|
Post by Judge Doom on Jan 27, 2015 17:35:17 GMT -8
I predict that if things keep going the way they are, this product launch will be a failure, and turn KB off from doing any future models for the North American market.
Because quite frankly, that e-mail was a joke. They need to step up their marketing game (bro).
|
|
|
Post by mlehman on Jan 27, 2015 19:10:59 GMT -8
SNIP Because quite frankly, that e-mail was a joke... That or those North Korean hackers have got time on the hands until the release of The Interview II. If I was KBC, I'd be laying the blame on Kim Jong-un's subversion of the internet right about now and going for Plan C, given Plan A (hire someone who knows North American sales) got shredded and Plan B ( Bombshell email) didn't work.
|
|
|
Post by steeplecab on Jan 27, 2015 23:59:15 GMT -8
I went in to their web page through the old internet search links. It looks legitimate, but they have a huge mess without someone knowledgeable in the business on the US side to handle this. They've produced quite a number of locomotives for BLI in the past and I have to wonder if the person who left was the only contact for all those companies. KBM needs to find a US distributor to work with or they're just going to eat all their work. They don't need someone to blame. They need someone to save them from themselves.
|
|
|
Post by calzephyr on Jan 28, 2015 9:49:48 GMT -8
I went in to their web page through the old internet search links. It looks legitimate, but they have a huge mess without someone knowledgeable in the business on the US side to handle this. They've produced quite a number of locomotives for BLI in the past and I have to wonder if the person who left was the only contact for all those companies. KBM needs to find a US distributor to work with or they're just going to eat all their work. They don't need someone to blame. They need someone to save them from themselves. They have produced many items in the past and do nice work overall on the past models. It would be advisable as you mentioned for them to use a USA importer to sell their product if they want to produce and sell model trains here. Their die cast models have been top notch and the brass in the past years has been good, but all of those had Importers to check and approve the final product to be sold here in the USA. Personally, I would never purchase a model direct from overseas. Larry
|
|
|
Post by bnsf971 on Jan 28, 2015 12:05:33 GMT -8
Personally, I would never purchase a model direct from overseas. Larry If I did, it would have to be absolutely dirt cheap, if not cheaper. This model is not.
|
|
|
Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 28, 2015 12:08:10 GMT -8
Personally, I would never purchase a model direct from overseas. Larry In a way, it's no different than buying from Exactrail or Tangent. Just farther. Their big problem is REPUTATION. The big E and Tangent both have excellent reputations, and we folks are pretty confident in ordering from them. It's not impossible for KBM to do the same. BUT they'll have to do some pretty innovative marketing. Say, mailing a few free models to certain people on this list. And, once having received rave review (they hope), selling a whole bunch more at ridiculously low prices--say DCC and sound and perfection for $85. One time only. Larry, I think you just might then buy direct from overseas. But, although my suggestion is physically possible, it would take a big heap of work and thought and innovative thinking and work and work. And them KBM would be a player. Ed
|
|
|
Post by calzephyr on Jan 28, 2015 15:11:48 GMT -8
Personally, I would never purchase a model direct from overseas. Larry In a way, it's no different than buying from Exactrail or Tangent. Just farther. Their big problem is REPUTATION. The big E and Tangent both have excellent reputations, and we folks are pretty confident in ordering from them. It's not impossible for KBM to do the same. BUT they'll have to do some pretty innovative marketing. Say, mailing a few free models to certain people on this list. And, once having received rave review (they hope), selling a whole bunch more at ridiculously low prices--say DCC and sound and perfection for $85. One time only. Larry, I think you just might then buy direct from overseas. But, although my suggestion is physically possible, it would take a big heap of work and thought and innovative thinking and work and work. And them KBM would be a player. Ed Ed If I was confident in the product, that might change my mind. It would seem that some kind of Customs would be involved if we purchased an item from KBM, right? I already own approximately 3 dozen models from BLI that were built by KBM many years ago. I know that can build good products or at least acceptable, but all of those were imported by BLI and under warranty and that tooling for the Big Boy, the EMD F units and the ALCO PA's went to MTH. They are all solid models for sure. Many years ago, I shipped some brass to Japan and customs got involved in the paperwork if I remember correctly. Larry
|
|
|
Post by calzephyr on Jan 28, 2015 15:12:50 GMT -8
Personally, I would never purchase a model direct from overseas. Larry If I did, it would have to be absolutely dirt cheap, if not cheaper. This model is not. I agree if the price was so low I could not resist, I might take a chance. Larry
|
|
|
Post by keystonefarm on Jan 29, 2015 22:43:56 GMT -8
I see where Model Railroad News has received a KBM U-25c sample and will review it in the March issue. Units shown was a CR unit and looked nice . --- Ken
|
|
|
Post by markfj on Jan 30, 2015 7:14:43 GMT -8
So, this “is” a legitimate release and not vaporware?
|
|
|
Post by keystonefarm on Jan 30, 2015 8:56:52 GMT -8
They have never been vaporware. I saw complete running painted samples at The Timonium show last April. ----- Ken
|
|
|
Post by oldmuley on Jan 30, 2015 15:35:56 GMT -8
Anybody getting the Microsoft Tech Support your computer is broadcasting virus nonsense phone calls lately? I got one of these telling me my computer had "malicious files" and was "ruining the internet". The caller wanted me to go to my computer and press the Windows key. As soon as I told him my computer is a Mac, he hung up. Too bad he couldn't help, 'cause I'd feel really bad if I'm the reason the internet broke.
|
|
|
Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 30, 2015 16:15:24 GMT -8
OH!
You're the one.
You are in SO much trouble.
Ed
|
|
|
Post by craigz on Jan 31, 2015 18:36:27 GMT -8
Anybody getting the Microsoft Tech Support your computer is broadcasting virus nonsense phone calls lately? I got one of these telling me my computer had "malicious files" and was "ruining the internet". The caller wanted me to go to my computer and press the Windows key. As soon as I told him my computer is a Mac, he hung up. Too bad he couldn't help, 'cause I'd feel really bad if I'm the reason the internet broke. So it's YOU! But seriously...KBM has done nice steam in the past. The diesels they've done for BLI are not top shelf items in my opinion. They're OK, nothing more. And really, as solid a model as the Rivarossi model is with its street price of about $170 for non sound...frankly I can't see any reason to buy the KBM. The pilot model photos show them missing the radiator cores (you can see the fans from above - there should be the cores above the fans); I've spoken with somebody whose actually gotten a good close look at one and he noted the details and trucks just looked flat. If the KBM was a model of, I dunno, a Baldwin center cab or an SD39 or something else that didn't exist I'd have more hope of it being successful. But it duplicates what is already available in a darn fine model...
|
|