ExactRail news update

[faraway]

Exact Rail has stopped it's cooperation with dealers. There are may threads about that topic. The none US customers are hit double because we are facing long shipping delays and prohibitive shipping cost if we buy e.g. less than 10 cars. The German LHS posted that information too.

The German dealer "All American Trains" (AAT) http://www.aat-net.de/ posted today they have reached an agreement with Exact Rail and they will continue to be an ER dealer. The bad news is that the dealer conditions are not as good as in the past and prices will be increased therefor.

However, I assume at least for low quantities is that a better solution than direct ordering in US.

I do not know if that is a special agreement of "American trains" or if ER will continue to cooperate with international LHS in general. My none American fellows might want to investigate with their LHS (UK, Norway, France, Switzerland ... ). In any case might it be an alternative to order within the European Union from AAT in Germany.

ps. I have no financial interest in AAT, I am just a happy customer

[jwb]

Naturally, it's good that at least some folks overseas have a less-bad alternative. I was at a West Coast prototype modelers meet where ExactRail's VP gave a presentation on their reasons for the change -- it comes down to rising costs, but when you connect some of the other dots -- Athearn RTR and other suppliers losing a big Chinese manufacturer, for instance -- the problems seem to be in China, and bigger than a single supplier like ExactRail. I noticed a post on another forum where a guy says his local hobby shop is suffering from not having Athearn RTR to sell, since it's their biggest item of business.

It actually sounds to me as if the Chinese business model is going south. Chinese ways of doing things have done this in the past, come to think of it.

[jwb]

I re-checked the thread about Athearn RTR on the other board, and I think another post said ExactRail's web site now says it will go through dealers for all overseas sales. I would guess they'll eventually back down on US sales as well -- if I wanted one ExactRail car, I'd have to pay $10 or whatever for shipping on that alone, even in the US. If I could get it through my dealer, he'd absorb the shipping cost. If I got it through Walthers, I could pay $10 or whatever for a whole bunch of items.

My guess is ExactRail is going to drop this, but it'll take time, and it'll do them and us both some damage.

[BR60103]

Last time I was in, the LHS was having a clearance sale on Exact Rail.

[jwb]

This appeared on another forum from someone who I think is in Australia:

I have now made contact (through TO private message) with an Aussie Dealer so my opportunity to get your models is available to me. I am however, surprised that this could not be found through your web page. Nor is there any information of European dealers or elsewhere. This lends support to my observation that your decision to allow overseas dealers was a knee jerk reaction to an unforseen market and its volume. You still appear disorganised to me and my first purchases from ER (around 2008 or 2009) were filled in a confused and inaccurate manner. For your sake, I hope that is changed.

Kneejerk is never a good sign.