Mobtown Offroad - Closed for Business?

Edit: Official statement from the former owner, Joe.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mobtown-offroad-closure.735599/

Wasn't able to find a thread about this, so here we go. Looks like Mobtown Offroad is shutting down. Website is gone, Instagram is deleted, phones are turned off.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/no-longer-recommending-mobtown.734410/#post-26152148

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mobtownoffroad-customer-service.715957/page-8#post-26188295

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/mobtown-offroad-rear-bumper-no-body-cut-install.735537/

 

Uh, oh

 

Hopefully they don't leave anyone high and dry.

 

Well that sux. I have been happy with their sliders. They took a long time to arrive but I think that it fairly par for the course for small shops.

 

I’ll give them benefit of the doubt but my guess is they ghost. Why burn your IG account and website and business phone line all at once without notice, rather than send a final update via email to those waiting for their shit so they don’t freak out if you plan to set them straight?

edit: appears they have released a statement and are setting people straight so that’s good.

edit2: nah, they played a sorry game upfront then ghosted like I thought and people had to request chargebacks from their card companies/banks. Goes to show in the offroad independent fab shop game, no one is a saint. Get your fucking money back as soon as anything don’t smell right. Don’t wait on good faith for anyone.

 

I think we have some MOB town members here @Mobtown Offroad

 

In the linked thread, there is a post stating that they haven’t been seen on here since July.

EDIT: confirmed by simply clicking the link you posted and looking at their profile.

 

He last posted in July. I wouldn't expect a response.

 

I wouldn’t expect a response here either. They were good dudes and had good intentions, and offered to help people who got left high and dry with the Pelfrey debacle. I have their sliders and was planning on buying their skids once my Demello (who supports Mobtown) bumper was completed.

I still can’t believe they shut down the shop/contact/social media without warning and without contactung and making things right with customers and pending orders.

I hope all is good, well and healthy with them.

 

Bummer. I liked the Joe’s. Thought they were expanding as well.

@ColoradoTJ

 

Little shops start and go bust quickly. Good luck everyone.

 

I'm fairly certain I know what happened. The cost of carbon steel went up as much as 300% and they were sitting on a few months of prepaid orders that they couldn't make for a profit.

 

But did they spend the money or return it to the customers?

 

Definitely sucks when well designed product mfgs go under, ultimately hopefully no one gets burned. Pretty sure that any credit card company would stand behind a buyer hung out to dry (not informed or order just cancelled).

 

So how does that bode for our other vendors?

 

Well they should just raise prices going forward if they have to and make what they presold, even if it's break even. It's the chance they take. I'm aware that fabricators on here have many products and they ultimately have slower selling products, so they can't just make 100 units of everything and then sit on the slow items. Hence they require prepayment.

 

I know that seems like a simple statement. But the truth is any real business operates on a cash flow basis...orders out the door create cash flow to buy materials for the next jobs.

Small businesses are at the most risk, they seldom have a huge surplus of cash on hand and wild swings in raw materials are deadly. Big business can weather downturns by bleeding cash waiting for the next upturn cycle, not the little guys. How often have you seen reports where a giant reports losing $500M and saying it looks like they just turned the corner on profitability?

Yeah it sucks if you're the guy that sent cash and got stiffed, but it doesn't mean the owner deliberately screwed anyone. Most likely they tried very very hard to do the right thing but failed.

God bless anyone that tries to run a small business today.

 

BAMF seems to be killing it. Jerry pre-bought a ton of steel and seems to have added a bunch of new equipment and is cranking out stuff.

CBI seems to be doing ok, but they can eat a bag of Tacomabeast flavored dicks.

 

Oooooo do tell?