F14SRCOOL Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 So ive been out of modelling about a year now and just returned but even before my absence prices on hasegawa kits had really rocketed up!! Few years ago i remember paying 35 pounds for a tomcat then it went up to 45-50 and now its upto the 60 pound mark. I think its a really unbelievable move given the economic situation!!! Its pretty safe to say i will be staying away from any of their kits given that revell/academy/airfix prices are more or less the same - an academy tomcat is still the same 20 pounds it was two years ago. I could understand a price rise if it was market wide or due to improvement in detail etc but there is mo mention of this. Apart from anything else the price of a large kit like the tomcat is getting close to a 1/32 kit. For the sake of being balanced i really like hasegawa kits - ive built their tomcat, phantom and skyhawk 1/48 kits twice. Detail and fit are really phenomenally good in my experience with parts often snapping into place so tight no glue was required! I guess this has been mentioned just wanted to see if any other people will be deterred from buying hasegawa or know the reason for a seemingly crazy price increase. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cvnf14p3ordy Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 F-14's, have you checked eBay, I've had some really good luck with Hasgegawa kits there. Prices are a lot better, and I've been pretty successful with finding some different kits I can't find in the hobby shops either here at home or online. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
-Neu- Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 So ive been out of modelling about a year now and just returned but even before my absence prices on hasegawa kits had really rocketed up!! Few years ago i remember paying 35 pounds for a tomcat then it went up to 45-50 and now its upto the 60 pound mark. I think its a really unbelievable move given the economic situation!!! Its pretty safe to say i will be staying away from any of their kits given that revell/academy/airfix prices are more or less the same - an academy tomcat is still the same 20 pounds it was two years ago. I could understand a price rise if it was market wide or due to improvement in detail etc but there is mo mention of this. Apart from anything else the price of a large kit like the tomcat is getting close to a 1/32 kit. For the sake of being balanced i really like hasegawa kits - ive built their tomcat, phantom and skyhawk 1/48 kits twice. Detail and fit are really phenomenally good in my experience with parts often snapping into place so tight no glue was required! I guess this has been mentioned just wanted to see if any other people will be deterred from buying hasegawa or know the reason for a seemingly crazy price increase. No I don't think they have increased that much, at least no more than what other kits are increasing by. As has been discussed to death in that other board that caters to people living on a certain island off the coast of France, the price increases there are largely due to import costs combined with the exchange rate, not hasegawa gouging. Furthermore everybody tends to compare the special edition kits vs the normal white box ones. Best place is to buy them off of ebay, Lucky Model or HLJ. You'll get better prices, that are more reflective of their actual MSRP than the markup the UK market sees. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dkobayashi Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Buying online I don't think Hasegawa kits are too high priced. I've got lots of their 1/48 Hornets/Tomcats/Phantoms etc as well as more in 72nd scale and I don't think I've paid more than around $40 for one. In the hobby shop prices are a lot higher but I don't think it's as high as over there in the UK. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Inquisitor Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) Like other people mentioned, the prices on the regular edition kits (white boxes) and limited editions haven't received such a noticeable increase in price as you might put it. What's really have increased is the Yen Price. Where you'd get 100-110 yen per dollar 4 years ago before/during the economic crisis, the price has increased steadily over the recession. The biggest increases were during the last year, the timeframe during your hiatus, peaking close to 70 yen per dollar. That's more than 30% increase in price of anything from Japan. Add that the increasing importing cost, fuel cost, inflation, etc. Kits from Academy haven't increased much because they're from Korea, the same applies to Trumpeter and other Chinese brands, and their exhcange rate have kept steady for one reason or another. Like other people said, before you put blame into Hasegawa, you might be better checking and comparing prices with your importer vs online stores from Japan and notice the price in Yen on this kits have been the same all around. Most of this japanese kits have their MRSB price printed near or into their catalog numbers. Although I can't deny that Hasegawa did announce and increase their price around 5-10% across the board during the recession due to the increase in oil cost (the main component of plastics). Also I might add that a lot of online japanese stores to combat this increase in yen price have slashed their store prices or put big discounts in their stock. As example a 1/72 F/A-18E Super Hornet E-19 boxing from 12 years ago had a 1800 yen price, back then it cost me around $12-15USD. Today at HLJ.com has a list price of 2000 yen, with their discount it cost 1600 yen but with current exchange rate it cost $20USD! Another example of how steady their price of kits have been vs the change in exchange rate/import cost. I have an initial boxing of their 1/72 Su-27 Flanker from more than 15 years ago, catalog #K40 with a 3400 price. Recent LE re-releases of this kit with different decals have a list price of 3600 yen, 2880 with discount. The brand spanking new Su-33 kit also has a list price of 3600 yen, 2880 discounted. See the trend? Edited February 28, 2012 by Inquisitor Quote Link to post Share on other sites
White Wolf Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) Like other people mentioned, the prices on the regular edition kits (white boxes) and limited editions haven't received such a noticeable increase in price as you might put it. What's really have increased is the Yen Price. Where you'd get 100-110 yen per dollar 4 years ago before/during the economic crisis, the price has increased steadily over the recession. The biggest increases were during the last year, the timeframe during your hiatus, peaking close to 70 yen per dollar. That's more than 30% increase in price of anything from Japan. Add that the increasing importing cost, fuel cost, inflation, etc. Kits from Academy haven't increased much because they're from Korea, the same applies to Trumpeter and other Chinese brands, and their exhcange rate have kept steady for one reason or another. Like other people said, before you put blame into Hasegawa, you might be better checking and comparing prices with your importer vs online stores from Japan and notice the price in Yen on this kits have been the same all around. Most of this japanese kits have their MRSB price printed near or into their catalog numbers. Although I can't deny that Hasegawa did announce and increase their price around 5-10% across the board during the recession due to the increase in oil cost (the main component of plastics). Also I might add that a lot of online japanese stores to combat this increase in yen price have slashed their store prices or put big discounts in their stock. As example a 1/72 F/A-18E Super Hornet E-19 boxing from 12 years ago had a 1800 yen price, back then it cost me around $12-15USD. Today at HLJ.com has a list price of 2000 yen, with their discount it cost 1600 yen but with current exchange rate it cost $20USD! Another example of how steady their price of kits have been vs the change in exchange rate/import cost. I have an initial boxing of their 1/72 Su-27 Flanker from more than 15 years ago, catalog #K40 with a 3400 price. Recent LE re-releases of this kit with different decals have a list price of 3600 yen, 2880 with discount. The brand spanking new Su-33 kit also has a list price of 3600 yen, 2880 discounted. See the trend? +1. The yen exchange rate is affecting everything from Japan, not just models. I've been cutting back on my other purchases too. :( IMO, the regular editions are comparable in price to kits from other manufacturers. Edited February 28, 2012 by White Wolf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
F14SRCOOL Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 I wasnt blaming hasegawa per se i was interested to know if anyone knew the reasons for it and everyone here has discussed the reasons in detail. However i still dont get why the increases were mainly on 1/48 th kits ie 1/32 kits like the f16 were priced at 60 pounds which is about the same price they have been yet Some 1/48 kits were raised upto that price. Anyway thanks guys i will leave it there!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmk0210 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) Personally, I think many of Hasegawa's kits were always overpriced. Revell has often taken Has kits, reboxed them and sold them for much less. Tamiya has made comparable (if not better) kits and sold them for less, as have many other brands. I mostly buy Has kits from the second hand market. I don't think I have ever purchased a Has kit new unless it was on a very good sale. Edited February 28, 2012 by dmk0210 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Harrier/Viper Fan Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 In my opinion the Tomcat, hornet kits where always over priced mainly because of the subject. I hardly buy Hasegawa anymore due to the prices but when they are the only people that make say a 1/48 Draken i don't have a problem with the £40 price tag. But £60 for a Tomcat that has a nasty fit, sod that i get the Hobbyboss at £45 that i don't need to spend a lot on to get the right Cockpit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Patrick_Nevin Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Best place is to buy them off of ebay, Lucky Model or HLJ. You'll get better prices, that are more reflective of their actual MSRP than the markup the UK market sees. For the last two please consider "...and then add the markup that HMRC levies on anything imported costing over £15" :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
scotthldr Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 For the last two please consider "...and then add the markup that HMRC levies on anything imported costing over £15" :) Having imported dozens of various items including model kits, car parts etc etc.... I have only been hit by the HMRC once and that was for a $500 exhaust system for a car, in a box that I could've went to sleep in. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fulcrum1 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Tomcats have always been pricey retail which is why I only bought them on sale or through Ebay. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Patrick_Nevin Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) Having imported dozens of various items including model kits, car parts etc etc.... I have only been hit by the HMRC once and that was for a $500 exhaust system for a car, in a box that I could've went to sleep in. They seem to be getting more attentive. Both the Z-M kits I bought attracted an extra £40 duty; the Ta183 I got last week had a nice £12 addition on top of the $20 cost/$10 shipping (hope the AMTech decals survive - otherwise would have been cheaper to buy Tamiya locally.) I think it's the economy.... Edited February 28, 2012 by Patrick_Nevin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ReccePhreak Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FIGHTS ON Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Thanks inquisitor for that detailed reply. Yes, I know this topic does seem to be constantly re-posted, but it is clearly a subject close to the heart. So my question is what happens to the price of kits from retailers (here in the UK for example) when the exchange rate returns to more favourable rates? Presumably they will be stuck with stocks of kits that they paid top prices for that they will need to sell? If (as more & more of us are already doing) start shopping from online stores abroad will that kill the hobby retailers here in the home country? I am guessing that the big retailers have drastically cut back on their orders from Japan in present times, so perhaps any possible future changes to exchange rates will be minimal. Mind you didn't all these same retailers get caught with Trumpeter 1/32 typhoons only to have Revell release their (more accurate?) version at half the price some months later? Can't be an easy business to be in right now, I would hate to see even more local stores close up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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