Guest Gavw Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Looking at the shocking availability of ANY of the versions of the P2, did Hornby not think that it MAY be a popular model? They seem to have been taken completely unaware of the potential for this model. For a model to go Out of Stock practically everywhere smacks of poor market judgement. I know that there have been issues with supply from China but this does not just seem to be a problem with this model given the number of "out of stock" items on their own website, Is there ANY indication of when they may have any more in stock? I cannot find any information from Hornby and given how popular ths has been surely any company would get another batch out with the economic situation the way it is. I can't see why they are not shipping more over - or even saying more stock in 3 months or whatever! Surely ANY information would be good rather than just saying "OOS" on the site? I think Hornby have seriously underestimated how popular this model would be! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Hornby were taking a huge risk on this one and would have been foolish to over-produce and be left with loads on the shelves. Makes sense to me to produce enough to cover costs and make some profit, the tools etc are available for another run (when the real one gets finished?), or possibly a Bugatti-front variant. Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveb860 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 So have you inquired at Hornby, and registered your interest in another run. If you don't tell them, just how are they able to estimate demand? Surely it is better their model sells out, than having money tied up in unwanted stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gavw Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Faint heart never won fair lady.......You don't take a risk and you don't make any money. Hornby know (I hope) what they are doing but seem, for whatever reason - to have been wrong footed completely on this one. ALL three models have sold out. Now if I were running Hornby I would be seriously thinking about a re-order and letting the trade/press know about it. But as afer as I can see - silence! Now that is not good business in anyones books! Once they saw how many pre orders they were, and they now know how popular it is, they should be restocking asap. I don't think a small run (as this seems to be) will cover much of the tooling/initial production costs unless the mark up was huge on each model - and that is information that may be impossible to find out. You don't see Ford/GM not forecasting delivery dates for any models they have sold out of - unless they are discontinuing them! SURELY Hornby should have some idea of when these are likely to be back in stock? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Ages ago, when the P2 was first announced, I requested Hattons to notify me when the RR version came into stock. Soon after that, I buckled and pre-ordered one. Eventually, the pre-ordered one arrived and its a very good loco, but I never received any "notifications"... Until last week, that is, when they notified me that Hornby had delisted it! I suppose the situation is that Hornby have covered costs and made a profit on the current production runs (Railroad, TTS and main range), and there are the recently announced 2015 products and held over products from 2014 that are now a higher priority than a re-run for the P2 at present, at whatever detail level. We might see more activity as "Prince of Wales" nears completion, and if, as has been suggested, a "bugatti" snouted variant is in the pipeline for 2016. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gavw Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 So have you inquired at Hornby, and registered your interest in another run. If you don't tell them, just how are they able to estimate demand? Surely it is better their model sells out, than having money tied up in unwanted stock. Have you tried contacting any companies lately? They don't have any phone numbers, you cannot get through to anyone that can do anything. AS I have said, with a new product that sold out as soon as this has surely at least the main Hornby site should have information about likely availability. A £100 model would cost around £25 - 30 to produce given what I understand to be expected profit margins so not quite as expensive to have on shelf (for the producer at least, if not the local stockist) as one may think - and you don't make money on not having stock on the shelf to sell.......... If you have no stock, you don't make money. You cannot just order up individual items as a sale comes along! If a company advertises a product (and this was NOT a limited edtion despite what seems to have occured) then it is not unreasonable to expect the parent company to have reasonable levels of stock available for distribution. Hornby have been caught unawares about this (and other models) and I am led to believe that manufacture may be brought back to the UK (Although I could be worng about this) leading Hornby to have more control over production. While China did lower production costs initially, prices have risen and this and the distance involved (not in transport as this is a few pence per loco as they transport in containers) has made it harder to control all aspects of production. This one instance shows that the 1980s ethos of farming out production to a country where it is cheaper doesn't always work. Once they have the business they ramp up the costs and you are then caught over a barrel! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 There are still some available if you do a search. I doubt if any others will be made in the short term. C of N is no more popular than any of their other locos, they all virtually sell out on release. There is a very fine line between selling out and being stuck with non sellers. C of N is a one off loco and therefore a limited market. As to comms from Hornby forget it , all you get is spin and rumour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted January 5, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2015 Have you tried contacting any companies lately? They don't have any phone numbers, A simple click of the mouse brings this page up http://www.Hornby.com/contact Contact them and let us know how you get on telling them how to restructure their business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exet1095 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 From the last week, just wandering around: All three versions in stock at Harrod's, all at RRP, but in stock. Two versions in stock in Craft Cymru in Porthmadog. Ditto Boswell's in Oxford. Not hard to find yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted January 5, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 5, 2015 There is one due this year in R1183 Master of the Glens train set. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gavw Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 From the last week, just wandering around: All three versions in stock at Harrod's, all at RRP, but in stock. Two versions in stock in Craft Cymru in Porthmadog. Ditto Boswell's in Oxford. Not hard to find yet. Thanks for that - a sensible reply!! If locos "sell out" on release surely they are not making quite enough in the first run. Better to have a few left over (given the low production cost versus the retail cost) than not have enough and have disatisfied customers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks for that - a sensible reply!! If locos "sell out" on release surely they are not making quite enough in the first run. Better to have a few left over (given the low production cost versus the retail cost) than not have enough and have disatisfied customers. Sorry and before you stick your head above the parapet anymore , as I said and others you can still buy one if you want one. [Admin edit: referred to post and language used within it by other poster now removed] Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted January 5, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 5, 2015 Thanks for that - a sensible reply!! If locos "sell out" on release surely they are not making quite enough in the first run. Better to have a few left over (given the low production cost versus the retail cost) than not have enough and have disatisfied customers. Money left sitting on the shelves......yep that's a smart business move. Please provide evidence rather than hearsay of production costs to support your statement given the low production cost versus the retail cost When elsewhere the Hornby knockers are moaning about them undercutting model shops and selling at less than trade price. Had a reply from Hornby yet ? you might get a sarcastic one judging by your previous posts. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
49395 Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 If you look at the bottom of the linked page there is a phone number Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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