If you order something from Athearn at your LHS, must it come from Athearn/ Horizon?
Or can the LHS go through other suppliers? What options are there with Athearn now.
Just curious,
Mark
As I understand it, my LHS goes to Horizon for new stuff, and if they don;t have it, has some kind of network of other HSs and or warehouse shops to pull around on from there. Most of my stuff has come quick from Horizon.
Horizon Hobby owns Athearn lock, stock, and barrel, so Horizon is the exclusive distributor of Athearn products. If a LHS doesn’t deal with Horizon, they can’t get Athearn products.
A hobby shop in Tucson, Arizona, deals only with Horizon and not with Walthers, so they don’t stock anything but products distributed by Horizon. If you want something that Walthers distributes, you have to go elsewhere. That’s the manager’s policy because he doesn’t like Walthers for some reason. I’m sure he could handle merchandise from both distributors if he wanted to because I don’t think Horizon or Walthers have a “Us and no one else” policy.
Athearn is sold only through Horizon, but if the Tucson LHS owner doesn’t like WKW, aren’t there other distributors who handle a lot of the same lines as Walthers? I wouldn’t know who they are, but I assume that most of these small manufacturers don’t have exclusive relationships with WKW. Do they?
Heres an example, you want something from Athearn. Its been discontinued by Athearn /no longer in stock at Athearn or Horizon.
Your LHS says he has other distributors or means of possibly getting it.
So really what are the chances of finding this item? In my opinion none.
Mark
First “discontinued” in Athearn speak means a given run is out of stock…This is due to the current “limited production run” manufacturing trend we see from all manufacturers.
As far as locating a out of stock item there are several ways to locate a needed item from out of the way hobby shops to train shows…Then there are the other forums that has a “for sale” area…Remember your local shop may be out but,you can probably find it on the net.
He probably has a network of shops who wheel and deal on older stock.
The shop I go to usually has a bunch of NOS BB kits. If your into paying $20 for a kit that was originally marked $1.99![B)]They buy out estates and closed shops stock.
Prior to the Horizon takeover of Athearn, a LHS could get Athearn products from Walthers or other wholesalers such as J&M Trains, Cleveland Hobby Supply, United Models and probably others that I do not know about. Also some LHS are wholesalers themselves (such as Caboose Hobbies in Denver), so they are able to sell items at a discount yet make more money on the item than the LHS that must order from a wholesaler. So the LHS in Tuscon can get most of the items that Horizon does not from one of these other wholesalers except for the items Walthers has exclusive rights to such as Faller.
I know the shop I worked at would look for items from all the wholesalers in order to get the item to the customer as soon as possible if it was not in stock the the shop. So the fact that Horizon is now the sole supplier of Athearn makes it impossible to scounge around for out of stock items at Horizon.
Rick
I alwasy hear bad things about Horizon and have noticed lees and less Athearn on the shleves of the stores I visit. Coincidence?
Next time you hear some thing “bad” about Horizon ask the person these questions…I have and it usually leaves them speechless.
IF Horizon is so “bad” then why all the monthly releases from Athearn?
How does the on line shops have tons of Athearn in stock?
As far as the BB kits Athearn still produces 'em but,most hobby shops stock what sells…RTR.
Sadly a lot of shops has cut their store stock as well since they can order it and have it 2-5 days later.So,the lack of in store stock seems to be on the decline because of those monthly releases from Athearn and Atlas.I don’t think a small Mom & Pop shop has the needed room to stock the complete line from the big 3 Athearn,Atlas and Walthers.
Again ALL manufacturers are using limited “batch” production…What that means is a certain run sells out in a matter of days.