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Post by nebrzephyr on Jan 25, 2017 11:47:18 GMT -8
Was wondering if anybody has been able to make contact with the "new" Caboose Hobbies. I tried to call several time and only get an answering machine, with no call back. Also, tried email, same result, no reply.
I was attempting to reach them to see if they were going to honor/fulfill reservations made in December 2015 with the original Caboose Hobbies. I had a couple Athearn items that just came into stock at Athearn.
Thanks. Bob
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Post by riogrande on Jan 25, 2017 12:12:03 GMT -8
From what I'm reading from feedback of folks in Colorado, it's just Caboose now and it's not open yet but probably will be by February.
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Post by jbilbrey on Jan 25, 2017 19:09:12 GMT -8
From what I'm reading from feedback of folks in Colorado, it's just Caboose now and it's not open yet but probably will be by February. RioGrande, thank you for the update. With the new location being approximately 2 miles from where I usually stay in Greater Metropolitan Denver and what appears to be a business trip out there possibly in May, I hope to have a chance to stop by the new store/location while I am out there. James Bilbrey LaVergne, TN |
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Post by dharris on Jan 25, 2017 19:41:11 GMT -8
It is not open yet.
Hard to know facts of more than year old pre orders.
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Post by nebrzephyr on Jan 26, 2017 6:36:41 GMT -8
Maybe they should change the website to more accurately reflect the current status. I find it very un-professional to have a message on the answering machine that says "we'll call you back" and they never do.
Bob
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Post by riogrande on Jan 26, 2017 6:48:45 GMT -8
It appears Caboose is using Caboose Hobbies old website, at least for the announcement. I don't know if the replacement store has full control of the old CH website or not - or if the old folks just posted the announcement there for the benefit of old CH customers to be advised.
It's a bit confusing since the new store (I could be wrong) from appearances is not opening under the old Caboose Hobbies name or logo, yet in the announcement, it says Caboose Hobbies is now under new ownership. So things don't seem to square up in that regard. It does appear that the new owner is going all out to open up a good sized shop with lots of space and shelves etc. and should be good for folks in Colorado.
For the rest of us, it depends on how they set up the online site, and how competitive they are with some of the other sites out there. For me, shipping is part of the picture, which is why I hardly ever use Lombards (high UPS shipping) and now ExactRail has upped their free shipping to $200+ minimum orders - It wasn't too hard for me to scare up ~$100 orders but ~$200 orders will have to be spaced out farther apart for budgetary reasons - this doubling every couple years of minimum orders for free shipping at the rate they are going will price many of us out of that option in the next few years. But I digress ...
Once Caboose is up online, I'll check out their items and shipping and if it's competitive with a few of my other favorite dealers, I'll add them back to my list.
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Post by scl1234 on Jan 26, 2017 9:29:55 GMT -8
... now ExactRail has upped their free shipping to $200+ minimum orders - It wasn't too hard for me to scare up ~$100 orders but ~$200 orders will have to be spaced out farther apart for budgetary reasons - this doubling every couple years of minimum orders for free shipping at the rate they are going will price many of us out of that option in the next few years. They are just trying to coerce everyone that buys from them to be mini-dealers* so more stock gets moved.  Direct sales can be a double-edged sword sometimes. Andy Harman had a thread or two discussing this aspect (hobbyist or dealer?) on the old Atlas forum. *If you have more than ~150 freight cars, you might be a mini-dealer. |
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Post by riogrande on Jan 26, 2017 10:07:18 GMT -8
Mini-dealers? That simply isn't feasible for 95% of us so I don't agree. IMO, it's a business decision to increase the minimum free ship amount - just like it's a business decision to increase the re-release of the PC&F 50' box cars from the original price of $25 to $36. Shipping prices increase, manufacturing costs increase etc. I'm not a believer in a conspiracy theory here. That said, I wish they wouldn't increase the minimum order so much, maybe $150 would have covered their increase and allowed us mundane hobbyists in the trenches on a budget to manage better. Oh well. Doubling the minimum amount each time isn't sustainable - $50 > $100 > $200, if they go to $400 in a few years, sorry, I don't think I'll be able to do that hardly ever. *sigh*
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Post by dharris on Jan 26, 2017 12:30:20 GMT -8
$200 is decent haul in order to get free shipping.
With shipping rates increasing, mail order trains is getting to be less affordable and the equation is changing.
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Post by alcoc430 on Jan 26, 2017 13:50:32 GMT -8
Playing around with Exactrail shipping calculator shipping cost varies from $6.78 for 1 car 1st class mail to $13.47 for 2 to 3 cars, $18.62 for 3 to 4 cars. Depending on which cars.
The problem with waiting for the $200 order, items may go out of stock. Although buying one car at a time with $6.78 shipping is somewhat reasonable, if you only buy a car or two a year, its at least less than most ebay auctions.
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Post by riogrande on Jan 26, 2017 14:47:24 GMT -8
I agree, and I've usually tried to time my orders to make sure I get items I need that are low stock; in the last couple years I could fit them in with my $100 minimum order; now with the minimum $200 thats going to be more challenging.
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Post by fiend540 on Jan 26, 2017 15:11:43 GMT -8
They posted pictures today of shelves stocked with a ton of scenery material and had this to say about preorders "We are not open yet, as we have stated in previous posts and on our website, we will announce both here and there when we open. We are still honoring pre-orders and plan to ship some of them tomorrow. Thank you for your interest!"
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Post by riogrande on Jan 26, 2017 16:28:01 GMT -8
Thanks for the update fiend540. If the website is still Caboose Hobbies, maybe they are going to maintain an online presence as Caboose Hobbies but the B&M store is Caboose IIRC. Split personality!
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Post by drolsen on Jan 26, 2017 21:00:05 GMT -8
It actually sounds kind of normal to me, because when I lived in Colorado, everyone just called it "Caboose" anyway. We're probably going to vacation in Colorado later this year, so hopefully I can stop by the new store.
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Post by riogrande on Jan 27, 2017 4:30:38 GMT -8
I haven't been west for waaaaaay too long, and am hoping once my daughter is finished with my bank account, er college, I can afford to take my wife out that way. In my own college days I made a number of trips east-west and enjoyed watching the desert scenery and Rocky Mountains on the journey. On some of my trips I went further east to Indiana, but east of Denver, the fun was over - and it was just farms and fields from then on. Bleh. If I manage to get out that way, I'll have to see what the new Caboose is all aboot!
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Post by dharris on Feb 9, 2017 18:04:29 GMT -8
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Post by valenciajim on Feb 9, 2017 19:12:19 GMT -8
I like the new location. It is near where my sister-in-law lives. Maybe there will be a Colorado vacation later this year. Especially if there is a weekend when the dodgers are in town.
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Post by dharris on Feb 9, 2017 19:27:01 GMT -8
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Post by fiend540 on Feb 25, 2017 7:35:03 GMT -8
Grand opening today, I'm hoping to make it to the store on Monday!
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Direct sales can be a double-edged sword sometimes. Andy Harman had a thread or two discussing this aspect (hobbyist or dealer?) on the old Atlas forum.