Unusual Model Related News Headline
Discussion
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/headlines/9554836...
And rather unsettling too as I've met the chap on a number of occasions. His decal sheets were top notch.
And rather unsettling too as I've met the chap on a number of occasions. His decal sheets were top notch.
The article hints that the motivation was due to the model business being in trouble.
Over the years there have been a number of modelling related "scandals" I suppose. I remember the VeeDay stories of the late 1970s and various other financial collapses related to the modelling industry.
It's certainly not a business sector that anyone should enter if they have ambitions of getting rich.
Over the years there have been a number of modelling related "scandals" I suppose. I remember the VeeDay stories of the late 1970s and various other financial collapses related to the modelling industry.
It's certainly not a business sector that anyone should enter if they have ambitions of getting rich.
Been there, done that - ie run a model business (not stolen money I might add!!)
Couldn't agree more with last post, there is no money to be had in the model industry. Margins are tiny and even the 'big boys' are not ranking in the money - I often wonder why they continue in business to be honest...
Couldn't agree more with last post, there is no money to be had in the model industry. Margins are tiny and even the 'big boys' are not ranking in the money - I often wonder why they continue in business to be honest...
Evangelion said:
There is a way of ending up with a small fortune if you're in the model business.
You start with a large one.
I speak from experience.
Can't agree more from what little I have seen.You start with a large one.
I speak from experience.
Chap was big into his models and 'the scene' in the area I used to live. In about 2001 he got made redundant and had a fairly good payout. All his 'mates' suggested that he should open a model shop and family also thought that this would be a good idea, with son running a computer shop from one part of the unit that they would let.
I got chatting to the chap, very nice bloke and learnt quite a lot about the business and so on. By the time he closed the model shop 6 months later he had spent almost all his redundancy money and I learnt that I had been his second biggest customer, despite knowing that I had spent less than £500 in there.
The 'mates' he had from the modeling world only set foot in the shop on the opening day for the nibbles and when the Closing Down signs went up to try pick up cheep stuff.
If it hadn't been for the son's computer sideline taking off it would have been a car crash, fortuantely son was/is a good lad and last time I spoke to them things were very much on the up.
Rude-boy said:
Can't agree more from what little I have seen.
Chap was big into his models and 'the scene' in the area I used to live. In about 2001 he got made redundant and had a fairly good payout. All his 'mates' suggested that he should open a model shop and family also thought that this would be a good idea, with son running a computer shop from one part of the unit that they would let.
I got chatting to the chap, very nice bloke and learnt quite a lot about the business and so on. By the time he closed the model shop 6 months later he had spent almost all his redundancy money and I learnt that I had been his second biggest customer, despite knowing that I had spent less than £500 in there.
The 'mates' he had from the modeling world only set foot in the shop on the opening day for the nibbles and when the Closing Down signs went up to try pick up cheep stuff.
If it hadn't been for the son's computer sideline taking off it would have been a car crash, fortuantely son was/is a good lad and last time I spoke to them things were very much on the up.
He sounds like the kind of people WE should be encouraging.Chap was big into his models and 'the scene' in the area I used to live. In about 2001 he got made redundant and had a fairly good payout. All his 'mates' suggested that he should open a model shop and family also thought that this would be a good idea, with son running a computer shop from one part of the unit that they would let.
I got chatting to the chap, very nice bloke and learnt quite a lot about the business and so on. By the time he closed the model shop 6 months later he had spent almost all his redundancy money and I learnt that I had been his second biggest customer, despite knowing that I had spent less than £500 in there.
The 'mates' he had from the modeling world only set foot in the shop on the opening day for the nibbles and when the Closing Down signs went up to try pick up cheep stuff.
If it hadn't been for the son's computer sideline taking off it would have been a car crash, fortuantely son was/is a good lad and last time I spoke to them things were very much on the up.
Eric Mc said:
The internet is making traditional model shops very difficult to operate at a profitable level. The only shops that seem to survive are those that -
a) have very low premises costs and little or no debt burden
b) shops that also have a presence on the internet
the trouble we have found is that with internet sales is that it is a race to the bottom. people are working for as little as 50p per item. my shop had overheads of £1000 per week.we simply could not compete with people working out of bedrooms. we occasionally were offered deals or negotiated them but these were getting fewer and fewer as time went on.a) have very low premises costs and little or no debt burden
b) shops that also have a presence on the internet
whist we were primarily a toy shop , the model side of things was pretty good for us. just not online
For once, I wasn't trying to be smart. I CAN see how the fantasy side of tatooing and fantasy war gaming can be comnpatible.
I don't see aircraft nuts like me being attracted into a model shop with tatooing though. For a start, all the aircarft modellers would be arguing over the correct RLM or BS colours being used in the inks.
I don't see aircraft nuts like me being attracted into a model shop with tatooing though. For a start, all the aircarft modellers would be arguing over the correct RLM or BS colours being used in the inks.
Eric Mc said:
For once, I wasn't trying to be smart. I CAN see how the fantasy side of tatooing and fantasy war gaming can be comnpatible.
I don't see aircraft nuts like me being attracted into a model shop with tatooing though. For a start, all the aircarft modellers would be arguing over the correct RLM or BS colours being used in the inks.
I use BS colours a lot om my models.I don't see aircraft nuts like me being attracted into a model shop with tatooing though. For a start, all the aircarft modellers would be arguing over the correct RLM or BS colours being used in the inks.
...and I don't mean British Standards.
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