Modelhaus going, going Gone !!!!!!

[Snake45]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Mark]

I doubt that it's worth anyone getting their undies in a knot over.  Modelhaus has been getting what, around $8 apiece for a typical bumper/grille unit?  If anyone thinks they're going to resell them and double their money, I doubt it will happen unless they sit on that stuff for a long time.  The last-minute rush is probably 99% people who intend to use what they buy. 

A small percentage of parts might be going into boxes with projects that get sold later in a collection "thinning out" (or estate sale).  Those parts will certainly add value to the project being sold, but even then you could argue that the project is simply being made saleable by now being complete.  The "bought for resale" percentage might be higher with complete kits, but even then the masters for those could still end up with another caster even if the whole business isn't taken over by someone. 

If I wanted to turn stuff around and double my money, I could do it (and have done it) more quickly with the right kits as opposed to parts.

[Tom Geiger]

Point missed again. Geez.

Let's review.

1) Modelhaus is going out of business, probably at least in part due to the death of the son.

2) As a courtesy and service to the modeling community (rather than just shutting down and leaving everybody twisting in the wind, which would have been entirely understandable) Modelhaus announced their projected closing date so modelers could get what they may have missed in the past.

3) Possibly, SOME large order placers aren't buying for their own use, but to resell at inflated prices after production ceases.

4) In MY view of things, folks doing that are taking unfair advantage of the folks at Modelhaus.

5) WHY would Modelhaus be content to sell product at regular price to hoarders / resellers when Modelhaus could get the inflated prices themselves if they simply shut down and auctioned off stock as they saw fit, for the highest possible prices?

6) They wouldn't, unless they were idiots, which they aren't. (But if they were operating solely on business principles, human-greedy-nature or laws of economics, that's EXACTLY what they'd do).

7) Again, I maintain intentional big-order resellers are unfairly taking advantage of Modelhaus' kindness, consideration and courtesy in announcing a closing date.

If you can't grasp what's at issue here...whoever you are...I sincerely hope you'll be treated exactly the same way you seem to think is OK in all your future business and interpersonal dealings.

It may be "good business", "human nature", the "laws of economics" or whatever you want to call it.

But buying large orders specifically for the purpose of reselling at inflated prices is simply taking unfair advantage of the kindness, courtesy and responsible behavior Modelhaus has extended to the modeling community.

 

 

I'm siding with Bill here. 

big-order resellers are unfairly taking advantage of Modelhaus' kindness, consideration and courtesy in announcing a closing date.

I don't know how people can consider themselves part of the community and put their own profit ahead of what's right.  Legal or not, I don't see any parallel to Wall Street, Walmart or free market.  These are people we know personally who are doing us a solid. To betray that trust is just not right. PS- Don't sell anything to Richard!

 

[Howard Cohen]

Point # 1 is wrong...they had announced their retirement before their son died. 

 

[Snake45]

I'm siding with Bill here. 

big-order resellers are unfairly taking advantage of Modelhaus' kindness, consideration and courtesy in announcing a closing date.

I don't know how people can consider themselves part of the community and put their own profit ahead of what's right.  Legal or not, I don't see any parallel to Wall Street, Walmart or free market.  These are people we know personally who are doing us a solid. To betray that trust is just not right. PS- Don't sell anything to Richard!

 

1. Do you have any evidence that anyone is actually doing this?

2. Is your PS a joke? If so, it's kinda funny. If not, why are you attacking me personally?

[Snake45]

I doubt that it's worth anyone getting their undies in a knot over.  Modelhaus has been getting what, around $8 apiece for a typical bumper/grille unit?  If anyone thinks they're going to resell them and double their money, I doubt it will happen unless they sit on that stuff for a long time.  The last-minute rush is probably 99% people who intend to use what they buy.

A small percentage of parts might be going into boxes with projects that get sold later in a collection "thinning out" (or estate sale).  Those parts will certainly add value to the project being sold, but even then you could argue that the project is simply being made saleable by now being complete.  The "bought for resale" percentage might be higher with complete kits, but even then the masters for those could still end up with another caster even if the whole business isn't taken over by someone.

If I wanted to turn stuff around and double my money, I could do it (and have done it) more quickly with the right kits as opposed to parts.

Mark, your thoughts and mine on this are just about 100% in sync. This would be a HARD way to make a few bucks, with no guarantee of an overall profit in the long run. Agree with you on the complete kits, too. There you MIGHT be able to mark up a bit for resale and do okay. But parts? Tough row to hoe.

Again, there's no evidence I've seen presented that anyone is actually doing any of this activity. I certainly didn't place my orders for re-sale, and I doubt that many if any others did, either.

[Tom Geiger]

1. Do you have any evidence that anyone is actually doing this?

2. Is your PS a joke? If so, it's kinda funny. If not, why are you attacking me personally?

1.  No, I'm just agreeing with Bill on a moral issue.  I could not take something Don and Carol made to order for me, and just turn it around for a profit. I hope nobody is actually doing this.

2.  Yes, lighten up Francis!   

Edited July 9, 2016 by Tom Geiger

[Harry P.]

If somebody orders a ton of stuff from Modelhaus with the intent of reselling it at a higher price, why is that wrong or immoral?

Who gets hurt here? Certainly not Modelhaus. If anything, they got an extra large order, which means they made more profit.

And once the purchaser has paid for his Modelhaus products, those products belong to him, and he can do whatever he wants with them... including reselling them for a higher price.

Art collectors do it. Stamp and coin collectors do it. Car collectors do it.

Seems pretty clear to me.

[Ramfins59]

 

Again, there's no evidence I've seen presented that anyone is actually doing any of this activity. I certainly didn't place my orders for re-sale, and I doubt that many if any others did, either.

I'm thinking that IF anyone who placed large orders for kits and/or parts with Modelhaus with the intention to resell them for a profit, they very likely will sit on the stuff until Modelhaus actually completely shuts down so they are sure they have a "lock" on that supply of mdse.  IF someone who bought Modelhaus kits with the intention of reselling them at a profit, I wonder what crazy prices they would ask for them.  A lot of modelers feel that Modelhaus' prices are or were already too expensive, but there is always someone out there who will just "have to have" it.  Only time will tell if and when we start to see Modelhaus' stuff show up on EBAY or at shows and swap meets. 

[Snake45]

 

2.  Yes, lighten up Francis!   

Glad to hear it. I kinda thought that was the case but wanted to clarify for others.

[Snake45]

 

Art collectors do it. Stamp and coin collectors do it. Car collectors do it.

Seems pretty clear to me.

Everybody retailing anything does it. So does everybody who buys a house. At least, they HOPE to do it, though it doesn't always turn out that way.

[Harry P.]

Everybody retailing anything does it. So does everybody who buys a house.

Yes, a perfect example.

Say I buy a house from Acme Home Builders for their selling price of $250,000. The I turn around and sell it for $275,000. Is this immoral? Am I "taking advantage" of the builder? Of course not! The builder got the price he wanted for his house, and now that the house is mine, I am free to get the price for it that I want. I see nothing here as far as "taking advantage" of anyone.

 

[Ace-Garageguy]

   AKA: Missing the Point...entirely. 

Edited July 9, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[ChrisBcritter]

 

IF someone who bought Modelhaus kits with the intention of reselling them at a profit, I wonder what crazy prices they would ask for them.

More to the point, I wonder what crazy prices they'll bid up to. The estate sale seller blzzzfn on eBay recently had a lot of four Modelhaus Lincoln Continental hood ornaments listed with an opening bid of $5.00; they bid up to $21.50. Anyone can list a kit with a huge opening bid and then die of old age waiting for someone to take the bait; you don't learn much about the market from that.

[Harry P.]

   AKA: Missing the Point...entirely. 

I don't get it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

I don't get it.

See, the movie "Titanic" wasn't about going on a beautiful cruise...oh, never mind.    

Edited July 9, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Ace-Garageguy]

I'm siding with Bill here. 

big-order resellers are unfairly taking advantage of Modelhaus' kindness, consideration and courtesy in announcing a closing date.

I don't know how people can consider themselves part of the community and put their own profit ahead of what's right.  Legal or not, I don't see any parallel to Wall Street, Walmart or free market.  These are people we know personally who are doing us a solid. To betray that trust is just not right.

Thanks for getting the point I was trying to make, Tom. 

Edited July 9, 2016 by Ace-Garageguy

[Snake45]

Bugger. Procrastinated too long. Oh well. 

Ahhhhhhhhh.....NOW I get it!

[mike 51]

LOL...maybe you and Tom can convince them to let you two review thier orders and "protect" them from being exploited by some of those customers.  

Maybe if you feel as strongly about this (possible) problem as you seem to be....you could even insist on it?    

How about people who order thier products and never get around to using them?   Must they keeep them for fear of being "maggots" if they sell them for more than they paid?

 

[Snake45]

LOL...maybe you and Tom can convince them to let you two review thier orders and "protect" them from being exploited by some of those customers.

Maybe if you feel as strongly about this (possible) problem as you seem to be....you could even insist on it?  

How about people who order thier products and never get around to using them?   Must they keeep them for fear of being "maggots" if they sell them for more than they paid?

 

I'm prepared to justify every single item I ordered. Ace and Tom are welcome to come to the Snakepit and personally inspect my backlog of glue bombs/resto projects.

[Ace-Garageguy]

There are obviously a fair number of people who don't like to make subtle moral distinctions (or are incapable), so they have a little easier time in life deciding what's right and what's wrong...or they just do what everybody else does and don't even think about it.

If something puts money in their pockets, it's right...as long as it's not blatantly illegal or they have little chance of getting caught if it is.

I'm glad not everyone sees life as a series of opportunities to screw the next guy in line.

Have a nice day.   

[mike 51]

I'm prepared to justify every single item I ordered. Ace and Tom are welcome to come to the Snakepit and personally inspect my backlog of glue bombs/resto projects.

As long as you don't EVER sell them for more than they cost (plus shipping perhaps) you should be OK...

Edited July 9, 2016 by mike 51

[Ace-Garageguy]

As long as you don't EVER sell them for more than they cost (plus shipping perhaps) you should be OK...

That was never the issue, never the intent, never the thrust of the argument.

I believe I said something about people incapable of making subtle moral distinctions. Thank you for so eloquently illustrating THAT concept.

 

[Harry P.]

There are obviously a fair number of people who don't like to make subtle moral distinctions (or are incapable), so they have a little easier time in life deciding what's right and what's wrong...or they just do what everybody else does and don't even think about it.

If something puts money in their pockets, it's right...as long as it's not blatantly illegal or they have little chance of getting caught if it is.

I'm glad not everyone sees life as a series of opportunities to screw the next guy in line.

Have a nice day.   

There is no "moral decision" to be made here.

I buy a product from a seller. At their price. Fair and square.

I now own that product and am free to do with it as I wish. Use it. Give it away. Throw it in the trash. Or resell it at any price I want to charge.

"Morality" doesn't come into play here.

[CapSat 6]

I'm finding this discussion very interesting. It goes without saying that Don and Carol have carved out a very special, very specific place in the universe with the Modelhaus, and of course, it will be irreplaceable.

Best of luck to them in their retirement. They were more than fair and they tried to plan a smooth transition. I hope it ends up going well for them.

Moral stances aside on the possible profiteering angle, I'm not so sure that stockpiling for future sale would be a smart strategy. How would anybody know what their best sellers have been, unless Don or Carol told them? What kits would you order if you wanted to flip them and make piles of cash? Or parts? The best strategy I can think up is "bet it all on Jo Han (parts)". I would imagine parts for their Caddys, Javelins, GTX's and the like will become like gold- everything else? Not so sure about that. 

I myself ended up finding one of their discontinued car kits on the Auction Place very recently, and it was something I have wanted for a long time. It has not been listed in their catalog for many years. I was prepared to throw down for it, but I ended up winning it for about 1/2 the price of most of their complete kits. I had been letting the hype get to me, but it turns out that it just didn't pan out. I'm very happy I got it and I'm gonna build it. Maybe there is simply no demand for at least a small part of their stuff- who knows?

Also- like Mark, my belief is that somebody, or perhaps several parties, might end up with at least some of their complete kits' molds. There are several categories of cars in which they offer a nice selection of unique kits. If they're not offering them anymore, I'm sure they would see the reason in selling some of those molds & masters, if they got the right offers. 

The entire business, the parts business on the other hand- I don't think there is anybody on Earth who would be willing or able to take over the whole thing. Valued the way you would value a functioning business, I'm sure the cost would be way too prohibitive. It would have to be run as a full time concern, and with masters, molds, and supplies alone, you could probably buy a nice house in many parts of the country for what it would be worth. Not to mention the work ethic and talent you would have to bring to it. 

I'm playing the Megaball tonight...if I hit it big, I'd be willing to buy the shooting works and set somebody up with a nice salary to run it. That would be me giving back to the Modeling community. ?