"Copper State" / Great Models Webstore

Bob_D · 29 July 2003, 02:19 AM

Greetings All!
Just a heads up to anyone interested. "The Great Models Webstore" is offering most of "Copper State Models"' kits and accessory items through their website. I don't know what advantage (or disadvantage) this may have over ordering directly from Eric at CS but it does present another outlet for these awesome products. From past purchasing experiences with the GMW, consider that an item listed as "available - special order" does not necessarily mean that the item is stocked and may take SOME time to go thud against your front door (hence, the possible disadvantage :-/).

Ross_Moorhouse · 29 July 2003, 03:14 AM

Quote:

Greetings All!
Just a heads up to anyone interested. "The Great Models Webstore" is offering most of "Copper State Models"' kits and accessory items through their website. I don't know what advantage (or disadvantage) this may have over ordering directly from Eric at CS but it does present another outlet for these awesome products. From past purchasing experiences with the GMW, consider that an item listed as "available - special order" does not necessarily mean that the item is stocked and may take SOME time to go thud against your front door (hence, the possible disadvantage :-/).

For me I would go straight to the horses mouth and use eric and his site so he gets the full value of the purchase. But thats just me.

Bob_D · 29 July 2003, 05:11 AM

Quote:

For me I would go straight to the horses mouth and use eric and his site so he gets the full value of the purchase. But thats just me.

I agree with you on that, Ross. Eric is always a great help and very service minded to his customers. I wondered what advantage marketing his products through the GMW would have for his business ( ???).

StephenLawson · 29 July 2003, 09:40 AM

Greetings all; Remember that Eric is a one man operation. *When he gets orders from a compnay all he has to do is produce the kit. *No marketing, no waiting for the orders that come directly to him as mail order. His bills get paid all at one time rather than waiting for enough orders to amass. *He can pour for a week box the kits up and send them to the mail order house. *He gets paid for the order not fore the individual sale. *Thats how businesses survive. *Much like Battle Axe kits. * You want one where do you go? Hobby shop? where do they get there's Military Modeling Distributors. *Who are they? Squadron Mail order. The advantage to selling wholesale to companies is that you get a lump sum payment for your production. *You can usually still sell retail but GMW will reach people that don't normally shop smaller companies. *People shop Squadron mail order because they are always there. *Just try to tap a smaller company for a conversion that they did *3 years ago and its 'No way' as they need a minimum of 60 orders to make it profitable ( that number can vary.) Why hasn't Barry at Rosemont put out the 1/48 Fokker D.VII conversion set for the various cowling panels? *Simple, there is NO Dragon/DML kit on the market to use them on. *He like any other business is looking to make the surest sale possible. *Thats how they stay in business as it were. * *

29 July 2003, 10:06 AM

I agree with you Stephen. Anything that expands your business and makes your kits available to a wider public is good.

However, I will continue to deal directly with Eric at CSM - his services are friendly and quick.

GreatModels webstore can be slow, s-l-o-w, S-L-O-W. I have been waiting 3 months for a WS Datafile that I ordered from them. One Blue-Max kit took 4 months to arrive at my door!