$ 1,036.80 a gallon for model paint?

[misterNNL]

I just bought a 1/2 oz of Model Master # 2732 Chrysler engine red enamel bottle paint at a hobby shop in Columbus,Ohio today to replace some that had dried up. The price was $ 4.05 which in itself is bad. Then I did the old "how much would that be per gallon" math and was really shocked that it works out to $ 1,036.80! Guess we should be thankful Model Master co.isn't in the gasoline business. A fair mark up is OK, but "gloriosky Zero" that's a lot of profit somewhere in the supply chain!

 

[HomerS]

That's InkJet printer territory!

[GLMFAA1]

Just a quick google search and just guessamating :

Gallon of red engine paint                  $39.00

236 1/2 ounce bottles                         $234.40

236 labels                                              $120.37

raw material costs:                               $393.77

Difference from $1036.80                   $526.03

Who knows what hoops, machinery, wages, boxing, shipping, insurance (both liability and other), employee safety and health(federal and state) regulations, warehousing, advertising, inflation, stockholders, and last but not least legal eats into the difference.

Please take no offense Tom I agree with you the cost of model paint is expensive especially when you have been in the hobby to remember 5 cent bottles and get PO'd when you see a sign in a hobby shop saying that a Japanese paint isn't being imported because the labeling is not up to California standards. Now to keep the paint from drying out.

Great hobby shop in Columbus, wish I was closer

greg 

 

 

[Pete J.]

29 minutes ago, GLMFAA1 said:

Just a quick google search and just guessamating :

Gallon of red engine paint                  $39.00

236 1/2 ounce bottles                         $234.40

236 labels                                              $120.37

raw material costs:                               $393.77

Difference from $1036.80                   $526.03

Who knows what hoops, machinery, wages, boxing, shipping, insurance (both liability and other), employee safety and health(federal and state) regulations, warehousing, advertising, inflation, stockholders, and last but not least legal eats into the difference.

Please take no offense Tom I agree with you the cost of model paint is expensive especially when you have been in the hobby to remember 5 cent bottles and get PO'd when you see a sign in a hobby shop saying that a Japanese paint isn't being imported because the labeling is not up to California standards. Now to keep the paint from drying out.

Great hobby shop in Columbus, wish I was closer

greg 

 

 

It has always been true that small quantities cost more the large. The smaller the breakdown, the greater the difference. That is why I have avoided "For Models" products as often as I can.  I buy sanding sticks in packs of 50 or 100 direct from the manufacture. I buy paint in quarts at the auto store if it is something I will use over time(I still have quarts of black, white and Ferrari red lacquer in my cabinet).  For metal, I buy it from IMS online or I go down to the local iron store and buy what I need by the foot.  

Now this isn't going to work for the casual model build who only builds a couple of models a year, but I've been doing this a while and it makes sense for me to buy in bulk when I can.  

[misterNNL]

8 hours ago, GLMFAA1 said:

Just a quick google search and just guessamating :

Gallon of red engine paint                  $39.00

236 1/2 ounce bottles                         $234.40

236 labels                                              $120.37

raw material costs:                               $393.77

Difference from $1036.80                   $526.03

Who knows what hoops, machinery, wages, boxing, shipping, insurance (both liability and other), employee safety and health(federal and state) regulations, warehousing, advertising, inflation, stockholders, and last but not least legal eats into the difference.

Please take no offense Tom I agree with you the cost of model paint is expensive especially when you have been in the hobby to remember 5 cent bottles and get PO'd when you see a sign in a hobby shop saying that a Japanese paint isn't being imported because the labeling is not up to California standards. Now to keep the paint from drying out.

Great hobby shop in Columbus, wish I was closer

greg 

 

 

You are correct my friend. There are several true hobby shops in Columbus , a couple of which have been in business since the early 1950's. That is sustainable when there is a large and diverse population as a customer base, Of course most have adapted with the times and are offering what the times demand such as radio control vehicles and now a huge Gundam following. I belong to the Buckeye Sale Auto Club in Columbus but must travel 85 miles each way for the monthly meetings. Great group of members and we are hosting our annual Buckeye Classic contest the 7th of March at the Franklin County Fairgrounds.

Edited February 7, 2020 by misterNNL
forgotten detrails

[Snake45]

If you've noticed over the years, every time the price of gas rises significantly, Testor raises the price of their paints. The gas eventually goes back down, but Testor prices never do. 

[Repstock]

1 hour ago, misterNNL said:

There are several true hobby shops in Columbus , a couple of which have been in business since the early 1950's.

I wonder where they are. The shops I'm aware of all serve R/C guys with models and paints tucked in a corner, or serve railroad guys with no models cars at all. If you want to buy paint, they're OK, but if you do any serious scratch building, they are near useless. Hobbyland was my go-to until the revamp, now they have just the basics. I'm tired of driving all the way out there just to find they don't have what I'm after, anyway. I hate paying shipping costs, but at least online I can get what I wan't. I didn't abandon the local hobby shop...they abandoned me.

[espo]

I have been told that creating the container and labeling for small quantity items, like paint, can cost more than the product that they contain. That said I'm pretty sure Testors is generating a substantial profit. 

[Matt Bacon]

Shop’s got to make a margin (say 30%) to cover their rental, employees, taxes etc. Wholesaler/distributor’s got to make a margin to cover their warehouse, inventory, wages, loans on their vans and trucks. I’d be surprised if Model Master sees much more than $1 of that $4...

best,

M.

[OldTrucker]

Always going to be cheaper to sell in bulk quantities than it is to package in smaller amounts for a small sector pf the public that purchase it.

A lot more costly.

[OldTrucker]

The original poster of this thread mentioned the oil industry (gasoline) and it brought back something that irked my grandpa!

Back when they first introduced unleaded gas it was higher priced than regular and his new car required unleaded gas. Evidentally he never noticed that small detail when he was getting regular gas for the old car!

He went on a rant at the gas station and his point was that he remembered back when they started putting lead in gas. he noted that they raised the price because they added the lead so wanted to know just why it would go up when they left something out!!!LOL

 

[espo]

On 2/7/2020 at 11:27 AM, OldTrucker said:

The original poster of this thread mentioned the oil industry (gasoline) and it brought back something that irked my grandpa!

Back when they first introduced unleaded gas it was higher priced than regular and his new car required unleaded gas. Evidentally he never noticed that small detail when he was getting regular gas for the old car!

He went on a rant at the gas station and his point was that he remembered back when they started putting lead in gas. he noted that they raised the price because they added the lead so wanted to know just why it would go up when they left something out!!!LOL

 

Any time the basic formula is changed they raise the price. The change over to winter blend or summer blend gasoline works the same way. The Oil Companies have you by the short hair when it comes to gas prices. What else are you going to use for fuel ?  

[peteski]

32 minutes ago, espo said:

Any time the basic formula is changed they raise the price. The change over to winter blend or summer blend gasoline works the same way. The Oil Companies have you by the short hair when it comes to gas prices. What else are you going to use for fuel ?  

If you own a car with a Flux Capacitor, you can use household garbage!

[1930fordpickup]

Yes the Jars cost them pennies along with the lids. Same machinery to fill the tiny jars as it does for the jars twice their size for the most part. Why not make it easier on everyone's wallet and sell the paint in a jar that is 3 times the size? Easy answer, If it is not broke why fix it.   We all have to make money to live, we get it. Some of these prices are getting silly. 

Living alone and trying to buy food for one. The can goods you buy for single or 2 servings are more than a can with a serving for 4 to 6. Why, because the container and the filling is the same price. Because they can.