Flooding The Market

[biante1047]

I have spoken to quite a few ex-suppliers in relation to the amount of models Biante are releasing. They are now refusing to stock the cars due to the amount and frequency of the releases.

After reading some other posts I realise that other collectors have the same trouble as me........They cannot afford ($$$) to keep up with the amount of models being released.

It does appear that the models are coming out more frequently and in some cases a minor change is made and the model re-released. (How many HRT 2001 models do we need?).

I collect 1:18 scale and the display cabinet looks great, however I now have to miss models due to lack of funds.

Do other collectors have the same problem??

[ferrari fan]

no, I do not have your problem.
maybe you collect these models for the wrong reason
purchase what you can and want within your budget and leave what you do not want or cannot afford ,just like in every life
,where the car or house you would realy like to drive in or live in is at the moment out of reach .
all of us should be happy that there is so much choice and quality
before there was only Bburago and polistill and nothing else so
my question is what is the real problem?
to much choice is not the problem!
maybe the fustration of not enough money to satisfy your personal desires?
well that is not a responsability of anybody else other than the person who feels that problem!
what does this person wants the manufacturer to do ? wait till the poorest of us all can afford the next model and in the mean time let the rest of us wait ????

[biante1047]

OK, so you do not have the problem. What about other collectors??

And don't get me wrong, I have a passon for collecting the models and get as many as I want however I know that some retailers no longer stock Biante due to the amount of releases.
I agree completely that variety and choice are of paramount importance to collectors.

If you check out some other threads (and yes, I know you do) you may see other collectors mentioning this problem.

[SmartyMarty]

Well..i have this problem too....i m not sure if i want to know how much money i ve spend on my cars during the last 2 years....
at the moment i have enough money to buy most of the cars i want but as soon as i m moving to oz i ll have to change :( ...
Will be very hard for me cos what Minichamps is going to release this year is exactly what i ve been waiting for...the BMW 3.5 and the Capri RS and they also start releasing F1 cars from the 70 s and 80 s(aarghhhh...)...plus the models from Biante and some Exoto cars i HAVE to have...hard times for me.....

[ferrari fan]

Regarding the ever complaining retailers that are being held up ,Who are silly enough not to stock any Biante products , well you can see them about there exciting classic models ,and do they look great next to a Biantemodel! or maybe you are heavely into Coldwheels products and also collect the Barbie collection.
Please do read and understand what is being said .
It is all there if you want and somehow can afford it, it is not compulsory to have to have it all. it is up to the individual.
and if you want a hand ,look at the end of your sleeve.
hopefully we are not going to the system where the lowest individual is ruling what the pace is going to be

[admin]

Originally posted by biante1047
OK, so you do not have the problem. What about other collectors??

And don't get me wrong, I have a passon for collecting the models and get as many as I want however I know that some retailers no longer stock Biante due to the amount of releases.
I agree completely that variety and choice are of paramount importance to collectors.

If you check out some other threads (and yes, I know you do) you may see other collectors mentioning this problem.

I dont know of ONE store who has quit our products. We may have got rid of a couple for ripping people off..different story.
I will say it again....why does everyone expect to collect EVERY model?

We now make a big enough range that collectors can decide if they want road Holdens, road Fords, race Holdens or Fords, any of the Collections, Classics or Modern, 1:18th, 1:43rd (or soon 1:64th and Chargers).

[diecastdude]

I guess if you want all the cars one may say that there's to many being released and if you collect HRT vehicles I do feel for you because there are to many HRT cars with very minor changes but personally I don't see enough of what I collect and thats 1.43 scale Australian models, since the last week of December or the first week of January only 2 / 1.43 Australian models have been released those being the XW and the Lowndes Green Eyes and the Lowndes car was due in mid December so my problem is quiet the opposite at this rate I'll be lucky to see 8 to 10 models per year. While I can find more than $500 per year to spend on this hobby it does seem that this is all I will ba able to spend.

[jager]

Hi Diecastdude

Like you I'm an 'old-fashioned' collector of 1/43 models (for the last 12 years). Unfortunately there is little incentive for Biante to bring out the 1/43 cars because the production and royalty costs for these masterpieces are not much different to the larger 1/18 models. Because these models sell only in limited numbers in Australia (unlike Minichamps models that are sold in greater numbers all over the world), Biante is lucky to break even on the 1/43 cars. The situation isn't helped by the current level of the Australian Dollar (remember the models are produced overseas so Biante's cost is actually in US$). I think the bottom line is that if Australian collectors would pay A$75 for their 1/43 models you would see a lot more models from Biante in this scale (but perhaps less collectors).

[SIMid]

Save your money. :p Buy other brands of diecast.

I was seriously considering purchasing some Aussie Diecasts recently but to see mountains of people on this site and in the trading post trying to sell a diecast which they bought last week for $150 and now asking $300 spoils the true value of diecast collecting. Personally I enjoy collecting and "keeping" diecast but to see people trying to make a fast buck cause it's "limited edition" just spoils the enjoyment.

I have nothing wrong with selling diecast cause there will be a stage when U might want to alter the collection or possible collect something else entirely. But just looking at the For Sale section on this site shows the amount of people trying to make a fast buck for something they thought would only (eg.) be 3-5 models in 3-5 colours. The market is saturated now with a fantastic range and it's great but profiting this seems to sour this particular range. Know what I mean?

... hell, I'm going around in circles! :D

[mustang1966]

I find it pays to look around. Sure some shops and people ask crazy prices for cars. There are always bargins to be found.

I remember seeing a few weeks ago here in Sydney, one shop asking $295 for the Johnson/Johnson AU. A little expensive considering you can still buy the same car via Biante.

I have also found some bargins on sites such as Ebay and Sold.com.au.

Last year at xmas I brought a 1/18 Wild Voilet XY and paid $175 for it on the Ebay web site. I have seen these cars starting at $300 bucks (it was mint in box as new)

I also found a Rat 2001 Au 1/18 for $99.

Just kepp an eye out and you never know what you will find.

I too started out trying to collect every Biante Model.

It was OK to start with but then I missed 2 models and had to fork out heaps to get them only weeks later.

I have now decided to sell the Brock & Moffat Cars in my collection and concentrate on the road cars.

I dont think you have to collect EVERY model

[GLEN]

the advantage of this sight is you can see what is available before its released
if you are collecting for money you may want the lot
for love there are special cars
use your money on those
pre order on the gateway model sight if you dont have a shop that stocks the cars for you

[v8coupe]

I believe a collection is complete when you have the cars you want.

I had the problem of not being able to keep up, but thanks to my retailer, he held the cars for me.

As I collect every holden in 1/18, I agree with biante1047 "How many HRT 2001 models do we need?". To make 2 - 3 cars that are identical, except for a couple of tiny decals, is just silly. 1 of each driver, per year is enough, unless the car under goes a complete change in appearance, eg: Lowndes AU falcon.

[HSV Fan]

I have collected these 1:18 scale models since their inception. The problem with only collecting what you want is, when a very low quantity build is released of a model that you desire, you may not have the "runs on the board" with your retailer to secure it and consequently you miss out. Retailers indirectly blackmail you to maintain a high acceptance level of new models or you fall off the "preferred customer" list and are left high and dry.
When the 1999 HRT presentation cars, the XE greenstuff falcon, the 2001 HRT Twin pack or the Sting Red HSV Clubsport were released, the only people that got them were those that established a strong relationship with their preferred retailer. Whilst this on face value may seem fair enough, it accentuates the profiteering within our hobby. What about the retailers that sell 65% of their stock at issue price and then hammer the rest of us at a premium for the remainder because of the lack of supply.
At the end of the day, we live in a democratic free enterprise society that will always have people trying to make the fast buck. I think Biante could control this by establishing a first in best-dressed policy via the internet, whereby they could clearly indicate when a model will be released, and all orders placed (limited to 1 per customer) within 48-72 hours would be guaranteed. That way regardless of which or how many models you have, everybody has the same opportunity to acquire a preferred model. After this period, the balance would be distributed to the retail network as it currently is.

Bob.

[BB]

This is obviously a very touchy subject. Having said that by living in a Democracy we have choices. I personnally have spent MANY hours scouring the net for THE bargain of the century and I think I have found a few and it gives me a huge sense of satisfaction when I read what some people are paying for them. (for instance I managed to pick up 2 1/43 Brock Volvos from the States and sold one for almost as much as it cost me to buy both) It appears to me that you get out of this what you are prepared to put in. It's a bit like playing the Stock Market!!!

I have been collecting 1/43 F1 WC cars for well over ten years and while I could have finished my collection by now, I have picked up the odd Trax model here and there and for the last couple of years I have been concentrating on the absolutely fantastic BATHURST WINNERS Collection.

In regards to the 'Cold Wheels' Ferrari's, I have chosen to build my cars from kits I have bought from grandprixmodels in England. I built the 2000 German Grand Prix car and am in the process of building the Sept 11 car from Monza 2001. They are a bit of work and I have built several others but as I said you get out of this hobby what you put in.

[Patterson]

I agree with all those people who say there is too much out there, because at the moment I would be happy for one release a year so that I can buy them all.

But realistically, it is fantastic to have the choice. I remember as a kid collecting ferraris and lamborghinis, that all I wanted was a model of an Australian car. Now I can choose from a huge list of excellently presented models. And I have to choose because I can only afford to buy the models I really want.

But what is the alternative?

I hope that we are not being spoiled too much with the range now available to us.

PS. I now have found another advantage to living in Perth. I can go straight to Biante's shop and get anything I want at the right price!

[Bangkok Bob]

I don't mind the frequent release of models and ten dto agree with Ferrari fan.

After watching my brother collect them for a few years, I have started to collect them and am becoming quite addicted to setting up a cool collection of diecasts that I can enjoy. The more frequently they are released, the more I can build my collection. I appreciate this can be hard on the budget, but, thats life. The trick is to find a way to make the money to afford them.

For me the appeal is getting to own models of some cars similar to those that I have owned and those I watched at Bathurst in the 70's while growing up.

As an expat working in Bangkok, it is one of the few connections I have with Aus at the moment and is exciting for me to think about all the cool models waiting for me when I get back to Aus. If they were only one a year, I'd probably forget about it.

As far as I am concerned, 'bring them on', I have some serious catching up to do and whilst it can make the budget squeezy they are worth every cent.

Already I have had to prioritse and forego some models I would like in anticipation of those that are coming, but I accept this. Just make your choices carefully and buy the ones that are most important to you.

[Rod]

Yep, I'm in the same boat except I collect 1/43 as well. It is now a matter of choosing what you really want. I wish Biante would bring out one model of the v8 supercars in both 1/18 & 1/43 for the shell series then the same for Bathurst. You can have too many of the same car in the display cabinet and it looks rs.