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What happened to JSI?

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 8:30 pm
by dragon53
I haven't kept up with 1/18 models in a long time. I assume JIS is no longer, so what happened?
I would have thought there would be a market for JSI's 1/18 repaints of the 21st Century 1/18 models.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:09 pm
by [CAT]CplSlade
I think JSI was just a subdivision of Merit International, and for simplicity Merit just ended the unnecessary extra department. I've always seen Merit mentioned alongside JSI when I've searched for it. Even on Merit's web site you see the 8.8cm Flak came out as a JSI offering initially, but later was reissued in different camo under the Merit boxing, but with JSI numbering.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 9:57 pm
by dragon53
So has Merit given up on releasing more of the 21st Century 1/18 repaint models?....Merit has given up on preassembled military models?

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2018 11:39 pm
by tmanthegreat
It was sort of the other way around... Merit is the US-based distributor whereas JSI was the Chinese manufacturer. Merit is still in business and has most recently been distributing model kits and some of the Flight Wing copies of the 21c WWII planes. See here: http://merit-intl.com/meritnew/
Merit did release its “own” items like the Dauntless, Harrier, FW-190, and others, but those were produced by the same company that makes the Trumpeter model kits and distributed in the US by Merit International.

All that said, I have no idea as to what happened with JSI...

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 6:40 am
by dragon53
I checked on the Flying Mule and the only Flight Wing model is the 1/18 Bunker Hill Avenger which is in the restock status.
I got a few of the F-14s, the Bush Avenger, the Galland ME-109 and a P-38, but I guess Merit/JSI gave up on the rereleases of the UH-1, P-51 Mustang, Stuka, Tiger I, etc.

I see high ebay prices on 21st Century 1/18 Mustangs, Stukas, UH-1, etc., so why did Merit discontinue their versions?

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 10:17 am
by Axis Nightmare
dragon53 wrote:
I see high ebay prices on 21st Century 1/18 Mustangs, Stukas, UH-1, etc., so why did Merit discontinue their versions?
I see high buy it now prices on eBay too. How many at those high prices do you see sell?? I know I won't pay them. The ones that do sell might be at greatly reduced offers. Drives me nuts when I see something on Craigslist and it says "These are going on eBay for $XXX." Askin' and getin' ain't the same thing. :wink:

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:12 am
by [CAT]CplSlade
That's why smart people check Sold Items to see what things actually have been selling for.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:33 am
by dragon53
AXIS NIGHTMARE:

I've seen 21st Century stuff being bought at very high prices on ebay ---not just being offered at high prices.

So why did Merit stop selling its 1/18 21st Century repaints when the market for them appears to still exist.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:56 am
by A-10LOADER
I just think it's a real shame that JSI didn't keep making the Tomcats, very popular subject, various paint schemes could have been applied to that specific airframe and, with a little tweaking, they easily could have put out a D version.

Steve
"TOMCATS FOREVER, BABY...!"

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 1:39 pm
by Axis Nightmare
dragon53 wrote:AXIS NIGHTMARE:

I've seen 21st Century stuff being bought at very high prices on ebay ---not just being offered at high prices.

So why did Merit stop selling its 1/18 21st Century repaints when the market for them appears to still exist.
Probably because they couldn't get them from Walmart for $39.94 :P

Seriously, I don't think that market is as big as you think, that is, big enough to keep everyone in the global food chain in the game, from the Chinese factories through the shippers to the distributors and all the way to the retailer paying the bills and making their profits. Guess there just aren't enough of us.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 3:06 pm
by [CAT]CplSlade
Think about this: Each 1/32 airplane stated on the box that it was 1 of 5000 done in that scheme, and that most of the planes they made had about 6 schemes, so we're looking at maybe 30,000 of each type of plane. That's really not very many even if you take only the U.S. market into account.

It would be so helpful to have a better idea of the number of items produced as that would help us understand the true strength of the market. This applies to many other collectibles as well. I used to collect Magic the Gathering cards, where the most valuable card (9.5 gem mint Beta Black Lotus) is valued at ~$26,000, and no one seems to know how many actually were printed or are in the wild. Why is a single playing card worth $26,000 to some people? Why are some 1/32 worth more than some 1/18 in 21stCT products?

There has to be some kind of market, but it's not as obvious anymore because they don't sell through traditional retail now. I didn't think there was much market left for 1/6 until I met a dozen of those guys at the house of a coworker's dad. They do everything through trade shows, conventions, and online.

As for the JSI reissues, weren't those mostly schemes already released by 21st? Did they do any original paint jobs? That doesn't help sales.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 3:58 pm
by dragon53
I think the JSI releases had repaints such as the Panther, UH-1, F-86, Stuka, etc.

Re: What happened to JSI?

Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:11 pm
by Eddy10440
Axis Nightmare wrote:
dragon53 wrote:
I see high ebay prices on 21st Century 1/18 Mustangs, Stukas, UH-1, etc., so why did Merit discontinue their versions?
I see high buy it now prices on eBay too. How many at those high prices do you see sell?? I know I won't pay them. The ones that do sell might be at greatly reduced offers. Drives me nuts when I see something on Craigslist and it says "These are going on eBay for $XXX." Askin' and getin' ain't the same thing. :wink:
Absolutely right!

For example and this is a real case, today on eBay are 3 Panther tanks 1/18 scale, ambush camo, mint on package from 3 different sellers, all of them have the "Buy it now" option.

One is $500, the other one is $250 and the last one is $200

The 3 of them have been sitting there for quite a few weeks, waiting for a buyer willing to pay that much.

Askin' and getin' ain't the same thing