Round 2 AMT Advertising Suggestions

[Muncie]

I think I see the same thing - the Round 2 website doesn't have a lot of information about what is in the box.  It's been a long time since I've looked there because it doesn't tell me very much and isn't easy to use.  There are 352 instruction sheets on the support tab - all in kit number order - They are difficult to find by kit subject.  It's not a user friendly web site.  Round 2 could try a little more.

Some of the small hobby shops around here have gone to a "we'll order it for you" system.  They are keeping very little model car inventory so there is no box to look at. 

Edited March 5, 2018 by Muncie

[regular guy]

 

Found the solution.

http://www.collectormodel.com/#sthash.tM0jCqGB.AvHSkpbm.dpbs

Round 2 website has this 'news' about SOME of the kits.

So.The solution is MORE OUTPUT from this writer.

There in the midwest so they ought to take to take him to a diner in the morning.

Stuff him full of a big farm breakfast. Then set him down in front of the computer with high sugar high caffeine Sundrops soda.

Then they would get articles for EVERY kit.

They have 'trumped' me in a way.(old meaning of trump like in playing cards).

They can provide the info. They just need it to be for every kit.

Edited March 5, 2018 by regular guy

[Greg Myers]

So it seems to me , what you're after is a "Kit Review" ?

[Brett Barrow]

Round 2's website isn't really set up for consumer use.  Try AutoWorldStore.com - it's their consumer retail site.  

[regular guy]

 

' So it seems to me , what you're after is a "Kit Review" ? '

' Round 2's website isn't really set up for consumer use. '

These two comments are deflecting attention from a simple issue.

Info about what's in the kit.

It is asking a lot to lay out money on a hit or miss proposition.

'Yeah.It has all the parts from every issue' or

'Oh no.All they gave me was parts for stock build''

The articles on Round 2 are full of info and pictures of parts.

The one page listings could use as much of that they can fit in.

'

[Brett Barrow]

And speaking as someone who writes product descriptions for websites, I'd much rather not say anything than be wrong.  I've never seen a correlation between wordy descriptions and increased sales.  I'm not going to waste time writing War and Peace if it's not going to have an impact on how many we'll sell.  

[Rob Hall]

Since Round 2's kits are mostly reissues of kits previously reissued often, most buyers of these kits know what to expect..so no point in wordy descriptions...

[regular guy]

' I'd much rather not say anything than be wrong. '

A bold move.

So you writing is dollar driven.

The dollars you get for writing that they pay you expecting to make dollars?

Sounds rather mechanical.

The guy that writes the articles about kits for Round 2 sounds like he enjoys his work.

That he would find an outlet to say that even if he wasn't getting paid.

[regular guy]

Oops!

Looks like Mr Barrow works for Megahobby.

Looks like no discount from them!

'If you're a reformer don't expect to be welcome at the country club'

Words to live by!

Getting back on track.The Round 2 articles are very informative.

Should be one for every kit.

Edited March 5, 2018 by regular guy

[Greg Myers]

Having the silhouette outline of parts on the bottom seems to be the best answer.

[Greg Myers]

Some kits in the past did have informative side panels. Is this more in line of what you are thinking ?

[Brett Barrow]

1 minute ago, regular guy said:

' I'd much rather not say anything than be wrong. '

A bold move.

So you writing is dollar driven.

The dollars you get for writing that they pay you expecting to make dollars?

Sounds rather mechanical.

The guy that writes the articles about kits for Round 2 sounds like he enjoys his work.

That he would find an outlet to say that even if he wasn't getting paid.

I get paid to write website descriptions, yes.  It's part of my job.  I have a lot of other work to do on a given day, I might have 50 new products to get up some days plus handle customer issues, take phone orders, take product photos when the manufacture doesn't provide them, tackle any website functionality issue that pop up, etc. .  I can't spend an hour researching and writing a detailed description for ever product when most of my competition doesn't even write descriptions at all.  If Round 2 provides that information to us then I'll likely just use what they provide.  The quicker I get a product up the quicker I can start selling them.  That's what I get paid to do, get products up and sellable as quickly as possible.   If someone asks about a product in particular I'll look it up and find out for them but as I said, I've never seen that more detailed descriptions lead to increased sales. Ocassionally I'll do an unboxing video or more detailed product shots for some items but I have to weight the amount of time it takes to produce all that vs how many more sales it would lead to.  And I have other work to attend to during the day as well.    Most consumers are well educated about the products these days, often better than I am.  We have 30,000 products and I have to know a little bit about all of them someone whose hobby is collecting 1960's Fords or whatever is going to know a lot more about them than I do.  

[Greg Myers]

With a little effort there are reviews out there. I realize this doesn't do much for the impulse buyer.

https://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/1966-ford-galaxie-500

 

[Greg Myers]

They're were quite a few of those made. 

[Greg Myers]

11 minutes ago, Brett Barrow said:

Most consumers are well educated about the products these days,

but how many times do you come across that "New" kit and wonder, " Hmmm. wonder what's inside? Don't remember seeing this one before. Is it new or a reissiue I haven't seen?"

[Rob Hall]

4 minutes ago, Greg Myers said:

but how many times do you come across that "New" kit and wonder, " Hmmm. wonder what's inside? Don't remember seeing this one before. Is it new or a reissiue I haven't seen?"

Never... since I've already seen photos and descriptions of it on the internet, there is no surprise anymore... 

Edited March 5, 2018 by Rob Hall

[regular guy]

' Is this more in line of what you are thinking ?'

Yes. Now transpose those pictures to the Round 2 website 'sell' page.

I guess it's a question of satisfaction.

The Prestige kit will always be my first choice if there is a choice.

More is better. More of those little pictures on box sides.

More extra parts and versions in the kit.

BTW: Old ad says 'From the Kats at Kit City'.

See the connection there? Kats-Kits?

Have not seen that in the new Round 2 Kat talk.

 

[iamsuperdan]

I read the thread and maybe I missed it, but here are some of my thoughts regarding advertising.

 

You mentioned advertising. If you mean info on their own website, then by all means, they should have way more info on there. I mean, the space is there, use it. There's really no limit to what a website can have. So get full descriptions, pics, details, etc. Get everything on there. A gallery of builds, copies of instructions, tips, hints, for each model. Pics of the sprues. Dimensions, high res copies of the box art. Whatever, the room is there!

If you're talking about other advertising, I wonder where that would be. There's what, two maybe three magazines that would run ads? Maybe a hand ful of websites? But then, even this site doesn't really have a ton of advertising.

Also, someone mentioned a description would be bring more excitement and get kids more interested. I think to get kids more interested, the companies should stop reproducing cars that are 50 years old that todays' kids have never heard of, let alone seen. I like some of these older subjects, and there's definitely a market for them, but kids today just don't care about old cars like us old guys do. In North America, the hobby is dying, because the NA kit companies are catering to guys like us, that quite frankly, are also dying! We're old, and the reissues of cars from our youth just aren't bringing in a new generation of builders, and no description in the world will get kits excited about a topic that is of no interest. That would be like the Japanese companies, who have a handle of what Japanese youth want, try to market their most recent Supra or SUbaru kits to the 60+ crowd who love hotrods. Is there any description they could use that would get hot rod guys interested? Probably not, and it goes the other way too.

 

Anyway, I'm looking forward to my bench time tonight, where I'll be working on both an Aoshimi Toyota truck, and an AMT Roadrunner.

 

 

[pack rat]

5 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

One issue that has not been approached in this "discussion" is the fact Round 2 may  not realize exactly what is in the box.  The box cover may be of a factory stock kit, however there will be custom/speed parts from an earlier issue still on the sprues.  Many of the AMT/MPC/etc I have bought recently have had parts on the sprues that are not mentioned on the instruction sheet, but were parts of the original issue back when they were all 3-n-1's.

I can assure you Round2 (unlike RC2) knows exactly what is in the box. 

There might be the odd leftover part found on a sprue from an older issue that doesn't apply to any of their building versions,  but they know its in there.  

[regular guy]

 

'you mentioned advertising. If you mean info on their own website'

Yes. That's it!

The older advertising has more excitement in it.

Like the '64 Mercury Marauder had the first engine to hit 400hp.

But I mean the speed parts and customizing parts make building the kit exciting on all the kits.

They should say 'Use the custom parts to build your entry for the model show contest!'

Doesn't matter if there isn't a model show for a 1000 miles. It's the idea that puts a little spark in building it.

To give Round 2 credit, it looks like they came up with a new painting for the Cobra and tow vehicle kit.

Maybe having two pages on the website for each kit would be a start.

Put a painting of the car at a car show or the race track in there too..

 

 

 

Edited March 5, 2018 by regular guy

[#1 model citizen]

10 hours ago, TarheelRick said:

One issue that has not been approached in this "discussion" is the fact Round 2 may  not realize exactly what is in the box.  The box cover may be of a factory stock kit, however there will be custom/speed parts from an earlier issue still on the sprues.  Many of the AMT/MPC/etc I have bought recently have had parts on the sprues that are not mentioned on the instruction sheet, but were parts of the original issue back when they were all 3-n-1's.

And conversely parts are missing that were included in earlier issues. Case in point: I just picked up a '32 Ford roadster 2n1 (an older Ertl made in USA issue) expecting that I would be able to build it stock. I even looked in the box & quick check revealed stock wire wheels & engine. When I got the kit home I discovered there were no stock tires & no mention of them in the instructions! (Only tires for the "optional" wheels) And there is only 1 windshield & that appearers to be chopped! The only 2 options you get is the stock engine or 392 hemi; spare tire/luggage rack or roll bar/spot lights; stock or nerf bumpers (if you rigidly follow the instructions).

On 3/4/2018 at 4:32 PM, martinfan5 said:

I get what you are saying,  but they are marketing these kits to guys that built them as kids or young adults, so they figure that a majority of the buyers are gonna know whats included with the kit, so they are focusing on the rose color glasses with the box art

instead.  

 

How was I to know? The 3n1 kits in the past always included a stock build & was indeed the starting point for the optional builds . I had the original issue of this kit when I was a kid in the '60s so, yeah, I know what SHOULD have been included...

[martinfan5]

12 minutes ago, #1 model citizen said:

And conversely parts are missing that were included in earlier issues. Case in point: I just picked up a '32 Ford roadster 2n1 (an older Ertl made in USA issue) expecting that I would be able to build it stock. I even looked in the box & quick check revealed stock wire wheels & engine. When I got the kit home I discovered there were no stock tires & no mention of them in the instructions! (Only tires for the "optional" wheels) And there is only 1 windshield & that appearers to be chopped! The only 2 options you get is the stock engine or 392 hemi; spare tire/luggage rack or roll bar/spot lights; stock or nerf bumpers (if you rigidly follow the instructions).

Well, X-ray glasses of course

[Greg Myers]

"Never... since I've already seen photos and descriptions of it on the internet, there is no surprise anymore... "

SURPRISE ! 

[niteowl7710]

One would also have to take in account all of that advertising from the 1960s involved NEW products that didn't exist prior to that moment in time.  At this point those same model kits are 50-60 years old, and you folks oughta know what's in them by the 10th reissue of the item.  Casey has done a good job of posting up the Round2 flyers of products when they get released, which will always mention if parts are re-tooled or added back in to make the kit a former version of it's "glorious" past.  If it just says something like "new decals and pad printed tires", then it's the same dubious box of plastic you bought 6 copies of it the last time it was reissued.

Round2 ESPECIALLY isn't selling to kids - at least that's not their market aim - they're selling to adult collectors (TV/Movie/Coke tie-ins) and adult modelers who are riding that Nostalgia train all the way to the end station.

Edited March 6, 2018 by niteowl7710

[Force]

9 hours ago, regular guy said:

The older advertising has more excitement in it.

Like the '64 Mercury Marauder had the first engine to hit 400hp.

I wonder where they got that statement from!??!!
Ford Motor Company had engines with over 400 hp before 1964, the 406 Tri-Power introduced in 1962 was rated at 405 hp and the 427 introduced in 1963 was rated at 410 hp for the single 4bbl and 425 hp for the dual 4 bbl,  those were available in both Ford and Mercury.