Lower prices forever!

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Finally some good news for consumers. If Mr. Hards is truly aggressive he could become the global price setter. (Like the late Sam Walton of Walmart and Jeff Bazos at Amazon) Looks like he's just strong arming little guys so far. I wonder what the Tam-jimi-gawa folks are going to do about this? They are the key.

It's cool to see HLJ taking steps to try to provide competitive pricing for their export market. I'm sure they've taken a real beating over the exchange rate the last couple of years.

But I seriously doubt that this represents any possible real shift in Japanese model pricing. The smaller manufacturers have much more incentive to work through HLJ to encourage foreign sales- as they already have very little distribution outside of Japan. But the larger Tamifujigawas will do what they have always done- concentrate on their primary domestic market.

Tamiya has already indicated how important their second biggest (US) market is in their global recession strategy by significantly drawing down the operations of their Tamiya USA facility in CA. Until things turn around, they will continue to make their rice and nori the way they always have- sales within Japan.

Good thinking on behalf of HLJ. Thumbs up!

they are only going towards their rivals` prices. others have "discounts" but hlj is still on MSRP and thats making them more expensive and less competitive and i believe customers are moving away. so they are trying to save the situation..

While I'm thankful for their efforts to lower kit prices to their export markets, about the only thing I order from over seas these days are decals. The cost of shipping really drives the final price up. As an example the Tamiya 1/20 Lotus 25 is $25.98 and shipping is listed as $15.50.

One really has to look at the total price before making any decision.

While I'm thankful for their efforts to lower kit prices to their export markets, about the only thing I order from over seas these days are decals. The cost of shipping really drives the final price up. As an example the Tamiya 1/20 Lotus 25 is $25.98 and shipping is listed as $15.50.

One really has to look at the total price before making any decision.

That's why you buy when they have shipping sales (like last week when FedEx was 50% off). Sometimes it's even free! I load up then and not other times. Scott alluded to this a while back, so I'd wait...

Daniel

of course, shipping is not low, but prices with shipping is still lower than price in LHS or even other than asia online prices

That's why you buy when they have shipping sales (like last week when FedEx was 50% off). Sometimes it's even free! I load up then and not other times. Scott alluded to this a while back, so I'd wait...

Daniel

Why would I want to load up on anything that I don't need nor really want just because the shipping is low because of a shipping sale. I'm not a collector.

I went that route 30 years ago, ended up with literally nearly a 100 unbuilt kits that eventually I sold off at loss just to make room for more kits.

There are enough USA based online companies to handle my very modest modeling needs. At best I can build 3, maybe 4 models per year. What I stock up on before each build is any and all paints and detail supplies I might need that I'm running low on.

obviously you are not customer this is focused on so why the concern then?

obviously you are not customer this is focused on so why the concern then?

Just my opinion, as my search for kits, decals, accessories, etc. has at times been way to time consuming, and frustrating to say the least.

Why would I want to load up on anything that I don't need nor really want just because the shipping is low because of a shipping sale. I'm not a collector.
Who said buy anything you don't need or want just because shipping is low? I'm talking about buying what you want or need while taking advantage of low shipping and saving your list up for that time. Nothing more or less. No need to get testy.

Who said buy anything you don't need or want just because shipping is low? I'm talking about buying what you want or need while taking advantage of low shipping and saving your list up for that time. Nothing more or less. No need to get testy.

Didn't mean to get or sound testy. Sorry if you took it that way.

I just interpreted your "loading up" to take advantage of the shipping sale, as just that; loading up. If you need, or planned on purchasing those products and items, then you made out great.

I just never seem to need to buy in bulk.

I purchase everything I need for my next project before I start it, and I have everything to go when I'm finally ready to start it. Now I build basically OOB at this point, so it's the kit, decals, specific paints, and maybe a few items. I try to purchase from just a few companies. I'm looking for service and completeness of order over price. But other then decals, I've found it prohibitive to purchase from over seas.

Again, I'm sorry if you took my comments the wrong way. I had no intention of wanting to come off as testy or snippy.

Didn't mean to get or sound testy. Sorry if you took it that way.

I just interpreted your "loading up" to take advantage of the shipping sale, as just that; loading up. If you need, or planned on purchasing those products and items, then you made out great.

I just never seem to need to buy in bulk.

I purchase everything I need for my next project before I start it, and I have everything to go when I'm finally ready to start it. Now I build basically OOB at this point, so it's the kit, decals, specific paints, and maybe a few items. I try to purchase from just a few companies. I'm looking for service and completeness of order over price. But other then decals, I've found it prohibitive to purchase from over seas.

Again, I'm sorry if you took my comments the wrong way. I had no intention of wanting to come off as testy or snippy.

It wasn't just me that took it that way...look at the responses above.

It's about saving money per item when "loading up". If I can get, say, a can of spray paint for $6 vs the normal $7 at the LHS, it pays to buy several, especially if you use a lot (like Semi Gloss Black). In fact, my LHS just had a 20% off everything sale and I "stocked up" on SGB and bought 3 or 4 cans. I saved $6. This is the idea.

It wasn't just me that took it that way...look at the responses above.
Just give him a break, he's got the right to express his opinion just like you and me, no need to jump on his back for that.

Just give him a break, he's got the right to express his opinion just like you and me, no need to jump on his back for that.

It's semantics more than anything, that's all. I'm not saying he can't express his opinion--I agree with him to an extent. (That is not to overbuy.) I'm not even arguing or "jumping on his back" at all. I'm simply saying that it wasn't just my "interpretation" of his post.

Long and short of it is that it's done.

Just give him a break, he's got the right to express his opinion just like you and me, no need to jump on his back for that.

Definitely :smokin:. If you have no interest in the information being presented, then just move on. :)

Here is a tour of the HLJ facility by an American toy collector. The owner, Scott Hards, gives him a walking tour. I think he missed the opportunity to really pick Hards brain but it gives us some insight into the scope and scale of the HLJ business.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=givUv327hIg&NR=1&feature=fvwp