Tomix Structure Re-issues and Price Increases

[bill937ca]

I have noticed that more and more Tomix structures are being re-issued with hefty price increases.  Take the Tomix 4012/4212 Locomotive House.      http://www.tomytec.co.jp/tomix/products/n/4212.htm  The 4012 version is now terminated.

 

Old: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10018287

New: http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10429060

 

Basically the same structure but with a list price increase from 1080 yen to 1296 yen. An increase of 216 yen or 20%. Re-issues of gas stations and convenience stores have cited updated franchise graphics, but the locomotive shed looks unchanged.

 

Yet train sheds like the 4012/4212 and the Greenmax 19/2123 seem to be all over Japan, probably dating from the years of high economic growth when population grew, ridership grew and trains got longer.

 

The cost increase may be relate to updated production facilities.

 

It might be the time to pick up some of the others that haven't been re-issued. Although not elaborate, Tomix buildings are a good base for kit bashing.

Edited March 4, 2017 by bill937ca

[cteno4]

Yeah greenmax was doing this on some of the earlier kit updates. Plastic has gone up some. Perhaps retooling and new packaging costs and just a general inflation update on the price... and a chance to slip in a price increase with new packaging and number (but that won't get past bill ;-p).

 

Jeff

[splifdfx]

There was also a VAT increase from 5% to 8% in Japan in 2014.
Perhaps the prices didn't change then and they're including this tax update in their new prices now.

[cteno4]

I thought the consumer paid the vat at the retailer and the retailer had to pass the correct vat to the gov tax board. Don't all the retail prices get adjusted when they do a vat increase?

 

Jeff

[katoftw]

This has been going on since late 2015. Considering they only increase prices once a decade, I'll deal with it.

[splifdfx]

Jeff, sometimes producers absorb the VAT increase into their costs so that the public price doesn't change, and thus doesn't hinder sell numbers.
I don't know if this is the case here though, just a hypothesis.

[cteno4]

Is this the case in Japan though? When the vat changed the srps did not seem to change at all as they would have had to reduce them to cancel out the vat increase. But they could have held off the srp increase they wanted longer to let the vat increase settle in.

 

I seem to remember that vat in Japan is collected at the retailer when they buy stock and only get any refund for non vat purchase (like a forgein sale) once a year without doing special,paperwork.

 

Jeff

[railsquid]

The catalogue prices are all quoted excluding consumption tax.

 

In general prices in Japan have been very static over the last couple of decades but we're starting to see increases feed through across the board.

[velotrain]

In general prices in Japan have been very static over the last couple of decades . . .

 

From what I've read here, outside of MicroAce  ;-)

[railsquid]

That's why I said "in general" :P

 

For reference, 4012 in the 1991 catalogue, 900 yen (no consumption tax at the time IIRC):

tomix-4012-1991 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

 

2013 catalogue, 1000 yen (or 1050 yen including the 5% consumption tax current at the time):

tomix-4012-2013 by Rail Squid, on Flickr

[brill27mcb]

Thanks for the notification, Bill!

 

Rich K.