Model Railroading > First experience with Caboose

I thought a few days ago I would order my first items from the replacement for Caboose Hobbies - called Caboose.

I searched Caboose for a couple of Tangent hoppers that I needed and they came up in the search, so I went ahead and ordered them. After ordering, I noticed a lot of items, if you looked carefully, had fine print indicating they were not in-stock. That is not terribly unusual with other online hobby shop sites where items show up in a search but are out of stock. That happens with MBK too. However, many sites will not let you order or at minimum will clearly notify you BEFORE ordering that the item is out of stock. I did not see any clear notification so naturally I proceeded to order.

They really need a clear message to the effect of: "hey, these items are out of stock, do you want to order anyway and we will ship when re-stocked". Yes or No.

Since I felt a disturbance in the Schwarz, I messaged Caboose the day after I ordered to ask them to notify me if the items were in stock or not. *crickets* Today, 3 days after the order was made I had not received any such notification or response so I called them to rattle their cage. The guy on the phone confirmed items were not in stock but they would ship when they were back in-stock. Righteo.

As many of us know, very often items that are out of stock, are out of stock at the source too, allowing someone to order and charge their CC without any notification to that effect - no so good. I politely notified the guy on the phone since the items are indeed out of stock at Tangent, please refund my money. Done.


Take-away: It appears Caboose seems to have a default action to allow customers to order whether or not items shown are in-stock and if not in stock, be happy to hang onto money charged to a credit card with the presumption that they would fill the order when item is back in stock. Personally, I feel this should not be a default action by any hobby shop because a great deal of the time, items of often not re-run for a very long time - if ever.

Anyway, that's my first experience with Caboose. Be aware of these things if/when you order that they may charge you for items not in stock with plans of getting them in at some future in-determinate date. I didn't recall seeing any obvious notification. Personally I would not ever want to be charged for something that cannot be shipped within a weeks time or less.

Lesson learned.
Cheers, Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/18 11:59 by SPDRGWfan.

If it is not in stock with the retailer then check with the manufacturer. If it is out of stock or check with retailer there it is not likely you are ever going to see that model until another run is made. Sometimes the retailer says it is out of stock but what they really mean it has not yet been received from the manufacturer yet.

There is always a chance the mfr might get a return but get your name on the mfr waiting list. That will not cost you anything but you will pay full retail if it becomes available.

Jim

Thanks for the information.

Many times the newest release features car/engine numbers never done before. So even if there is a rerelease, all of the stock numbers will be different. The item(s) you have on backorder probably will never show up, except for the returned merchandise situation. Then you’ll wonder why it was returned, and do you want to become their troubleshooting department? That would be frustrating enough if you were in the store, it would be completely unacceptable if you’re on the other side of the country or the other side of the world.

ʎɹɹɐ˥

[edit] be



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/18 13:17 by Larry020.

I hate that too. You get all the way to the checkout before the site informs you you are SOL.

What hoppers were you looking for, if you don't mind me asking?

Posted from Android

That was the best thing about MB Klein the old website would let you know how many there was in stock , The New Website suck . :(

Posted from Android

Dave Dodds
San Dimas, CA

I thought they fixed that...


WP805A Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> That was the best thing about MB Klein the old
> website would let you know how many there was in
> stock , The New Website suck . :(
>
> Posted from Android

41 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I thought they fixed that...
>
> WP805A Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > That was the best thing about MB Klein the old
> > website would let you know how many there was
> in
> > stock , The New Website suck . :(


MBK's site was a ship wreck when it first went live. Now it's much better but yes, not perfect and the inventory is not fixed totally. Basically if you do a search which shows multiple items on a page, the number in stock but it isn't always correct, especially if the items are being purchased and the number is changing quickly; there seems to be a lag so that number showing in stock may be lower than what is really in stock. I believe if you click on the item itself, then that is the correct number in stock.

I've ordered from MBK 3 or 4 times since the new website went live but waited a few weeks until they made some improvements. I really wish they could restore the purchase history; I used it a lot to check what I ordered in the past few years to not duplicate road numbers and other reasons.


Hookdragkick Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I hate that too. You get all the way to the
> checkout before the site informs you you are SOL.
>
>
> What hoppers were you looking for, if you don't
> mind me asking?


I've never tried to see if I could order an item at MBK and complete the checkout process for an item showing zero in stock. Caboose actually lets you pay for stuff they don't have, which I find annoying, especially because they don't notify you clearly that you are paying for something they don't actually have - not good.

To me, the fact that Caboose generally charges full MSRP is strike 1 against them, and this letting you buy stuff they don't have is strike 2. I'm not really very impressed so far.

The old Caboose Hobbies really was a different and better hobby shop; they offered a substantial discount on most of the items, unlike Caboose. If find it interesting if you google Caboose Hobbies, you get Caboose - which in my humble opinion, is NOT Caboose Hobbies because of the pricing.

The hoppers I was looking for are the Tangent Utah Rwy coal hoppers - some numbers I didn't have yet. Tangent is, of course, out of them as well so I doubt Caboose can get any more unless they source them from another hobby shop or consignment, like the old Caboose Hobbies - which is unlikely. I have seven of the twelve numbers plus an unnumbered so far. I'm not desperate but thought I'd grab one or two more if it was convenient.

Cheers, Jim

That's what I like about Pacific Western Railway. They don't charge until it ships

I have the same problem with Train World. I ordered items on 12/16/16 and some items were backordered while the remainder of the order shipped. The item in question was released by the manufacturer tow months ago. (I contacted the manufacturer). Then I called Train World and requested it be sent. They said it never arrived. I called a week later and they said they were sold out (even though I had ordered it in Dec of 2016).
I called again this week and they stated that they would try and get the item and email me...NOTHING! I'm about done with Train World. This is not the first time and I have purchased a lot of items there. Time for a new supplier.

What in gods name are u talking about? Kleins fixed this after about 1 week. All real-time info is displayed about what is in stock. You are misrepresenting this website. Stop.

Bruce

PS - They cut over to a brand new system and they fixed things that were broke very quickly. Stop your whining, please. They did a great job.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 41 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I thought they fixed that...
> >
> > WP805A Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > That was the best thing about MB Klein the
> old
> > > website would let you know how many there was
> > in
> > > stock , The New Website suck . :(
>
>
> MBK's site was a ship wreck when it first went
> live. Now it's much better but yes, not perfect
> and the inventory is not fixed totally. Basically
> if you do a search which shows multiple items on a
> page, the number in stock but it isn't always
> correct, especially if the items are being
> purchased and the number is changing quickly;
> there seems to be a lag so that number showing in
> stock may be lower than what is really in stock.
> I believe if you click on the item itself, then
> that is the correct number in stock.
>
> I've ordered from MBK 3 or 4 times since the new
> website went live but waited a few weeks until
> they made some improvements. I really wish they
> could restore the purchase history; I used it a
> lot to check what I ordered in the past few years
> to not duplicate road numbers and other reasons.
>
>
> Hookdragkick Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I hate that too. You get all the way to the
> > checkout before the site informs you you are
> SOL.
> >
> >
> > What hoppers were you looking for, if you don't
> > mind me asking?
>
>
> I've never tried to see if I could order an item
> at MBK and complete the checkout process for an
> item showing zero in stock. Caboose actually lets
> you pay for stuff they don't have, which I find
> annoying, especially because they don't notify you
> clearly that you are paying for something they
> don't actually have - not good.
>
> To me, the fact that Caboose generally charges
> full MSRP is strike 1 against them, and this
> letting you buy stuff they don't have is strike 2.
> I'm not really very impressed so far.
>
> The old Caboose Hobbies really was a different and
> better hobby shop; they offered a substantial
> discount on most of the items, unlike Caboose. If
> find it interesting if you google Caboose Hobbies,
> you get Caboose - which in my humble opinion, is
> NOT Caboose Hobbies because of the pricing.
>
> The hoppers I was looking for are the Tangent Utah
> Rwy coal hoppers - some numbers I didn't have yet.
> Tangent is, of course, out of them as well so I
> doubt Caboose can get any more unless they source
> them from another hobby shop or consignment, like
> the old Caboose Hobbies - which is unlikely. I
> have seven of the twelve numbers plus an
> unnumbered so far. I'm not desperate but thought
> I'd grab one or two more if it was convenient.
>
> Cheers, Jim

brfriedm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What in gods name are u talking about? Kleins
> fixed this after about 1 week. All real-time info
> is displayed about what is in stock. You are
> misrepresenting this website. Stop.
>
> Bruce

Bruce, uh uh. I'm telling you exactly what I've been seeing over the past month with MBK. Let me repeat if I wasn't clear enough before. If you search where you have multiple items on a page, the stock number showing there generally is correct yes, but sometimes when models are being purchased, it may not always match when items are being purchased. Sometimes there appears to be a lag and the main page showing multiple items, the inventory count may not update to match the actual count until later, maybe hours, not sure.

Case in point. When I was buying some Intermountain D&RGW drop bottom gons that just came in stock a couple weeks ago and they were getting bought down, it would show 1 or 2 in stock, but some of them were actually out of stock when you clicked on individual models, no lie. I could come back a couple hours later and it was repeatable. I don't fully trust the stock numbers until I click on the individual model and when you have the page with the single model showing, that is the number I trust.

I'm not throwing MBK under the bus, and their site is pretty good now and I have been ordering from them with confidence.

Cheers, Jim



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/18 17:17 by SPDRGWfan.

Train World has been that way for MANY years. Their staff is also not helpful when there is an issue. I stopped ordering from them years ago unless everyone else is sold out.

bnsf6606 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have the same problem with Train World. I
> ordered items on 12/16/16 and some items were
> backordered while the remainder of the order
> shipped. The item in question was released by the
> manufacturer tow months ago. (I contacted the
> manufacturer). Then I called Train World and
> requested it be sent. They said it never arrived.
> I called a week later and they said they were
> sold out (even though I had ordered it in Dec of
> 2016).
> I called again this week and they stated that they
> would try and get the item and email me...NOTHING!
> I'm about done with Train World. This is not the
> first time and I have purchased a lot of items
> there. Time for a new supplier.

MBK site is much, much, much better but occasionally there is a lag time between the number shown in stock on the search results and what the number is on the individual item page (as Jim has also noticed and explained above). The stock "database" used by the search apparently isn't constantly updated (probably to save system resources and give faster search results) but does update semi-frequently (maybe every few hours). So if you catch an item that has just been listed within the past hour or so the search results may show the 6, 12 or 24 that was initial stock when MBK first listed item, but on a fast selling item the individual item pages may actually show much fewer in stock.

I encountered it myself most recently on the MTH HO 60' flats and Exactrail TTX FBOX cars. Those cars were selling so fast the search results page quantities were several more than the actual individual item page quantities. And even 30 minutes after some cars were sold out (according to the individual page quantities) the search results pages still showed numbers of them being in stock. I'm surprised Bruce hasn't noticed it. All he would have to do to see the lag is (the next time he makes one of his many MBK orders) check the search results quantity of an item just before buying it and then again afterward. He would notice that upon his purchase the stock updates on the individual item page but there would be some time before it did on the search result quantity.

The biggest continuing issue I see on their site is, unlike the older site, an item that is in your cart that sells out doesn't let you know it has sold out. On the old site as soon as an item sold out, if you had that item in your cart it immediately disappeared. Now it stays in your cart, as if it were in stock, and you don't get notified that it is out of stock until you are completing checkout.

PS. There were some times back in May that some Walthers HO 89' flats and rebuilt well cars were showing stock numbers of "-1" on the search results, and either "1" or "! Out of Stock" on the individual item pages. Looks like they got that resolved too.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/16/18 08:27 by CSX602.

quit ordering from MB Dave ! = come to the "Stop" !

I have not ordered anything from Caboose, but I can tell you that they send way too many emails.

EricSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have not ordered anything from Caboose, but I
> can tell you that they send way too many emails.

You can unsubscribe you know.

Jim,
Thanks for the info on the new Caboose... Unfortunate that they do that.

I can honestly say that MBK has top notch customer service, fast order filling, the best packing of any merchant I've ever received orders from, never charges a credit card hoping they can get a resupply (in fact if it isn't in stock on their site they don't let you buy it or be charged for it), and some of the best prices around.

The new store however is not what it used to be... Going there on a busy day (like the days of the Timonium shows) you hope everybody remembered to use their deodorant.

Definitely there is a lag on MB Klein's site what is showing in stock.

I just purchased a hopper that there was only one in stock. Three hours later that items still shows 1 in stock in the general search but when you click on that particular model, it shows out of stock (as it should since I purchased the last one). Since I know about what time I purchased that item, it will be interesting to see how long it takes the system to update the general search page.

MB Kleins new website is pretty good now but two things I'd like to see:

1) The general search page needs to sync up with the real-time database much faster

2) Please restore the purchase history if possible - the old purchase history was very useful.

Cheers, Jim

Do you mean "The Original Empty Stop"?

alcoc636

Update on the MB Klein inventory lag. It's now 6 hours after I purchased a hopper, which shows out of stock when you click on that individual item, but when you do a search and it shows up with other items on the page, it still shows 1 in-stock. So there is at least a six hour lag. If I remember, I'll check it later today to see if it's finally updated.

Cheers, Jim