Lots of terrific suggestions including some I've considered myself...Here's the problem...The majority of collectors only have a finite amount of dosh, as you yourself noted earlier, and most collectors pick and choose what and when they will buy certain items.
Here's one little true story from a few years back...One particular U.S. Collector was always onto K&C to produce a 'Long Range Desert Group' Chevrolet truck. He would send me faxes (before emails), corner me at shows, visit the K&C rooms in Chicago and The Westcoaster always saying,"When K&C decide to make that LRDG Truck...I'll be your first customer!"
Well, about 12 months later we did indeed produce the much requested item and brought a special sample for this particular collector to one of The Westcoaster Shows where I was very happy to see the same collector come into our room..."Well, my friend here is your LRDG Truck", I proudly pointed out the model on a very nice 'Desert' Diorama built by Gordon.
There followed a slightly embarrassing pause before the collector said," Ah Yes...very nice but I no longer collect LRDG vehicles or the 'Desert' series...I've just started collecting Russian made Medieval Knights!"
It's definitely a truism and worth repeating...No matter what you produce, when you release it, you won't please or satisfy everyone or be able to provide all the 'extras' everyone wants.
However, we'll do our best...
Cheers!
Andy.
I know what you mean and have heard similar things from other companies. People change their mind etc, there is nothing stranger than people. I also think as collectors many forget it is a business as well and manufacturers have to make money to pay for those boring things like a mortgage and food. So must maximise the returns and make the choices which sell and are not seem to popular, that is why I, hopefully, put the ideas forward as suggestions. There are collections and eras I thought I would collect forever, then just decided to stop and just got rid of what I had.