Estes Models - would there be enough interest?

[mh9162013]

As for the oft' mentioned free shipping threshold, I'd like to see someone do the same thing but in a different way. Make it 25% or so off instead of 33%, in order to build in shipping cost. Then all orders have free shipping, and the price would seem more honest, at least to me. Then add a volume discount threshold.

I think this is a great point.

On one end of the spectrum, we have Estes.com which has a $50 (?) free s/h threshold, but relatively high prices. On the other end of the spectrum, we have sellers like AC Supply with lower prices, but a higher free s/h threshold ($100, I think?). Having some sort of middle ground that hasn't been done before might be something to consider.

Lower prices than Estes.com, but not as low as AC Supply. Yet all shipping is free, as @jqavins mentioned. Or maybe the free shipping threshold is only $65 or something. A seller who did this would be great for someone who wants to buy more than $64.99 worth of stuff, but not quite $100. They can get the free shipping of Estes.com without the higher Estes.com prices.

I think the issue here will be how many model rocketry buyers will actually fall into that sweet spot?

Other potential ideas:
- Customer loyalty programs (others do it, but doesn't mean the OP's hypothetical online store can't do it. Something like 1 point per $1 spent (could include shipping costs into this) and 100 points = $10 off a future order)
- Discounts for buyer concessions. For example, 5% off your order if you waive your ability to return your item (unless it got damaged in transit, of course). Or 10% off your order if you're willing to wait an extra 7 days before the order gets shipped. This latter benefit could be useful when the seller is extra busy fulfilling orders and can then "triage" certain order fulfillments "until later this week" when that sick warehouse picker comes back in to work.
- Bulk discounts that kick in when buying just 2 or more of the same item. This could potentially be a blanket policy where, "every additional, identical item you add to your order takes 5% off the price of the additional item; maximum 20% discount per item." So buy one $100 kit, pay $100. Buy two of those kits, pay $195. Buy three of those kits pay $285.

Just spitballin' here...

EDIT: Just thought of this: can you set up your business in a way (or place) where you don't have to collect sales tax? Probably not, but might be something to look into?

 

[mh9162013]

I don't get it, are people basically asking for eRockets with steep discounts? Sounds great, but come on. I would also like a pony.

No, we're not asking for something unrealistic. We're asking for a different way of buying model rockets and supplies that, in certain situations, could be cheaper than current alternatives.

 

[BABAR]

I don't get it, are people basically asking for eRockets with steep discounts? Sounds great, but come on. I would also like a pony.

 

[jqavins]

I would also like a pony.

But would you? Really?

 

[BABAR]

But would you? Really?

Well, given a pony is classically smaller than horse, would be kind of like a

Cesaroni J145-19A Skidmark​

motor At

Total Impulse​

699.1 N-s (157.2 lb.s)​

The Newtons meter/second unit number 745.70 N m/s converts to 1 hp I, one Mechanical horsepower.

of course, the morphology of the skidmarks left by the pony are slightly different. The odors are likely equally pungent but subjectively quite different as well.

 

[bad_idea]

Partly from being a member of several clubs and partly from flying a lot of black powder clusters and going through motors like crazy, I can nearly always get free shipping from AC Supply, either on my own or by combining orders with local club members. To break my loyalty to AC Supply, I'd need to get something like the old, pre-2022 ACS discount of 40%, or current-2022-ACS-like discounts on Quest and Aerotech motors instead of Estes, neither of which seem all that likely.

 

[Alan15578]

I whole heartedly agree with those who've said that a "rocket everything" store with all the Estes products (or as close as you can manage) is better than an Estes only store. You have competition there too, Apogee and others. But you could have a different emphasis in your product offerings, and Apogee in particular is easy to compete with on price. (I'm happy to order from them, but I know I'm overpaying sometimes.)

That was the concept of AVI Astroport.