Jump to content

Airfix Heinkel He111 H-6 Motörhead “Bomber” Special


Sebastien

Recommended Posts

20 hours ago, TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED said:

 

Sorry I disagree

 

Bit of back ground

 

When Revell released the information of the B474 Iron Maiden Book of Souls World Tour, we traders had about 2 or 3 months to canvas our customers, this resulted in my company selling 144 of that model, and we are not large Revell sellers, so god knows how many were sold.

 

On the Airfix release, we were given the information, and we raised our pre-orders, this resulted in 24 hours of 6 pre-orders and 18 points of interest, I was then contacted by our rep and he informed us there was to be no real lead up time, and all stock was allocated.

 

Basically Airfix produced the model with no real canvasing of their retail supply chain.

 

As a result of this, we had to disable our pre-orders so not to get into a situation where we were taking order we could not satisfy.

 

I am sure with a little more time we could have sold many of these models at a normal retail price, but were not given the chance in the first place. 

 

We honored our 6 pre-orders at £24.95, but many modelers and collectors will be forced to pay a lot more for the first issue, when basically it did not have to be this way.

 

In the end members of this forum will be the losers, and it is members of this forum that will have to pay the price asked for by retailers, who know this is selling at a price well over retail and that happened in less this 24 hours of release.

 

So if this is not a retail foul up I don't know what is.

 

If AIrfix canvased their retail supply chain and it was a cool reception, then I could understand them not producing this model in decent number, but the clue was the Revell Iron Maiden book of souls world tour model.

 

Proof will be in the pudding as they say, word on the streets is another Rock Model will be released, and I bet they will not make the same mistake.

Which supports the notion Airfix were selling off  an overstock kit. Which means they will be getting full wholesale price for something they would have normally have sold off to the discounters at probably little more than cost. I fail to see how it is a foul up or anyone will get in trouble.

 

Tommo.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

So they have used a potential massive seller (in kit terms) to shift some old stock, well good for them they seem to have money to burn.

 

Let say we agree to disagree.

 

Thank god for Revell Rock n Roll Models, we can at least have a fair chance of building up sales over a period.

 

The Revell Iron Maiden B747 sold in many thousands and it used it full potential, the Airfix one did not give itself a chance, the only winner will be the speculators,

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED said:

So they have used a potential massive seller (in kit terms) to shift some old stock, well good for them they seem to have money to burn.

 

Let say we agree to disagree.

 

Thank god for Revell Rock n Roll Models, we can at least have a fair chance of building up sales over a period.

 

The Revell Iron Maiden B747 sold in many thousands and it used it full potential, the Airfix one did not give itself a chance, the only winner will be the speculators,

That seems a pretty fair assessment to me😊👍.

 

So , basically, Airfix totally misread the potential market and, potentially lost out on higher sales?

I don't see how that could be described  as anything other than an expensive cock up for which someone or, some people deserve a boot up the rear end.Speculators AND profiteers. I saw one example at £109.95 on EBay yesterday and, there is one at £125 + £19.95 special delivery today! Not surprisingly, no bids

 

At least not a total loss with another run due early 2020.

 

Allan

Edited by Albeback52
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED said:

So they have used a potential massive seller (in kit terms) to shift some old stock, well good for them they seem to have money to burn.

 

Let say we agree to disagree.

 

Thank god for Revell Rock n Roll Models, we can at least have a fair chance of building up sales over a period.

 

The Revell Iron Maiden B747 sold in many thousands and it used it full potential, the Airfix one did not give itself a chance, the only winner will be the speculators,

Its not a case of disagreeing or not.

 

You as a retailer are understandbly frustrated, you could have sold more. But, Airfix wanted to shift 2k units (you say) of an overstock kit at full wholesale cost, they have done it without resort to off loading to the discounters at cost. Why have they money to burn? The kits were to hand the modest cost of a new box and new decals, job done.

 

As pointed out Airfix's previous tie-ins have been far from a raging success, I guess many a retailer was burnt having shelves full of Dr. Who kits they couldn't shift for love nor money when the programme was really hot. I'm not sure how one can blame Airfix on this.

 

Anyway it is what it is and its over and out from Tommo on this one.

 

 

 

 

Edited by The Tomohawk Kid
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps Airfix were, let’s just call it ‘Testing the Market’ with this Rock Themed subject? To my knowledge Airfix have never ventured into this market before so took a chance to move old stock. Now I’m sure that they are the first to admit being completely surprised by the huge pre-order demand, however that’s hardly reason to haul them over the hot coals over it? In the end they moved all their stock which was their initial intention, I’d call that a sales success in my books. 
 

Cheers. Dave 

 

p.s - anyone got any images of what’s in the box? 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Regarding references about this edition being to shift unsold stock, I now have one of these kits which arrived this morning and in my opinion that view is backed up based on what I have in front of me as the boxing certainly has the appearance of being a fully packed up regular Heinkel kit with the lid then replaced & the new decals thrown in on top, as opposed to a product that was originally always meant to be this edition.  The box base has had the regular round sticky seals broken, and then the new lid has been sealed in a different style.  Whilst what I have could be an example that was opened by the retailer, this seems unlikely as the new lid only has the (initially) unbroken seals, whereas the box base also still have their halves of the regular seals too.  In addition the Motorhead decals & placement guide were all located at the top of the box above the bagged sprues, whereas the instructions (which have no reference to the new decals) & regular decals were at the bottom of the box as is usual.  As to the success of this edition, whilst there are some WW2 German aircraft models I have been thinking about buying, I would never have even considered the regular Heinkel kit.

 

And as others have said, hopefully the success of this will see other future fun editions like this from Airfix!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the end they did not need to test the market, they have a well established Retail and Wholesale distribution network.

 

All they need to do was put the product out to their net work and see what there reaction is to the product, all that is required is a little time may be a little as a month may be two.

 

The Reps and and wholesalers would have reported by the reception of the product good or bad.

 

There is nothing wrong with lining up 2,000 as an initial point of pre-production,  but once the reaction from your net work is received, it is no problem to increase production, and letting your net work know a product cut off date.

 

By not doing the above you are poking in the dark.

 

Tiger Hobbies retail Airfix, but Import and distribute the rest of our products ranges.

 

We do the above all the time, very rarely do we guess the numbers of a product, we use our retailer and Wholesale net work to give us a reaction to the requirement of the product.

 

Don't get me wrong nothing is perfect, and in time many our our Imports go up in value one out in the market place, mainly the diecast (Hobby Master), but that is at least 6 months to a year down the line.

 

This went price mad within 24 hours.

 

Still they have releases a B version so any one who wishes to build the model will get the opportunity at a reasonable price, as long as they give their net work time to take in sales.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED said:

All they need to do was put the product out to their network and see what there reaction is to the product... 

This is an interesting line. Let's put this 'Motorhead' Heinkel to the side for a while, does Airfix (or any other Manufacturer) test the Retail market by asking you guys what subjects would sell? I suspect there wouldn't be a day without someone walking into your shop asking for this and that, so does this type of future project conversation actually happen? and If so, do they listen? 

 

Cheers.. Dave   

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In the Hobby Trade all the time, and you modelers are always doing pre-orders, remember you are part of the supply chain.

 

This is how it works

 

Step 1.    Pre Production Manufacture or Import Agent or whom want the project, will come up with the idea and the price (possibly already known if it is a existing tooling as in the HE111)

 

Step 2.   Get it out to Market in the way of pre-selling and pre-orders, the way this works is the Hobby Trade is given time to build up orders may be 3 or 4 months sometimes a lot longer.

The retailers want to know a release date, a trade price,( so they can work out what to sell to you for) and a order cut off date for first batch.

 

Step 3.   Once the order cut off date is known, the Sales Reps and Wholesalers will start to take pre-orders form the trade( retail Hobby shops), these will possibly based on pre-orders from their retail customers, (many of you will do pre-orders for new kits not yet released)

 

Step 4.   Once the order cut of date is reached, the company will now have a fair idea of the number needed to be produced,  if pre-orders from trade are strong, let say 6,000, then you would look to produce let say 9,000.  There is going to be a lag time from production to delivery and often in that time more order will come in, so the extra item will be eaten up by late orders  On the other hand if pre-orders for the new product are very poor then you can take another route.

 

Yes there are occasions where you have to poke in the dark if you are a retailer, but the successful retailers in the Hobby trade and the others in the supply chain, do not go poking in the dark, your success is based on data and that data is gathered from you the end user customers.   

 

From a Hobby Trade point of view the Airfix Motorhead Bomber was a foul, only on the grounds than some of the steps above were not taken, basically the UK Hobby Trade was not given the time to canvas their customers ( Airfix had already made the decision to produce a number, possibly based on what some have stated over stock).  We are only a small Airfix seller, I keep Airfix for retail out of fondness for the brand, and pre-orders for this model were very strong even for us.  We had 6 confirmed and 18 points of interest during the first 24 hours, but were told by our supplier to take it off order as they could not guarantee any supply say 12 to 24 models.  

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Prices stated to dip once the B version was announced, but have started to go up again once they have seen the B version is the B version and no self respecting collector will be seen with one.

We have taken ours off sale and will keep them for the IPMS nationals, where we will take advantage of this situation, but I would have been happier to be selling them for £27.95 if we have had chance for the stock in the first place.

 

Bottom Line is, all the UK Hobby Trade wants is a fair crack of the whip and a chance to sell the product esp a well known brand like AIrfix.

Edited by TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED
Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED said:

it is no problem to increase production, and letting your net work know a product cut off date.

I disagree with this. Since Airfix has outsourced production to India they can’t just run another 2,000 sprue shots on short notice; they have to schedule production runs months in advance based on the availability of their supplier’s equipment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Airfix Control the production not the factory in India, my point is you make sure you have enough information before you pull the trigger in the first place on production.

Basically who ask for a production run of 2000 based on guess work

 

 

 

Edited by TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/24/2019 at 9:33 AM, Albeback52 said:

That seems a pretty fair assessment to me😊👍.

 

So , basically, Airfix totally misread the potential market and, potentially lost out on higher sales?

I don't see how that could be described  as anything other than an expensive cock up for which someone or, some people deserve a boot up the rear end.Speculators AND profiteers. I saw one example at £109.95 on EBay yesterday and, there is one at £125 + £19.95 special delivery today! Not surprisingly, no bids

 

At least not a total loss with another run due early 2020.

 

Allan

Was in Hamleys Regent Street yesterday and they 30 - 40 on the shelf at £28, so there is still plenty around.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, 1903flight said:

Was in Hamleys Regent Street yesterday and they 30 - 40 on the shelf at £28, so there is still plenty around.

I managed to source another one at decent price but, I will keep my pre-order of the second run kit too!😊

 

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, TIGER HOBBIESLIMITED said:

Airfix Control the production not the factory in India, my point is you make sure you have enough information before you pull the trigger in the first place on production.

Basically who ask for a production run of 2000 based on guess work

 

In this particular case there was no trigger to pull or guess work, Airfix had the excess kits to hand in their warehouse - the number was determined by the stock they held, hence why they clearly advertised it as an limited edition. By the sounds of it they have produced a new box lid and printed an additional set of decals and an addendum for the instructions to convert their existing He 111 'stock' to the Motorhead licensed one.

 

I doubt Airfix control the production in India, as eloquently explained by @VMA131Marine they have to wait for a manufacturing slot to become available as the factory will be producing all manner of items not just Airfix kits, hence why the second batch is not due until sometime in the New Year.

 

I do however, suspect (to an lesser extent perhaps) we may see the same as what happened to the Revell Haunebu II, when the hoopla broke about that. Prices everywhere went through the roof intially, but after while it all settled down and I indeed eventually snagged one direct from Amazon for £30, which was twenty quid less than Revell's RRP for it.

 

I know, I know - I'm off back to my cosy little burrow.

 

Tommo.

Edited by The Tomohawk Kid
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, wombat said:

Wonder how many iron maiden 747s get finished....still wrestling with mine intermittently

Well, I guess that as long as the kits are sold, Revell  won't really bother what happens afterwards. I wonder how many of these Heinkel kits will be built instead of being hoarded away by speculators?😉😊

Allan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

A big bag of sweeties for anyone who copies this model using the Revell 1/32 scale kit. All that needs to be done is copy and enlarge decals and fit both pictured ventral turrets. Should be a lot easier getting a likeness of Lemmy and the band and in that scale there would be room for a drum kit in the cockpit!! ;-)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hornby Hobbies shop. I don't know of any locations other than the Swindon outlet village but they may be worth checking for stock. I found two of these Motorhead  HE111's for sale in the Swindon location for RRP which I purchased for a friend who mentioned he was after them for him and a mate. this was last Sunday 17th November.

Edited by patjb
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...