YankeeVictor400.com
Active member
Pre-orders are often a controversial topic among collectors. Many stores, at least in the U.S., take the payment as soon as a pre-order is placed, but most collectors know that in many cases it can take more than a year for the model to arrive. In some cases, the model never arrives (cancelled releases). It takes a while to get used to handing out your money, hoping you will eventually get either a model or a refund. Many collectors prefer to wait for the models to be in stock to buy them, understandably so.
Manufacturers and retailers, on the other hand, love pre-orders.
There are some downsides for retailers, though. For instance, sometimes manufacturers cannot fulfill orders in their entirety, which can leave retailers with no option other than to issue refunds, while irritating customers; talk about a lose-lose situation. Also, pre-orders increase the workload and stress associated with record-keeping and customer service.
Nonetheless, there are good reasons for any new retailer looking to get a strong foothold on the market to put in the effort and try to develop strategies to capture some pre-orders regularly.
It is worth noting that undercutting everyone else, though tempting, is not a good long-term strategy. Many retailers already list models at the minimum asking price, so anyone who undercuts will be automatically violating the policies of many manufacturers and distributors; not a good situation to be in, especially as a new retailer. By the same token, and more importantly, there is not a whole lot of room to undercut before starting to flat-out bleed money.
All retailers should aim to be one of those outfits whose loyal customers don't mind paying a buck or two more than the competition for some products.
And how do you do that exactly?
There is an infinite number of ways. Everyone has to develop their "secret sauce."
One thing that I have done at Yankee Victor 400 is come up with a method for customers to pre-order in an easy, reliable fashion without having to pay up front. It is a quite simple solution; it is the same method that manufacturers and distributors use to gather orders from retailers. Also, a method that some stores already use: A signup sheet of sorts. I call it a Pre Order form.
Not only does it allow customers to pre-order without having to pay up front, but as it turns out, it also allows me to post new releases quicker, as I don't have to upload them to the site, which can be quite time-consuming (even when uploading in bulk).
I first started using the form for the Patriot Model Boeing Aircraft co. (TWA) 747-100 N93101 in 1:400, but by now, I have used it for JC Wings, InFlight200, and Phoenix Model.
One drawback that I quickly found after rolling out the Pre Order form is that it did not account for shipping costs, which is something that retailers also face when purchasing inventory; freight costs are always a nice surprise at the end. To save my customers the trouble, I have recently included a shipping estimate table with the form. I hope that in this way, customers can get a highly accurate estimate before submitting a Pre Order form at Yankee Victor 400, since the price of models is fixed. In fact, since the shipping estimates I use are on the conservative side, and discount codes can still be used at the time of payment (when the models are in stock and ready to ship), I expect most customers will find the experience quite positive; once I iron all the kinks out, of course.
I don't expect, nor want, anyone to abandon their go-to retailer in favor of some random new outfit. By all means, be loyal to your retailer; after all, I still have my go-to retailer and have good relationships with many others. But if you are new to the hobby and haven't established a long-lasting relationship with any retailer, or don't currently have a go-to retailer for whatever reason, check out www.yankeevictor400.shop and maybe use one of our pre-order forms for the next set of new releases that includes something you like.
Find our Pre Order forms under the Pre Orders tab on the menu. Reach out if you have any questions or issues. And thank you for your patience before hand, as this is still a new procedure.
Manufacturers and retailers, on the other hand, love pre-orders.
There are some downsides for retailers, though. For instance, sometimes manufacturers cannot fulfill orders in their entirety, which can leave retailers with no option other than to issue refunds, while irritating customers; talk about a lose-lose situation. Also, pre-orders increase the workload and stress associated with record-keeping and customer service.
Nonetheless, there are good reasons for any new retailer looking to get a strong foothold on the market to put in the effort and try to develop strategies to capture some pre-orders regularly.
It is worth noting that undercutting everyone else, though tempting, is not a good long-term strategy. Many retailers already list models at the minimum asking price, so anyone who undercuts will be automatically violating the policies of many manufacturers and distributors; not a good situation to be in, especially as a new retailer. By the same token, and more importantly, there is not a whole lot of room to undercut before starting to flat-out bleed money.
All retailers should aim to be one of those outfits whose loyal customers don't mind paying a buck or two more than the competition for some products.
And how do you do that exactly?
There is an infinite number of ways. Everyone has to develop their "secret sauce."
One thing that I have done at Yankee Victor 400 is come up with a method for customers to pre-order in an easy, reliable fashion without having to pay up front. It is a quite simple solution; it is the same method that manufacturers and distributors use to gather orders from retailers. Also, a method that some stores already use: A signup sheet of sorts. I call it a Pre Order form.
Not only does it allow customers to pre-order without having to pay up front, but as it turns out, it also allows me to post new releases quicker, as I don't have to upload them to the site, which can be quite time-consuming (even when uploading in bulk).
I first started using the form for the Patriot Model Boeing Aircraft co. (TWA) 747-100 N93101 in 1:400, but by now, I have used it for JC Wings, InFlight200, and Phoenix Model.
One drawback that I quickly found after rolling out the Pre Order form is that it did not account for shipping costs, which is something that retailers also face when purchasing inventory; freight costs are always a nice surprise at the end. To save my customers the trouble, I have recently included a shipping estimate table with the form. I hope that in this way, customers can get a highly accurate estimate before submitting a Pre Order form at Yankee Victor 400, since the price of models is fixed. In fact, since the shipping estimates I use are on the conservative side, and discount codes can still be used at the time of payment (when the models are in stock and ready to ship), I expect most customers will find the experience quite positive; once I iron all the kinks out, of course.
I don't expect, nor want, anyone to abandon their go-to retailer in favor of some random new outfit. By all means, be loyal to your retailer; after all, I still have my go-to retailer and have good relationships with many others. But if you are new to the hobby and haven't established a long-lasting relationship with any retailer, or don't currently have a go-to retailer for whatever reason, check out www.yankeevictor400.shop and maybe use one of our pre-order forms for the next set of new releases that includes something you like.
Find our Pre Order forms under the Pre Orders tab on the menu. Reach out if you have any questions or issues. And thank you for your patience before hand, as this is still a new procedure.
