Is Hornby going on-line only?

[pigsty]

I've been hearing some strange things recently about Hornby.  I have no idea whether they're true - does anyone else?

 

Basically, it seems to be like this: so many people got (back) into modelling during lockdown that they did very well out of on-line sales; they've stopped selling stuff to retailers, or at least are going to; and it all points to being to buy Airfix stuff etc only direct from the factory, and the only way to get a discount would be to pay to join their club and hope you buy enough to offset it.

 

If this is true it sounds short-sighted.  Airfix is synonymous with modelling for most people who aren't into the hobby big-time, and they're far more widespread than any other brand.  You can find a couple of dozen kits in red boxes in stationers, toy shops, ironmongers, all sorts of places.  Take away that sort of accidental contact and a handy shop window goes with it.  And so, potentially, do a load of people who might have got deeper into modelling but will never know anything about it.

 

But as I say, this could all be scribble.  I was at Hailsham's excellent show last weekend and there were retailers there with plenty of new Airfix stock.  So can anyone reassure me?

[Bertie McBoatface]

50 minutes ago, pigsty said:

I've been hearing some strange things recently

 

From whom?

[Casey]

Does it mean I will finally get to be able to join that exclusive club?? 

[Rabbit Leader]

In my personal option, I doubt a company as widely known as Hornby would ever take such a huge step. Should it decide to, you can virtually wipe away any profits they attract from overseas purchases as their postage calculator would have to be the highest I’ve ever come across for UK to Australia kit purchases. I’m sure if they gave it a “trail”, their accountants wouldn’t have much work to do over that period. Time will tell of course, but as Bertie says above, where have you heard this? 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Julien]

Is Airfix on the High Street very much at all? Apart from hobby shops they dont seem available main stream any more, Revell certainly have more presence though thats not great. 

[Mr T]

Hornby seem to be going that way with railways. There seems to be a supply issue with trains, retailers are not having orders fulfilled, and stock only being available on line. I suspect Airfix is a bit different in terms of market. A new Hornby Pacific loco or similar is £220+ or so and add on an £100 extra for DCC and sound

[Circloy]

There's a lot of rumours, scaremongering, mud-slinging, bad mouthing etc, etc, against the 'red box' company over on a certain railway modelling website.

 

The latest spate stems from Hornby allegedly cutting shop allocations on new released items whilst, apparently, still having them available on direct sale.

 

To date nothing but anecdotal evidence has been provided.

 

Hornby, & it's 'blue box' competitor have both, understandably, cut off supplies to retailers who have gone into direct manufacturing competition against them.

 

Personally I read nothing into Hornby current stance of cutting allocations other than it being a reaction to current supply chain issues and the C-19 situation in China.

 

Time will tell

[Julien]

15 hours ago, Circloy said:

There's a lot of rumours, scaremongering, mud-slinging, bad mouthing etc, etc, against the 'red box' company over on a certain railway modelling website.

 

The latest spate stems from Hornby allegedly cutting shop allocations on new released items whilst, apparently, still having them available on direct sale.

 

To date nothing but anecdotal evidence has been provided.

 

Hornby, & it's 'blue box' competitor have both, understandably, cut off supplies to retailers who have gone into direct manufacturing competition against them.

 

Personally I read nothing into Hornby current stance of cutting allocations other than it being a reaction to current supply chain issues and the C-19 situation in China.

 

Time will tell

Seems good, if there are supply issues which there seems to be everywhere now it only makes sense you supply your own outlets first.

[Nigel Bunker]

On 7/11/2022 at 8:02 PM, pigsty said:

they've stopped selling stuff to retailers, or at least are going to;

I doubt this. When they get their container of kits from India, they need to sell them to make money. Far better for Airfix (Hornby) to send them out in cartons of dozens to their retailers and get paid for them 30-60 days later rather than sending them out in dribs and drabs. I suspect the accountants want stock sold asap to fund the running of the company.

 

I suspect there is no comparison with Hornby locomotives where a lot of smaller model railway shops (not the big boys like Hattons) only take one or two of these and hope to sell them.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Nigel Bunker

[Circloy]

10 hours ago, Nigel Bunker said:

not the big boys like Hattons and Marcway

Marcways is my local model shop, very much a traditional model shop with a rounded selection of kits (all scales, fair selection of manufacturers wide range of genres cars, planes, tanks etc), Scalextric & mainly Hornby model railways. The range of related modelling items e.g tools is very limited & paint is Humbrol & Revell only.

 

They also have an eclectic mix of die cast, Continental/US railway models & second hand books/kits.

 

Think late 70's early 80's and you'll no be far off the mark.

 

The age of Hornby new stock points in particular to low stock turnover.

 

Often wonder how they are still surviving, but thank God they are and we've got an acessible LMS .

 

Definately NOT one of the big boys, but i suspect I know who you're thinking of, situated about 5 miles south and certainly, as a competitor, off Hornby's customer list.

 

 

 

 

 

[pigsty]

It's a bit tricky to explain without getting someone into trouble, but a friend does a lot of business with one of the very large retailers, and they've told him that Hornby turned down a six-figure stock order.  If that's because they can't fulfil it, that's one thing.  If it's because they won't, that's another.

 

I too would be surprised if they stopped selling to retailers.  Doesn't mean they won't, though.  And perhaps it just affects large concerns that they feel would be competitors if they were to increase their volume of direct sales.  So, back to the original question: does anyone know?

[alt-92]

I like how the Hornby (Rail) division is automatically assumed to be run exactly the same as Airfix. 

[RobL]

My £0.02.

 

Call me a young person, but if Hornby/Airfix went online only, I don't think I'd notice any difference.  And I'm not sure it'd make any difference to their "presence" either. 

 

My local high street, 1.6 miles away, has had no proper hobby/models shops for 20+ years, if it really had any before that.  There was a one-man-band railway model shop tucked away at the far reaches of the town centre, but that closed more than 20 years ago, and you wouldn't have really known it was there anyway.  There is an automotive shop that as a sideline in recent years, alongside air rifles, stocks a handful of Revell and Games Workshop kits/paints.  But that's it, and if they don't have what I want, I have to order online anyway, so rather pointless going to the shop.

 

In fact I don't think there's a high street retailer anywhere in 20 miles (roughly a 1hr round trip by car) that's any better.  Used to have a Beatties of London in one of the nearest "larger towns", 16 miles away, but that also closed some 20+ years ago.

 

But then I live in mid-north Essex, UK, and much like many parts of the country all we have on our high street is estate agents, tanning salons, hair dressers, nail bars, coffee shops, mobile phone shops, general chain stores, supermarkets, etc. you get the picture, nothing useful for our demographic...

 

Maybe it's also another example of the "north-south divide" as I read/hear a lot of people from places up north in the UK say they've got model shops nearby and such shops do seem a bit more prevalent the further north you go.

 

Things are moving online only though, with high streets being repurposed into playgrounds, literally in some areas, for the very affluent and young.

Edited July 13, 2022 by RobL

[Nigel Bunker]

12 hours ago, Circloy said:

i suspect I know who you're thinking of, situated about 5 miles south

Yes I meant the big shop who has also gone into manufacturing.

[IanHx]

16 hours ago, pigsty said:

 that Hornby turned down a six-figure stock order.  

 

 

So that's 10   1:72  Vulcans at 2023 prices ?   

[Paul821]

With regard to the Hornby (rail) business this subject has been running for some time in RMweb, it does also mention Corgi

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/172869-hornby-cuts-model-shops-allocations-of-items-due-summer-2022/page/11/#comment-4873278

 

 this is only the most reiteration of the subject as that particular forum seems to be home to a number of members who find fault with everything that Hornby do.

[jenko]

13 minutes ago, Paul821 said:

 

 this is only the most reiteration of the subject as that particular forum seems to be home to a number of members who find fault with everything that Hornby do.

We used to have a few like that in here regarding Airfix . No product is 100% perfect.  I think Hornby know what they are doing better than us.

Dick

[Circloy]

13 hours ago, Nigel Bunker said:

who has also gone into manufacturing

the same item as Hornby had made for years albeit to a different design, in the same factory using a manufacturing slot that at one stage wuld have been available to Hornby so that in one swoop not only has their market potentially been halved but potentially they couldn't even get their own  product made and into their retail outlets.

 

Under those circumstances can anyone blame Hornby for withdrawing access to their full range.

 

On 13/07/2022 at 20:28, pigsty said:

but a friend does a lot of business with one of the very large retailers, and they've told him

I've got a friend that once told me a friend of his told him such discussions are classed as hearsay and can't be taken as fact - trouble is I don't know if thats true or just a rumour