Watching For The Manticore Boat

[phrunt]

It's not being done on purpose I'm sure of it, the longer they take the more sales they potentially lose... some will cancel and give up, some will buy another brand and plenty might just buy the more readily available Nox 900, cheaper anyway, comes with two coils and has many of the enhancements.  If they do that Minelab are losing significant profit, the two detectors wouldn't cost much different to make, in fact the Nox 900 may cost them more to make as it includes the second coil. 

Whatever the delay is, it's beyond their control.  Remember Minelab don't make metal detectors, they often even say it on their box, Designed by Minelab, not made by Minelab, made by Plexus in the finer print.

This leaves them very open to delays well beyond their control.  It could even be a component shortage like the new screen that just happened unexpectedly.

[PSPR]

I guess that's true, phrunt.  But a boat load of detectors  just arrived in the USA last week.  I doubt they were anything other than Manticores or Equinoxes.  I think they are holding them back myself.  After announcing the new Nox's just a couple days after saying the Manticores were shipping I don't put it past Minelab to do anything that is illogical.

Sorry, I'm just not happy about how they are running their business with the customer in mind - or out of mind.  Your own situation with waiting for a Manticore comes to mind.  I'm as upset with them over your situation as I am about mine and others here in America waiting for a Manticore.

Anyway, I'll get over it after they trickle in to everybody.  I've even thought about getting a Deus II but there are some features about that machine that I just don't care for.  And I'll stop moaning about it now.  

[PSPR]

The weather in the east is messing up my Manticore shipment.    I've been told the shipment is stuck in Ohio somewhere.  One should have been on the way to me last Friday if it weren't for all the snow.

I think the Gods are conspiring against me to try to get me to order a Deus II.

CD is posting more videos today beating up on the Manticore.  He seems to seek out settings or ways to make it look bad without learning the detector.

BTW, no new Minelab shipments (by boat) have shown up since Dec. 20th.  That leads me to believe that Minelab Americas is just letting them trickle out to dealers/customers in the U.S.

[PSPR]

I just learned something else about one's place in line for a Manticore from your dealer.  If your dealer is affiliated with one of the major distributors in the U.S., it doesn't matter what your place in line is with the dealer.  The dealer orders are resting at the distributor and the distributor is releasing Manticores in the order he received your order.

So, you may be in the 1st or 2nd slot with your dealer but when it comes to filling your order it may be hundreds down the list with the distributor and that is who is determining when you get your Manticore.

For instance, my dealer is telling me that I am at the top of his Manticore list, but the distributor is telling me that there are hundreds ahead of me based on my order date.

So, I guess I had better hope my new dealer source comes through with a Manticore this week if I expect to get one before February.

[phrunt]

I paid for mine 5 seconds after they opened up accepting payments as they were under the impression the shipment from Minelab was on it's way only to find out this wasn't the case a short time later.  They've offered anyone who paid refunds now as they have no idea when they'll get any.  What a way for Minelab to do business putting dealers in this sort of position.  It appears their communication with dealers is somewhat lacking just like their communication with customers.

I doubt many if any people were ahead of me as it takes a few seconds to do the payment information and in NZ people just don't care about metal detecting so much.  Tiny market, also probably why I'll not get one for a long time, a tiny market not worth looking after I guess.  I'll just ride it out, hopefully mines from a second batch with any issues they find with the first batch resolved 🙂

[phrunt]

I always think communication is key with everything, if they would just tell people what's going on it would ease a lot of peoples minds, they don't say a word which leaves everyone speculating.  Even with the quality problems they've had recently if they just communicated saying whats happening and what they hope to do about it I think people would be a whole lot more understanding. 

I'm not blaming the dealer as they had no idea what was going on and were just as shocked as the customers to find their shipment wasn't coming after all.  They went from having an ETA day to having no idea when they'll get some.

That is the one thing I think Minelab as a business REALLY need to improve, their communication, it's the area I see them lacking the most.  They love putting peoples finds with their detectors up all over their Facebook page.... have a look what Bob from Germany just found with his new Manticore, fantastic find Bob from the team at Minelab, plenty of marketing goes on, but no communication on the stuff that really matters to customers like when they will be able to buy one.  They must have some idea of an ETA if not there is something seriously wrong.

[PSPR]

I think you are in a little different situation, phrunt, than those of us with dealers affiliated with distributors in the U.S.

Your dealer is (or will) be receiving shipments directly from Minelab.  So, as soon as Minelab decides to ship some to your dealer you will get your Manticore.

Those of us in the U.S. who deal with a dealer affiliated with a Minelab distributor have to deal with the dealer not being totally honest with customers about where they are in line.  The distributor my dealer is affiliated with has a backlog of over 800 Manticore orders!!  LOL  He may not see that many Manticores until next summer!

Maybe Minelab has told CD to put out bad tests on the Manticore to relieve some of the hundreds of orders so they can catch up with demand.  

[phrunt]

I believe it's because I wished for Minelab to communicate better with their customers which like Garrett does, I think ultimately Nokta are the best with customer communications, perhaps they take it too far but still, I do appreciate good communication from manufacturers as to problems and also delays with their products.   I am hoping Minelab do feel pressure from the other companies that have better communication and up their game at some point.

[TroyLPN]

That Deus 2 is looking better every day.

[Doc Bach]

1 hour ago, TroyLPN said:

That Deus 2 is looking better every day.

 

1 hour ago, TroyLPN said:

That Deus 2 is looking better every day.

Time will but it just might be better overall.