50' Waffle Boxes and direct marketing.

[SkipGear]

I wonder how the direct to customer plan is going for Exactrail. I just was having thoughts of finally breaking down and buying a couple of the Waffles but it seems I can wait a bit longer without worry, maybe even to the point of a closeout sale. I fully expected these to be sold out down to a couple straglers at best. Out of 7 different variations comprising 33 unique cars/road numbers, only one Southern number is sold out and one CSX is showing low stock.

I'm currious why? Roof or lack of a distribution network?

[Hyperion]

It would absolutely impossible to know outside of them telling us.

Maybe they just had a ton of them delivered.  Maybe they've actually been selling the waffles like hotcakes, but get replenished stock from China?

I can tell you that many, many items have gone "Low-Stock" then "Archive" just in the time since they went direct-only.  So they're selling something.  But it's impossible to know whether it's a little, a lot, meeting expectations, exceeding them, etc, etc, etc.

[GaryHinshaw]

FWIW, they're really nice cars, except for the roof error.  Replacement roofs are now available (unpainted), but I've ordered at least one car since the roofs were available and it shipped with the old roof, so you might still need to ask for a replacement when you order...

I'm looking forward to the bulkhead flats.  The direct marketing is what it is, and they'll either live or die by it.

[davefoxx]

I'm with Gary: they are really nice cars.  I approached ExactRail at a Timonium show and after looking up my old order online at the vendor's booth, ER gave me three unpainted roofs for free and two more for the additional two waffle boxes I bought that day.  The cars are not inexpensive, but I think they are worth the price.  By the way, if you place an order over $50.00, there's no shipping charge.  I've been monitoring ER's website, and there's a couple of other N scale offerings that are getting a sale price right now.  I might bite again.

DFF

[Denver Road Doug]

Interesting post, as I had almost the exact same thought yesterday and visited their site for the first time in forever.   I really want to the waffle boxcars but haven't ordered them and probably won't.   I figure in time one will show up at a show or on eBay or something.   While I don't have any issue with a company going direct, I did have a problem with them basically "using" the system to build up their business and their customer list and then giving the shops that helped them be successful the good ole F.U....just didn't seem right to me.   I would have probably bought a few of the flats, too...even though they're a couple of years too new for me.  But anyway, I'm sure they'll survive without my business.   Who knows, someday I may give in and place an order.   

[Wlal13again]

I like some of their stuff..and I really don't mind doing the direct order.  Don't think it hurts my LHS too much to do so..

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I was told that the cars were selling fine. They may have overestimated the initial run due to the large write-in campaign that got the project rolling. All future releases will use the new rood and current orders will ship with an unpainted roof to replace the incorrect one.

these are really nice cars except for that roof.

[ljudice]

"It is what it is" is the best way to describe it.

I was looking over some rolling stock and some of the nicest models from the past few years have come from them...

[Mark5]

I was one of the ones lobbying ...

But, I have not yet bought one (I only want one).

Mark

[basementcalling]

Haven't even bothered to find their web address.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I dunno guys, I think you are being too hard on them. Their initial plan was to offer direct, then open up to distribution when they were able to ramp up production. Adding distribution had disastrous results - remember one of their founders left and I think the financial guy took over. This was quickly followed by the announcement that they would only sell direct.

Faced with the two options of loosing a manufacturer or going to direct sales, I support their decision. We may love the LHS, but it is during and we all know that. All retail is slowly fading: the only businesses that are showing retail growth these days are appliance, furniture, car and apparel stores and all 4 are not easily adopted to online sales.

ER has made a lot of models we would not see anywhere else. I love the HS gon, both USRE boxcars and the waffle. They are all well done and ER has shown willingness to fix mistakes and retool models. If you like the car, I urge you to put industry politics aside and get one. You will like it.

[Robbman]

Their initial plan was to offer direct, then open up to distribution when they were able to ramp up production. Adding distribution had disastrous results - remember one of their founders left and I think the financial guy took over. This was quickly followed by the announcement that they would only sell direct.

Where did you hear this?

[JSL]

I have bought a few of Exactrail's offerings. I like them a lot. I hope they continue to bring out more new offerings.

[ljudice]

Not only that, but they have done a good job on ride height, metal wheels, moving to body mounted couplers - all the stuff people here constantly push for.

[lock4244]

The waffles are great cars, as are the 5277 boxcars. I'm a little peeved that the bulkhead flat is out of my era, as otherwise I'd be on board for a small fleet as well.

And the HS gon... I could never fault any mfg for doing a nice Canadian prototype.