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Post by ztrack on May 4, 2016 20:17:30 GMT -5
Thanks Tim. Sorry for trying to help you out. We don't compete with our dealers and freely push sales to them. I was just trying to do you a solid so you won't miss out on the BNSF again. Yup no good deeds go unpunished...
Rob
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Post by Rob Albritton on May 5, 2016 6:52:30 GMT -5
No offense, but just because I have spent thousands of dollars on Z, doesn't mean I want to pay $10 to 25 more for each engine on top of your double the cost shipping charges. If I can't get one through my preferred vendors than I will just miss out. Frankly I don't understand why you are in competition with your dealers anyway unless it's to engineer more sales for AZL Direct. Thanks Tim. Sorry for trying to help you out. We don't compete with our dealers and freely push sales to them. I was just trying to do you a solid so you won't miss out on the BNSF again. Yup no good deeds go unpunished... Rob You two lovebirds need to get a room.  But on a serious note: 1) We offer direct sales because some people would prefer to deal directly with AZL. We have no bias towards dealers or direct, as economics are the same for AZL and Ztrack (our cost of support for direct sales offsets any additional income we get, so it's a wash.) Our goal is to provide sales and service for our customers in the way that they prefer. 2) We made just as many SD70ACe as we do with any other new locomotive release. For example, the production run of SD45 was the same quantity as SD70ACe. While we suspected that the SD70ACe would be popular, it has far exceeded our expectations. We also wrongly assumed that because we have produced the SD70 for years, that the SD70ACe would be seen as a continuation of that product line, and it would make the SD70ACe no more popular than any other new locomotive. 3) I have seen some comments that we are playing games by limiting the number of units produced. Nothing could be farther from the truth, and it does not hold up to a simple logic test. Our marginal cost of producing more units is small compared to the investment in tooling, research and development. If our goal was to force exclusivity by deliberately under producing the SD70ACe, then the only economic reason for doing that would be to increase the price of the unit. That did not happen. In fact, the SD70ACe price is LESS than the SD70 when it was first released almost 10 years ago. The simple truth is we under estimated demand. We appolgize, and will try harder next time. 4) This brings me to the upcoming GE ES44 (GEvo) locomotives. Given that the last time we released a GE locomotive was over a decade ago, and it was in brass, and given that the SD70ACe has been popular, we now believe that we should increase production quantities over our normal size first run. Furthermore, we will be doing the heritage GE locomotives, and we will also increase production of those so that we can satisfy more of our customers. We will have more details later, and when they become available, I strongly encourage you to contact your dealer and express interest so that they can reserve units in advance. Thanks for your support! -Rob(A) AZL |
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Post by dave on May 5, 2016 8:45:03 GMT -5
Tim, maybe you should expand your 'preferred vendor list' and theck out the AZL Dealer list. I was able to buy three of the BNSF locos using different resources on this list. I got one the first time and one of each when they released the additional quantity.
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Post by zdave on May 5, 2016 8:57:17 GMT -5
Thanks for the info, Rob. I've been very, very pleased with AZL and with Rob K. and AZL Direct. The good news is you have a product with the SD70ACe that's in high demand. If it was a piece of junk and not done in flags of extreme interest, in most cases, such as the heritage units and BNSF, the units would be setting on your shelf and nobody would be happy. The bad news is you've done such a great job in those areas, not even you folks expected the level of demand. I had a feeling most of the heritage units, especially the UP, were going to be in great demand, due to their being so unique and being able to capture the interest of those of us interested in fallen flags, plus the interest of those in to current era locos. Who else is doing what AZL is for American Z? Now back to working on my layout and running the little trains I love.  |
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Post by modelwarships on May 5, 2016 11:58:03 GMT -5
I was a little hard on Rob and for that I apologize. If you truly want to do me a solid, please make sure your dealers can easily order new releases in the future. I appreciate that you put a few more on the market, but you did so in the evening and they were gone by the time most stores opened for business the next day. That favors your direct sales and doesn't give a dealer much of a chance.
For the record my preferred dealer list is:
MB Klein
Z Scale Monster
Needtrains
Norm's Train World
US Z Scale
and even AZL Direct
If there are others who offer easy online ordering with fair prices, please let me know. I would prefer not to have to camp on my computer hitting F5 every minute to have a chance to order.
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Post by ztrack on May 5, 2016 15:10:49 GMT -5
Thanks Tim. I am sorry I came back the way I did.
We can't make ordering any easier for our dealers. We have created an online dealer portal. On this portal dealers can view our real time inventory and place orders. Quantities are updated real time. We do not take orders via email or phone. The portal has been a huge success. The dealers you listed almost all placed orders within 15 minutes of listing the BNSF locos. Dealers understand it is first come first served. This is the only way we can keep it fair.
Rob
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Post by nscaler711 on May 5, 2016 15:33:57 GMT -5
I just want to bump my post cause I think it went unnoticed.... |
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Post by smr on May 5, 2016 16:53:08 GMT -5
I just want to bump my post cause I think it went unnoticed.... Colorful engines, I would take two, too! Best, Sven |
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pmx
New Member
Posts: 40
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Post by pmx on May 5, 2016 21:43:30 GMT -5
And just to let our Forum guest know, the next Heritage units to be released are: NS - Reading NS - Savannah and Atlanta UP - C&NW (in that order) So can you give us some insight on the non-heritage units that will be offered? So far there has been: BNSF w/ original cab CSX and video evidence of UPs running Just want to know how far into debt I'll be going this year. Between these, the P42 Genesis and GEs it's looking bad  |
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Post by Rob Albritton on May 5, 2016 22:30:23 GMT -5
And just to let our Forum guest know, the next Heritage units to be released are: NS - Reading NS - Savannah and Atlanta UP - C&NW (in that order) So can you give us some insight on the non-heritage units that will be offered? So far there has been: BNSF w/ original cab CSX and video evidence of UPs running Just want to know how far into debt I'll be going this year. Between these, the P42 Genesis and GEs it's looking bad Off the top of my head.... UP, CSX, BNSF, CN, NS, KCS, FEC, Ferromex. I'm sure I forgot something. |
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Post by nscaler711 on May 6, 2016 0:55:49 GMT -5
So can you give us some insight on the non-heritage units that will be offered? So far there has been: BNSF w/ original cab CSX and video evidence of UPs running Just want to know how far into debt I'll be going this year. Between these, the P42 Genesis and GEs it's looking bad Off the top of my head.... UP, CSX, BNSF, CN, NS, KCS, FEC, Ferromex. I'm sure I forgot something. AM.. You forgot AM.  FVM in N seems to have canceled theirs... And I really want a set... Lol |
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Post by Rob Albritton on May 6, 2016 5:03:03 GMT -5
Off the top of my head.... UP, CSX, BNSF, CN, NS, KCS, FEC, Ferromex. I'm sure I forgot something. AM.. You forgot AM. FVM in N seems to have canceled theirs... And I really want a set... Lol MRL!!! I forgot MRL!!! But no AM - sorry! |
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pmx
New Member
Posts: 40
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Post by pmx on May 6, 2016 5:54:09 GMT -5
Thanks Rob. Looks like I'll be submitting more funding requests to the Boss. |
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Post by zdave on May 6, 2016 9:46:42 GMT -5
Thanks Rob. Looks like I'll be submitting more funding requests to the Boss. Tell the Boss it's an "investment." |
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Post by shamoo737 on May 6, 2016 10:29:12 GMT -5
The boss told one of her friends, don't let the small size fool you, they cost $50.
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