NEW eBay Feedback Policies and the 5 Star Rating System

You’ve probably noticed already that eBay has changed their feedback rating system.  What does that mean to you?  Well not only will you be asked to write a brief description of your experience, but you’ll also be asked to rate the seller based on a 5 star rating system.  There are four different levels of service, which include…

1. Item Described
2. Communication
3. Shipping Time
4. Shipping & Handling Charges

At Trainz.com we strive to deliver a Positive experience each and every time.  Here’s how we accomplish this…

• Item Described – We carefully provide a detailed description and clear photograph of each item we offer.  We also take close-up’s when needed.  For our prewar and postwar items, our repair dept. carefully inspects each item and fills out an inspection card.
• Communication – Either by email or phone, Trainz.com representatives are always happy to help you.   
• Shipping Time – After payment is made, packages are shipped within 24 to 48 hours.  We use Fed Ex or UPS ground and most customers receive their packages quicker than they expect.  A tracking number is provided for your convenience. 
• Shipping & Handling Charges – Shipping charges are provided up front, on each listing whether you are shopping our website or eBay listings, so there’s never any guessing what your shipping charge is.  Even better, shipping is combined on many items we offer.  We use brand new boxes and shipping materials to insure that your package will arrive in perfect condition.

Not only that, but you will always receive 5 Star treatment each and every time you shop with us.  If for any reason you find that we did not deliver what we promised contact us first so that we can make it right.  You can easily resolve any concern with us by contacting us.

New & Improved Wish List at Trainz.com!

Keeping track of your Wishes at Trainz has never been so easy! Search our extensive database and select items that you would like to add to your list.  When that item is posted to either our website or our eBay listings, an email will be automatically generated to alert you!  Try it out today, it’s FREE!

International Countries!

Welcome to Trainz.com!  We now ship to 190 Countries throughout the world!  For customers who use PayPal, you can now shop our website or eBay listings, and easily make your payment via Paypal. Because international shipping costs vary, please be sure to contact us for your exact shipping charge for your purchase.  Paypal payment benefits:

• Pay for purchases in your selected currency
• Payment is automatically converted to your desired currency
• No need to hold a balance in another currency to send a payment

Useful MTH Product Information

MTH provides a great resource for those looking for How to Troubleshoot a Low MTH Battery. For more great information concerning ProtoSound 2.0, visit http://www.protosound2.com.

MTH:
The 2008 MTH Volume 2 Catalog deadline was the 30th of May, but we are still accepting preorders, based on availablility.  Please visit http://store.trainzpreorder.com to see all of the MTH items available for preorder.  You’ll enjoy discounted prices and Free Shipping!

PreOrder Tips:
Sometimes it may seem like a long time before your order arrives, be assured that we will send you an email when the item arrives and is ready to ship, so you’ll always know when we receive your item.

We just want to emphasize a few tips to remember while waiting for your preorders to come in

Ives Reproduction Catalogs

Go back in time with these neat reproductions of the original Ives catalogs from the early 1900’s.  See how toy trains were marketed and priced nearly 100 years ago!

Ives 1909 RP Miniature Railway System Catalog Reprint	Ives 1910 RP Toy Train & Accessory Catalog
Ives 1914 RP Toy Train & Accessory Catalog	Ives 1929 RP Trains Catalog

The Ives Manufacturing Company, an American toy manufacturer from 1868 to 1932, was the largest manufacturer of toy trains in the United States from 1910 until 1924, when Lionel Corporation overtook it in sales.

Ives was founded in Plymouth, Connecticut by Edward Ives, a descendant of Plymouth colony governor William Bradford. The company initially produced paper dolls whose limbs moved in response to hot air, but soon began producing a wide range of toys, including a toy cannon that shot using real gunpowder and clockwork powered dolls and animals that could move. The clockwork toys were designed by Jerome Secor, Nathan Warner, and Arthur Hotchkiss and by the 1880s, Ives was a leading producer of these toys.

Its emphasis shifted to trains as its designs were copied by other toymakers who were willing to sell them more cheaply. Ives' trains were made of tin or cast iron and initially powered by clockwork, but like later electric trains, some models could whistle and smoke. On December 22, 1900, a fire destroyed Ives' main factory and its tooling, prompting a re-design for 1901 that resulted in Ives' first toy train that ran on track. In the end the fire benefited the company, as the insurance money permitted it to build a modern factory with state-of-the-art tooling.

Although several companies were selling electric trains at the time, Ives opted to remain with clockwork, partly because many U.S. homes still lacked electricity.

Initially, Ives' greatest competition came from German imports, and not from domestic manufacturers. Ives' response was with marketing, which it directed at its target audience, the twelve-year-old boy. Its campaigns addressed boys as business partners, telling them that the success of Ives' fictional railroad, Ives Railway Lines, depended on their shrewd management. This worked, building brand loyalty.

Ives released its first electric trains in 1910, partially in response to companies such as American Flyer undercutting its prices on clockwork trains. Ives initially produced electric trains in O gauge and 1 gauge.

Ives' train sales continued to decline in the face of increasing competition and Lionel's greater momentum, the latter having released its first electric trains nearly a decade earlier. Meanwhile, construction toys were gaining in popularity, so in an effort to re-diversify, Ives released a Meccano and Erector Set-like construction toy in 1913. Although it offered parts its competition did not, the set was not very successful and Ives withdrew it from the market in 1917. More...

Happy Birthday Sheri and Ed!!!