Price of single figures (1 Viewer)

[Wraith]

Difficult call. Am I reluctant to spend £35 on a figure? Yes. And will only do it for a few specific ranges or the odd figure here or there.

Is it good value? More difficult to answer.
I'm a reasonable painter, not top class, but perfectly able to produce a reasonable finished job. That said, I could never do it as a business, because I would take 10 times as long as some of the factories turning out K&C, CS, Figarti etc.

I know how long it takes me to paint a figure from scratch, to a standard I'm happy with. And it's a fair old while. Now, if I multiply the time spent on painting a figure to the sort of standard we see coming out of China, with what I'm paid per hour for my day job, then all of a sudden, £35 per figure seems very good value indeed, and that's not taking in to account sculpting, casting and material costs.

Just my thoughts.....

Simon

 

[The Military Workshop]

Uksubs,

Firstly when you started the thread it was clear in my mind, and probably to others, which brand you were referring to as you have made many such price related comments in the past. Difference this time was you just did not say it outright.

In relation to the average price in my shop that is not so easy as you make out. I have various brands and some figures have flags etc but overall I would say the average was about US$32. How does that help ?

In relation to your comments about FOV I am confused. You commented :

"Well Brett your wrong my FOV stuff is one of my last things to go funny that".

I had previously noted to another forum member your post on 24 Jan under K&C Price Increases thread which reads :

"Well are still be buying what I like but to help pay for it & to free up space will be selling all my FOV"

and another recent post :
"T34 are sold but still have all the Eastern Front armour + a lot more ,I'm selling the tanks for $65.00 each"

and whilst you commented below upon the good resale value of the 1/16 FOV you previously said on 1 FEB under FOV 2011

"what interesting the resell value of the armour is very poor for the 1/32 scale range but good on 1/16 scale".

So if FOV stuff is one of your last things to go I guess this might mean you have sold most of your collection. You might want to look as you might be as confused as I am.

I mention the above to illustrate the point that whilst you have frequently praised the value of FOV it does not actually hold much value to you since you are clearly selling it to buy or make way for other items from more expensive brands. The difference in price between a 1/32 FOV and a CS/Figarti/K&C vehicle proportionally would be more than the difference between 25 and 36 pounds yet you are willing to spend the difference. Such is the case with those who are happy to spend 35 pounds on a figure.

And so it goes.
Regards
Brett

 

[marco55]

If people can pay the price and are willing,they will.If they can't or won't,no sale.It's as simple as that.We have had 50 threads (or so it seems) about this.Time to move on.
Mark

 

[uksubs]

Uksubs,

Firstly when you started the thread it was clear in my mind, and probably to others, which brand you were referring to as you have made many such price related comments in the past. Difference this time was you just did not say it outright.

In relation to the average price in my shop that is not so easy as you make out. I have various brands and some figures have flags etc but overall I would say the average was about US$32. How does that help ?

Hi Brett
If your read my first post its about the pricing of metal toy soldiers witch FOV don't make , I thought you would know this but maybe you just want to take it away from talking about the cost of figures !? I find you keep digging up my old posts from different thread very sad & it come a cross that your a bully & don't know how you get away with making your post personal on the forum .


Let see if you can reply with out talking about fOV zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Louis Badolato]

This has always been an expensive hobby. Back when I started collecting in the late 1980's, it was around $60 to $75 for a set of 5 figures. Compare what that much money bought you in gas or groceries in the late 1980's to what the cost of 5 figures buys you today in gas or groceries, and I bet the cost of the hobby hasn't gone up that much comparatively.

 

[Phantom Warrior]

This has always been an expensive hobby. Back when I started collecting in the late 1980's, it was around $60 to $75 for a set of 5 figures. Compare what that much money bought you in gas or groceries in the late 1980's to what the cost of 5 figures buys you today in gas or groceries, and I bet the cost of the hobby hasn't gone up that much comparatively.

The problem may be that since the late 80's, much of the increase over the past 25 years has taken place in the past 5 years. In the mid 1980's the CPI was at 100 and now 25 years later it is about 200 or it doubled in 25 years - about 4% per year.

In late 2007, the Tunisian Tiger with a crew of 5 was $200. Exactly 3 years later, the Snow Tiger with a crew of 2 is $230. Adjust for 3 figures at even $25 each and the total is over $300. A 50% increase in just 3 years.

You can make your own comparisons using Panzer RPK data base.

Terry

 

[Phantom Warrior]

There are lots of examples of similar K&C AFVs changing price in the last 5 years and 3 years. - some comparisons better, some worse. Compare that to price increases of similar AFVs from 2000 to 2006 and you can see a much slower rate of increase with prices for sets with multiple figures still fairly low.

I don't know if I made the point very clear, but the point is that much of the increase has taken place in just the last 3 or 4 years during a US deep recession. Even with efforts to keep down costs (i.e. fewer figures with AFVs and single figures instead of sets of 3 or 4 figures), the price increase has been a sort, sharp shock that has put the basic price beyond what some collectors can afford or are willing to pay.

Terry

 

[Alex]

For me 750 to 1000$ for a single 90 mm mounted figure painted by a well known painter using a very intricate casting is worth it.. not every week but one or twice in a year... But we are talking about museum pieces here ... one of a kind !

Cheers,

Alex

 

[trooper]

Reading this thread it soon becomes obvious that this specific complaint is addressed to one particular company. Why then is it written in such a fashion as to indicate that it applies to all companies throughout the industry? There are many makers who work extremely hard to keep their prices on an even keel and their increases as low as possible who never get a mention. If you have a complaint against a particular maker take it up on one of the numerous threads devoted to that maker and be honest about it. Don't make sweeping generalisations that tar everyone with the same brush. Trooper

 

[Simpson & his donkey.]

Uksubs,

Firstly when you started the thread it was clear in my mind, and probably to others, which brand you were referring to as you have made many such price related comments in the past. Difference this time was you just did not say it outright.

In relation to the average price in my shop that is not so easy as you make out. I have various brands and some figures have flags etc but overall I would say the average was about US$32. How does that help ?

In relation to your comments about FOV I am confused. You commented :

"Well Brett your wrong my FOV stuff is one of my last things to go funny that".

I had previously noted to another forum member your post on 24 Jan under K&C Price Increases thread which reads :

"Well are still be buying what I like but to help pay for it & to free up space will be selling all my FOV"

and another recent post :
"T34 are sold but still have all the Eastern Front armour + a lot more ,I'm selling the tanks for $65.00 each"

and whilst you commented below upon the good resale value of the 1/16 FOV you previously said on 1 FEB under FOV 2011

"what interesting the resell value of the armour is very poor for the 1/32 scale range but good on 1/16 scale".

So if FOV stuff is one of your last things to go I guess this might mean you have sold most of your collection. You might want to look as you might be as confused as I am.

I mention the above to illustrate the point that whilst you have frequently praised the value of FOV it does not actually hold much value to you since you are clearly selling it to buy or make way for other items from more expensive brands. The difference in price between a 1/32 FOV and a CS/Figarti/K&C vehicle proportionally would be more than the difference between 25 and 36 pounds yet you are willing to spend the difference. Such is the case with those who are happy to spend 35 pounds on a figure.

And so it goes.
Regards
Brett

Well it seems that you Brett once again are being the policeman of the forum. Thats what you do best. Simmo.:salute::

 

[Martin Tabony]

Difficult call. Am I reluctant to spend £35 on a figure? Yes. And will only do it for a few specific ranges or the odd figure here or there.

Is it good value? More difficult to answer.
I'm a reasonable painter, not top class, but perfectly able to produce a reasonable finished job. That said, I could never do it as a business, because I would take 10 times as long as some of the factories turning out K&C, CS, Figarti etc.

I know how long it takes me to paint a figure from scratch, to a standard I'm happy with. And it's a fair old while. Now, if I multiply the time spent on painting a figure to the sort of standard we see coming out of China, with what I'm paid per hour for my day job, then all of a sudden, £35 per figure seems very good value indeed, and that's not taking in to account sculpting, casting and material costs.

Just my thoughts.....

Simon

It's nice to see that someone has thought beyond the retail price!:salute::

Martin

 

[The Military Workshop]

Uksubs,

Concerning your comment :

"'I find you keep digging up my old posts from different thread very sad & it come a cross that your a bully & don't know how you get away with making your post personal on the forum".

The posts I referred to are not old and are three you have made since 24 JAN. The one on 24 JAN was of such interest that I copied it to another forum member. The reason I did so was becuase you have made constant references about the value of FOV and used that as a guide when complaining about other brands prices (K&C, FL and Figarti I recall). That post indicated you are selling FOV to fund the other more expensive brands. However you indicated in this thread that "FOV stuff is one of my last things to go". That is clearly not true based on the posts I have noted and mentioned.

I find your sentence "Let see if you can reply with out talking about fOV zzzzzzzzzzzzzz" amusing in the view of the fact you constantly used that brand as your price comparison point in the past . Now that you no longer appear to value or want the brand (1/32 ones at least) it would appear you do not want me to mention it. I can understand why.

I have merely pointed out the inconsistencies in your posts so fail to find the link with bullying or "making it personal". Your constant bringing up of this subject in relation to one brand might by some be considered personal. Certainly it can be considered zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Regards
Brett

Alex, apologies for bringing your example up again. As many appreciate each to their own.

 

[Mitch]

Wraith made some interesting points and, being a bit of a painter I know what goes into figure painting though, with spray guns time can be greatly reduced in painting a figure than by brush. Though, I am sure that the paint dries about the same over here as it does in China.

I read an article about the production line painting technique that was used in chinese factories a few years ago in a model magazine which, came up as why some things can be produced in the hundereds quicker than a single modeller doing a commission.
Away from the obvious, there are more workers, the chinese labourers may not be a good a painter as say wraith or I but, they have mastered the technique of doing the section they do very well and, very fast then, its dry, and move it to the next person who, does their bit and so on until completion being able to do hundereds and hundereds per shift.

I don't know if its the same for K&C and other factories does anyone know I suppose it has to be with the sheer numbers of figures produced monthly for the world. Being interested in painting I would really like to see this conveyor belt system in action.

Apologies its not about price but, in this case I don't care said my bit earlier
Mitch

 

[aujj65]

Wraith made some interesting points and, being a bit of a painter I know what goes into figure painting though, with spray guns time can be greatly reduced in painting a figure than by brush. Though, I am sure that the paint dries about the same over here as it does in China.

I read an article about the production line painting technique that was used in chinese factories a few years ago in a model magazine which, came up as why some things can be produced in the hundereds quicker than a single modeller doing a commission.
Away from the obvious, there are more workers, the chinese labourers may not be a good a painter as say wraith or I but, they have mastered the technique of doing the section they do very well and, very fast then, its dry, and move it to the next person who, does their bit and so on until completion being able to do hundereds and hundereds per shift.

I don't know if its the same for K&C and other factories does anyone know I suppose it has to be with the sheer numbers of figures produced monthly for the world. Being interested in painting I would really like to see this conveyor belt system in action.
Apologies its not about price but, in this case I don't care said my bit earlier
Mitch

I seen photo's (somewhere?) where there are upto a dozen painters sitting at a round table with a lazy susan arrangement in the middle.

Jeff

 

[Mitch]

That would indeed be interesting to see
Mitch

I seen photo's (somewhere?) where there are upto a dozen painters sitting at a round table with a lazy susan arrangement in the middle.

Jeff

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Reading this thread it soon becomes obvious that this specific complaint is addressed to one particular company. Why then is it written in such a fashion as to indicate that it applies to all companies throughout the industry? There are many makers who work extremely hard to keep their prices on an even keel and their increases as low as possible who never get a mention. If you have a complaint against a particular maker take it up on one of the numerous threads devoted to that maker and be honest about it. Don't make sweeping generalisations that tar everyone with the same brush. Trooper

Other manufacturers have the same pattern - K&C is not the only one. FL has equally large increases. My first FL figures were $35 a few years ago. Basic single figures are now $50. The French Line Artillery set with 7 figures was $275. The British and Russian artillery sets are $295 but with only 6 figures. Estimate a 7 figure set at $350. That increase is over only 3 years, but in a period of rapid TS price increases. Compare pre-2006 prices with today's price for similar items from other manufacturers. Some have been able to keep price increases small so far and some have not.

Terry

 

[uksubs]

Uksubs,

Concerning your comment :

"'I find you keep digging up my old posts from different thread very sad & it come a cross that your a bully & don't know how you get away with making your post personal on the forum".

The posts I referred to are not old and are three you have made since 24 JAN. The one on 24 JAN was of such interest that I copied it to another forum member. The reason I did so was becuase you have made constant references about the value of FOV and used that as a guide when complaining about other brands prices (K&C, FL and Figarti I recall). That post indicated you are selling FOV to fund the other more expensive brands. However you indicated in this thread that "FOV stuff is one of my last things to go". That is clearly not true based on the posts I have noted and mentioned.

I find your sentence "Let see if you can reply with out talking about fOV zzzzzzzzzzzzzz" amusing in the view of the fact you constantly used that brand as your price comparison point in the past . Now that you no longer appear to value or want the brand (1/32 ones at least) it would appear you do not want me to mention it. I can understand why.

I have merely pointed out the inconsistencies in your posts so fail to find the link with bullying or "making it personal". Your constant bringing up of this subject in relation to one brand might by some be considered personal. Certainly it can be considered zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Regards
Brett

Alex, apologies for bringing your example up again. As many appreciate each to their own.

Thank for clearing that up for me Brett ,I wonder where I was going wrong :salute::

 

[trooper]

Other manufacturers have the same pattern - K&C is not the only one. FL has equally large increases. My first FL figures were $35 a few years ago. Basic single figures are now $50. The French Line Artillery set with 7 figures was $275. The British and Russian artillery sets are $295 but with only 6 figures. Estimate a 7 figure set at $350. That increase is over only 3 years, but in a period of rapid TS price increases. Compare pre-2006 prices with today's price for similar items from other manufacturers. Some have been able to keep price increases small so far and some have not.

Terry

Seems that it is mainly the "China" companies that are having these large increases. The UK companies with their home production also have price increases but they are minuscule in comparison. Check out Little Legion, ATS or Asset to see what I mean. Trooper

 

[Phantom Warrior]

Seems that it is mainly the "China" companies that are having these large increases. The UK companies with their home production also have price increases but they are minuscule in comparison. Check out Little Legion, ATS or Asset to see what I mean. Trooper

Doesn't CS have their production in China? Have they had the same type of increases as there have been lots of posts commenting on how their prices have been kept down. And isn't TGM and Jenkins production also in China - and both of them seem to have kept their prices from sharp increases.

Terry

 

[marco55]

Jenkins is raising 10% in May.
Mark