How much do you think forums and the internet in general has benefited the train mfrs?

Immensely with out the forums all of them train related is what really keeping the hobby going as back when most of us where kids ( 50's, 60's, &70's ) we really didn't  internet electronic games etc, etc. Trains and race cars sets where the thing and usually both. The train companies I don't believe they would be where they are today. until the 90's I never heard of K-line, Williams, MTH, and only knew Atlas as n & HO Bachmann Was HO & n also but as a whole without internet and forums I wouldn't of know of a lot of these. I say they do need to realize these forums is basically have kept them in business look how much the other OGR & O guage one previews new items to make other items going to keep the hobby going personally I feel they aught to help support the cost of these forums as how much there contribution  is to them instead of just giving them products to show case. They are selling or help selling there product for them more than any other venue they could even think of.

I think it like anything else in the internet age, it opens it up to a much broader audience.  It's all at your fingertips and if you do not have a LHS it brings product and such right into your home at the touch of a finger.  And as such I am sure the manufacturers see a big market via the internet as opposed to just the brick and mortar stores.

I think its huge. Given the "ultra narrow" market of this hobby. Theres really no way to know how much is out there without the internet.

This forum is especially important to get us few together that share a common interest that the majority of people probably don't even realize exists, or at least "not anymore" anyway.

When you can exchange conversation directly with the key players of O guage manufacturers it doesn't get much better....and of course dozens of other members sharing knowledge and ideas.

Incalculably. 

As others have said, the forums create an excellent place for people with a similar interest to discuss the hobby they love.  It gives us all an opportunity to discuss the latest releases, upcoming products, and any train related topics while giving us all a place to admire others great work and seek advice to further our own pursuits in the hobby.  And I think it is safe to say many friendships have been formed through the forum that otherwise never would have been.

I think the internet in general has been a great benefit to the manufacturers and the train hobby in general.  The area I live in does not really have a local hobby shop.  Without the internet and mail order capabilities it presents, I probably would not be in the hobby because I would be very restricted in my options to obtain new products.  Plus the ability for manufacturers to present more details about products than they can in printed catalogs has to benefit them.  The internet and these forums provide a great word-of-mouth network for manufacturers and hobby shops.

I agree with the above commentary.  And, to add to those comments, I think, the hobby in general, although not an entity, has benefited beyond calculation.  

My first thought was, "Are you sure it has?, based on the discussions about the

merits AND DEMERITS of assorted offerings, and their failures, as widely discussed

on here...which has influenced me as to what NOT to buy.  It is kinda like reading

the "Best and Worse Cars" edition of Consumer Reports, except here you are getting it from the horse's mouth, the lucky (or unlucky) owner thereof.  (too bad our hobby is

such a small niche in the American market; I'd like to see C.R.'s comments on some

of the products, after long term testing).  The forum has had a large impact on spreading knowledge about all the peripheral products, skills, and techniques.  The

sometimes lengthy discussions on products make their existence known to readers.

And if you are into O gauge trains, and not on this forum, you are missing out.

It Has Hurt The Hobby

Pick your Poison …I’m going with on-line gaming, and social media like Facebook…

As Train Lovers we find the forum, it doesn't find us.

K.C.

I agree with the above posts and it also benefits us the consumer if a particular companies offering is good or bad we immediately know.

Mikey

I think forums like this provide manufacturers a useful view into the minds and hearts of hobbiests.  Not crfitical, but one more source of intel or market needs and wants, etc. There is ample evidence that Lionel and MTH pay attention to this forum but I received proof myself recently that Bachmann pays alot of attention - I was surprised just how much.  

They typically follow what we say as we are a mirror to what the market wants. Those who are particularly attentive benefit the most.

I think it has definitely helped. As to how much, I don't know? We certainly have acces to a vast amount of information about a lot of train products. I have purchased several items that I had previously passed on. Just because of the discussions and pictures other forum members posted of the items. (No expensive busses yet, but they were very tempting ).

I read posts about people having problems with a particular item or vendor and I definitely take that into consideration, but that really does not influence my thoughts on purchasing an item. I think the problems reported are good to know about, but are also probably a very small percentage of total items produced. Everything and everyone has a problem now and then, whether its with a product or a vendor. It will happen to all of us if we stick with the hobby long enough.

Now, if everyone on the forum reported a problem with the same item I would probably heed that warning, but still might make the purchase if I thought I could deal with the problem the item had.

I would guess the hardest thing for the manufacturers to do is determine now wide spread the ideas and opinions of forum users are.  We are a fairly well educated (about the O gauge train world at least) bunch and quite opinionated.  And many of us are very outspoken in our beliefs.  Unfortunately I think some days that we do not do a very good job of representing the main stream of the hobby.  And there are more people that are not on the forum or Internet than that are.

Having said all that, there is a wealth of information available to those that want to try to decipher it.

Art

Any good business wants to know what its customers want, and how they feel about their products, and service.  I believe that for the most part the importers have reacted well to these issues. Businesses also need to do market research on pricing levels, competitors, new products so they will position themselves properly for next years business. The discussion and info is all here. When "Clyde Coil" was in the picture, he kept a close watch on this forum and guided Lionel to bring out new products accordingly. Now that he is gone I am sure that his successor is reading carefully.

You can be all but certain that the train importers and accessory manufacturers read this forum

Absolutely!

Now and in the future of modern times, NO business will survive without the addition of advertising/selling on the net.  I'd also add Social Media to that statement.

Just ask a few of our sponsors how the net has impacted their business...

VERY TRUE! One problem. When we complain, Thread is DELETED!

I think that statement is correct if the product and/or the manufacturer is being bashed pretty heavily in a thread. If we are civil about reporting our problems, I think the threads stay around for a while sometimes quite a while. 

It's the ones that say: "I will never buy another product from ?????? or ??? or ?????", or whoever it might be. Or "I will never buy another item from this vendor or that vendor". From what I have seen those are the ones that regularly get deleted.

My point was that we tend to post our complaints a lot more than we post about our delight with a product. That's why I don't place a huge value on a complaint post. For everyone that posts a complaint there might be (and probably will be) a LOT of happy

folks out there that don't say a word.

All I can say is that I am very happy I don't have to moderate this forum.

Thanks to this forum I got my consulting gig with 3rd Rail in 2009 and it has been a lifetime dream come true even if I spend way too many evenings working into the wee hours to get projects done. 

Before this forum, I didn't know that there was still scale O product out there.  Now I've converted from HO and N to O as a direct result of this forum.  Consulting for a manufacturer, I can say with confidence that without the assistance of several members who regularly post to this forum, my work wouldn't be nearly as good as it is.

 If the manufacturers want to keep their finger on the pulse of their buyers, they better pay attention to the forums

 I think besides the fact people are more comfortable with "gadgetry" today, the availability of specific information, is more widespread, and freely shared than it once was. With the greater sharing of information comes new opportunity, and abilities.

 Opening the door to free knowledge of a good product is some of the best ad work there is. Its absence baffles me.

  Continued blaming, and using the whole "data battle" among mfg as a reason to not be really be more corp. cross-compatible baffles me too. "They" got wronged by one guy, and they "owned" the problems base in the long run. The spread of info was a boost to the industry as a whole then. Could it be again? 

 IMHO most "proprietary secrets" are for chicken recipes, and actual production.

  Not something where final electro/mechanical of operations are to be kept from a customer forever. This hinders progress too. I would want my customer to grow to know nearly every aspect of "our fine products" .

 It wasn't really till the 70s "silicon valley" era, that I noticed companies seemed to get really stingy with info . So I think the slow command info "spill" specifically, is also worth being credited in the techno boom O recognition.

 As far as a lot of complaints vs compliments go. That is mfg. controllable really 

Nonsense.

Rants, personal grudges and political tie-ins get deleted. 

Disappointment, valid quality issues and/or constructive criticism do not.

Rusty

You're going to have to explain to me how my response constitutes harassment or bullying.

I merely stated what I see as reasons for posts to be deleted or not.

Besides, I didn't make any postings yesterday (Saturday March 28) and my postings on Friday were on the S Scale forum regarding the American Flyer Berkshires and Polar Express sets.

I assume you've already reported my response to the moderators.

Rusty

I think the forums and web help to create a more knowledgeable consumer. In my opinion that is a benefit that provides an additional low cost (if any) feedback loop to any manufacturer in the long term. Like anything I guess it's value is what you make of it.