VEXPro Out of Stock

[rees2001]

Wow, looks like we are in the same boat as everyone else. When we purchased our WCP single speed transmissions ( order #420) on 1/11 it said it would ship on 1/15. We figured that we would have had them by early this week and could have them tested and implemented by tomorrow. I checked on Monday and was told they would ship this week overnight. I was still hopeful we could have them by tomorrow and get our lower mechanical done and focus on getting the rest done. I emailed RC today and he said they were shipping out from VEX. I still haven't heard anything about them.

When we discussed make vs buy we were willing to free up equipment for other fabrication and spend the extra to buy, assuming we would have had them by now. The cost benefit is quickly becoming less benefit and more cost.

Overall I am pleased with the stuff and support we have had from VEX. This past fall when one of our Mecanum wheel hub broke, you quickly shipped us a new one. Thanks. Furthermore, I understand that you are less profitable if you have a ton of stock left over when build season ends. I just remember the level of unhappiness bane-bots got a couple of years back when they were caught off guard by the number of orders they got in a short period of time. This really doesn't seem much different. It is nice to know that you understand the stress of build season and are very upfront about your issues.

Good luck guys. We all need it for you.

[Paul Copioli]

When we set up the two distributors this year we did it for a few main reasons:

1. Make it less expensive for teams to ship from a more local place.

2. Decrease the time it takes for teams to receive parts.

These two things will happen assuming you order from the place that makes the most geographical sense for you. I can tell you with certainty that teams are absolutely baffling me with their decisions on where to purchase. We have teams from the Midwest purchasing from VEX and WCP, teams from the West Coast purchasing from VEX and The Robot Space, and teams from Texas (even 10 miles from our facility) are shipping from The Robot Space and West Coast Products. Maybe we needed to do a better job of explaining the best ordering practices and I have that in my notes for next season.

Regarding the orders from WCP, VEX is very late in shipping to our distributors. It was a new philosophy for us, parts were late, etc. As such, we offered to drop ship from our facility direct to their customers. RC gave me over 100 orders to place for WCP today and we shipped them all. WCP gave us specific shipping methods for each customer and we shipped to WCPs directions. We shipped all of the orders tonight with very few items on back order (the same items everyone already has heard about). All I can tell the WCP customers is that VEX shipped the items WCP asked us to ship, to the address we were requested to ship, using the shipping method we were requested to ship by.

I apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Paul

[Thad House]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

When we set up the two distributors this year we did it for a few main reasons:

1. Make it less expensive for teams to ship from a more local place.

2. Decrease the time it takes for teams to receive parts.

These two things will happen assuming you order from the place that makes the most geographical sense for you. I can tell you with certainty that teams are absolutely baffling me with their decisions on where to purchase. We have teams from the Midwest purchasing from VEX and WCP, teams from the West Coast purchasing from VEX and The Robot Space, and teams from Texas (even 10 miles from our facility) are shipping from The Robot Space and West Coast Products. Maybe we needed to do a better job of explaining the best ordering practices and I have that in my notes for next season.

Regarding the orders from WCP, VEX is very late in shipping to our distributors. It was a new philosophy for us, parts were late, etc. As such, we offered to drop ship from our facility direct to their customers. RC gave me over 100 orders to place for WCP today and we shipped them all. WCP gave us specific shipping methods for each customer and we shipped to WCPs directions. We shipped all of the orders tonight with very few items on back order (the same items everyone already has heard about). All I can tell the WCP customers is that VEX shipped the items WCP asked us to ship, to the address we were requested to ship, using the shipping method we were requested to ship by.

I apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Paul

Were any of those WCP orders shipped ground from you guys? Because if they were, I know ground from Texas to Portland most likely wouldn't get here until Monday the 3rd.

Or can you check our order to see if it was one of the orders shipped by you guys, and what method it was shipped? Ours is order #431, and it has our drive sprockets in it, so even getting our gearboxes today isn't going to allow us to finish because we don't have the sprockets.


Thanks

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by sst.thad

Were any of those WCP orders shipped ground from you guys? Because if they were, I know ground from Texas to Portland most likely wouldn't get here until Monday the 3rd.

Or can you check our order to see if it was one of the orders shipped by you guys, and what method it was shipped? Ours is order #431, and it has our drive sprockets in it, so even getting our gearboxes today isn't going to allow us to finish because we don't have the sprockets.


Thanks

All orders given to VEX were done via Overnight and 2 Day. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email. Trying to answer questions as fast as possible.

Thanks,

[Thad House]

Originally Posted by R.C.

All orders given to VEX were done via Overnight and 2 Day. If you have any questions, please shoot me an email. Trying to answer questions as fast as possible.

Thanks,

Cool. Thank you guys for everything you do and how open you are. Its very refreshing knowing if we have problems we can ask in many different places and we will get a quick answer.

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by sst.thad

Cool. Thank you guys for everything you do and how open you are. Its very refreshing knowing if we have problems we can ask in many different places and we will get a quick answer.

Np,

If anyone has questions placed with WCP orders, please email me. We are a little behind but we are working with VEX to get all orders out to customers. We understand that teams need their parts ASAP.

[cmwilson13]

do you know when the 64t Gear with 1/2" Hex Bore will be back in stock?

[R.C.]

Originally Posted by cmwilson13

do you know when the 64t Gear with 1/2" Hex Bore will be back in stock?

Chris,

I responded back to your email and we have them in stock.

[rees2001]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

Maybe we needed to do a better job of explaining the best ordering practices and I have that in my notes for next season.

I apologize for any confusion this has caused.

Paul

Thanks Paul. The where to buy from/where to ship from is not overly intuitive. I realized after I had placed the order that there probably was a closer location. I just didn't have time when I was placing the order where to go. It wouldn't hurt to put out a quick page for "if you live here, order from here"

No need for apologies, build season is a hectic time and trying to figure out the best place to order from is just one more thing to think about. I apologize for not taking 2 minutes to find the better place to go... I feel like I have said that before.

[PayneTrain]

OUR PARTS CAME IN

[magnets]

Originally Posted by PayneTrain

OUR PARTS CAME IN

WE GOT SOME OF OURS TOO!



(sorry, i'm not good at finding happy GIF's...)

[cbale2000]

Originally Posted by Paul Copioli

When we set up the two distributors this year we did it for a few main reasons:

1. Make it less expensive for teams to ship from a more local place.

2. Decrease the time it takes for teams to receive parts.

These two things will happen assuming you order from the place that makes the most geographical sense for you. I can tell you with certainty that teams are absolutely baffling me with their decisions on where to purchase. We have teams from the Midwest purchasing from VEX and WCP, teams from the West Coast purchasing from VEX and The Robot Space, and teams from Texas (even 10 miles from our facility) are shipping from The Robot Space and West Coast Products. Maybe we needed to do a better job of explaining the best ordering practices and I have that in my notes for next season.

One of the problems you may be running into (at least with teams from Michigan, Texas, and California) is when you take in-state taxes into account, it actually makes it more expensive to order locally than it would be to have it shipped from the other side of the country (in some cases, even when you select faster, more expensive shipping methods).

It's likely not a big deal for smaller orders, but when you start dropping $500+ on gearboxes and wheels it adds up.

[Paul Copioli]

Originally Posted by cbale2000

One of the problems you may be running into (at least with teams from Michigan, Texas, and California) is when you take in-state taxes into account, it actually makes it more expensive to order locally than it would be to have it shipped from the other side of the country (in some cases, even when you select faster, more expensive shipping methods).

It's likely not a big deal for smaller orders, but when you start dropping $500+ on gearboxes and wheels it adds up.

I actually didn't think about that, but you are right, unless. You are ordering from a non-profit.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by cbale2000

One of the problems you may be running into (at least with teams from Michigan, Texas, and California) is when you take in-state taxes into account, it actually makes it more expensive to order locally than it would be to have it shipped from the other side of the country (in some cases, even when you select faster, more expensive shipping methods)

Just because tax isn't collected doesn't mean it isn't owed.

http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/use/
http://www.michigan.gov/taxes/0,1607...5512--,00.html
http://www.boe.ca.gov/taxprograms/usetax/

[cbale2000]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

Just because tax isn't collected doesn't mean it isn't owed.

http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/use/
http://www.michigan.gov/taxes/0,1607...5512--,00.html
http://www.boe.ca.gov/taxprograms/usetax/

While I agree, it is a rule that is almost never followed or enforced.