Kit Pricing

[vh-bob]

Ken, it's looking as if I was out of line here as it seems that most are happy to pay today's asking prices. I shall content myself with trying to reduce the size of my stash, built up during a life time of modelling.  I really did enjoy opening a new kit with great expectations that this would be something special though. I'll just have to be content watching Youtube in future.

 

  Thanks to all who replied,  Trev.

[Gerhard]

12 hours ago, Roberto123 said:

I used to buy Wingnuts kits until they priced themselves out of my wallet.  Not only have the prices shot up a lot but, now shipping isn't included. 

That has killed a LOT of deals for me. Shipping to South Africa is crazy expensive. 

[echolmberg]

4 hours ago, vh-bob said:

Ken, it's looking as if I was out of line here as it seems that most are happy to pay today's asking prices. I shall content myself with trying to reduce the size of my stash, built up during a life time of modelling.  I really did enjoy opening a new kit with great expectations that this would be something special though. I'll just have to be content watching Youtube in future.

 

  Thanks to all who replied,  Trev.

 

Trev, you're not alone in feeling the way you do.  I've got a small (@30) stash of kits which, at the rate I build, should keep me occupied for the next 10 years.  To be darned honest with you, I have no plans on buying anything in the near or distant future solely because of how much the costs have gone up.  I'd say a good 85% of the kits I have are Monogram kits because I can still afford those.  The other brands I have in my stash are only there because, by some miracle, I was able to get them at a deep discount to bring them down to the price they should have been in the first place. 

 

Whenever I read about someone who just bought three copies of the latest release from (insert any kit manufacturer here), all I can think of is the study that was done regarding wine.  Researchers had people sample various brands of wine where the only thing the subject was told was the price of each wine sample.  They were lied to and told that one particular wine cost far more than all the others.  Unsurprisingly, the taste testers overwhelmingly said the "expensive" wine was the best tasting wine.  I think the kit manufacturers utilize this to some point when they establish their pricing.  I'm not saying it's the driving factor, but I think they know that if the public sees that some product is very expensive, it must be the "MUST HAVE" item.

 

Eric

[Ryan Hothersall]

3 hours ago, echolmberg said:

 

Trev, you're not alone in feeling the way you do.  I've got a small (@30) stash of kits which, at the rate I build, should keep me occupied for the next 10 years.  To be darned honest with you, I have no plans on buying anything in the near or distant future solely because of how much the costs have gone up.  I'd say a good 85% of the kits I have are Monogram kits because I can still afford those.  The other brands I have in my stash are only there because, by some miracle, I was able to get them at a deep discount to bring them down to the price they should have been in the first place. 

 

Whenever I read about someone who just bought three copies of the latest release from (insert any kit manufacturer here), all I can think of is the study that was done regarding wine.  Researchers had people sample various brands of wine where the only thing the subject was told was the price of each wine sample.  They were lied to and told that one particular wine cost far more than all the others.  Unsurprisingly, the taste testers overwhelmingly said the "expensive" wine was the best tasting wine.  I think the kit manufacturers utilize this to some point when they establish their pricing.  I'm not saying it's the driving factor, but I think they know that if the public sees that some product is very expensive, it must be the "MUST HAVE" item.

 

Eric

I would not be surprised about that.

[DDC]

I think you guys are al.missibg a big part of this pricing equation: where the kit is being purchased.

A museum is a tourist attraction, and like all tourist attractions, everything is sold at a premium. I'm sure if you had a look at their Cafe's menu, you'd find prices much higher than what you could buy elsewhere. To find that a museum is charging higher prices than large retailers is not at all surprising. 

 

We know the going prices for these kits and we know where else we can buy them. For the rest of the population, their impulse want of a model of the plane they just saw is the entire point of the museum gift shop.

 

They'll just be lucky that they're spending their 30 bucks on the new tool kit and not ending up with the ancient original 🤣

[vh-bob]

DDC, you'r right of course but as I explained at the beginning I merely quoted the Museum price as being the most expensive, but two other sources only differed by one and two dollars respectively. I don't make a habit of buying kits from Museum gift shops. There seems to be some who claim that kit prices have remained relative over the years, costing no more now than they did then. More years ago than I care to remember, I bought both the then new Airfix Superfreighter and Wellington from my share of my 1st year apprentice wages of A$9.00. The new version of the Wellington is way too rich these days for my A$450.00 Pension.  I think that the original point to this gripe was along the lines of " with the ever rising costs of the hobby, will the manufacturers survive into the future for it to continue ?"

 

  Trev.

[DDC]

Fair point Trev, its the same old story, income for us mere mortals not growing anywhere near the growth of inflation, and it is a drag!

 

I moved from Aus to the US last year, and it really opened my eyes to just how over taxed some things are in Australia. It seems to be the usual scale of economy problem. Its a pity but its the way things are. It never ceases to blow the mind of the locals over here when i regale them with tales of horror of just how expensive things like petrol or car rego are back home in Aus!

 

Denzil

[Slo-pine]

8 hours ago, vh-bob said:

DDC, you'r right of course but as I explained at the beginning I merely quoted the Museum price as being the most expensive, but two other sources only differed by one and two dollars respectively. I don't make a habit of buying kits from Museum gift shops. There seems to be some who claim that kit prices have remained relative over the years, costing no more now than they did then. More years ago than I care to remember, I bought both the then new Airfix Superfreighter and Wellington from my share of my 1st year apprentice wages of A$9.00. The new version of the Wellington is way too rich these days for my A$450.00 Pension.  I think that the original point to this gripe was along the lines of " with the ever rising costs of the hobby, will the manufacturers survive into the future for it to continue ?"

 

  Trev.

Without a doubt the manufactures will survive. We are seeing new companies pop up every year. And together with the well established old favorites we are seeing a ton of new releases every year. Even someone like Revell isn't really gone, just restructured and split up. The hobby has evolved from a children's toy into the adult pastime we have today. I would argue its never been stronger especially when you take a look at the thriving aftermarket and modeling products available. Add to that the second hand market this hobby is going strong.

 

As for the cost, maybe looking at the price of an individual kit isn't the best way to determine its value. Personally after tracking money spent on the hobby over the last few years I think it is still  a great value. Especially comparing cost/time to my other hobbies and interests. The high price of a couple kits will balance out in the long run and the hobby remains affordable to me. but to each his/her own.