Distribution question (1 Viewer)

[Rutledge]

First let me say the new WWII line from FL looks like it could be very nice.

But Im curious: How does Treefrog benefit from hosting First Legion on their Forum?

FL doesnt offer their products through TF -- for whatever reason(s) -- right? So why should FL be able to market and promote their product line through their site? Could be some sort of licensing fee is paid, I dont know.

But if the new WWII line takes some K&C marketshare, TF may actually be hurt financially by letting FL market itself through the Forum.

I'm all for altruism but TF is a business. Going direct from hong Kong as K&C does is not the same as going direct from right here in the USA.

Like I said, just curious.

 

[Peter Reuss]

Good question...

Shannon created the Treefrog Forum to be a place where people from all over the toy soldier hobby can come together and share their common interests. The forum exists to promote the hobby, not just the companies that Treefrog happens to carry (since, of course, no dealer can carry everything). This isn't Treefrog's little club for our customers. Many of the major players of the toy soldier world take part in the conversation, including some of Treefrog's direct 'competitors.' Opening the Forum up to every manufacturer and dealer has made the forum what it is. We feel that by expanding the hobby as a whole we benefit along with many, many others.

In many ways this is much like K&C UK and the London Show. I know in talking to Tony that their aim is to promote the hobby, not just their slice of it. By sponsoring the show, they bring all sorts of 'competitors' to the table, but what's good for the toy soldier hobby is good for them!

So in direct answer to your question, we at Treefrog do not directly gain anything from FL, CS, or any other manufacturer we don't carry. We're all in this together - nobody has to pay Treefrog for forum space. There are times when the visibility of the forum has built relationships with manufacturers & other dealers that might not have existed without it.

Some may call that crazy, but let's be honest -partly due to this forum, who in the toy soldier world hasn't heard of Treefrog?

 

[Go for Broke]

I heard a saying in a movie of which I can not remember. Gettysburg maybe? "In war, good people get better and bad people get worse". Thanks Pete & Shannon for the Treefrog Forum.

 

[Peter Reuss]

I should probably clarify...we don't receive payment in any way from ANY manufacturer to promote them on the forum. All are welcome!

 

[Spitfrnd]

Good question...

Shannon created the Treefrog Forum to be a place where people from all over the toy soldier hobby can come together and share their common interests. The forum exists to promote the hobby, not just the companies that Treefrog happens to carry (since, of course, no dealer can carry everything). This isn't Treefrog's little club for our customers. Many of the major players of the toy soldier world take part in the conversation, including some of Treefrog's direct 'competitors.' Opening the Forum up to every manufacturer and dealer has made the forum what it is. We feel that by expanding the hobby as a whole we benefit along with many, many others.

In many ways this is much like K&C UK and the London Show. I know in talking to Tony that their aim is to promote the hobby, not just their slice of it. By sponsoring the show, they bring all sorts of 'competitors' to the table, but what's good for the toy soldier hobby is good for them!

So in direct answer to your question, we at Treefrog do not directly gain anything from FL, CS, or any other manufacturer we don't carry. We're all in this together - nobody has to pay Treefrog for forum space. There are times when the visibility of the forum has built relationships with manufacturers & other dealers that might not have existed without it.

Some may call that crazy, but let's be honest -partly due to this forum, who in the toy soldier world hasn't heard of Treefrog?

Its not crazy at all and interestingly it does enable TF to benefit indirectly from this opportunity to exchange ideas about the hobby. If not for First Legion, which I found through this forum, I would not be collecting Napoleonics. Since I started collecting them, I have bought a number of K&C and Britains figures from Treefrog. Sometimes being nice works to your advantage; I love it when that happens.

 

[aujj65]

Good question...

Shannon created the Treefrog Forum to be a place where people from all over the toy soldier hobby can come together and share their common interests. The forum exists to promote the hobby, not just the companies that Treefrog happens to carry (since, of course, no dealer can carry everything). This isn't Treefrog's little club for our customers. Many of the major players of the toy soldier world take part in the conversation, including some of Treefrog's direct 'competitors.' Opening the Forum up to every manufacturer and dealer has made the forum what it is. We feel that by expanding the hobby as a whole we benefit along with many, many others.

In many ways this is much like K&C UK and the London Show. I know in talking to Tony that their aim is to promote the hobby, not just their slice of it. By sponsoring the show, they bring all sorts of 'competitors' to the table, but what's good for the toy soldier hobby is good for them!

So in direct answer to your question, we at Treefrog do not directly gain anything from FL, CS, or any other manufacturer we don't carry. We're all in this together - nobody has to pay Treefrog for forum space. There are times when the visibility of the forum has built relationships with manufacturers & other dealers that might not have existed without it.

Some may call that crazy, but let's be honest -partly due to this forum, who in the toy soldier world hasn't heard of Treefrog?

Peter, interesting that you mention this, as I was taking photos of the different trade stands at the London show, most of the owners I spoke to had heard of the forum.

Jeff

 

[Rutledge]

Interesting Peter. Thanks for your prompt and straight up response.

Your reasoning makes good sense. The Forum itself is a marketing tool for TF, and the more visitors to it the better for you. Even if some business is siphoned off by direct sellers, net-net you definitely come out ahead.

There could be concerns from the Manafacturer side, however. If FL, CS, etc can sell all the product they want, pretty much, directly from their own web site, with the TF Forum as a sort of an unpaid intermediary, that seems a great advantage for them. Finanically, its a huge benefit not having to build in a dealer profit margin into their SRPs.

They could go three different ways: Go to market at roughly the same price points, albeit with much higher margins than those who distribute via dealers, potentially putting them in a stronger position financially, over time; Maintain same margins as the dealer distributors, yet still undercut the dealer network substantially; Or, create higher quality products, at greater cost than manufacturers who distribute thru dealers, but still be able to price very competitively at the retail level. Over time this could give them a nice "positioning" advantage in the market as they build out their brand, their product line, etc.

Determing the best way to distribute one's products has certainly become a more interesting question in the age of the internet!

Hey, I know I seem more interested in this stuff at times than the Toy Soldiers themselves. What can I say!