R60014 Triple pack Liverpool and Manchester flat wagon order cancelled

[Edward-357526]

Just received this notification from another retailer;

"We're sorry to inform you that we have had to cancel your pre-order(s) for: R60014 Triple pack of 4 wheel Liverpool and Manchester flat wagon. We are not able to acquire the stock to allocate to your pre-order."

This is not the first time this has happened to me this year for pre-orders for the 2021 range and I find it very discouraging that manufacturer and retailer can't seem to get their acts together to avoid this.

Fortunately in both cases I was able to reorder direct from Hornby which further adds to the bafflement of why/how this situation occurs.

It also makes me wonder if it is worth the risk placing pre-orders with anyone other than Hornby in the future.

[JJ73]

Even Ordering direct from Hornby can take time...(just saying) 😐🚂🚂🚂

[Edward-357526]

Even Ordering direct from Hornby can take time...(just saying) 😐🚂🚂🚂

 

 

Its not the time that is the issue

[Chrissaf]

If you mentioned who the retailer is, then more info might be available. For example there are known 'supply chain' issues [or at least there were] between Hornby and 'Rails of Sheffield'.

[Edward-357526]

@Chrissaf

 

 

Hattons

[ellocoloco]

Judging by what has been reported on other SM outlets, Hattons appear to have a track record of accepting more orders than they can fulfill.

Many other retailers seem to manage this better. If you have any other pre-orders with Hattons, probably best to cancel them and go with someone else while there is still stock available.

[Bulleidboy]

It's difficult to know how many items each large retailer will get when a new model is first announced. If a retailer orders 1000 models and receives 750, some people are going to lose out.

I assume when a retailer places an order with the supplier, they will take into account how many pre-orders might be cancelled when taking pre-orders in excess of what they will actually receive?

Also are orders dealt with in the order in which they are received? I very recently received a pre-order from a retailer where the order was originally made minutes after the model was announced on their site, so I assume I was near the top of the list.

If you want to be sure of a receiving a model - buy from Hornby.

[96RAF]

One would like to think Hornby had a policy of ensuring their own pre-orders plus a margin of regular sales stock was achieved in-house before proportionally divvying up the balance of any supply stock they have received to their retailers.

I have no idea how retailers manage their pre-orders booked versus firm demand orders to Hornby and likely such methods will vary retailer to retailer anyhow.

[ColinB]

I have had about 3 or more of my preorders from Hattons cancelled. The funny thing was I cancelled my blue Merchant Navy "East Asiatic Company" from them before they did and ordered it from two different suppliers as I thought it would be a popular one. Surprise, surprise Hattons have loads of them as it appears has everyone else and I now have two. No issue, it is a good model, I just thought it was funny. Mind you they cancelled my preorder for the Thompson A2 and I have noticed that there are a lot of those about as well. Given the bad reviews I can understand why, although my one runs ok although it has a lot of detailing faults. I must admit my experience with "Rails of Sheffield", when they did Hornby, was entirely different they never let me down.

[ColinB]

Hattons have just cancelled my R3843 P2 in Garter blue. Basically that is all my preorders of Hornby from Hattons cancelled, the only they didn't cancel I did. It is not that much of an issue, I just ordered one from Derails, but it cannot be good for Hattons business.

[atom3624]

Hattons just cancelled my W1 Hush-Hush pre-orders - original and BR rebuilt.

I ordered within 12 hours of them being announced in 2020.

Is somebody buying these up to sell on to poor unfortunates as vastly increased rates?

Not impressed!!

Al.

[sxbiker]

I placed pre-orders with Hattons for the Midland Pullman locos and coaches plus others very early when they were announced. Within the month, they were cancelled. So I quickly pre-ordered with Hornby. I also missed out last year with the Centenary Rocket and Evening Star. Another retailer cancelled the Duchess of Athol, evening though I had paid the full retail price in advance.

[Gricer]

This is clearly becoming a major issue for Hornby. I pre-ordered the R40067 4 wheel brake (GWR) for delivery in January and have just had it cancelled. Reading these previous posts it is obviously not just one product being delayed, but many items from across the whole the range that are simply not being made available. We all know about delays due to Covid etc, but perhaps Hornby should put out a statement and explain where or why we are being let down? It really does not help their reputation if so very many of these publicised items are either not being produced or made available to Hornby's contracted suppliers.

[atom3624]

Is it possible Hattons ordered, as 'per normal' assuming that 'extra' would be covered by Hornby, as it had been in the past, only to find they're sticking to confirmed orders only?

I'm pretty annoyed by double Hush Hush order has been cancelled, so I'm a 'victim' of whatever's gone wrong.

Re-ordered elsewhere, so no great loss - to me.

Al.

[BJT91]

Issue is this is upsetting customers who want to buy from their chosen retailers who they have a great relationship with. If this keeps happening Hornby could loose some more of their retailers like they did with Rails of Sheffield. Please Hornby could you give your retailers more notification on pre order amounts before people decide to buy off their chosen retailers as I have heard other models have recently had order amounts scaled back, one of the models in question was the Hush Hush un rebuilt and rebuilt models and a Southern Railway luggage van. I have heard of non of these supply and demand issues with other model railway manufacturers as people have managed to obtain their pre ordered models with no issues even if they are late to arrive due to covid issues.

[ColinB]

Having read a post on another "chat room" it appears that Hornby decided in that case not to supply a certain firm in Liverpool with none of a certain prerelease. So probably this is the same. Perhaps what is happening, Hornby is short of a large amount of units, being lazy they decide not to supply the Retailer with the biggest amount of orders with any, thus preserving all the other orders to the smaller retailers. Hornby then only upset one Retailer, who they consider will recover, rather than the many that had smaller orders. As I say just a theory. Of course if their new models are the same quality as their Thompson A2s, then there this won't be an issue any longer.