Why can't we get the new lights?

What fixtures are you speaking about?

I can certainly respond with regard to Chauvet.

try searching for the item on google.com/shopping it will give you a list of prices and sellers, then you can start to contact each until you find someone who has it.

Abbey -

It's not uncommon for mfgs to announce fixtures months before they ship. This is a source of aggravation for me, but I understand why they do it. Lately many have been much better about it. For example, we had the Chauvet Intimidator Spot 150 LEDs in stock just a few weeks after they announced them.

We don't typically require any payment on a new and backordered item until it ships because we know the lead times can be unpredictable. I have many, many orders right now for the new Chauvet LFS-5 and I have not charged a single person's credit card, and I won't until they are shippable.

What light are you looking for? I'll see what I can find out for stock.

Ben

Abbey Lane said:

I also understand why lighting manufacturers do this. But it's just annoying based on the release date, of some products, that I have promised some of my clients special lighting FX and I cannot deliver.

If the companies don't have enough stock coming off the assembly line, then don't say it's going to be released on a certain date. I'm sure other DJ's feel the same way. Thanks!

Click to expand...

Then don't do that.

Papa Deuce said:

Then don't do that.

Click to expand...

That makes an incredible amount of sense. Therefore, it will never work.

This has always been a problem with ADJ. I remember years ago that announced the ADJ MAXX moving head at NAMM in January, and didn't have them in stock for 13 months. I had a customer that had attended NAMM with me and had ordered 24 of them from me for his new Bar, only to have to wait. and wait. and wait.

In the end, you're best not to advertise you have an item until you have it in hand.

It's not a single manufacturer with this problem, and not just with lights, either.

Here is a simple breakdown.....

Guessing what demand really is, requires looking in to a crystal ball, and risking cash to make it happen. Often there is a buzz about a new product, and the demand outweighs capacity to build and deliver the products.

It's a difficult estimation.

Should the manufacturer bring in 100, 200, 500 pcs? (at who's risk?)

How many are you (the production company or retailer) going to put on your shelf to guarantee they are ready for your customer?

It is a challenge. We try to get it right, as best we can, and thankful we have great business partners out there to help get the products to market that the professional DJ community needs and wants!

The problem Jamey, is that companies like Chauvet and ADJ will announce a product, show it off at the trade shows, then ask their dealers to place orders with the expectation that it will be in stock within 4-8 weeks. The dealers come home from the shows excited about the new products and tell their customers that they have it on order, and should have it in 5-10 weeks, only to have Chauvet or ADJ drop the ball totally and take 4-6 months or more to get the item in. Or worse yet, bring in small quantities and create endless back orders to the point the dealer losses interest.

The problem with the business model of companies like Chauvet and ADJ is that they carpet bomb the market with too many models, many of which are very similar to each other, and due to the high number of SKU's, the companies capital is spread too thin to order any of the models in any sort of volume. If you'd cut the crap out of your catalog and reduce the number of models (many of which don't sell in any volume anyways), you'd be able to stock more of the decent sellers thanks to better cash flow. For instance, you guys (Chauvet), have 17 different LED Par Cans in your "DJ/Club" line, and another 13 in your "PRO" line. 30 different LED Par Cans. You guys quite simply do not have the financial wherewithal to stock substantial quantities of all 30 models to service your dealer network in the US alone, let alone your international distributers and their dealers.

Instead of trying to "Estimate", why don't you try a bit of research by working with your end users to see what they would like, instead of forcing a 100+ page catalog down their throats while trying to be everything to everyone. It does't require a crystal ball, it's called market research. Look at a company like Apple. They are now the worlds most valuable company, and their entire product offering fits on one web page. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, they make a few products that everyone wants.

Next time you are at one of the industry trade shows, have a look at your booth and the number of products on display, then take a look at the booths of some of the companies you are aspiring to be like. I think you'll see that there is a big difference. To be honest, going to an ADJ or Chauvet booth is like visiting a Dollar Store.

kinda like Ultimate's cart they had in Vegas 2 or 3 years ago....I'm still waiting on mine! LOL

Or the OTS A/V update Sorry Jeff couldn't resist

Thank you, Chaos, I appreciate your input. I have always been very close to the DJ and club market, as this is where I started my career in the early 80's, as a mobile DJ (Bozak and 1200s), before moving to clubs in the late 80s and then in to sales in the early 90's.

Rest assured, we do have the resources to maintain the product line we are currently offering, and plan to announce 11 new products at LDI.

We serve a very diverse segment of the market, and know that the mobile DJ market is one of the most fickle and requires fresh and new ideas at a faster rate than the professional production market. Different corners of the planet want or require different "flavors" and we choose to make them available to everyone, where local codes and requirements do not make any restrictions. We have even included ETL approvals on many of our products, so that they will pass inspections for installations, where many of our competitors have not.

Chauvet has been quite successful over the last decade. We have not had to lay off any personnel, have increased market share, and built from the ground up, or 70,000+ sq ft modern facility that houses our world HQ, and have actually expanded into the UK, as well. (all of this in the middle of an "economic meltdown?")

We continue to improve our operations side of the business, with new technology and infrastructure to support all of our business partners, and end user advocates, as well.

We don't have aspirations to be another company, or like another company, honestly. We seek to continue to push the edge in LED technology, and provide a great VALUE to our customers. Improving our product offerings in to the Pro market is also a focus, but we have no intention of forgetting about the man or woman who needs or wants a $100 effect light for their house party, or holiday gathering.

Often times, the shipping delays are caused by third party suppliers in the manufacturing chain, which is typically outside of the our control (or anyone who makes a product). How many times have you heard that Apple is launching the iPhone 5, or the delays with the new iPad? A quick search will show the first rumored announcements as far back as May...still no iPhone 5....bummer....I am waiting. If we could come up with the ultimate "game changer" product....we would sell it, as well as all the other products that our loyal supportive advocates want, and let us know they need. Our marketing department does a tremendous amount of research, as does our Product Development team. We have hit some GRAND SLAMS, and have a pretty good batting record...but that does mean a few strikeouts, as well....

Our success lies in listening to the needs of the market, having the vision to utilize new improved technologies, and delivering to the market. We have been pretty good at it so far, and will continue to improve at every opportunity, while not making the mistakes made by other companies out there, that forgot who brought them to the table, to being with.

We are pushing toward the pro market with some great products that can be seen on The Voice, Wipeout, the broadcasts of the Grand Ole Opry, CNN espanol's international studios in Miami, as well as touring acts like Miranda Lambert and Jimmy Eat World.

Your message will be delivered to the product development team as well as marketing, and does not fall on deaf ears. Chauvet cares, and

I monitor this site (and have for some time...only recently being vocal), because I want to know what is going on with the market and what your real needs are....yes, we have many different PAR type fixtures, and we sell them all, believe it or not...from the PRO touring guys, installations outdoors and the simple small theatre application, to all the different needs of every sized mobile operator, out there.

Let me know if you have any other questions, I would love to assist in any way I can.

If you happen to be in the neighborhood, I would be happy to schedule a tour of our facility, as well.

Jamey Brock
Director of Sales
Chauvet Lighting

The photo below is one of 18 aisles of our warehouse with semi automated forklifts for picking and packing the INSANE number of packages we ship on a daily basis.

View attachment 24370

jamey, Steve lLynch and I were in Hollywood 2 weeks ago and really wanted to run by, but we just ran out of time. Maybe the next trip!

We are actually in Sunrise, now.

The offer stands. Please call ahead, and let us know if anyone is in the area. WE are proud of our new facility, and it is quite impressive.

J

Will do!

Hey Jamey,

My company was actually set up as a Master Distributor for Canada in the late 90's, when you guys were just getting rolling. But thanks to a merger, my new partners in the business let the opportunity slip. At the time, you guys were not well known, viewed more as a VEI or NESS type of line, inferior to ADJ, whom was probably the king of the castle for this type of product at the time. They didn't think it was worth the time, as none of our customers were familiar with the Chauvet name, and would just go to ADJ. Letting that go was probably one my biggest blunders in business, as Chauvet has done an extremely good job of making a name for themselves.

I haven't had a lot of experience with Chauvet since 2001, but am very familiar with ADJ and Elation, as I was a dealer of their product for many years, and their Western Canada Rep from 2007 to 2009 via their Canadian Distributor. I can tell you that dealers up here had the same complaints about Chauvet as they did ADJ or Elation - Stock. The other issue was the price differential between Canada and the US, but I won't go there today .

I had mentioned Apple as an example of doing things differently, and I think you missed the point a bit. You're correct that there are rumours of delays on the new iPhone, manufacturing issues, etc. But they are just that, rumours. Apple doesn't announce a product until it is ready and they have a set-in-stone date for arrival to market. While there is a product announcement on October 4th, in Apple's eyes, the new product doesn't officially exist because they haven't announced it yet. The last product they launched that wasn't available within 2 weeks of the product announcement was the first iPhone in 2007. In contrast, ADJ, Chauvet, and many others will announce products, but take 2, 4, 6, or 12 months to actually make it available. Sometimes it never sees the light of day.

As for your financial standing, I wasn't implying that Chauvet was having any issues. I was simply pointing out that the company does have a finite amount of capital available to invest in inventory, and due to the fact that you have so many SKU's, it can effect stock levels, which in turn can effect sales growth. Now, I see from the picture that your warehouse seems to be well stocked, but consider that your 70,000 sqft warehouse basically services the world. To put that in perspective, you're local Costco is about double that size on average, does somewhere in the area of $175 Million a year, and only services an area of 20-30 miles. While I don't know what your revenues are, I do know ADJ claims to be at about $100 million a year worldwide, and I'd guess you are somewhere in that area of revenues. That really puts the global market size for your products into perspective I'd think. So, with such a small overall market, why the need for SO many SKU's, especially when your competitors are offering the same market the same basic fixture.

What bothered me during my time as a ADJ rep, was that our warehouse was stocked with so many products that sat there, tying up funds that could have been used to stock a larger QTY of faster moving products. That amounts to smoother cash flow, more sales, more profit.

Between Chauvet and ADJ alone, you offer over 60 models of LED Par Cans. Does such a small marketplace really need 60 different models?

Thanks, again, Chaos....its nice to have a civil conversation, and express views professionally.

I do want to clarify for you that we also have a full shipping facility in Europe as well, to handle the other side of the planet.....

Honestly, we sell all of the different models of Par cans we have....I can't speak for any other manufacturer, but your professional DJ brethren and the club market consumes all we can bring in....but we did eliminate a bunch of the chrome versions of our cans, because they were not selling as well as the black versions...still have the RAINs in chrome, though, and still quite popular.

I do understand the frustration with delays, as I am a geek, and love my gadgets. I hated when I couldn't get the iPad 2 I wanted was back ordered for 5 weeks, and even the Proform Tour de France bicycle trainer is still on backorder, for 5 weeks, now....

Supply and demand....its a never ending game, and a conversation we could continue for years, I am willing to bet.

We continue to improve with our announcements, and product releases, and I am sure you will see continued improvements moving ahead...

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky