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sky1911 wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:06 pm
If you have a look around the interwebs... there's a "forum" on reddit (that cesspool of ... well everything really) called "modelmakers" (with ~200k users) and in there it's like 85% military stuff, mostly tanks and planes with a few ships strewn in to fill the gaps. Then there's the scifi Star Wars stuff and occasionally you can see a car model being presented there. So if one is to assume that that is a representation of the percentages of modelers' interests then, I guess, the car modelers are a minority. So I would assume that something along those percentages could be a guide for the decision making in large companies as to potential new kits - unless you are catering for a special "niche" clientele, like MFH or WNW (used to) do.
Just check out the lineup of Italeri and Revell to see the spread of subjects across their portfolios. I'd reckon they will be somewhere near the above mentioned figures.
Bingo!!!
I'd say the Cesspool is pretty accurate. Like it or not Car modeling is a minority genre. I've been selling model kits from my personal collection for 5-6 years now. I sell a little bit of everything except Ships. I don't have too many of those and the ones I do I am keeping at this point. Anyhow the point I'm trying to make is that, when I go to a swap meet I sell armor, aircraft and cars/motorcycles in that order unless I happen to be selling at a car specific show and even then I bring my armor and aircraft because those always sell.
Icon Modeler____________________Modeling The Icons Of Motorsports
I understand that car modelers are a minority in this hobby. Yet Tamiya has re-issued very recently the 934, 935, Renault, Brabham, and Matra in 1/12. Also, the Mazda 787B and Sauber Mercedes C-9 and others in 1/24. Was the Datsun 240Z rally car a sales dud when originally released? I find that difficult to believe. Iconic Japanese car both on and off road. Maybe the molds are unusable?
I would agree to those concluding car modelers are a minority, however from accounts i can discern the number one player as far as volume goes is Bandai. Reports I have heard says that their Gundam stuff outsells everything anyone else makes. If I had not heard this from credible sources I would have said the number one area was Military combining Armor and Aircraft. Certainly on a global scale Military seems to command the most attention. But somehow Bandai supposedly sells more models than anyone else by a lot.
cbk57 wrote: ↑Mon Jun 27, 2022 2:29 pm
I would agree to those concluding car modelers are a minority, however from accounts i can discern the number one player as far as volume goes is Bandai. Reports I have heard says that their Gundam stuff outsells everything anyone else makes. If I had not heard this from credible sources I would have said the number one area was Military combining Armor and Aircraft. Certainly on a global scale Military seems to command the most attention. But somehow Bandai supposedly sells more models than anyone else by a lot.
From my time in Japan a few years back, this tracks. There was a massive Gundam store in tokyo with a 50 foot tall Gundam outside, and lots of stores had small selections of them. Military models weren't easy to find but still had small selections places. Finding car models was more difficult than you'd think, but once you found the stores it was amazing. Still regret not getting the Mazda 787B kit as it was basically everywhere, and I didn't realize at the time it was only going to be a Japan only release.