Is the price for an FEF-3 at Trainworld correct?

[Paradise275]

According to Trainworld web site, their price for a DC version of the FEF 3 is $174.99 U.S.
Is that possible? The DCC version is $239.99.

Rick

[flight2000]

According to Trainworld web site, their price for a DC version of the FEF 3 is $174.99 U.S.
Is that possible? The DCC version is $239.99.

Rick

Seems to be inline with the other shops I've seen online.  BLW is showing about $10 more.

Cheers,
Brian

[Paradise275]

You're right and BLW is offering free shipping and insurance.
Rick

[CBQ Fan]

You're right and BLW is offering free shipping and insurance.
Rick

Looks to me like they are charging their normal S&H charges.  It just doesn't show up in the reservation when you make it. 

[Paradise275]

I guess it doesn't matter. BLW doesn't ship to Canada anyway!

[BeastofTheEast]

That price was on until yesterday, where Trainworld inflatted their price by $55. $220 for the FEF3. Sucks for any of us who were planning on buying it from there.

[flight2000]

That price was on until yesterday, where Trainworld inflatted their price by $55. $220 for the FEF3. Sucks for any of us who were planning on buying it from there.

Wow, that's usually enough to get a shop placed on my banned list.  Their is one other shop that I won't buy from anymore (extra strike for them due to their policy of not shipping to APO's) that inflated their price on the Santa Fe C44-9W when they first came out 10+ years ago.  They were $20 higher compared to the other road names....but hey, it's their business plan....I just don't drop any money with them anymore.

Cheers,
Brian

[Rossford Yard]

So your refuse to shop anywhere that they run great sales that you just missed?  Pretty strict code......

[reinhardtjh]

Lots of places (not just Hobby shops) have lower pre-order prices.  It's an incentive to order early so they know how many to get and they have a guaranteed sale.  The higher prices are a hedge against them having to inventory the item for a while before it actually sells.  Granted, not likely with this product, but in general practice it's not uncommon.

[flight2000]

So your refuse to shop anywhere that they run great sales that you just missed?  Pretty strict code......

That's not what I'm saying at all.  This is not a case of a missed opportunity on a great sale, because my loyalty lays with other stores where I picked up the full set from.   In my opinion, this was a deliberate decision to raise the price after demand was noted.  Not arguing supply and demand economics, just the fact that I don't think it's good policy for a large, franchise store like theirs to operate this way.  I could be wrong on why they did it, but the public perception (okay, my perception) is based on what I see.  Right or wrong it's the nature of business. 

Lots of places (not just Hobby shops) have lower pre-order prices.  It's an incentive to order early so they know how many to get and they have a guaranteed sale.  The higher prices are a hedge against them having to inventory the item for a while before it actually sells.  Granted, not likely with this product, but in general practice it's not uncommon.

This is closer....but in this case, I believe they saw demand was high and raised their prices to take advantage of it.   Klein's sold out the first batch on the website pretty quickly and could have easily raised their price on the next batch, yet they choose not to do that.   

That is why I had another store on my no-buy list (and for a very long time, it was the only one).  They raised the price to full MSRP for one specific road name on the C44-9W.  Had nothing to do with the price they paid to a distributor or Kato.  Do I know that for sure, no, but that is the perception I had from the outside looking in.

Cheers,
Brian

[peteski]

When shopping online (or as we used to call it in the past - mail order) I have few regular places (like BLW or MBK).  They have reasonable shipping charges, are reliable and have good customer service. Their prices are similar (within few dollars for the larger ticket items).  When I place an order I go with whichever has the most items that I need in in their stock.  Or if I want to pre-order, I go with BLW (because MBK has no pre-orders). Or on the other side, MBK carries Athearn while BLW doesn't. Other than that - I have no preference. 

But then there are specials and bargains offered by places like Traiworld, Toy Train Heaven and several others (I get their emails).  In those cases, I jump on the bargains and stray from my usual dealers.  In many cases those bargains aren't even available to my usual dealers. I don't boycott any online dealer unless they have sucky customer service or really did me wrong. Raising price for certain item for me is not a reason to boycott any dealer (who otherwise offers excellent bargains and has good customer service). I just shop for that item elsewhere. 

[BeastofTheEast]

Lots of places (not just Hobby shops) have lower pre-order prices.  It's an incentive to order early so they know how many to get and they have a guaranteed sale.  The higher prices are a hedge against them having to inventory the item for a while before it actually sells.  Granted, not likely with this product, but in general practice it's not uncommon.

Having it at a normal street price counts as a great sale? No they did the same thing as those price gougers on ebay. A store with their rep should be above that. MBKline kept theirs at $180 even with the high demand. Trainworld trying to milk all they can out of their loyal customers.

[BeastofTheEast]

So your refuse to shop anywhere that they run great sales that you just missed?  Pretty strict code......

This is what I was trying to quote.

[peteski]

Trainworld trying to milk all they can out of their loyal customers.

You really think that in the word of the Internet and with plethora of online shops that there is still such a thing as a loyal customer?    I suppose it would be nice to be loyal to a local hobby shop, but if if you are buying an item sight-unseen online, why even try to really be loyal?  Only things which keep me somewhat "loyal" is good prices and good customer service.

[Rossford Yard]

Peteski,

I agree that few of us price shoppers could be considered loyal!

As to the Trainworld price jump, I understand the frustration, but we really don't know their motivation.  What if they couldn't get their second batch from their normal supplier and the secondary wholesaler jumped their price because TW wasn't one of their regular customers, or saw an opportunity to make more, and they just had to pass that cost on?  I have had a dealer tell me that has happened to them from wholesalers. 

Of course, I have also had a retailer hold his price, but tell me they had more trouble than usual securing some hard to find item.  (whether that was the truth, I guess I also don't know, but took him at his word)  So, it happens all ways.  One dealer discussed shipping methods with me, and I was struck by how important he considered every dollar in a transaction to maintain the profit on an item.  (An extra $1 on a $25 dollar freight car, for which he has paid $15 plus some shipping and is selling for $20 reduces profit on that item from 25% to 20%, even before considering shipping costs.

Even if it was TW, it seems like basic economics to me.  Margins are so thin in the LHS biz.