If we (Collectors) Had The Choice (1 Viewer)

[arnhem44mad]

Hey guys, been thinking about this for a while, and some people at one time or another, including myself, have complained that the sets that are coming out are not necessarily what collectors want.

I just wanted to ask you all what you would want if you had the chance, like the way you would want sets to be created?

I know Andy makes what he wants, and that's fine, I'm not complaining about that but if we had the chance how would you have the way that sets came out decided?

What if collectors got the choice to decide what they wanted to see in each range, say for Market Garden we got to pick what we wanted, say 10 different sets or figures a year?

Would just mean that collectors see exactly what they want, and so there would be less complaining when the sets came out!

Would collectors be interested in this, or do you prefer Andy's pickings?

 

[OzDigger]

Collectors don't want the same thing so you would still have fights over what was made first, so we would be no better off in reality. Unless of course everyone wanted Normandy Colored Models like I want

 

[arnhem44mad]

Collectors don't want the same thing so you would still have fights over what was made first, so we would be no better off in reality. Unless of course everyone wanted Normandy Colored Models like I want

But what if collectors got to put in suggestions every three months, then at the end of the 3 months Andy narrowed the selection down to a certain number of sets, say 30, then showed collectors what they were, and told them to choose 10 that they would like to see?

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I don't want anymore Arnhem, but I'm too lazy to figure out what I do want, so I want Andy to read my mind and make what I want with no effort from me.

Or we could always unearth the shirtless Italian lists - they have everything anyone could imagine and just pick from that

Terry

 

[OzDigger]

But what if collectors got to put in suggestions every three months, then at the end of the 3 months Andy narrowed the selection down to a certain number of sets, say 30, then showed collectors what they were, and told them to choose 10 that they would like to see?

Sounds fine in theory mate. However in practice that would mean only the more popular subjects would be produced and guys into the less popular ranges would have even less chance than they do know.

Take the recent Vichy French Camel range for example. I had no interest in them for a variety of reasons and would have much preferred they were Arabs. But no doubt the guys that collect Vichy French stuff thought they were great.

 

[lancer]

No brainer here. Leave it to Andy. -- Al

 

[daruss]

Nothing wrong with Italian Lists..

I don't want anymore Arnhem, but I'm too lazy to figure out what I do want, so I want Andy to read my mind and make what I want with no effort from me.

Or we could always unearth the shirtless Italian lists - they have everything anyone could imagine and just pick from that

Terry

 

[Mitch]

Leave it to K&C IMO.

Throughout a year of releases it seems that everyone gets something they really want and, have the option to add other good items they necessarily would not have gone for.

To open it up to a business which, must have its ranges planned out several months if not years would grind the whole process to a halt and, probably mean collectors would get less and, not what they wanted.

If it aint broke sometimes its better not to fix it!
Mitch

 

[Warrior]

Probably a good idea to leave the toy soldier production to Andy (I think he's got a pretty good idea of what sells vs what does not....) and the toy soldier purchasing to the collectors and never shall the two meet.........

 

[arnhem44mad]

Can we close the thread I don't think I explained my point very well

 

[10TH LA.]

I don't think there would be a problem with suggestions.....maybe Andy can't think of everything !!!!!! and what fun is collecting without dreaming

 

[OzDigger]

Can we close the thread I don't think I explained my point very well

it seemed like you wanted to know what other members thought of your idea.

If you actually wanted yet another wants list, I want 'Normandy' Germans every month

 

[jules118]

It's a great idea but somewhat unrealistic in practice imo.

What has surprised and impressed me is the level of interaction between Andy/K&C and the collectors who buy the products. So, I think it would be fair to say that he does pay attention to what we want. When, how, if he chooses to respond to the desires of individuals or small collector cliques is most likely dictated by a more holistic knowledge of the market than most of us possess.

I think we also have to keep in mind that this forum probably only represents a small (albeit vocal) section of his market. No doubt there are lots of collectors like myself who have quietly collected years and have never had any interaction with other enthusiasts. So a vote system would probably still only cater to a minority of the overall market. And even if I voted for something, there is no guarantee that I would buy it.

Plus, concept development, prototypes etc all take time and in business that means money, so the practicality of reducing a list to 10 or something is somewhat curtailed.

I am guessing, but I think that what could happen is that Andy reads these posts, visits the shows and interacts with his distributors to gauge what is being called for, then makes decisions based on all the int that he has in front of him... or something like that.

Of course, we all know that he is making a huge mistake by not creating a French Indochina series and a 13th century Khmer army ...but I said that I think he listens, not that he is smart.

 

[6th Wisconsin]

I think one thing collectors don't think about as much as Andy is what will sell. If you have been collecting for a while, you may want more exotic or unusual items, whereas newer collectors really want to see Tigers, Shermans, etc. that they must have but have not bought yet.

 

[MapleLeaf]

Personnally i could not afford a wish list
so i leave it to a surprise

 

[6th Wisconsin]

Personnally i could not afford a wish list
so i leave it to a surprise

The best answer yet!! So true.

 

[spartan71]

With me the perfect answer would be, Make more airplanes . the First two, there was only maybe a 3 month gap. there is a 5 month gap so far, with the next release. And I am just guessing that we are overdue at least one more. by August