Can't even trust a sealed box.

[Mike 1017]

I bought the Testors metal trailer from Hobby Lobby a while back. Today I decided it was time to build it. Much to my surprise, no hardware!!! So what does one do now? Open the box before paying, open it up at the checkout counter, or open it up in your car before leaving the parking lot? Now I have begun my search to find screws that will work.

Mike

[peteski]

Unfortunately this does happen occasionally.  That's why none of my model kit boxes are sealed.  If it is a currently produced model (as I'm buying it) and some parts are missing/damaged, it is easier to get replacements than 30 years later when I finally decide to build it.

This whole idea about sealed kits being extra valuable seems misguided to me.  I would rather buy one that was opened and the contents verified.  Japanese models (bought in Japan) are not sealed, so you can easily look inside before you buy it.  But no, we here have virgin sealed kits. You have to get married to them before you break the shrink wrap. 

[TonyK]

Many, many years ago I got burned when I opened a sealed kit long after I bought it and something was missing. Since then I open every model I buy and check all the contents. Kind of fun looking at what you got too.

[TarheelRick]

44 minutes ago, peteski said:

But no, we here have virgin sealed kits.

Unfortunately, this had to be done to slow down kit pilfering.  Several years ago (last century) I found four opened kits at a Roses store. I approached the manager and she discounted the kits by 60%. I made out fairly well one was complete, but the others were missing valuable pieces: Eddie Hill's dragster rear tires and wheels, etc.  A few months later I was in the same store and they only had two kits on the shelf, both were hard to sell kits, can't remember exactly what they were. Happened to see the manager and asked her about the lack of kits, "We were losing too much money on shoplifting (pilfering) so we are no longer carrying them". Have also bought pilfered kits from Michael's, WalMart (when they sold kits), and a couple of other stores. I was in Hobby Lobby one day and found a Revell 'T' Roadster kit. When I picked it up I noticed the bottom of the box had been slit open leaving the shrinkwrap around the outside intact. They sold it to me for 40%. When I got it home the only thing missing was the roadster body, big score on parts. I've noticed lately Hobby Lobby will have kits with the shrinkwrap removed and the box will be taped. Makes me wonder if someone bought it and once looking inside decided they did not want it or was it a kit someone opened to pilfer. If the latter case did the clerk that inventoried the kit know what they were looking at before they taped it shut. Sorry about the rant, but my first kit had only a piece of decorative tape over each end (AMT 1960 Mercury hardtop annual).

[TonyK]

People.....<sigh>

[Ace-Garageguy]

16 minutes ago, TonyK said:

People.....<sigh>

Yup...and unfortunately, AI doesn't seem to be learning much in the way of honesty and ethics either.

[espo]

I think the whole sealed kit box thing got started because so many "sticky fingers" were pilfering parts in the old days. This still happens at swap meets today unfortunately. 

[peteski]

Seems that most Japanese modelers are more honest than us Americans.  Different culture I suppose.

Edited August 9, 2024 by peteski

[Mark]

One store here (now closed) used to reseal returned kits, supposedly checking them (but not always).  A guy I know bought a Jo-Han hearse kit (years ago), found a couple of defects, and returned it.  A couple of weeks later, he bought "another" sealed one there, only to open it and discover it was the one he'd returned.

[Little Timmy]

Many years ago I found a Jo-Han hauling hearse at a swap meet.

The guy was asking $75 for it ( A bargain I thought)

As I picked it up ro have a look the sound of broken glass caught my attention.

I told the seller I wanted to buy it, but I had to open it first.

He absolutely  refused. He told me if it's opened its no longer "mint".

But I'm going to buy it... NOPE!!!

Hope others there that day were smart enough to shake the box.

[Mark]

There's one well-known mail order/internet vendor who sets up at NNL East, selling rebranded kits that are disclosed to be rewrapped.  A few years ago, I asked to open one (an MPC kit with a clear body), saying I'd buy it for his price provided the body and related parts were as described.  No problem.  I cracked it open, it was exactly as described, and money changed hands on the spot.  Some guys are honest about it, they probably do it so parts aren't lost and the box doesn't get shop worn any more before it's sold.  

[1930fordpickup]

I picked up a couple kits over the years that had the wrong body. Being that it could have came from a swap meet of EBAY I can not be 100% sure it was a factory mistake. 

But when the chrome matches the body but the rest of the kit does not, I see no reason why someone would swap the parts as they were to resell. 

[iamsuperdan]

A couple of years ago, I acquired a kit in a trade here. Factory sealed kit, but when I opened it, the contents were from a different kit. Parts, instructions, decals...everything. It was a perfect, complete kit. It was just the wrong kit. Nice box though.

Ended up trading it to someone else who would actually build it.

[stavanzer]

I got a Revell 1950 Olds kit. Factory sealed. It had three Chrome trees, and a second set of tires. I sold the extra chrome trees, and kept the tires.