I read this elsewhere (and not sure where). It was mentioned that support was only via the website. I'll check it out - -see if I can reach them via an 800 number..

__________________
Lee Reep
NAR 55948

Projects: Semroc Saturn 1B, Ken Foss Designs Mini Satellite Interceptor
In the Paint Shop: Nothing! Too cold!
Launch-Ready: Farside-X, Maxi Honest John, Super Scamp

Yeah, I remember being told to go into the hallway and get into a fetal position when they did the monthly air raid sirens test (nuclear attack) in school. Funny thing was we were 30 miles from Detroit and would have been vaporized anyway.

....good times.

Life is short, so don't sweat the small stuff and play hard!

So, the line up for Fall '08 appears to be the Launchables set with the Outlaw and the Black Diamond, the RTF Patriot set, and a new set with the Dragonite called "SNAPS!" One section is available for motors -- the 18 piece Flight Pack display box. What combination of motors is in it is anyones guess at the moment, but I bet they'll all be 18mm.

They are on the bottom row at all three WMs I went to. On the top row, are the new airplanes featured on the Estes website. The shelf is still dominated by Air Hogs.

In the meantime, at one of the three WMs I was at tonight I hit the jack pot. The 24hr. WM at Cumming, GA (about 30 miles north of Atlanta, 10 miles from me) had A10-3T, A8-3, B4-4(!), B6-4, C6-3, C6-5. All on sale in the clearance aisle. So I bought a total of 66 motors tonight. I also got a Launchables SpaceShipOne for $7 (not that great a deal, but I'll use it as a prize at a club launch sometime this year). And I was tempted to buy the two crappy supershot tiny plastic brick rocket sets just to keep them out of some kids hands, but they were $10 each so I let that be.

I found one can of old Krylon Gloss White. So all in all, it was a good night of shopping.

__________________
Roy
nar12605

I needed 3 items at Wal-Mart so I went to the 24 hour store on the way in to work this morning. The normal huge clearance aisle was set up in the normal spot for items that are from the just-ending season and most but not all of the Estes products were there. motors were $4 per pack and they were the usual A10-3T and C6 packs. Never any B6 or B4. I walked to the toy dept and they had the normal shelf tags and one of the starter set types still in the normal location.


So, I <gasp> ASKED a manager about the products. his answer was clear speculation/frustration about what products Arkansas decides to delete and what to keep. He clearly stated that were setting their Fall Modulars now and that they clearance out tons of toys and outdoor items at this time. Sure, they may not have dumped Estes stuff last year at these stores (but may have at smaller stores), but things change from year to year. The same items can be back in time for Christmas in a few months or for Spring/Summer.

He also told me about the discounting timetable. Let's just say I did not buy anything rocket related today.

__________________
-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430

Would you be willing to share that timetable with your fellow rocketeers?

__________________
John Thro, NAR #84553 SR
I was too old when I started! Now I'll *never* become a BAR!

I'm out of the loop since the forum closed in April 2007, but, I wouldn't write up an obituary on Estes yet.

The econo9mic climate around the world has changed, items coming from China are not what they use to be and many of the toy companies, Like Mattell are suffering, I'm only using this as an example , Estes not included here.

Gas prices have gone up, General Motors has downsized and changed their business profile, but, they aren't going out of business, making the required changes to stay in business.

Airlines have changed the way they do business as well, all cost saving methods to continue to provide service to it's customers.

As far as the 800 number goes, Estes now has an automated phone system, and customer service requests are being handled through emails, and, they do answer their emails daily.

In my opinion, Estes is no different than any other company trying to survive, make cost cutting part of their business profile and go on from there.

And with the catalog, just imagine how much it costs to produce, let's say 40,000 catalogs and to distribute them to customers through the mails and through hobby shops and retailers, that some serious pocket change there.

As for the "big box stores" they clean out product all the time, just go down any clearance aisle, and Estes products is only a small portion of their total clearance aisle.

Times have changed for the entire world economy, let's face it, the gas situation (oil) has put a big damper on everything aand everyone, and, can you imagine the cost of plastics now, it's a ripple effect.

Just go to the grocery store and see how much groceries have increaed in the past few months.

They may not give tours, and haven't in a long time and there may be weeds in the parking lot, but, it's what goes on behind those walls that counts.

Let's see what the future holds, we just celebrated the 50th, a milestone in a hobby like ours, but, we need to get more rocketeers in the fold and move on from there.

Yes. But I want to torment some folks by making them wait. For those who can't wait, they can buy them at the outrageously expensive $4 price.

I never saw $6.97 ever.

We are gonna need more cluster rockets......

__________________
-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430

Remember, don't trust the shelf price. Scan a pack. I bought a few packs at $4.00 when they were still shelf-priced $6.97. I'm waiting to see if the price drops more, at which point I'll clean them out.

I figure, buy some now so I don't miss it, but hold out on the rest in hopes of a lower price. If someone else is planning the same thing, and gets there first... at least I got some for $4.00.

__________________
NAR # 115523
Once upon a better day... SAM #0076
My site: http://rocketry.gonnerman.org

The ones I bought last night had two price tags, one dated 8/15 at $4, the other dated 8/18 at $3. All except the A8-3's scanned at $4, and I had to get the cashier to change them to $3. P.o.ed the people in line behind me.

The new price tag on the reset shelves was $4.97, so you can count on that probably at least through Christmas. Still, it looked like at least that one store was putting new engine stock in the clearance aisle (lucky me!)

__________________
Roy
nar12605

Like I said they are probably getting rid of those old fashioned 3 packs of A8 and C6 motors to make way for the new 4 packs of B14 motors at $4.97

__________________
-Fred Shecter NAR 20117 (L2)
Southern California Rocket Association, NAR Section 430