We listed our Oregon Trailer 2012 FronTear on EBay!

[oregonguy]

Hi everybody. My brother and I decided to list list FronTear on EBay. We set the reserve well below our asking price, so somebody could get a steal of a deal.
We have limited shop/storage space, and need the room to continue building. Also, we need the money!
We know most of you all already have nice teardrops and aren't in the market for another, but check it out anyway! See it here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2012-Oregon-TrailR-FronTear-High-End-Teardrop-Camp-Trailer-/121037301366?_trksid=p5197.c0.m619&forcev4exp=true#ht_1670wt_948
Also if you know somebody who is in the market for an upscale teardrop, please pass along the above link or EBay item number: 121037301366. We'd really appreciate it Being a small startup business, we have approx zero $ for advertising, so word of mouth is king. So thanks in advance for helping us further our cause. You've all been a great help already, we really appreciate it.

We've actually had a lot if interest lately, emails, phone calls, and quite a few people have shown up In person too. We even had this trailer sold at one point not long ago, but the couple had to back out last minute because of serious health problems. Way more of a bummer for them than for us, of course, and we wish them a rapid recovery.

Thanks everybody,

Jon

[Roly Nelson]

Hi Ron, welcome to the forum. Wow, 18 grand for a top of the line teardrop trailer. I suggest you try to entice some of the big boys who travel in the 500 grand motorcoaches into buying your product when they tire of the high price of gas or they are physically unable to enter their rigs due to health problems. I am sure they would appreciate the quality of your teardrop, and would surely be able to afford a quality rig, just like the one they were used to. Most of us on the board, either restore, build from scratch or purchase a teardrop, but I fear there are but a few, who are willing to come up with the bucks that it would cost for your Fron Tear.

A high quality teardop is a prize to behold, and there are some here, who have spent that kind of money, and I say more power to them. I do have a question, which is unclear in your photos. What material are your fenders made of? Hopefully they are welded stainless steel, which would compliment the high end quality. Good luck on your construction and sales. Your product looks fantastic. I'm just a home-made woody guy, and can only dream of owning such a quality rig. Now, I want to go out and throw rocks at my TD.
Roly, the li'l ol' So Calif woody guy

[oregonguy]

Roly,

We know that 18k is a lot of money. Out of my price range too in fact. But we didn't pull that figure out of air. It is based off of the price of materials and components with a very modest profit margin assigned to each. And a very modest rate of hourly labor...which is based on what it will take to reproduce this trailer, (now that we have all of our jigs, templates, and tools made), not on what it took the produce it the first time...that would have put us way way out of reasonable range.

You of all people know the value of quality workmanship... We've seen you trailers at the IRG, and can only guess the labor spent in the process...now imagine trying to base a business off of that labor, and materials cost. Also, we're really not trying to become some mass production company, we want to build custom high end trailers a few at a time, and sell them at a reasonable price. We totally understand that our teardrops aren't going to fit everybody's budget... But we think there are enough people put out there looking for a quality product, who don't want to build themselves, and are willing to pay for a product that they love, for it to work.

The fenders on this particular FronTear are Aluminum. But being a custom shop, we are willing and able to take requests on various components including fenders. Stainless would be doable...I think it would also look great with Grants/lil bears - fiberglass fenders.

It would a tragedy beyond words to "throw rocks" at any of your beautiful little teardrops....please don't

In closing, we'd love to sell teardrops to "those people" with the 500k motor coaches, but I think you'll agree that they aren't the only ones in the market for high-end production teardropsdrops...ask any of the people pulling on this forum pulling camp-inns, SoCal's, Mobys, etc... The market appears to be there, we just have to tap it.

I look forward to seeing you at the next event.

[Thawley]

Beautiful trailer Jon. Nice to see the bidding rise appropriately.

I linked the auction to my facebook page and also to a teardrop thread on another web forum I frequent. As you travel further down the PR/marketing path, you might consider posting some linkable/downloadable photos outside of your site's slideshow. I'm a photographer and understand very well the desire to protect your images. But I'm guessing selling teardrops is a higher priority. Google found only one image I could embed on the other forum...

[pete42]

Beautiful trailer I think I will go with Roly on the price I also understand material cost and you don't work for free.

it will be interesting to see how many you sell at this price, having said that I wish you and your's all the luck in the world
trying to start a business in this economy is tough

pete

[oregonguy]

Beautiful trailer Jon. Nice to see the bidding rise appropriately.

I linked the auction to my facebook page and also to a teardrop thread on another web forum I frequent. As you travel further down the PR/marketing path, you might consider posting some linkable/downloadable photos outside of your site's slideshow. I'm a photographer and understand very well the desire to protect your images. But I'm guessing selling teardrops is a higher priority. Google found only one image I could embed on the other forum...

Thanks VERY much. I can't tell you how much your help means. And I am not particularly concerned with image protection... I'm with you, I'd much rather that the images get around and generate interest...I'm not selling images, I trying to sell trailers! So use whichever image you want - that goes for everybody.

[oregonguy]

Beautiful trailer I think I will go with Roly on the price I also understand material cost and you don't work for free.

it will be interesting to see how many you sell at this price, having said that I wish you and your's all the luck in the world
trying to start a business in this economy is tough

pete

Thanks. You are right on all accounts. We are fully aware that 18K is a whole lot of money. That is the very reason this forum exists in the format that it does. Most of us here are the DIY type who are not only capable of building our own, but enjoy the process immensely. Obviously you can build one yourself for less money, because all your labor is effectively free...add to that the satisfaction of building it yourself. Trust me I fully understand the point of view, and feel the same way. That doesn't change the fact that some people want a custom high end product and, either (don't have the skills), or (don't have the time), or (don't have the desire), to build it themselves...and some of those people do have the resources to acquire one anyway. That is our target market. Hopefully our aim is true. Bidding is already at 13K... with over a week left, it's looking pretty good!

Jon

[Thawley]

So use whichever image you want - that goes for everybody.

That's the problem, though. Your current web site does not allow linking or downloading of images...

[grizz]

STUNNING !!!!!

In a word.

Love the wheels, not seen them in England yet.

[Thawley]

Obviously you can build one yourself for less money [...] That doesn't change the fact that some people want a custom high end product and, either (don't have the skills), or (don't have the time), or (don't have the desire), to build it themselves [...] That is our target market. Bidding is already at 13K... with over a week left, it's looking pretty good!

I'm really glad to see a solid new TD being sold on eBay as it will help establish value for other builders.

Your web site and build options are exemplary, Jon. Far more organized and detailed than my ADD personality would ever have patience for... I've got no interest in manufacturing TDs to order. But do like the idea of selling what I build for myself at a profit. I am planning my next build with the idea of repeatability to more easily build others down the road. The custom steel bike industry has a very chummy pro-frame builder community. The more they help each other, the more everyone understands the market and the value of their work. Be great to see that happen here. I wish you all the best with your sale and your business.

[oregonguy]

So use whichever image you want - that goes for everybody.

That's the problem, though. Your current web site does not allow linking or downloading of images...

A very good point... I may have to change that. While I don't mind people sharing the images in any way...the only slight concern I have is people using them to generate false sales listings, and taking advantage of people... I don't think anybody on this forum would do such a thing of course...but there are surely people out there willing to stoop that low. But then, I guess anybody could just take a screenshot from any pic they want and have it amount to the same thing... I think I'll change my site, so people can download. I am definitely open to informed opinion on this point though.

Thanks,

Jon

[oregonguy]

STUNNING !!!!!

In a word.

Love the wheels, not seen them in England yet.

WOW Thanks! I may have to add this to our "Testimonials" section!

[oregonguy]

Obviously you can build one yourself for less money [...] That doesn't change the fact that some people want a custom high end product and, either (don't have the skills), or (don't have the time), or (don't have the desire), to build it themselves [...] That is our target market. Bidding is already at 13K... with over a week left, it's looking pretty good!

I'm really glad to see a solid new TD being sold on eBay as it will help establish value for other builders.

Your web site and build options are exemplary, Jon. Far more organized and detailed than my ADD personality would ever have patience for... I've got no interest in manufacturing TDs to order. But do like the idea of selling what I build for myself at a profit. I am planning my next build with the idea of repeatability to more easily build others down the road. The custom steel bike industry has a very chummy pro-frame builder community. The more they help each other, the more everyone understands the market and the value of their work. Be great to see that happen here. I wish you all the best with your sale and your business.

We feel the same way. We have definitely enjoyed the benefits of talking to those with extended experience in the business, Grant with Lil Bear has been a huge help, as has Carey with Camp inn, and Frank with Vintek. Everybody seems to be very friendly and more that willing to help however they can. We will try and pay it forward in every way we can as-well.

[Vedette]

Very nice trailer!
Good Luck with your new venture.
I am very familiar with the labour it takes to custom build anything!
And the willingness of customers to discount how much time that really is??
I am afraid to add up the materials, parts and labour on our "Miss Piggy" project until it is completely finished and we have had a chance to enjoy it
a bit .........before we deal with that harsh reality!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

[oregonguy]

Very nice trailer!
Good Luck with your new venture.
I am very familiar with the labour it takes to custom build anything!
And the willingness of customers to discount how much time that really is??
I am afraid to add up the materials, parts and labour on our "Miss Piggy" project until it is completely finished and we have had a chance to enjoy it
a bit .........before we deal with that harsh reality!
Good Roads
Brian & Sandi

Well, I'm sure we all know it's a TERRIBLE idea to accurately track the hours we spend on our own projects... and NEVER take those hours and figure the theoretical money you would've spent at your normal hourly professional wage. Instead just enjoy the process and the labor, and DON'T track it.