STM Diecast × STOQ: how preorders became the backbone of a diecast business
From childhood hobby to STM Diecast
Scott Twiford grew up around trains and model cars. His father ran a toy and hobby shop. Years later, while helping his sister move, Scott rediscovered boxes of his old cars. That spark led him to start selling diecast models again, first on eBay, then through his own store.
“eBay takes like 14% commission… that was worthless.”
What began as a side gig “to maybe make a thousand a month” quickly blew up. Today, STM Diecast focuses on high-end 1:18 and 1:12 scale models (some as much as $1,400 each), along with display cases, figurines, and custom license plates. The store has grown into a go-to destination for collectors who want premium models and the ability to personalize them.
“Sometimes it’s 15 cars, sometimes it’s 30… customers want the newest.”
The challenge: messy preorders and customer trust
Before STOQ, Scott had no clean way to handle preorders. He would put “PREORDER — ETA” in bold text inside product descriptions. Customers still missed it. Tracking which orders were preorders was painful, and he had to take full payment upfront.
That created problems:
- Customers suspected scams if items were delayed for 6–12 months.
- Credit card chargeback windows made people nervous.
- Without partial payments, cancellations were frequent and messy.
“I don’t want to hold on to all of your money while something keeps getting delayed.”
STM Diecast switched to quarterly preorder cycles to reduce chaos, but the manual work was still overwhelming.
“I was amazed at how many people don’t read the descriptions.”
Why STM Diecast chose STOQ
Scott first came across STOQ through Shopify recommendations. Initially, it was just for back-in-stock alerts. Then preorders with partial payments were added.
Partial payments solved two problems at once:
- Flexibility for customers: They could commit without paying the full amount months in advance.
- Credibility for the business: Showed that STM wasn’t “holding money hostage” during inevitable delays.
“Preorders are huge in diecast.”
Results: preorders driving a third of sales
STM Diecast now relies heavily on preorders. At one point, when filtering out marketplaces like eBay, over half of online store sales were preorders. More consistently, about a third of orders come from preorders.
In fact, Scott often sells more preorders than in-stock items. That secures future sales, improves cash flow, and reduces risk when placing allocations with suppliers.
“A lot of times I’m selling more pre-orders than stuff in stock.”
What stood out most: features and support
Scott highlighted STOQ’s flexibility as a game changer:
- Estimated ship dates on offers vs. individual items.
- Preorder banners that flag products clearly.
- Bulk email updates when shipments are delayed or arriving.
Support also made a strong impression. “Some fixes came within minutes,” Scott said, though he added feedback that some support staff were stronger than others. Overall, he found STOQ’s willingness to listen and add features invaluable.
What it meant for Scott and STM Diecast
STOQ transformed STM Diecast’s messy preorder system into an engine of growth. Partial payments addressed customer trust, preorder tagging brought order to chaos, and back-in-stock alerts kept traffic and sales flowing.
For Scott, the result is peace of mind. He no longer worries about managing preorder spreadsheets or defending delays to skeptical customers. Instead, he can focus on what collectors care about most: the next release.
The ROI from STOQ
Scott doesn’t measure ROI in spreadsheets. For him, the return is clear:
- A third of orders are secured via preorders.
- Cancellations are reduced by requiring a 10% non-refundable deposit.
- Back-in-stock and preorder alerts generate repeat visits and cross-sales.
- Manual chaos of tracking preorders in spreadsheets is gone.
For STM Diecast, STOQ is the backbone of a preorder-driven business.
Advice for other merchants
Scott’s advice: make preorders easy and clear. In industries with long lead times, clarity builds trust and secures sales.
“Diecast preorders are a never-ending carousel. Customers want the newest drop, so give them a way to commit without losing trust.”
He also advises other merchants not to overthink ROI dashboards: “I just know it works.” The bigger point is to use tools that reduce workload and build customer confidence.
Beyond preorders, Scott encourages new merchants to: - Be transparent: put banners, buttons, and dates everywhere so customers know it’s a preorder. - Offer flexibility: partial payments reassure buyers and cut cancellations. - Use demand data: if 50 people are waiting on one model, you know what to reorder. - Lean on support: don’t hesitate to ask questions; fixes can come in minutes. - Don’t wait to start: Scott began with eBay flips; the real growth came once he set up his own store with the right apps.
