Ok, I am going to complain here a little so bare with me! While sitting on the thrown I was looking through my new Scale Aviation Modeller Int’l Magazine as well as my FineScale Magazine ( I was on it awhile [xx(]). When I came across the PocketBond advertisements in the SAM magazine I noticed the prices were really low? Yes I know its in Pounds or Sterling or what ever. But if you calculate the exchange rate the 1/32 ME-262 Distrubited by Pocket Bond is going to retail in the UK for appx. $38.00 usd, But Stevens is retailing it for $ 69.95! [:O] I let you guys figure out the prices on the other ones, they are cheaper in the UK as well.
So what gives? Thats about a 50% difference! The same ship that sails from China goes to either the West or East coast of the US and then continues to Europe. There is no magical other way this happens. Believe me I been in the Cargo ship business for 20 years so I know.
Now if you go back in time when Trumpeter was distributed by other companies before Stevens got a hold of it you would notice the prices was cheaper. So are these guys making a killing or what!
Then you wonder why the younger generation doesn’t buy models, its cheaper to buy a new game for the X box with continues enjoyment than getting ripped by the importers!
Ok, I am done, sorry but ranting on to my wife doesn’t do much help. So you guys had to get it. [:D] Thanks
Good point about the high prices of new models keeping younger kids out of the hooby. IWhen I was younger I remember dreaming about the Tamiya and Hasegawa kits I read about in the pages of Fine Scale Modeler while building 20 and 30 year old Monogram kits (I still love those kits and have several in my unbuilt collection).
I have often thought that we as modelers houls do soomething to get younger people interrested in the hobby. The future of the hobby (read more awesome kits) depends on younger, and hopefully more, people getting into the hobby.
Sorry this is a little off topic but it is something I needed to get off my chest.
I know what both of you mean, you should see the look I get from the wife when I look at a $200.00 Tamiya carrier, or a $130.00 1/24 AC. She builds, and sometimes looks on dissaprovingly, but never complains too loudly. I dont see how some of these companys (importers) can do this, they have to have one hell of a markup. And as for the kids, I know I couldn’t have come up with the $40.00 or $50.00 for some of the cheaper kits. Its just plain rediculous.
It is simple, pay $44.00 for a hasegawa 1/32 Me 262 20+ year old kit that has raised pannel lines is inaccurate and most of all will not fit well to the point you want to tear your hair out. Or pay $69.00 for the trumpeter 262 that is accurate, has scribed pannel lines, photo etch and fits together with almost no putty. Both kits are out on the market because some people do not want to pay more and are satisfied with what they get. BUT stop slamming trumpeter when the Tamiya F-16 thunderbird is all most $200.00! Besides a new X-box game is $50.00! I would like to know why the kits in england are less. It could be the shops just discount more. I guess all I am saying is chose your poison.[xx(]
I have not personnaly investigated the varying sales prices of models in the different countries, but have you considered the import taxes that the various countries charge to the exporters? I know that a government uses import/export taxes and tariffs on goods to influence trade. Maybe the U.K.'s trade policies are not as strict with China as the U.S.'s policies. The model distributors probably jacks up the price to cover these fees and allow for a profit. The high price of models reflects the market supply and demand, as well as the public’s willingness to pay the high prices. Also, don’t forget that everything gets more expensive as time goes by.
Ironwolf80; Don’t get me wrong I am not trying to slam Trumpeter or for that fact any of the importers, as all mentioned still contribute to the hobby in a positives ways. And I totally agree with you on the Hasegawa Me-262, I just used it for an example. The point I was trying to make is; why is it that one importer charges one price while the othe creates a whole other prices structure for the same items from the same manufactures?
Tailspin Tom; Import duties for Plastic toy items are not much different in the US and the UK, and actually shipping a 45’ container on Mearsk Lines is a couple of thousand more to the UK than it is to the US. so really not much of a cost difference on the import, considering the amount of plastic you can stick in a 45’ container. Also, if you order from the UK, you sometimes pay a cheaper export prices and just pay a reasonalble shipping charge.
I talked to a friend of mine last night who happens to own a hobby wholesale business ( I can’t say who, hobby politics) and asked him about it. He said that yes that the importers for the US are higher in creating their retail prices, simply because the US market for plastic models is smaller than it is in Europe, and we also tend to have more surplus captil to spend. I hate the truth!
Anyway not trying to get people worked up, just wanted to let out some frustration on things that get my goat.
While I am not going to slam Trumpeter, main reason being they are doing stuff no one else will, my comment is about retailers. Last weekend I was in a local hobby shop and I found a sheet of decals that I have been looking for for a while. Sticker price was $18.99. When I went to pay for them The guy says that the sticker price is what HE pays. MY price jumps to $40.00!! Suffice to say I will not shop at his store again.
My point is, is that everyone is getting greedy and/or crooked and we suffer. Oh yeah, this guys builds about fifty kits a year.
It is unfortunate some dealers are slime but the good news is they are not arround for long. I hope the guy who tried to stick you with the $40.00 decals leaves the modeling community soon. Most companies issue a MSRP price on thier models but that does not indicate the dealer discount that varies from store to store but shops need to realize they do need to discount a bit to compete. Even 10% is appreciated.[:)]
Nice to see that something in the UK is relatively cheap for once, Years ago when I was into building car kits, your $15 kit was fifteen pounds in the UK. The UK travel press is full of ‘come shopping in the USA’ stories, Levi’s at $15, cheap shoes etc.
Meanwhile in England it’s just been announced that gas & electicity prices will be going up by 14% very soon!
As for Trumpeter prices, I’ve not built any of their kits yet, I have read though, of faults with nearly all of them that require fixing & or aftermarket bits as replacements. So thats going to add even more to the price! Might as well stick with Hasegawa.
Pete
no i can see no one is slamming trumpetter
it seems to me more of a slam on the us distributer stevens int.
maybe only maybe his markup is a bit too much
The way I see it is, modeling is like driving, if we’re going to do it… We’re gonna get shafted!! The companies put out the goods & the retailers put the screws to us as it’s “in-demand”. Look at the gas prices here in the USofA[:(!][:O][banghead]
There’s NO Need to “jack the prices up” other than to fill their own pockets up.[2c][sigh]
I’m not going to say if anyone is gouging anyone else in price. After all, everyone has overhead to pay and their own operating expense. Having said that though, I usually only by stuff on sale. If not, I wait for a larger order to save on shipping and order from a HK or Japanese source. Even with high shipping, the discount is usually at least 20%. So distributors & stores and charge whatever they want, if their added value is worth it, they will find cusomters. If not, we as consumers can simply buy somewhere else.