To pre-order or not to pre-order, that is the question

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cbrew
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Re: To pre-order or not to pre-order, that is the question

Post by cbrew »

I will start off with this, I have zero to complain about with your products. the start valves to any of the three injector sizes... but the idea preorder has always made me uncomfortable. The idea if holding someone else's funds for any length of time. I know life happens and the hobby does have a track record of good vendor relationships going sour for one reason or nothing,
If it is not live steam. its not worth it.
theg8nw
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Re: To pre-order or not to pre-order, that is the question

Post by theg8nw »

In this hobby It is hard enough to find parts and pieces you need. I am all for the pre-order route. Too many times I has seen something put up for sale that I want/need and for one reason or another I can't contact the seller or buy it right then. Such as seeing a notification on my phone and saying to myself "Oh I'll buy that when I get home", and then find it sold already. Pre-order almost always guaranty you get part/s. Granted you may have to wait a bit.
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Greg_Lewis
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Re: To pre-order or not to pre-order, that is the question

Post by Greg_Lewis »

Having once been through the ordeal of making a product for retail sale, I can sympathize with Anthony’s predicament. There are some things you just can’t understand until you’ve been through it.

One thing folks have a hard time understanding is the cost of doing business. Everything costs money including the money itself, the unsold inventory, the time the machines sit idle, and what might be called “un-billable time,” that time spent on the business but which can’t be attached to a particular project. And there is much, much more. When you add everything up it can be overwhelming.

I see no problem of asking for a small deposit up front. What I learned is that without some investment in the deal many folks will make a verbal commitment only to back out later. On the other hand, asking someone to put up the whole value up front can lead to unhappy relations. This, of course, sets aside the whole issue of cash flow, particularly when it can be substantial. But that’s another problem.

What I did was to ask for perhaps $50 or so in advance. Thus the person is serious about the deal, but it’s not so much as to cause people to lie awake at night, and it gives the manufacturer an idea of the market. And once someone has sent in that deposit they are much less likely to back out.

Looking at it from the perspective of the customer, the hobby does have a history of things, and people, dropping out of sight. But when a vendor has a strong reputation and the deposit is nominal, I don’t think asking for a deposit is unreasonable.
Greg Lewis, Prop.
Eyeball Engineering — Home of the dull toolbit.
Our motto: "That looks about right."
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NP317
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Re: To pre-order or not to pre-order, that is the question

Post by NP317 »

Sending a deposit to "reserve" an item suits me just fine. Our hobby is supported by cottage industries, with the challenges shared in this thread.
A Deposit does state intent.

The worst situation I have experienced was pre-paying (years ago) for a relatively expensive Live Steam accessory, and then hearing nothing for the builder, despite my many attempts at communication. For almost a year! I eventually gave up and wrote off the money invested. Several months later - seemingly out of the blue - the item arrived in good working condition and met my needs! No note of explanation from the builder.

With today's easy electronic communications, there should be no reason for silence. Anthony has done an excellent job of being informative of his production work.
Russ
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