[WWI] MPM's market strategy

[Magnus Berggren]

Maybe the smaller shops have been complaining to MPM about not being able to 
compete with NKR´s prices. I know it shouldn´t matter, but sometimes you 
just listen to the most recent critic, and not the satisfied customers.
I remember about 10 years ago, when the importer of Hasegawa here in Sweden 
had a really bad habit of selling, in his own shop, and at shows, at a price 
that was as low, or sometimes even lower than the price he was giving to the 
distributors. Ended in that he was losing Hasegawa, and we didn´t have any 
of their kits in stores for a couple of years. Made me start buying kits 
over the net, and I havn´t changed back since.

/Magnus

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Michael Kendix" <mkendix at hotmail.com>
To: <wwi at wwi-models.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 3:13 PM
Subject: Re: [WWI] MPM's market strategy


> Though it pains me to say it :), I believe Shane has a point here.
>
> Volume sales on the subject typically produced by MPM are invariably 
> small; that's one reason why their prices are higher - they're trying to 
> recoup the set-up costs with a smaller sales volume.
>
> In de facto ditching Earl, MPM is taking a chance that more distributors 
> will mean more sales. I am betting that these distributors are mainly 
> bricks and mortar shop-fronts, in which case they're unlikely to get more 
> sales of say a Lloyd C.V through that type of outlet.
>
> With Earl, however, they have a global outlet, which I would have thought 
> is exactly what MPM needs in order to increase volume. MPM's is a small 
> specialty market and without the internet, they would still be producing 
> the same 4th rate stuff they did 15 years ago. The internet has allowed 
> the likes of MPM to globally market their product, which is vital for a 
> niche product.
>
> Michael
>
>>From: "Shane Weier" <bristolf2b at hotmail.com>
>>Date: Wed, 07 Mar 2007 19:09:58 +1000
>
>>MPM have screwed themselves. *Unless* they stop manufacturing little known 
>>non-mainstream subjects and do an Eduard and start selling WW2 stuff, 
>>their market in Australia will stagnate at best. There are simply too few 
>>people here, and the market for the unusual too small - raise the prices 
>>in the way that will happen, and those few buyers will build something 
>>else.
>>
>>*If* you can find any to buy. All of the mainstream model shops have been 
>>burned selling the unusual already, so at best they'll hold minute stocks 
>>of the latest kits only, unlike Earl.
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Win a ZuneT-make MSN® your homepage for your chance to win! 
> http://homepage.msn.com/zune?icid=hmetagline
>