Calling all Steel Modelers

[Trucklover]

Some of you may know that i was pursuing becoming a Walthers dealer, well Im officially a Walthers dealer now lol. I have a small section in my grandfather's jewelery store where i will be selling trains out of, as well as online through my ebay retail store. "Mader's Custom Trains" will officially be open for business as soon as the first order from Walthers arrives hehe

Among the many things i will be getting on my first order is the Walthers Steel Series. This includes all the NEW kits that are released to this date (Blast Furnace, Rolling Mill, Coke Oven Kit, Blower Engine House and Blower Piping Kit)

Full retail for 1 of each of these kits is $719.90, a good chunk of change lol. My question is, how many of you Steel Modelers would prefer to buy the kits separately and how many of you would prefer to buy all of them in a package deal with Free Shipping in the US? I have not yet decided on how much the package deal will be, but dont get too exited, it wont be anything crazy for obvious reasons lol

Im also debating on building some of these kits and offering them built-up. But unlike the other structures i build and sell curently, these are HUGE and would be a HUGE issue to ship, especially cross-country. So im debating this too, i guess i need to find out just how large of a box say the Blast Furnace would require to ship safely with "cushion" room all around it lol

Im welcoming any opinions on this from you steel modelers and other forums members. You all have been so helpful in the past, and i really appreciate it!!

Im going to go ahead and make this a poll question too, so please vote and feel free to reply with any information you can provide about this subject

And, Thank you in advance to all who reply and vote

[nachoman]

You have a lot of work ahead of you! I wish you good luck. Unfortunately, most of the walthers kits are much to modern and much too large for my WW1 era layout, but please post photos of your creations!

[Catt]

Josh,
I am not a steel modeler but I thought I would toss my quarter's worth in anyway.

My thoughts are to sell it both ways with of course an ovious saving on the entire package at once.For another option how about a subscription plan where the customer could sign up to get the next kit in the series,do this maybe on a bi monthly deal, again with a savings over just buying the individual kits but not as much as the whole package at once.

As you can see I can't vote in your poll because it would have to be multiple choice.Ok, now I will go back to my Z scale :mrgreen:

[doctorwayne]

Josh, I took the liberty of altering your poll choices to provide more options - voters can select any or all of the choices. If you want to alter it further, or back to its original form, you may either do so yourself or let me know what changes you'd like.

Wayne

[Trucklover]

You have a lot of work ahead of you! I wish you good luck. Unfortunately, most of the walthers kits are much to modern and much too large for my WW1 era layout, but please post photos of your creations!

LOL thank you Kevin And yes, if i do in fact decide to build some of them, you can bet ill be posting a series of threads showing the construction and weathering of each structure

[Trucklover]

Josh, I took the liberty of altering your poll choices to provide more options - voters can select any or all of the choices. If you want to alter it further, or back to its original form, you may either do so yourself or let me know what changes you'd like.

Wayne

No problem Wayne, i like the way you edited it and included another option

[Trucklover]

My thoughts are to sell it both ways with of course an obvious saving on the entire package at once.

Johnathan, thank you for the reply!! I like what your saying and this could be an option.

Selling them both ways and have the package deal as a better savings i think would catch peoples attention. This will mean i will have to have at least 2 of each of the Walthers Steel Structures in stock at all times, which i wont be able to do until at least my second order re-roder from Walthers. I have already built up my order, and i only allowed $500 for Steel Kits, the rest to popular Walthers rolling stock and structures lol.

I like this idea though, so on my second order, ill order 2 of all the steel series kits lol. thanks for the suggestion

For another option how about a subscription plan where the customer could sign up to get the next kit in the series,do this maybe on a bi monthly deal, again with a savings over just buying the individual kits but not as much as the whole package at once.

Can you explain this a little more? Im not quite sure i understand what you are saying and i would like to hear what you have to say in a little more detail.

Are you saying that the customer would buy all the kits at once and then i ship one steel structure kit a month to them? Or the customer would buy them one at a time once a month?

[doctorwayne]

Generally, the idea is to sign up for the entire series, (perhaps with a down payment) but pay for them only as they're received. This spreads the cost over a longer time-frame. Lots of folks don't want to (or can't afford to) shell out the cost of the whole series in one lump-sum payment.

Wayne

[Trucklover]

Generally, the idea is to sign up for the entire series, (perhaps with a down payment) but pay for them only as they're received. This spreads the cost over a longer time-frame. Lots of folks don't want to (or can't afford to) shell out the cost of the whole series in one lump-sum payment.

Wayne

So if im understanding it right lol, i would have to send these kits out without them paying for them first? Im not sure if i could do that lol

[doctorwayne]

I think that even Walthers offered the steel plant as a subscription, and I'm sure that they would've required the money "up front". I don't generally buy over the internet, so someone more familiar with the practice could perhaps clarify how this works.

Wayne

[Spitfire]

Unfortunately I already bought my steel mill kits, but I would have to agree that it's best to sell it both ways. Not everyone will want every kit in the series, but some will, and if they can save money by ordering all at once, that's an attractive offer.

cheers
Val

[Russ Bellinis]

Generally, the idea is to sign up for the entire series, (perhaps with a down payment) but pay for them only as they're received. This spreads the cost over a longer time-frame. Lots of folks don't want to (or can't afford to) shell out the cost of the whole series in one lump-sum payment.

Wayne

So if im understanding it right lol, i would have to send these kits out without them paying for them first? Im not sure if i could do that lol

I think what Wayne is saying is the customer would send in a down payment to order (perhaps the cost of the first kit in the series), then as each new kit came out, they would send in the payment for it and have it shipped out. You would give the discount because they are ordering the entire series, but you would receive the payments as each kit was ready to ship. I don't think anyone ships anything out without receiving payment before shipping.

[doctorwayne]

....... I don't think anyone ships anything out without receiving payment before shipping.

Unless, of course, you're shipping to folks whom you trust.

Wayne

[Trucklover]

Russ, Wayne, and Val, thanks for the replies

I think i understand that subscription thing now, and i really like the idea of doing that. Ill have to figure out a way to offer that now lol