Author |
Pick one: Faster or more |
br>zerosum |
br>When I announce modules for sale, I have everything needed to build the module in stock on my desk, but the panel is ordered at the time the buyer places an order.
Panels take 1-2 weeks.
The day the panel arrives I attach it to the module, give it a final burn in then pack it up and get it out the door.
I quote every order at 3-4 weeks lead time,
and for the last few months every order has been shipped in less than the quoted time.
With that said, I could decrease the wait time if I kept panels in stock.
I would rather spend my money on prototyping NEW modules and ordering PCB's, etc.....
Having money tied up in panels isn't an attractive use of funds.
So what is more important?
Having more modules available, but having to wait a few weeks to get it?
Or
Having fewer modules available but in stock and ready to ship the day the order is placed?
Got some PCB's coming...soon:
br> br> |
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br>wsy |
br> zerosum wrote: | [...]
With that said, I could decrease the wait time if I kept panels in stock.
I would rather spend my money on prototyping NEW modules and ordering PCB's, etc.....
Having money tied up in panels isn't an attractive use of funds.
So what is more important?
Having more modules available, but having to wait a few weeks to get it?
Or
Having fewer modules available but in stock and ready to ship the day the order is placed?
Got some PCB's coming...soon:
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I'd say the problem is only temporary.
If you have stock to ship, people will buy more. Lots more. This gets you to step 2 (profit) much more rapidly. Then you can have enough money to both keep stock of panels AND play with new designs.
The 5U makers who have stuff "on the shelf" (and even better- list on their web sites exactly how many are in stock and how long till it ships) seem to sell lots of modules. Lots of modules --> lots of profit, lower prices. Lower prices --> sell even more modules. Everybody wins.
There's a module I want but the maker has a really bad reputation for taking the money and ... nothing happens. So I'm not going to give them my money. So they don't make enough profit to buy more stock. Everybody loses.
Keep a stock of stuff to *sell*, and take a reasonable profit. You'll do well, simply because people have money and want to buy stuff.
- Bill br> br> |
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br>zerosum |
br>
Thanks for the thoughts Bill br> br> |
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br>Ancestor |
br>I personally would say to offer more even if there is a wait, but my opinion is biased because I already have most of your current offerings. Which I have fallen in love with by the way.
In all honesty though your modules always ship so fast that I don't see the wait as that big of an issue. I can't wait to see what else is in the works though.
I can see the appeal to having some ready made modules though. And I'm sure it would influence some buyers to pull the trigger rather than risking a wait. Some manufacturers have given the waiting process a bad rap... br> br> |
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br>Muff Wiggler |
br>slower but more
if people can't wait for something special, it isn't special to them br> br> |
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br>mecanikill |
br>I've had nothing but great experiences with ordering from Zerosum I always get what I order before the time he gave me. I want to say pump more stuff out but I think the rate it seems you are going right now is great. I do not mine a 2 or 3 week wait at all...sometimes the waiting and anticipation is worth it and with your stuff it is! br> br> |
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br>numan7 |
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br>whitewulfe |
br>I would have to say that more never hurts, and would be my preference br> br> |
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br>zerosum |
br>
Cool. I have a lot of good stuff on the way.
I want to get everything I have planned built and released as soon as I can,
Then spend the next few years keeping it all in stock.
Destructor Beam and Haxor come out in May
With a series of "hybrid" modules to follow br> br> |
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br>decaying.sine |
br>slower and more.
Do you mean you'll be offering PCBs for sale? Or you have more PCBs coming with more full module surprises? br> br> |
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br>bwhittington |
br>More designs/slower delivery suits me just fine. A four week wait is nothing. From some of his past comments, I'm not sure krisp1 would agree with the comment about prebuilt stock flying off the shelves. Not that I speak for him, just an inference from his posts.
If I were a builder, I'd be tempted to buy panels in quantity in advance just to get a bulk rate on panels, but that's another matter.
Cheers,
Brian br> br> |
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br>zerosum |
br>It's always a happy day when parts show up early
Let's get some work done br> br> |
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br>Bryan B |
br>I have seen people do well to ask for PM's or e-mails from interested folks, determine a reasonable run quantity (with extras) and give an estimated lead time. Then give updates on the progress and charge when you ship it out.
This will give you a small stock after the run and temporarily fill the need while you make a profit. You front money, but you have a profit that you can put toward the next run of another module and so on.
Another option would be to stock 5 faceplates at a time and up it to 10 if they are always gone, etc.
In general, I think you would do far better if you had stock available to ship than if you had to wait. It is hard when you get started to do that.
The people that don't mind waiting have most of what they want already (except your module of course) or they have patience and understanding for small manufacturers. I find it easier to make people wait if I don't charge them until I ship it. br> br> |
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