What's up with Badcat's pricing?

AlloySkull · Post by **AlloySkull** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:04 pm

I was looking at all their 1/32 armor and planes, and almost everything is $30.00! I know this stuff hasn't been produced in quite some time, but jeez. A lot of it I just walked into Wal-Mart and saw today, which, honestly, I find quite funny. I know not everyone can do that where they live, and I think they really want to take advantage of that.

I don't want to be flamed, and I understand that they can price it whatever they want, but it's just silly. It's bad enough you can't get it at brick and mortar 90% of the time, and that's why people go to e-tailers. I know there's a whole selection of other e-tailers, I understand that. But BadCat is where a lot of people start out. The recently released Marders are $30.00! That doesn't make sense. At all. Their private reserve is quite silly too. I'd understand if it was something you really couldn't get anymore, but c'mon, now you're just digging for the suckers...

Sorry to rant, I just don't get it. I think they're got an inflated ego or something...

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:13 pm

I agree but they probably need to prices those things to break even or to make some what of a profit this year.....but bad cat does have some good deals and other etailers do set their prices close to theirs...they have set the standard..

no big deal Alloy-Skull everyone needs to vent now and then....

ketelone · Post by **ketelone** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:23 pm

Everybody is entitled to make a buck, but if I can save my own money I'm certainly going to do it. I check out the Walmarts and Targets all the time and if I can pay $14.99, I'm doing it. For the same reason I'll periodically check out hobby shops, which are becoming so hard to find, or flea markets, etc.
I do shop on line when I really want something badly.... In the long run I'm always looking for that bargain/treasure....

hworth18 · Post by **hworth18** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 7:31 pm

Most other retailers out there (besides Walmart) sell these for $20-23, if Badcat can sell them at that price, then more power to them. I Feel sorry for the buyer though.

BTW, If anyone's interested, Smalljoes sells everyone of those for $19.95 (except the corsair).

RAD 2112 · Post by **RAD 2112** » Sun Dec 21, 2008 9:12 pm

I always knew BCA ran a little high, but that's ridiculous.

SmallJoes.com still has their planes for $19.99... and Wartoyz.com planes are at $20.99!

uksubs · Post by **uksubs** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:40 am

Badcat shipping not great as well , about $10.00 over the top to the UK & that why i don't us them any more

Light.Inf.Scout · Post by **Light.Inf.Scout** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 9:01 am

BCA has always been pricey in my opinion.

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 10:04 am

Anybody who buys them for that price is a Sucker (there I said it again) along with the "private reserve" stuff.

I've been buying most of my 1:32 from Corey at SmallJoes.

AlloySkull · Post by **AlloySkull** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:23 am

Good Stuff To Go has a lot of stuff for $15.00!

I think that's pretty amazing, I don't know how they manage that. But yeah, maybe BCA just needs to break even, I don't know.

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 4:30 pm

AlloySkull wrote:Good Stuff To Go has a lot of stuff for $15.00! I think that's pretty amazing, I don't know how they manage that. But yeah, maybe BCA just needs to break even, I don't know.

Thanks for the name of that site AlloyS. Bookmarked it.

They are pretty much sold out of the 21st aircraft, but lots of good deals on 21st armor that I want definitely to get. Really good prices.
Lots of other stuff to. I didn't know there was a 1:32 FOV T-34 Stalin tank. Going to have to make an armor order there.

Still haven't bought the Makin island P-38 yet. going to get that.

Just made a sizable 1:32 aircraft order at SmallJoes. That's my Crixmix present to myself.

AlloySkull · Post by **AlloySkull** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 6:51 pm

=P No problem, I heard about it from the forums as well, they have awesome prices.

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:28 pm

also out of print concord books at good...dam good prices.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:50 am

Hey. Anybody can charge anything they want for whatever. If they can get it more power to them. If they can't then its sol. There are always factors we don't understand.

olifant · Post by **olifant** » Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:06 pm

I am sure BCA is struggling with quite a few companies these days. I always get great service from them but typically don't buy unless something is on "sale" with them. Love smalljoes and give them a lot of business. I have only ordered from GSTG a few times but things went well there too.

Lots of our e-tailers prices seem high to me. I know many of us here love Foxhole toys but there stuff seems sky high to me. MTS seems higher than most. I guess it all depends upon what you are buying, where you live and who you want to support.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:07 am

I wonder if etailers simply have to charge higher prices generally because of lower sales volume.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:24 am

ltcbj wrote:I wonder if etailers simply have to charge higher prices generally because of lower sales volume.

That could be an issue and if that's the case it normally signals the death rattle for retailers...if they no can longer compete in the market for what ever reason they have......and have to raise prices to cover the expenses due to lose of sale revenue...they will lose those customers that want more bang for the buck...they will go else where..it dose not matter if the have been loyal followers it just economics....

Or it could be that California is more expensive to do business with right now the only profitable business in California is the moving industry
Business and people are leaving that state in records numbers.

...all those higher taxes and government regulation/carbon tax's is driving industry away at an alarming rate.......

So with higher prices then it just a downward spiral from there..they will lose more market shares.......until they can no longer compete.

If Bad Cat goes under it will be bad for the small scale hobby....not just 1/18th......we can not one more retailer if we want this small scale hobby to survive,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,So in hind sight if you have the extra cash buy something from bad cat. They do have good sales also buy something from smalljoes, motor pool,aviation nut, wartoyz ect. ect.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 7:56 am

Yes. California is a tax hell hole for business and you are so right about moving companies. But with the housing market currently swimming against the current in the toilet bowl many citizens are at least temporarily stuck in place because they can't sell their homes.

I suspect that teh e-tail market is more difficult than the brick & mortar.

It used to be, and still is, that if you actually go (out) shopping you have a limited choice. Limited to how far you are willing to drive, tempered by your state's sales tax. On the internet you can shop everywhere/anywhere from e-retailers to eBay and the only questions are shipping charges (the internet equivalent of taxes) and prices. Some states also screw their etailers with demands for sales tax raising costs even more. The internet is a tough venue to sell on.

VMF115 · Post by **VMF115** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:27 am

ltcbj wrote: But with the housing market currently swimming against the current in the toilet bowl many citizens are at least temporarily stuck in place because they can't sell their homes.

http://www.khsltv.com/news/local/story/ ... XtnSg.cspx

"The U-Hauls are leaving California literally in truckloads, and taking jobs with them. They're going to Nevada, they're going to Arizona, it's ABC, it's anywhere but California because the climate is so hostile and so anti-business."

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:35 am

And others, those not trapped by a home mortgage and investment, are able and anxious to "get outta Dodge" given the opportunity.

Personal income tax is high but business tax is higher and you don't necessarily need to "pack-up" if you are a business anyway.

Dauntless · Post by **Dauntless** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:38 am

Yup, a lot of Californians are moving here. If you count out the really hot Phoenix and Las Vegas, this is one of the biggest cities east of LA. Met quite a few transplants already in the last year.
If they can sell their houses, they come out here and get one for a 1/4 of the price or much less, live comfortably on the rest of their money.

Even Hollywood is setting up satelite studios here.

Make traffic living hell just like California.
I can't blame it all on them. but there is quite an influx from there.

ltcbj · Post by **ltcbj** » Wed Dec 24, 2008 11:23 am

By the way.

Has anyone actually contacted BCA and asked?