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You spoke. We listened.
Hello and welcome to this week's blog.
We are feeling the love here at BrickTanks thanks to all the amazing
feedback from our annual customer survey. I have read every single one of the 170 responses we received and I've emailed a good number of you for further clarification on your comments, so we can look into whether your suggestions are achieveable. I've also enjoyed some lovely email exchanges with some of you, so if I sent you a follow-up message, thanks for getting back to me and trusting I'm not a bot!
Not only is it great to know that you are happy with our service, it's extremely helpful to hear about the little things which we can still work on too - so huge thanks for your ideas and enthusiasm.
With that in mind, as the owner of the business, I'd like to respond to some of the more frequently asked questions.
We are feeling the love here at BrickTanks thanks to all the amazing
feedback from our annual customer survey. I have read every single one of the 170 responses we received and I've emailed a good number of you for further clarification on your comments, so we can look into whether your suggestions are achieveable. I've also enjoyed some lovely email exchanges with some of you, so if I sent you a follow-up message, thanks for getting back to me and trusting I'm not a bot!
Not only is it great to know that you are happy with our service, it's extremely helpful to hear about the little things which we can still work on too - so huge thanks for your ideas and enthusiasm.
With that in mind, as the owner of the business, I'd like to respond to some of the more frequently asked questions.
Can you introduce more payment options such as Clearpay or Klarna?
We looked into using Clearpay a few years ago, but frustratingly it wasn't compatible with our pre-ordering service. Klarna was experiencing some bad press at the time so we avoided them, but we will revisit that option now in case they offer a viable and ethical alternative to ClearPay. In the meantime, PayPal offers a similar arrangement where you can split payment over three months for eligible customers.
We looked into using Clearpay a few years ago, but frustratingly it wasn't compatible with our pre-ordering service. Klarna was experiencing some bad press at the time so we avoided them, but we will revisit that option now in case they offer a viable and ethical alternative to ClearPay. In the meantime, PayPal offers a similar arrangement where you can split payment over three months for eligible customers.
Can you stock COBI's Limited Edition kits so I don't have to order them direct from Poland?
This is something we would love to do as we once did a few years ago. It's cheaper on shipping and potential import duties and more convenient for our customers too. Unfortunately, COBI only sells Limited Edition kits direct from their store in Poland and has no plans to change this arrangement, but we have let them know this is something many of our customers would greatly appreciate.
This is something we would love to do as we once did a few years ago. It's cheaper on shipping and potential import duties and more convenient for our customers too. Unfortunately, COBI only sells Limited Edition kits direct from their store in Poland and has no plans to change this arrangement, but we have let them know this is something many of our customers would greatly appreciate.
Can we have more COBI battleships/ British and/or WWI models?
Many of you said you wanted to see more of these types of models and we would too. Each year we put forward to COBI a large number of model requests you send us, many of which are British, battleship and/or WWI related. Sadly, none of these types of models are big sellers for COBI, hence there are not many of them currently available. As for British models, COBI finally embraced the idea of a Lancaster bomber and produced two versions last year, and boy did they prove to be big sellers. The trouble is not all British models are as popular with European and US markets as they are in the UK. And although the UK COBI market is growing, it's nowhere near as big as the rest of Europe and the US, so we have to shout a bit louder! Thankfully our COBI Country Manager, Lee Cropper, is extremely proactive, persistent and persuasive. We are in regular contact and he puts forward our suggestions to COBI HQ, so all I can say is keep making your requests.
Is it possible to order spare parts from COBI and have them sent via BrickTanks?
This is a great idea in principle as we place multiple orders with COBI most months. In fact, I had the same idea a few years ago until I discovered that spare parts come from a different factory to the one which ships our product orders. We have a limited number of spare parts on our website, but it is too costly to get every single one as we have a minimum order spend. So, bottom line is, I'm afraid it isn't a practical or financially viable option from a small business perspective.
Can you stock LEGO?
This is something we have never considered! Having always specialised in military brick models, which LEGO doesn't offer. However, as our product ranges continue to broadened from cars, and construction to buildings and the Romans, there may be an opportunity to expand further. But, and it's a big BUT, it will depend on whether LEGO will allow us to be a retailer for them given our focus is still largely on military and we are called BrickTanks. But we can only ask - I will keep you posted.
That's it for this week's blog. Thanks again for all the love and support, we will feedback any changes we make as a result of your feedback - so do keep it coming, and you don't have to wait until next year's survey to share it 😊
Many of you said you wanted to see more of these types of models and we would too. Each year we put forward to COBI a large number of model requests you send us, many of which are British, battleship and/or WWI related. Sadly, none of these types of models are big sellers for COBI, hence there are not many of them currently available. As for British models, COBI finally embraced the idea of a Lancaster bomber and produced two versions last year, and boy did they prove to be big sellers. The trouble is not all British models are as popular with European and US markets as they are in the UK. And although the UK COBI market is growing, it's nowhere near as big as the rest of Europe and the US, so we have to shout a bit louder! Thankfully our COBI Country Manager, Lee Cropper, is extremely proactive, persistent and persuasive. We are in regular contact and he puts forward our suggestions to COBI HQ, so all I can say is keep making your requests.
Is it possible to order spare parts from COBI and have them sent via BrickTanks?
This is a great idea in principle as we place multiple orders with COBI most months. In fact, I had the same idea a few years ago until I discovered that spare parts come from a different factory to the one which ships our product orders. We have a limited number of spare parts on our website, but it is too costly to get every single one as we have a minimum order spend. So, bottom line is, I'm afraid it isn't a practical or financially viable option from a small business perspective.
Can you stock LEGO?
This is something we have never considered! Having always specialised in military brick models, which LEGO doesn't offer. However, as our product ranges continue to broadened from cars, and construction to buildings and the Romans, there may be an opportunity to expand further. But, and it's a big BUT, it will depend on whether LEGO will allow us to be a retailer for them given our focus is still largely on military and we are called BrickTanks. But we can only ask - I will keep you posted.
That's it for this week's blog. Thanks again for all the love and support, we will feedback any changes we make as a result of your feedback - so do keep it coming, and you don't have to wait until next year's survey to share it 😊
Warmest wishes,
Zoë
Mark C
In my haste to complete the survey, I called Amelia Earhart’s plane a Lockheed Electra, when I should have written Lockheed Vega. I am so ashamed, but I’d still love to see Cobi produce a model of it, like they did with the Spirit of St Louis a few years ago. :)