New Inventory page and process updates

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by JeffreyG

So you don't understand compromising on a few options to get an Escape earlier, but you do suggest buying a completely different RV from what you want in order to get one earlier?


I'm not understanding this.

I would not do the drawing thing, but to each their own. I'm simply saying that if camping is the goal, you can do that anyway. If you want an Escape, and you want it your way, then what's wrong with waiting? "Good things come to those who wait"...or something like that.

[brroberts]

My guess, and it’s just a guess, is this was causing network issues at ETI, so the procedure simply moved from an internet connection to a hat, or given the number of people, a barrel.

[cpaharley2008]

Regardless of your build sheet, even after owning 4 Escapes, I will always make some minor changes to "make it mine" so to speak....

[NEWYORKHILLBILLY]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Help me understand the rationale behind participating in a free for all vs ordering and receiving exactly the unit you want?

Life is short and getting one now may be very appealing to a new buyer. The inventor units that have sold so far appear to be units that where ordered and never pickup.unfortunately there is probably a said story behind the cancellation. Heath issues seems to be a common problem. Another advantage to these units is you know what the price is going pay. That's not the case when you order 2022 price is not set and expected to have a lager increase due to the cost of fiberglass. also if you lucky enough to get A inventory unit you can avoid the wait list completely. the demand is high right now. last weeks units both sold in under 6 seconds. it pretty hard for someone to type that fast to check out. I am sure this change will be welcome. I just hope Karl doesn't figure out he good make a lot more profit by putting these to auction.

[DanandDaphne]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Regardless of your build sheet, even after owning 4 Escapes, I will always make some minor changes to "make it mine" so to speak....

I get that but if it's your first escape it's much harder to know what that is. I guess it took you three tries before you got it right.

We bought our escape when there wasn't any wait plus we got a winter special $1,000 off for taking a late November delivery. We only had a couple of weeks after putting down our deposit to finalizing our build sheet so we didn't have much time to explore the customizations that were possible. Except for the custom upholstery, Formica, and flooring we got most of the standard options.

Now that we have had our escape for a couple of years there are a couple of things that we would change but not much and they are mostly all things that can be added anytime but of course more trouble and more expense.

If we were in the position people are now of waiting a year and a half to get their custom built escape we would be very interested in this.

[Small but Sweet]

I just looked at this week’s inventory choices. They are definitely putting every possible expensive addition in! A thousand here for a composting toilet, a thousand there for a power awning. Compressor fridge, heck why not. $1700 oven is more than my home oven.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by Small but Sweet

I just looked at this week’s inventory choices. They are definitely putting every possible expensive addition in! A thousand here for a composting toilet, a thousand there for a power awning. Compressor fridge, heck why not. $1700 oven is more than my home oven.

Their new owners are obviously laser focused on profit. Hopefully they don't profit themselves out of their specialized market. Not all potential customers are older couples who have tons of money and prefer to no longer invest for the future but instead to dump tons of disposable income on shiny new camper toys.

Quick profiteering at the expense of long term growth seems the business model of this new ownership team.

We'll all see how that strategy plays out over the next 5 years. My guess is they will sell it to another investment group with a "new" strategy.

[wackyburggeezer]

Current management has had enough time to map work flow and perform a full analysis of profit margins for various options. Couple that with the fact that certain 'standard' items seem to be in limited supply due to Covid, and the possibility (likelihood) that the current surge in demand for RVs will taper off in the next 12 months, cynical money says that profits are the first concern. If the demand surge tapers off in 12 months, manufacturers of RVs may find themselves in a desert devoid of new sales.
Just my view, I've been wrong before.
Wackyburggeezer

[Centex]

Originally Posted by Small but Sweet

I just looked at this week’s inventory choices. ....

IF actual, the "Completion Date" on the Build Sheets strikes me as interesting, all three of this week's offerings having been 'completed' in early~mid January.

One wonders if these are customer-ordered units that suffered a drawn-out final payment process which was finally terminated by one party or the other, making them available for sale.

[Chamberman]

Originally Posted by WillyB

Their new owners are obviously laser focused on profit. Hopefully they don't profit themselves out of their specialized market. Not all potential customers are older couples who have tons of money and prefer to no longer invest for the future but instead to dump tons of disposable income on shiny new camper toys.

Quick profiteering at the expense of long term growth seems the business model of this new ownership team.

We'll all see how that strategy plays out over the next 5 years. My guess is they will sell it to another investment group with a "new" strategy.

I hope your wrong on this but as many have stated the inventory trailers seem to be all about profit. As Small But Sweet noted, $1400 composting toilets in all three current trailers, is that really a popular option?

The sad thing is that there are many people in the line for 2022 delivery that could've received their trailer in 2021 and avoided the price increase that will come in 2022. Instead Escape has a somewhat captive group locked into whatever price increase they throw out in 2022 and will sell their excess current production fully optioned for max profit in 2021.

I worked in high tech manufacturing (semiconductors) for about 25 years. Many times we were running at max capacity for our high demand products with backlogs for large and small customers. When we expanded capacity, which we did several times over the years, it was offered to current customers that weren't able to get the amount of devices they wanted.

I've already warned my wife that our order may end up being cancelled. We just have to see what happens with the price increases for 2022. I'm really worried with the surge in demand that Escape will decide to really boost next years pricing substantially especially with so many customers waiting in line. Anyway if that's the case we'll be backing out and waiting for the market to soften in a few years and pick up a used 5.0. With so many more trailers being produced there will be an increasing amount showing up on the used market in the coming years. I've got 5 - 6 to go to retirement so patience and waiting is always an option for us.

[Small but Sweet]

We also have an order in, for a bigger Escape. I'm considering it a "soft" order now. Each time I show someone our 17 I love it more and more. I don't like the greed that I'm detecting, the upscaling and upselling, and I also worry about the effect on quality of ramping up production. As well as the price question. I've seen the odd comment recently about flaws in brand new deliveries... I think we are going to "love the one we're with", which was completed just before the Age of Covid.

If a pared-down 19 came up in inventory though, I'd be excited. Composting toilets? I don't give a $#!+, haha! In fact if you aren't seeking a composting loo, it's positively off-putting.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Small but Sweet

We also have an order in, for a bigger Escape. I'm considering it a "soft" order now. Each time I show someone our 17 I love it more and more. I don't like the greed that I'm detecting, the upscaling and upselling, and I also worry about the effect on quality of ramping up production. As well as the price question. I've seen the odd comment recently about flaws in brand new deliveries... I think we are going to "love the one we're with", which was completed just before the Age of Covid.

If a pared-down 19 came up in inventory though, I'd be excited. Composting toilets? I don't give a $#!+, haha! In fact if you aren't seeking a composting loo, it's positively off-putting.

You're missing out by not coming to Spring NOG where you can see nearly all the models and talk to the people actually using them....

[Small but Sweet]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

You're missing out by not coming to Spring NOG where you can see nearly all the models and talk to the people actually using them....

I know!!! We already had a reservation at Tumalo and LaPine, and it's my 50th birthday weekend so I preferred to stick to our reservation. We'll be at South Beach in Sept though, which is still plenty of time I think before we have to commit. We might also reach out to local Ambassadors too.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Small but Sweet

I know!!! We already had a reservation at Tumalo and LaPine, and it's my 50th birthday weekend so I preferred to stick to our reservation. We'll be at South Beach in Sept though, which is still plenty of time I think before we have to commit. We might also reach out to local Ambassadors too.

ooooh HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Yeah, keep those reservations. And yes, we'll see you at South Beach!!

[Small but Sweet]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

ooooh HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Yeah, keep those reservations. And yes, we'll see you at South Beach!!

Thanks Donna! Not to be cheesy but I'll be doing my favorite thing in the world, comfy-camping :-)

PS - We will probably drop by at the NOG on the way to LaPine, Saturday early afternoon! It's not much of a detour.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Small but Sweet

Thanks Donna! Not to be cheesy but I'll be doing my favorite thing in the world, comfy-camping :-)

PS - We will probably drop by at the NOG on the way to LaPine, Saturday early afternoon! It's not much of a detour.

When you're turning 50 y/o you are entitled to be as cheesy as you want! The world better watch out when I turn 70 y/o. I have BIG plans And yes, do stop by! We'd love to see you!!

[Chamberman]

Escape posted a Q&A video yesterday 4/16 and at the end of that video they go over the inventory situation and why they're building inventory units and not customer units. Essentially its because they cannot guarantee a delivery date on these early units. Parts availability is still a problem and production speed is not nailed down. Centex had commented a few posts back on the fact the completion dates on the current inventory trailers is from mid-Jan and from what Karl says the inventory trailers are many times sitting and waiting on parts to be completed.



It doesn't really explain the maxed out option trailers necessarily, but it does explain why they're not initially building these extra trailers to fill customers orders.



Hopefully they'll be switching from weekly random inventory builds in the next few months to customer deliveries. That will be a good sign that things are progressing well.

[Crazypill]

The one thing holding me back from placing a deposit right now is the big scary red text indicating the potential price raises for 2022. I have seen price sheets from Safaricondo for example which showed an extreme change. Other industries such as prefab homes, too, I've seen 20% increases.

I just don't want to be held captive for my money and then extorted for the difference, or shaken down for my deposit when they decide similarly extreme pricing for 2022-2023.

Strongly worded, but that's how I feel reading this. Shame things always go this way with investor ownership. Not going to get into politics so that's all I'll say there.

[TahoeJoe]

Originally Posted by Crazypill

The one thing holding me back from placing a deposit right now is the big scary red text indicating the potential price raises for 2022. I have seen price sheets from Safaricondo for example which showed an extreme change. Other industries such as prefab homes, too, I've seen 20% increases.

I just don't want to be held captive for my money and then extorted for the difference, or shaken down for my deposit when they decide similarly extreme pricing for 2022-2023.

Strongly worded, but that's how I feel reading this. Shame things always go this way with investor ownership. Not going to get into politics so that's all I'll say there.

But you can always cancel your deposit and get (most of) your money back if you don't like the pricing or decide to go another route. I canceled my deposit (bought a used Escape) it was very easy and I got my money back very quickly...

[Crazypill]

Don't they take your $500? $500 is $500.