Hornby cuts model shops' allocations of items due summer 2022

[Mel_H]

I've not found this anywhere else, so it's just for information.

 

Derails telephoned me to say that my order for R3978 (the rebuilt W1 in fictitious LNER grey livery) has been cancelled as Hornby has cut dealer allocations.

 

Of the 37 they had on order, they have been allocated just 1 (one), but they are still available to order (full price) from Hornby's website.

 

In my case, funds are currently tight so it's handy. However, there may be others who really want it, in which case you have a decision to make 'while stocks last'.

 

I don't know how many other retailers are affected, or indeed which other models due for delivery this summer are now in shorter numbers. Does anyone have a list of the 'cuts' from Hornby?

 

[Bucoops]

There's a bit about it here, but yes I think it deserves more publicity.

 

 

Utterly disgusting treatment of resellers and customers by Hornby.

 

[spamcan61]

2 minutes ago, Bucoops said:

There's a bit about it here, but yes I think it deserves more publicity.

 

 

Utterly disgusting treatment of resellers and customers by Hornby.

 

Presumably this is the "digital transformation" they were banging on about in a press release. I'll not buy anything from their web site, ever. Not that that will impact their financials much!

[Bucoops]

3 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

Presumably this is the "digital transformation" they were banging on about in a press release. I'll not buy anything from their web site, ever. Not that that will impact their financials much!

 

Likewise. I only had 1 pre-order with them, but have cancelled it. It helps that Isinglass will be doing a kit at some point so would rather my money go there instead.

 

They promised this tier thing would benefit tier 1 suppliers - well that lasted long.

 

 

[The Stationmaster]

Maybe 'Tier 1' actually means the retailer will get one?  

For a company which needs to sell models in order to boost revenue in order to achieve profitability Hornby don't seem to be doing a very clever job.

[Matt C]

Posted the below comments in the Duplo thread but think its just as appropriate here :-

 

"I was chatting with a tier one stockist a few weeks ago who said they have quite frankly 'given up' on Hornby. They no longer take pre orders from customers for Hornby Items as the only time they know what allocation they will ACTUALLY recieve, is when the invoice hits them a couple of days before delivery.

 

They will add you to a list, make absolutely no promises, and will start contacting customers once stock is in the shop to say yay or Nay. I also noticed while in the shop that the displays have changed drastically, Bachmann, Accurascale and other manufacturers/ supplier's display space has increased and Hornby's has shrunk by two thirds and seamed to be mainly scenics, wagon sets and carriages with few Locos. They are actively promoting those other suppliers/ manufacturers.

 

Sad to say I think Hornby are doing themselves no favours with these retailers who are having to watch a mainstream manufacturer/ Distributor cut into their livelihood, take away profit and still expect them to act as a local ' shop window' and promoter of Hornby products."

 

 

 

[Gilbert]

This just leaves a sour taste - I'm sorry to hear Derails - who have excellent customer service - have been treated this way.

[DCB]

Hornby aren't going to sell things at a discount to a dealer when they can sell direct to the public at full price are they?  I am sure dealers can expect their full allocation of unpopular models.   It just amazes me that so many people  anybody  would want such a niche loco in a fictitious livery.  

[Hroth]

Hey ho. They're at it again.

 

Rule of thumb. Take a fiver off the price on the Hornby website (approx the amount ordinary suppliers charge for delivery) and if its still more expensive than quoted for elsewhere then don't bother.  If you can't get the model from ordinary suppliers because Hornby have denied them product, then don't bother.

 

If enough potential purchasers email Hornby because they can't get a model from an ordinary supplier because of this Hornby action, perhaps Hornby will get the message.

 

Perhaps...

 

 

[wombatofludham]

1 hour ago, spamcan61 said:

Presumably this is the "digital transformation" they were banging on about in a press release. I'll not buy anything from their web site, ever. Not that that will impact their financials much!

I don't know.  I'm old enough to have been part of "generation boycott" who began to stop buying things due to some problem or other back in the 1980s when I was a semi-radical student.  Whilst I wouldn't be so crass as to suggest not buying Cape apples got Nelson Mandela released, the tuna boycott did push supermarkets into insisting on "dolphin friendly" tuna being produced by their suppliers, and of course the mass boycott in the US of Exxon following their botched clean-up of Alaska following an oil spill did affect their sales sufficiently to actually get them to do something about it.

So, if enough of us really do care about supporting our great retailers there's no harm in stopping buying Hornby, and today with social media, such action can be spread much more quickly.  Being a relatively small group of consumers (model railway enthusiasts modelling OO in the UK) and given Hornby's need to maximise sales, even a relatively small boycott could actually have a larger impact than you would think.  They are already over £700 down from me, most of which has gone to Denmark as it happens.

Sorry to get a bit controversial but I do think that their behaviour is out of order and should have consequences.

[Legend]

But it’s basic . If you (Hornby) accept an order from someone then I think they have an obligation to fulfil it . Not cut orders from 37 to 1 . Plainly ludicrous . The way they are doing business stinks .

 

 

 

 

[gwrrob]

4 minutes ago, Legend said:

 The way they are doing business stinks .

 

 

And a nasty company at that.

[SHMD]

1 hour ago, DCB said:

Hornby aren't going to sell things at a discount to a dealer when they can sell direct to the public at full price are they?  I am sure dealers can expect their full allocation of unpopular models.   It just amazes me that so many people  anybody  would want such a niche loco in a fictitious livery.  

 

They should if they have a bl00dy contract - even if it is a "gentleman's agreement", (Pah!), or especially if it is written out in the "small print".

 

I wont touch Hornby unless it's on the shelf (in a shop) - and even then I make sure there isn't an alternative.

 

 

Kev.

 

[Hilux5972]

I agree that Hornby are being a bit underhanded about the way they do business. Allocation of 37 down to 1 is insane. But at the same time, if they make a model of something I really want, I’ll buy direct from them.
Local model shops are still very good for knowledge, scenery supplies etc, but if they can’t get a model I’m after, I’ll buy direct. 

[SHMD]

...if there is no " low hung fruit", (for the excellent service that retailers do), and they are left only with "hard movers" - why would they do business with ""them"" ?

 

Some retailers have already jumped ship.

I can only see this as a short term gain for "H".

 

 

Kev.

 

[Legend]

1 hour ago, Hilux5972 said:

I agree that Hornby are being a bit underhanded about the way they do business. Allocation of 37 down to 1 is insane. But at the same time, if they make a model of something I really want, I’ll buy direct from them.
Local model shops are still very good for knowledge, scenery supplies etc, but if they can’t get a model I’m after, I’ll buy direct. 

I’d probably do the same if it’s something I really want - like a class 303 blue  train .  But there are alternatives out there now for the “nice to haves” and I’m not giving such a reprehensible company my business . I’ve cancelled Coronation coaches that would have been nice to have but probably only see the light of day on my layout every couple of years or so . Much rather give my money to a more deserving company . 

Edited July 3, 2022 by Legend

[Hroth]

Thing is, if I actually want a Hornby model, I can't buy from retailers who have "jumped ship" because of Hornby attitudes, I can't buy from retailers who have had "allocations" dropped to meaningless levels and I refuse to buy direct from Hornby at RRP, even if they offer "free delivery".

 

So I don't get a model and actually save myself some money!

 

And then there are the constantly moving delivery dates for some models...  An encouragement not to pre-order anyway!

 

[johndon]

Same happened with my order for the as built W1, my local model shop had 10 on pre-order and, just before they were released, Hornby told them they were only getting 1 so I didn't get one as, given the cancellation, I wasn't prepared to go direct to Hornby.

[Markwj]

I have a few Hornby pre- orders dotted across a few shops -if they are cancelled I think I just won't bother- am getting to the point of being saturated with stock anyway and have most of what I want. 

Mark

[RANGERS]

Look on the bright side of this, if enough people ignore availability of the models direct from Hornby that retailers can’t access, sooner or later the unsold stock will be burning a hole in Hornby’s bank balance and it’ll be offered to the retail trade at a hefty discount!

[cctransuk]

For the life of me, I can't see why Hornby don't declare themselves a Direct Sales Only Outlet.

 

...... or perhaps they're waiting for the retail trade to make the declaration for them?!?

 

CJI.

[Bilbo]

So if I want one of those 36 locos that Derails aren't going to get I either buy direct or wait until they don't sell out and get a bargain from the inevitable Hattons Sale which seem to be the norm now. For a dealer that people reckon isn't a Tier 1 Hattons recently have been getting a lot of stock to sell off for Hornby.

Personally I think the whole Marketing Department including the Director should be sacked and Hornby should go back to the way they were many years ago when we all trusted them. This strategy is only going to end in Tears (and it won't be ours) and it could easily end up with Administrators being appointed.All this in a week or so when many on here have been extolling the super service and products of one newish company who have produced what many on here regard as the "definitive deltic" Eat your heart out Hornby.

Edited July 3, 2022 by Bilbo

[64F]

What strikes me about this is the apparent absence of a business strategy here.  If there was a coherent plan to move primarily to direct sales then that should have been clearly communicated to dealers and staff and then publicly announced at a sensible time (i.e. before the annual range announcement) .  There would have been flack from people unhappy with the change, but everyone would know what was happening and it would be over and done with quickly so people would adjust to it.

 

But is that the strategy?  We don't really know.  There's been no communication from Hornby, mixed messages about the role of dealers, and continual disruptive changes which could almost have been calculated to antagonise everyone involved.  The shambolic mid-year introduction of the tier system last year suggested that they wanted to support "high end" retailers who stocked the full range of Hornby products from high quality shop premises, whilst de-prioritising the smaller shops and the box-shifters.  A few months on and they lay off all their sales reps, undermining relations with dealers of all tiers, and presumably not planned when the tiers were introduced (as if it had been, why the delay?).  Now, another change whereby even the Tier 1 dealers are having the rug pulled out from under them, suggesting that the tier system has either changed again or been abandoned.  And once again it is a disgraceful mid-year shambles where customers are left with no idea whether they are likely to receive any of their pre-orders, and the dealers are left to take the flack and suffer a loss of credibility for something which is entirely Hornby's fault.

 

Evidently Hornby don't value their dealers, but the timing and the complete absence of communication suggests that their customers are not valued either.  A healthy company does not behave like this.  Hornby seem to have a calculated arrogance in some of their business dealings (e.g. Titfieldgate), but even so these constant changes smack of emergency measures.  Sadly, I get the impression of a company which is circling the drain.

Edited July 3, 2022 by 64F

[PaulRhB]

It’s about time Hornby decided a sales policy and stopped mucking customers about. 
They aren’t even trying to repair the damage of Titgate, just ploughing deeper into irritating the shops and customers. They said they’d be consolidating and making sure people get what they want yet we are seeing more models slipping back to 2023 and others being forced towards their website. I doubt I’ll see the IWC pack I ordered from my local and frankly I think I’ll cancel the coaches still on order with Hornby just because I’m fed up with their attitude. I thought an alternative set would be nice to have but I think I’ll buy something else instead like sound chips. 
I already didn’t bother with a second APT after their YouTube claim the second will be a revamped model.
What arrogance at the top, and what a shame to sink so low.

[Widnes Model Centre]

The Tier System what exactly is it? 
 

We remain in Tier 2, despite appealing again and again. We were due to be reviewed last month or was it the month before? Nothing heard. 
 

The original Tier Criterion was to sell Hornby, Airfix, Humbrol and Scalextric. We do. From what we are told by other shops, they only sell Hornby and they are Tier 1. Then we were told we needed to order more direct from Hornby and not to buy from wholesalers. So it’s not just retailers but wholesalers that appear to be targeted . Order more? We are given allocations of one loco. We can order more if there’s any left over. 

 

Then we had Humbrol enamels, illegal to sell in the UK. Return all your old stock and we will dispose of it free of charge. No compensation. No way says l. Then l provided all the evidence to Hornby to prove it was legal to sell in the UK. All through my own research with governing bodies and specialists. Result, Humbrol enamels can be sold in the UK. Why did it take a Tier 2 retailer to point out they had got it wrong? How much did l actually save Hornby or had they by that time already destroyed their stock of enamels because someone didn’t understand the regulations? 
 

As l have already said elsewhere on this forum we have never had it so bad. Only last week l heard from an exasperated retailer who had just had over £88,000 of cuts from his preorders. He asked, ‘what are they trying to do, put us out of business’. He believes he knows the answer.