FANTASIC PRICE FOR THE BIG TIFFIE, VIA AMAZON....

[Max Headroom]

Too big for me at any price!

However Amazon seems to be discounting most of the 1/24 kits eg

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B005SPU69W/ref=s9_simh_awgw_d0_g21_i1/278-3037392-8452545?pi=SL115&aid=aw_gw&apid=437521927&arc=1201&arid=0DYHECD6JDVJGXWXKA69&asn=center-6&pf_rd_i=aw_gw&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_p=437521927&pf_rd_r=0DYHECD6JDVJGXWXKA69&pf_rd_s=center-6&pf_rd_t=1201

Only the Tuskagee reissue P-51 appears full price.

Trevor

[Rickpadwick1801]

The only thing that would concern me if I was going to buy this kit is the dispatched within 2 to 4 months that it says on the page. Doesn't even mention that it is a pre-order situation only as the usual Amazon pre-order button isn't there.

Just my 2 pence worth, but I bet this is one of those it's where there is a lot for your money.

Rick

[Tim T]

I have to agree with Jonners on this. I would rather pay an extra £5 and buy from Hattons, which is after all a UK company with a bricks and mortar presence as well.

[Dave Batt]

It truly does stab a brick-and-mortar retailer in the back.....assuming that the b&m shops have been ordering them.

My little local B&M retailer has ordered nearly a dozen on the basis of firm orders - hope these buyers follow through after this sort of action by the manufacturer. "Stab in the back" is an understatement. Can't manufacturers put some sort of embargo on prices discounted from the RRP? Or at least the percentage of the reduction?

[bentwaters81tfw]

Kallisti, retailers get big by squashing the little guy. That's called 'business'. Whether one agrees with the ethics of it makes no matter, it happens and will continue to do so...and I dare say get even worse. I am aware Hattons have the kit on pre order discount, as they do other things, but I got screwed over by Hattons once, and they are not 'first choice' for me.

The local hobby shops in this area have all died off, Modelzone we know the story, Everybody's Hobbies, that became anything but. Stopped kits, stopped railways, just imported cheap mass market tat, Galaxy Models again chose to concentrate on R/C.

That leaves me 2 wargames shops where I get some paint and glue. Next nearest is Hannants, and they do OK from my wallet.

I wasn't going to buy a Typhoon...509 parts, it will never get built by me, but I am supporting Airfix. They choose who they do business with, and obviously that included Amazon, so I have no qualms in that direction. Without their like there, are many items I would never have bought, so other manufacturers of products would have had fewer sales. As stated Amazon may welch on the deal and I will lose no sleep if they do. Besides this investment, I have have spent an equal sum in the past two days with two of our traders who frequent this site , so I think I do my bit for the LHS where I can.

[davidelvy]

Although it can be very exciting chasing online discounts, don't assue your LHS (if you have one) won't be able to offer a discount. My local shop offers a 10% discount to IPMS or local model club members. Granted this is not as big as the online discounts, but it is worth bearing in mind as if you buy over the counter you won't have the worry about being in when the courrier arrives or the extra cost of a trip to their depot. Also, you can be reasonably confident that those involved in the supply chain are fully contributing to this country's finances and not keeping nearly all of their profits to spend somewhere else.

[nicholas mayhew]

all this dewy-eyed nostalgia about model shops makes me laugh a bit - my guess is you all shop at Tesco or similar?

as regards shopping locally, I do that for things that matter like butcher, fishmonger, local fruit and veg from various farm shops (I am keenly aware I am lucky here)

and please think before saying things like price regulation and 'shouldn't be allowed to sell things at so and so price...' - before you know it we'll all find ourselves in the 1970s or worse, in a pseudo communist / socialist state

I have ordered one from Amazon, and I too am "guilt free"

back to the kit itself, I am slightly more interested in whether the kit has options for different tail planes?

the beautiful example built here on BritMod had the Tempest tail planes, but I see Xtradecal are already producing decals for earlier versions which had the 'original' smaller / Typhoon ones

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X24003

does anyone know the answer here?

[ben_m]

Yes, both sizes of tailplanes are supplied

[Rabbit Leader]

Nicholas,

From what I've seen and read so far, both small and Tempest tallplanes are included in the basic kit.

That's in addition to 3 and 4 blade props with Mk.1 and Mk.3 Rocket rails.. Seems like you should be able to model any "Bubble" canopy Typhoon.. Makes it hard just to choose one don't you think?

On the price side of things, I preordered mine from Hattons way back in February at GBP70.00 less your VAT. I think it went down to about GBP57.00, however I'm sure I'll make up the rest in postage costs to Australia.

Cheers.. Dave.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Rabbit Leader

[Rabbit Leader]

What's a "Local hobby shop"?

For me local its Brisbane, that's in another state (and not a nice one either)

Oh.... Come on Danii.. Once you get over the fact that we've all got two heads... Bris Vegas is not that bad a place!!

Cheers Dave (former Victorian.. Is that any better?)

[JBOHMSS]

Thats my second one ordered at that price it is worth it one to do now and one to do in ten years time. That is a deal

[Work In Progress]

. Can't manufacturers put some sort of embargo on prices discounted from the RRP? Or at least the percentage of the reduction?

That is explicitly illegal in the UK, and has has been since 1964, when the Resale Prices Act established that all resale price agreements between manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers are against the public interest unless proven otherwise.

Edited May 11, 2014 by Work In Progress

[Dave Batt]

That is explicitly illegal in the UK, and has has been since 1964, when the Resale Prices Act established that all resale price agreements between manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers are against the public interest unless proven otherwise.

Over-specific optimism on my part I think, driven by the way I feel the 'little guy' that we desperately need is being done over.

[Roo]

Can't manufacturers put some sort of embargo on prices discounted from the RRP? Or at least the percentage of the reduction?

As said above, it is illegal to do that. You can get around it though by raising the wholesale cost to a point where a discount realistically could not be applied and there are companies around that do this as it is quite legal, it makes the brand more attractive and it keeps margins high (at least for the manufacturer). Apple are probably the best known example for this method of working.

What's a "Local hobby shop"?

For me local its Brisbane, that's in another state (and not a nice one either)

I had the misfortune of staying in Brisbane while watching a tri-nations Rugby League game The city was so lovely that we booked new fights at our expense to get out of there 2 days early and continue our holiday in Cairns for longer instead

[georgeusa]

Just placed my order. Not feeling real guilty as my local hobby shops carry very few Airfix kits. Besides, just spent more than the cost of this kit at one of them Friday when I had to pass the kit aisle to get to the paint aisle. At least that's my excuse. It is a great buy. The only thing that didn't please me is the scheduled delivery is July 31 to Sept 31. They could be offering the lower price based upon a projected second run from Amazon sales as I would imagine if the actual release date is 6/6/14 their first production run must be finished to allow time to be shipped to the retailers for the release date.

[JBOHMSS]

I observe often in this hobby/industry that after the initial release of a new kit often siad kit reaches the price that a modeller is happy to pay.

The Sea Vixen is a case in point - when first released it was £34.99 - a good price in my opinion and then after initial sales it slowed down it went on sale for as little as £14.00, I snapped up several more at this price but even then it didn't fly off the shelves.

There are other factors to think about - Model Zone had a deal with Airfix all items were purchased as opposed with Scalextric and Hornby which was sale or return. The bulk purchases by Model Zone ensured that the margin was good to be able to offer the discounts in sales. I am not sure if that will be the case in the current situation with model shops around the country. Certainly Airfix has a larger presence now in Hobby Craft and Toys R Us.

The Mossie is a success story. It was a model announced 35 years prior to it's release. I think the hype helped. But the projected price of the Tiffie at £90 may be the crux of the matter as Hattons first offered this at £70 - I snapped one up and got my order in. I have a feeling that wholesalers may be taking a bit of notice to model shop owners and modellers Amazon of course can bulk buy to get such discounts that it can pass along.

Ultimately the modeller will pay what he feels is right - £70 or £90? The former will have it flying off the shelves more so than £90.

[Abacus]

The price may be not too far away from what it will be retailing on release.

[gingerbob]

I observe often in this hobby/industry that after the initial release of a new kit often siad kit reaches the price that a modeller is happy to pay.

Maybe that'll happen with the 1/32 PBY

Being in the USA, I checked out the link, found out with shipping total would be about $115, and I admit I felt twinges of temptation. But, for all I admire Airfix's efforts, I just don't "need" a 1/24 Typhoon. Had it been, say, a Westland Whirlwind, I might have been in real trouble. But truth is I'm satisfied with 1/32 for "big scale" things, and even there I'm somewhat choosy. As far as I can remember, the only kits I've ever paid over $100 for were the Tamiya 1/32 Spit (though I'm not sure I actually paid quite that for the first one, and definitely less for the next) and their P-51. In the latter case, I felt like, "OK, if I'm ever going to build a big P-51D obviously this is the kit to do it with." Even so, I'd have waited for the inevitable "bargain" price had a friend not been arranging a group purchase through a "local" hobby shop.

There are some Silver Wings kits I'm lusting after, but there are precious few subjects that I want so badly I'll be willing to pay that kind of money. Now, if I had "disposable" income, things might be different!

bob

[venomvixen]

115 bucks? I wish

Over here it will smash 200 easy.

[gingerbob]

I'd do you a favor, Danni, but the shipping from here to there would probably eat up most of that. But what's the shipping charge via Amazon UK? It wasn't very much to USA.

bob

[jenko]

Personally I will just wander over to the Hornby shop next to the factory. Speak nicely to the 2 young ladies in there and show my Airfix club card and get 20% off. Simples.

Dick; who is sitting typing this at home while looking out over the fields to the Hornby factory.

[rod mcq]

I have just checked and the Amazon price has now risen to £94.99

[redcap]

Just looked myself to see what all the fuss was about and the discount is only a fiver or 5%. Perhaps it was much less than this when the thread started but has since been revised upwards by the seller? Changing topic slightly and at at the risk of getting political, I find it interesting all the comments about avoiding tax dodging compies like 'Amazon' to buy their kits from. Well, I don't like their tax model (no pun intended) any better than the next person but in truth, ask yourself this;

1. If YOU were offered the same tax avoidance schemes on a pro rata basis to your own taxable earnings as these big companies are, would you adopt them or insist on still being punitively taxed so the government can "redistribute" your money to others?

2. The government could close all these perfectly legal tax loopholes overnight if there was any genuine concern about the subject - they have no problems changing tax rules for us 'little people' that become effective overnight within 24 hours of a budget - so ask yourself why there is no genuine appetite by any of the parties when in government to do so? You may draw your own inferences as to MPs tax arrangements and the advice they receive from that one.

3. Assuming all companies and super rich individuals did pay their "fair share" of tax, does anyone really, really, think the government would spend it wisely and/or reduce tax bills for everyone else on modest earnings ...or would it mean they simply had even more tax payer money to squader amongst central and local government and to indulge further in vanity projects like the seemingly sacrosanct O.A. budget in order to continue being the self-appointed 'conscience of the world' ?

Anyway...........let's hope the big 'Tiffie' is all it's cracked up to be eh!

Gary

Edited May 12, 2014 by redcap

[Shar2]

Can we leave it at that with the tax thing and the politics of it all? The thread is meant to be talking about a sellers deal on the new Typhoon.

[JBOHMSS]

Gary

I am not an administrator nor one to browbeat or have a go - especially on this forum, I do get enthusiastic.

I'm not sure politics should be brought up here...

We all have opinions on politics but this is a model site.

I would add that if we all get a bargain on Amazon do we actually care that they are not paying UK tax because of a loophole that is the responsibility of the Government. I sure as hell do not care as long as I get a bargain. Also should Amazon get fully taxed in this country sure as hell they would not be based in this country - their UK operation would shift to another EU country and they would distribute from there.

From the corporate biggies down to the market grocer everyone wants to pay less tax.

Bob

The 1/32 Catalina I am afraid will remain the cost of a LED TV - too much resin!