Is ordering directly from Hornby the best option?

[30801]

43 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

 (Although I won't be buying any of their Black 5s until I've seen that they are proved capable of correctly matching running numbers with the correct boiler and detail fittings because Black 5 are even worse than Western engines for their detail variations.)

By the time you've seen that they'll have probably sold out...

[wairoa]

I generally prefer retailers and until the APT I had never ordered from Hornby directly. Initially I had the APT or order with Hornby USA, but they cancelled it. I then ordered with TMC but grew fearful that Hornby may pull a fast one as they had with other retailers. So I finally ordered with Hornby UK. 

 

I have to say the Hornby UK online store was the cheapest option for me. Even cheaper than when I first ordered from the Hornby USA website. 

 

In the future I will continue to buy most of my items from retailers rather than directly from the manufacturers as I trust the likes of Rails, TMC and Hattons etc more than I do the model makers. In saying that I would certainly order directly from Hornby again as my experience with the APT was positive overall.

[rob D2]

This policy from Hornby must be costing a massive toll on lost goodwill from retailers , never underestimate the value of “ hearts and minds “

[Dagworth]

7 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Think about going into, or contacting, your regular retailer to ask for a couple of bits of track and a packet of rail joiners and when he asks if you're interested in buying the new Dean Single set because he has some in stock you have to tell him that you got yours 'direct' from Hornby.  I doubt you'd be offered a cuppa after that conversation.

I've only ordered from Hornby direct after my local shop confirmed they were unable to get any more NDMs for my APT. Always prefer going into a shop/exhibition and handing over my payment and getting my purchase in my hand immediately. Can't imagine my local shop offering me a cuppa though!

 

Andi

[stonojnr]

well Ive never been offered a cuppa by any shop Ive spent money in, and really its not what Im looking for from a model railway shop anyway, I remember my local retailer, since closed a while back and you can draw your own conclusions as to why it closed from this, but who you could never get near the cash desk to ask for help or query a product, or even order something, because it was always blocked by the owners friends who were just there hanging out to have a chinwag, maybe they provide a cuppa too for them I dont know, it put me off shopping there, so I didnt stay around and I ordered my stuff from Hattons instead, as I knew what I wanted, I can make my own tea, and Hattons always had what I wanted,were always willing to help, packed it well and I never had any issue with any of the stuff I bought from them.

 

obviously I cant really use Hattons for Hornby stuff anymore, so I rely on others like Kernow who I currently have a 91 on order with.

 

For the APT I had to order from Hornby direct, because nowhere else had any for sale by the time I committed to it, and Ive followed up with Hornby for some orders from the 2022 catalogue again simply for lack of availability elsewhere, and feeling a bit spooked by double price rises which felt a risk without guaranteed commitment to a price up front.

 

but personally Id say buy from whoever best suits your circumstances, no one can tell you that you should only buy one way from one kind of shop.

 

are Hornby doing the right thing by competing against retailers selling their products ? time will tell, but I dont blame them for recognising that bricks & mortar shops arent the absolute be all and end all thesedays at a time when you can go online and instantly deal with a company hundreds, if not thousands for the non UK based customers, miles away.

 

 

[SamThomas]

19 hours ago, Geep7 said:

I'd forgotten about Gaugemaster, however, having just looked, if price was a factor, I wouldn't be saving much by ordering from them than direct. I would be saving 4p, at current pre-order price of course.

You can always ask any GM stockist for a price - they will often be cheaper than GM even if they buy through GM - just need to find a stockist that will "play ball" & stick with them - who knows, they may even throw in a teabag.

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, scumcat said:

My local shop was like that when Norman ran it but he died and it moved  to an industrial estate in Widnes and  became a box shifter.

 

Became a "boxshifter"* back in the 1970s I'm afraid, when Norman was running it. They were selling vastly more stuff by mail order from adverts in RM than they were to a few old blokes looking for old Hornby Dublo and Triang (which seemed like the usual clientele every time I visited).

 

it may have missed your notice but they had a larger store further up the road for about twenty years before moving to Widnes. Now a hipster/student tea/wine bar.

 

https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/hattons-model-railways-moves-out-10767754

 

Also worth pointing out the shop part in the Widnes store is still vastly bigger and carries more stock than the vast majority of model shops in the UK. 

 

Another thing is Hattons never sold any of the other materials for building model railways. Apart from a few K's Kits and narrow gauge everything was RTR. If you wanted layout building stuff or kits then you had to go elsewhere, usually City Models, Hobbies or Beatties.

 

 

 

*Awful, derogatory term IMHO

 

 

Jason

Edited January 26, 2022 by Steamport Southport

[30801]

On 24/01/2022 at 23:03, rob D2 said:

This policy from Hornby must be costing a massive toll on lost goodwill from retailers , never underestimate the value of “ hearts and minds “

 

Just been to the LMS for a grumble about Hornby. Only being able to order one of a wagon in particular being regarded as a bit pointless.

[Legend]

2 hours ago, 30801 said:

 

Just been to the LMS for a grumble about Hornby. Only being able to order one of a wagon in particular being regarded as a bit pointless.

 

I think it also demonstrates the complete lack of understanding Hornby have for the market of this model, and probably modern freight stock .  A company that is still strapped for cash is really missing out here . Very poor marketing 

[30801]

14 minutes ago, Legend said:

 

I think it also demonstrates the complete lack of understanding Hornby have for the market of this model, and probably modern freight stock .  A company that is still strapped for cash is really missing out here . Very poor marketing 

 

Their feeling was that Hornby are using retailers as a shop window rather than a real outlet.

[Legend]

2 hours ago, 30801 said:

 

Their feeling was that Hornby are using retailers as a shop window rather than a real outlet.

 Never thought of that ………but you know that makes sense !  Rapidly turning into a deplorable company . 

[simmo009]

If it's something you 'must have' then I would say yes. With the proviso that they continue to honour the launch price irrespective of delivery date. Any price increase applied will wipe out whatever discount you get from your preferred retailer, who will, as an added bonus, probably not get enough of any item to fulfill your order anyway. Delivery dates and order allocations. Are these decided on Friday afternoons,  after lunchtime drinks, with the assistance of a customised revolving dartboard?

[Widnes Model Centre]

4 hours ago, scumcat said:

Yep I agree. I started going there when I was six I’m 54 now. I remember the staff having to check an up to date railway modeller on the counter for the prices. I most remember them splitting things ie sets and locos. I remember needing a Hornby tender drive to replace an airfix one because it was better quality, no problem a box was opened and the  tender sold to me. the rest went into the cabinet for selling later on. Once the business went to Keith and Christine and moved  to those larger premises in smithdown road I feel it lost a lot of that personal touch

 

i agree on the term that offends you also

 

When l started going to Hattons, l only ever recall Norman being there. It was the original shop in Smithdown Road. That would be 50+ years ago. Lived around the corner and went most Saturdays. 

Absolutely loved that shop.

Probably Norman’s fault l have my own shop. The fear of going in, overcome by excitement.

[30801]

Just saw this video from Rocket Railways who featured in the Hornby TV programme being given a new APT to look at,

Would Hornby actually sell them any APTs to stock in their shop?

Tier 3 mate. Jog on.

 

 

[AY Mod]

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/765/Hornby-2022-Range

 

Quote

Hornby 2022 Range

 

The Hornby 2022 Range was shown in this section. It was announced on 10th January and also includes previously-announced items that have not yet arrived from the 2020 and 2021 range.

We were given an allocation for many new items at the launch date, and then given an increased allocation on some of these items shortly afterwards. On 8th February we were advised that those allocations have since been reduced. We have decided that there is little point in us taking pre-orders on this basis as we never know how many items we will actually receive until we receive the invoice!

We wil only contact customers about existing pre-orders if necessary to do so.

 

There are no products in this category

 

[multivac]

Seems odd that Hornby will only sell to certain retailers. If a retailer can provide service, then surely Hornby are losing out on sales?

[Paul.Uni]

[Legend]

38 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/765/Hornby-2022-Range

 

 

 

Wow . Thats appalling  but well done Kernow who obviously care about their customers 

[spamcan61]

1 hour ago, multivac said:

Seems odd that Hornby will only sell to certain retailers. If a retailer can provide service, then surely Hornby are losing out on sales?

Because they, presumably, haven't made / ordered enough to go round, hence the whole farcical 'tiers' system.

Edited February 8, 2022 by spamcan61

[Trofimow]

I do wonder why Hornby bother to continue in business when they make it next to impossible to buy or to sell their products, even if you wanted to....

[leavesontheline]

2 hours ago, AY Mod said:

https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/765/Hornby-2022-Range

 

 

 

Poor retailers must be completely pulling their hair out by now, whatever 'tier' they were put in!

[micklner]

33 minutes ago, Trofimow said:

I do wonder why Hornby bother to continue in business when they make it next to impossible to buy or to sell their products, even if you wanted to....

A very simple and obvious plan Hornby are now using .

 

Exclude other dealers ,who are now making rival products, and restrict sales and item numbers to shops that are still in business , using a so called Tier system they have invented,  and also at the same time restrict any selling discounts that can be offered by the shops . Hornby after all those  restrictions to other vendors , then hope you will always  buy direct from them.

 

Result No 1 ? .The vast majority (if not all) of the profit is  Hornby's, at the same time make small runs of goods , to guarantee they all sell out very quickly, and at the same time they seem to be producing zero spares for recent releases.

 

Result No 2? . No spares ?. They then hope then people will go and buy whatever they are then selling in the future, to replace what are then useless Hornby items, when they break or more likely fall to bits after a short time of use.

 

Total Aim by Hornby. If all above it works even more  money and all the profit for Hornby.

 

It would not surprise me, the way they are operating that the time will soon be here, when you can only buy direct from Hornby .

 

That is without Hornby current idea of trying to muscle in on other sellers ideas and Innovations.

 

First .The Terrier saga with Rails , fighting over sales of a tiny Tank engine.

 

Now a very much more prominent and potentially very expensive venture for Hornby ,of copying/breaching Copyright  of  Rapido's Titfield Thunderbolt.

Edited February 8, 2022 by micklner

[Trofimow]

10 minutes ago, micklner said:

Result No 1 ? .The vast majority (if not all) of the profit is  Hornby's, at the same time make small runs of goods , to guarantee they all sell out very quickly, and at the same time they seem to be producing zero spares for recent releases.

 

Result No 2? . No spares ?. They then hope then people will go and buy whatever they are then selling in the future, to replace what are then useless Hornby items, when they break or more likely fall to bits after a short time of use.

 

Result No 3? Previous customers no longer feel valued by the business and vote with their feet.

[Markwj]

Just wow -Hornby are pushing us to order direct- Kernow were the only tier 1 shop I was aware of and now even they are being shafted! Does Hornby's right hand know what it's left hand is doing?

[newbryford]

8 hours ago, Trofimow said:

I do wonder why Hornby bother to continue in business when they make it next to impossible to buy or to sell their products, even if you wanted to....

 

They carry on because of their recent docusoap painting them as the "good guys hard done by".

 

I got very fed up of my non-railway model friends siding with Hornby after each weekly farce episode.

It didn't long for me to express the view from the modeller's my side of the fence.

 

Unfortunately, to the majority of the public, model railways are "Hornby" and no-one else exists.

It seems to me that Hornby also have that same blinkered view.

 

It is a shame, as they have been capable of turning out superb models - the 60 and 08 in particular from a diesel perspective. - but they now seem to have lost their way and are floundering around acting like a near-fatally wounded animal.