Small Scale Military Headquarters

I think we have influenced this hobby for a long time, we have spent thousand of dollars, and we know they watch these forums to gauge our reaction on their products. We have spent countless hours searching from store to store to get them. We give them free marketing information and problem solving ideas on how to make their products better.

I think we should get some gain or at least some form of compensation in the form of free products, so we can review it. And for supporting the companies in the past, and I don’t think it would cost a lot since we make up less the 1 percent, but or 1 percent has a lot to say, I suspect many come here looking for advice on which products t o buy …..I know I have.

Just a Noble Idea to the folks at 21st, bbi, FOV, and Admiral Toys.

please dont flame me

Don't be surprised to see a black helo follow you from now on

pickelhaube wrote:Don't be surprised to see a black helo follow you from now on

LOL is it a bbi black helo

As I was typing a response you pm'ed me. I wish your idea would happen but a snowball in hell would have a better chance.
Matthew

pickelhaube wrote:As I was typing a response you pm'ed me. I wish your idea would happen but a snowball in hell would have a better chance.
Matthew

I mean look at all the free Marketing information and all of the reviews we give them. we have done more for them then what they could do on their own.
We may only be less 1% percent of their sales but we I suspect we have a bigger impact on them. We want and they listen.

But we have yet to see the Almighty A-10

pickelhaube wrote:But we have yet to see the Almighty A-10

I know but look at the f-4, b-25, the hellcat, avenger, king tiger...A/K88

I think VMF has been at the model glue again.

We have a better chance at getting a 1/6 Airbus A380 than free stuff.

they could offer me a job - to hmm test product -

My daughter writes toy reviews for a few well known toy companies. The reviews are published in my daughter's quarterly newsletter. Her hobby is LOR, and she is heavily involved, now, here is the kicker.

The companies send her stuff to review and KEEP. Strange as it sounds that although these people know she is into LOR, she told them and they agreed to send her stuff for other hobbies. Every once in a while we get a box in the mail with a WW2 figure, or an Alien figure or a SciFi or western figure.

These figures are usually 12", but hey, I collect 12" stuff also.

My point is companies do pass out freebies. We will not ever see freebies being passed out and if they do, it won't be ALL of us and those that do get the freebies will, in effect be shills for that companies. I've seen it happen on other boards and the "have nots" are usually ticked off at the "have gots"

Now for us, 21C does read this board as well as Admiral and they have on occasion, listened to us. Strange as it sounds, SOME of us have good ideas, besides the contant never ending whines of "I want to see..." or "It would make good business to make....." (fill in your own obscure favorite model blanks).

I felt it was a good idea to make multiple vehicles using the same superstructure.......multiple half-tracks both German and US, even now two pieces using the same quad .50. I think it should be expanded to making all kinds of vehicles using the same chasis (as was done in the 1/1 world). Same can go with those flying things like the B25 with about five or six different models.

I say keep the good ideas coming and ease up on the whines if your own favorite (everybody has more than one) is not made on a small base hobby. If you want more, do your best to push our hobby. Personally nobody new comes in my home without a tour of my 1/18 stuff....as well as my 1/6 and...and... hey, if they come in my door they get my stuff "in their face". If they don't like it, they don't come back and good ridence..

TTT

Interesting idea, although like PH said: a snowball's chance in hell of happening. Sad part is, it's not that terribly impractical. If each member that was seriously interested in being part of an evaluation team were to register and sign a contract of sorts, and then have to fill out and return some sort of evaluation form, it could be useful. The manufacturers could establish a pool of "testers" with specific interests noted, and then cycle through the pool to ensure everyone who registers gets a turn. This forum represents far less than 1% of total buyers, and I would guess that about 10% (at most) of the forum's registered members produce 95% of the posts, and are likely to actively participate in a program like that.

Patrick--if it's something you are really interested in, drop TKO, Mike, and Jason a line and propose it to them. Worst they can say is no.

FieroDude wrote:Interesting idea, although like PH said: a snowball's chance in hell of happening. Sad part is, it's not that terribly impractical. If each member that was seriously interested in being part of an evaluation team were to register and sign a contract of sorts, and then have to fill out and return some sort of evaluation form, it could be useful. The manufacturers could establish a pool of "testers" with specific interests noted, and then cycle through the pool to ensure everyone who registers gets a turn. This forum represents far less than 1% of total buyers, and I would guess that about 10% (at most) of the forum's registered members produce 95% of the posts, and are likely to actively participate in a program like that.

Patrick--if it's something you are really interested in, drop TKO, Mike, and Jason a line and propose it to them. Worst they can say is no.

I agree with TTT and FD

VMF: No offense brother, but this isn't one of your better ideas!

No matter what you ever think personally, you have to remember that these folks are in business to make money at this. I could go on forever, but the sum total is that this hobby gains nothing by giving away product in exchange for marketing, helpful hints, or otherwise. If it was somehow come to be that one of the companies did decide to reward a loyal bunch of fickle forum posters, then there would be a line a mile long saying "what about me?" To top it off, free advice isn't always helpful to these folks, because I am sure most of the time, it is generally unspecific and contradicting. The marketing information these companies rely on are hard sales figures that do not lie; not a bunch of folks sitting around complaining that the dihedral of this wing is not right, or the blue on the fuselage is too much like a restoration--not the original from sixty years ago that is clearly visible in the black and white photo I have, or that there is an unfortunate smudge in the paint job, or the window frame is not exactly to scale....

Reward marketing has it's place and usually is anything but free to the person who thinks he is gaining something. Just look at the proliferation of grocery store rewards programs--those things are the biggest scam, and never for a minute forget that you are selling yourself to the store who tells you about the great deals you'll be getting. But if memory serves, you didn't participate in the "4 for Victory" promotion...which is proof enough to these manufacturers. They won't give you what you want, because you probably won't be willing to take it when they offer.


Caution, snarky comment here: As most of the folks on this board have Y chromosomes, reward marketing doesn't really work well on men. We generally have the ability to spot when we are not getting something for free, and will at least pause before selling out. I have never seen a woman in the grocery store without her reward card, nor be unwilling to give Toys R Us her phone number when they ask out of the blue.

Plane Nuts wrote:
you didn't participate in the "4 for Victory" promotion...which is proof enough to these manufacturers. They won't give you what you want, because you probably won't be willing to take it when they offer.

There where no FW-190 in my area that why I never participate, besides I did not get one of my first 1:18th bird untill last june.

Ok let me ask you this Plane Nuts, what if we are being moderated by the companies and they are making decisions on what we write, it’s like they are getting free marketing information from us and then sell us the product that they used the marketing information obtained from us ……Is that ethical?

like the topic says just a noble idea. I don’t mean to offend anyone.

VMF115 wrote:There where no FW-190 in my area that why I never participate, besides I did not get one of my first 1:18th bird untill last june.

Ok, but I also didn't mean that as a put down, or to have the rest of the post seam so rotten to you personally!! Please have my appologies...

I brought up "4 for Victory" as an illustration as to why it won't happen. The process turned into a nightmare for everyone, and didn't really return much except a hassle for 21st. And even if you take out the ulterior motives, most of the people who participated didn't really feel like they got a free Mustang.

And me, I still have a bad taste in my mouth...

Plane Nuts wrote:

VMF115 wrote:There where no FW-190 in my area that why I never participate, besides I did not get one of my first 1:18th bird untill last june.

Ok, but I also didn't mean that as a put down, or to have the rest of the post seam so rotten to you personally!! Please have my appologies...

I brought up "4 for Victory" as an illustration as to why it won't happen. The process turned into a nightmare for everyone, and didn't really return much except a hassle for 21st. And even if you take out the ulterior motives, most of the people who participated didn't really feel like they got a free Mustang.

And me, I still have a bad taste in my mouth...

That was a promotion to get rid of overstocked fw-190
What I am saying is once a new product is out, let us have first dibs so we all can evaluate it, I am not talking about repaints but new products,,,maybe a really cool repaint…lol
Btw way no offence taken

I would hate to see a repeat of the 4 for Victory fiasco, as well. But if a handul of people would receive a new piece a few weeks in advance of its appearance at WM or on-line, it would be feasible. At that point, the item has been announced, so no secrecy issues. It might not be in time to retool a production run, but it would provide some solid feedback from what should be a reliable source that could influence future runs.

FieroDude wrote:I would hate to see a repeat of the 4 for Victory fiasco, as well. But if a handul of people would receive a new piece a few weeks in advance of its appearance at WM or on-line, it would be feasible. At that point, the item has been announced, so no secrecy issues. It might not be in time to retool a production run, but it would provide some solid feedback from what should be a reliable source that could influence future runs.

I think make the opportunity available to any of those that want to participate but limit it to around 100.

Besides I know I would buy more then one repaint heck I even have repeats of repaints,,,,I love these little 1:18 aircraft

I think its not that bad of an idea, but the companies are just not going to pick a few of us to give stuff too. I've seen it on other sites because the people have set up web sites, maintained them for long periods of time, and have done plenty of their own reviews, on toys they bought themselves. Eventually, they start getting the goods. The only two people I can see who fall into this category are TKO and Aferg. TKO does get freebies, but his reviews are way far from being objective (Nothing against TKO - completely understandable). So, that leaves Aferg, but I you'd need a digital camera for reviews

So, I don't think any of us will be benefiting from the kindness of the manufacturers.

I rather they send freebies to those who are not yet convinced - Model boards, Joe Boards, WWII collector sites...etc...

I am happy to pay for my 1:18, so long as they keep making it. If they have to send us free stuff then we're all in trouble..

I believe any possibility of any previews, reviews, etc, ended with 21c's FUD regarding the F-4. We all lose, but this hobby continues.

digger wrote:I rather they send freebies to those who are not yet convinced - Model boards, Joe Boards, WWII collector sites...etc...

I am happy to pay for my 1:18, so long as they keep making it. If they have to send us free stuff then we're all in trouble..

I have to disagree with that many people come on this website to get the poop on something they want to buy,,,,I know I was one of them…I found this website before I was going to buy the Bb- Zero and bbi f-18’s all three of them

We are much more then some forum we are the ambassadors for the companies that make the toys we love to collect, we have passion and other are drawn to it like a moth to a flame. This 1:18 scale is only going to get bigger .

So you got the input you needed I hope? And that was all without any freebies and no hard feelings by those who didn't get any. My point is we are a good voice as it is, and I am glad that is the case. I will push this stuff to anyone who will listen, I don't need schwag to do it. Send the promo models to museum gift shops and Army Navy stores...

I agree with you digger, I will continue to push this hobby even if I have to pay for it. But since we are an important part in company's that make 1:18, 1:32 a/c and armor it would be a noble thing to do, besides they can get the reviews on thier products out much faster…