Airfix rising prices of their models?

[Paul A H]

Whereabouts in Poland are you Dominik? It would be interesting to know how much some other manufacturer's kits are in Poland - whether the central European manufacturers like Revell, Eduard etc. are cheaper than the UK.

[old thumper]

When I was in Poland about 7 or 8 years ago and visited a model shop the owner kept all his Tamiya kits behind the counter, the reason for this was that they were so expensive that he dare not leave them out with the rest of his stock. Maybe in Poland there is some kind of extra tax on imported goods of this nature?

Edited January 8, 2015 by old thumper

[marty_hopkirk]

Oil prices are plummeting and as oil is used in plastics should not this be reflected in the price of kits?

To find out the truth why not ask Airfix direct!!???

No not really, It a very complex market - the oil companies and banks will do what best suits them not the consumers. Just because the wholesale cost of oil has dropped does not mean that will be passed through and it's quite a naive view to expect that.

The banks own most of the gas and oil that is transit and they will hedge it until they get the right price, even if that means putting into bonded storage waiting the price to rise so they maximise their profits.

For those of of you that can remember the really cold winter 4 years ago where the tabloids screamed "The UK only has six hours of gas left!". That was not true as most of it was sitting off the coast of Milford Haven (the UK currently imports 60% of it's gas supplies) or in bonded containers in the Medway whilst the banks and oil companies waited for the price to max out before releasing it to market.

So to expect kit prices to drop because of a temporary dip in oil prices is a little hopeful to say the least, given it is not even the predominate cost in the manufacture of kits.

Also if Airfix where to increase the price of kits by the percentage that the original poster has alluded to, they are hardly going to make a song and dance about it or put it into the public domain. My thoughts areit is an unsubstantiated internet rumour.

Marty...

Edited January 8, 2015 by marty_hopkirk

[dfqweofekwpeweiop4]

Once again RRP means nothing these days as everybody discounts all products, not just modelling items, as soon as a new item is released. So the higher the pricing the higher the discounts. Airfix and other major brands are HURTING themselves and the market by doing it themselves and or letting retailers give huge discounts.

Then you wonder how and why small traders are struggling and closing. I know it all gets complex and complicated and as I say it is NOT just the hobby industry, and we all like a bargain, and that is where it gets complicated.

But just staying with the hobby, I know that it is really hard for guys to stay in business and offer the good service as very few items need to be bought at the RRP any more, as a quick look around can get you discounts of up to 40% on brand new releases, so the smaller guys just cannot match that, and most of the time cannot even buy kits at that price, and I know as I have been there and done it. I could go on but you all know what I mean, just look at some of the recent kits, and as we are talking Airfix, that they themselves dropped so heavily in price that small traders are still sitting with and will be for a long time, Nimrod, and Lynx, just to mention two examples.

So wether the prices go up or not I am not sure what it will all mean, but what will be good for some will not be good for others.

Pricing will always be a sensitive issue, and we all have our own ideas on what is right and wrong.

I am also not convinced that this will happen as the current market is so competitive as others have said so we will have to wait and see.

Any way that is enough rambling from me.

Ali

I'm sure Hornby were supposed to be stopping this kind of thing to level the playing field. I can't quite remember what was said but it caused Creative Models to stop stocking Airfix kits.

thanks

Mike

[DominikS]

Models used to be very expensive in Poland. Our gov'ts love tax us. So we have taxes which tax taxes. Now the situation on the model market in my country is a bit better, models are cheaper etc.

Maybe I'm panicking a bit but please remember one thing. You can buy more for 1£/€/$ than we for 1PLN. I know it's not your fault, only economy's.

To finish this discussion I only repeat what I've said before. It's probably something with local importer. I've checked Airfix web and the prices haven't changed so much (unless they haven't showed it). We'll see what time brings.

Cheers and happy modeling.

[Truro Model Builder]

Well, until I hear something directly from Hornby Hobbies there is nothing to see here, move along.

[old thumper]

Models used to be very expensive in Poland. Our gov'ts love tax us. So we have taxes which tax taxes. Now the situation on the model market in my country is a bit better, models are cheaper etc.

Maybe I'm panicking a bit but please remember one thing. You can buy more for 1£/€/$ than we for 1PLN. I know it's not your fault, only economy's.

To finish this discussion I only repeat what I've said before. It's probably something with local importer. I've checked Airfix web and the prices haven't changed so much (unless they haven't showed it). We'll see what time brings.

Cheers and happy modeling.

I am glad to hear kits are more reasonably priced in Poland these days, the U.N. should put sanctions on any government across the world that refuses to follow the Polish lead in this matter.

[Richard M]

I asked my contact at Airfix and apparently certain export markets are having their prices adjusted so they are inline with UK prices, at the moment UK prices are not going to change as far as my contact was aware.

[LN-KEH]

Hei,

I have visited Poland a couple of times over the last few years and checked out the local model shops.

In Krakow I found one good shop and several in Warszawa.

My impression was:

Prices on new Airfix kits were close to UK prices.

Prices on Revell kits close to what I have seen in the rest of mainland European.

Polish made kits were cheaper than anywhere else (plastic and resin).

Kits made in neighbouring countries (Ukraine, Czech Republic and Russia) were lower than in most other European countries.

Also my Norwegian kroners have lost a lot of their value lately, the exchange rate has gone from less than 9NOK for a GBP to the current 11.65NOK.

It is pretty much the same story compared to Euros and Dollars - a 10-25% drop is good for Norwegian exports and those visiting us, not so good for those of us who travels a lot outside our country.

So I expect Airfix and Revell to get 20% more expensive for me in 2015 - it remains to see if Russian and Ukrainian kits will get cheaper.

MVH

Knut Erik