GHQ scheduled release dates`

Post by **GHQ** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:06 pm

For some reason recently we have been getting quite a few e-mails, and one forum topic, concerning our new releases being late this month. For clarification, we have always listed the new items in our catalog along with the scheduled release date. These dates are ALWAYS THE LAST DAY in the given month. In the past some of the items have been ready to ship before the scheduled release date, and we have listed them on our website when they were ready because some of our customers were anxious to get the new models and we thought that we would keep them from waiting any longer than necessary. Have we created some kind of confusion about the actual release dates? Would it be better if we waited, and then listed them all on our website on the last day of the month?

This situation really hasn't been an issue in the past, but it seems that this month there are quite a few people who think that we are late with our new releases. Hopefully this means that there are a lot of people who are really excited about the October 2009 releases. However, we don't want to create a situation that has our customers thinking we are dropping the ball when we actually are right on schedule.

Thank you for your support,
GHQ

intobattle · Post by **intobattle** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 5:37 am

GHQ,

I think just by nature, when you release on the last day of the month it gives the impression that you're "down to the wire" and maybe a little late. Why not just say the new releases will be available on the 1st day of the month in November... then post them on 11/1 instead of 10/31. I know it sounds silly but often times life is about managing perceptions; and you might be surprised what people think when they are available at the first of the month rather than the last day.

I would venture to say that most people don't check the new releases section on the last day of the month (take this coming 10/31 for instance) and it'll be November before they check them anyway.

Just a thought, I've got no qualms about your current release cycle...

IntoBattle

Xveers · Post by **Xveers** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:04 am

Second the suggestion. Certainly simplifies overhead for everything in my opinion.

Hauptmann6 · Post by **Hauptmann6** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:07 pm

Intobattle has the right idea.

Timothy OConnor · Post by **Timothy OConnor** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:00 pm

I agree with into battle. Just change the nomenclature.

Old "October Releases" = New "November Release"

Internally, GHQ works to get the November releases ready for sale by October 31 so that on November 1 we customers see the November releases available. This is a customer centric approach. The old policy was internally focused.

Boy_wundyr_x · Post by **Boy_wundyr_x** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:47 pm

I haven't e-mailed (honest!) but I've been awaiting for the end of October releases to show up because I have a coupon I'd like to use by the end of October, and in my planned order is one of the new infantry releases. So I come on, check the new items list, check the date on my coupon, check my order, check the new items, check my coupon (etc. etc.).

Nothing to do about it, but that may be one reason for people's eagerness/anxiety for the new releases to show up.

Chris

av8rmongo · Post by **av8rmongo** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 4:40 am

GHQ,

Thank you for posting the new releases (with excellent pictures) right on time as always. The TUSK looks good, I may have to pick some up.

Paul

intobattle · Post by **intobattle** » Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:50 pm

Hi GHQ,

Did you guys by chance decide anything here? Are you planning to keep the schedule as is? Wait til the last day of each month?

Thanks!
Tanner

Post by **GHQ** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 12:44 am

We have received quite a few e-mails regarding this topic, and the general consensus seems to be that most people really don't care whether it is the last day of the month, or the first day of the month. In addition, we have all of the release dates through June 2010 already printed in our catalog, so those will definitely not be changed.

For what it's worth, the "last day of the month" system has been in use for over ten years, and we honestly didn't put any thought into making it "internally focused", or "customer centric"- the date was just picked so that we had something to target on our schedule. Since this hasn't come up previously in 10+ years, it seems like this whole issue isn't really a problem, and everyone was just excited about our October releases.

Thank you for your support,
GHQ

PS One thing that we will start doing as a result of this is not post the releases early, as they are ready. Possibly that was what got some people thinking that we were late.

CBoy3 · Post by **CBoy3** » Wed Nov 11, 2009 4:34 am

Whew!, I am glad that this is resolved! I am really excited about the new US infantry, the B-25 H, and the Pz IV G. However, I was able to wait until I saw them listed on their website. On a side note, I still can't figure out why the 1st is considered to be more customer friendly, and the 31st is considered to be more company friendly.

Xveers · Post by **Xveers** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 10:58 am

More or less, it's the same way that 9.99 is more retail friendly and 10.00 is more customer friendly when it comes to pricing. It's down to perception. If you rationally think about it, then it's not going to affect you since you see the difference is miniscule, but at a glance your brain thinks differently about it. We see "October" and we think middle of the month and start expecting it as the month goes on. By about midmonth we check it out and realise that "hey, it's coming out at the end of the month" and expectation and desire builds.

At least, that's what I remember from my marketing 141 class.

CBoy3 · Post by **CBoy3** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 11:58 pm

I completely understand the marketing and psychology behind trying to get someone to think that a product is under $100 by saying that it is $99.99. However, I don't understand why anyone would think that a company is using a psychological tool to have customers think that they should buy something that they wouldn't normally buy by saying that it is available on October 31st, rather than November 1st. If you look at the previous posts, you will see that the suggested work around for this was to call the October 31st releases November 1st releases.

Being a small business owner myself, I am particularly sensitive to people offhandidly, sometimes flippantly, saying that companies are somehow "out to get them" with a covert plan. Trust me, it is hard enough to keep a business running with just day to day operations. I really don't think that having releases on the 1st, 15th, 20th, or 31st of any month is putting anyone's interest above any other people's interest. I'm just happy that some of the companies that produce products that I like are able to stay in business. Lord knows that there are fewer of them now than a few years ago.

PS After posting this I went through and read the previous posts on this thread, and saw that GHQ said that no serious thought was put into picking the date when they made the decision years ago. I think that I will take their word on that, they have been in business for over 30 years and I think that is a testament to how they run their business.

Xveers · Post by **Xveers** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 12:58 am

Woah now. I never said that anyone was out to get anyone else, certianly not GHQ out to get us. I'm not implying that their release date is solely a psychological tool meant to sell us stuff (we want their stuff solely for its own shinyness

)

And as I did say, as soon as you think about it (which I think is pretty much the entire message board ) the discussion become academic, since it is only one day after all. I also don't think every company is "out to get you". But I do think that every company is "trying to sell to you". There is a difference between coupons and good sales practices versus sneaky marketing and bait/switch. GHQ dosen't do the latter, evil stuff that i'd call "out to get you".

intobattle · Post by **intobattle** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:10 am

Agreed, this is really just a stimulating discussion on marketing; "academic" as Xveers put it. GHQ asked the question and so we are giving our opinions; I think it's clear that no one here is upset at GHQ on this topic.

Tanner

Post by **GHQ** » Fri Nov 13, 2009 1:51 am

As we have previously mentioned, the last day of the month was picked for our releases just so that we would have a target. We didn't put any thought into it, we could have flipped a coin and picked any day of the month. We are glad that no one thinks that we have an secret plan that went into picking the day.

What we really were asking when we started this thread was whether posting the models as they became available (with some of them going up early) was creating confusion about the actual release dates. We didn't know if anyone would care. What we have decided is that the releases will continue to be the last day of the month, we will hold off on posting them early, and then post them all in one big chunk.

It is hard keeping a business afloat these days, even for one that has been in business since 1967 (42 years!). All that we can say is you can keep us in business by buying, buying, buying whether it is the first of the month, the fifteenth, or the thirtieth. We appreciate all of you who have been keeping us around for so long.

Thank you for your support,
GHQ