Are Toy Soldier sales spreading out to non-traditional markets? (1 Viewer)

[HistoryfortheAges]

This question is most likely aimed at retail shops and/or manufacturers. I would like to know if markets considered non-traditional to toy soldier sales (i.e. markets other than the USA, Canada, Britain and Western Europe), have sales been increasing in those markets? Is there any interest in collecting Military Miniatures in those markets? Which countries are showing the most promise?

 

[blaster]

I would think that the Asian mkt is big on collecting plastic "collectables", pieces made from soft rubbery plastic representing manga (comics) characters. There are sets being produced which move towards a historical asian perspective with Chinese and Japanese warriors being represented. These figures are in odd scales 1/35 or larger.

I have started a range to tap into this non-traditional mkt.
www.gcmtoy.com

 

[theBaron]

I would think that the Asian mkt is big on collecting plastic "collectables", pieces made from soft rubbery plastic representing manga (comics) characters. There are sets being produced which move towards a historical asian perspective with Chinese and Japanese warriors being represented. These figures are in odd scales 1/35 or larger.

I have started a range to tap into this non-traditional mkt.
www.gcmtoy.com

I agree about the Asian market, and would add, anime and manga characters in resin, too, for painters, in larger scales, though prepainted figures in those scales seem to be becoming more common.

Prost!
Brad

 

[blaster]

Hi Brad,
You noticed too that the Asian mkt is not fixated on metal as the casting material.


Rgds Victor

 

[theBaron]

Hi, Victor!

Yes, resin probably has advantages over metal, especially for the garage kit makers. You don't have to worry about burning yourself, or accelerated wear from constant heating and cooling. And you don't need a source of energy, either, as you do to run a melting pot.

Plus, for a 1/8th scale Asuka or Major Kusanagi, imagine the weight of the figure, if she were cast in white metal (especially the well-endowed Kusanagi-the figure couldn't stand without help! )

I don't know if there are cost benefits at larger scales of production. If you're going to run a factory and produce a thousands of figures, by that time, relative cost benefits probably even out.

Prost!
Brad

 

[blaster]

Hi Brad,

You got me on those manga stuff. I can't keep up... I only make metal toy soldiers 54mm.
I do know that the cost of resin parts is not that cheap even when compared to metal parts. This is because the resin is not reusable, unlike metal. I guess that their value is in their relative lightness for large scale pieces.

Rgds Victor