Most of us remember when Walthers quit with Athearn products because Athearn got bought out by Horizon Hobbies. Do you think that Walthers will ever be able to sell Athearn products again in the future?
No. Walther’s and Horizon are competitors. So I don’t foresee either one carrying the others products.
Enjoy
Paul
Horizon Hobby owns Athearn and several other popular brand names of hobby items other than just trains. Likewise, Walthers owns Proto, Cornerstone, and other brand names. The two are competitors, so it’s highly unlikely that either one will ever carry the other company’s products.
.
Sure, that’ll happen just about the time that your local Chevy dealer starts selling new Fords on his lot – and Heck freezes over.
There are times that it makes sense to carry competing products. I mean, most of what Walthers is distributing is a competing product.
Check out: http://www.racewayautomotive.com/
There’s a Hell in both Norway and in Michigan. Both freeze over in the winter.
Andre
[:-^]
Mike that has happened here.
We have Capital Ford and Capital GMC Cadillac, Both huge dealerships owned by the same Guy and located side by side.
Johnboy out
Horizon brought the business strategy of vertical integration to the model railroad industry. Basically, in this business model, the distribution chain is shortened when an entity exerts sole control of its manufacturers and product lines. Horizon had done the same thing on the RC side.
To counter Horizon, Walthers bought LifeLike/Proto and made them exclusive Walthers brands. You will never see Athearn at Walthers nor will you see LifeLike/Proto at Horizon.
No. The hobby is now divided into distributors making the prices much higher which probably means they are making more profits.
CZ
Manufacturers sets the prices.
I suspect when the dust settles over the hobby there will be three places to buy our goodies.
1.Direct from the manufacturer
2.From Walthers
3.From Horizon.
I don’t know of any manufacturer that doesn’t sell direct to the consumer.
Until one buys the other…
We never thought Pennsy and NYC would get together either…
It may have happened more often but I can remember only one instance of Athearn selling something through Walthers after Horizon bought Athearn. If I remember correctly it was it was some locos decorated for Amtrak. Other than that I know of no other instance.
Better get out the long underwear. We have one in town who sells Chevy, Ford, and Chrysler. Not really that uncommon now days.
Never say never.
Rich
Sound’s like a ‘‘Jame’s Bond’’ Movie…
Frank
Also, a Justin Bieber song.
I have been saying this for years. Distributors in the traditional sense are dead. The day will come reasonably soon when Walthers only sells stuff that says Walthers on the package - unless they stay in the direct to customer sales business. BUT, if they do, the time will come when they seperate that operation from manufacturing/importing, and get out of being a distributor of other brands to small shops.
Athearn has no reason to sell to to Walthers, they can and do sell their product direct to any dealer who wants to buy it.
If you are really interested in thsi topic, read through this thread, noting my comments:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/218915.aspx
Sheldon
jmbjmb and JohnBoy.
Yep, I’m aware of such instances. You’ll note they may be side by side, but there are always separate showrooms, likely separate lot entrances, etc, because the larger car companies, especially the domestics insist on it in their dealer contracts; imports, not so much.
There are exceptions made, and the recent hard times have made a few odd bedfellows, but generally the exceptions prove the rule. But it’s an analogy that can obviously extend too far and I didn’t intend to throw the thread off-topic by talking cars – or worse, economics and business contracts and marketing – so will now rest my case.[2c]
Sheldon,
If that happens, it will be a tremendous opportunity for a wholesaler who caters to those who build models and operate layouts vs the industry trend to RTR. I actually can’t imagine Walthers doing that, being it’s such a fundamental part of their business model and would present an opportunity for a competitor to pick up whatever business they did drop.
To a certain extent, Walthers has weeded that patch in recent years anyway, with their tightening requirements for vendors, display in the catalog, etc, which has probably strengthened those who remain. I sure hope you’re wrong about this one, but admit you could be proven right, too. Walthers started off as a manufacturer handling their own products and could return that far back to its roots, too, I suppose.
Actually, who cares?
What difference does it make?
You can buy both Walthers and Athearn products from most retailers.
Rich