Lionel Listens!

I'm going to make a suggestion based on many posts here over the years, and on my own experience in the marketing world.  This suggestion is meant to be both a help to the hobbyist, and to the Lionel bottom line.

I would recommend that Lionel create an interactive inventory list in the cloud.  Each customer would be able to keep an accurate, up-to-date inventory of their possessions that is pass-worded.  The site would have to feature photo posting through a Flicker or Shutterfly-type site. 

This would finally enable the Lionel customer to keep an accurate list for insurance purposes in the cloud.  Not only that, but they'd be able to access their inventory through their smart-phones while at shows and meets, giving them an instant "yeah I need that" feedback.  Consumers would be able to create a "Want" list, that would be visible to Lionel, giving them a heads-up on actual demand for a product.  Lionel could provide updated values based on the most recent TM Guides. 

The up-side for Lionel is this: they would get an accurate gauge of what folks own, what they're buying, and what they're wanting.  Lionel could then target ads to the consumers site based on the kinds of product that consumer enjoys.  Lionel could also sell ads like OGR does above. 

The site for the customer would be free, but the marketing potential for Lionel would be priceless.

Jon

the club has an MTH Mel's diner from 2002 and it runs like new.

the club has gone through every Lionel operating building of some sort in a matter of weeks,  ie; they just stop working, motors dies, they come apart.  we are about to install the Lionel operating Ford dealer ship.  I hope it lasts more then a month.

Charlie,

The free track idea with a coupon inside the RTR sets is something that all the train manufacturers should have done and be doing on an ongoing basis. It is not a huge cost to give away 2 free pieces of track whether it is in HO or O gauge sets.

I've been a sales rep in retail food business for a major food manufacturer for 32 years now and something that gives back to the customer in free goods and/or a discount drives sales. It's called repeat sales that bring the customer to your store and they buy something else(hopefully).

Hey Lionel- any you listening? An idea I told Mark when he came aboard with Jerry some years ago.

Cross promotion is great!

Charlie's free track coupon idea is a great one for trafficbuild ing.

AS far as putting a cloud site up so enthusiasts could put a list of their train inventory on it, why not?

What I do is email myself right now  my train inventory list as an document attachment periodically. That way, if my computer hard drive crashes, my IP has my latest inventory in their cloud and I can retrieve it when I get a new computer.

Here's a suggestion I gave to Lionel numerous times over the years (initially to the then sales manager in person and later by regular snail mail to Jerry Calabrese): try advertising Lionel on city buses/trains during the pre-holiday season.

You know those advertising panels which go around the ceiling on buses,etc.? That's what Im' talking about. Most people don't realize that Lionel is still in business.

This would be a cost-effective way to get that fact out to maga-thousands of potential customers. Keep the message really simple: we're still in business and here is our web address for more info." Period.

They could at least try this ad venue in one "test city" to see how it works, right?

Great Idea Dave...

Polar Express Talking Station is WIn Win!

Charlie, did you discuss quality control issues with them as well?

Charlie, did you discuss quality control issues with them as well?

Yes we did and they are taking steps to improve them. One of course is putting Mike Reagan in charge. Mike gets things done!