KatoUSA parts website

[nightmare0331]

Random fun fact about the Kato online parts store...

It was set up by a gentleman I know (actually former boss from a hobby store when I was a teenager) who went to work for Kato and set it up around 2000.  He commented that even then he set it up, it wasn't cutting edge.  He left in 2004 or so.

Over the years it was patched and warmly upgraded, but essentially the same setup for...22 years.

Was always a headache to use while I worked there.

The last person who really knew how to update it and run it left Kato (and the industry altogether) on January 1.

Interesting times!

Kelley.
www.dufordmodelworks.com

[peteski]

Random fun fact about the Kato online parts store...

It was set up by a gentleman I know (actually former boss from a hobby store when I was a teenager) who went to work for Kato and set it up around 2000.  He commented that even then he set it up, it wasn't cutting edge.  He left in 2004 or so.

Over the years it was patched and warmly upgraded, but essentially the same setup for...22 years.

Was always a headache to use while I worked there.

SOrry to hear that it was a headache for the employees. As a customer (who used it for many years) I found the Kato parts store very easy to use. Nice and simple - bare bones (no fancy flashy crap).  I have feeling that the "new and improved" will be just new . . .
At least going by my past experience with many websites which were "new and improved".

[nightmare0331]

SOrry to hear that it was a headache for the employees. As a customer (who used it for many years) I found the Kato parts store very easy to use. Nice and simple - bare bones (no fancy flashy crap).  I have feeling that the "new and improved" will be just new . . .
At least going by my past experience with many websites which were "new and improved".

I don't think they are changing it to make it flashy.  I'm pretty sure it's being done out of necessity.

The software being used was pretty legacy.  I'd bet it came down to compliance with data privacy and lack of support.

Kelley.

[peteski]

I don't think they are changing it to make it flashy.  I'm pretty sure it's being done out of necessity.

The software being used was pretty legacy.  I'd bet it came down to compliance with data privacy and lack of support.

Kelley.

I suspect that you are correct, but still, everything new is not as good as old (I'm old enough to experience this personally, many times).  And I used to laugh at the old folks griping that things are not as good they were in the good ol' times.  Now I see that they were (in most cases) correct.

But maybe the new e-commerce parts website will not be too flashy, slow, or complicated.  I also hope they keep the photos of all those parts - that is very helpful when shopping for scratch-building stuff.

[Chris333]

I also never had a problem with their parts site.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

All sites suck nowadays. I just went to Home Depot's site. Searched for LED bulbs. Then checked the "in stock" button at my local store. Half of the results were not available at my local store. Said F them and tried Lowes. Same exact *****. Search for anything as specific as possible and get handed a ton of bullshit results that have nothing to do with what you asked for.

Might as well be realtors. Oh you can only afford $150K how about this nice house for $499K >?  Problem?

Home Depot and Lowes sites INFURIATE me.

I think part of the problem is that they can't decide if they want to be an eCommerce site or a site for a retail store. So they suck at being both.

Add to that the frustration of the shitty development work they've done that causes stuff to jump around on pages as components load and it's just garbage. Hot garbage.

I know some folks who've worked on those sites. I enjoy busting their balls every chance I get.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don't think they are changing it to make it flashy.  I'm pretty sure it's being done out of necessity.

The software being used was pretty legacy.  I'd bet it came down to compliance with data privacy and lack of support.

Kelley.

It wouldn't surprise me if their hosting company was like "we're no longer supporting the 25 year old programming language version this uses" that caused them to have to pull the plug.

Tell all your friends in the industry: if they have web struggles, TALK TO ME. I'm not gonna do the work, and they probably can't afford my employer, but I WILL be more than happy to send them in the right direction. It's a way I can give back to a hobby that has given me so much.

[jagged ben]

I wish all sites were like the Kato parts site.  My favorite website ever.  No, I'm not joking.

[bman]

I know some folks who've worked on those sites. I enjoy busting their balls every chance I get.

Remind me to buy you a beer next time I am in the area for doing this. I can't stand those sites.

[k27463]

For the sake of being the old crabby guy, Kato updated their website yesterday and instead of "Returning in May" it now says "Returning this summer".

I've been waiting to order a variety of parts for a variety of projects and frankly I'm a bit frustrated.

Anybody have a list of parts numbers before I call the poor phone guy and rattle off a list of 25 different parts descriptions?

[MetroRedLine]

For the sake of being the old crabby guy, Kato updated their website yesterday and instead of "Returning in May" it now says "Returning this summer".

I've been waiting to order a variety of parts for a variety of projects and frankly I'm a bit frustrated.

Anybody have a list of parts numbers before I call the poor phone guy and rattle off a list of 25 different parts descriptions?

BOOO-URNS!

Looking for ALC-42 parts. Particularly the rear MU hose details and the front and rear coupler covers. If they just sold everything in a set with the bendy lower part of the body then that's fine too.