Kit Price bashing post

[Frankhenrylee]

Hey guys, just had a thought so I figured I would post a question before I thought it out any further. How come Revell can put out a completely new tooled 1/72 Lancaster and sell it for around $25, but other company's new tool kits are through the roof. Even there 1/32 Ju-88($60) is not nearly as high as a Tamiya or Hasegawa or Trumpeter kit would have been. How come they can do it, but no one else seems to be able too( Or just won't )?

[The Mikester]

But that same Revell kit is much more expensive in Japan. Reason? Exchange rates and middle men. As those of us who buy kits in Japan have noted, Hasegawa kits are much cheaper over there.

[Frankhenrylee]

But that same Revell kit is much more expensive in Japan. Reason? Exchange rates and middle men. As those of us who buy kits in Japan have noted, Hasegawa kits are much cheaper over there.

True, but aren't Revell of Germany made in Germany, I don't know. I'm in the U.S. Just seems like they are fleecing us.

[toadwbg]

The other short answer is that they can charge whatever they want!

Only you can decide to by.

I'm a big fan of Revell nowdays. Just finishing building their excellent He-162 in 1/32, which was like a $20 kit. A real bargain!

[toadwbg]

True, but aren't Revell of Germany made in Germany, I don't know. I'm in the U.S. Just seems like they are fleecing us.

I thought I heard they were tooled and molded in eastern Europe. Maybe somwonecan confirm. In short, they are keeping it local and I'm sure that is helping keep costs down.

[SonyKen]

Frank,

I am assuming that you are bashing Haegawa kit prices again. I am working on a post right now for a Hasegawa sale and I can sell you a Hasegawa 1/72nd scale MK III Lancaster "Dambusters" (Kit #00554) for that same $25. How does that sound?

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

[shion]

True, but aren't Revell of Germany made in Germany, I don't know. I'm in the U.S. Just seems like they are fleecing us.

Just look kit's box. It's a EU legislation, you must write the production land.

RoG are made all around the world.

Mudhen molds made in China, parts injected in Korea.

1/72 F-22 and tornado: parts injected in Poland.

[Gundamhead]

Hey guys, just had a thought so I figured I would post a question before I thought it out any further. How come Revell can put out a completely new tooled 1/72 Lancaster and sell it for around $25, but other company's new tool kits are through the roof. Even there 1/32 Ju-88($60) is not nearly as high as a Tamiya or Hasegawa or Trumpeter kit would have been. How come they can do it, but no one else seems to be able too( Or just won't )?

Do you mean the same $59.81 Revell Lancaster if you were to purchase it in Japan? Just because it crossed a shore? Exactly the same situation as Hasegawa coming to the US shores? Makes Revell look like crooks don't it? Or maybe it's the real question modelers ought to be asking of our kit importers?

http://www.hlj.com/product/REV04300

Edited April 9, 2010 by Gundamhead

[Frankhenrylee]

Frank,

I am assuming that you are bashing Haegawa kit prices again. I am working on a post right now for a Hasegawa sale and I can sell you a Hasegawa 1/72nd scale MK III Lancaster "Dambusters" (Kit #00554) for that same $25. How does that sound?

Best Regards,

Ken Bailey

(SonyKen)

Sorry , already bought the Revell. I haven't recieved it yet but its "supposed to be" the best one out to date.

[Frankhenrylee]

Do you mean the same $59.81 Revell Lancaster if you were to purchase it in Japan? Just because it crossed a shore? Exactly the same situation as Hasegawa coming to the US shores? Makes Revell look like crooks don't it? Or maybe it's the real question modelers ought to be asking of our kit importers?

http://www.hlj.com/product/REV04300

No doubt some places are higher than others. I bought from somewhere in U.K. and had it shipped airmail for $35 total. Where can you order the Big 3's kits from a little cheaper and have them shipped?

[Aaronw]

Same reason a Revell of Germany issue kit costs twice as much as a Revell issue of the same kit. Look at the 2006 Mustang GT, Revell sells it at $18 +/- while the RoG version sells for $35, the only difference being decal options.

[Matt Roberts]

Also may be the possibility of how popular the kit may be.....if a kit costs a certain amount you can recoup those costs at a higher cost - but less product moved - or at a lower cost and greater product moved. So if the Lancaster needed to sell 10,000 units at $60 each to break even or 20,000 units at $30 and the market would absorb 20,000 units sold, why not sell at the lower price to get the product out to a larger market. There also is the 'catalog' factor, if a kit has the potential to be a good seller over time, either in the same boxing - like the Monogram 48th B-17G, or thru differant variant boxings over time like the Ju-88 you can sell them at a lower price where it guarentees a cash flow over a longer period. This is even what I suspect is behind the Ju-52, American modelers seem to say it is the biggest mistake ever made sales wise, but it has not been out of the catalog and in differant boxings since it was first released in 1995 - I think 5-6 boxings (3 US Revell/Promodeller and at least 3-4 RoG boxings of both civilian as well as military). Other kits are more 'boutique' such as Tamiya's F4D Skyray, and if molded today it may have a higher price simply as it is not expected to sell as many units - nor for as long, as something liek a Spitfire, Mustang or F-16.

In Europe the Lancaster should be a good long term seller, right scale - for Europe, 72nd - and historically significant in Bomber Commands round the clock campaign, to ensure that the price remains reasonable in it's targeted markets. The big Ju-88 should probably have a new release every couple of years as the A-4, and C models should logically follow and the development costs can be spread out (think per unit costs on the F-22 ramped up as the numbers came down). But sad to say the He-111 will be north of $100 when it first arrives according to Great Models presale price.

[Frankhenrylee]

[quote But sad to say the He-111 will be north of $100 when it first arrives according to Great Models presale price.

So they are coming out with a 1/32 He-111?

[Matt Roberts]

[quote But sad to say the He-111 will be north of $100 when it first arrives according to Great Models presale price.

So they are coming out with a 1/32 He-111?

Yeah, an He-111P is first up around late summer in tme for the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Same guys designed it as did the Ju-88 and it is designed off of a He-111 in a Norwegian museum.

Head on over to 'Large Scale Planes.com' and you can find alot of discussion over the last few months on it

http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=29044

From what I am reading, it looks like RoG is looking to release a large WW II 32nd kit as well as a smaller one each year, this year it's the He-111 and the Ar-196. Next year....???

[richter111]

Like the one member said, a B-25 in 1/32 would be outstanding.

as to a small one, perhaps a 1/32 Rufe

[Derek Moss]

No doubt some places are higher than others. I bought from somewhere in U.K. and had it shipped airmail for $35 total. Where can you order the Big 3's kits from a little cheaper and have them shipped?

Try Lucky Model of Hong Kong.

[Oroka]

With sales of kits shrinking, RoG seems to want to keep the same profit level up, so they will sell less kits for more money. I would say that most modelers are of working age and can afford to pay more (not that we like it), so RoG can get away with it. It is probably better that they sell their kits for more, rather than putting out less kits. It is the industry... hard to find free time to model when you are either playing a video game, texting, or on the computer.

It is not the 90s, you can not fill your stash with $10-$15 kits anymore (not like you are going to build all of them anyways).