[kb466]

I was looking on the CW website and I noticed that the production run for the first A-7E, the VA-82 one, will be 2500. This compares to all of the previous CW runs which have been mostly 2000, with some 1000 plane runs, but never 2500. It looks like CW saw the need to increase production to meet the demand. In spite of this, the entire run is shown as "sold out".

[tripoli]

That’s a great sign. Shows that the business model should be moving forward at a great pace. Also means they should be able to get more sales of different livery schemes off each mould. And it should mean long term they should be hopefully ahead of the plan to make money off each model produced. The larger the editions, the more they should be able to make in profit which gives them the ability to make money and get their product out building a larger customer base. CW should be happy with the progress they are making and with their products.

In the area of improvement, they need to start paying attention to the business details as well. I would be getting help on the web sites with the different languages text on their site to clean it up and sharpen it up a bit. Right now, the grammar is suffering a bit. The details need to be great not only on the models but the marketing as well. I would also start pushing stronger distribution rules for returns and defects. They already have started instituting the retail pricing rule which for a collectable is a good strategy to do. You do not want to see it artificially lowered at the beginning by lowballing retailers.

Quality control is the next big thing. At times like this in a production expansion, the details and quality can slip. CW will need to be extra vigilant on what is coming out of the factories at this moment. Working with production in China and Hong Kong, this is generally when you will start to see a slip with some production companies. CW has been pretty darn good up to this point. Except for the slip up with me, everything I have seen and heard has been great. Customer relations is pivotal at this time, they will need to make sure of there is some slip up; it is handled with care and to make a shining example of how to treat a customer with the best relations possible. That is where having the distributors rules and explanation of handling issues can be a real plus in excelling in all areas of production and distribution.

I would say overall, they are on the mark and doing a super job for the most part in making this one of the premier model manufactures. Great to see.

[smartd]

I wonder if this might mean fewer versions built?