Exciting Website Updates: Pre-Order Tracker & Improved Product Sorting!
Hey there, USAGS Family!
You may have noticed that things are looking a little different on our website! Our team has been hard at work developing new features based on feedback from our community, and we're excited to finally share them with you.
Two of our biggest updates are the Pre-Order Arrival Tracker and improved In Stock and Pre-Order sorting. We know these are features many of you have been asking for, and we're excited to make your shopping experience easier and more transparent!
To help everyone get familiar with these changes, we've put together a quick guide explaining how each feature works and how you can make the most of them.
Improved In Stock & Pre-Order Sorting
You've been asking for better product filtering for a long time, and we've been listening!
Under the "Filter By" section on our website, the In Stock and Pre-Order filters have been improved to separate these items more accurately. That means pre-order items should no longer appear when you filter for In Stock products. Hooray!
While this may seem like a small change, we believe it will make a big difference when browsing our catalog. Whether you're looking for something ready to ship or planning ahead for an upcoming release, finding the products you're looking for should now be much easier.
This improvement will also be especially helpful during our In Stock-only sales and promotions, making it easier to identify which products are eligible.
Introducing the Pre-Order Arrival Tracker
We know that pre-orders have been a pain point for many of our customers. Waiting for highly anticipated releases is exciting, but that excitement can quickly turn into frustration when shipments are delayed or there's uncertainty about when products will arrive at our warehouse.
We understand how disappointing it can be to wait for a kit you've been looking forward to building, especially when updates are limited. That's why we're taking a more proactive and transparent approach to communicating pre-order arrivals with our new Pre-Order Arrival Tracker!
The tracker brings pre-order shipment updates together in one convenient location, making it easier to check the status of upcoming releases without having to search through multiple product listings.
The tracker is updated twice daily and provides estimated arrival dates for products that have been confirmed as shipped by our distributors.
How does the Pre-Order Arrival Tracker Work?
The tracker uses a calendar to display pre-order items that our distributors have confirmed are on their way to us. Each listing provides an estimated arrival timeframe to help you understand when we expect the product to reach our warehouse.
There are a few important things to keep in mind when using the tracker:
Confirmed Shipments & Estimated Arrival Dates
If an item appears on the calendar, we have received confirmation that the product has shipped and is on its way to our warehouse. The dates shown are estimates, however, and are not guaranteed delivery dates.
Unforeseen circumstances, including customs delays, severe weather, or other shipping disruptions, may affect when a shipment arrives. While we will do our best to keep the tracker updated, these situations may cause arrival dates to change.
What If My Pre-Order Isn't on the Calendar?
If you don't see your item listed yet, don't worry! This doesn't necessarily mean there is a problem with your pre-order.
It means that while we have received confirmation of our product allocation from the distributor, we have not yet received confirmation that the shipment itself is on its way to our warehouse.
Once shipment confirmation becomes available, the item can be added to the calendar so you can follow its expected arrival.
Why Does an Item Sometimes Return to "Expected" Status?
Sometimes, we receive pre-order products in multiple shipments rather than all at once. When this happens, some orders may be fulfilled while others are still waiting for the remaining inventory to arrive.
Because pre-orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis, an item may initially appear to have arrived, only to return to an "Expected" status while we await additional shipments.
Unfortunately, we cannot provide an exact position in the fulfillment queue for individual orders when products arrive in multiple waves. We understand that this can be frustrating, but we want to be as transparent as possible about how these shipments are handled.
How Can I Check for Delayed Items?
If a product is experiencing a known delay, its status will be updated accordingly in the tracker.
You can also search for a specific item rather than scrolling through the entire list. This makes it easier to check the latest available information about a particular pre-order and see whether it has an expected arrival date or is experiencing a delay.
Allocation Claimed
You may have also noticed a new Allocation Claimed percentage bar appearing on some of our pre-order listings!
Some products have limited allocations, meaning our distributors can only provide us with a certain quantity of that item. To help you better understand availability, we've added a progress bar that shows how much of our available pre-order allocation has already been claimed by customers.
What Does the Allocation Percentage Mean?
The percentage displayed represents how much of our allocated inventory has already been claimed through pre-orders. This gives you a better idea of how much of our available allocation may still be remaining.
For example, if an item shows that 75% of its allocation has been claimed, that means the majority of the quantity we've been allocated is already accounted for through customer pre-orders.
What Happens When an Allocation Reaches 100%?
If a pre-order allocation becomes fully claimed, it is likely that we will have little to no remaining stock available once the product arrives at our warehouse. While additional allocations or inventory may occasionally become available, we cannot guarantee that more stock will be offered.
Why Does This Matter?
We want to give you the information you need to make informed decisions when placing your pre-orders. By showing how much of our available allocation has already been claimed, we hope to provide greater visibility into product availability, especially for limited releases that may be difficult to obtain once they arrive.
Please keep in mind that allocation percentages reflect the quantity we've been allocated and are not a guarantee of future availability. We recommend placing your pre-order early if there's a particular item you've been looking forward to adding to your collection!
Wishlist Functionality Update
We are also aware of ongoing issues affecting our wishlist feature and are actively working with our wishlist provider to get everything back up and running.
Our backend development team is working diligently to resolve these issues and restore full functionality as quickly as possible. While we do not yet have an estimated timeframe for when the wishlist feature will be fully restored, please rest assured that we are working closely with our provider to address the problem.
We understand how important it is to have your wishlist available while browsing and planning future purchases, and we sincerely appreciate your patience as we work toward a solution. We will continue working to restore the feature and provide a smoother experience for our customers.
We're Always Working to Improve Your Experience!
We know there's always room to improve, and these updates are part of our ongoing effort to make shopping with USA Gundam Store easier, clearer, and more enjoyable.
From making it easier to find in-stock products to providing better visibility into incoming pre-orders, we hope these new features help take some of the guesswork out of your shopping experience.
Thank you for continuing to share your feedback with us and helping us grow as a community. We appreciate your patience, support, and enthusiasm for this hobby just as much as we appreciate the opportunity to serve you.
Happy building, USAGS Family!