Confirmation on just how the waiting list is going to work ?

R.D.

R.D.

Power User
Can we get confirmation on just how the waiting list is going to work for the Ax-II ?


I’m only asking because I’m a customer of T.M., but I opted not to get on their waiting list because I was interested in supporting Fractal directly and ultimately thought I might get it a little quicker ….


After repeatedly saying there’d be no waiting list to buy direct, suddenly there is ( because they’ve obviously completely underestimated demand - BTW - which they have a long and storied history of doing ) ….


Please tell me it’s not going to work like the MFC waiting list. Where you can opt to pay the higher price and then ultimately jump the line ?


As I see it, that’s not going to make anyone happy …. The price goes up only 1 week after release when we’ve been told for weeks what the price would be. The more people willing to pay the higher price would have to effect the availability of units for T.M.’s order ( I’d think ), if not ultimately raise the price for them as well ? I’m not sure about the G66 products because they might have different power requirements ? But could it effect availability and price there too ?


Clearly ( IMHO – and based on the history of the original Standard roll-out, the initial Ultra roll-out, oh yeah and the MFC roll-out ) there probably should have been waiting lists for all three outlets ! Then orders should’ve been “filled” based on the percentage on each list …. That would’ve been the fairest way to proceed …. That’s how most boutique builders I’ve purchased from in the past have done it. Fractal didn’t …, so now we’ve got a ‘cluster f…’ that needs to be managed.
 
All the units built will be placed in the store...when all the people willing to pay the 400 extra dry up...then the wait list will start being served.


I don't know if this is 100% correct...but it is how it has worked in the past. Maybe a unit or 2 will trickle out for coupon holders....but not many.
 
That's exactly why I'm asking for confirmation ....

When Fractal rolled-out the MFC-101 I got on the wait list ( and was in the top 50 ) on 2/7/2009 .... I finally received my o.k. to purchase and use my $ 100 off coupon on 4/20/2011 ( 802 days later ) ....

REALLY ?
 
ChrisYoung said:
I sadly, agree with this assessment. Greed, and things apparently will be as in the past....
:-(
Chris
Click to expand...

Last count there were 90 people on the waiting list after 4 hours--I'm sure that extremely conservatively there are at least 10 more not replying to the "who's on the list and when" thread.

I am sure there are at least 100 people that are willing to pay the extra $400 when the units hit the Yahoo store.

If you were the owner of a business, would you turn down $40,000 in pure profit just because some people on a forum might get pissed off?

I don't call that greed--I call it good business sense.
 
Mott said:
Last count there were 90 people on the waiting list after 4 hours--I'm sure that extremely conservatively there are at least 10 more not replying to the "who's on the list and when" thread.

I am sure there are at least 100 people that are willing to pay the extra $400 when the units hit the Yahoo store.

If you were the owner of a business, would you turn down $40,000 in pure profit just because some people on a forum might get pissed off?

I don't call that greed--I call it good business sense.
Click to expand...

there's probably A LOT MORE people waiting for confirmation. i sent them an e-mail at 9:01 central time,and still no confirmation.
 
I am not upset at..I only wish info was a little more up front. Raising the price by 400 bones would have helped the Ultra partially retain its resale value IMO

A lot of people sold the Axe-Fx units because there was going to be "plenty".

I still have my Ultra and won't sell it at least until I have a II in my hands and then still I might keep it.
 
It's just one thing after another with this launch. So really what we're on a waiting list for is a $400-off coupon.
 
Cainer said:
It's just one thing after another with this launch. So really what we're on a waiting list for is a $400-off coupon.
Click to expand...

.....To be able to buy the AFX II for the same price as it listed for yesterday....
Just insane!
The idea was to offer a discount for the customers inconvenience, not turn it into a further way to stick the knive in and twist it more....
Whatever...
Nothings going to change around here.

Chris
 
How would you do it differently? Propose they send the shit to China for assembly?

ChrisYoung said:
.....To be able to buy the AFX II for the same price as it listed for yesterday....
Just insane!
The idea was to offer a discount for the customers inconvenience, not turn it into a further way to stick the knive in and twist it more....
Whatever...
Nothings going to change around here.

Chris
Click to expand...
 
Mott said:
If you were the owner of a business, would you turn down $40,000 in pure profit just because some people on a forum might get pissed off?
Click to expand...

If that's all it was, I would agree with you. But you're ultimately missing my point ....

Which is the all-important 'timing' of these changes to distribution.

They're historic, meaning it's happened this way on every single product introduction. Fractal has completely and continuously UNDERESTIMATED demand which has led them to change distribution strategies once things are already underway.

It's indicative of extremely poor planning, and YES is going to lead to a lot of hard feelings. The worst part is, it could have been completely avoided with a little more pre-planning ....

All ( IMHO ) of course !
 
I"m just happy there is a list. Alot of people are complaining about it but let's be honest on why this is a good idea. Imagine you are a forum member here at Fractal and have been waiting for this product for weeks, maybe months. You sit and click the Yahoo site all day long until your finger hurts. Months later, and still without an Axe-FX, some rich guy who reads "Guitar Afficianado" or some other crap, just happens to click the button at the right time while on his private jet, sipping champagne. He knows nothing about the unit but with the hype, decided to "try" one.

Why should that guy get to jump in front of people that were here from the beginning and have known about the Axe-FX for years? Lines are what make things work. At Disneyworld you jump in line, at the unemployment line you wait in line. The world is better with lines. :)
 
R.D. said:
If that's all it was, I would agree with you. But you're ultimately missing my point ....

Which is the all-important 'timing' of these changes to distribution.

They're historic, meaning it's happened this way on every single product introduction. Fractal has completely and continuously UNDERESTIMATED demand which has led them to change distribution strategies once things are already underway.

It's indicative of extremely poor planning, and YES is going to lead to a lot of hard feelings. The worst part is, it could have been completely avoided with a little more pre-planning ....

All ( IMHO ) of course !
Click to expand...
Perhaps we should just get used to it then rather than try to expect something different.

And I think that part of it was because of the urging of the prospective buyers and countless complaints that necessitated the move to the list.

It is what it is. Fractal Audio is not Line6 and that's a lot of what makes the AxeFX stuff what it is. If you want bean counters, warehouses full of crap, stockholders and CEO's that are worried about overhead and bottom lines you aren't going to get an AxeFXII at the price it is now let alone get one at all because no one out there has done it to date.

Once again, I quote the old rules of business:

1. You can have it done cheap
2. You can have it done fast
3. You can have it done right


Now pick 2 of those because it's impossible to do all three. ;)
 
R.D. said:
Fractal has completely and continuously UNDERESTIMATED demand which has led them to change distribution strategies once things are already underway.
Click to expand...
What you're forgetting is that if they overestimated demand for any of those previous products, there probably wouldn't be an Axe 2 for us to obsess over.

romanianreaper said:
Imagine you are a forum member here at Fractal and have been waiting for this product for weeks, maybe months.
Click to expand...
If you've been waiting for this product for months, you either had an inside contact (and likely an inside track on an early production unit) or you were doing it out of speculation in which case I'm not terribly sympathetic.
 
Last edited:
I don't think Fractal will ever be used as an example in a "how to roll out a product" mba class. Another slow, frustrating and disappointing launch. That said, I'm happy about the price increase as it will help the resale value of the Ultra's and we end up paying the original $2200 for the II by being on the wait list. Thankfully I didn't have to sell one to buy the other so I still have my Ultra and looks like I will for a while.
 
ChrisYoung said:
.....To be able to buy the AFX II for the same price as it listed for yesterday....
Just insane!
The idea was to offer a discount for the customers inconvenience, not turn it into a further way to stick the knive in and twist it more....
Whatever...
Nothings going to change around here.

Chris
Click to expand...


Chris no offense but if that is the way you feel then why are you still even here??

You have just stated on another thread that you have bought the Vetta II which you are happy about, and made the comment that people could buy a REAL rig for the prices involved for the Ax II and now this comment?

Seriously instead of trying to "help" people by pointing out how Fractal is "sticking the knife in" why not use your time more productively and enjoy your Vetta.
 
Mark,
Do you really think the Vetta is where I "want" to be??
C'mon now.....
But some of the other posters are correct. At least if you go by the history of these releases. Don't forget. I didn't just happen to pop by because I saw an AFX ad in a guitar magazine. I've been around since the first waiting lists. If this was the first time this crap has happened. No biggie. But it almost seems like a way of just doing business. When I had hoped things would have changed and gotten more efficient.
"plenty of units to go around", "chillax", "around the 6th",
No waiting, now a waiting list (which is a good thing), but with a $100 increases in the retail price if you want to jump the line and get lucky enough to buy one in the Yahoo store? People with the extra $400 will pay the money when these pop up in the yahoo store. Where do you think this will leave us?? Oh, where in line alright... After the retail demand has wained. With a line set up this way, you were better off the way it was before if you would like to get a new AFX in a reasonable amount of time, ( by getting lucky in the yahoo store).
I think as soon as he saw a problem with the chassis' he should have made an announcement there was a delay. Then when he got them in, announced "chassis' are in and I project shipping will begin, in say 45 days." He could have then started the waiting list and used that time to assemble units for shipping. Filling most orders in that first wave.
People would have hung onto their AFX's and been able to plan better for the purchase.
A lot of people sold their AFX's cheap because eBay was flooded with ultras at one point. But now with the higher list price ultras will be worth MUCH more. If I had sold one dirt cheap (which i did) only to see this happen and the ultras to be worth much more money, I would be pissed. And am.
Would'a, could'a, should'a. It is what is. What are you gonna do? I'm sure the guy is doing the best he can, given the situation...
I like most others am just venting. It's very frustrating.
-Chris
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom