Tiger Hobbies Notice to UK Collectors.

TIGER HOBBIES LIMITED NOTICE TO OUR UK COLLECTORS

Tiger hobbies would like to inform our UK collectors of important changes to the way we import HM products. The first the major change is the sub-contracting of the distribution of 1/200 Airliners to S.R.F. Trading a well know importer and distributor of 1/200 Airliners, this will happen from July UK deliveries.

There has been much discussion on various forums about the amount of models HM issue each month, and this has been growing for some time, our main problem in the UK is some HM model which are not for the UK market are mudding up the waters for other HM models which sell very well through our distribution network.

It was planned to re-organise our imports sometime this year, but as a result of our recent break in we decided to bring forward our re-organisation. We have overall done very well over the last six years or so, but we have made some mistakes (remember we have been at the importing game for only 6 years).

It is now time to consolidate our position and take a really hard look at HM in the UK making sure Tiger Hobbies concentrate on the lines we have done very well on and drive the best deal for the collector, but this will be only on certain items i.e. the Core Range.

The rest of the range will have to look after its self and keen collectors of some items will need to plan their collecting strategy as it is impossible to maintain 25 to 30 lines a month. If you feel the need to save some money on some items by buying overseas then that’s fine, but you will not beat our core range prices in the UK and that is what I am interested in, and if you do jump and shout about saving some money on a ROCAF FC-IK that you have bought from Timbuktu whoopee do for you.

The main aspect of the re-organisation is the HM range will be split into three sections:

1. Core UK Range: This will include model of direct UK interest like the new Sea Harrier FA.2, and strong UK Based US Subjects like a Lakenheath F15E, and Tiger Hobbies will hold good levels and will have driven a better deal with HM. It will be these ranges we will encourage new trade customers to stock. These will be identified by the letter CR after the HM number.

2. 2nd Level Range: The range will include all other US Subjects, Luftwaffe, and some commonwealth Subjects and we will hold some stock and both trade and collectors will have to do some planning but in most case we will be able to supply even if orders are a little late.

3. Specialist items: This range will include the likes of the Turkish Beaufighter and FC-K1 and items which are not really aimed at the UK market, also items on their higher subsequent release numbers. It is these items we will not be stocking not the whole range as some on this forum are spouting about.

This year’s Core UK range will include the following Sea Harrier FA.2, Matador RAF Bowser, 1/48 Spitfire MKV, MK IX and MK VIII, Hurricane late 2012 or early 2013, Lakenheath F15E, these will join the following items, 1.48 Fury, Harrier GR9 disbandment set, British Bedford QLD, GS and QLT, F4J UK Phantom, F111 Lakenheath, Jet Provost RAF Finningley, Jet Provost display Teams, 1/48 Spitfire MK II Garfield Weston, 1/48 Spitfire MK XIV JEJ.

Tiger Hobbies will provide full promotion for these items in the way of catalogues and adverts, and no dumping. If we buy good numbers at the right price it is worth hanging on to these, as to replace would cost more, so once you have dragged them half way round the world, let us make the best of them.

BARGINS AND GOOD VALUE MODELS

If it is not in our current Core range there will be value models about for the next few months as we are in the process of clearing out all our non core ranges, but these are not in vast numbers as some would believe, but they will be about so take advantage. Also if some overseas distributors ask for some odd models and cock up, that is when I will import them in any number, when I can get them cheap. Tiger Hobbies will no longer support other overseas distributors on odd items.

1/48 MODELS

1/48 is not the sales disaster that some make out, yes HM have over produce in some area like the P51D, but most of our Spitfires have sold very well and in fact the first to sell out of the early marks was HA7803 the one with the Big Nose. I totally agree 1/72 is still king of the Castle in the UK but every man and his dog is releasing 1/72 models of all kinds and it is coming in floods especially when backed up by cheap models on Magazines which are coming into the UK in their thousands.

Tiger Hobbies have 1/48 almost totally to ourselves, so it is a nice market to be in, not huge but not a disaster either. So I need to look at some good subjects with broad market appeal, you will not find me asking for rarer subjects in 1/48. The main buyer of these model is not your die in the wood core collector but a casual buyer who sees better presence than tiny 1/72 but not bulky like 1/32.

Future

Overall 2011/2012 has been our best trading year to date only soured by the burglary in early Feb, but all members of the Tiger Team pulled together to make sure disruption of our deliveries was kept to a minimum.

Just because we have done great over the last 6 years we need to look at the future and make sure we are in a strong position to ride out what’s coming down the line. Tiger Hobbies is also moving into Plastic Kits, RC and Collectable 1/24 tanks 1/18 aircraft (very small market) and Figures and new ranges of plastic soldiers, plus our Logistics are now been sold to none model related companies.

Finally we would like to thank all our collectors for your support since we starting importing in 2006, making Tiger Hobbies one of the leading importers of diecast model aircraft.

PS

BEAUFIGHTER

Tiger Hobbies have been moving on all remaining Beaufighter models (Not the Turkish one). HA2301, 2, and 6 all sold in great numbers with very few now about, but some overseas distributors bit of more than they could chew and some releases HA2309 and HA2310 were over produced. Once all the Beaufighter are gone and the casting given a rest I will ask for a Late mark Beaufighter in markings similar to the old Matchbox kit and a late BoB one, but I will not ask until 2013.