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Forums - News / General |
For General modelling or hobby-related topics that are not covered by any other specific forum. Please keep to topics concerning the hobby. |
| Topics | 2899 |
| Messages | 21065 |
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| Subject: | Several things |  |
| Date: | May 22, 2002 |
| From: | Peter Ong | |
I don't really believe THE MODELER is to blame for everything.
I do agree what Alex and Yuchung Wang said about how the interest has to be
there and also a commitment to spend $$$. However, people buy action
figures (not the dolls, I mean the action figures) and that's costly too.
Why? Not because the figure looks cool, but because the buyer often times
KNOWS what the action figure IS. Mace Windu...we know who he is. PUMA tank
destroyer....huh?
There are many factors that AFFECT the modeler and I'll make a laundry list
here. Yet, naturally, companies want to BLAME the customer for the decline
in modeling. Companies are quick to point out we builders don't buy and
think kits are always so expensive...blah-blah-blah. Not so fast!
* Toy stores no longer carry "serious" model kits, only SNAP kits and
sometimes not even that! Small toy stores and the big ones too just don't
bother to stock models unlike the 1980s. Perhaps they deem models as "not
cost-effective." But why then do they still stock model rockets? I don't
see model rockets shooting up at a consistent rate. No lengthy petition
from customers is going to get models back on the toy store shelves. It's
the companies that have to get their products on the shelves, period. I
haven't seen a DML or Tamiya kit in toy stores ever since the 1980s.
* Drug stores don't carry many models anymore and those that do, carry the
junky ones. I remember drug stores used to carry some nice kits but the
contractor stocking the shelves in drug stores doesn't know diddly about
what kits are good and which are junk. If a kid buys a junky model from a
drug store, what makes the kid think he'll model again? Not everyone goes
to the dwindling list of hobby stores. My first kit was from a drug store.
* Translations. I think the Japanese modeling books (and not to pick on the
Japanese) have to be translated into English. The Japanese make some really
good reference books with awesome photos but they're all in Japanese! Let's
face it, most of the models are coming from Japan and Asia these days and
have English instructions. But the Japanese modeling reference books are
still in Japanese! As such, the books don't get bought and the hunger of
building the kits in them doesn't grow. A photo is worth 1,000 words but
I'd like to be able to read the words too ;-).
* Magazines. You'd be surprised at the number of people who buy FSM and the
real warplane magazines. Also, ever notice that most of the FSM Gallery
submitters are from modelers who never visit the DGs? There ARE people who
model out there. A common FSM reader complaint is "Why no _________
articles?" FSM says, "Because no one who builds that subject submits."
I remember a famous modeler I emailed long ago. I asked him why there are
many plane and car kit magazines but none on armor. The modeler replied,
"Because no one submits anything." Take a look at all the magazines on PC
games compared to one FSM. Not to pick on FSM, but look how thin FSM is
compared to the video game magazines. The rules for submiting to the model
magazines are so strict (photos must be PERFECT) that it's crazy and no
wonder no one submits. Look at all the TL reviews without photos...compare
that to the FSM reviews so no wonder FSM is so thin. FSM DOES NOT want
reference articles which is a darn pity. If the article does NOT relate to
modeling, they don't want it. Therefore, one can't submit an article about
the M2A3 because there IS no M2A3 kit unless you scratchbuild one and then
FSM would want that article. Crazy! The main magazine for modeling doesn't
want reference articles and that's cutting the tree of modeling interest in
half right there.
* American companies. American companies have shied away from armor and
it's a pity. Nowadays, the trend seems to be towards diecast cars and
cheaper SNAP kits. But compare this to complex Hasewaga planes and Gundams.
People pay for good model kits. Star Wars and Star Trek capture lots of
young new modelers with their movies and TV shows but those ERTL kits are
cheap and poorly-made. American model makers have let the Japanese dictate
the modeling world and thus American companies became old-fashioned. Now
China's Trumpeter is rising and making very good kits. American companies
need to get a makeover and make some high-quality semi-expensive kits to
stay in business. The "cheapie-weepies" don't work anymore.
* References and box text info. I've seen kids in the hobby store all
gather around a kit and "ooh" and "ahhh." These young kids DO know the kit
is unassembled and they have to build it. But they DON'T know what the kit
is about and thus with so many questions and no answers, they pass up. I've
seen kids think a Panzerfaust is a boozka and the US GI uses Panzerfausts.
(Thanks, FSM, for your rule on no reference articles ;-). You really teach
kids a lot). But then another kid says "No, Panzerfaust is German" and a
big arguement ensures. I say it's German but without references, the kids
don't believe me. They want to see it written on the box. The figure kit
doesn't get bought because the kids literally can't figure it out (no pun).
Kids aren't going to buy something they don't understand. That's why they
go more into cars or planes than AFVs. Kids know what a hot-rod is and what
an F-14 is...and there are books on them too.
Sorry for the rant but all I'm saying is it's not always the customers'
fault. Model companies and magazines can do better IMHO than always blaming
we lowly builders.
I never majored in business but it doesn't take an MBA to realize that part
of the decline in modeling is the companies' fault in not adapting and
getting their head out of the gutter.
Off the flaming soapbox.
Pete |
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 | What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - Tim Streeter - May 21, 2002 |
| . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - Alex Hodges - May 21, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - Adam Vukich - May 21, 2002 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - Tim Streeter - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - MSW - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - Landon Olson - May 23, 2002 |
| . . . The WOW factor is missing... - Yuchung Wang - May 21, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: The WOW factor is missing... - Ruben Kremer - May 21, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: The WOW factor is missing... - Alex Hodges - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: The WOW factor is missing... - Alan - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: The WOW factor is missing... - Yuchung Wang - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . SF - Peter Ong - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: SF - Yuchung Wang - May 23, 2002 |
| . . . Several things - Peter Ong - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: Several things - Alex Hodges - May 22, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: Several things - Yuchung Wang - May 23, 2002 |
| . . . . . . Re: Several things - Thorsten Wieking - Jul 3, 2002 |
| . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - john.williamson3 - May 24, 2002 |
| . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - john.williamson3 - May 24, 2002 |
| . . . Re: What Can We Do to Attract More Young Modelers? - john.williamson3 - May 24, 2002 |
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