Please don't ask for an N model if you don't intend to buy it...

[ljudice]

[jmlaboda - RIP]

I rely on The Railwire to find information regarding model trains, so this is the first time I hear of these boxes.

Ditto

[tehachapifan]

Ack! Ack, ack, ack ack!

[glakedylan]

i do not understand how you marketed the N Scale mystery boxes


i am on FB and thought i was receiving all of your posts there (in the options there i have chosen to see all posts from you)


i am here on TWR


i am checking both sites throughout the day


i never received any word about the mystery boxes (either HO or N Scale)


they are indeed a "mystery"


is there a way either you and i can be better connected for receiving notices about products you offer?


it seems things have broken down somewhere along the line and i am not sure how it happened or why it happened


thanks
sincerely
Gary
glakedylan@comcast.net
FB: Gary Lake Dylan

[EspeeGoldenState]

Jason,

It probably didn't help that you posted the thread at 10am CST on a Saturday morning. I know here locally, it was a beautiful day to be outside, and some people probably are not looking at Facebook.

As for wishing that your F40PHs were in N scale, sure I wish they were, but the versions (406 and 90221), that I would want are probably more than likely to not happen. And if it did say happen, the timing doesn't always mean it would be practical to get them.

As for most of the N scale offerings that you have done, there is only 1 that I currently need for a future building of a Friends of 261 set.

Chris

[Dave V]

The more I think about this, the more I'm puzzled as to why anyone would want a "mystery box."  I would personally never want one unless I could be 100% assured that:

1)  100% of the contents therein were completely compatible with my specific prototype, local, and era, and

2) no item therein was a duplicate of anything I personally already own.

...which would completely obviate the whole concept of a mystery box, I know.  But why would I spend money to risk getting something I don't need or already have?

Given that Rapido is probably not plotting to branch out into Colorado-prototype HOn3 any time soon, it's moot for me anyway.

[Mark W]

[tom mann]

I didn't think I was yelling, and I apologize if it was taken that way.

Thanks Jason.  All day I was wondering why you would take the time to blast members of the Railwire for not taking you up on an offer that you never offered them.

[wcfn100]

The more I think about this, the more I'm puzzled as to why anyone would want a "mystery box."

Blackstone Models Mystery Box?

Jason

[Dave V]

Blackstone Models Mystery Box?

Jason

As long as I knew I wouldn't get duplicate road numbers from what I already have!

[Maletrain]

I sure hope that Rapido does not take this one source of "information" as the real measure of N scale viability, because there are too many issues with it to make it a credible survey of the "market."

Besides the Facebook/antiFacebook issue and that post here about somebody not knowing the "mystery boxes" even existed despite "doing" Facebook and reading TRW, I don't think that "mystery boxes" are a reasonable stand-in for actual N scale products.  They are only going to appeal to a particular (maybe really small) subset of MR consumers who want a potential "great deal" more than particular models.  I, for one, would not expect to get something that I wanted $150 worth just by buying whatever Rapido puts into a bag.  My guess is that it is the things that they are not selling enough of simply by telling people what they are. So, they are trying to use the urge people have to make a "score" to sell those things.  Sort of the Las Vegas approach that is more likely to attract gamblers than people dedicated to making realistic models of specific railroads.  And, isn't it really those customers that want realistic models of specific things that are Rapido's main customer base? 

A realistic market analysis should look at how many people requested a particular model and how many bought that model after it became available.  And, I don't think that can be done adequately at the individual buyer level.  Taking myself as an example, if I want a lot of something, I may pre-order one or a few, but I will try to do that through a discounting dealer, if possible, and then pick-up more when they  become available through some dealer like MBK that offers them at even lower prices than the discount pre-order places.  And, later on, I may even pick-up some more from eBay sellers who are buying on speculation and finding themselves with a few left over.  My EM-1 can pull a lot of hoppers, and I need an empty and a loaded string, so I buy a lot of hoppers.

On the other hand, if I want something specific like a B&O I-5 wooden caboose, I will tell you right here on TRW that I want them, and will buy 3 if they become available. Of course, if I end-up building 3 from scratch before you announce that you have decided to build them, yours are going to have to be a lot better than what I made to get the sales after I make that effort.

So, my advice it to (1) ask people on model railroad forums what they would buy, and, if you must ask on FB, don't trust the FB results unless they match the railroad forum results, (2) don't assume that preorders are the whole market, and (3) try to minimize the time between announcement and delivery.

[lock4244]

To date I've purchased the following Rapido / Prairie Shadows models:

15 x PSC vans
40 x HS bulkheads
27 x 52'-6" ECC gondolas
6 x GMD-1's
35 x passenger cars

These purchases were driven by the fact that they match my era and locale (Ontario, late 80's mostly, CN and CP), so no meat reefers. It helps that, with the exception of the GMD-1's, everything you've done has been on my drool list. Still on the fence for the Turbo... cool and all, but not really relevant in my main era (late 70's era yes, but one watches the budget... occasionally).

If done in N scale I will purchase:

Canadian (late 80's version)
3800cf cylindrical... fleet I'd buy would make my HS bulkhead fleet seem small, lol, so want these!!!
SW1200RS
Angus van
C40-8M
RDC's... not probably given the Kato model, but I'd be fully in nonetheless

If you want a local N scalers opinion, feel free to contact me, Jason. Danno has my contact info and I'd be happy to help.

[jdcolombo]

My 2-cents.

First, I can understand Jason's frustration with people who beg for X and then when X is available, no dice.  Whether they be on Facebook or elsewhere (and I'm also NOT a Facebook person - I have an account so I can view stuff on NKP-related groups, but I've never posted anything on my own Facebook page).

Having said that, I think you have to separate the serious hobbyists from the not-so-serious ones.  I spend most of my hobby internet-forum time here on TRW, because it is inhabited by mostly very serious hobbyists (sometimes, we're all nuts, but we're mostly seriously nuts ).  I model the NKP.  I've said many times on TRW that I have a personal policy of buying at least one of anything produced (that's mostly prototypically correct) for the NKP.  And so I have, which is why I have a Bachmann 10-wheeler alongside an Atlas Alco C420, even though both of those are far outside my 1957 layout time frame.  I will buy a couple of the new Bluford bay-window cabeese even though I already have a dozen bay-windows that I custom painted and decaled myself; I won't, however, buy any of the Athearn ones because they have only passing resemblance to the actual NKP units (e.g., they aren't very good; I won't reward crap).  I bought 8 of the new Centralia Shops NKP coaches.  Etc.  I suspect folks on TRW more often mean what they say than random Facebook posters.  That doesn't mean that you wouldn't get a few no-shows from TRW people, either, but if you're going to use an on-line source for marketing, I'd say that TRW would be several orders of magnitude better than Facebook.

John C.

BTW, I have one of your GMD-1's, because I told Mike I'd buy one if he took my advice on how to do speakers in an N-scale diesel.  He did (as best he could given manufacturing considerations) and I did.  But I'm STILL waiting on a set of replacement wheels for it - mine have the "oh so slightly narrow" axles that created some mild performance issues.  I sent an e-mail to you all about needing the replacements two years ago.  Never heard back, but at the time Mike was quite ill, so I never pushed it.  My fault, probably more than yours.  But it's a good example of how sometimes even the most well-meaning and serious folks get sidetracked.

[Ngineer]

The more I think about this, the more I'm puzzled as to why anyone would want a "mystery box."

Well, the Micro-Trains grab bags did sell, didn't they? Buyers couldn't be sure what they would find inside these grab bags.

Micro-Trains did it, so other manufacturers will try, too.

BTW, there is a tv show called "Storage Wars". The idea (and thrill) is basically the same. YMMV.

   Javier

[glakedylan]

i have now searched the website front to back, top to bottom


no where is there a mention or offering of a mystery bag


i would think it hard to buy something one never knows existed
or selling something you do not make known


have been a loyal rapidotrains customer for over 10 years


darn...nothing like feeling chastized for missing a boat that you had no idea was launching


wtf?