Mr lin If you look on; http://www.unitedhobbies.com/UNITEDH...idProduct=4233
they claim that it takes over 60 days to get stock.
Is this correct?
Local store does not stock gws and i am looking for a few slope glider kits like the stick , beaver, formosa, tiger moths (yes both)
I have good experience with hong kong china based stores and am willing to wait a bit longer for the items to arive but they have to be in stock there first

Originally Posted by GWS4CEO

What type GWS airplanes allow to be used in such race?

We have a stock WII warbird series where the plane is not modified for streamlining or fiberglassed. You can use any motor, prop, battery combination but your speed cannot exceed 40mph. It has been growing in our club. We have about 10 racers at this time. It would grow even more, but when people ask how to get started we have to tell them that the kits are not available right now. How stupid is that?

Originally Posted by cmulder

Mr lin If you look on; http://www.unitedhobbies.com/UNITEDH...idProduct=4233
they claim that it takes over 60 days to get stock.
Is this correct?
Local store does not stock gws and i am looking for a few slope glider kits like the stick , beaver, formosa, tiger moths (yes both)
I have good experience with hong kong china based stores and am willing to wait a bit longer for the items to arive but they have to be in stock there first

This is a worldwide problem!

GWS, please quit blaming distributors and step up to the plate...

In USA, pls check with GWS USA.
USA Dealership Inquiry: sales@gwsus.com
USA Customer Service: service@gwsus.com

All other countries: Worldwide Dealer Inquiry: export@gws.com.tw
Worldwide GWS On Demand: order@gws.com.tw
Worldwide Customer Service: service@gws.com.tw

In China, Dealer Inquiry, GWS On Demand & Customer Service: china@gws.com.tw

Pls tell us, let's fix the supply gape of shrotage!

Originally Posted by GWS4CEO

In USA, pls check with GWS USA.
USA Dealership Inquiry: sales@gwsus.com
USA Customer Service: service@gwsus.com

All other countries: Worldwide Dealer Inquiry: export@gws.com.tw
Worldwide GWS On Demand: order@gws.com.tw
Worldwide Customer Service: service@gws.com.tw

In China, Dealer Inquiry, GWS On Demand & Customer Service: china@gws.com.tw

Pls tell us, let's fix the supply gape of shrotage!

Mr. Lin this will not help. You need to be proactive, not reactive. Try calling up GWS USA and demand to know their entire inventory and why they are not 100% in stock.

The local hobby stores will not jump through loops for GWS. If you try to make then, you will just end up losing another place to sell your products.

Mr Lin, does your distributors have salespeople that visit shops? I doubt it very much. Something you should look at IMO.

All I know is our local hobbyshop in Auburn CA (Dowtown Hobbies), has been out of GWS planes since June. Not only that they have never gotten any of the Texans in stock. They want them, but can't get them, and believe me they have tried. So something does not jive here when GWS says one thing and the hobby stores say another. One of the two parties here is full of . This issue has affected a lot of consumers throughout the U.S. This problem needs to be fixed PRONTO!

I was wondering this same thing myself,even most online stores havent had gws nps models in stock for a while.

Wanting to buy some cheap nps models for some motors I aquired in early summer,
I have been waiting for the beaver,slow stick,estarter,pico TM nps to show "in stock" at a few rc e-tailers that I buy from,since June.

First they showed eta as late July,then early August,now Temporarily
Unavailable or late Sept,November
Less and less models seem to be available\in stock.
I also noticed that a few models available jumped in price $10-$12 at a few places.

I really like GWS models and sort of wasted an awesome summer of flying weather waiting for these models to become available.

I dont want to go back to a box of sticks that takes a whole summer just to build.

Any Ideas for gws substitutes?I need to fly before the snow flies.

Is GWS still in business??????????,Distributing in the US???????????

GWS4CEO ?????

Originally Posted by wedge98

Try calling up GWS USA and demand to know their entire inventory and why they are not 100% in stock.

I doubt that it is a local distribution problem if customers around the world are complaining about not able to find products.

Someone from Ireland who can't find products locally buys online from United Hobbies (located in HK) and yet United Hobbies says that their order cannot be fulfilled within 60 days from GWS... (HK is like next door to GWS factory)

This most likely means that GWS factory has production problem or is only making new airplanes and delaying orders for old airplanes.

The old airplanes, GWS had many thousands of each type in stock spred in GWS China, Taiwan HQ and GWS USA.

The distributor do not want to buy many old types, since to many cheap China clones had spreded in the market. So, they always order in very samll qty.

Since United Hobbies delay the payment during some misunderstanding in the between, then the shipment will be rescheduled.

We will trace the problems, and fix them.

Just need to point this out

When Horizon was sole Distributor of GWS there was an abundance in fact over abundance of planes and parts, of course there were only about 15 or so electric models.

What's more is that Horizon would work COD with the LHS which is the only way mine will do business.

Then, for what ever reason, Horizon is no longer sole distributor...Balsa Products was next in line along with Todds models as primary distributors....now BP and TM are not carrying anything or very little anymore.

GWS USA was supposed to alleviate a major portion of the shipping problems, i.e. Time to arrive and go through customs, inventory control in the USA, etc.

Now everybody and their cousins state that they are a GWS Distributor, but when you use the links on the GWS site to get to them more than half of the vendors mentioned don't carrry a single plane..most carry only a speed control, or a servo line, or a motor line, and very few of those.

to me that is not a GWS Distibutor, that is only a retailer of specialty items.

Mr Lin...You know me...I have been an advocate of GWS since what? 2001 or 2002...I have overpowered your planes, I have smashed , crashed, and rebuilt them they are the some of the greatest products when one considers cost to WOW factor. I have always stood up for GWS when others have said "FSK or Alpha" make a prettier plane...my response was always ...yes for twice the price, and no motor or landing gear.....what bargain is that?

and when you really crash an FSK or Alpha (like I can crash one) the foam is so thin that sometimes 1 crash ...and the plane is finished (which is usually on a first flight for some folks)

I would suggest that perhaps GWS has grown too big too fast!!! and now is facing the trouble that most fast growing companies face....
not enough product to handle the demand,
not enough tracking to keep accurate control of inventory,
too much conservatism in quarterly market estimates.

that coupled with the tighter Customs restrictions and inspections in US and other countries equals a huge delay from desire to purchase to actual delivery.

Mr Lin you need to get back to one major distributor in the US, maybe two...but that is all. Let the LHS shops order direct from them....the LHS must also have a variety of ways to pay including Net 30 days if possible.

Most of these "So called" distributors are just a LHS with stock room and are using GWS USA as their personal warehouse. This must stop....tey want the price breaks for distributorship but don't want the cost of overhead and stocking. That is understandable, but for GWS not practical...The old way was better.

One more thing for the end user to realize....the Economy of the US is not what it has been these last 5 or 7 yrs, forclosures are up, taxes and insurances are up ...we had a good run but now consumerism is dropping at a very fast rate, that sets up a scary volatile market for luxury items (which unfortunately is what our hobby is) a drop in quantities available is to be expected until a balance can be reached. But now demand is higher than available inventory, at least in the US. Time to balance the system

How much stock should Mr Lin send and risk sitting without immediate financial returns?

He has lowered prices and improved stock power systems (brushless )
Which proves that he listens to we the consumers here at RC Groups and responds, I believe the Inventory issue is being addressed at present but not fast enough for we Americans

he is producing and designing bigger and better planes for less cost than original (I payed 69.00 for a spitfire with Brushed motor 4 yrs ago, I payed 60 for a FW190 with BL motor and better landing gear 2 months ago)

what I suggest is a bit of reorganization of marketing and distribution practices, and unfortunately for we the end user, a little more patience.

So while we wait patiently, GWS USA should load up with everything and I mean everything...I figure about 40 cargo boxes would do the trick for starters, and place "Visionaries" in charge of GWS USA not college trained monkees who look at spread sheets of projections, that create over conservatism in the fearful monkees in charge of the operations.
I see the same thing in my industry college trained monkees that have never lifted a hammer and hit a nail on the head trying to build high rise luxury condos....and the result..production has dropped, quality has dropped and budgets have gone up due to improper training by the so called teachers of Construction Management. College is good for background knowledge...but it is not street smarts and should not be confused as such. Unfortunately the "Frat Brats" think they are running the show, when actually they are ruining it.

That along with my suggestions on reducing distributorships may be the thing required to turn the lack of product to the end user around .

and be a little more patient with returns on Investments if at all possible

"If you Build it....They will come"


okay...I'll get off the Soapbox now

Chuck

GWS has raised prices on airplanes and motors this year in case you missed it.
Combo kits are indeed better values.

There is no going back to before...
Many old GWS supporters are buying factory direct brands from Asia.
It is not just a matter of which product is better, the perceived value is what makes a difference. For consumers, it is something that works 'good' enough at a 'good' price. For sellers, it is something that generates good profit and turns over fast. And the RTF airplanes are what most consumers/sellers want, just ask any LHS now days. One owner posted that 10 RTFs are sold for every one GWS kit... post#15

I applaud GWS for bucking the market trend, but current market will not treat a maverick so kindly.

Thanks Chuck, we will keep your suggestion for our sales improvement referance.

Mr. Lin - if you choose Horizon or Hobbico for distribution - you will have your product in the Local Hobby Shops - simple as that.

Tower does not even have your stuff in stock - and I can tell you even if you hate Tower hobbies - they have the distribution and ordering of RC equipment down pat (as any company should who is OWNED by Hobbico).

The issue is clearly on the distribution side - Mr. Lin - you get back with Horizon and all your troubles are over...

Mike

Well seems to be no shortage of Slow Sticks. I went to two more LHS today. Again no GWS planes other than Slow Sticks. I guess I don't understand how nearly all the hobby stores have Slow Sticks yet no other GWS Planes. I am beginning to wonder if this is just a marketing strategy. If Slow Sticks are so plentiful and easy to get then why not the rest of the GWS Fleet? Mr. Lin are you phasing out certain models or is this just a bigger issue?

In an earlier post someone mentioned about selling ARF's 10 to 1. From the ARF's I have seen they still require some construction because many of them have weak points in them. Many Arf's landing gear are terrible and break the first landing. Would a new flyer know how to fix that if they have never built a plane or understand how they go together. Or does that just add to more sales of another ARF and frustrated customers.
As far as construction of GWS planes I have yet to see one that even a beginner could not figure out how to build. Or just refer them to this site. But then again it seems most LHS have gone to 3 different markets that I can see. The first is gas planes. nearly all of my LHS had a huge supply of merchandise for gas plane. The second is RC Cars, Trucks. This seemed to be the biggest portion of the LHS's. The third is begginer type planes. The all in one package ones with the cheap 27 mhz transmitter, cheap non swappable electronics, with a cheap plane.

Yes there was also Helicopters as well. Most of them seemed to be the all in one package types as well.

So unless you are a new flyer, a gas flyer, or into RC Cars then you are out of luck. Is the market for experienced electric flyers really that small? Or is it that most e-flyers buy there stuff online and the LHS don't feel the need to cater to them?

I guess I will join the ranks and order everything online if that is the case.

Originally Posted by rationalV

GWS has raised prices on airplanes and motors this year in case you missed it.
Combo kits are indeed better values.

There is no going back to before...
Many old GWS supporters are buying factory direct brands from Asia.
It is not just a matter of which product is better, the perceived value is what makes a difference. For consumers, it is something that works 'good' enough at a 'good' price. For sellers, it is something that generates good profit and turns over fast. And the RTF airplanes are what most consumers/sellers want, just ask any LHS now days. One owner posted that 10 RTFs are sold for every one GWS kit... post#15

I applaud GWS for bucking the market trend, but current market will not treat a maverick so kindly.

Firstly I have not noticed any Pricce increase in GWS kits either at my LHS or online, in fac tI've noticed most places seem to have lowered prices in some cases, for instance the PICO TM Painted Yellow was 54.99 5 yrs ago I have seen them list at $45.00 on some site now as regular pricing.

While RTF's are truly coming on strong, how many RTF's are being bought by just one person...personally I believe that these are typically "one time" sales
where as the LHS in most cases is dependent upon repeat customers. Unless their mark up is so high that the pplanes can be bought cheaper online even with the shipping...the LHS is dependent upon sundries sales for his majoral profit.

I saw an experienced flyer auger a PZ 190 on its maiden flight ..plane was toast.....he had just launched it.....(Maidens really should be ROG IMHO)

so much for the RTF now eh? I know this pilot very well had the darned thing had landing gear he would have flown it just fine. So this is what these companies are doing to the next generation of flyers......getting them so disgruntled that they won't try again.

Typically the person that buys, say an Aerobird, comes back in later looking for something different but then realizes that he is back in the same boat as he was when he bought the aerobird, for the most part the components are not interchangeable, that consumer then leaves not buying a thing and leaves frustrated that he should have gotten set up in the hobby properly to begin with.

then again I do know folks thathave bought RTF's they own the one plane and fly it only...they do not want to buy anything else....again...a one time sale only.

Service after the sale is just important as initial cost, try getting service and understanding outof the Knock off compnaies once the product is out the door...Prime Example...I won a RICCS RTF Mirage 2000 at SEFF this past year
third flight one of the elevator Servos locks up on landing...Potentiometer went bad... Nose cowel damaged minorily but front landing gear stripped out of fuse, the mount for the gear is the battery hatch...response I get form Hobby Lobby is there is no parts available buy a new one....well Kiss My Patuti
RICCS says...I must have done something wrong. IT WAS RTF!!!!! made with Cheap crap parts, and now no service or parts to repair....okay I repaired it myself and retrofitted in a different gear mount system of my own design, I also stripped out the servos and replaced with GWS servos (I've never had a GWS servo go bad...I have had HS-55's go bad on me) as I start it up to remaiden the speed control smokes...the crashed that killed the gear was from three feet up so what killed the speed control? I know what killed it..poor quality control in the manufacturing proces.

No quality in the product..

So RTF from CHeap China is not worth the gold ...other will soon learn this too
oh by the way this plane costs well over 200 bucks when you buy it from Hobby Lobby who is sole distributor. Where is the value now, perceived or other wise three servos at $51.00 worth of servos, $75.00 speed control
the once $229.00 RTF, had I purchased it, just cost me and additional $126.00 now it is a 350 dollar plane....and the word is getting out on it....so you tell me.... How long will this RTF last in the market place?

How long the Yugo automobile last?

cheap doesn't last long and these Cheap RTF's will notl ast long either

Buck the market...it is driven by "ignorant people" once the ignorance is gone it will be back to ARF's

And do these Cheap Chia knock off manufacturer's even care that for the most part these RTF's are for the most part purchase by or for kids who think they may want to get into the hobby.....after they have a bad experience...will they stay with it?



Chuck