New Parts Interface Impacts on forum responses

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Hi Forum Members, 

I love the new parts interface, but there is a "but" you should know about.   

As many of you know when I make responses to those needing help I like to put in links to the parts mentioned in as part of the response. 

With the implementation of the new interface all of my previous part recommendations links in those posts are no longer valid.  There is no way I have the time to go back and update those responses.

If you are looking at my old posts and run into this issue and feel it is a critical or important that I update one or more just ask in the forum and I will do my best to update that particular post.   

Please be aware this is in no way critical of the new interface.  It really needed the upgrade and I already love using it.  I will continue to use links in my posts when appropriate and they will be to the new parts interface.

Thanks for your understanding.

Keep having fun with your trains.

Loco Bill

[Len]

You're not the only one who will have parts links in posts 'busted' by the new interface. Same here, if a link in one of my old posts doesn't work anymore, give me a shout.

Len

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Yes Len, you are 100% correct.  All users who used links to parts in posts in the past have the same problem.  One of my objectives in posting the subject was to get the word out!

Bill

[Bachmann Industries, Inc.]

Hi Forum Members, 

I love the new parts interface, but there is a "but" you should know about. 

As many of you know when I make responses to those needing help I like to put in links to the parts mentioned in as part of the response. 

With the implementation of the new interface all of my previous part recommendations links in those posts are no longer valid.  There is no way I have the time to go back and update those responses.

If you are looking at my old posts and run into this issue and feel it is a critical or important that I update one or more just ask in the forum and I will do my best to update that particular post. 

Please be aware this is in no way critical of the new interface.  It really needed the upgrade and I already love using it.  I will continue to use links in my posts when appropriate and they will be to the new parts interface.

Thanks for your understanding.

Keep having fun with your trains.

Loco Bill

Bill,

Can you provide a couple of broken links?  In theory this should not have happened.  However we upgraded the software version and this may have had something to do with it.

Thanks,
Bachmann Trains

[Bachmann Industries, Inc.]

Bill,

We searched some of your posts with parts department links.  One such post had this link to a 4-6-0 chassis.

https://estore.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=69_671_669&products_id=5863

To explain: Each part has a unique products_id, and these were not changed during the upgrade. This product has been changed to inactive and will not show up on the search or direct link anymore. It will show the message that product is not found.  This is because we are completely out of this color version.  It is highly unlikely that this exact color combination will be made again, so the part was marked inactive and the link will show this message unless the part is reactivated. 

We think this is the reason, but if you can show an active product link and a post that is not working, we will see what we can do to make those links work again.

Thanks

[Greg Elmassian]

perhaps a list of part numbers, and then the user searches for that part number is a more permanent solution.

I have a large (750 pages) web site, and over the years, the organization changes, but if you use the search routine will find what you want.

I've had complaints that a 10 year old bookmark no longer works, but my home page says don't do this.

I realize a simple link is easier, but there is a lot of maintenance in effectively keeping a database of bookmarks current.

Greg

[Bachmann Industries, Inc.]

Greg,

Thanks for the suggestion, but if the part is inactive, it will result in the same problem.  Our parts inventory changes all of the time so it would be better to point to the category and browse available inventory.

[Loco Bill Canelos]

Bachmann Inc,

I will try to check some more posts and see what I can find. Having said that I now understand what happens when a part goes inactive. 

So can I now assume that a listed part which is shown as "Out of Stock" will likely be made available again in the future?

Thanks, Bill

[Bachmann Industries, Inc.]

Bill,

Parts that are not decorated can be made again and restocked, if it is feasible to produce them.  Most parts are produced when the complete product is made ( we just make extras). We also consider making parts when there is enough demand for them. Thanks