Model Railway Forum

I was at the Kyle Model Rail show in Troon yesterday and whilst it was a very modest affair, it was good to see things returning to almost normal.

On the subject of pricing, I noticed a wide variation between traders as per the following example :-

- On Thursday I bought on-line an “as new” Hornby Class 50 Diesel ( D400) which was released to commentate the 50th Anniversary of the class……. I paid £145 plus £4.80 postage, which was at the top end of my limit, but I have been struggling to find one of these for a while.

- At the show a trader on the L/H side of the hall was offering the same new loco at £135 - bummer, I could have saved £15 but didn’t really expect this to be available at this small show.

- The trader at the R/H side of the hall however had exactly the same loco priced at £195 !

Whilst going around the stands, I heard multiple traders and customers complain about costs and prices, and it is clear that like just about everything else, prices are going up and will probably stay up………. That said, people do appear to be willing to pay for quality as demonstrated by the huge buy-in on the latest Accurascale products and the newly revised Bachmann Class 47, where the most expensive Delux model is like hen’s teeth.

Now that most of the gaps in my rolling stock portfolio have been plugged, I will only be making selective purchases of quality additions as and when they and funds become available.

Cheers - Richard

Hound Dog wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:04 am ..........I will only be making selective purchases of quality additions as and when they and funds become available.

Cheers - Richard

You know you don’t mean that.

You know you don’t mean that.
[/quote]

T’was said in the same vein as a New Year Resolution

The problem that I see is the more the prices rise, the less people come into the hobby and the more others like me look for alternatives and we become lost as future customers.
To assume that if they then lower prices and concentrate on the mass marketing side that customers will come back is a big mistake as once the past customers find alternative ways to enjoy their lives why should they return?

What I do see is a fall of some business empires and a creation of others which will take their place and this transition will very likely be faster than one may imagine and it is all based on a manufacturer finding the large gap in the market and going for it.

These sites and the model railway press represent a very small segment of the potential marketplace for this hobby and while the hobby is steered by the model railway press and the online representation which is us and other sites like this one that are out there, they do not neccessarily speak for the potential masses who would buy the products if there was a suitable product within a suitable price that would pull them in to buy.
Consider this and this is just one single avenue where I have met large numbers of people. The smaller toy and train fairs and car boot sales across the country along with online alternatives such as ebay. Around half the people I saw the last time I was in a toy and train fair (Which I attended to sell some of my 00 gauge collection as I simply needed a way to raise money to keep a car on the road as the car I had was not really suitable) where a good half of those attending do not buy new from the model railway shops or buy new from the online retailers, and these are a very large segment of people within the hobby.
My Mum is good at talking and she woupd ask the very apt questions and it is really surprizing just how many people out there never buy new due to the prices. It is not the principle of not wanting to buy new. Is the principle of not wanting to buy new if the prices do not reflect reasonable value, and I found by accident what sells the best, and that is the scenic items and buildings and things like that. I had only brought them with me as an after thought when I first attended one toy and train fair, and as soon as I had picked up on this, I sold out my entire range of unmade or partly made card kits (Of which I had too many!) along with nearly all the scenic items. It was slightly harder to shift ready made buildings but they did sell.
The things that did not sell at all were books, genuine railway posters (Which no one even wanted to look at) and magazines.
The things that sold but only at rock bottom prices and mostly to other who were professional traders (And not like me who just wanted to part with my own personal stuff to raise funds) were the locos and rolling stock.
But kits of 4mm scale buildings would go in no time as they are what really sell!

Hound Dog wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:32 am You know you don’t mean that.

T’was said in the same vein as a New Year Resolution
[/quote]

Glad you have seen sense, Richard.

Bachmann was able to reduce the price on the Class 66 by £20 when Hattons released their model.
Hornby was able to give away £40 of the £75 cost for their 'Captain Tom' Class 66.
This is not done at a loss, the models are overpriced to start off with.
They will charge what people will pay.

Us the public, are perhaps to blame. We, asked for more detail, now we are complaining about the prices. What do we expect. I run a lot of hornby dublo , 3 rail, and was, and am, content both with the quality, and the price. However, people have more disposable income, and are willing to pay such ridiculous prices. If one does not like them, you are free, to vote , with your feet. I cannot remember the last new loco, i bought, being one of those voters. All hobbies are the same. I fly fish, and can get back, twice what i paid for my rods, as new quality ones, have become beyond the reach of the normal fisherman. Its the kids, i feel sorry for, those who actually want to play trains, rather than Games, simply cannot cannot afford to take up the hobby. Tis a shame, but all the while, people are prepared to pay, costs will rise. Railroad, models seemed a good idea, but buyers then complained about lack of features.

Hound Dog wrote: ↑Sun May 15, 2022 11:04 am I could have saved £15 but didn’t really expect this to be available at this small show.

I can afford an extra 15 quid plus more for the right a model I want, did your model work well?
I don't care for prices anymore, did your seller on the L/H side of the whatever prove that his model was superior to what you had purchased earlier?
It could have been a dog.
I have been to many local trade fairs only to return with a crap loco.

go with what you have and if you find one cheaper be happy knowing you have a good purchase / loco for 15 quid extra.

prices for used or pre loved have increased but traders crying crocodile tears is for their own benefit to maximise profits from the modeller that are selling for certain reasons. Box shifters come to mind.