Opinions on Chicago Show 2013 (3 Viewers)

[Raider]

Will be interesting to hear how some of the dealers did at the show.

 

[Peter Reuss]

I know we did well with our glossy lines, and I talked to several other gloss dealers/manufacturers telling me that it was a very good show for them. Perhaps for many of these small gloss companies, people still are 'old school' and wait to see what will be available for them to snap up.

 

[HistoryfortheAges]

I know we did well with our glossy lines, and I talked to several other gloss dealers/manufacturers telling me that it was a very good show for them. Perhaps for many of these small gloss companies, people still are 'old school' and wait to see what will be available for them to snap up.

That is interesting... {sm2} Maybe, people are diversifying their collections. Also, gloss-painted figures are usually about half the price of today's matte-painted figures except for a few exceptions like vintage Trophy and Somerset.

 

[damian]

Sure. Then when they get there those with deep pockets can buy a single figure for $70. Or they can
go to WalMart and buy a whole bag for ten bucks. Also video games only run about $50 or they can rent,
trade with friends and etc. Newcomers are priced out of the market. I'll bet high roller regular attendees spent
far less than they did five years ago. Some places the economy is getting slightly better, but Chicago isn't
one of them. Take note: "The unemployment rate across Chicago, Joliet and Naperville now stands at 9.7 percent,
up 0.3 percent from July 2012. Illinois has one of the highest unemployment rates in the nation at 9.2 percent."

Compare to the San Antonio Show: San Antonio's jobless rate slid to 5.8 percent in August from 6 percent in July.
Texas' jobless rate meanwhile dipped slightly for the first time in months in August, to 6.4. Both San Antonio and
Texas fared better than the nation, which reported an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent in August.

I'll say again........Newcomers are priced out of the market. Let's not rationalize.:salute::

I agree with you. The world economy is not in a good place all round and the hobby as it stands now is pretty steep.
Where are the plastic guys who should be out there bringing in the children.

 

[Rob]

Well said Brad. One of the main reasons for me going to the London shows is the people there. Don't get me wrong I love seeing all the TS's laid out in front of me like that, but it's meeting up with all my friends and fellow collectors every year that is the highlight. I think even if I suddenly stopped collecting and never purchased another item I'd still go up there for a chat in the bar with them. We can all sit at home perusing the web for what we want to buy, but still nothing like human one on one every time. Of course you can always pick up the odd bit of intel too! :salute::

I think, if memory serves, the last London show was quieter too. It has to be a hobby that gets put on hold if money is short hasn't it , hardly a problem to live without another Fallschimjager if you ae struggling with life's other expenses!

Best

Rob

One of the reasons I go to OTSN is for the people. I just don't get to see people like Greg, Rick Wang, Steven Chong, Shannon, Andy, Gordon, Ken and Ericka Osen, Gary (and even Louis, although he's only an hour away) but once a year. Moreover, if you're looking for retired items (for me it's Trophy), shows like these are a must.

For many sellers I think a show like OTSN must be similar to the department stores during the Christmas season: those sales make up a good portion of thier income for the year.

I think promotion is a must: you don't want to attract people who already collect but those who don't. For example, someone (maybe Carlos) posted an interview that Andy did with one of the San Antonio stations for the Texas Show where he showed off some of the figures. Good public relations is essential. With a show like this I would hope that one of the Chicago stations and newspapers know about it. Heck, this is supposed to be the show of the year, the place to be. Let's treat it as such and get the word out.

I can't remember how many kids I saw yesterday but as I was getting ready to leave I saw two young kids, with mouthes wide open and large eyes looking at the displays that the manufacturers had. The media can play a part by getting kids to convince their parents to bring them to the Show.

Brad

 

[PanzerAce1944]

Sitting here in Texas I did not attend the Chicago show, but for me personally I felt a lack of buzz or excitement for this show watching from the sidelines. I surely don't want to take away any of the fun
that those that attended did have but something just seemed off here ! As several have already mentioned that attended, Chicago seems to be losing some steam here...........
Weather will have an effect on attendance as rain seems to keep some folks at home unfortunately. Not to be biased here but
it seems the Texas Toy Soldier Show has been really an excellent example of how to do a show in a well known city. Things kick off with a pre show party on Friday evening prior to the weekend show with
complimentary music, food, drinks, and a chance for collectors to meet and greet. Then comes the first day of the show Saturday which culminates with the Saturday evening dinner right there on site.
This past year LTC. Cole(Doolittle Raider) was a guest speaker which combined living history and Toy Soldiers all under one roof ! Coverage, news and plenty of photos of the event pour out quickly
and everything is very well covered.

Sunday allows ample chance for those who could not make it Saturday to view the displays and dealer offerings. I have been to this show for the last 2 years since King&Country / KingsX took control of the event.
Andy came on the local news in San Antonio and did interviews both years promoting the event and from what I understand also advertised in the local papers. A lot of attendees show up in historical dress from
18th century, WWII to modern day with full equipment which adds a fun atmosphere to the event. An added benefit is the Texas Show is held during a Holiday "Memorial Day" weekend allowing many to attend without
having to take time off from work. Held in the Historic Menger Hotel where Teddy Roosevelt recruited his Rough Riders and having the "Alamo" 1 block away doesn't hurt either !
What if Chicago was held during Labor Day weekend to free up attendance ? Just a thought !

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Guys,

Peter summed it up really well for me and the other glossy collectors out there The shows are generally where we find items we are seeking aside from online auctions etc. I am sure the matte sales still out did the glossy but I doubt anyone keeps real close track of that sort of info.

Dave

 

[Mitch]

I don't really think attendance at a show and the health of the hobby are compatible and can be used to say X or Y. I know a lot of people who don't attend shows but buy a lot of products even in the UK many can't or won't pay better part of £300 plus to attend a show to walk around looking at items when they can buy the same amount from the comfort of their homes.

Its also strange to constantly hear some collectors talking about getting all these mythical children into the hobby what kids buy the sets we do at these prices? There is a lot of lip service from the manufacturers but more from collectors about getting kids into this hobby. Please folks lets get real. I don't care if a kid comes into the hobby and, if they are honest I bet manufacturers are not too bothered. the hobby is not aimed never has been and, never will be at kids its aimed at mainly men who have a reasonable amount of spare cash to indulge in things they fancy buying. It is why the prices are what they are.

To attract children would need a wholesale change in every facet of this hobby from manufacturing to advertising. to do this would see the majority in it now leave with the change to sets released. Even the cheap sets announced by K&C are not going to bring kids into the Hobby IMO.

I hate going to a supermarket (on the rare occasions I go as its all done on line with home delivery) with whining kids around so, going to a show with them running about... No thanks. All you guys trying to do the manufacturers job let it go and concentrate on buying what you want. how many of you have actually brought kids into the hobby that are regularly buying FL, K&C etc??? I bet, a big fat zero. ''kids'' and I presume we are talking of a specific age (6-14 for arguments sake) don't want to play with toy soldiers in the majority of cases and, this issue of parents garnering their kids interest is also fanciful. You cannot force someone to do something or even support an interest that is not there. How many kids would play with Toy soldiers when their mates are playing with electronic gadgets at a fraction of the price. what kids have ever played with a £260 AFV or a £70 figure and, what parent would buy them??? Is there really a link between playing with plastic and then moving on to metal??? Just because its seems the norm for a few here does not mean there is a causal link across the board.

I am actually surprised shows are doing as well as they are not how poorly.
Mitch

 

[Jack]

Perhaps it is more about attracting the 'middle aged' kids (those in their forties) who remember plastics and now have the time and the money for the hobby. I got into the hobby via a childhood interest in plastics - there was just a thirty year gap!!

 

[DMNamiot]

Mitches point about the cost of getting kids into the hobby is interesting. I do know that if the kids parents are willing to spend a lot of money for legos and other toys they might be lured into the TS world if the companies out there did plastic semi painted lines like WB does with the Deetail line or maybe someone who has a company like Black Cat could make playsets like the old marx ones and offer them for sale. Maybe this would bring a few more younger collectors into the hobby but I am not sure the manufacturers out there would want to commit the money to develop this market because it wouldn't be cheap. Otherwise I enjoyed seeing kids at the London Show.

Dave

Oh and Mitch I think your price of 300 pounds is off a bit because I spent well over that on flights, hotel room and food buses and trains not including what I spent at the show...

 

[larso]

"Where are the plastic guys who should be out there bringing in the children."

There are plastic guys who do a great job but they are pretty much aimed at adult collectors too. Even with the work of TSSD, AIP and a few others there is not much happening in 1/32 scale. I look at what the Star Wars people do, for instance, in terms of coloured action figures and it's hard for the traditional one colour pack of army men to match them. A bigger problem is lack of movies depicting historic events and creating interest in the first place. It's hard to think of a war themed movie that's taken off in the last 10 years. A few years ago I thought a Texas Ranger line would be a winner with the Johnny Dep movie due. Lucky I didn't invest money taking that idea further! Video games probably are best at keeping the history alive but they don't encourage buying any soldiers as you're 'in' the game anyway.

 

[Rob]

Perhaps it is more about attracting the 'middle aged' kids (those in their forties) who remember plastics and now have the time and the money for the hobby. I got into the hobby via a childhood interest in plastics - there was just a thirty year gap!!

Exactly. Myself and just about every other boy in my street got into toy soldiers, Action Man, Commando Comics, Airfix soldiers and kits etc through the endless repeating of War films on tv in the seventies. We played ' War' in the woods and streets and the Second World War was still fresh in the nation's memory. But kids live in a TOTALLY different world now. I have two nephews and four god daughters and they all have social lives and networks that we could not have even imagined back then. They are barely at home but in a constant tour of friends houses and sleepovers etc. They have computers , mobiles, facebook, Wii , and God knows what else. Its not just about money anymore but they just are not as hooked on the subject as we were. If I said to my nephews here is a hundred quid go and buy three metal toy soldiers , they'd think me insane. When they see my collection they smile and say ' cool ' but there is barely a flicker of interest. They ask me questions for their history homework but that's as far as it goes.

I heard a couple talking to their young son a couple of shows back and he wanted a Kubelwagen. The couple were on the verge of buying it until they heard the price, they then stood there and could not agree to pay out that amount for a model that in all probability would be ruined in five mins. This is indeed a hobby for middle aged kids with a bit extra in their pockets.

Makes me feel very old when I think back to my childhood in the early seventies.......but it sure was good!:smile2::wink2:

Rob

 

[DMNamiot]

Amazing how similar our childhoods were Rob! :salute::

I bet we watched all the same movies and had all the same GI Joe/ Action Man Gear. Yes I did have Action Man gear because of friends who traveled to the UK and brought it back for me. Still have some of it on a bunch of joes in storage.

Very good post about the middle aged kids and even more so about the kids being wired in these days mine are to a lesser extent because of our life overseas and also because my wife and I don't let them have cells etc. Still an excellent post!

Dave

 

[Rob]

Amazing how similar our childhoods were Rob! :salute::

I bet we watched all the same movies and had all the same GI Joe/ Action Man Gear. Yes I did have Action Man gear because of friends who traveled to the UK and brought it back for me. Still have some of it on a bunch of joes in storage.

Very good post about the middle aged kids and even more so about the kids being wired in these days mine are to a lesser extent because of our life overseas and also because my wife and I don't let them have cells etc. Still an excellent post!

Dave

Thanks mate, I bet we did! :salute:: In those days (hard to imagine now) but there were only three tv channels! So every Christmas it was The Great Escape , Zulu, Heroes of Telemark, Battle of The Bulge etc.

I too have some Action men and gear left up in the loft, happy days in the seventies mate, looooong proper hot summers and we played outside all day long without our parents having to worry about so many weirdos that now appear to stalk the land.

Oh god don't I sound old Dave!^&grin

All the best mate

When are you coming back to London???

Rob

 

[aujj65]

Well said Brad. One of the main reasons for me going to the London shows is the people there. Don't get me wrong I love seeing all the TS's laid out in front of me like that, but it's meeting up with all my friends and fellow collectors every year that is the highlight. I think even if I suddenly stopped collecting and never purchased another item I'd still go up there for a chat in the bar with them. We can all sit at home perusing the web for what we want to buy, but still nothing like human one on one every time. Of course you can always pick up the odd bit of intel too! :salute::

I think, if memory serves, the last London show was quieter too. It has to be a hobby that gets put on hold if money is short hasn't it , hardly a problem to live without another Fallschimjager if you ae struggling with life's other expenses!

Best

Rob

Quite right Rob, there's nothing like a bucket of G&T to quench the thirst whilst chewing the cud with the rest of us at the bar (or to take the edge off that large purchase)! :wink2:

Numbers might be down a bit which might be weather related, but there seems to be a constant stream of new products coming out every month so someone must be buying them.

Looking forward to December show.

Jeff

 

[Jack]

Exactly. Myself and just about every other boy in my street got into toy soldiers, Action Man, Commando Comics, Airfix soldiers and kits etc through the endless repeating of War films on tv in the seventies. We played ' War' in the woods and streets and the Second World War was still fresh in the nation's memory. But kids live in a TOTALLY different world now. I have two nephews and four god daughters and they all have social lives and networks that we could not have even imagined back then. They are barely at home but in a constant tour of friends houses and sleepovers etc. They have computers , mobiles, facebook, Wii , and God knows what else. Its not just about money anymore but they just are not as hooked on the subject as we were. If I said to my nephews here is a hundred quid go and buy three metal toy soldiers , they'd think me insane. When they see my collection they smile and say ' cool ' but there is barely a flicker of interest. They ask me questions for their history homework but that's as far as it goes.

I heard a couple talking to their young son a couple of shows back and he wanted a Kubelwagen. The couple were on the verge of buying it until they heard the price, they then stood there and could not agree to pay out that amount for a model that in all probability would be ruined in five mins. This is indeed a hobby for middle aged kids with a bit extra in their pockets.

Makes me feel very old when I think back to my childhood in the early seventies.......but it sure was good!:smile2::wink2:

Rob

Rob

Yes ... we were much the same in my part of the world. I particularly liked the Commando comics. In those days you could go into a second hand book store at the beach and buy them for mere cents.

The benefit of growing the collector base is obvious but the 'new' manufacturers who have appeared in the last ten years presumably are making a profit so there must be people buying somewhere. I collect mainkly K&C, Britains and Jenkins and there seems to be loads of new stuff coming out. I am always three or four months behind so there must e a 'silent majority' out there buying.

Jack

 

[Jack]

"Where are the plastic guys who should be out there bringing in the children."

There are plastic guys who do a great job but they are pretty much aimed at adult collectors too. Even with the work of TSSD, AIP and a few others there is not much happening in 1/32 scale. I look at what the Star Wars people do, for instance, in terms of coloured action figures and it's hard for the traditional one colour pack of army men to match them. A bigger problem is lack of movies depicting historic events and creating interest in the first place. It's hard to think of a war themed movie that's taken off in the last 10 years. A few years ago I thought a Texas Ranger line would be a winner with the Johnny Dep movie due. Lucky I didn't invest money taking that idea further! Video games probably are best at keeping the history alive but they don't encourage buying any soldiers as you're 'in' the game anyway.

Larso

You introduced me to this hobby so perhaps we should all look to 'invite' one friend each into the hobby!!

Jack

 

[Rob]

Quite right Rob, there's nothing like a bucket of G&T to quench the thirst whilst chewing the cud with the rest of us at the bar (or to take the edge off that large purchase)! :wink2:

Numbers might be down a bit which might be weather related, but there seems to be a constant stream of new products coming out every month so someone must be buying them.

Looking forward to December show.

Jeff

Well said my friend:salute:::wink2: I know for a fact James has done some of his best purchasing work after a couple of pints too many!^&grin

Rob

Yes ... we were much the same in my part of the world. I particularly liked the Commando comics. In those days you could go into a second hand book store at the beach and buy them for mere cents.

The benefit of growing the collector base is obvious but the 'new' manufacturers who have appeared in the last ten years presumably are making a profit so there must be people buying somewhere. I collect mainkly K&C, Britains and Jenkins and there seems to be loads of new stuff coming out. I am always three or four months behind so there must e a 'silent majority' out there buying.

Jack

They were so cheap weren't they, they always used to be sold in the shops on the coast too, its as if the kids got bored or something^&grin

I too am three or four or more months behind, but I don't mind, I'll only worry if I get three or four months behind in the mortgage because of the hobby!

Rob

 

[DMNamiot]

Hi Rob,

I would like to get back to London this year in December but its not likely due to our move and vacation expenses... But I will be back before I depart from Europe it was a lot of fun and I want to bring my oldest boy along next time. Maybe make a collector out of him someday.


Dave

 

[29 Let's Go]

I was at the Chicago Show on Sunday and it seemed like attendance was down. There seemed to be less excuse me, sorry excuse me. It is the only time that I am able to see the figures in person and they are much better "live" than any web site. I know there has been a lot of discussion about less business, less customers etc. I do believe the reasons listed from other collectors do make sense. I will add personally, as well as, what I heard from other collectors is the root cause of why we collect is our love and interest (good thing I added the and) of history and the figures we collect bring that to life. I also notice that youth today do not seem to have as much interest in history, especially the history they have not lived through. If I look at a figure without knowing the history behind it, what's the point of possessing it? If I line figures for them to see, they are not nearly as interested as if they are in a diorama. The diorama is tells the story.

If I was in the selling, manufacturing and or promotion of figures, I would find a grant that would enable me to build minlitary and non military dioramas and take them to schools etc for talk about history.

Steve