Hornby Consessions Plan

[S&D Stephen]

Hi All,

 

Could some-one please explain to me what the Hornby sales through consessions is all about?   My local branch of W H Smith's know nothing about any such arrangement.

 

Many thanks, Stephen.

[Paul.Uni]

As far as I know Hornby concessions include Hawkins Bazaar, Modelzone (at WHSmith) and some other stores. Unless your local WHSmith is one of the 10 with a Modelzone department (list of stores here), they won't sell Hornby Models

[Legend]

Not necessarily. There were some WHSmiths stocking Hornby before Modelzone tie in. Argyle St in Glasgow for one, while its actually the Sauchiehall St shop that incorporates Modelzone.

[Paul.Uni]

A bit of digging on the Hornby website gave a list of 65 Hornby concessions including the 10 WHSmith stores http://Hornby.com/stockists/england/?q=Concession&postcode=&said=&Search=Search

[colin penfold]

A bit of digging on the Hornby website gave a list of 65 Hornby concessions including the 10 WHSmith stores http://Hornby.com/stockists/england/?q=Concession&postcode=&said=&Search=Search

of course, Edinburgh Woollen Mill's the first place I'd look for my next loco, and I really must order that kilt from Hattons!

[Kal]

Beales, Marks and Spencer, Argos, Hamley's, Harrods, john Lewis are all concessions, I believe.

I understand that it is these stores that provide the concession not Hornby, I.e the floor space for Hornby to sell their goods. Hornby in effect rent space and all products remain Hornby's

[gc4946]

Having looked through their list of 65 concessions, there are two that I was unaware of in York and two in Harrogate. This is partly because I don't usually shop in a general department store such as Debenhams.

In both areas there are good model shops, Monk Bar Model Shop in York and Starbeck Models in Harrogate (usual disclaimers)

 

If their arrangement with W.H. Smiths expands after their initial pilot, I can see more places where there are no "good" model shops receiving a concession so allowing people more of a chance to buy Hornby items in a well-known High Street store.

[Enterprisingwestern]

I reckon this will go one of two ways, either it works spectacularly well and Hornby go from strength to strength, or they will alienate their core market and Hornby will go bust within 12 months.

 

Mike.

[Martin_R]

I had to take my son-in-law into Birmingham last week so had a look at the Model Zone in Smiths and I have to admit that I was surprised to how little of the Hornby range they actually stock even taking into account poor availability of Hornby items. I guess it took me all of 6-7 minutes to view the majority of the railway items including the Bachmann display case. I also went into the Ian Allan outlet with the same result although they were holding perhaps twice as much stock of both Hornby and Bachmann.

 

Compare this with my nearest local shops - Hereford Models and Cheltenham Model Centre there is no comparison on either range of stock, very fair prices or the helpfulness of the staff - for me the game is over before it starts!

 

Martin.

[colin penfold]

the problem may come when the new models start to arrive. I have a horrible feeling that if Hornby are paying for their own presence in a range of retail stores they will prioritise them over even the most established model shops when it comes to stock allocation.

[woodenhead]

Remember, concessions are not aimed at serious modellers, they are a method for Hornby to reach the general public in a world where the old toy shops of the past no longer exist on the high street.

 

They will sell what these sorts of buyer want, if you want the other stuff there are still the railway model shops and the Internet.

 

This is not a replacement for the model shops it is in addition to so it's not going to kill Hornby. When Modelzone went under that cost Hornby it's window in many shopping centres, the Smiths deal and other concessions is putting that window back. For the places where the concession exists they have an income and Hornby bears the risk because it retains ownership of the stock, if it doesn't sell they can replace it with stuff that does unlike your model shop who buy stuff of Hornby and are stuck with it.

[woodenhead]

the problem may come when the new models start to arrive. I have a horrible feeling that if Hornby are paying for their own presence in a range of retail stores they will prioritise them over even the most established model shops when it comes to stock allocation.

I can see where you are coming from though model shops will order and pay for stuff so it is cash flow for Hornby whereas the stuff in concessions is only paid for when purchased by the modeller. So I expect it will be like it is now, shops need to order early and order enough to meet their own demand or they could find themselves without the new stuff.

[Andy Y]

One which seems to be absent from the list but was mentioned in Hornby's announcement briefing is the Severn Valley Railway showing a picture of a small layout in a cabinet at The Engine House at Highley.

[The Stationmaster]

the problem may come when the new models start to arrive. I have a horrible feeling that if Hornby are paying for their own presence in a range of retail stores they will prioritise them over even the most established model shops when it comes to stock allocation.

 

I'm not so sure Colin and I think 'Woodenhead' might be nearer the mark.  I recently had a quick look in Hawkins Bazaar in Bath and while I haven't got a clue whether or not its Hornby stock was typical of the chain it was very definitely Railroad level and that seemed best fit for the sort of other toys the shop was offering.  Some of the concessions are really 'place on the High Street' toyshops and I can't honestly see them turning into stockists of J15s or Gresley suburban coaches.

 

I think they will be an asset to the hobby if Hornby gets its marketing right and I seriously wonder if it will after several years of extremely blurred thought in that connection.  Provided Hornby can properly separate its markets and recognise their varying strengths then a true step-change will occur; if they don't I think things could go the other way, especially if they neglect model shops.

[Gwiwer]

 

especially if they neglect model shops.

 

 

Or choose to commercially disadvantage them by, for example, reducing allocation of some or all items to as low as zero, by restructuring their pricing such that there is no RRP and we cannot therefore see what sort of discount (if any) the retailer is offering, or through being unable to supply product at all owing to supply chain or other issues which are at least partially within Margate's control.

[Pete 75C]

Question?

In Sheringham, there is a toy shop that (with regard to model railways) stocks only a limited Hornby range. All at RRP, and quite honestly, a lot of the unboxed display items in the glass case are out-of-date and covered in a thin veneer of dust. From one month to the next, I doubt they sell much at all. The exception is that at this time of year, they do seem to shift quite a few train sets. They are a newsagent, card shop, stationers etc. You can buy everything in that shop from paper party cups to Barbie dolls.

What type of shop is this? Is it a concession or a retail model shop from Hornby's point of view?

[Enterprisingwestern]

Question?

In Sheringham, there is a toy shop that (with regard to model railways) stocks only a limited Hornby range. All at RRP, and quite honestly, a lot of the unboxed display items in the glass case are out-of-date and covered in a thin veneer of dust. From one month to the next, I doubt they sell much at all. The exception is that at this time of year, they do seem to shift quite a few train sets. They are a newsagent, card shop, stationers etc. You can buy everything in that shop from paper party cups to Barbie dolls.

What type of shop is this? Is it a concession or a retail model shop from Hornby's point of view?

 

I doubt Hornby are bothered what it is called, as long as they maintain the Hornby presence and shift some stock, the shareholders will be happy.

 

Mike.

[cary hill]

I see Leicester is well on the way to regaining it's legendary status as Wogan's "Lost City" as far as the current Hornby concessions map is concerned:

 

 

It's quite a hike to the nearest concession, although I suppose it might be indicative of a lack of enterpreneurial zeal in the area.

 

[Nobby (John)]

What Hornby are doing is a business case, they are a company that has to survive in a a commercial world as a commercial business and not a charity for railway modellers.

 

This is no different to my own industry of Consumer Electronics in which I have worked since 1985 when i joined Sony ( I don't work for Sony now ). Then there was independent electrical stores and the traditional national accounts such as Comet, Dixons, Currys, mail order and department stores.

 

Then along came Sony Centres, and now a whole raft of channels of distribution such as internet, supermarkets, direct sales, concession areas, catalogue, petrol station forecourts, get a free You View box if you take a broadband package from BT or Talk Talk ( over 1 million PVR's have been given away free of charge )

 

The independent channel has shrunk considerably, but many have adapted and grown to become successful businesses.

[Pete 75C]

I see Leicester is well on the way to regaining it's legendary status as Wogan's "Lost City" as far as the current Hornby concessions map is concerned

 

You're still doing a damn sight better than pretty much the whole of East Anglia!

[tetsudofan]

......crikey, got two local(ish) concessions - Hamleys at Ashford and Fenwicks at Canterbury.......but think I'll still go to Hobby Shop at Faversham even if it is slightly further.

 

Keith

[BR(S)]

Some of the concessions are really 'place on the High Street' toyshops and I can't honestly see them turning into stockists of J15s or Gresley suburban coaches.

 

"I didn't say Moshi Monsters, I said Maunsell 3rd class composite brake in Southern Railway green with high windows".

 

Intellectual Kid by Just a Click {♥ fotografie ♥}, on Flickr

[Danemouth]

"I didn't say Moshi Monsters, I said Maunsell 3rd class composite brake in Southern Railway green with high windows".

 

Intellectual Kid by Just a Click {♥ fotografie ♥}, on Flickr

Looking at this kid I was wearing the dreaded NHS Tortoise Shell goggles specs at his age

 

How things have changed for the better!

 

Dave

[jjb1970]

As others have said, there is not necessarily a conflict between the high street concessions and the dedicated model shop. The concessions may take some trade from model shops but if it maintains a high street presence for model trains and helps to attract people into the hobby via the Railroad and trainset market then that is helping to sustain the hobby to the benefit of all. Yes, I know casual buyers looking for a trainset at Christmas could also visit a true model shop and get good advice and assistance with setting it up and growing the trainset but I suspect that even where people live within range of a model shop they're more likely to go to Toys R Us, Argos or one of these concessions. Or buy on-line. Most of those train sets sold will be one week wonders and won't lead anywhere but at least some of them will be the hook that catches people for many years and possibly a life time and they will almost certainly end up buying from model shops as they move on from Railroad type models. I entered the hobby with a Hornby train set consisting of a Duchess, three LMS coaches and the working mail coach with an oval of track, it is easy to dismiss these sets as toys but it is one of my happiest memories of the hobby and I never looked back.

[Kal]

Question?

In Sheringham, there is a toy shop that (with regard to model railways) stocks only a limited Hornby range. All at RRP, and quite honestly, a lot of the unboxed display items in the glass case are out-of-date and covered in a thin veneer of dust. From one month to the next, I doubt they sell much at all. The exception is that at this time of year, they do seem to shift quite a few train sets. They are a newsagent, card shop, stationers etc. You can buy everything in that shop from paper party cups to Barbie dolls.

What type of shop is this? Is it a concession or a retail model shop from Hornby's point of view?

It depends on the commercial arrangement. If they provide Hornby with floor space, but do not own the Stock they are providing a concession.

If they purchase the stock wholesale they are a retail outlet

 

At least that is my understanding