The Continuing Story of a Dying Hobby (2 Viewers)

[Peter Reuss]

Lately there have been a flood of posts about how this hobby is dying, how collectors are getting older, how this can't last much longer, how manufacturers are going to start dropping like flies.

This narrative hasn't changed since Shannon and I got into the hobby in 2001. While we heard the doom and gloom stories...our own sales increased. We found new customers for the hobby. We expanded operations.

Even today, amid the doom and gloom, Richard Walker and I have been working to find creative ways to get toy soldiers in front of potential new collectors. The world abounds in people who have never heard of a toy soldier...yet get hooked when they find them.

I do realize that the hobby is changing. Because of the internet toy shows have lost some appeal. Toy soldier magazines can no longer bring people 'the latest.' Changes don't mean death. Change can simply mean change. New methods must be found to find new blood. Many collectors enjoy their figures but don't feel a need for the social side of the hobby. As an internet business, we have many great customers we've never met. They prefer to quietly order online and quietly enjoy the hobby. That's their right.

Shannon used to always say, "In business you are either innovating and moving forward or you are declining." As one who has a wee bit of access to a toy soldier dealer's balance sheet, I'm excited about where things are going. It'd be one thing if all our new customers came from other dealers...but that's not the case. We have new people ordering from us all the time. Our task is to help the one time purchaser become a long term collector.

Like I said, I've heard about the death of this hobby for 15 years now. Back in those days it was just Shannon and I working out of the basement. Now I need three full time staff (with some part time help) to keep things going. Doesn't look like death to me!

 

[Vicknor]

Hear hear! :salute::{sm0}{sm4}

 

[braddinpa]

The one thing that I thought was great on your part to get new blood was going to the Mid Atlantic Air Museum Show. Great way to bring in new collectors. Next week I will be going to the Gettysburg Civil War Militaria show and always thought the Civil War Collectors shows would be a great place to display. I know butternut and blue usually bring some to the show. But I figure if you can pick up a few new collectors that would be another place.

 

[cnq]

Imo at >$45 a foot figure now it's very hard to attract new blood {eek3}

 

[jazzeum]

The one thing that I thought was great on your part to get new blood was going to the Mid Atlantic Air Museum Show. Great way to bring in new collectors. Next week I will be going to the Gettysburg Civil War Militaria show and always thought the Civil War Collectors shows would be a great place to display. I know butternut and blue usually bring some to the show. But I figure if you can pick up a few new collectors that would be another place.

This weekend, as it tends to be every year at this time, the Civil War Institute is holding its annual meeting at Gettysburg. It's sold out I know that booksellers attend so why not a toy soldier dealer?

Brad

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

This weekend, as it tends to be every year at this time, the Civil War Institute is holding its annual meeting at Gettysburg. It's sold out I know that booksellers attend so why not a toy soldier dealer?

Brad

Gettysburg is propably the one place on earth where there isn't a shortage of toy soldier dealers.

 

[braddinpa]

Agreed. The beauty of the Civil War Militaria shows is that $45.00 is not a big hit financially compared to the normal things there. Tables are not unreasonable.

I know they have some big shows closer for Pete and the team at Treefrog like the Mansfield show in ohio and the Chicago show. There are also multiple Richmond shows, and Fredericksburg shows. I suspect if they brought some of the Civil War Figures from FL and Britians and some of the K & C War Film soldiers (like Kelly's Heros). They would do fairly well. Or at least get some hits in the future.

It is funny because the "dying hobby" is the same thing I heard when I started collecting Civil War paper around 1988. They said the Civil War collectors were all old and where would the hobby be in 20 years? Only the extremely wealthy could afford? The only difference has been the method of trading. Before everything was paper catalogs and shows. Now the internet has replaced the paper catalog and the shows have gotten smaller because of the interest. Also, the cost (Value) of some things has gone down (especially signatures), while other (like firearms have increased, but not significantly.). Overall the cost didn't get crazy.

I suspect the toy soldier hobby may change in some way. But it will always exist in some form or another.

Anyway, just some Random thoughts. Now I have to get back to real life and do some work

Brad

 

[braddinpa]

Gettysburg is propably the one place on earth where there isn't a shortage of toy soldier dealers.

Actually I believe John's shop is the only "official" one now. The other guys are either out of business or not buying any more stock and seem to be no longer licensed dealers.

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

Actually I believe John's shop is the only "official" one now. The other guys are either out of business or not buying any more stock and seem to be no longer licensed dealers.

Have you been in the Antigue Center lately? He seems to have more cases every month. The Historian carries a few manufacturers as well. The Toy Soldier shop certainly has the the best location, but the antiques center still has the biggest selection.

I've heard the story of the dying hobby about every hobby I've ever been involved in. They never die. They change and evolve. Everything runs in cycles. I had a dealer tell me several years ago at a show that this hobby "is swirling around the drain". If this hobby is in such dyer straights why are there new manufacturers getting into it every year?

 

[braddinpa]

Yep, been there. But he is discounting everything 10% (I think Jenkins is 20%) (including FL). I suspect that is why he not an licensed dealer anymore. I think he stopped getting new stock a year or so ago.

The overall impact of the 10% discount isn't much because we have 6% sales tax. That's why when I buy things in Gettysburg I stick to John's place. He is a good guy and at the end of the day the discount isn't as important as loyalty. Call me stupid I guess

 

[braddinpa]

And Do agree John's shop is at an ideal location. Right by the Horse Soldier.

 

[Toy Soldier Brigade]

Yep, been there. But he is discounting everything 10% (I think Jenkins is 20%) (including FL). I suspect that is why he not an licensed dealer anymore. I think he stopped getting new stock a year or so ago.

The overall impact of the 10% discount isn't much because we have 6% sales tax. That's why when I buy things in Gettysburg I stick to John's place. He is a good guy and at the end of the day the discount isn't as important as loyalty. Call me stupid I guess

That store is my honey hole for retired sets. I was there last month and could sware he had new stock, but I was really there for the retired stuff.

Agree John is a nice guy.

 

[braddinpa]

Agree with you there. He has ton's of older sets.

 

[Rob]

I think one factor in the equation, whether we want accept it or not is that kids today are simply not into WW2 as much as we were in the 60s and 70s. We had plastic Toy Soldiers, Action man, Commando War comics and all those classic War films. Long before video recorders, dvds, cable TV ,The Great Escape was on tv every Christmas without fail ! But now kids have xbox, Playstation, mobile phones, cable TV, social networking, foreign trips ....the list goes on. It's only natural, the kids and the years have moved on and War is not the draw it was to us all those years ago.

And maybe it's not such a bad thing. As long as we encourage them to always remember what was given for their freedom, well that's the main thing. If they don't want to read, play, collect War all the time anymore then let it be.
Rob

 

[jazzeum]

No matter how you dress it up the customer base is greying, not getting younger. You have a smaller customer base, which translates into dealers fighting for a smaller pie. On top of that you have manufacturers competing with dealers. That is not a rosy picture. Would you invest in this business.

The shakeout is probably just beginning.

 

[marco55]

If you go over to Planet Figure forum they are saying the same thing about the graying of their hobby but one thing seem to be expanding is fantasy figures.A lot of young people are into painting these.Check out Cool Mini Or Not.Another thing I notice is a lot of people are into wargaming with smaller figures and it seems like a lot of young Europeans like doing dioramas whether fantasy or historical with smaller figures.
Mark

 

[Rob]

I wonder if the 00 scale Railway model hobby is also affected by their customers getting older and if it attracts young people still ? Although Hornby seem to continue to grow since buying Airfix . ( or did Airfix buy Hornby??)
Rob

 

[Peter Reuss]

No matter how you dress it up the customer base is greying, not getting younger. You have a smaller customer base, which translates into dealers fighting for a smaller pie. On top of that you have manufacturers competing with dealers. That is not a rosy picture. Would you invest in this business.

The shakeout is probably just beginning.

If the customer base is static and shrinking, I'd agree with you, yet we have a hobby that is virtually unknown to most people. How many potential collectors are out there, people who love military history and love collecting? I don't necessarily need 20 year olds. If I can find a bunch of 50 year olds who have never collected and who catch the fever...I'm in great shape.

My goal isn't to fight for a smaller pie. I want a new pie! We're not talking tens of thousands of people needed to impact this hobby. Even a few hundred passionate collectors will make a difference. With Richard Walker's help I'm going to do everything in my power to track down more people.

And yes, I do invest in it!!!

 

[jazzeum]

That all depends on the age of the customer base. Have you done an age breakdown of the customer base; I'm not even sure you would have that information because of privacy concerns. You indicate that the customer base is not static and shrinking. Therefore, it must be growing. What's the factual basis for that statment?

If you can find those few extra hundred customers, you would be in great shape. However, that's an "if." Whether it's a big if, time will tell.

Brad

 

[Phantom Warrior]

No matter how you dress it up the customer base is greying, not getting younger. You have a smaller customer base, which translates into dealers fighting for a smaller pie. On top of that you have manufacturers competing with dealers. That is not a rosy picture. Would you invest in this business.

The shakeout is probably just beginning.

The greying of the collector base is one factor but likely not the most important one. Another factor is more manufacturers producing more models than 10 years ago spreading sales revenue among more manufacturers. Those two factors have an impact depending on whether the market (the pie) is shrinking, growing or remaining static. But there hasn't been a sudden catastrophic decline in the UK collector base. Nor has there been a sudden increase in output from the manufacturers.

I have good reason to think that the most important factor causing a rapid decline in UK sales is the unfortunately high UK prices. The industry in the UK may have finally hit the wall on the prices collectors are willing to pay. Once affordability and value become an issue, collectors can cut back on purchases, but if the cutback gets too severe, collectors may stop purchasing entirely.

Terry