Ok, I have done business with Caboose Hobbies for 30 years give or take. If you want to know info on a order just call 1-800-886-1813 and ask for Marcus or one of the other staff for the order line. He will always help you and update anything you want too know about an order. That being said, I do order from them online when I need something but if I need an honest answer about what I am ordering I call the order line. I hope that the future will hold an updating inventory for their web site but until then I just call them for order info and really there is nothing better than talking to a person. I live about 70 miles from the store so I don’t have many chances to go to the store but It is by far the Greatest Train Store you will ever see. And when I do go I end up being there for at least 3 to 4 hours. Sooo, I will always do my part in supporting a really fine train store in all scales and if you ever have a chance to go there you will understand what I mean. Caboose Hobbies is truly an Icon. Doug
CZ nudged up against a point I wanted to make. Just because something is out of stock or from a run that required a reservation doesn’t necessarily mean that there isn’t a need for it to stay in the database. With computers, you either have an entry – or not. If someone comes in to ask a question about an item, if there’s nothing in the computer it’s as if it doesn’t exist.
While it may not be in inventory, there’s still a chance it could be ordered. Maybe there are returns or more were produced and could still be ordered even though they’re not in stock at the store. Certainly, if you sold some, you also need an item in the computer to process a return or, perhaps, a warranty issue. There’s also the issue that oftentimes there is a relationship between the SKU and the sales history; yep, it may be sold out, but do you want to lose the history by deleting the SKU? Probably not. I’m sure if I sat here I could think of other perfectly legit reasons for leaving older SKU’s in the system that are sold out, etc.
So I still understand Don’s frustration, but I think it’s important to keep it in perspective. I’m sure we’d all like everything to be in stock and properly accounted fro at every step of the way. I’d even bet there are managers paid to do the best job they can with that. But just pick up the phone and call if there’s a question with such things and you’ll usually get an accurate read on availability.
I know that MB Klein has an amazing system, having used it. What I don’t think is understood is how unusual that is and how much work, expertise, and resources go into making something like that work. If you insist that’s who you’ll deal with, I can understan