(09/07/17) O Gauge Coal Hoppers from Menards!

Great price for a nicely curated set! An easy instant Menard's train.

Mark, no doubt it's been brought up many times before but, for those of us not priviliged to live near a retail location and therefore cannot benefit from the rebate program, has any thought ever been given to some kind of rewards program for us e-commerce guys? Not to say we don't appreciate the many promotional freebies available from time-to-time, it's just sometimes we feel a little left out during rebate season...

Jim

I have to agree Jim.  I want more Reading hoppers, but I can't use the rebate without a 300 mile drive, so it's a moot point for me.  At least with the free stuff, I get something that I can use.

The rebate is useless to me not living anywhere close to a Menards.  As I said in another thread Menards needs to reevaluate their rebate program if they don't want to loose a potential customer base.    At least allow us to use the rebates for online purchases.

Tuscan Jim posted:

Great price for a nicely curated set! An easy instant Menard's train.

Mark, no doubt it's been brought up many times before but, for those of us not priviliged to live near a retail location and therefore cannot benefit from the rebate program, has any thought ever been given to some kind of rewards program for us e-commerce guys? Not to say we don't appreciate the many promotional freebies available from time-to-time, it's just sometimes we feel a little left out during rebate season...

Jim

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I have to agree Jim.  I want more Reading hoppers, but I can't use the rebate without a 300 mile drive, so it's a moot point for me.  At least with the free stuff, I get something that I can use.

Same here only about 800 miles.. Be nice if you put a store in South Carolina!!

I understand your frustration, but I also understand Menards' reasoning. It has been discussed many times before. We are a tiny fraction of Menards' sales and so our whining probably has little sway. And if not getting an 11% rebate will cause you to never buy any of their train products again, it would seem to be your loss rather than Menards since the deals even without a rebate can't be beat. You can always save your money to spend twice or even three times as much for an item out of one of the competitors' catalogs. And to be honest, I do not see Menards as a true competitor of the big boys. Those who want those higher priced items do so for 1) a more accurate modeled item 2) a truer scale item or  3) just for the name of the manufacturer. Menards is hitting us guys with shallower pockets and more flexible standards.

With all that said, I have always offered to accommodate those of you who feel that it is unfair. I will be glad to exchange your rebate (you go through the process of attaining the rebate which again can take weeks) for a personal check from me. Send me the returned rebate coupon and I will return its like value. 

Rick

Ranger Rick posted:

I understand your frustration, but I also understand Menards' reasoning. It has been discussed many times before. We are a tiny fraction of Menards' sales and so our whining probably has little sway. And if not getting an 11% rebate will cause you to never buy any of their train products again, it would seem to be your loss rather than Menards since the deals even without a rebate can't be beat. You can always save your money to spend twice or even three times as much for an item out of one of the competitors' catalogs. And to be honest, I do not see Menards as a true competitor of the big boys. Those who want those higher priced items do so for 1) a more accurate modeled item 2) a truer scale item or  3) just for the name of the manufacturer. Menards is hitting us guys with shallower pockets and more flexible standards.

With all that said, I have always offered to accommodate those of you who feel that it is unfair. I will be glad to exchange your rebate (you go through the process of attaining the rebate which again can take weeks) for a personal check from me. Send me the returned rebate coupon and I will return its like value. 

Rick

If you consider my post "whining" you are dead wrong... I support Menards as much as I'm financially able and will continue to do so with or without a rebate..........

Woodson, did not consider your post a whining, just a request for Menards to expand.

And, I truly am not in the mindset to ruffle feathers either. It is just that this complaint comes up periodically. The reason that Menards does this particular style of rebate is not to sell more train stuff. It is to get people into their stores. Their true competition comes from the big box stores like Lowes, Home Depot, Meyers, and others in their locales. They could easily eliminate the rebate for all of us, but that would also eliminate their reasoning of giving the option in the first place.....exposure to their store. I would have continued to shop at my local Lowes (1 mile away) as compared to my nearest Menards (45 miles away) if it had not been for the rebate. 

So, as much as if some feel that they are being slighted by the rebate offer that they cannot truly use, I do not think that Menards will change this business strategy. It works to get new customers into the actual store. That is where the real return business comes from.

And my offer still stands, even to anyone in Aiken!

Rick

Ranger Rick posted:

I understand your frustration, but I also understand Menards' reasoning. It has been discussed many times before. We are a tiny fraction of Menards' sales and so our whining probably has little sway.

Well, whining is getting a little carried away. I just expressed an opinion, and I fully understand why a store offers an in-store rebate. I'd rather they had a store close to me, HD could use some competition.

It would be so simple to deduct 11% at the time of the sale. This way, everyone gets treated the same. When we were in business, and had a 10% off day or weekend, everyone that placed an order received the discount. It didn't matter, if you were standing in the store or were calling from California. 

GRJ, Menards expansion seems to be headed South, they just got to the K.C. area within the last year or two. I think there are 3 or 4 stores here in the area now. Maybe they will head East before too long? Not sure how far East they are now?

If it makes anyone feel any better, I'm waiting on $40 worth of menards rebates that are way beyond the 6-8 weeks processing time. I'm beginning to think I will never get them. 

Jim, your reasoning was to sell more trains. Your sole purpose was to increase train sales. It is a great model for your store. You were a train business. Your model worked for you. You did not sell lumber, tools, lights, groceries, building materials, and a whole lot more.  You were not competing against other stores that have been in business longer than you and were more familiar.

People keep missing the point as to why Menards does their particular rebate model. Folks look at it myopically rather than from a good business model. 

I have a lot of respect for all of you who post, you especially as to what you contribute, GunrunnerJohn. But, if it is not whining, it is definitely complaining. And when it happens over and over in these threads, it approaches whining. 

All of you out of a Menards store range, my offer still stands. You have a way to get satisfaction. Money is money.

Rick

jim sutter posted:

It would be so simple to deduct 11% at the time of the sale. This way, everyone gets treated the same. When we were in business, and had a 10% off day or weekend, everyone that placed an order received the discount. It didn't matter, if you were standing in the store or were calling from California. 

As has been pointed out many times before, the rebate is designed to encourage return business at the stores as the rebates are only good for future in store purchases.

The rebate program was in effect long before Menard's began importing and selling train stuff. 

Menard's could stop selling train stuff tomorrow and it would hardly be noticed on their bottom line.

Rusty

Ranger Rick,

I did complete. I competed against every other train shop in United States. It was my job to be the best that I could be and to make sure everyone got treated the same.

Rusty Traque,

Menard's should let their customer decide when to use their 11% rebate. They could comeback later and purchase something they need or use it now on their train purchase.

410 miles from here.

2 Lowes and 2 HD's within 10 minutes.  But they don't sell trains...

jim sutter posted:

Rusty Traque,

Menard's should let their customer decide when to use their 11% rebate. They could comeback later and purchase something they need or use it now on their train purchase.

Thanks Jim that's exactly the point I was making.  However,  at the end of the day I'll still buy Menards train stuff.

wild mary posted:

jim sutter posted:

Rusty Traque,

Menard's should let their customer decide when to use their 11% rebate. They could comeback later and purchase something they need or use it now on their train purchase.

Thanks Jim that's exactly the point I was making.  However,  at the end of the day I'll still buy Menards train stuff.

Menard's does let the customer decide on when to use the rebates, they have no expiration date.  It's just one has to go to the store to use them.

Now, I have a Menard's fairly close to me and I've never taken them up on their rebates, so I don't have any skin in this game.  I just don't feel like doing the minimal paperwork and I only go to the store when I need something...  And it's not train related.

The main thing for me is Menard's has what I need when I need it.

Rusty

I didn't realize the rebate was only for in store purchases.  That being said I really like those Reading Hoppers.  I may just get them and offer up the rebate to someone on the forum who lives near one of these stores.

Rebate issues aside... did the Reading really have YELLOW coal hoppers?

RadioRon posted:

Rebate issues aside... did the Reading really have YELLOW coal hoppers?

What does the color matter if the open cars have no prototype? My understanding is that the truss sided hoppers were a Pennsy-only design with some being used by N&W, and that ALL were covered hoppers...

Bill in FtL