“Forget the Wild West… Welcome to the Wild East!” (2 Viewers)

[kilted vampire]

Oy loikes a pyrate what looks loike a pyrate!

Piracy seems to be the cost of doing business in China and other countries. There are knock offs everywhere.

$15 for a marder? Is that HK dollars?

 

[oberstoskar]

Hi Guys,

Every few weeks brother Gordon takes a trip around some of Hong Kong’s lesser-known street markets looking for interesting model items that he can use in his dioramas and displays.

Unfortunately while Gordon was inspecting all this stuff along came a certain collector (a member of this Forum) who then purchased a pretty big chunk of the CS and FL. When Gordon told him about the illegal status of what he was buying the response was, “So what, when I see a bargain, I’m going to take advantage of it!”

Sad but true.
Oh well such is life.

Best wishes and happy collecting!
Andy C.

Yo! I wonder if Gordon 'Big Hands' had broken some of those figures already when he picked them up? You know how fragile those First Legion figures were!

By the way, I regularly visit the market in Wan Chai (opposite to the Southern basketball court and MRT station) and they'd a great supply of 'Streets of Hong Kong' over there. I'm already receiving some PMs from fellow forum members.

 

[Rutledge]

I have no doubt this is a true story. And its seems to me the point being made is clear. This activity is very hurtful to the true owners of these brands.

It is well know that the far east is ground zero for trademark piracy. It doesnt matter whether its branded clothing, movie dvds, video games, electronic gadgets or, apparently, toy soldiers. Not only can it hurt the sales and profits of the true brand owners, but it can also destroy brand integrity. Dealer loyalty may also wane as they believe they are being unfairly undercut in the marketplace despite rules about discounting.

As the worldwide economy slows pirating activity will probably pick up. Collectors, as well, may become more anxious to "find a deal". Taken far enough, this could severly impinge upon the financial health of toy soldier companies. We should all refrain from supporting those that engage in illegal pirating activity, whether on the streets of Hong Kongor or the electronic highway.

 

[Mister Dave]

Well Dave, I can see the relevance if it is true but either way, what is the shot? I must be dense but all it would say to me is that those manufacturers produce items that are highly desirable. The fact that someone would try and profit from that illegally is not insulting unless you take it as a suggestion that they cannot manage their affairs such as to prevent that, which is a notion silly on its face. If it is a cheap shot, then it is so pathetically anemic as to be more humorous than critical. I find the level of stupidity implied by that to be rather hard to digest.

Bill,

I admire your optimism and apparently high level of tolerance for potential BS.

MD

 

[PolarBear]

All's Fair In Love & War

 

[Capitolron]

PolarBear

Is there a Freudian Message you are sending with those cartoons ?

 

[PolarBear]

PolarBear

Is there a Freudian Message you are sending with those cartoons ?

I was just wondering what new products we might expect if 2 toy soldier companies were to merge

 

[Spitfrnd]

PolarBear

Is there a Freudian Message you are sending with those cartoons ?

I don't know about Freudian or supporting a child with an Englishman but I think she is a little too big for him.

Very cute though Randy but if that was your intent, should she be saying something more like "Je me demande comme ce qu'il serait d'aller au lit avec un Anglais?" or "Tu aurais envie de faire l'amour ce soir?" But then again maybe that is what he would say.

 

[PolarBear]

I don't know about Freudian or supporting a child with an Englishman but I think she is a little too big for him. Very cute though Randy.

Here is the correct French for "to bear"

 

[4th Hussar]

I wonder if I could get Brother Gordon to do some shopping for me ? Many of the recent Chinese made releases are priced beyond my means

 

[Cyber Field Marshall]

I can understand a manufacturer's displeasure at seeing their product pirated however from the consumer point of view it would certainly be a find, not many people take the moral highground when it comes to a bargain, human nature. The real issue here is very few of us would fly to Hong Kong to find these bargains. And are they really bargains? Afterall, my ticket to HK and accomodations would likely make that CS marder, tiger, or FL product about $3-5000 USD, I don't think that's a bargain anymore!

 

[damian]

Upon reading this little "story," I was instantly reminded of the first line of Edgar Allen Poe's poem The Raven:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'​

This story has all the makings of some sort of dream, perhaps akin to the television show Dallas for those of you who remember it.

This pondering or dream is nothing short but a shot across the bow to a couple of manufacturers, one that K & C has tangled with on this Forum and one that K & C may perceive to be a threat.

It's also quite interesting that Herr Oberst has chimed in. I wonder who he really is

I always liked that poem Brad. I must say I never really understood it.
One of the greats of American literature was Edgar Allen Poe.

 

[cantinetozzo]

I can understand a manufacturer's displeasure at seeing their product pirated however from the consumer point of view it would certainly be a find, not many people take the moral highground when it comes to a bargain, human nature. The real issue here is very few of us would fly to Hong Kong to find these bargains. And are they really bargains? Afterall, my ticket to HK and accomodations would likely make that CS marder, tiger, or FL product about $3-5000 USD, I don't think that's a bargain anymore!

Completely agree mate!

 

[Spitfrnd]

Here is the correct French for "to bear"

Yes that makes it more clear; sounds as though, la fille n'est pas trop captivée sur l'idée, n'est pa?

 

[nmrocks]

And I'm sure no one thinks Andy derived any pleasure from spilling the beans on the content of First legions secret WWII project!!!
Ray

 

[kogu]

And I'm sure no one thinks Andy derived any pleasure from spilling the beans on the content of First legions secret WWII project!!!
Ray

Of course not, he wouldn't wana do that, would he ?!?!?!

 

[PolarBear]

Yes that makes it more clear; sounds as though, la fille n'est pas trop captivée sur l'idée, n'est pa?

She hopes to fill him with the contents of her cask and then flee the scene before ending up being sold in some Chinese marketplace selling knockoffs

 

[The Military Workshop]

I am surprised by some of the comments on this thread.
Firstly what is being talked about are not "fakes" or "pirated" figures. They are exactly the same as the normal item but are excess items made without the knowledge of the commissioning toy soldier brand. It is not the same as a factory making "knock off" luxury handbags.
The factory manager etc can have extra items made during the normal run and then ship them to a relative or partner to sell in Hong Kong or elsewhere. Any money made is pure profit as the factory is the one that has paid for them in raw materials and labour and all mould/master costs are paid for.
I suspect this happens a lot with Dragon items. During a trip to Hong Kong I went to buy kits from a HK Ebayer for one of my staff who was a modeller. It was quite obvious by the quantity of kits this guy had that he had a factory source and he confirmed he did. At that time my shop did not sell Dragon. About a year later I started to stock Dragon. However I don't sell Dragon kits anymore as I was finding customers in Australia could easily get them from Hong Kong direct at much cheaper prices (one customer mentioned he could buy three in HK for the price of one in Australia). Over time this does serious damage to the brand as customers find out where to get the cheap ones. No money from those sales goes to the brand which loses sales becuase of them.
I have even heard of a similar such thing happening in a manufacturer actually based in the USA where excess product was being made.
Andy's thread is backed up by comments by some Forum members who have been to China and HK and seen toy soldiers for sale cheap.
In these economic times it is even more important for this type of activity to be stopped.
Andy and K&C being based in HK are far more likely to discover this kind of activity than other brands based overseas. Interesting to note a forum member who claims to have seen Streets of HK in a market a very short distance from the K&C office.
I think it would be in all Toy Soldiers brands interests to monitor such activities and inform each other when they find it.
Not being a Poe or Raven (Crow ?) fan I have absolutely no idea how Jazzeum's poem relates to this thread. Way too deep for me !
Regards
Brett

 

[redhugh]

Andy and K&C being based in HK are far more likely to discover this kind of activity than other brands based overseas. Interesting to note a forum member who claims to have seen Streets of HK in a market a very short distance from the K&C office.

Brett

I think I know the one you're talking, dodgy looking place ..down the road from the office

 

[kx1a]

Several years back Corgi was highly into producing 1/50 scale tanks to which I became instantly addicted. for their 50th anniversary or such they produced 50 serial numbered gold plated shermans that were included at random in shipments to dealers, so some dealers had a nice surprise. i saw some of these items sell on eBay for up to $700. After a few weeks, others started to show up as well. Golden Shermans with a HK seller address. Of course seller stated that no boxes were available. This soured the enjoyment of us who collected 1/50 Shermans. Shortly after that Corgi no longer offered 1/50 scale tanks and several upcoming versions of Shermans advertised were soon abandoned. Not sure if this was due to the golden Sherman incident or other market factors. In the end Corgi lost and collectors lost. As for me anyway the small Shermans roused my appetite for diecast and I eventually found you guys.

Bill W