Price Gouging

[Mudkip Orange]

Walked into my LHS today (the expensive, inner loop one, not the discount guys out beyond the beltway).

 

He had the chinese architectural models in the "consignment" bin. Cars 2 for $5.00, figures 6 for $3.00

 

Yeah. $2.50 a car. Them's Tomytec prices.

[quinntopia]

It took me a minute to figure out what cars you were talking about....then I finally clued in on the "Chinese" aspect.  OMG.  That's robbery.  Shame.

[cteno4]

they keep popping up at some of the train dealers at the train shows. usually at 3x or so the price you can buy them from china directly. most folks just dont know about them and others are reticent at ordering from china...

 

caveat emptor!

 

cheers

 

jeff

[clem24]

My LHS gouges on the Tomytec stuff. They sell the Truck or Trailer Collection for $20/piece. But at least unlike these Chinese models, they Tomytec are actually nice models.

 

Plus there are the eBay gougers too that try to sell the architectural models by the piece and often like to put "Tomytec" in their auction title.

[Martijn Meerts]

A LHS nearby (just over the border to Germany) had some of those TomyTec boats for sale for insane prices. Then again, he didn't import those himself, but through some other company, so there's lots of extra costs involved. Can't quite remember the price, but I believe it was about 3-4 times the price of Hobbysearch...

[westfalen]

A LHS nearby (just over the border to Germany) had some of those TomyTec boats for sale for insane prices. Then again, he didn't import those himself, but through some other company, so there's lots of extra costs involved. Can't quite remember the price, but I believe it was about 3-4 times the price of Hobbysearch...

That's the problem we face buying Japanese trains outside Japan, none of the manufacturers distribute their product themselves apart from Kato, and they only make a token attempt, so we always have to pay two or three extra party's cut of the profits.

[Guest ___]

Yeah, it never ceases to amaze me how much gouging there is on the TT stuff, yet alone the gray stuff.

[inobu]

The way I look at it, is I go the the LHS pick something up and if it looks and feel good I buy it just for that convenience.  If it does not look good you don't have to get it. Nothing lost. Where as if you buy it on line its yours or you pay to ship it back and restock fee so it becomes a wash in the long run.

 

I picked one Kato new release from a LHS liked it and got the rest from Kline almost 20% cheaper. Everyone happy and I still have a LHS near by.

 

There is a bit of enjoyment in visiting and seeing first hand so I give up a few dollars here and there for that reason. It is hard for the brick and mortar shops to compete with the cut throat internet guys.

 

Just food for thought.

 

Inobu 

[clem24]

Another LHS bought up the entire inventory of some old hobby store down in the US somewhere. Among the items was a Kato ED75, the original release with the front skirt right on the bogies. I was *almost* tempted to pick it up as a collector's item but then again the $70 price tag kind of turned me off hehehe. They also had a Kato 583 set (complete with the "N Train" box), brand new.... $300 

[westfalen]

Another LHS bought up the entire inventory of some old hobby store down in the US somewhere. Among the items was a Kato ED75, the original release with the front skirt right on the bogies. I was *almost* tempted to pick it up as a collector's item but then again the $70 price tag kind of turned me off hehehe. They also had a Kato 583 set (complete with the "N Train" box), brand new.... $300 

An indication of how well Japanese trains sell in the U.S. that these were still on the shelf.