“If dealers were allowed to discount prices would be lower to collectors” (2 Viewers)

[Mitch]

Brad...

Obviously they do but, I should have made it clearer they have their figures available for a greater period than other manufacturers.
Mitch

They do retire figures. However, I'm not sure if they make announcements. For example, many of the Napoleonics are no longer made and Matt indicated that they do not intend to make any more of the 55th North Carolina Regiment (the first Civil War figures they made).

 

[jazzeum]

Brad, do you have all those now? Lovely figs they are, in my view the best FL produce.

Rob

Rob, I think I have many but not all. Yes, I agree: I think they are among the best FL products although I'm sure Napoleonic fans would disagree

 

[jazzeum]

Brad...

Obviously they do but, I should have made it clearer they have their figures available for a greater period than other manufacturers.
Mitch

Mitch, yes, but there could be reasons for that, such as the amount of releases they make. K & C probably has a greater need to retire figures because they release more figures than most other companies and warehouse space gets expensive.

Brad

 

[Rob]

Rob, I think I have many but not all. Yes, I agree: I think they are among the best FL products although I'm sure Napoleonic fans would disagree

Brad, I wonder if they intend doing another regt from Gettysburg then? I bet Bob would love some artillery too.

Rob

 

[The Military Workshop]

One local KC dealer simply died because Prices were too high for the local market and he was not able to discount figures... but he actually did when he stopped buying from KC and unloaded all what he had left... but even at those reduced prices, things were not moving well.. took months..

I don't think that the problem is the price thing only... it is what you get for your money that matters for most people... and what you get now with the P thing is the exact same quality you had with the 2nd generation MG figures... but at a much higher price... I say no.

Alex

Alex,
That is interesting about your local dealer. After all it must be as you have mentioned it a few times over the past few years. As a dealer I would say it is more likely he overestimated his potential customer base (and perhaps overstocked) and simply could not sustain his business. I doubt not being able to discount K&C caused his decline but look forward to future re-runs of how it was all K&C's fault (for those interested I did post a while ago in the Kennedy assassination thread that Andy of K&C did not do it).

As for you saying no to the P figures I hope you wont mind me expressing my opinion that you are jumping on the bandwagon to comment on something you would not be collecting anyway. After all you have posted more than once that you have not bought K&C for years (is it nearly 3 years now ?). I got the impression from a number of posts by you that expensive custom Russian figures were your thing. You paid $900 for one I recall. Good luck to you if you can afford such figures but don't try and make out you are concerned by P figures from a brand you have indicated you no longer collect.

Happy collecting.
Regards
Brett

 

[The Military Workshop]

To be fair why single out fl when you could say that with any company ?

Probably a co-incidence that Jack was replying to Vezzolf who has always been greatly concerned about the "retirement game" and it appears that FL have "retired" something.

 

[The Military Workshop]

To be fair why single out fl when you could say that with any company ?

An interesting comment Neil.

Since you are concerned about FL being singled out perhaps you might keep this line below saved for future use ;

To be fair why single out K&C when you could say that about ............... or .................... (depending upon the subject of course).

 

[Andanna]

I agree - I was looking at dipping my toe into the water with a First Legion Stug and I see the first one was just retired. I do not have any FL or WW 2 vehicles for that matter but I waited too long although I can do the rounds of the shops and maybe pick one up or get one of the later ones but it put me off immediately. I am sick of chasing retired items particularly if I have to send for them from overseas. I think I will stick with my WW 1 vehicles from Jenkins.

Not sure this fits the topic, but FL's VEH001 was available from October 2009 until very recently when it sold out. I am not aware of other manufacturers of matt figures keeping items in inventory for that long.

 

[jazzeum]

Brad, I wonder if they intend doing another regt from Gettysburg then? I bet Bob would love some artillery too.

Rob

Rob,

I'm sure he would but he is so skilled at blending the figures of many different companies that he has plenty of artillery arleady.

Brad

 

[Rob]

Rob,

I'm sure he would but he is so skilled at blending the figures of many different companies that he has plenty of artillery arleady.

Brad

That's quite true Brad, I don't think I've ever seen anyone mix four or five companies in one scene as Bob has done, its quite some skill to do that .

Rob

 

[Vezzolf]

Probably a co-incidence that Jack was replying to Vezzolf who has always been greatly concerned about the "retirement game" and it appears that FL have "retired" something.

Really???? did FL "retire" something????.... Excellent^&grin^&grin..... Now I can go price gouge someone on E-Bay^&grin^&grin.... OH Yes.... and ....then TS manufacturers can continue to raise prices because collectors are making so much money re-selling retired products....and Round and Round we go...where it stops everyone knows....Dealer Shelves.....This is the pattern that can't continue.

 

[uksubs]

Neil, I would imagine because Jack's opening line was ' I was thinking of getting the FL Stug' ...I may be wrong of course Neil!:smile2:

Rob

Think it was just a cheap dig at First Legion Rob to be honest and thought we moved away from thatc:rolleyes2:

 

[Jack]

Think it was just a cheap dig at First Legion Rob to be honest and thought we moved away from thatc:rolleyes2:

Neil

I think it was poorly worded, particularly the reference to Jenkins who produce for a different demographic. My apologies to one and all. I would not have a dig at a manufacturer, particularly one I do not collect. All the manufacturers retire items, stop making them, move on to other products and it would not be in anyone's interests to keep making something for years on the off chance I will buy. It makes perfect sense to retire items - in fact it would be bad business to do otherwise. Normally a bigot finishes with 'I am not a bigot, some of my best friends collect FL' but I cannot in all honesty say that. But it may happen!{sm4}

Jack the Stugless

 

[Mitch]

Neil..

well said mate its rather sad that the digs at manufacturers which are as plain as the nose on ones face are allowed.

something wrong with a set say it is what we are here to discuss but, the fact that some can't let it go and want to join in says plenty to a watching world that must look at the childishness with astonishment. Mine is better than yours!!!! playground stuff.
Mitch

Think it was just a cheap dig at First Legion Rob to be honest and thought we moved away from thatc:rolleyes2:

 

[Rob]

I think we should all say what we feel without fear of being shouted down myself. I like some of FL's products a lot and some not at all, I like some Britains figures a great deal and others not a lot, likewise CS etc etc. Freedom of speech was hard won in my view and it should be used. So if someone says they don't like something where is the problem, as long as its not done in an insulting way aimed at collectors its not a problem is it?

Rob

 

[thebritfarmer]

I don't see it as a dig at all from Jack. To be honest his posts do not seem to reflect that at all. I think some are just looking for an excuse to stir that pot as it were. It is quite sad in my opinion. Lets grow up and move on.

 

[The Military Workshop]

Really???? did FL "retire" something????.... Excellent^&grin^&grin..... Now I can go price gouge someone on E-Bay^&grin^&grin.... OH Yes.... and ....then TS manufacturers can continue to raise prices because collectors are making so much money re-selling retired products....and Round and Round we go...where it stops everyone knows....Dealer Shelves.....This is the pattern that can't continue.

Good point, and when you do gauge someone on Ebay try to remember it has nothing to with FL if you are happy to do so and somebody is willing to pay your price.

 

[Vezzolf]

Well Brett... "retired" or "not retired".... The point at this time is relatively mute....The "retired products game" used in the past by some TS manufacturers to create panic buying does not work so well any more....All that did was drive up prices for everyone...that party had to end sometime....And guess what?? TS are not an investment{eek3}....Most collectors are now being very selective in their purchases and not getting sucked in by the hype.....Products are going to be scrutinized much more by collectors based on quality/price....Prices in this hobby are out of control......Dealers may have more "stagnant inventory" then they care to admit.{eek3}

 

[Vezzolf]

I like the way that FL have a long shelf and has not used the ''retired'' gimmick.
Mitch

Quite True Mitch.....That's because they don't need gimmicks to sell their products.

 

[Jack]

I don't see it as a dig at all from Jack. To be honest his posts do not seem to reflect that at all. I think some are just looking for an excuse to stir that pot as it were. It is quite sad in my opinion. Lets grow up and move on.

Thanks for that. I appreciate it.

Goes to show how imprecise language can be. Six people can like your post and each do so based on what may very well be mutually exclusive views. Who would have thought the humble 'like' would become so politicised. Bring back the United Nations midnight vote where people rise above politics and vote on moral grounds without fear or favour. {sm4}