As you are the most helpful lot I know, I thought I would fire this question at you.

Do you pre-order engines/rolling stock from the box shifters?

The reason I as this because I have had an availability list come from the Dark Side manufacturer, there is little or nothing available immediately, the nearest are marked May & June 16.

What I'm asking is; is it worth me ordering in say 5 Santa Specials for delivery in September, or would it be better to ask for Pre-orders. The same goes for a lot of other stock, with minimum orders of 2 or even 4 should I go down the pre-order market like the Liverpool and Sheffield stores, or should I risk capital in ordering them in anyway?

Difficult question
I often pre-order stuff  and then cancel the order months (sometimes a year or two later) cos the items are NEVER available at the first promised date ( and often not available on the 2nd or 3rd promised date) so to my mind preorders are pretty much a waste of time unless you are absolutely desperate to make sure you get one.
I wouldn't risk the capital in ordering items in advance from your suppliers if you have to pay up front. I would imagine its just as likely that the delivery promises to you are as wrong as those of us pre-ordering from the box shifters.
I'm not sure what I said helps you much. Promised delivery dates from the likes of Farish and particularly Dapol are pretty much a lottery.

Quote from: austinbob on May 02, 2016, 06:19:40 PM
Difficult question
I often pre-order stuff  and then cancel the order months (sometimes a year or two later) cos the items are NEVER available at the first promised date ( and often not available on the 2nd or 3rd promised date) so to my mind preorders are pretty much a waste of time unless you are absolutely desperate to make sure you get one.
I wouldn't risk the capital in ordering items in advance from your suppliers if you have to pay up front. I would imagine its just as likely that the delivery promises to you are as wrong as those of us pre-ordering from the box shifters.
I'm not sure what I said helps you much. Promised delivery dates from the likes of Farish and particularly Dapol are pretty much a lottery.

Traders normally have the benefit of not actually paying them until they are ready for delivery, the problem is that lookig down the list there are quite  few promised for this year that have already been cancelled or delayed until 2017, which as you state must be a PIA for customers.

Pre-ordering has the advantage of making sure you get the item you want (whenever it eventually turns up). Most box shifters also send an email once payment is due which means you don't have to keep and eye on adverts etc to see when items actually become available.

My local model shop is actually pretty good and I have taken to getting my "must-haves" from him. His prices are pretty close to the box shifters once you take postage into account. I tend to save the box shifters for sales when there are bigger discounts available. My Rule 1 purchases.

I used to preorder from Liverpool because [a] you had a guaranteed price, and if you needed several of an item, you stood a better chance of getting them.
now that the price guarantee has disappeared, I'm not sure that there is any real advantage in preordering, other than the hope that you'll get the items if they sell well.

I very rarely preorder anything, unless I expect it to sell out fast. Dapol FGW TGS was the last thing. I now have two, as I preordered them from two places! 

To ensure I get those 'must have' items I tend to keep an eye on this forum for when things are due/when delayed to and try to get a pre order in, say, 9-10 months before delivery is expected in the hope that (a) the price will be the same as when ordered and (b) my pre order will ensure I get one rather than take pot luck afterwards.
My preferred supplier mails me if the price has increased and gives me the option of agreeing to the increase or cancelling the order.
At one stage I had over £1200 worth of pre orders but recent price increases and pathetic delivery promises led to me slashing that by over 50%.
Dapol tend to take a full page ad in the NGS Journal advising what is due for arrival and when and it's always good for a laugh/hissy fit.

I think I've got around 4 or 5 items on preorder and its like shifting sands waiting for them to actually turn up. So This thread has convinced me I'm wasting my time and I will close all my preorders and like NewportNobby will keep an eye on this forum for news of release.

Whenever I hear something about new items I put a post under the relevant Review thread and, if one hasn't been started, I start one on the basis that, on arrival with those who've purchased said item, they can put their review into the thread.
I think it could benefit many of us if we all did this as a matter of course.

I used to pre order but don't bother now.
I simply wait for a post on here (or an announcement in one of the magazines).

I can see the advantages of pre-order for the retailer, but as there have been no new releases for early diesel/blue period West country releases I have not really used the facility but if something I really fancied was announced I would probably pre-order. If a Desert sand Western was announced I would pre order one this time as I missed Osbournes limited edition.

Quote from: newportnobby on May 02, 2016, 09:02:04 PM
Whenever I hear something about new items I put a post under the relevant Review thread and, if one hasn't been started, I start one on the basis that, on arrival with those who've purchased said item, they can put their review into the thread.
I think it could benefit many of us if we all did this as a matter of course.

Good idea. I quite often post about new releases I've heard from Hattons, Rails etc
Oh, and I am so fed up with rubbish promises on pre orders that I've just cancelled them all.

Quote from: austinbob on May 02, 2016, 09:07:47 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on May 02, 2016, 09:02:04 PM
Whenever I hear something about new items I put a post under the relevant Review thread and, if one hasn't been started, I start one on the basis that, on arrival with those who've purchased said item, they can put their review into the thread.
I think it could benefit many of us if we all did this as a matter of course.

Good idea. I quite often post about new releases I've heard from Hattons, Rails etc
Oh, and I am so fed up with rubbish promises on pre orders that I've just cancelled them all.

If you have Farish stuff in mind, Bob, checking the 'recent Arrivals' section of their website also shows what is due in the next 60 days so I assume they know it's on/going onto a boat.............
http://www.bachmann.co.uk/new_arrivals.php?prod_selected=1

I have a few items on pre order, however these are all 2+ years old. I've not bothered pre ordering anything since but that is more down to the offerings that have been presented, i.e. nothing that I want.

Quote from: Ditape on May 02, 2016, 09:04:31 PM
I can see the advantages of pre-order for the retailer, but as there have been no new releases for early diesel/blue period West country releases I have not really used the facility but if something I really fancied was announced I would probably pre-order. If a Desert sand Western was announced I would pre order one this time as I missed Osbournes limited edition.

Our problem lies mainly with a Dark Scale supplier whos name begins with the letter after G. Basically harldy anything that has a motor in it is available now, to me th eony way it seems to get sales for this copany is to pre-order the items in question, therein lies the problem, if the item is popular, it may be sold out in no time, but because items get delayed and even cancelled customers  get a bit miffed when they don't turn up when expected.

Pre orders would give us an idea on the popularity of a particular model, and allow us to judge sales better