oh oh..

[m8magicandmystery]

well it just amazes me how many threads are about people surprised at a bit of a wait ordering aftermarket parts this time of year...

well I bet a lot of these same people wait till after they do their drop that they realize they didn't look forward enough to see that the outhouse was out of wipe..

planning people...abit of planning..

 

[hcrider]

what do you mean it will be a few days??

i ordered a few items last week and laughed when michelle called us all winers. i don't understand why people cant think ahead. if i need it next week i order this week.

 

[jerrydecoy]

That spills over into all aspects of life. We want it and we want it right now! Why can't I get my shocks at the same window my quarter pounder comes from? Poor planning and a lack of patience seems to be the norm nowadays !

 

[blindman]

4 weeks so faro

Have called twice at two week intervals. Hope I get my suspension parts before my first ride as would like to sell my stock stuff as new takeoff

 

[MORSNO]

well it just amazes me how many threads are about people surprised at a bit of a wait ordering aftermarket parts this time of year...

well I bet a lot of these same people wait till after they do their drop that they realize they didn't look forward enough to see that the outhouse was out of wipe..

planning people...abit of planning..

I laugh at this also. Guys wait until the last minute and wonder why nothing is in stock. Last year it was Air Frames.

 

[phatty]

I dunno, mostly customers fault for ordering last minute, i agree with that, but shouldn't business be watching sales and orders from years past to forecast the demand they will get this year?

i mean if I sell pipes and see that in 2011 I sold 200 (100 of them in november) and in 2012 I sold 250 (150 in november) wouldn't I say to myself, I can sell 300 this year and have 200 in stock for november (my best selling month)?

Good business plans make happy customers by preparing ahead of time. And in no business is it more critical than sledding which only lasts 6-7 months out of the year.

 

[Blown Motor]

I dunno, mostly customers fault for ordering last minute, i agree with that, but shouldn't business be watching sales and orders from years past to forecast the demand they will get this year?

i mean if I sell pipes and see that in 2011 I sold 200 (100 of them in november) and in 2012 I sold 250 (150 in november) wouldn't I say to myself, I can sell 300 this year and have 200 in stock for november (my best selling month)?

Good business plans make happy customers by preparing ahead of time. And in no business is it more critical than sledding which only lasts 6-7 months out of the year.

We agree 100% with Phatty, why should the consumer have to plan to spend money with us? We are businesses that should have the entire year planned out, snow shows are the same weekends, it snows the same time.....each and every year.....year after year lol.....

There are some things that are not foreseeable, a new product could be a complete hit, or there could be a new company that buys up all the stock etc, but for the most part companies should be ready for the season no later than Oct.

With that said, from our side of things, we have absolutely zero control over when gear shows up to us to ship to the consumer. Since we do not manufacture what we sell, it is tough. This year in fact has been super rough, still waiting for gear we ordered in March on our PreBook that will be here end of this month. This is after all the snow shows, after all initial purchases, and worse yet....after Black Friday. It is ridiculous, and it makes you feel used. Why do we prebook orders and put in all the time in March to forecast orders, if we are not going to get the gear on time, or even what we ordered at all. Baffling, and this is across the board this year. We will admit though, some things just happen in manufacturing, and shipments get delayed etc, which is tough when they come across on a boat, but most of these issues could be fixed or at least relayed better to us as distributors and customers.

 

[89sandman]

the snowmobile world has always puzzled me. like phatty and blown motor stated the season starts and cycles pretty much the same year after year. you know bussiness is gonna start ramping up in october and going strongest from then through dec-jan. but seems no one plans for this? remember when new sleds weren't arriving until late nov-dec, what a disaster. heck soooo many peeps were pissed at poo for delivering dragons so late one year they guaranteed delivery dates the next year. seems sled manufactures have got their stuff together the last couple years, maybe others will follow...

 

[TIM]

there is more to life than just sledding. once thru hunting season, I will start worrying about the sleds. I guess I have a good life that has activities all year. I don't worry about the activities until it is time. Like others have said, the business that support the sport, should know, you are going to sell more snow stuff, when it is on the ground than when it is 85 degrees out.

 

[m8magicandmystery]

look I agree with phatty and blown motor that there is often many shortfalls on "predictable" items but looking at the higher percentage of posts they are "mostly related to availability issues to aftermarket into some uncharted waters" of predictability of demand and possibly material or component supply which and should have the potential or waiting purchaser having the patience..imo..

 

[TIM]

I am going to say the unavailability of goods is in all industries. I have been trying to buy a fat tire bicycle for a couple of months. there pretty cool and designed for snow. I can't seem to find them anywhere and I keep being told they won't be here until December.

 

[Blown Motor]

I am going to say the unavailability of goods is in all industries. I have been trying to buy a fat tire bicycle for a couple of months. there pretty cool and designed for snow. I can't seem to find them anywhere and I keep being told they won't be here until December.

Totally off topic, but I saw a guy walk out of Vertical Earth with one just last week! He may have brought it in for service, but if you havnt checked there, I would!

 

[KTMDirtFace]

I am going to say the unavailability of goods is in all industries. I have been trying to buy a fat tire bicycle for a couple of months. there pretty cool and designed for snow. I can't seem to find them anywhere and I keep being told they won't be here until December.

Guy at my work bought one on competative cyclist...same deal long wait. but walked in one of the bikes shops here and bought one a couple weeks ago at the shop ...they must be around somewhere.

Edit... on a side note I started ordering riding gear/clothing in september... still waiting on a couple items due to manufacturing??? Maybe they should start earlier. Me ordering earlier would not have mattered I dont think.

 

[mtncat1]

back orders are not un usual at all coming from a automotive back ground things just don't always go as planed. it's not the end off the world . they usually get to you in time. jus a few parts that have been back ordered recently. dan adams bars, klim tomahawk jacket, fly carbon helmet, Polaris side panel decals, and boondocker turbo muffler, timbersled sr a arms. just a few off the top of my mind this year. P/S got my timbersled arms yesterday and wow what an nice product .

 

[Jaynelson]

Sorry, don't really agree with this notion. Sled companies should prepare for and embrace the busy season. It is a seasonal business after all, and the majority of people buy stuff "in-season."

Regardless of how good of a theory it might be, my interest in purchasing sled parts when it's 90 degrees in July or August is less than 0....

 

[Blown Motor]

back orders are not un usual at all coming from a automotive back ground things just don't always go as planed. it's not the end off the world . they usually get to you in time. jus a few parts that have been back ordered recently. dan adams bars, klim tomahawk jacket, fly carbon helmet, Polaris side panel decals, and boondocker turbo muffler, timbersled sr a arms. just a few off the top of my mind this year. P/S got my timbersled arms yesterday and wow what an nice product .

What did you order that is on back order? We have nearly every fly carbon helmet in stock, along with Tomahawk Jackets in every color.

Jay, we agree, but such is life. We adapt, order earlier, and hope that people deliver to us in time to deliver to you!

 

[Jaynelson]

Jay, we agree, but such is life. We adapt, order earlier, and hope that people deliver to us in time to deliver to you!

Totally understand the position of being a dealer/retailer....I was in retail my entire working career until this year. If the manufacturer isn't getting product to you on time, what can you really do??

I was more thinking that many manufacturers (OEM, aftermarket, and gear) seem to routinely get caught with their pants down during the "busy season," and this seems illogical to me, as the busy season is 100% predictable; falling at the same time every year. Also, I would imagine, the only time to make any worthwhile $$.

 

[mikew5945]

What a bunch of procrastinating crap. If you (like myself) want a Big Wheel Kit, get it in August. It may be cheaper and it will be installed when it snows. Why should any company build and stock thousands of dollars of product in hopes you will have money to spend. Look at the economy, companies don't prosper on year old stock selling at a reduced price. Look at the sled companies. "Snow check". After you snow check a sled the dealers have to order a fixed number of new sleds. Who takes it in the shorts when you won't buy a new sled to help the dealer this year?
I agree with M8. Most of you guys are spoiled by McDonalds. You want a drive up window and have it in thirty seconds or less. Your poor planning ends up being a problem for you. I say if you are still waiting on parts when it snows it is good for us. We'll send photos.
Here is how to plan. Five minutes before I left the office tonight, I farted. The five minutes gave the fart time it needed to clear my shorts and it hurt my eyes. We'll see how it is received by the Book Keeper tomorrow morning.

 

[Jaynelson]

What a bunch of procrastinating crap. If you (like myself) want a Big Wheel Kit, get it in August. It may be cheaper and it will be installed when it snows. Why should any company build and stock thousands of dollars of product in hopes you will have money to spend. Look at the economy, companies don't prosper on year old stock selling at a reduced price. Look at the sled companies. "Snow check". After you snow check a sled the dealers have to order a fixed number of new sleds. Who takes it in the shorts when you won't buy a new sled to help the dealer this year?
I agree with M8. Most of you guys are spoiled by McDonalds. You want a drive up window and have it in thirty seconds or less. Your poor planning ends up being a problem for you. I say if you are still waiting on parts when it snows it is good for us. We'll send photos.
Here is how to plan. Five minutes before I left the office tonight, I farted. The five minutes gave the fart time it needed to clear my shorts and it hurt my eyes. We'll see how it is received by the Book Keeper tomorrow morning.

So you think a company, who makes it's money selling sled parts, and has the parts advertised on/in it's website/catalog/dealer's showroom, is under no obligation to deliver those parts in a reasonable amount of time because it's the "busy season" ?

I ran a gas station for years. Our busiest times were long weekends in the summer, because in addition to their daily driver vehicles, everyone also busted out their RV's, boats, old cars, etc. So by your logic, I could just stick my head in the sand and order the same amount of gas, smokes, pop, ice, etc as any other weekend....and if (when) I ran out....well, people should have bought their sh!t in advance! Ha...good luck with that. Probably would have been stabbed lol

Like I said, if you want to work on your sled in August, good for you. But for some of us there is more to than *sledding season* and *preparing for sledding season,* and that's not entirely unreasonable. Am I saying I should be able to order the season's hottest item on Christmas eve and have it delivered to my door 8am the next morning? Hell no. Just saying there is a reasonable expectation flowing both ways. Expecting people to order all their sledding stuff in July and August is a pipe dream.

 

[TIM]

vertical earth is the shop I am trying to get my surly moonlander in size xl. Vertical earth will be getting lots of bikes in tomorrow, just not the bike I want. the moonlander has 5 inch tires the pugsley 3.7 inch tires. the moonlander is the mack daddy snowbike. vertical earth built there order around the bike I ordered.

The owner of vertical earth and I have been friends for over 20 years. I know I should have it by the beg of December.

I guess instead of a backup snowmobile I will be riding a bicycle when my sled is down. And my sleds are down a lot. I wonder if I will be able to drop a cornice on the moonlander? I will probably surprise a few folks this winter at the warming hut.

snowshoeing was getting boring. did I mention my sleds are broke a lot.