Estes: betting the business and the hobby on... retail?

[Capt. Eric]

I truly never wanted to start a company that manufactures and sells, but it turns out I kind of had to...

I'm glad that you did. Thank you for doing so.

Good products. Good customer service. That's why your reputation is much higher than those big companies.

 

[Rocket-Fan]

Conversations with both companies abruptly educated me about the reality of what the model rocketry industry had become, including its cost structure and business practices. Happy to share that if anyone cares, but it was quite eye-opening. I truly never wanted to start a company that manufactures and sells, but it turns out I kind of had to...

I'd like to hear more. I find the history and 'insider' info fascinating.

 

[SolarYellow]

Personally, I'm sitting on "launch 2024" and waiting for BF. If Estes doesn't do a significant stackable discount on everything on the site around then, they probably aren't getting more of my money this year. Not because I'm butthurt, but because I'm patient, thrifty, and have already bought more than enough stuff to keep me busy building rockets into next year.

Estes' Memorial Day discount code didn't apply to motors.

 

[Leo]

Deleted. Wrong thread

 

[SolarYellow]

4th of July sale is 15% off sitewide, except Falcon 9 and motors. Assuming it stacks with the launch2024 code, that's 40% off total. But retailers are prohibited from discounting at all. My local hobby shop probably can't even get 40-off from their distributor.

Also, I am really only interested in ordering from them at this point if I can get the discount on the bulk pack F15-4s.

 

[mh9162013]

4th of July sale is 15% off sitewide, except Falcon 9 and motors. Assuming it stacks with the launch2024 code, that's 40% off total. But retailers are prohibited from discounting at all. My local hobby shop probably can't even get 40-off from their distributor.

Also, I am really only interested in ordering from them at this point if I can get the discount on the bulk pack F15-4s.

It stacks, but not in a way that results in a 40% off discount.

The 15% discount is automatic. Then you add the launch2024 code, but the final result doesn't get you 40% off or even close to it.

Example: Saturn 1b is $76.99. 15% off gets you to $65.45. Add the launch2024 code and now you're at $57.75. That's about a 24% overall discount off the regular price.

Still, it's a good time to buy direct from Estes, if there's something the site has that you can't get anywhere else.

 

[Scott_650]

It stacks, but not in a way that results in a 40% off discount.

The 15% discount is automatic. Then you add the launch2024 code, but the final result doesn't get you 40% off or even close to it.

Example: Saturn 1b is $76.99. 15% off gets you to $65.45. Add the launch2024 code and now you're at $57.75. That's about a 24% overall discount off the regular price.

Still, it's a good time to buy direct from Estes, if there's something the site has that you can't get anywhere else.

Dang it! Pulled the trigger on my PSII Nike Smoke just a little too soon - would’ve spent the same amount of money just would’ve been more stuff in the box

 

[Titan II]

Dang it! Pulled the trigger on my PSII Nike Smoke just a little too soon - would’ve spent the same amount of money just would’ve been more stuff in the box

The price of the Smoke last week with the Launch24 code was $52.50.
The price of the Smoke today with the 15% discount and the Launch24 code is $52.50.

 

[SolarYellow]

It's not stacking, it's an either-or. The bigger discount wins, but it rides alone.

Also, they've made it impossible to get rid of the "route protection" BS. That right there is some really insulting BS.

 

[Titan II]

Also, they've made it impossible to get rid of the "route protection" BS. That right there is some really insulting BS.

That is not true. It is easily removed. Look closer.

 

[SolarYellow]

That is not true. It is easily removed. Look closer.

In the past, that was true. Not this morning.

I tried multiple times. It doesn't show up the first time until you go to checkout. You can't change the cart from the checkout screen, so I went back to the cart. First round, I tried deleting the charge. It then also deleted the Nike Smoke. Had to go back and put the Smoke back in (is that even possible?). No BS charge. Went to the checkout screen, there it is. Back to the cart. It first flashes the BS charge, but then hides it. But when you go back to checkout, there it is.

BS charge.

 

[CalebJ]

In the past, that was true. Not this morning.

I tried multiple times. It doesn't show up the first time until you go to checkout. You can't change the cart from the checkout screen, so I went back to the cart. First round, I tried deleting the charge. It then also deleted the Nike Smoke. Had to go back and put the Smoke back in (is that even possible?). No BS charge. Went to the checkout screen, there it is. Back to the cart. It first flashes the BS charge, but then hides it. But when you go back to checkout, there it is.

BS charge.

You can't do it when you're fully in the cart for the checkout process. But before that, when you've just clicked the cart icon and it slides in from the right, you can uncheck the Shipping Protection box.

That's on a desktop Chrome browser. I haven't tested it today with my phone.

Edit - it can be removed from the mobile version too.

 

[mh9162013]

It's not stacking, it's an either-or. The bigger discount wins, but it rides alone.

Also, they've made it impossible to get rid of the "route protection" BS. That right there is some really insulting BS.

Yeah, I see what's going on with the math; my bad.