Change of Announcement process from Kato USA

[Ian MacMillan]

Does the announcement of the change of announcement count as an announcement?

You will find out next week if it is on modeltrainstuff.com announcing that the announcement is available for handling.

[rogergperkins]

"Kato USA is currently in the process of changing its announcement procedures. Instead of taking pre-orders 3-4 months in advance of a product shipping, we will now be announcing and opening orders once products have completed production, one month before they arrive in the US so that we can provide product photographs and complete and accurate product details for you and remove any guesswork from the ordering process; you will be able to see the actual, real model that you will be (sic) recieving, and because the products will be done before they are announced you can be confident that they will be available in hobby stores within 30 days."

Whoever's business model this is, it seems like a good deal for the purchaser. 

[Robbman]

Designing and releasing a model without allowing for any chance of consumer input is less than ideal... but it actually fits Kato pretty well.

[rogergperkins]

   Robbman, I do not see anything that implies Kato is not open to consumer input in the subject announcement.  The change appears to be in regard to when products are announced as available.

A separate process of determining which products are going to be offered obviously occurs with research to determine what customers/modellers want to buy.  Kato's announcement does not address that aspect.

Even with limited information about business practices within this hobby market, I am aware that some manufacturers have made announces of future products to determine if there is an interest in the product.
Other industries with which I am familiar have focus groups to provide input to evaluate product concepts.

[CBQ Fan]

I would still like to see announcments a little further out on the bigger passenger sets and gnines that go with it.  I will miss the anticipation of those!  But for the monthly engines and smaller sets I am just fine with this.  It beats the mass of TBD on the Atlas schedule.

[Robbman]

  Robbman, I do not see anything that implies Kato is not open to consumer input in the subject announcement. 

Instead of taking pre-orders 3-4 months in advance of a product shipping, we will now be announcing and opening orders once products have completed production, one month before they arrive in the US so that we can provide product photographs and complete and accurate product details for you and remove any guesswork from the ordering process; you will be able to see the actual, real model that you will be recieving, and because the products will be done before they are announced you can be confident that they will be available in hobby stores within 30 days. (Kato USA March Newsletter)

[Zox]

Instead of taking pre-orders 3-4 months in advance of a product shipping, we will now be announcing and opening orders once products have completed production, one month before they arrive in the US so that we can provide product photographs and complete and accurate product details for you and remove any guesswork from the ordering process; you will be able to see the actual, real model that you will be recieving, and because the products will be done before they are announced you can be confident that they will be available in hobby stores within 30 days. (Kato USA March Newsletter)

That simply means that they're doing their market research by means other than trial-balloon announcements. It doesn't mean that they've ceased doing market research altogether.

After all, what other industry uses the trial-balloon method? Think of how that would work for Hollywood. "We're thinking of doing a movie based on novel X. If enough people buy tickets in advance, we might actually start writing a script."

[Robbman]

Not talking about market research... but actual research on the model and paint schemes.  Since the product is done before it's announced, you the modeler now have zero means to provide input to correct any errors before the model is released.

[ArtinCA]

I think what Robbman is getting at is if there is a foobie issue, it'll be too late to correct before it hits the shelves.

Not like that's stopped anyone before. I mean, who cares if it's a little screwed up, you're still gonna buy it cause it's "Limited Run!!!".

Can't wait to see the chaos this is gonna cause on e-bay. 

[Specter3]

Art

If I am reading the posts correctly there should not be the ebay flurry with this stuff as they plan on keeping the models in stock. Which to me implies continuous capability of production. Not quite continuous production, but the ability to get another run done on pretty short order when stock gets low. I could be wrong, but thats what I gather from the above posts.

Ryan

[GaryHinshaw]

I have very little knowledge of (or interest in) the manufacturing process, but I always thought the point of a pre-order system was to guide manufacturing decisions.  What role does it play in this business model?  Is it just to guide dealer's orders to the distributors?

They say "instead of 3-4 months" in their announcement.  That's BS.  No one cares about the difference between 1 month and 3-4 months.  The pitfall is when 4 months turns into 18 months, like the Maxi-I, and people start bad-mouthing them.   But even then, they're forgiven if the product eventually appears and was worth the wait.

-gfh

[Ian MacMillan]

For me this kinda sucks.... With my current sole income I like the longer lead times as it allows me to see what I want and save, work an extra shift, or detail to get the stuff I want. Now I will have to scramble to get the cash to meet this new schedule to get the stuff before it's gone.

And like Robb said, kinda does not allow those consumers in the know to catch errors before things "go to print".

[Wardie]

I personally don't mind a 6 to 12 month lead time between preorder and delivery as long as they deliver the stuff when they say they are going to. I also like to budget my purchases and if I know product x, y, and z are going to be delivered in September of 2012 then I can decide how many of each I want with my budget in mind.

What has been problematic is the delays and changes to the deliver dates. Some stuff is more then a year over due and the change to the delivery date is either not published until it was due or not posted at all. Which can cause stuff I had anticipated over a 4 month spread to get all bunched up in to one month.

I will not preorder any intermountain at all anymore because they cannot stick to there schedule at all. Most of the rest I will only preorder if it is something I really want bad, otherwise I take my chances on it being available when it comes out, and I may not purchase it because of that. I have bought mostly Microtrains, exactrail, ESM'S, and Bachmann stuff this year because they have been the closest to an on time delivery.

[central.vermont]

Doesn't concern me in the least bit. Kato doesn't release Eastern roads anyway!   

Jon

[lock4244]

For me this kinda sucks.... With my current sole income I like the longer lead times as it allows me to see what I want and save, work an extra shift, or detail to get the stuff I want. Now I will have to scramble to get the cash to meet this new schedule to get the stuff before it's gone.

And like Robb said, kinda does not allow those consumers in the know to catch errors before things "go to print".

Umm, modeling Conrail, you're pretty safe. I mean, how many SD80MAC's do you need?