Walthers backorders.

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C

ChevelleSSguy

Member
Does anyone know how well Walthers handles backorders? In other words, I have a few items on backorder from them. 2 of which are Kato locomotives that have been backordered since October 30th. I really want them but im concerned they will end up getting cancled. Should I not hold my breath on something like this?

The other items are the usual common stuff and I am confident they just ran out.
 
From my experience, they have always come through with the back orders. It may be quite a while until you see one. One of mine was months old and I had forgotten about it.
 


Jayl1 has a good question.
If they are already in the market, look on their items lists for an expected time of delivery. If marked "unknown", then...well...expect a long wait. Keep in mind that this posted date is APPROX only and many things can throw it off, even by months. They will come through when they have them. ;)
 
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Being a Walthers dealer, I can confirm that they do what they can to get more of an item that they have run out of stock for. Sometimes there is nothing they can do. Backordering a Locomotive that has been previously released is kinda a shot in the dark, unless its a popular locomotive and the manufacture still has stock on it left in their warehouse. If they dont, the manufacture may do another run if they get enough backorders for them, but who knows how long that could take....

Like mentioned above, not everything has an expected date that it will return back in stock at Walthers, those being the ones listed with the "unknown" due dates. If your locomotive is listed in this category, im thinking it may be a long shot, especially since its KATO and they do limited productions now. What is the item number(s) of the item you have on backorder? Ill see if i can get anymore information for you as to when and if they do come back in at Walthers :D
 
I'll offer you a somewhat different take on Walther backorders than those who have gone before.

Walthers, in most instances, is a wholesaler and not the manufacturer. Many of their smaller suppliers seem to produce their products only at (long) intervals. Thus, a wait may be long through no fault of Walthers. They do eventually come through but I know that I've waited up to 18 months on a few orders before the item showed up.

On the other hand, it appears to me through a recent experience that Walther may also wait to order from their suppliers until a demand has built up for some out-of-stock item, or multiple items, from a given supplier. A short while back I needed some Mirco Engineering EL kit parts and girders. Walthers had them listed as out-for-stock, with no expected date of arrival. I checked back several times over a number of weeks without any change occurring. Finally, I thought of contacting ME directly to see just when they would be producing the item. When I called, I was asked just how many of the items I needed, because they could supply me with all I could possibly want...from stock! They also informed me Walthers had not contacted them for any parts for quite some time.

So....take your pick of situations, I guess.

NYW&B
 
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Touch base with them every 6 months or so to make sure your back order does not get purged. As long as they know you still want it, they'll do whatever they can to fill it.
 
NYW&B said:
I'll offer you a somewhat different take on Walther backorders than those who have gone before.

Walthers, in most instances, is a wholesaler and not the manufacturer. Many of their smaller suppliers seem to produce their products only at (long) intervals. Thus, a wait may be long through no fault of Walthers. They do eventually come through but I know that I've waited up to 18 months on a few orders before the item showed up.

On the other hand, it appears to me through a recent experience that Walther may also wait to order from their suppliers until a demand has built up for some out-of-stock item, or multiple items, from a given supplier. A short while back I needed some Mirco Engineering EL kit parts and girders. Walthers had them listed as out-for-stock, with no expected date of arrival. I checked back several times over a number of weeks without any change occurring. Finally, I thought of contacting ME directly to see just when they would be producing the item. When I called, I was asked just how many of the items I needed, because they could supply me with all I could possibly want...from stock! They also informed me Walthers had not contacted them for any parts for quite some time.

So....take your pick of situations, I guess.

NYW&B
Click to expand...

There are a lot of businesses out there that do just what NYW&B wrote. No reason in building inventory for things that are marginally popular, otherwise the business has to clearance the items (at a loss) to get them off the shelf.
 


NYW&B said:
I'll offer you a somewhat different take on Walther backorders than those who have gone before.

Walthers, in most instances, is a wholesaler and not the manufacturer. Many of their smaller suppliers seem to produce their products only at (long) intervals. Thus, a wait may be long through no fault of Walthers. They do eventually come through but I know that I've waited up to 18 months on a few orders before the item showed up.

On the other hand, it appears to me through a recent experience that Walther may also wait to order from their suppliers until a demand has built up for some out-of-stock item, or multiple items, from a given supplier. A short while back I needed some Mirco Engineering EL kit parts and girders. Walthers had them listed as out-for-stock, with no expected date of arrival. I checked back several times over a number of weeks without any change occurring. Finally, I thought of contacting ME directly to see just when they would be producing the item. When I called, I was asked just how many of the items I needed, because they could supply me with all I could possibly want...from stock! They also informed me Walthers had not contacted them for any parts for quite some time.

So....take your pick of situations, I guess.

NYW&B
Click to expand...

Dont suppose you have an email address for Micro Engineering?
 
Here is an update on this thread. I just called Kato directly and they told me the locomotives I have on backorder have long since been out of production with none to be made again. Looks like this is one backorder that will never be filled. I really wanted those dang things too. They were both BNSF SD70MACs in executive paint scheme colors. Both were different numbers.:mad:
 
Rico said:
Well then off to ebay with ye!
I wonder how long you'd have waited without calling...
Click to expand...

Meant to call over a week ago when I posted this but never got around to it. Figured with the responses I would just wait for it to eventually show up. Checked Ebay just to see what kind of prices were there and they were considerable more then what I would get them for if the backorder went through. So in a nutshell, I want them, but not bad enough to get them off ebay for 50 plus more dollars. Its not that nice of a paint scheme that warrants me just having to have it bad enough. I can deal without them. I dont plan to cancel the order. It can sit on backorder forever as far as im concerned. Maybe by some maraculous event. I may actually see them but I wont hold my breath.
 
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