Question for collectors, Which do you belive in more? (1 Viewer)

[thebritfarmer]

When you pre-order do you have to pay for the figures up front? If so I can see the issue, if not I am not sure what the problem is?

 

[Panzer ace]

I don't want to sound like Dr. Phil but if Britains is not communicating can they even be aware that the lack of communication is an issue for some collectors?

 

[Peiper007]

Hello Mike

Yeah, I think that is some good words of wisdom. That is where I am with them. While I will look at the preorders, I wont actually pull the trigger till they are with the dealers.

This is wise but will cause problems for WB, as I think from conversation with people at shows, including collectors, dealers and WB staff, WB are suffering from a cash flow problem, their business model, am going back over a decade was to charge for pre orders and club membership, which covered most of the basic costs of manufacture etc so they have cash coming in, but now the membership [can only talk about the UK, but from the forum there seems to be the same happening everywhere] the membership is falling, due to poor service and communications [the non-appearance of the 88mm gun and last year not getting club figures until Dec 2017]. I think this has been going on for a while, when 1 of the previous owners took over they too changed the business model, with no longer supplying on-line businesses, only physical shops, which cut their sale by a significant percentage, as they expected the Modelzone shops in the UK to stock and thereby increase sales through taking the business the online retailers had, for those who do not know, Modelzone went out of business. They also changed their payment methods, before people ordered and they paid a monthly amount to WB according to how much you ordered as carrying a lot of WBs was costly, which meant a steady monthly income. Then it changed and retailers had to pay for all the stock they had and for any further orders upfront. This caused uproar in the UK with many dealers basically telling them to take a long walk off a short plank. it also backfired on with some retailors as they were in credit as they were paying a monthly amount of orders and as with WB many had not been delivered. I go in three shops that just do not stock WB anymore because of their treatment, but they have a great range of TG and K & C. So we have very very few retailers in the UK, the list of retailers that WB supply for the UK is a fairy tale, with many stocking around 10 sets......... while what was classed as the biggest retailer in Wales actually, by my calculations, had less than £800 retail price in stock.

I think the need to bring in funds is shown by some of the stuff on WB USA site, board games and prints etc. If someone gets to talk to Ken recommend to him to get him to send over some Hudson and Allen to the UK and mainland Europe, I know many people, including me, who would buy if it was at a decent price there are 5 pieces I would order if they were available. I am sure the WB club and/or MKL can do it, start it now, send info out about it to the club members and TF Forum and take orders, knowing there were orders [could even take deposit] and people can collect at the Oct 2018 or the Dec 18 shows or from the shop in London or even post to them. I would pay a deposit knowing it would be at the London show to collect and I would wait till then. Once the order is of a size that makes them economical to ship then you could add more for WB to sell at the show. I am talking potential orders in the thousands rather than the hundreds of collars.

I also think Ken probably paid too much for WB!

 

[katana]

I had a WB preorder for about 6 months. I considered those funds spent. I finally decided to cancel the preorder with WB to buy figures from TG; which were available. I do preorders to insure that I get a product I am interested in, to me a preorder is a commitment. I really like WB WWII figures and I feel sorry for Ken that his business is slipping away, one lost order at a time!

When you pre-order do you have to pay for the figures up front? Is so I can see the issue, if not I am not sure what the problem is?

 

[Spanish soldier]

Maybe Ken is negotiating to sell the company or looking for partners for the business^&confuse