Turning Wish Lists into Reality?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... This does then raise a question around someone else producing a longer run alternative. To give a purely speculative example, what if Heljan do 2000 Class 28s and they sell out very quickly and command big prices on eBay, do Hornby then think 'Clearly a market there for more sales, let's produce our own and make 10,000 of them'? It's almost like letting someone else test the water - if it doesn't sell, steer clear, if it does, consider producing one to sit in the catalogue for a few years to grab those customers who missed out.

...

The different volume cases that the manufacturers require may lead to some of this. I have no 'insider' knowledge of this industry, but what is published tells me that for an OO loco, Heljan (and Dapol when they finally get one out) can make it pay from a minimum quantity of circa 2,000; Bachmann around 5,000, and Hornby are somewhere well over 10,000. So if Hornby get enough input from their Dealers that the small run of the 'limited edition' Helbacol 'Flopper' class has created a large scale demand that cannot be fulfilled, they could well go for it.

 

Just looking at what happened from 1992, first Bachmann, and then Heljan, entered the UK market. They proved that among the OO customer base there were people looking for and prepared to buy something better than the low grade items that characterised Lima and pre-1999 Hornby product. Hornby followed the money, Lima didn't... Essentially Hornby have entered a market for better OO RTR that Bachmann in particular proved existed.

 

It's still Bachmann and Heljan that are probing where the market for where 'better OO' is going: DMU's, EMU's, AC electrics, prototype diesels. Hornby appear to me to be observing, and then following up on genres that prove popular. Given that their volume case requires much larger sales, and that they still retain overwhelming 'mind share' in the OO customer base, it is a sensible approach.

[Steven B]

If nothing else model shops, preservation societies and the NRM ordering the likes of City of Truro and class 14s means that there's still plenty of money in the hobby at the moment.

 

If the shops weren't confident of a return on their investment (£100k + for a loco??) then they wouldn't be these new models.

 

Isn't it normally the case that the originators of the projects have exclusive rights to the model for a few years before the manufacturer takes ownership of it and could then make it generally available.

 

Happy modelling,

 

Steven B.

[Allegheny1600]

Umm! Am I missing something here? Surely the recent transfer of the Kernow Hampshire unit from Dapol to Bachmann suggests that Big B is prepared to talk turkey with retailers & do the procuring? And Bachmann have already delivered on the LSWR signalbox for Kernow - ok so it ain't no train, but it is nice, and I have one so am v grateful! I believe the whole point about the Chinese factories is that they can and do make short production runs, so if anyone can get their drawings together, then all they need is a competent intermediary, and Bachmann and Hornby fit the bill. The problems arise when the intermediary is having production delays and arguments with the factories, imperilling his own bottom line. In those circumstances, comma, he may not be very aggressive in pushing through John Retailer's pet project!

 

 

Hi Ian,

I owe you an apology here - recent events have certainly shown that Bachmann are willing to produce 'one offs' for outside organisations, let alone the examples you quote! The next thing you know, Hornby will have jumped on this bandwagon with an announcment from retailer xyz that they are producing an (Blue P../APT/class 71/74???) in conjunction with them!!

Humble pie now being eaten for supper!

Cheers,

John E.