Prices of kits- just cruising Ebay

[Mentalguru]

I merely did a search fro Hasegawa. Merely put into the order of "highest priced first," and then sifted through page after page after page of kits that should be "almost affordable" costing double what they would have done about a year ago. And kits at around £20-25coming in waaaay down that order.

If this is the way things are going- then it's going to really hurt us from now on.

[maltadefender]

From hunting around for odds and sods in recent weeks it seems most mainstream kits are only available from retailers, and end up costing more than RRP with postage.

Specialist stuff seems more expensive still... unless you take advantage of the odd Far East or Czech/Polish sellers offering discounts (either low purchase price or free postage).

Individual sellers are few and far between but are still the best route to find older kits at a good price - unless they're posting them here!

It really does show the value of online hobby shops, though. I almost always buy from Hannants, Wonderland or Relish - better value (almost always a reduction on RRP), affordable postage, focus on the customer and knowledge of what they're doing.

[turnerdad]

Prices of most kits just mental, Mental! Especially Hasegawa, a bit fed up with them to be honest. At least BM seems to be a source of reasonably priced kits.

[Mike]

The days of eBay being a place for bargains are long gone, I'm afraid - particularly in the hobby section. It's full of traders and, it has to be said, unscrupulous folk that try to work the oracle on the unwary and unobservant. You're better off cruising the Sale section on here and biding your time, as at least you know that no-one's lining their pockets with fees from your transaction. If you simply must have it now and it's still in production, visit one of our traders here and get yourself some money off

[English Electric]

The days of eBay being a place for bargains are long gone, I'm afraid - particularly in the hobby section. It's full of traders and, it has to be said, unscrupulous folk that try to work the oracle on the unwary and unobservant. You're better off cruising the Sale section on here and biding your time, as at least you know that no-one's lining their pockets with fees from your transaction. If you simply must have it now and it's still in production, visit one of our traders here and get yourself some money off

Couldn't agree more with that, sad to say. And it is sad too, because I've used eBay for a long time to plug the gaps in my collection at reasonable prices, but now, trawling through it this morning as Mentalguru has some of the prices are quite terrifying - Airfix 1/72 Mossie FBVI at £15 anyone? Not to mention the 1/144 Tridents going for £60 from one trader, 'rare' Novo kits etc etc.

What worries me isn't that these people are selling the kits at such inflated prices, but that someone will buy them at that kind of price - not someone clued up, such as on BM for example, but someone looking for a gift for a relative who knows a keyword such as 'Spitfire', 'Wellington', Hasegawa, Airfix etc etc. Looking at the feedback of some of the unscrupulous traders out there - and there's a batch of at least five or six it's sorely tempting to name and shame - people are forking out though, and that's the real tragedy of the piece, because I'm willing to bet that 80% of them don't know any better - the other 20% have probably locked into a bidding war...

Would it be feasible to write a set of guidelines for maybe some of our less experienced members on what to expect from certain manufacturers and subsequent price points - not set in stone, but coherent enough for them to say 'ah, that's clearly overpriced, I'm not buying that...'

Anyway, yes - I've had nothing but joy off buying from BM... avoid those fees and get here!

C

[Shar2]

Mind you, there are still some bargains on Fleabay. Just managed to bag a Revell 1/72 U-boat "Wolf Pack" for quite a bit less than it was new. Although it did take 6 attempts as I kept getting sniped. What gets me is people bidding stuff up to a price that exceeds what you can buy it new for. I always check Hannants site before bidding on most in-production kits or AM before deciding what to bid.

[Mark]

Guys, there are still bargains to be had, it just needs a bit of patience.

I wanted a 1/144th Airfix Trident and obviously was not willing to pay silly money for one. I came across a 'part-built' one and bit £7.50 and won it. The 'part-built' bit referred to the fact that the fuselage tops had been (badly) brush painted with white enamel. Nothing that a bit of a soak in oven cleaner could not sort out. I now have a mint condition Trident kit! Another recent purchase was a mint, unopened Minicraft B707 for US$10.

Having said that, I kind of retract my statement as there is a similar Trident to mine, again with a painted top, going for a buy it now of, wait for it...... £37.50!!! Now that guy is 'aving a larf!!!

[spitfire]

It is amazing how much money people will throw at stuff on eBay, I do buy quite a bit of Honda stuff on there but I always check back to David Silver Spares as a lot of times the price of new parts is less that some auctions finish up for used parts.

As for kits, I've got a couple of saved searches but most of the kits I would like to buy just do not come up on ebay, and as others have said a lot of kits are cheaper to buy from online model shopS. The days of bargain buys on eBay appear to be over.

Cheers

Den

[zipper]

Prices are crazy but if your patient enough there are still bargains to be had, just bought an hour ago a 48th Phantom 111 Sqn with aires pit and exhaust for buy it now price £39 so well chuffed with that, a modeller selling his stash off and he had a J on there for the same price plus some other with extra's, but restrained myself as the stash that I havn't seen in a long time must be busting out of the cupboard now.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

If you have friends or 'relis' in NZ or Oz - its also worth looking on the Trade Me site - which is kind of like an antipodean Ebay - but you need a local IP address to join.

Give you an example: I was after a Ltd IAR-80 on ebay ( now its a basic model, but currently the oinly 1/48th one out there). On ebay I was out bid at about £40 ( vastly overpiced of course, but I wanted one and was prepared to pay). I went to trade me - and using my mum-in-law in NZ was able to get one for $30 NZ ( about £15). She sent this to us with one of her 'NZ ration pack' boxes that we get once or twice a year ( peanut slabs, sesameal biscuits, various NZ chips - mmmm) and because i was happy to wait for it to arrive like this - the shipping was not an issue either.

If you have a connection down under it can work very well.

So bargains are there - you just have to think laterally sometimes.

I also find on ebay that if theres a model going up price wise in a bidding war, theres always the same model a few places down the queue without any of this happening. I got an Airfix Seafire 47 that way - top item went for loads, got mine for a far more reasonable price.

cheers

Jonners

[Andrew Jones]

I also find on ebay that if theres a model going up price wise in a bidding war, theres always the same model a few places down the queue without any of this happening. I got an Airfix Seafire 47 that way - top item went for loads, got mine for a far more reasonable price.

cheers

Jonners

I have to agree with Jonners on this , if your trawling ebay it pays to be patient and not go for the first item to catch your eye, I've bee looking for an Inpact Gladiator for a while now and seen several at silly money , one recently at £16 BIN with £3.50 postage, but I 've just picked one up for £6 plus £2 P&P. Not so long ago I got an Airfix Lightning F6 for £16, so whilst many prices are soaring, there are still bargains to be had if your prepared to be patient.

[Fifer54]

Mind you, there are still some bargains on Fleabay. Just managed to bag a Revell 1/72 U-boat "Wolf Pack" for quite a bit less than it was new. Although it did take 6 attempts as I kept getting sniped. What gets me is people bidding stuff up to a price that exceeds what you can buy it new for. I always check Hannants site before bidding on most in-production kits or AM before deciding what to bid.

I do the same, but I check Kingkit as well, on OOP or seconhand items to get a guide to a market value.

[andrewfl290]

Interesting comments, I have bought on ebay and find that sometimes I get a deal that I am chuffed with and then I go a bit silly and pay a little more, it's that the must have bug gets to you but I know what I am doing, or think I do

I find as a fequent visitor to my not so local but friendly "local" model shop I can get a deal that I am happy with, I don't pay postage and a get a cup of coffee. Downside is it's an hours drive and the upside is it is close to my dad. My favoured option.

However it is an expensive hobby, or can be. I am staggered by how much kits have increased in the 2 years since I came back into the hobby. I also play with R/C models and a set of retracts for a 1/5 scale P 51 is around £500 plus the radio gear, plus an engine, covering, paint and that does not include the kit!!

I guess you play at the level you are comfortable with with whatever you do. Personally there will always be kits I aspire to but will never buy because I don't see the value in them.

Andrew

[baldrick]

Hi, Won a 1\24 AMT LaFrance fire engine on ebay for £14.50, I was very pleased. Not so pleased when the guy selling it would not send it because he wanted £60+. A few emails later he agreed to send it but told me never to bid on his stuff again!?!! And he never sent me Feedback..................

[Andrew Jones]

Hi, Won a 1\24 AMT LaFrance fire engine on ebay for £14.50, I was very pleased. Not so pleased when the guy selling it would not send it because he wanted £60+. A few emails later he agreed to send it but told me never to bid on his stuff again!?!! And he never sent me Feedback..................

I'm glad you got it eventually, the seller oviously didn't know how an auction works, highest bid wins, no matter what it is, that's the luck of the draw as they say. But to tell you never to bid again and refuse to leave feedback, well ,words fail me, it's not the buyers fault if an item doesn't reach the expected price.

[Ian @ KitsforCash]

as a trader i use ebay as an advertising medium, with the raft of idiotic rules and massive fee increases it just isnt worth my while. once upon a time evilbay was a great place to buy and sell, those days are sadly gone. i put "special" kits on to attract people hopefully to my website or i will put clearance lines on there again to garner interest.

as a buyer for packing materials etc, it's so cut-throat its brilliant!

Edited September 14, 2010 by iant

[NickParker]

The problem is that if you want a particular kit and there's no other option what do you do? I've bought kits that i know cost over the odds but it's not like you can get it anywhere else, funny how every kit on ebay is "VERY RARE " i've given thought to offering the money to guys on Britmodeller in buy and sell, i'd much rather it go to modellers than some shyster, the problem with that is you always look like your on the ear'ol for something, or expect it cheap, or both.

Nick

[Alan Kelley]

I havent bought a kit off ebay in almost 2 years now. Almost all my purchases are from here or Netmerchants,

which is just down the road from my house.

The only problem, if you want to call it that, is you need to be so on the ball here as most kits are snapped up

really quickly. However the bargains are there to be got!!!

[The wooksta V2.0]

Like others have said, ebay is getting crazy but there are still bargains to be had. Just depends on who's bidding on the day. Boxed Frog Shackletons for a tenner? Picked up two this year. The Frog Meteors are going for about a fiver, which isn't bad at all.

Yes, some of the rarer stuff can go up (Hasegawa 72nd Spitfire HFVII for £26!!!) but if the bidder thinks it's worth it, then it's their wallet. I went up to £18 for an Airkit Spitfire F21 (I paid £15 for one new in 1990) and was quite happy with that.

Rule of thumb? Bid what you can afford. Don't get suckered into bidding wars, no matter how much you want the kit. If you don't like the prices, don't bid.

Edited September 14, 2010 by The wooksta V2.0

[NickParker]

you need to be so on the ball here as most kits are snapped up

really quickly. However the bargains are there to be got!!!

Thats the other thing , i've seen things here i'd have bought but their gone before i'd had a chance to sign in.

Nick

[pigsty]

The problem is that if you want a particular kit and there's no other option what do you do? I've bought kits that i know cost over the odds but it's not like you can get it anywhere else, funny how every kit on ebay is "VERY RARE "

This is hardly a new problem. Getting hold of old, deleted kits was much harder before eBay and you had much less chance to compare prices beforehand and decide what was reasonable for you. The rule that rarity + demand = high price hasn't been created by eBay, either, and there's no reason to suppose that the prices reached on eBay are artificially high, simply because they're set by buyers - the market, in other words. And hopefully we're smart enough not to be taken in by "very rare" and similar puffs.

[alanmac]

Hi

I use ebay and like many have said the prices have gone crazy, certainly of late, but that's not the fault of the sellers. Unless it has a high price to start with or a reserve then its really down to what people will pay. I've been amazed at how either people get sucked into a bidding war or don't realise that you can actually buy the kit for less through normal retail channels.

Here is a perfect example of when something is wanted some will pay any price

Would you pay this much !!!!

Alan

[Julien]

I find ebay UK getting more and more traders on there and a lot of stuff to wade through before finding a bargin or 2.

Ebay France is quite good for rare stuff especially French stuff, though some shippers dont like posting to the UK. Does not help that my French is less than steller.

Ebay Germany can be a good place to find some bargins, many sellers will list postage to Germany only, but I have found many will post to the UK when they realise you are genuine. Also helps that my borhter lives in Germany as a last resort!

Ebay USA, you can still get some bargins here even with postage figured out. I have managed to get new hasegawa kits on buy it now that are still cheaper ever with $10 postage then current UK retailers. There are a lot lot more listing to wade though on the US site but you can find some nice stuff. I find the majority willing to post to the UK when you tell them you know roughly what the postage is and you are willing to stump it up.

Julien

[Giorgio N]

It's always worth having a look at other countries e-bay sections if only because sometimes what's very interesting in a country is not in another. Sure, rare Frog stuff is going to be expensive anywhere, but subjects that fetch high prices in the uk because there are many modellers looking for them, might be cheaper elsehere, where the modellers would rate them as oddities of no interest.

Unfortunately the "rare" label appears everywhere nowadays be it in the UK france or italy or else, and I've seen sellers describing as rare some kits that are still normally available in the manufacturer catalogue....

[Julien]

Unfortunately the "rare" label appears everywhere nowadays be it in the UK france or italy or else, and I've seen sellers describing as rare some kits that are still normally available in the manufacturer catalogue....

Ha ha ha, rare is the most overused word on ebay.

I saw this the other day for a flightpath set that is in their current catalog.

Julien