Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I am a registered JR 12X radio owner. I must express my disappointment in Horizon Hobby and/or JR Radios marketing decision to release the 11X at half the cost of the 12X having comparable features. This action has destroyed any resale value I might have in the 12X. Your action will affect my future purchases.

I want to know what Horizon Hobby and/or JR radios intend to do to add value to current 12X owners radio sets?

Regards,
Leonard

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

The nerve of them coming out with a similar radio at half the price! :eek:

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Wait until next year when all the legal DSM compatible (if not DSM2) stuff starts coming out of China in quantity. Spektrum and JR will probably come out with DSM3 that won't work with DSM or DSM2. That will knock out the Chinese competition as well as all previous Spektrum owners. Just like DSM2 made the DX6 fairly worthless.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

When I purchase a radio it isfor my use and not because I may sell it in the future, I also know that there may be new model with more features
and likely cost less in a year or two thats the name of game with so many products on the market.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Dear Horizon Hobby/JR,
 
    I am really loving my JR-11X radio.  It has pretty much every feature I want in a competition quality transmitter, and at a great price.  In fact it has almost everything the 12X has, plus some extra things. 


     Thank You,
     1BWANA1

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

1bwana1, you are a very naughty boy.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

i'm sorry to say but this is how american capitalism market money making works...
what eles can i say....?

may be to take a basic course in business managemnt will help you to understand their marketing process...

in the mean while, you got one of the best radio in the world, yes theres Futaba and HT but from an engineer point of you...their niot iven close...


so be happy with what you got and injoy the comming weekend flying.
:)

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

It must be April Fools day and your post is a joke on all of us?.......................:)

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Leonard, did you buy this radio because you needed 12 channels or because you wanted?
If you needed 12 ch radio the price of the radio is a fraction of the whole airplane price...
most people I saw using 12 ch radio bought it because of not what they need but what they want.
did you buy to resell it? its better to enjoy the wonderful radio you have and not be sorry for what you have not.
I totally agree with 1bwana1.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

If you got over them charging you so much fora transmitter that uses inferior pick-and-stick DSM technology then you should, in time, be able to get over the 11X.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

K-Bob should join 1bwana1 in the "naughty-corner".

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

It should be at 11/12 of the cost of 12X, not 6/12 .

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

How dare the Japanese copy our business model, I guess we taught them well:)
Pete

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

It is like buying a car and finding out that next years model will have one less feature but cost half as much.
Anyone who says they wouldn't be mad is either insane or on some heavy duty drugs.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

There is no doubt that he has the right to be angry. It's like the guy that buys any big-ticket item only to find out that it went on sale shortly after he bought it.

But the fact of the matter is: That's life.

You can't blame a manufacturer, or hold them responsible for making improvements to their products.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

No, they are just adults in a big boy world. Mommy don't leave here any more!

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I also understand that I will die someday. That does not mean I have to be happy about it. These, "grow up and quit whining" answers are pretty lame. I suppose when life kicks you in the b@!!$ you just smile and say, "Thank you".

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

So you're angry that a manufacturer is offering its customers a better value than it did last year? Perhaps you'd be happier if all the companies in our hobby stopped innovating altogether? You know, come to think of it, I'm pretty miffed that Sony has improved their VAIO line in the last 12 months because that has made my PC less valuable than it was when I bought it. And I really hate how the auto manufacturers constantly come out with better cars with new features that render my current vehicle obsolete. The truth is that you benefitted when you bought your radio in that you got a better system than the stuff that was available 5 years ago (just think how the guys with high end 72mhz systems feel right now). And future customers will benefit from continued product development. Poor resale value is an unfortunate side effect of innovation, but I certainly wouldn't want to discourage a company from developing its line just for that.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Well fellows, I learned a long time ago about being on the end of an advancing engineering. When purchasing my first computer for $1999.-, by the time my credit card payment came due, the 386 computer appeared, with the 486DX2 closely following. Now with that being said, I have not made the same mistake in purchasing R/C radio systems. I will continue to use the old style 72 radios until they are no longer in the market place, and by-pass the quick changes of models the mfg come up with. Oh, no I do not need all the bells and whistles used to entice a modeler. If you go for the bells and whistles, you can be sure the next model out fhe following year will be more advanced than the one you just purchased. I believe everyone knows what "KISS" means, and this really goes a long ways in deciding what to purchase in the R/C market place.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

Words of wisdom, aerorich73.
Thanks.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I am happy that more people will have access to a nicer radio with more features for less money.

Its good for the sport. Period.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I bet they are going to do....well, nothing. Those of us who want an 11 or 12X but don't have one yet are quite pleased with the current trend. If resale value is a criteria for the products you buy, that's all on you. If you sell it, the loss will be realised only because of your actions. Me, I buy products for me to use with no thought of resale value, If I decide to sell something, what I can get for it is just that.

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

First, thank you all for sharing your opinions. I respect every ones right to express their own beliefs.

My take.

Horizon Hobby/JR Radios has handicapped their own "flagship" premier product by offering the same if not more functionality in a slightly different form-factor at half the cost of the original. They have set a pricing expectation going forward (dollar per function). I believe they have marketed themselves right out of the premium pricing game for years to come. Given the cyclical nature of our hobby e.g. buy the latest and keep it until something irresistible is available then upgrade. JR has alienated a segment of their Tier 1 consumers. I'm sure this was a calculated risk. I'm also sure this will turn on them in the end.

Each to their own.

Regards,
Leonard

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

You could probably find someone to sell you an 11x for twice as much.. :)

You could still play the "premium pricing game" that way..

Said with tongue firmly in cheek..

RE: Open letter to Horizon Hobby and JR Radios
 

I do not know what radio equipment in RC hobby can retain its resale value for a long time. Take the 72mhz receivers as an example. Electronics are supposedly loosing half their values in one year and half.

Probably a good strategy is to buy main stream radios, such as JR 9303 or Futaba 10C, and ignore paying premium prices on high-end products.