|
Post by Commodore on Apr 2, 2024 13:08:11 GMT -5
I also missed this first time and ordered one form Anthony - looks like just in time as it appears they are sold out here as well 😞 I did get there in time to order one of the yellow ones with the gray roof...
I got the last one, it appears!
Anthony, who got the last one?
|
|
Eric
New Member
Posts: 42
|
Post by Eric on Apr 3, 2024 6:44:16 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by zdave on Apr 3, 2024 9:22:11 GMT -5
Thanks for the heads-up. Ah, what the heck. I have some UP locomotives in my fleet, including the first MoPac Heritage, why not another one? As I mentioned previously, UP did a great job on their Heritage schemes. The MoPac, in particular, is real beauty.
|
|
|
Post by Tiest van Gool on Apr 3, 2024 9:28:02 GMT -5
And it’s gone! Congrats to whomever got his/her loco.
Seems to me that AZL nailed the number of units for the heritage release. Not too many, not too little - perfect alignment with the scarcity principle. Cant wait for my D&RGRW unit to arrive today! As a Coloradan close to the heart so to speak.
-Tiest
|
|
|
Post by zdave on Apr 3, 2024 9:32:00 GMT -5
And it’s gone! Congrats to whomever got his/her loco. Seems to me that AZL nailed the number of units for the heritage release. Not too many, not too little - perfect alignment with the scarcity principle. Cant wait for my D&RGRW unit to arrive today! As a Coloradan close to the heart so to speak. -Tiest Ha! I guess I have the “honor.” Thanks to AZL and its distributors, including USZScale.
|
|
|
Post by ednadolski on Apr 3, 2024 9:33:16 GMT -5
Seems to me that AZL nailed the number of units for the heritage release.
Not sure I would agree. Anything that sells out in just hours, is probably not enough units -- esp. if customers have to search/scramble between different sites to find an available model.
Ed
Edit - but perhaps there is some email list or such, that I should be 'plugged into' in order to receive notifications?
|
|
|
Post by zdave on Apr 3, 2024 9:34:14 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by smr on Apr 3, 2024 10:36:13 GMT -5
And it’s gone! Congrats to whomever got his/her loco. Seems to me that AZL nailed the number of units for the heritage release. Not too many, not too little - perfect alignment with the scarcity principle. Cant wait for my D&RGRW unit to arrive today! As a Coloradan close to the heart so to speak. -Tiest I second that, Tiest! The Heritage locos deserve a little scarcity and special attention. Look at the NS Heritage locos, nobody interested in. Scarcity seems to only kick in when we are talking West Coast and especially UP. But when scarcity becomes a problem is when "standard" items are no more available, such as baggage cars, RPOs, diners, Dome cars etc. And there I see the need by AZL to react, because this in the meanwhile hits many prominent railroads, such as UP, DRGW, Pullman Green, etc. Thus, give the collectors what the collectors want and the rail-roaders what they need, please! Is there any collector who does not love scarcity? Is there any rail-roader who does not hate unavailability of needed items? Well played so far by AZL, I would say as a summary! Best, Sven
|
|
|
Post by zdave on Apr 3, 2024 11:13:45 GMT -5
…
|
|
|
Post by Commodore on Apr 3, 2024 11:15:06 GMT -5
And it’s gone! Congrats to whomever got his/her loco. Seems to me that AZL nailed the number of units for the heritage release. Not too many, not too little - perfect alignment with the scarcity principle. Cant wait for my D&RGRW unit to arrive today! As a Coloradan close to the heart so to speak. -Tiest I second that, Tiest! The Heritage locos deserve a little scarcity and special attention. Look at the NS Heritage locos, nobody interested in. Scarcity seems to only kick in when we are talking West Coast and especially UP. But when scarcity becomes a problem is when "standard" items are no more available, such as baggage cars, RPOs, diners, Dome cars etc. And there I see the need by AZL to react, because this in the meanwhile hits many prominent railroads, such as UP, DRGW, Pullman Green, etc. Thus, give the collectors what the collectors want and the rail-roaders what they need, please! Is there any collector who does not love scarcity? Is there any rail-roader who does not hate unavailability of needed items? Well played so far by AZL, I would say as a summary! Best, Sven Just wanted to see this again...
|
|
|
Post by zdave on Apr 3, 2024 11:15:58 GMT -5
I second that, Tiest! The Heritage locos deserve a little scarcity and special attention. Look at the NS Heritage locos, nobody interested in. Scarcity seems to only kick in when we are talking West Coast and especially UP. But when scarcity becomes a problem is when "standard" items are no more available, such as baggage cars, RPOs, diners, Dome cars etc. And there I see the need by AZL to react, because this in the meanwhile hits many prominent railroads, such as UP, DRGW, Pullman Green, etc. Thus, give the collectors what the collectors want and the rail-roaders what they need, please! Is there any collector who does not love scarcity? Is there any rail-roader who does not hate unavailability of needed items? Well played so far by AZL, I would say as a summary! Best, Sven “… Look at the NS Heritage locos, nobody interested in...” Just call me “Nobody.” Seriously, though, I get your point. The UP Heritage is a case of supply and demand, where the demand is much greater for UP, when considering the limited supply. But, even then, I had a number of opportunities over the past days to purchase the latest UP Heritage from the main AZL distributors until I finally caved in today and gave way to the “irresistible force.” It’s not as if it was initially absolute unobtainium.
|
|
|
Post by marmot on Apr 3, 2024 14:00:25 GMT -5
Seems to me that AZL nailed the number of units for the heritage release.
Not sure I would agree. Anything that sells out in just hours, is probably not enough units -- esp. if customers have to search/scramble between different sites to find an available model.
Ed
Edit - but perhaps there is some email list or such, that I should be 'plugged into' in order to receive notifications?
Initially this release gave the impression that AZL far underestimated the demand for the DRGW heritage loco due to the mad scramble that was necessary to obtain one. It was definitely frustrating and does not make a good impression for AZL. I don't have any inside info, but it's a strange contrast that even after ZScaleMonster apparently processed the queue of e-mail requests to him, this locomotive was still shown as not sold out at ZSM for 5 or 6 hours on the morning of April 2. I'm sure Anthony was extremely busy then but it gives the impression that everyone who was persistent to obtain one had an opportunity to get one. I don't know if that reflects reality. I don't know anything about the number of people who had to be turned away behind the scenes. Still I would argue that the number produced was not enough because the AZL dealer that's located in prime DRGW territory (nscalesupply) did not receive any for the locals who buy in the store instead of obsessively watching websites waiting for the minute of the release. After speaking with Frank at ZScaleHobo, he said he has a list for the heritage locos where people can sign up to purchase one of the future releases among the number that has been pre-allocated to his store. Seems like a great idea for people who HAVE to have a certain release.
|
|
|
Post by fulingyu on Apr 3, 2024 20:25:36 GMT -5
To be fair, it's not quite accurate to say that nobody is (was) interested in the NS heritage offerings. Roughly half of them eventually sold out while others are still in Monster's inventory sitting there after 8 years. But they sold out OVER time. Contrast that to each and every UP heritage selling out within minutes of release. And here we are 8 years later watching AZL history repeating itself. So yeah, AZL has a good marketing plan going on. Just hope that we don't have to wait ANOTHER 8 years for the next rerun. As for not having enough quantities produced, in a perfect customer world, everybody would be able to get whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted, and in whatever quantity, shape, style, color, or variation that they wanted. Welp, it ain't a perfect world. Producers have to make all kinds of decisions on production, costs, varieties, styles, etc. They will never be able to please everyone. The old saying about trying to please everybody and you end up with everybody unhappy in some way, And I am so grateful to AZL for all that they are doing for us. They are constantly pushing boudaries and taking Z where it only dreamed of going in the past. A few years ago on this forum, I made a comment that I would like to see AZL re do all their brass offerings in injection molding. That way the hard core collectors could have their brass while we could have our trains and fun. One of the Rob's shot me down for this. But I could dream. Now years later and look at that -- AZL is releasing all their early diesels in injection molding for the masses. And they're working on STEAM. It's a great time to be in Z. Still, AZL is just one company. I'm guessing that they are producing over 80-90 percent of North American prototypes and 90 percent of locomotive innovation in Z scale. AZL can't do everything and make everybody happy -- at least not at the same time. but they''re still doing a damn good job. I agree with Sven that some things should be rare - that's what makes them desirable. Besides other companies produce things in limited quantities to keep the uniqueness factor and FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is a marketing strategy. Supreme clothing severely limits their releases to create a brand awareness. Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo always limit the release of their newest and latest gaming console to generate more excitement and desire. Right now Stanley metal water bottles are limited supply driving up interest and demand. So i support AZL for all that they do. The only thing I wish they would do is to have re runs more often. I mean we have that huge list of items that are out of stock or running out. While it is nice to know what AZL products are running out, it would be just as nice to know when will they be replenished so we can purchase them again. Plus, it would help newcombers to Z knowing that stufff isn't produced only once - if you missed it you'll never see it again unless on flea bay. Perhaps instead of always having new product that you have to grab right away, maybe once or twice a year you have a re run of PS2's, bethgons, tank cars, dome passenger cars. Let's not wait another 8 years between reruns.
|
|
|
Post by zdave on Apr 3, 2024 20:38:55 GMT -5
Since Heritage locomotives seem to be a hot topic, here’s a cool video with an interesting consist you don’t see everyday. Lead is BNSF, then the UP Heritage MoPac, the NS Heritage Virginian, and a CSX.
|
|
|
Post by zscalehobo on Apr 3, 2024 21:21:36 GMT -5
To be fair, it's not quite accurate to say that nobody is (was) interested in the NS heritage offerings. Roughly half of them eventually sold out ... Which NS heritage is sold out? Maybe you mean the SD70ACe's. Here's a snip of the dealer portal as of right now searching "NS Heritage" ... * ES44AC's appear to be all present and accounted for with -1 thru -10 available and without giving up the proprietary inventory details, there are quite a few of each available. And these ES44ACs were even promoted with a "subscription program" with dealer notification in May 2017. * For SD70ACe - only -6, -7, & -8 remain and those are light on inventory levels. These were released in May 2016 until December 2016 8 of them and 3 still available here 8 years later. The Erie (-3) and Illinois Terminal (-9) lasted well into the middle of 2018. The question mark in this "report" is what the production numbers were for the NS ES44ACs which given the warm to lukewarm response of the NS SD70ACe in 2016, I'm not sure they'd bump it up, but we don't know what happened behind the scenes or what was required MOQ (minimum ordering quantities) to do the 2017 NS Heritage ES44AC run. So I tend to agree that nobody is bit harsh, but the response appears to be polar opposite of what happens here with the UP Heritage units - TWICE. Same phenomenon happened in 2016 for the UP Heritage units - I have a release email for the 2016 DRGW release indicating it was in short supply and even standing dealer orders were not going to be filled.
|
|