It Costs How Much??

[BillyJ]

The thing is; YOU eventually set the final rrp, simply because you are prepared to pay it.

A 100%+ mark-up simply isn't paying a living, it is blatant profiteering.
Regardless of the final product, profit is not a dirty word, but gouging or milking just because you can, is.
A typical Jeweller's mark-ups are 800%+ - Does this make it right? Maybe it does, but only because people are prepared to pay the rrp.

A bad example perhaps, but how does a 1/32 scale plastic aeroplane REALLY justify an asking price of £120? In anybody's money?

Perhaps it's a self-denial thing?
Maybe, having parted with such a large wedge, you have the strength of conviction to make yourself believe that you really have gotten value for your money.

I've heard all of the self-justification excuses trotted out - "It'll take me 6 weeks to do it justice, and when looked at in this way it only works out at £whatever a month, which is cheaper than XYZ 'delete where applicable' ".

The reality is; you still 'do' XYZ in any case, simply because your SWIMBO/Kids say so!
Just like a smoker who is being cajoled into to giving up, he'll always find another way of justifying his habit regardless of the ever increasing costs.

So where's the real justification? Do we just continue to allow the importers & distributors let rip? Your LMS is usually a small One-Man-Band concern, many factors influence his buying decisions from his various wholesalers - minimum ordering quantities for one.
No wonder his mark-ups make him uncompetitive in comparison to online retailers/overseas websites But why should this be so?
Of course his fixed costs are going to be higher, but surely there must be some room in terms of final pricing.

Anyone looked at what Hannants are charging these days?
Hardly a OMB I know, and I'm sure they enjoy the significant financial benefits of the economies of scale when applied to the orders placed at their respective importers/wholesalers.
I couldn't afford to shop at Hannants in a million years.

Despite this, It seems that the wholesalers/importers have adopted some mad economic argument which suggests that as soon as sales volumes fall - raise the prices and make more out of fewer kits sold.

What I am really about, is vehemently objecting to the way the importers/wholesalers ask us, and our LMS owners to bend over in terms of pricing, and the fact that some of us just DO.

Well not any longer for me at least.

[peebeep]

A bad example perhaps, but how does a 1/32 scale plastic aeroplane REALLY justify an asking price of £120? In anybody's money?

Because it's the best that you can buy. Everybody says so and lots of them are coughing up, so it must be true. Don't like the price, don't buy, but please, don't attack others for exercising their choice.

I drive a Focus, but I'd really like to have a DB9. If only those bounders at Aston Martin hadn't priced me out of the market. It's blatant profiteering, really, it is.

peebeep

[BWP]

The thing is; YOU eventually set the final rrp, simply because you are prepared to pay it.

Hmm. I don't think someone who has clearly no idea of how supply/demand works should be trying to lecture the rest of us on how supply/demand works.

For that matter, why are you trying to lecture us at all?

I'm sorry that you can't afford to pay for new plastic kits. It's a dreadful shame, but accusing everyone else of being mugs and trying to convince us to give up our hobby is not likely to win you any sympathy. Certainly my well has run dry.

A bad example perhaps, but how does a 1/32 scale plastic aeroplane REALLY justify an asking price of £120? In anybody's money?

How? If I have that money and I want that kit then I spend the money and I have the kit. What further justification do I need? Who are you to tell me I'm wrong? It's not "any body's money", it's my money, and I'll spend it how I please, thank you, and I really don't appreciate being insulted for the privilege.

Perhaps it's a self-denial thing?

Speaking of self-denial, do you actually build any kits? Or just join message boards to rant about how you can't afford to buy any kits? Which seems a little odd, since one of your other posts was gloating about how you sold some (in your opinion) sub-standard kits on eBay and made a tasty profit.

In any case, your deficient economic theories are not really on-topic for this particular thread. Do you think you could find an alternative forum to vent your spleen, please?

[SJPONeill]

Well said, Bruce...I think most businesses are too busy with business to be trying to actively be ripping off the poor old consumer...I find that shopping around often finds a better deal (for us, there are some models cheaper to buy offshore, others better to buy at home)...and if I can't find a deal that works for me, then I simply go without...much like peebeep and his DB9...

[johnsan]

Sing it, Brother Bruce.

[MerlinJones]

The thing is; YOU eventually set the final rrp, simply because you are prepared to pay it.

Granted.

I couldn't afford to shop at Hannants in a million years.

So shop elsewhere.

Well not any longer for me at least.

Rant over?

Regards,
Bruce...who is messing with an old Tiger tank, bought yonks ago for pence, with scraps of plastic.

[DH-Drover]

As stated elsewhere I have just started on a Lancaster to Lincoln conversion using several AM parts. Although on a pension I happily antied up the cash because I wanted to do the conversion. So what I purchase with my money for my pleasure is up to me (and Margaret )

Also having been in the LMS business if I didn't make a profit I would go broke.

Dai
Who has the cats working overtime.

[THX1138]

G'Day Bruce,

I gave up buying aftermarket years ago, spending so much money on stuff that only I knew was there, since then I;ve been able to spend money on more selective purches, probably more expensive one-off kits but so many of them just don't need aftermarket.