Inventory Units

[oldwave]

Originally Posted by WillyB

The 2 1/2 Year figure comes directly from Escape Trailer's website and Samuel from Escape.

I just find it odd that nobody seems to care that Escape has changed their business model from a unique builder who services their niche customer base and has moved to a production line manufacturer. That's a huge change that goes directly against what made them who they are today. (A unique personalized builder)

I'm sure Escape likes all American money. Even the ones that comment about their process.

I guess their approach has been wildly successful and the demand has exploded. So the business model has worked. But as the man once said, follow the money.
I have been told with the chip shortage, all the new F150s being delivered at the moment are the high grade units, while the xls and lower base models are sitting unfinished waiting for the chip supply to catch up. Similar ?

The last year Escape was owned by Tammy and Reace they expanded the production facility, I suspect we will see that again.

While it’s easy to criticize and I do feel your pain for the wait, the owners will maximize profits first. Selling high profit versions first may be the first of many changes coming.

I bought the trailer almost exactly as you described, but added solar. Good luck and I hope the assembly and production lead times diminish and you get the trailer you want.

Lots of good people in this forum.

By the way even with the highly optioned units, the prices are lower than most of the competition.

[rubicon327]

Originally Posted by Chamberman

There was another thread here on that same subject.

Maybe this one...
https://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f...tes-20043.html

[77FJ40]

I don't mind the inventory units being sold. I understand they are doing it to test if they can reliably keep up with more units completed per day which benefits all those in line. I do agree, however, that the drawing is very off putting. I think if multiple people want one trailer it should go to the person who placed a deposit first. Pretty simple and fair. Any other way of doing it is bad form.

[WillyB]

Interesting responses.

Based on Escape's email to me, the 60 "Lottery Units" through July make up 10% of their 2021 unit forecast. Add year over year growth and you will understand my comments.

Imagine an investment strategy where you can take customer supported interest free cash and put it in the stock market for 2 1/2 years while extending the standard unit production to push high profit models to the front of the line.

It's a great investment model that only gets better with time until the crossover point occurs when they fully convert over to the highly featured "Lottery Units".

Kudos to the new investment group!

[Chamberman]

Originally Posted by WillyB

Interesting responses.

Based on Escape's email to me, the 60 "Lottery Units" through July make up 10% of their 2021 unit forecast. Add year over year growth and you will understand my comments.

Imagine an investment strategy where you can take customer supported interest free cash and put it in the stock market for 2 1/2 years while extending the standard unit production to push high profit models to the front of the line.

It's a great investment model that only gets better with time until the crossover point occurs when they fully convert over to the highly featured "Lottery Units".

Kudos to the new investment group!

I fully agree! It would be different if Escape took a non-refundable $150 deposit for a position in line and then charged $2k at the build sheet signing. As it is, that's a lot of customer cash to be holding and not be doing everything possible to move those customers forward in line with excess production units. Based on the current current guaranteed date of Sept 2023 the waiting list has outpaced time. Its been two months since I placed a deposit and the guaranteed date has grown by 4 months.


At some point I would think it becomes unethical to hold such a large sum of cash for customers with a 2.5+ year wait.

[jerryc]

Could it be that the 2 to 2.5 yr wait for a custom trailer be Escapes way of getting out of the custom build business. Going the way of other manufacturers in the rv business. Just produce a limited number of models with a few different options and say "here they are". With the demand for Escapes as high is it is, that's what I would do if I was running the business. On the other hand, I can't imagine waiting 2 years or better for a trailer.

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by Chamberman

I fully agree! It would be different if Escape took a non-refundable $150 deposit for a position in line and then charged $2k at the build sheet signing. As it is, that's a lot of customer cash to be holding and not be doing everything possible to move those customers forward in line with excess production units. Based on the current current guaranteed date of Sept 2023 the waiting list has outpaced time. Its been two months since I placed a deposit and the guaranteed date has grown by 4 months.


At some point I would think it becomes unethical to hold such a large sum of cash for customers with a 2.5yr+ year wait.

Exactly my point.

I just can't give someone $2,000 without knowing what my final cost will be 2 1/2 years from now.

Good luck on your wait. Hopefully they can pull it up.

[Dave Walter]

Originally Posted by Chamberman

...
At some point I would think it becomes unethical to hold such a large sum of cash for customers with a 2.5+ year wait.

Escape could slow down taking deposits in order to shorten the wait list and then hold a lottery to see who gets added to the wait list when spots open up!

[Jim Bennett]

Things must be changing since Reace and Tammy instituted this deposit, as the majority was not owed until a few months before the build, when the build sheet was signed.

There seems to be a few folks here with the business acumen to start a new moulded fibreglass trailer company. [emoji6] Okay, just kidding, we all have opinions.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

The company that owns them now is a hedge fund. I don't think hedge funds are sentimental.

Hi: gbaglo... You got that right!!! For Mother's day my wife gets flowers. For Father's day I get hedge fun. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Chamberman]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: gbaglo... You got that right!!! For Mother's day my wife gets flowers. For Father's day I get hedge fun. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

But are you sentimental while engaging in Fathers day hedge fun?

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by Chamberman

But are you sentimental while engaging in Fathers day hedge fun?

Hi: Chamberman... Trim, tram, rum!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[RangerMan]

At some point I would think it becomes unethical to hold such a large sum of cash for customers with a 2.5+ year wait.

Has it ever been different?

[Ops]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

...have you been following the used market? It's nutz.

Originally Posted by oldwave

I foresee Escapes price rising significantly over the next few years...
When we bought in 2017 there was about a year wait.
By the way , an Oliver about the 21 size starts at 65000, an airstream probably 75, 000, Bigfoot’s about 50, 000 ?

All of the above and then some. Prices ARE climbing for everything and people recognizing this want to buy with todays dollar before it devalues even more. From pandemic, supply chain disruptions, to economic policies ... all of it are influencing the motivation to buy now.

Think of toilet paper a year ago. Similar reasons today, but more expensive products (not single use) are now the target.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by RangerMan

At some point I would think it becomes unethical to hold such a large sum of cash for customers with a 2.5+ year wait.

When I placed my $2k deposit last September the terms were explicitly clear as to

• The distant future calendar date of ETI's committed trailer completion
• The fact that a $150USD "Payment Processor Fee" would never be refunded
• The calendar date on which the balance of my $2k deposit would become non-refundable (the disclosed latest calendar date for completion of my 'Build Sheet' / Purchase Agreement)

I was fully aware that I was transferring the 'earning power' of that $2k to ETI upon placing that deposit.

IMO as long as ETI continues to fully disclose those terms to folks if and when they elect to place a deposit, there's nothing even remotely "unethical" in that transaction no matter how long the time between deposit and the trailer completion commitment date (a future date agreed by the buyer before submitting the deposit).

Whatever past-practices may have been the terms at any point in time are what they are, it's ETI's prerogative to dictate them, and no one is required to enter into the transaction (one can take their business elsewhere).

[oldwave]

I remember my larger deposit wasn’t due until I signed off on the build sheet which was maybe a month or two out. Has that changed ?

[WillyB]

Originally Posted by Centex

When I placed my $2k deposit last September the terms were explicitly clear as to

• The distant future calendar date of ETI's committed trailer completion
• The fact that a $150USD "Payment Processor Fee" would never be refunded
• The calendar date on which the balance of my $2k deposit would become non-refundable (the disclosed latest calendar date for completion of my 'Build Sheet' / Purchase Agreement)

I was fully aware that I was transferring the 'earning power' of that $2k to ETI upon placing that deposit.

IMO as long as ETI continues to fully disclose those terms to folks if and when they elect to place a deposit, there's nothing even remotely "unethical" in that transaction no matter how long the time between deposit and the trailer completion commitment date (a future date agreed by the buyer before submitting the deposit).

Whatever past-practices may have been the terms at any point in time are what they are, it's ETI's prerogative to dictate them, and no one is required to enter into the transaction (one can take their business elsewhere).

I wonder what our CEO's would say if we asked them to hand over $2,000 to a vendor so we could purchase their products 2 1/2 years from now.

I'm out of the new Escape market. My inner CEO said that vendor has to go.

[rbryan4]

There are a number of changes at ETI that I find unsavory, but as Donna put it, it is what it is. They don't ask me for advice on how to run their business.

I can't figure why they would build so many "inventory" units when they have paying customers with custom orders waiting in line for a projected 2 years plus. But, again, they don't ask me for my advice on how to run their business. If I don't like it, I can go buy something else.

[Centex]

Originally Posted by oldwave

I remember my larger deposit wasn’t due until I signed off on the build sheet which was maybe a month or two out. Has that changed ?

At least as of last September, and AFAIK still today 5/12/2021, a $2kUSD deposit is required at the time of "reserving a firm completion date" (IOW, to start the process of actually getting an Escape).

No additional payment is required upon finalizing the build-sheet and executing the firm Purchase Agreement (but the deposit less processing fee becomes non-refundable at that point). Full payment of the balance due is not required until the trailer is complete, can be as late as immediately prior to actual hand-off to the buyer (full payment must 'clear' before hand-off or before the trailer is placed on a truck for remote delivery).

All of these terms were re-confirmed when I finalized my build sheet a few weeks ago on 4/22/2021.

As always, things can change at any time.

[RangerMan]

Originally Posted by WillyB

I wonder what our CEO's would say if we asked them to hand over $2,000 to a vendor so we could purchase their products 2 1/2 years from now.

NO, is an option!