A Poll Suggestion that might make sense... (1 Viewer)

Brad - If only the same people were collecting toy soldiers year after year, this would be bad news indeed for the industry. People would be saturated with figures and vehicles. They will tend to only get the specific piece they want.

However, with new people coming into the hobby on a regular basis, there is much room for growth as people begin their collections. New collectors are more likely to want to get started with entire ranges.
 
Peter Reuss said:
Brad - If only the same people were collecting toy soldiers year after year, this would be bad news indeed for the industry. People would be saturated with figures and vehicles. They will tend to only get the specific piece they want.

However, with new people coming into the hobby on a regular basis, there is much room for growth as people begin their collections. New collectors are more likely to want to get started with entire ranges.
Click to expand...

Dear Pete, As per the original question, how does 35 or 50 of a piece benefit the dealer.. Take the mfg.cost, add your shipping and markup and then your portion of that run, how does a net gain on your end of $300 to $500 per run ,benefit the dealer. Add the frustration factor of your regular customers , who did not get their orders in on time , because your stock was limited to near nothing. Does limited marketing really help your bottom line? Have the high priced, limited run item ,helped you, as a dealer, or hurt you...Not asking for trade secrets, but if you could venture a thought, I would appreciate it..Thanks,Michael
 
Peter is right - far too many times the members of this forum believe they are the only people in the Toy Soldier Collecting World. :rolleyes:

If you cant afford this hobby you have three options:

1) Quit - can't afford it and you can do something else to make yourself happy.

2) Work Hard - Make more money - so you can afford the hobby.

3) Continue to whine on the forum about the high costs of Toy Soldiers and resent the people who are using option number TWO !

I have never been a big believer in the theory "If I Can't Have It - Then No One Else Should Either" I mean give me a break - Toy Soldier Manf. & Dealers are in this to make money - its their business.

Unfortunately, dealers are at the mercy of the producers - and that being said the producers are at the mercy of the cost of production. CAPITALISM - folks ... No Communist Doctrine requires the production of Toy Soldiers. (Well maybe in Redhugh's world ;) )

As for the same old fight over Ebay - "Its your stuff - do what you want with it" and for the those who purchase more than one item - ONCE AGAIN, CAPITALIST SOCIETY - GO WORK HARD AND MAKE MONEY - THEN BUY WHAT YOU WANT. No one owes you the right to leave things on the shelf - until you are ready to get off your butt and buy it. The harsh words of reality.

I tell you - sometimes the thought process around here is very COMMUNISTIC ! :eek:

Thus ends my rant for a Sunday Afternoon :)
 
jazzeum said:
John,

I think it's something we should all think about. Another question (and I know manufacturers don't like to hear this) is how much is enough.
Click to expand...

Brad:

Excellent point....but one each collector must answer for himself. I have

several friends that seek to have one of everything Lionel ever made.....

thousands and thousands of items:eek::eek:

One friend has a two car garage stuffed with boxes with just a narrow lane

to walk through....while his cars sit in the driveway:D:D

I hope to strike a happy medium:D
 
John,

I agree. This is a personal decision and I would not attempt to foist my views onto others. The use of the word "we" was more of a generic use.
 
maddadicus said:
Dear Pete, As per the original question, how does 35 or 50 of a piece benefit the dealer.. Take the mfg.cost, add your shipping and markup and then your portion of that run, how does a net gain on your end of $300 to $500 per run ,benefit the dealer. Add the frustration factor of your regular customers , who did not get their orders in on time , because your stock was limited to near nothing. Does limited marketing really help your bottom line? Have the high priced, limited run item ,helped you, as a dealer, or hurt you...Not asking for trade secrets, but if you could venture a thought, I would appreciate it..Thanks,Michael
Click to expand...

Hi Michael - I'll jump in and respond here...

There are some advantages for dealers to the limited run. The dealer can be assured of selling the entire inventory that they receive of that item. Money doesn't get tied up in carrying stock for an extended period of time (I guess this applies to those dealers who, like us, carry every item that manufacturers make). The amount of money dealers tie up in stock is quite significant, so limited runs are somtimes appreciated to facilitate a fast turn-over of that stock.

The challenge of limited runs comes as manufacturers attempt to figure out how many of an item to make. If they make too few, there's a run on the item which means we have to turn people away. If they make too many, that completely detracts from the benefits of a limited run. HB is in the process of determining that number. I think they now know they started too low, but as people of their word they are committed to remaining with the number they promised. Some collectors may have purchased the set because of the limited number and changing the number mid-stream would not be ethical. It took other manufacturers a few releases to come to a good number too. I trust that HB will get there too.

You seem to imply that limited runs are always higher priced. That's not the case. You can see that the HB figure sets in question are priced exactly the same as the old sets.

I hope this helps people understand a dealer's perspective.
 
Thanks, Peter...Sometimes a mfg. must go with their gut as to whether an item will be a homerun sales winner...Michael
 
Capitolron said:
If you cant afford this hobby you have three options:

1) Quit - can't afford it and you can do something else to make yourself happy.

2) Work Hard - Make more money - so you can afford the hobby.

3) Continue to whine on the forum about the high costs of Toy Soldiers and resent the people who are using option number TWO !

Unfortunately, dealers are at the mercy of the producers - and that being said the producers are at the mercy of the cost of production. CAPITALISM - folks ... No Communist Doctrine requires the production of Toy Soldiers. (Well maybe in Redhugh's world ;) )

As for the same old fight over Ebay - "Its your stuff - do what you want with it" and for the those who purchase more than one item - ONCE AGAIN, CAPITALIST SOCIETY - GO WORK HARD AND MAKE MONEY - THEN BUY WHAT YOU WANT. No one owes you the right to leave things on the shelf - until you are ready to get off your butt and buy it. The harsh words of reality.
Click to expand...

Never took you for a Marxist, Ron:D:D
The philosphopy you're expounding is
"To each according to their contribution" is considered by Marxists and other socialists as a characteristic of society after a socialist revolution .
Karl Marx first described it "..an equal amount of products for an equal amount of labor" " to each the full product of his labor ":D:D:D
I'm no communist though:D:D:D
Redhugh was a famous irish leader who led an Irish army , ultimately defeated at the battle of kinsale, where they were attempting to relieve an English blockade of a Spanish fleet with reinforcements in 1600. He ended up dying in spain:)
 
redhugh said:
Never took you for a Marxist, Ron:D:D
The philosphopy you're expounding is
"To each according to their contribution" is considered by Marxists and other socialists as a characteristic of society after a socialist revolution .
Karl Marx first described it "..an equal amount of products for an equal amount of labor" " to each the full product of his labor "
I'm no communist though
Redhugh was a famous irish leader who led an Irish army , ultimately defeated at the battle of kinsale, where they were attempting to relieve an English blockade of a Spanish fleet with reinforcements in 1600. He ended up dying in spain
Click to expand...

I am not sure how you could take my comments of the virtues of CAPITALISM and allowing the Market Place decide the distribution of wealth - as Communistic? :confused:

I firmly believe in CASH ! If you have it - you get to use it ! :D
 
Capitolron said:
I am not sure how you could take my comments of the virtues of CAPITALISM and allowing the Market Place decide the distribution of wealth - as Communistic? :confused:

I firmly believe in CASH ! If you have it - you get to use it ! :D
Click to expand...

You didn't mention the Market Place , you were extolling the virtues of more work for more toy soldiers...in the case of the market place more work isn't always more toy soldiers;):D:D:D
 
damian said:
...There is only one solution here. Nationlaize the toy soldier industry. Central planning as to how much gets produced each year...
Click to expand...

Then my molds and I will go underground! Or I'll take to the hills. There are a lot of places up in Potter or Tioga counties where a forge could be set up and no one would ever find it. I can live off venison, and squirrel stew.

Prost!
Brad
 
redhugh said:
You didn't mention the Market Place , you were extolling the virtues of more work for more toy soldiers...in the case of the market place more work isn't always more toy soldiers;):D:D:D
Click to expand...

Some where in all of this you have made the assumption that I believe in the Collective State ? - Actually, this is what others have implied and I have denounced.

My point of work hard AND MAKE MORE MONEY is Capitalism at its finest. The profit motive - not work hard for the State or the Collective Body - WORK HARD AND MAKE YOURSELF MORE CASH ! Now - true because you work hard doesn't mean you will always make more money - You must work smart and seek $$$ rewards. Ahhh, Profit & Cash - I Love The Smell of Money !

I think I would make a bad Communist. :D
 
Ron- one thing about that work ethic of yours- it proves you are not French! what with their 6 hour work week, no wonder Napoleon moved offshore.- lancer
 
Thats a great question, I think the armoured car could really be something

but I want to see it in person. Andy must really have a lot of fun deciding

what he is going to produce next. He has such a wide variety of items there

is just about something to interest most collectors.

Anything special that has caught your eye?
 
Sorry John i may have got our lines crossed there.I really like the 251 armoured car thats coming in Sept,its the Polizei car i'm not sure about.The 251 looks cool and will go very well with some of the new figures i think.I like the Schwimmwagen but not so worried about the guy...but hey we've been there already havn't we!;).The retirments hit me hard this time round,lots of world war 2 stuff saying farewell.How about you John,anything retired that you were after?

Rob
 
I liked the WS100 & WS101 the last fighter and tug, I thought they were a

nice item and I was suprised when they were retired.

I agree the 251 armoured car is a sharp item......I forgot about that one:eek:

I liked the earlier schwimmerwagen, so I will certainly take a look at this one

also. I really don't know how anyone keeps up:eek: I have my own little

system......but the new items just keep rolling out:eek:

On top of that I just checked and I have purchased 20 retired pieces so far

this year so I'm going to have to start having packages delivered to my

neighbor:eek::eek: or cut back:D or I'm going to be sleeping on the back

deck:D
 
Have them delivered to your neighbour then John,you don't want to cut back;).I too have a system but it seems to go out the window these days,so much stuff i want.I had to let the Rammjager go,its so difficult choosing priorities.:rolleyes:

Rob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Community platform by XenForo® © 2010-2024 XenForo Ltd.
Back
Top