MT 905 zscale couplers in bulk

[coosvalley]

I find it odd that so many folks are ready to get something that may not even be available. Does MT want to sell these in bulk?.WILL they sell them in bulk? I would assume MT does not want to undercut their distributors.

@Shipsure ?

[altohorn25]

I would be in for a bunch as long as they were assembled.

[cjm413]

Jane:  I'm with you.  1015s and 1025s are no problem, but I never have been able to get a 903 to work.  All of my narrow gauge, and Atlas ore cars, have 905s!

A bulk pack of the 905s would be very handy.  I don't imagine there are many people who buy ONE package and stop...

For that matter, a bulk pack of 1025s would be nice.

Off topic, I wonder why 903 and 1025 are unassembled, while 905 and 1023 are assembled?  It seems like one of the numbers is backwards.

A bulk pack of 1025 boxes and lids would be nice, my parts box is pretty well stocked with couplers and springs to put in them.

[wazzou]

I find it odd that so many folks are ready to get something that may not even be available. Does MT want to sell these in bulk?.WILL they sell them in bulk? I would assume MT does not want to undercut their distributors.

@Shipsure ?

Maybe the OP has plans to contact Joe and he is gauging interest?  I don't see the harm in that.

[thomasjmdavis]

Jane:  I'm with you.  1015s and 1025s are no problem, but I never have been able to get a 903 to work.  All of my narrow gauge, and Atlas ore cars, have 905s!

A bulk pack of the 905s would be very handy.  I don't imagine there are many people who buy ONE package and stop...

For that matter, a bulk pack of 1025s would be nice.

Off topic, I wonder why 903 and 1025 are unassembled, while 905 and 1023 are assembled?  It seems like one of the numbers is backwards.

The MT numbering system for its products is one of the great mysteries of all times.  And you still find references in their own literature back to MT-5 and MT-7 (etc).  And there are 4 sizes of tiny itty bitty springs- which are not interchangeable, but darned if I can figure out which spring to order when I need some for some given coupler.......

Back to the regular scheduled program....  I would be in, maybe, for bulk packs if it were 905 (ie- assembled).  I guess my concern is whether the 905s will dependably hold a 50 car N scale freight train together.  Or 15 passenger cars with a couple heavy brass or custom built cars in the mix...  What kind of experience have others had?  And will a 905 couple with a True Scale coupler (with or without help from an 0-5-0) and stay coupled?

[draskouasshat]

I find it odd that so many folks are ready to get something that may not even be available. Does MT want to sell these in bulk?.WILL they sell them in bulk? I would assume MT does not want to undercut their distributors.

@Shipsure ?

The question has been asked. Im gauging some interest for reference purposes.

Drasko

[mmagliaro]

I don't see how this undercuts MT's distributors.  MT doesn't make a "bulk pack" of the 905, so they either have no interest in producing an standard "on the shelf" pack for distributors and hobby stores to carry, or they don't think there is much market for one.

By asking them to sell you a one-off purchase, I don't see how that hurts anybody. 

If I were to go to them and say, "Look, I'd like 200 of these, but I will not buy, or can't afford, to buy them as little 2 or 4 packs like you sell in the store.  If you give me a bulk price, I want them.  Whaddya say?"


They can always say "No".    And if they were to get enough requests for such a thing, they could turn it into a standard commercial package for hobby stores.  Either way, I don't see how anybody loses here.

You might say that if they refuse to sell a bulk order, that would force everyone to buy the little 4-packs, which would make MT more money and make the distributors happier.  But it's just as likely that the couplers simply won't sell as much because of the cost and packaging.  That's up for MT to decide.

[dmidkiff]

A bulk pack of 1025 boxes and lids would be nice, my parts box is pretty well stocked with couplers and springs to put in them.

@cjm413

I've been able to order just the 1025 boxes and lids direct from MT. A simple e-mail to their ordering department and they happily supplied the parts. I ordered 100, or 50 pair. If you PM your e-mail, I'd be happy to forward on my exchange from the past.

Doug

[thomasjmdavis]

I find it odd that so many folks are ready to get something that may not even be available. Does MT want to sell these in bulk?.WILL they sell them in bulk? I would assume MT does not want to undercut their distributors.

@Shipsure ?

I don't think they need to undercut any distributors- if MT makes the product available in bulk packs, we could buy bulk packs through our usual channels.  The issue here is that the customer demand for these in quantity is not being met.  It seems odd to me (looking at MT own Z scale pages) that I can buy trucks with couplers in packages of 10 pair, but the couplers are only available in 2 pair packaging.  Looking at the price break in N scale couplers between 2 pair and 10 pair packaging, it becomes pretty obvious that there is a substantial cost savings to the manufacturer and the retailer in terms of packaging and inventory costs, which can be passed to the consumer, if sold in 10 pair packages.

Passing that savings on to the consumer lowers the consumer's cost per unit substantially, and it is literally ECON 101 (I once taught it) that lower cost per unit increases number of units sold.  So, overhead (packaging and inventory cost) is reduced, profit per unit stays the same (or possibly increases depending on packaging costs) even though the consumer pays less, and they sell more units.  Just by packing 10 pair in a package instead of 2.  That, of course, assumes there are consumers who want 10 or more.  But I think it is evident that there are. 

[JanesCustomTrain]

Maybe @Shipsure doesn't like to assemble the 903s neither ?   

Jane

[draskouasshat]

ATTENTION: READ THIS ENTIRE POST!
Maybe i need to spell this out. These are 905 ASSEMBLED COUPLERS! to whom ever brought up the unassembled 903 stuff, you really muddied up this thread! lol.

This is for a BULK ASSEMBLED 905 COUPLER PACKAGE. i have talked to the proper people and it has been presented to MT by this person so you can stop tagging shipsure.

drasko

[Jbub]

I think most us realize that but there are some who might not. So this is just clarifying really.

[Wolf N Works]

I would be in for some

[muktown128]

I'd be interested in bulk packs of MT 905's.

Scott

[JanesCustomTrain]

These are 905 ASSEMBLED COUPLERS!

YES, but someone has to assemble them before we can buy them assembled. I was just making some fun about Shipsure not liking to assemble them, that's why we can't get them in bigger qtys than 4.

Jane