished by egregious management antics. Once again.

 

Still, in the UK we're used to an integrity vacuum at the top, and, apparently, we don't much care.


Excellent summation with a neat and succinct turn of phrase. One minor point though.It was Rails decision unilaterally to cut ties with Hornby last August. Maybe that decision was taken with some prior experience of their relationship with Hornby ( and there is evidence of that ) and a certain amount of crystal grazing of what was to come. In other words...jump before you’re pushed. It appears to have been an astute move on their part. Ironically,the beautifully designed and equipped new store coupled with superb online service should have put them at the top of the tree and a flagship for Hornby. They have effectively alienated the two biggest names in UK retailing. One is left with the simple conclusion that they can’t handle anything that smells of competition .That seems the undeclared part of their marketing model. Such a shame 

 

 

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11 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

No, Hornby does not believe in learning from the lessons of history. They have taken on an expensive franchise space with John Lewis in Edinburgh.

 

8 hours ago, Widnes Model Centre said:

 

Once again Mike, you have distracted me from what l should be doing. In short, just told what Band we were in.

 

Excellent points raised. We have had numerous poor quality websites. We have been unlucky in our choices. We paid £7000 for an all singing and dancing website. It was more like a broken record. So much so the Director gave us all our money back. That’s how bad it was! Not sure why but he left and set up his own business. The current website he donated by way of an apology. He became a friend. 

 

We have been operating with an online presence for more than ten years. Mail order to us is picking up the telephone or answering an email. We have one customer who does write to us and that’s refreshing that people haven’t forgotten how to write a nice letter. 

 

We have a Facebook page with nearly 7,000 followers. We post regular updates and orders come flooding in, especially on Friday evening when we put any new arrivals into stock. The vast majority of which are collected very quickly. I know we spend less than a £100 a year on advertising, all on Facebook.

 

Proof of the pudding was during Lockdown. Notes stuck through the door, shop phone redirected to my mobile. Had to have it plugged in to keep the battery topped up. If l am being totally honest it was exhausting. It was practically 24/7 and often customers just wanted to talk. Especially those who were on their own. Financially it wasn’t great for the hours we were putting in, but it was something coming in rather than nothing. 

 

Blowing our our own Trumpet? Yes, because we were providing real customer service and at times it was real fun. Nothing can take away the pleasure of handing over a parcel with paints etc or whatever to a customer who hadn’t seen anyone for days, possibly months. 

 

You cant do that even with the best website in the world.

 

 

 

7 hours ago, Kaput said:

Since the subject of the Hornby "stand" in Edinburgh's John Lewis has came up...

 

It barely even counts as a stand, its literally a display case with the Flying Scotsman set running on an oval of train with some scenery (and it wasn't even working last weekend).

The only Hornby items for sale are 3 trainsets, Hogwarts Express, Scotsman and I think Eurostar.

 

It literally seems like a complete waste of space.

 

 

On the tier stuff, it really does look like Rails saw which way the wind was blowing last year after the first issues with preorders and decided to bail on their own accord.

 

 

Part of me would actually like it if the tier 3 retailers could take some legal action over the whole "The Tier 3 store, if there is one may also be poorly laid out, untidy and consequently uninviting." line as being a bit close to defamation/libel but alas I'm sure there isn't any actual legal grounds for a complaint.

 

 

Still, I bet there's lots of manufacturers out there that would love to be as secure as Hornby that they feel they can get away with cutting off one of their biggest retailers....what could possibly go wrong.

 

57 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

And that of Rails, even more so. I've only watched a virtual tour, but I'd think their show-room/store will compare extremely favourably with anything Hornby are likely to put into a John Lewis branch. 

 

Ooh, yet another penny has dropped...:jester:

 

John

 

 

 

 

Hmmm.

Purchasing model railway items from John Lewis or WMC/Hattons/Rails (and all the other similar businesses), somewhat of a no brainer for your "average railway modeller", bright lights and cabinets notwithstanding.

Having experienced this sort of thing in the plumbing trade a few years ago whereby some of the manufacturers gave the "big" end users got all the benefits , those manufacturers soon realised, through plumbers voting with their feet, that in actual fact the sole traders of the industry, when added together, actually bought more units than the big boys.

Little Johnnies impulse purchase in John Lewis won't be enough to keep Hornby afloat, despite what they seem to think.

 

Mike.

 

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27 minutes ago, Roddy Angus said:

.........................................

 

If a few retailers, with a significant internet presence, manage to corner the market by ordering large numbers of popular items, possibly even the whole run of a certain item, and can guarantee to have those orders fulfilled, then they are in a position to undercut local suppliers due to the economies of scale, or the item simply not being available locally due to those particular retailers having secured all the stock.  In the long run, this will mean that shoppers are drawn to those specific retailers and other outlets suffer a drop in sales, possibly leading to closure.  This in turn forces more people towards those retailers with a significant online presence and the process starts again.

 

Is Hornby not simply protecting the smaller local supplier by trying to limit the influence of the larger internet suppliers? ..........................................

 

The elephant in the room is regardless of tiers or not,  how would Hornby be attempting to protect smaller retailers if they had allocated most of a production run to but a few major retailers?   If actually protecting those smaller retailers then Hornby would be spreading the allocation of stock across both large and small retailers.  If a large retailer was able to secure a large proportion of stock to the detriment of others then is it the dealer at fault or the company in its oversupply of stock to that retailer?  Do not be fooled,  the tier system and the explanation letter are merely a bandaid solution to production issues we are not privvy to.  We will never know actual production numbers,  so eliminating the "big boys" and spreading their pre-ordered allocation to other more compliant stores is masking a problem.

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4 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

That's precisely how Hornby would present the argument, but the converse is that they simply don't want any retailer getting/being big enough to stand up to them....

 

Get rid of them, make sure the medium-sized ones can't grow to replace them, and you can treat the rest exactly how you like. 

 

Moreover, putting a large, well-run and prosperous business like Hatton's under such pressure isn't without risk. Even before they arrive, it already seems clear that their generic 4-and-6-wheel coaches will be noticeably superior to the ones Hornby rushed to market in response to their announcement. It's also clear that the Hornby ones could have been rather better than they are, had they followed the normal development process.

 

A competitive attitude is good for all, a combative one often backfires. Placing Hatton's in a position where growing their own-brand range becomes necessary  rather than a business choice may not be altogether sensible. If nothing else, it will exacerbate the scrummage for scarce production capacity in China.  

 

John

 

Imagine the future world where retailers with clout such as Hattons and Rails tie up with go ahead manufacturers like Accurascale and Revolution, who needs Hornby?

Spare capacity is becoming available in other countries, Vietnam, India etc, now that China is seen by some as a one trick pony, so volumes could rise again.

 

Mike.

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15 hours ago, Wilkins said:

Hello all

 

I have been reading this forum for many many years, but now feel compelled to make my first post. For better for worse, probably my last.

 

I have been following this thread with much interest and thought I would share a few observations and thoughts.

Several pages of this forum are dedicated to the financial performance of Hornby over a great many years, and one can clearly see the considerable troubles they have suffered for a prolonged period. I would suggest that if this was any other company, it would have disappeared into extinction many years ago. But it hasn't has it. Largely due to the personal association and affection many people in the UK and around the world have for it. The support it has enjoyed from many places and factions is unprecedented in my experience. Even today, I cannot see anyway that it will ever pay its debts back, but it still carries on trying to reimburse those bodies or persons who have kept the faith.

 

Throughout these pages of financial debate, it is clear the passion and affection we all have for the brand, and it is nice to read so many posts wishing Hornby well in the run up to and immediate period and after a financial statement is made from Margate. While not everyone extends their encouragement, I would say that the majority of people on the forum wish them well and come up with all sorts of ideas to try and help them reach good financial health.

 

I shall note here, that while many wish Hornby their best wishes, they also cheer the endless march of new entrants to the market, none of whom have the same cost base, railways may not be there main business or source of income. They can pick off a few items here and there while perhaps only incorporating two margins ( factory and themselves) into the final price. Hornby, and to some extent Farish, Peco and Bachmann are charged with funding a complete system for the newcomer and the enthusiast, they have at least 4 margins in their product, factory, themselves, an overseas distributor, and a store. ….. always seems to be overlooked when discussing price. The large manufacturers with their sales reps, their service departments, their consumer services help lines, their sponsorship of major industry events, their marketing teams who keep the hobby in the public psyche are never compared fairly in my own very humble opinion.

 

Many in the industry felt the great benefit of Great Model Railway challenge program, some thought that model railways on primetime TV was a bad thing. But who helped make that happen? The established manufacturers including Hornby and Gaugemaster I recall from the end credits.

 

One must surely appreciate that the industry has changed around Hornby these last 20 or so years, with the endless march of the internet, the loss of high street stores such as Woolworths, TRU, Beatties, and various department stores. Worse than that, Hornby also finds itself in competition with its own customers, who have built up a good business selling Hornby items over many years and are now using the fruit of those labours against and in competition to Hornby. Put yourself in their shoes just for one moment. Should Hornby just roll over and quietly slip away under palliative care, or should they act to protect themselves?

 

So, Hornby have made a change to their loss-making broken business model left over from at least 20 years ago. This has been decided at the highest levels, almost certainly at board level of their largest stakeholder, Phoenix (essentially their owner I guess) . Hornby have made this change to try and ensure their long-term survival, something as I say that is supported and welcomed on the appropriate pages on this forum. History will decide if it is the right or wrong thing to do, but at least Hornby are having a go. They are trying to ensure that Hornby is around for the next 100 years as well….. and now we castigate them for it.

 

At this point, I shall note that I do not see read protests from the vast majority of the much-cherished local model shops I often read about. I can see one statement from an online trader who I have never heard of, but that is the sum of it. I appreciate that it seems Hatton’s are sadly missing out and I feel for them, but I refer to my earlier point. Class 66, Genesis Coaches, small industrial steam shunter. Apologies if I have missed anything here, but I do not read posts of concern from a long list of actual model shop owners. They seem to be well “represented/supported” by their consumers here on this forum. There certainly is some smoke but I cannot see a multitude of fires burning at this stage.

 

Hornby felt they had to change, or they knew they could disappear. Ok, I have seen the new directors of Hornby renumeration in their accounts and the share options. But apart from that, I can see no hanky panky going on. All directors usually have an exit strategy to enjoy a long and luxurious retirement. All companies will adapt to change in the best way they see fit. Underlying the many pages on this thread is a company trying to do just that. We may not like it, and vote with our feet, but we should at least recognise the necessity and mind set.

 

What a funny lot we are. Many of the complainants here state they have cancelled all their orders and will never buy a model direct from Hornby but will announce on a joyous post they have ordered or brought direct, even paying up front, sometimes years in advance, for a Deltic or such like. Thank goodness for the safety net of Credit Card companies for those who poured money into APT’s or other crowd funding projects from whoever was being hailed as the “messiah of model railways” that particular year.

 

There you are, my first post, hope some like it and some hate it.


A very sensible post indeed and one that hits the nail on the head

 

14 hours ago, Widnes Model Centre said:

Having not read all the posts, we are willing to state our position.

 

We are in Tier 2. 

 

We stock Model Railways, Airfix, Scalextric, Humbrol and Corgi of the Hornby brands.

 

You will be very disappointed if you visit as we have no heritage or museum items on display. If Dan at Derails and ourselves compared ages, Dan would say... ‘you’re the museum pieces’. You have to laugh or we would end up in Tiers.

 

l know many on here have visited our shop. Do you think we are Tier 2 shop?

 

13 hours ago, Widnes Model Centre said:

Many thanks for your kind words.

 

Shop looks a bit different from the photo and when you last visited. We now have even more stock and a different layout, not to mention lots of Covid screens.

Tier2.jpg


Your shop looks lovely! If only I could order something from the website. Any plans to have a website for people to order from? I'm always on the lookout for new model shops.

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9 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Imagine the future world where retailers with clout such as Hattons and Rails tie up with go ahead manufacturers like Accurascale and Revolution, who needs Hornby?

Spare capacity is becoming available in other countries, Vietnam, India etc, now that China is seen by some as a one trick pony, so volumes could rise again.

 

Mike.

Also, of course, Hatton's already have a co-operative relationship with Heljan, and Rails with Dapol, both of which can probably be expanded with minimal negotiation.

 

If Hornby's actions are intended to stifle competition, I think they may prove ineffective!

 

John

 

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12 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

A word of advice guys: give up producing model railways and go in for politics. This sort of feeble c**p will find a much more gullible audience so much more easily.

 

What problem do you have with someone producing items that may,, very tangentially, compete with some of yours. Don't you think you are capable of dealing with that? Bit of a damning self-condemnation.

 

This all reminds me of Dawn French jumping into a puddle and finding that it is 5ft deep pothole.


Yikes, one would think that Hornby have taken away everything from you. I hope you succeed in single handedly taking down Hornby. :jester:

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11 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

Also, of course, Hatton's already have a co-operative relationship with Heljan, and Rails with Dapol, both of which can probably be expanded with minimal negotiation.

 

If Hornby's actions are intended to stifle competition, I think they may prove ineffective!

 

John

 

 

Plus Hatton's direct relationship with China (P, Barclay, Genesis), and Rails with Bachmann (812, Precedent) and Heljan (18000, NE railcar).

 

 

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1 hour ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

 

So, Hatton's (tier 3), is not a "well run shop that offer a rich customer experience"? I have only seen the pics, not having been to Merseyside for a good many years. Looks pretty good to me.

 

 

 

Quite honestly it's pretty poor, more like an Argos or Screwfix few items on display lots of floorspace to wander around after you have looked at the 3 or 4 display cases, and re examined the low value scenics they actually had on display.

 

If they assessed the staff member we dealt with then Hattons deserve the low rate, he constantly refused to make eye contact or acknowledge my partner who was paying for my Christmas presents, when she asked him a question or passed comment he either ignored her or answered me. The whole experience was like a bizarre twist of the Fawlty Towers Hotel Inspector episode involving Bernard Cribbins.

 

By contrast at Chester Model Centre we were both made welcome and treated well, despite not purchasing anything as they had no stock of what I was looking for. 

 

If we are on that area again then certainly WMC will be our first port of call.

 

 

 

 

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31 minutes ago, MGR Hooper! said:


A very sensible post indeed and one that hits the nail on the head

 

 


Your shop looks lovely! If only I could order something from the website. Any plans to have a website for people to order from? I'm always on the lookout for new model shops.

Ive ordered from Widnes, via phone and email, and via pm on here.

Barrys a really good guy to talk with as well.

theres little stopping you.

 

 

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9 minutes ago, cbrooks122000 said:

Does that mean that if other retailers get too big, they too will get relegated. 

 

Become a competitor is more like it. It's pretty clear from the press release that thou shalt not commission products that are in competition with Hornby's territory.

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1 hour ago, Markwj said:

Did hattons know what tier they were in and the implications before or after the 2021 launch. The difference being they took pre orders knowing they may have difficulty fulfilling them being in tier 3 or did Hornby bring in the tier system after orders had been placed?

Also were they prompt in cancelling my pre orders when they knew which tier they were in?

It appears from earlier pages in the thread and a post from Trains4U I think. it started after the range launch in January.

 

Looks like they placed their orders and then the tier system came in and their allocations then got cut either in one go (and they just staggered customers cancellations). Or bit by bit as they cancelled people's orders. 

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One thought, but John Lewis..


 

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Tier 1 relates to those retailers that amongst other things maintain a clean and well laid out store and who promote several if not all of the Hornby Hobbies ranges, which includes as well as Hornby railways, Scalextric, Airfix, Humbrol and Corgi. These retailers invariably have an effective website and mail order service but more importantly they would also be able to provide help and guidance to their customers.

Does that mean JL will be selling all accessories, providing spare parts support, repairs and advice to building a layout ?

Has JL put out job adverts for railway modelling skills ?

 

if Hornby has achieved that level of deal with JL, then the Tiering system probably is justified and fair. If not... hmm.

Edited by adb968008
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