What is up with Fractal, and supply? New Customer

A

Antigravity

Member
First post, have some questions... but not really about the Axe FX unit. I can conclude the unit is great, that's simple and documented by all the vids and stuff.

I've known about the Axe FXs for several year... but only in the last 3-4 years I have looked at purchasing seriously, but each time I've been on the website they were always on a back order status, and potentially that was just my timing, so I passed on ordering. So now I finally said "what the heck" I can wait and I'm old enough now to be pretty patient so it not all that important, so I got on the waiting list... and that led me to want to ask some questions.

As a business owner myself (Lithium Motorsport Batteries) and having our manufacturing offshore as well, I fully understand the difficulties of engineering and manufacturing products and the supply chain aspects. This is all we do also, but what gets my feet a little cold as I look at my Axe purchase is I cannot wrap my head around how Fractal is operating being it seems they are alway back ordered. So I had some basic questions. I don't expect the average forum person to weigh in unless they have some inside knowledge. But I'm just wanting to understand better since its a little odd the way this works after so many years I've been watching this product.

Here's my questions....

- Why are they always on backorders and wait lists, even after many years in business? I have not seen Fractal in a position where there is stock much of the time. I even wanted to buy a X-Load... but nope not in stock. Again, might be my timing, but it seem really odd for a seemingly very popular product that the company is not making a massive effort to be in front of the orders all the time. It's not my place to tell a company how to operate, but forecasting orders for a manufacturer is fairly simple especially when you have been in business for many years as Fractal has. But I've been going to the site on and off for several years and see back orders and lack of product a lot of the time. So it makes you wonder. At first I thought it was just demand so I would wait for it to subside.... now I'm finally ready to pull the trigger and it still like it was years ago when I first looked. So its a bit confusing.

-Why isn't there much clarity for the Customers ordering the product? Meaning it a pretty simple equation when manufacturing. You can inform the Customer honestly what your production levels are, and rough delivery dates of containers, yet still express to them that due to the varying status in the manufacturing process there maybe be delay of up to a few weeks. It at least keeps them in the loop. But the indefinite answer or waiting months is a bit odd. And from reading on the forums here it seems like everyone on the waitlist is just in limbo with no real updates except for another member saying they got an email. In 2014 and 2015 my company experienced a massive growth, and we got behind, but we emailed all dealers and individual customers the status with a simple bulk email program we divided into the different types of Customers, and it made everyone happy to at least be in the loop. Fractal might not have to worry about this, maybe the demand is always there, but for myself I would be stressing on the potential loss of sales and wanting the brand to have a super loyal and happy customer not just from the product perspective but for the business.

Anyway this is not meant to be a bash, but just a basic and honest inquiry as an excited Customer, and as someone who knows the difficulty of being in the electronics business.
 
i'd have to agree with CraigP

new units sell quickly, and used units sell quickly even when priced as new

that is a lot of demand

but then, having been on a custom builder's wait list for over a year, maybe i'm more patient
 
Some of the Fractal folks have also mentioned supply chain issues in the past. It's not quite as simple as just making more. We have no idea what goes on behind the scenes as far as the effort being made to increase production and meet demands and I'm quite sure there's a ton of leg work on Fractal's end that goes into doing everything they can to meet demand. Parts can be hard to source. Sourced parts can turn out to be out of spec. Parts that were available can suddenly not be available any more, especially if a big manufacturer buys them up for something. Production facilities can have long lead times because they have other work in their queue. The list goes on. And then there's COVID, which just compounds all the problems. It's not like they don't care. It's a tough business and getting the consumer the highest quality product possible doesn't always happen quickly.

Additionally they do give us as much info as they can. But they also don't want to give a date and miss it because of the reasons above. They might just not have a solid answer which is often the case.
 
I dont know any company that tells you when their shipping containers are coming in. Or any back-end information at all. "It's delayed and we'll let you know when we expect it and when it arrives" is the most I'd expect from any company. If your company divulges more, awesome but that's not standard.
 
The problem is that this is not forum matter.
Obviously only FAS people know the answer and so far, they have not been keen to discuss this on a public platform. And in a world where unfriendly competition and criticism are prevalent, I can understand their position.
If you feel you need to know such data to involve yourself with the products, then you should take it up with the company directly, not on a public forum.
My 0.02 obviously.
 
Was no waitlist when I ordered my III. Guess I got lucky.

After ordering stuff for 25+ years I would say the most consistent thing has been that projections and estimations when something might arrive/ship typically mean absolutely nothing. Stuff shows up when it shows up. You'll get a phone call (or email) when it's ready. If you really want it, your only option is having some patience.

FWIW I have been waiting 3 weeks and counting now for a guitar that was supposed to "show up any day now". You get used to it :p
 
OP, your questions are fair and it's unfortunate that yours and ones like them often catch flack here. The reality is that only a small number of people (e.g. Cliff) know the answers and it's unlikely that you'll get them on here. I will say that this has been an incredibly challenging year from a production standpoint for many companies that have had to deal with everything from parts shortages to China tariffs to covid-19. At the same time, I'll also say that Fractal's product launches, demand planning, communication and waitlist management haven't exactly been optimal. The products are FANTASTIC, the best in the business imho and I own several of them. However, for some reason they can't crack the code on the things I mentioned. This is no secret and it's unfortunately an aspect of the company you have to deal with if you want to use their products.

Regarding comments like "it's supply and demand" - that is no excuse as every company has to deal with managing around both of those things. Some companies do it well and some companies don't do it well. An example of one who is managing it well is Concept 2, who makes fitness equipment like rowing machines. Demand has been high, supply has been challenging, but their communication has been excellent. They have a waitlist and send out weekly updates with estimates on when your name will come up. In my experience they were dead-on accurate to the day for an item I was waitlisted for. Other companies don't handle the situation as well...
 
I've been a customer for 11 years and have purchased all 3 gens mid-cycle. Never waited on any of those - stock was readily available. So if you believe Axefx are ALWAYS on backorder, I'll suggest it could be related your timing of when you check (and yes, as with many products, if you always check shortly after a new version is announced, you'll see backorders happening).
 
Been here since the standard. Bought ALL the units (modelers) . The AX8 and the FM3 are the only ones I have ever waited for. Also glad I did.
I do think the OPS post is OK-he's just concerned and asking questions..................
 
My III is my first Fractal item, bought late November 2019. Price had gone down fairly recently at that time, they had a bundle deal, and I jumped, however fiscally reasonable that was for me. It was in stock, I picked it up in person since I'm pretty close, and it was quicker and cheaper than having it shipped. I did have to wait for an EV-1, maybe a couple weeks as I recall.

So not always out of stock :)
 
Holy Moly.... some of you guys are like the Teslarati.... . I remember when I bought my Tesla I asked some questions on a forum and it lit those guys up, when I questioned why so many reports on body panel not lining up and such. They took it personal..... Yet when I went to Tesla and was buying the car and asking about the stuff they were totally cool. And actually the buying experience was the best I've ever had. My point being your forum loyalists need to really chill the heck out. You are not being attacked nor is Fractal. You guys are just nutty when you get all self indignant.

I'm not a shill and you can determine my company from my statements in the first post and my name. I'm a business owner who actually has a home studio, and I got on the waiting list to add a Axe fx. Didn't even know the forum existed since just a few days ago and was reading and thinking this is sort of odd they still have this problem I saw a few years back.... meaning these waiting lists.

The fact is I posted on the forum because the OWNER himself seems to be on this forum and some of the other guys who work there I think. So where am I wrong in asking about this waiting list when it is a fact I have seen personally, and read a forum post last night where the just the members are telling each other when they got an email and can assume the product is coming, so I figured I would just ask in a post.

Anyway, its all trippy to me.... the backlash for a basic question from someone who just wasn't understanding why all the waiting, insinuation of being a shill, cussed at.

Last, many of you are not aware of manufacturing/import practices, so I was asking from that perspective because that is what my company does just like Fractal. We import products we design. There is something called forecasting, and you can get very close to fulfilling future orders by "forecasting" you next quarters, or other time frames sales. That means making enough units to fill the demand and actually make more money because you don't lose any customers that are looking to purchase RIGHT NOW. So when you have hard data such as waiting lists, and this forum, and the product is a seasoned product that has been out several years, it is even more simple to forecast orders and demand. My point being I was just questioning this since I personally would like to know about when to expect any order I make would take. Nothing wrong with that.

I do look at the companies I buy from and if are they stable, when buying a $2000 fx processor. So when I see this great product in high demand, yet for several years I see it on back order several times I am thinking why, and would actually want to know the expected arrival for how far down I am on the waitlist.

It unfortunate some of you are so knee jerk about this, and just want to blast me. Please understand I don't even remotely care about those statements, but they do muddy the water and fill the thread with nonsense. I ordered the product, I'm happy to get it, I don't like waiting but I will.
The interest is not based on me receiving an answer to this post, but hell yeah I will ask any question that I think is reasonable and allows me to know how long I am going to be waiting.
 
The products are constantly under development, and I suspect they strong believers in JIT inventory principles.
 
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lqdsnddist said:
Out of the about ten synthesizers I want to buy right now, 8 are and have been out of stock.

Heck, there have been missing products at the grocery store still....

Scarcity is affecting most every industry
Click to expand...

Absolutely, we have the same thing happening in our channel. Due to Covid more people were home, working on projects and other stuff related to our products. Sales were much higher and we expected the opposite to happen. It been great actually. So there was a mad rush to buy anything to while away the time. Even foam surfboards sold out.... and Guitar Center guitars was pretty slim....

But I asked because each time I seemed to be ready or saw the website... there was always the back order.... and this could be again my timing is just bad in visiting Fractal and nothing more. Still would love to know if I'm in the 6 month boat or 1 month boat.
 
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