Gazelle Update

[Bode61]

Just got a response back from the Gazelle manufacturer who stated that the hope that the T4 will be back in stock in the end of November and the T3X in February.

I understand the issue but it stinks that the wait is so long.

 

[OverlandGX]

Kittery Trading Post has them in stock with 2-3 day shipping. got mine last week.

 

[Bode61]

Overland GX, THANKS! Just contacted them and purchased the last one in stock and got a very nice discount as well!

 

[OverlandGX]

Nice. Glad they still had one.

 

[Tundracamper]

That turned out well. I know someone that ordered something from Gobi in early April and they haven’t heard a thing. They put in two requests for an update with zero response. I guess if you have enough business, you can ignore your customers. Five months is a long time to wait!

 

[Sparksalot]

Just got a response back from the Gazelle manufacturer who stated that the hope that the T4 will be back in stock in the end of November and the T3X in February.

I understand the issue but it stinks that the wait is so long.

In other words, they’re out of business.

 

[static]

In other words, they’re out of business.

I sure hope not! I’m really hoping to get one eventually :)

 

[Tundracamper]

In other words, they’re out of business.

No, they just have a backlog of four months and don’t want to or can’t hire more people.

These companies must realize they are actually losing money from people that buy something else - don’t they? I ordered a 23Zero awning that I was told was in stock. Got an e-mail that it was instead backordered like 2-3 months. I canceled the order and bought an ARB Awning that works great. Some people won’t wait.

 

[Sparksalot]

No, they just have a backlog of four months and don’t want to or can’t hire more people.

These companies must realize they are actually losing money from people that buy something else - don’t they? I ordered a 23Zero awning that I was told was in stock. Got an e-mail that it was instead backordered like 2-3 months. I canceled the order and bought an ARB Awning that works great. Some people won’t wait.

No product to sell for 4-6 months isn’t sustainable or most likely survivable.

 

[Tundracamper]

No product to sell for 4-6 months isn’t sustainable or most likely survivable.

I’m sure it’s an order backlog. They are probably running wide open. The question is will people keep ordering such products when they know the wait is that long. The answer appears to be “yes.” People want it that bad and are willing to stand in line.

 

[Moebius01]

I think supply pipeline and shipping are the biggest challenges. We've been seeing cases where ships are sitting at port for months waiting for a chance to unload. I've got pre-orders for some Chief products that were supposed to ship on August 24. Chief sent out an email on the 24th that the ship had been in port for several weeks waiting for a slot to unload and were hoping it might be able to unload by end of month.

I'd assume Gazelle is in a similar position. They manage to get a small shipment of materials and have 50 tents to sell, which sell out instantly, and then have to wait until the next time a shipment can get in.

 

[Sparksalot]

I’m sure it’s an order backlog. They are probably running wide open. The question is will people keep ordering such products when they know the wait is that long. The answer appears to be “yes.” People want it that bad and are willing to stand in line.

Perhaps. Their website says out of stock. On everything. Nothing about still taking orders, etc.

I'm not putting any money down on theirs on anyone else's product in the meantime. I'll wait to see if they ever restock.

 

[Moebius01]

I’m sure it’s an order backlog. They are probably running wide open. The question is will people keep ordering such products when they know the wait is that long. The answer appears to be “yes.” People want it that bad and are willing to stand in line.

Perhaps. Their website says out of stock. On everything. Nothing about still taking orders, etc.

I'm not putting any money down on theirs on anyone else's product in the meantime. I'll wait to see if they ever restock.

I've not seen Gazelle take any pre orders. They just get what they can in stock and sell it. When I looked yesterday, they still had one of the gazebo models in stock.

 

[Moebius01]

The covid excuse only goes so far. Manufacturers have had a year and a half to “figure it out”. Not taking back orders is asinine. Not having secondary and tertiary supplies is even dumber.

Not sure how 18 months of factory shutdowns making raw materials very limited and behind schedule combined with ports being so crowded and backlogged that ships are waiting weeks and months is an excuse. The problem is not secondary and tertiary suppliers, it's suppliers. You can't have a secondary supplier when pretty much every supplier around the world is in the same situation. Many companies aren't taking backorders because at the moment they can't even guess when they'll be able to fill. Auto manufacturers aren't unable to build right now because they don't have secondary or tertiary chip suppliers. They're struggling to build because every supplier is in the same situation.

I was watching Chief's site for months just saying sold out, because they couldn't tell when they'd be able to get materials. When they finally had an idea, they started taking preorders for August 24. Then the ship got stuck waiting for a dock to unload, so I still am waiting on my orders.

 

[static]

I just got an email from Gazelle that there were 100 more T4s in stock. I say "were" because by the time I actually read the message, there were gone :(

But, a little bit of inventory trickling in is a good sign. Hopefully they'll be able to start ramping up production more soon...

Kris

 

[Moebius01]

I just got an email from Gazelle that there were 100 more T4s in stock. I say "were" because by the time I actually read the message, there were gone :(

But, a little bit of inventory trickling in is a good sign. Hopefully they'll be able to start ramping up production more soon...

Kris

Yeah, same for me this morning. Gone before I got the email. Luckily I did manage a T4+ when they had them a couple months ago, so I've got that for now.

 

[Moebius01]

Not sure how 18 months of factory shutdowns making raw materials very limited and behind schedule combined with ports being so crowded and backlogged that ships are waiting weeks and months is an excuse. The problem is not secondary and tertiary suppliers, it's suppliers. You can't have a secondary supplier when pretty much every supplier around the world is in the same situation. Many companies aren't taking backorders because at the moment they can't even guess when they'll be able to fill. Auto manufacturers aren't unable to build right now because they don't have secondary or tertiary chip suppliers. They're struggling to build because every supplier is in the same situation.

I was watching Chief's site for months just saying sold out, because they couldn't tell when they'd be able to get materials. When they finally had an idea, they started taking preorders for August 24. Then the ship got stuck waiting for a dock to unload, so I still am waiting on my orders.

If these companies stopped making even the most mundane items in China then maybe they would not be in this situation and would be helping employ Americans in America! These aren’t iPhones it’s fabrics and aluminum poles. Come on.

Which wouldn't change even if they were manufactured in the states because there is still a global shortage of the raw materials production. Hence why prices for things like lumber and aluminum are skyrocketing right now.

 

[Desert Runner]

I think supply pipeline and shipping are the biggest challenges. We've been seeing cases where ships are sitting at port for months waiting for a chance to unload. I've got pre-orders for some Chief products that were supposed to ship on August 24. Chief sent out an email on the 24th that the ship had been in port for several weeks waiting for a slot to unload and were hoping it might be able to unload by end of month.

I'd assume Gazelle is in a similar position. They manage to get a small shipment of materials and have 50 tents to sell, which sell out instantly, and then have to wait until the next time a shipment can get in.

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So is it a supply chain issue (materials), or a workforce issue (employed workers)? The port backlog problems just are not going to resolve themselves until mid 2023 at the soonest per industry insiders. It is just in the air about our economic health, both wall street or business concerns on future Covid problems. Trying to run a business with such uncertainty must be very frustrating. Shipping costs are being bid up almost 5x over just 2 years ago, making final price (MSRP) difficult. So if your really pondering a particular purchase, now might be the time to lock in a order/price or get in the line.

 

[Moebius01]

I think supply pipeline and shipping are the biggest challenges. We've been seeing cases where ships are sitting at port for months waiting for a chance to unload. I've got pre-orders for some Chief products that were supposed to ship on August 24. Chief sent out an email on the 24th that the ship had been in port for several weeks waiting for a slot to unload and were hoping it might be able to unload by end of month.

I'd assume Gazelle is in a similar position. They manage to get a small shipment of materials and have 50 tents to sell, which sell out instantly, and then have to wait until the next time a shipment can get in.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So is it a supply chain issue (materials), or a workforce issue (employed workers)? The port backlog problems just are not going to resolve themselves until mid 2023 at the soonest per industry insiders. It is just in the air about our economic health, both wall street or business concerns on future Covid problems. Trying to run a business with such uncertainty must be very frustrating. Shipping costs are being bid up almost 5x over just 2 years ago, making final price (MSRP) difficult. So if your really pondering a particular purchase, now might be the time to lock in a order/price or get in the line.

I would imagine it's a combination of all of it. Perfect storm, as it were. We know there are shipping problems, raw supply problems, labor problems, and more, all adding up. It will take a good while for things to settle into whatever the new norm is going to be.

 

[Moebius01]

Which wouldn't change even if they were manufactured in the states because there is still a global shortage of the raw materials production. Hence why prices for things like lumber and aluminum are skyrocketing right now.

Because the US has no trees? Did we lose the formula for cutting lumber? Weaving fabrics? Bullshit excuses, we have the ability we lack the desire because all anyone cares about in the US is how to make more profit.

As the economists and people in the industry note, it's a combination of a labor shortage sure to a pandemic paired with a massive spike in demand from people with months of cabin fever leading to a massive increase in demand. And we kind of need trees, you know, to breathe, so they can't just go leveling every tree to catch up with the demand.