I’m all about advancing the hobby whenever the opportunity presents itself. When we first started out nearly 25 years ago, I remember several e-commerce businesses that sold models by listing them in a tabular format without any accompanying images or text. Instead they provided the SKU, a quick description and its price, sometimes showing the item’s anticipated date of release, if you were lucky. How they got by is anyone’s guess and, as you might have guessed, most of them have since folded, victims of old world marketing, lack of computing skills or laziness.
Needless to say that as the hobby has evolved so too has the tools used to promote the merchandise. Gone are the days of simple text, garish colors and oddly formatted graphics that neither entice nor excite. Instead, most companies are able to take advantage of the latest technological achievements that have come to the fore, all in an effort to make the customer as at ease as possible by enabling them to shop from the comfort of their phone, computer or tablet.
With this in mind, Amazon recently announced that merchants can now upload 3-D models to certain product listings/categories to showcase products from all angles and give customers more information that can help drive sales. Apparently, there’s no need for the wearing of special glasses, 3-D-enabled storefronts or any other modern-day contrivance that might spring to mind to give these products added spark over the more traditional 2-D images we’ve been used to over the last two decades. Spectacular, yes?
Using the latest in rotoscoping technology, 3-D models will enable would-be buyers to zoom in on an item from any conceivable vantage point, something they are unable to do using static imagery. In the case of an aircraft, customers can get a better close-up image of the model’s cockpit or rotate the product so they can see underneath an aircraft to view its weapons load out. While 2-D imagery can provide the same viewpoints, 3-D modeled products are more suitable for this type of scrutiny since you can zoom in or out using a singular vantage point.
We’ve sent this announcement to several of the hobby’s leading modelmakers to see if they can begin creating 3-D models for all of their upcoming products. While we recognize there’s a learning curve involved with new technology, we also realize that both the hobby and e-commerce are continuing to move forward, no longer bound by institutions and technology that pre-date the Internet. Its a brave new world out there and those companies still working in the past with outdated tools and technology will be the first to tell you they should’ve kept up.
The end result for several upcoming items could look like this:
We’re issuing an all points bulletin for Hobby Master’s recently released HA9801 as well as their HG0116. In case you’re wondering, the former is a 1:72 scale Israeli Defense Force Dassault-Breuget Mirage IIICJ “Shahak” Fighter – Yoram Agmon, 101 Squadron, Hatzor Air Base, Israel, July 1966, while the latter is a 1:56 scale German Early Production Sd. Kfz. 181 PzKpfw VI Tiger I Heavy Tank – “Red 131”, schwere Panzerabteilung 504, Panzerarmee Afrika, Medjed el Bab, Tunisia, North Africa, April 1943. Apparently, in the hand off from one distributor to the other earlier this year, neither received these models, thereby making them extremely rare on this side of the pond. Its not clear why they never made it over to our shores, and its doubtful they ever will, unless the manufacturer decides to find or make some more. So, if you’re hard up for either model, we suggest you nab them while you can because it doesn’t appear as if any of the US dealers will get them any time soon. Just saying…
We understand how frustrating it can be to place an order only to have to wait months on end for its arrival. That said, we play no part in the manufacture nor the distribution of any of the items we sell. While we may offer advice to several of the major players in the hobby regarding what to produce based upon our prior selling experience, we are simply a retailer based in Florida. We do not visit the manufacturers, many of whom are either located in Hong Kong or Bangladesh. We have no affiliation with any of the manufacturers or distributors we work with despite what some may tell you.
From time to time, we ask the manufacturers and distributors when we can expect to receive an item. If they tell us February, then its February, and we post it to our web site. If it slips to April, only to slip again for several months running, then we update our site accordingly and go from there. Again, we have no control over their inability to properly forecast when an item will return to stock. Sometimes customs can slow down the arrival of a shipment. Sometimes cargo ships get re-routed for whatever reason. Occasionally, a distributor may hold up a shipment so that they can consolidate merchandise with other merchandise that may have just been completed, thereby reducing their shipping costs.
Bear in mind too that this is a relatively small industry as compared to say the toy or video game industry. These are collectibles made in relatively small batches for worldwide consumption and as such are handled by a relatively few distributors faced with their own set of challenges. These aren’t GI Joe figures made in the hundreds of thousands or video games that can be uploaded to Steam then downloaded around the world in the blink of an eye. In many ways, the distribution of said products are handled in the same manner as they were decades ago, shipped to retailers such as ourselves via UPS or FedEx who face their own set of daily challenges that can include inclement weather, work stoppages and traffic issues.
Remember, you are always free to contact the manufacturer and/or the distributor yourself if you feel you are getting the run-around from a dealer. Its 2024, and most of the companies have web sites that include a Contact Us link, where you can message them directly. While some are located in Asia and occasionally their English may need tweaking, these companies make it their business to respond professionally with whatever information is at hand. They want to make you happy but oftentimes they themselves may be working with old or outdated data. Be mindful of the fact that they are 12-hours behind us — or 12-hours ahead of us, depending upon your outlook.
So, as we start to head into the back half of the calendar year, please be mindful of the fact that patience is a virtue and everyone in the supply chain is doing their utmost to get product into your hands in the most expeditious manner possible. Yes, it can be frustrating, but its oftentimes just as frustrating for us as we do our best to provide you with accurate and timely information. Thank you.
From time to time we do our best to help out our suppliers any which way we can — offering advice on subjects they may be considering, reviewing text, assessing marketing material and generally looking to give them a leg up on the competition so they can hit the ground running once their product hits the street. Recently, the folks over at Motorcity Classics asked if we knew of anyone that might be looking to earn some extra bucks. Essentially, they are searching for someone with a cursory background in military matters — someone who can string together words in a meaningful manner so that they better describe the products they are selling.
Here’s a job description they forwarded to me, which helps to explain what and who they are looking for:
Job Title: Looking for a Military History Expert and Scale Model Replica Enthusiast Company: Motor City Classics Location: Remote (with occasional Zoom/Teams meetings) Type: Part-Time/Consultant About Us: Motor City Classics has been manufacturing, importing, and distributing scale model replicas for nearly 40 years. We hold licenses with several large companies such as Coca-Cola, PACCAR, General Motors, Ford, just to name a few. Job Description: We are seeking a knowledgeable and passionate Military History Expert and Scale Model Replica Enthusiast to join our team. In this role, you will receive samples of our scale models, take precise measurements of models, and provide detailed descriptions that include historical context and the unique features of each replica. Responsibilities:
Free Samples and additional compensation per model How to Apply: Interested candidates are invited to email us at contact@motorcityclassicsinc.com. Writing samples are encouraged but not required. We look forward to seeing your application and learning more about your passion for military history and model replicas!
Receive and review samples of scale model replicas.
Measure and document the dimensions of each model accurately.
Research and write detailed historical descriptions related to each model.
Highlight and describe the features and details of the replicas.
Collaborate with our design and marketing teams to ensure accurate and engaging product descriptions. Requirements:
Deep knowledge of military history.
Passion for and experience with collecting and analyzing scale model replicas.
Strong research and writing skills.
Attention to detail and precision in measurements.
Ability to work independently and meet deadlines. Benefits:
Flexible work hours.
Opportunity to work with a leading company in the model replica industry.
As a former writer myself, all I can say is put your best foot forward if you’re looking to snap up this opportunity. Demonstrate your command of the English language, your knowledge of era-specific weapons platforms and, above all else, refrain from regurgitating the same old information over and over again to earn your keep. People can see through that hyperbole from a thousand yards away. While speed and accuracy is certainly of paramount importance, it shouldn’t come at the expense of writing engaging prose that will sell a product. Good luck and who knows where this may lead.
Some time ago, I indicated we would be pursuing a uniform pricing policy for several categories. What this means is that most items will conform to a single price point within each category, which may fluctuate over time as costs rise and new items are introduced. The reason for this strategy is simple. In certain categories, such as Hobby Master aircraft or Forces of Valor tanks, we’ve left up listings of various products for referential purposes so people can see what was released years ago even though we are more than likely sold out of said products. In the case of Forces of Valor, for example, we recognize that its silly to leave up items that were first released way back in 2002 at their introductory price of say $39.99, when newer items are fetching on the order of $130. What this means is that we’ve increased the asking price for the older products to what they would likely sell for in today’s market if they were once again available.
In a related development, we are also in the process of updating the graphics for a number of categories. You can see the fruits of our labors in both the Hobby Master aircraft and military vehicles categories. Eventually, we will be doing similar treatments for some of our most popular categories, among them Forces of Valor and Dragon Armor. We’ve also been introducing YouTube videos for a number of our newer product offerings, which help to discuss the background for each item or the unit’s that operated them. We hope these improvements are met with a favorable response.
Earlier this week, Hobby Master elected to alter its MAP guidelines by extending it to nine months. Previously retailers and distributors could lower the price of a Hobby Master product six months after its release. The change was brought on to prevent certain parties from dumping their excess inventory at or below their wholesale costs once the MAP guidelines were lifted. To remain in compliance, we will adjust our own Hobby Master selling policy on our web site along with our marketplace sites to reflect this change in stance.
Recently we had an issue with a customer concerning our free shipping option. Several months ago, said customer placed an order calling for three Panzerkampf MiG-19s, none of which were in-stock and clearly marked as pre-order merchandise. The order was submitted to us late at night so we could not review it to see if we could accept it as it stood. When the first MiG arrived, we shipped it to him at a considerably reduced price to console him. But when the next MiG arrived, and we attempted to adjust the price he became indignant, basically accusing us of everything in the book because he wasn’t getting his way. Needless to say the customer misinterpreted the offer when we would not fulfill his order as he saw fit. There’s some other things that occurred that I won’t comment on publicly that raised an eyebrow so we blocked him from making any further purchases from us. Clearly no amount of explaining was going to correct the situation
So let’s back track for a moment and do our best to explain how the offer works. Our free shipping promotion clearly states that all of the merchandise on your order must be in-stock and ready for immediate shipment. It does not mean that any order of $250 or more qualifies for the discount nor does it mean we will break up an order calling for multiple items to be shipped out over an extended period of time since our shipping costs will go up exponentially, quite possibly wiping out whatever profit we are making on the order. We’ve gone back and edited the Free Shipping option so that it clearly states “All Items Must be In-Stock” to qualify for the discount. I’m certain we will still get orders submitted to us that fails to abide by the terms of sale but at least we made a yeoman effort attempting to make things as clear as possible.
We appreciate your consideration in this matter and hope we have made the matter as clear, concise and understandable to avoid further confusion. Thank you.
“Anything that just costs money is cheap.” ― John Steinbeck
Pursuant to their announcement of a new 1:16 scale King Tiger tank, Waltersons has since indicated in their Facebook posting that the tentative price for the upcoming King Tiger will be between $899.99-$949.99, although this could change based upon market conditions. We’re assuming that their newest vehicle will not ship with the heavy wooden crate that came with the Unimax version a couple of decades ago. As a result, the likely weight of the vehicle and its attendant accoutrements will probably be in the neighborhood of 35 pounds. Its anyone’s guess how that will translate into shipping cost since the rates for all the major carriers keep changing, but expect to fork out an additional $100 or more for domestic shipping within the Continental 48 states since this vehicle will not qualify for our free shipping discount. Having said all that, it looks like a sale will probably set you back close to $1,100 US if you feel you really must own their latest entrant in the Extreme Metal series. That’s a pretty price to pay for a diecast collectible that may or may not appreciate in value based upon all sorts of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, from sell through to global demand. Food for thought if you really want this upcoming vehicle but don’t mind raiding the piggy bank to do so.
So why do I bring all of this up now, when the vehicle may not be available for a year or more? Essentially, I’m a pro, having learned and practiced successful marketing techniques for well over four decades. In college, my major was industrial psychology, an offshoot of traditional psychology that attempts to quantify why people do what they do when they make purchasing decisions. Back in the day, a book entitled Future Shock came out in different softbound packaging, using different colors to help determine why a consumer might pick up say a red book jacket as opposed to an orange or even a green one. That’s my academic background.
I learned a lot of things back then, which includes the use of restive colors on our web site to help increase its so-called “stickiness” — the length of time a customer spends on a web site which could but does not necessarily increase the likelihood of making a purchase. The use of certain fonts, category landing pages, multiple exposures to a product all help to contribute to added sales and a healthier balance sheet.
Your point being? Its simple, really. An item such as the upcoming King Tiger is, for many, a major purchase that could set them back for several months or more before they are once again able to make a follow-on purchase. Moreover, many collectors are hoping to get in on the ground floor of the next “shooting star” – that one collectible everyone seems to be talking about that may or may not appreciate in value far in excess of its original selling price. Yes, some of the earliest entrants in this series have appreciated in value far above its original asking price. On the other hand, their Sherman tank has “tanked” — figuratively as well as literally — meaning you can probably pick one up nowadays for less than its initial selling price.
In a round about way what I am trying to say is that my tradecraft is in marketing and I will use this prowess to help sell this item once we have learned more about it. It is up to you, the consumer, to take everything we and others say about this item with a grain of salt, then determine why you are looking to purchase this item. If its to sit on a credenza for all the world to ogle then you have already made the decision to covet this item purely as a collectible. However, if you are looking to purchase this item in the hopes that it will radically appreciate in value and help fund your child’s education then I seriously suggest you look at this item purely from a speculative stance much like crypto currency. It could go up in value, it could remain the same or it could decrease in value. There is no barometer that will faithfully predict its value in two, three or ten years. Please make sure you understand that to its fullest if you are contemplating making a purchase. As I said in a previous post, caveat emptor.
For some time now, there are several diecast manufacturers who require retailers selling their product to adopt a MAP policy that is aimed at preserving the value of their merchandise. MAP, or Minimum Advertised Price, isn’t exactly a uniform policy that applies to all manufacturers nor does it mean the same thing to everyone concerned. Indeed, there are some manufacturers that politely ask you to advertise their product for a stipulated period of time to avoid discounting their product in the marketplace. Others are more stringent and may, quite possibly, stop selling you their product if you are routinely out of compliance.
There are, as you might have guessed, all sorts of problems with the usage of MAP in the global marketplace. While a MAP policy might have worked years ago when two retailers were located across the street from one another in Anytown, USA, the issue become a bit murky when a retailer such as ourselves ends up competing with retailers from around the world. In mainland China, for instance, where many diecast collectibles are made, oftentimes we see fly-by-night retailers selling a product well below the stipulated MAP, even if their shipping fees may seem excessive. They may be retail arms of the manufacturer or they could be underselling other retailers because their currency could be undervalued against the US dollar. So, while we may be asked to sell an item for say $99.99, it doesn’t necessarily mean a retailer in China, Bangladesh, or Indoneisa is being asked or even required to follow that same policy.
In my mind, and perhaps I’m being mistaken, a MAP means that the retailer may not “ADVERTISE” said item for less than the stipulated price. It does not mean they must “SELL” the item at that price, particularly if they may be running promotions that permit their customers to purchase an item at a reduce price. I oftentimes use the analogy of a Keurig K-cup coffemaker being sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond as a means of demonstrating my position. Keurig may require Bed, Bath and Beyond to sell their newest coffeemaker at $199.99. But we all know that Bed, Bath and Beyond regularly bombards their customers with fliers and other marketing paraphernalia containing discounts that may offer 15% or 20% off of a single item or perhaps a dollar figure off the entire sale. These coupons can then be brought into the store or used online, which, in effect lowers the price of the item by the redemption amount. To sum up, the manufacturer, retailer and customer are all happy with this format.
This article attempts to discuss the idea of MAP pricing in greater detail.
I bring all of this up because we seem to have run into an issue with Hobby Master. Hobby Master has always indicated that their products are to be sold at MAP and that this policy must remain in effect for six months following the item’s release. No problem. When their sales literature is sent out, we list each item at the MAP indicated and, because these are limited edition collectibles, rarely if every lower its selling price depending upon supply and demand. Oftentimes, we increase the selling price as we start to run low on inventory. We are, after all, in the collectibles business. Back in the day, I used to be a coin collector, I fully recognize I cannot expect to walk into a coin dealer’s shop and demand that they sell me an 1878 Morgan Dollar for one dollar. They’ll laugh me out the door and my lonely dollar bill will end up going back in my pocket along with some hurt feelings.
Last week, things changed a bit. Our Hobby Master distributor has changed their stance somewhat which has led to the reason why I am writing this blog post. We are no longer required to indicate that our customers may not apply a discount to a Hobby Master item, however, the final selling price cannot fall below the MAP price. This means we now have to go back to all of the upcoming Hobby Master products and adjust their selling price so that customers clearly see they may not purchase or pre-order the product for less than MAP. Of course, once the MAP has expired, it also means that customers can now freely apply any sales discounts we may be running to whatever price is posted, meaning they can still obtain said item at less than MAP. Great, right? Yes and no. By the time the MAP has ended, its quite possible we could have sold out of the item, so they may be waiting for naught.
Whenever we run a sale, all of the upcoming Hobby Master releases, which include those available within the six month release window, will have the following disclaimer shown in the description pane (see image). So, while you can apply the sales discount at checkout, the final net price will not fall below it’s preset MAP. When it comes to our marketplace sites (eBay, Amazon, Walmart, Facebook, etc.) the same rule of thumb will apply. If we are running a 10% off sale on eBay, for instance, the price listed will reflect a 10% increase over the MAP. Once the six month MAP enforced period has ended, we will remove the MAP Protected shield and any text indicating that the item still falls within the MAP enforced release period.
While I’m not a big fan of this strategy, and loathe having to deal with MAP. I understand its intentions. But, it also means we must manually go through our listings, month-by-month, to adjust the selling price each time we decide to run a promotion. The revised price must take into account whatever the sales discount is pegged at. So, if we are running a 15% off sale, we must increase the MAP to reflect this discount. On the other hand, if no promotion is being run, it means we must change the price back to the MAP, item-by-item, month-by-month, until we are in compliance. Not only is this confusing but extraordinarily time-consuming since this must be done expeditiously and accurately to avoid any further issues. With hundreds of upcoming items, its a tedious process. I took a break from this re-pricing format to pen this blog post in part to explain what is going on and hopefully give us more time until a more elegant solution can be found.
Please note that this policy change affects all retailers that stock Hobby Master products within North America. No one is permitted to sell upcoming or newly released Hobby Master products below MAP. If someone is failing to follow this policy or is in flagrant violation, we would appreciate learning who it is so we can pass along this infraction to our distributor.
According to our principal distributor, the May Hobby Master shipment is expected to pull in to their facility sometime around the middle of next week. Its quite possible the follow-on June and July shipments could be right behind it, meaning lots of new Hobby Master models to go through by the middle to tail end of the month. As always, we would very much appreciate it if you could hold your inquiries for a couple of weeks until we’ve gone through everything and made our initial shipments. At that point, we’ll field any questions you might have as it relates to Hobby Master.
The next AFVs of WWII shipment is also expected this month, although no firm date has been established yet since the shipment is still mired at its port of call. The distributor is working in earnest to free up the shipment so here again we would be very thankful if you hold off any inquiries until these items are marked as being received and have already been shipped out.
In other news, we are finally onboarded with Walmart so for the next week or so will begin listing items that are approved for sale on the Walmart marketplace site. If they permit us to open a storefront, then we will point our Contact Us page right to our Motor Pool storefront. After Walmart has been seeded with a good assortment of product, we will then turn our attention to Target, and hopefully get them set up before the start of the holiday season. We will put our plans to launch our VR store on hold until 2023, since we still have our move to Florida on hold. Presently, it looks as if the move will occur in the beginning of the year since there doesn’t seem to be much progress with the build.
That’s about it for now. If anything else occurs to me this weekend then I’ll update this blog post and pass along any news that crosses my desk. Ta ta!
Update: So, we’re finally up-and-running on Walmart, after some trial-and-error work and a good bit of finessing with the powers that be. Right now, we’ve launched just a handful of items to test the system and see how their marketplace works relative to other similar marketplace sites. Once we feel confident that we understand everything and can perform up to their lofty standards, we will slowly increase our product portfolio size, which must first be reviewed by Walmart so that everything is in compliance with their code of conduct. Items such as German tanks featuring Maltese crosses or German aircraft with swastikas on their tail may not pass muster unless we can somehow demonstrate that these are simply artifacts of war that bear no political leanings. Anyway, just thought you might like to check out our presence on the world’s largest retailer site. Next stop Target then one other viable candidate, before we start to explore our VR options in 2023.
