PSA: Thin-Red Line backorder pre-order... We're idiots

I believe this deal fell through due to lack of interest, even after the code was published widely, prior to TRL outing AS as their supplier. Therefore AS's response to this thread is irrelevant, is it not?

this reminds me of band of outsiders saying no-go to discounts...

if just one big customer of AS threatened them it would be game over, since they are a small company.

Originally Posted by kev777

Click to expand...

Does smack of an opportunity lost considering the "troubles" they have recently been through. They could have regained some valuable territory and im concerned that a long standing ally in TRL couldnt even lead the horse to water................

I'm sure AS is really lamenting their failure to corner the Deep Discount segment of the market. They've already earned a big share through Brooks Brothers' sales; they could have had the DD buyers to themselves. Sure discounts would be nice, but not when it's got to be at or below cost and erodes your pricing structure.

Originally Posted by ColeFieldHouse

Click to expand...

I'm sure AS is really lamenting their failure to corner the Deep Discount segment of the market. They've already earned a big share through Brooks Brothers' sales; they could have had the DD buyers to themselves. Sure discounts would be nice, but not when it's got to be at or below cost and erodes your pricing structure.

Just how much of a cost do you think supplying a very small (In the scheme of things!) amount of shoes to a very limited audience would have really cost ? Most out there in the "real world" wouldnt even have known of their attempt to corner the deep discount segment !! Yet maybe this small band of men having got a half decent deal on half decent shoes may have sung their praises.... something not many are doing locally due to the recent troubles !! Just MHO after having spoke at length to 2 retailers who now use others not AS due to their troubles. Theres very little love for AS at the moment not just because of the way in which they treat their employees but the way they treat their retailers. You obviously know far more about their future marketing strategies and their pricing structures.

Originally Posted by kev777

Click to expand...

Just how much of a cost do you think supplying a very small (In the scheme of things!) amount of shoes to a very limited audience would have really cost ? Most out there in the "real world" wouldnt even have known of their attempt to corner the deep discount segment !! Yet maybe this small band of men having got a half decent deal on half decent shoes may have sung their praises.... something not many are doing locally due to the recent troubles !! Just MHO after having spoke at length to 2 retailers who now use others not AS due to their troubles. Theres very little love for AS at the moment not just because of the way in which they treat their employees but the way they treat their retailers. You obviously know far more about their future marketing strategies and their pricing structures.

So what does selling a small number of shoes at, what, a quarter of retail do for AS? Do they expect the members of this message board to evangelize their product to their friends, who will in turn buy at full price or close to it? Is there some segment of the market who has been putting off a purchase but will suddenly open their wallets upon hearing the praises sung by members of this august institution? I just don't see that happening, and just don't see what's in it for AS.

Originally Posted by ColeFieldHouse

Click to expand...

So what does selling a small number of shoes at, what, a quarter of retail do for AS? Do they expect the members of this message board to evangelize their product to their friends, who will in turn buy at full price or close to it? Is there some segment of the market who has been putting off a purchase but will suddenly open their wallets upon hearing the praises sung by members of this august institution? I just don't see that happening, and just don't see what's in it for AS.

Oh please dismount from the high horse...... firstly the price was to be no where near a quarter retail more like three quarters at best and secondly there has been a segment who hasnt been buying as they have had well documented financial troubles & AS shoes havent been available. A member here has also documented his "the new AS purchase!" which has been good publicity for this shoe manufacturer (not an institution).

All were saying after all the negative surrounding AS it may have been a positive and not something to get very hot under the collar about...................

Speaking to someone who is very well connected in this industry advised me on 'how' the manufacturers like to operate.

Small orders are a pain for companies, they prefer to keep away from them due to the problems (her words not mine) it creates in the manufacturing process, this and I quote "affects all the manufacturers from Edward Green to Alfred Sargent".

As far as offcial stances on order numbers goes the only company that publishes publicly the minimum numbers required for a special order is Cheaney (www.cheaney.co.uk), 12 pairs.

I've enquired to Cheaney, Loake, Barker, AS (in the past) and the answer was always the same, it causes too much disruption relative to the cost to make a pair specially.

So, yes it's disappointing that this request has failed, but I can see both sides of the arguement, AS want to move away from "small orders, trying to please everyone type or approach" to focussing on their core business whilst trying to start off a MTO unit. Also I can sympathise with TRL for trying to make this work for it's customers.

Perhaps, if TRL had gone to AS with a specific order of say 3-4 styles across the size range maybe it could have happened. But without the order book in front of me I suspect it was a mish mash of orders that kept changing and I doubt the numbers would have been very high. Also, from AS point of view, they offer their products to other companies (usually rebadged), it wouldn't be long before they would be asking for a discount on their orders.

It was almost destined to end in tears. Looking back over this thread and the original, no one seemed to pay too much attention to TRL shoes until they were offered at silly prices with loss making postage, but now it's AS who are the bad guys for not wanting to piss off their big clients.

Originally Posted by Groover

Click to expand...

As far as offcial stances on order numbers goes the only company that publishes publicly the minimum numbers required for a special order is Cheaney (www.cheaney.co.uk), 12 pairs.

I've enquired to Cheaney, Loake, Barker, AS (in the past) and the answer was always the same, it causes too much disruption relative to the cost to make a pair specially.

+1, I have enquired with one of the above makers and received the same response. I guess the disruption in the (standard) production line sort of justifies some MTO prices.

However, without taking a stand in this, I was under the impression that the last deal TRL tried to work out with AS was to have them offer stock AS shoes at a certain discount. This is after a second production run of TRL shoes was cancelled...

the pound has appreciated way too much vs the dollar anyway

Originally Posted by Wes Bourne

Click to expand...

+1, I have enquired with one of the above makers and received the same response. I guess the disruption in the (standard) production line sort of justifies some MTO prices.

However, without taking a stand in this, I was under the impression that the last deal TRL tried to work out with AS was to have them offer stock AS shoes at a certain discount. This is after a second production run of TRL shoes was cancelled...

Do you know why the second production run was cancelled? I've not read the thread in its entirety, so please forgive me if the question is obvious.

Cheers

Clint

Originally Posted by clintonf

Click to expand...

Do you know why the second production run was cancelled? I've not read the thread in its entirety, so please forgive me if the question is obvious.

Cheers

Clint

They planned on a good number of shoes at good price, GBP120-130 IIRC, but some cheap bastards here thought that the price is too high (WTF), so a lot of them back out, well, of course they cannot produce small number of shoes at that price... so the deal died.

You guys know what, my conclusion is that:

The main reason this thing failed is US.

1. The first time was due to a number of people backed out
2. The second time was due to some unnecessary email to AS.

Blame on whoever you wants, but truly, some of us are idiots.

Originally Posted by onix

Click to expand...

You guys know what, my conclusion is that:

The main reason this thing failed is US.

1. The first time was due to a number of people backed out
2. The second time was due to some unnecessary email to AS.

Blame on whoever you wants, but truly, some of us are idiots.

Thank you for pointing the reason out. You made some interesting and perhaps accurate observations.

Whilst I have no truck with anyone here and I love a bargain as much as the next person. I'm happy to try and support a company who's trying to do something.

Sometimes that may involve getting a bargain. Other times, eschewing that bargain in favour of providing real support to the industry. I'm sure that I'll be accused of all sorts of things. However, I'm just an ordinary guy with very little money to spend. However, I do appreciate nice things and realise that sometimes (just sometimes), I'll have to pay a premium for them.

Thanks again

Clint

Originally Posted by onix

Click to expand...

You guys know what, my conclusion is that: The main reason this thing failed is US. 1. The first time was due to a number of people backed out 2. The second time was due to some unnecessary email to AS. Blame on whoever you wants, but truly, some of us are idiots.
We should demand names from AS, so we could have a public flogging. I wasn't even in the original deal. I just got strangely attracted by the thread title, and now I demand justice.

So with this option gone, are there any other good/decent shoe deals going on (I've been on vacation for 3 weeks)? I would order a couple AS shoes from pediwear but their selection is lacking. I'm looking for a plain toe blutcher and a monk ~$300 or preferably less. I know about the AE tent sale but I don't think they have anything to my liking.