Secrets (2 Viewers)

[marco55]

A lot of times the manufacturers won't tell us what's coming out till the last moment because they don't want the other companies doing the same ranges.Well after the last 4-5 months I think the only people not in the know is us because their seems to be a lot of similar ranges coming out around the same time.What do the rest of you think.Please no accusing any one particular company of doing this as I think they all keep an eye out for what each is doing.
Mark

 

[jazzeum]

I'm not really sure what you're asking. Are you asking that they tell us in advance or that they all know what each other is doing.

If the first, that's not just going to happen. As to the second, I doubt it. With respect to the latter, this is a business like any other and every company is trying to get a jump on the others. I also think certain companies and not just in this business know how to respond quickly to what the competition is doing. I don't believe there is anything wrong with that although I have heard some decry it.

 

[marco55]

What I mean is that the companies probably know what each are doing anyway.The only people kept in the dark are the collectors.I say this only because of a lot of similar lines coming out this year or it could be because collectors keep asking for certain ranges.Really I'm just thinking out loud so to speak.
Mark

 

[Dragoon]

A lot of times the manufacturers won't tell us what's coming out till the last moment because they don't want the other companies doing the same ranges.Well after the last 4-5 months I think the only people not in the know is us because their seems to be a lot of similar ranges coming out around the same time.What do the rest of you think.Please no accusing any one particular company of doing this as I think they all keep an eye out for what each is doing.
Mark

Lets see, we now have three companies announcing upcoming releases of Union cavalry for ACW, and all three are depicting Buford's troopers on the 1st day of the battle of Gettysburg. An interesting coincidence.

 

[Njja]

I would bet that as in life some companies strive to keep their plans secret, while others do everything they can to obtain this information so they can have an edge on the next release.

It would be hard enough to do the research to find a few vehicles, have mock ups built, send them out for various paint jobs then make a choice. Then you have to put the vehicle into production, and design and approve a box. All of the people involved will have knowledge and possibly images or design diagrams of the product. Anyone of these people is a potential security risk, if any of these ideas were passed to a competitor he could use them to release his own item which might result in a product that doesn't sell as well as projected.

We have already had one manufacter accuse an established brand from copying his idea (which was in my opinion a joke)! I'm sure most of us give little thought to this risk, when thinking about of hobby purchses!

A large company I was associated with had a line of our own tools manufactered in China many years ago. We were shocked to learn a 3rd shift was producing our designs and selling them without our logo to wholesalers!

Running a successful business is no walk in the park!

 

[trooper]

Lets see, we now have three companies announcing upcoming releases of Union cavalry for ACW, and all three are depicting Buford's troopers on the 1st day of the battle of Gettysburg. An interesting coincidence.

Not really, next year is the 150th anniversary of the ACW, "Gettysburg" is the iconic film of the conflict and concentrates on three events, Buford's initial contact, the 20th Maine at Little Round Top and Pickett's charge. I should imagine the makers are following this sequence and will follow up with Chamberlain and Pickett in short order.

 

[Dragoon]

Not really, next year is the 150th anniversary of the ACW, "Gettysburg" is the iconic film of the conflict and concentrates on three events, Buford's initial contact, the 20th Maine at Little Round Top and Pickett's charge. I should imagine the makers are following this sequence and will follow up with Chamberlain and Pickett in short order.

Well maybe so, but it was a big war. How about Brandy Station - Largest cavalry battle in the entire war. Everyone decides to do Union Cavalry and they all pick John Buford over Phil Sheridan.

 

[trooper]

Well maybe so, but it was a big war. How about Brandy Station - Largest cavalry battle in the entire war. Everyone decides to do Union Cavalry and they all pick John Buford over Phil Sheridan.

I entirely agree, but from a sales point of view an identifiable grouping from a film has instant appeal. "Oh look, that was in that scene at the Emmitsburg turnpike", you only have to look at the Zulu War figures on the market to see they mainly centre around Isandhlwana and Rorke's Drift based on the films. Unfortunately there has not been all that many Civil War films, but I should imagine that "Glory" and the 54th will get an airing sometime. Hopefully once the manufacturers have established a following with the familiar they will branch out and produce other features of the war.

 

[Spitfrnd]

For the record, I would humbly suggest that we have not had any manufacturer "accuse" another of copying or anything else. Sometimes it is better to not extrapolate too much from the actual text of a post.