Walthers reaches out...

[SkipGear]

I found this interesting. It appears that Walthers is starting to embrace the internet more and more. Recent videos on YouTube and an appearance on Facebook seem to be just the start.

A post was made over on TrainBoard by Phil Walthers in a discussion about the yearly catalogs.

http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=113900&page=2

It appears they are watching. Might there be hope yet?

[asarge]

I don't participate in TB, but I hope the N scalers hit 'em hard. Wish somebody could beat their PD People sensless until they start offereing a little more in N scale.

It is an interesting development.

[SkipGear]

What I found most interesting is that it was Phil Walthers, not a PR guy or somebody from the sales department.  Straight from the horses mouth so to say.

[Mark5]

They're probably trying to get a better handle on the HO market ...

[CVSNE]

The last sales flyer I got from Walthers featured a rather large (compared with previous flyers) N scale section - so maybe they are finally getting around to realizing N scale is a growth opportunity.

[asciibaron]

in a recession, no way

[Bob Bufkin]

I get their flyers and their website.  Don't remember the last time I bought anything from them.  I've always considered their prices to be higher than most.

[Mark5]

The last sales flyer I got from Walthers featured a rather large (compared with previous flyers) N scale section - so maybe they are finally getting around to realizing N scale is a growth opportunity.

Lemme guess -  a page and a half?

[Packer]

I get their flyers and their website.  Don't remember the last time I bought anything from them.  I've always considered their prices to be higher than most.

They charge full MSRP. The only time I buy is if they have something I want at a good price. I've only bougthen a pair of platinum line bay window cabooses, for $30 (close to 50%).

They could reach out to us by discounting prices more often, and adjusting their prices. $23+ for a frieght car that is just a rehash of a kit with metal wheels and couplers is a tad insane.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Of course they charge MSRP on their site, that's because, they're a manufacturer. That's what Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price means.

The fact that so much model train stuff is retailed at a discount significantly below that has always been one of the things about the industry that puzzles me whenever I think about it.

[oakcreekco]

Who's Walthers :

[Blazeman]

There have been some pretty good prices from time to time on Walthers structures in N.

Jut have to keep in touch with their site each week for the specials.

[amato1969]

Sure the prices are listed at MSRP, but I support my LHS, where I get a discount.

[CVSNE]

Actually, the flyer includes announcements of new items (at MSRP) and a number of items with sale prices. I don't have it here at the office to give specific examples. The flyers (which come out monthly or bi-monthy I think) are different from the annual catalog.

[asarge]

Walthers has brought back the preorder flyers for dealers THANK GOD! Now instead of getting a booklet once a year, we get an announcement sheet every other month to pre-order off of. That helps delaers an awful lot and gives waltehrs some sort of structure to estimate production.