is forces of valor going out of business?

[ledhead0085]

is forces of valor going out of business? I hope not but it seems to me that their last couple years of kit releases are eery similar to 21st century toys last couple years before they went out of business. 21 c in their last couple years they hadn't released anything for a wile then came a bunch of repaints after that they got really ambitious and released the Marder IIIs, hetzer, panzer 38. then they were quiet for about a year or so then they were gone. kinda looks like last years ambition was a last ditch effort. god i hope not!

[snake]

Don't think so, as they have just released some aircraft models very recently.

Wish that they did a better job of their armour models though, as the releases the last couple of years just seem to lack the weathering, and details of their earlier models. Talking 1/32.

[plasticgeneral]

If ANYONE deserves to go out of business, its FORCES of VALOR.
Bad marketing, bad subject choices and endless disappointments.
All they really needed was a product director that knew what the hell was going on.
HELL, I could have turned sales around by just reissuing the same tanks with alternate turrets!
No !@#$% brainier!!!
It's too bad because I'm a devoted collector of FOV!

Pissed off - Plastic General

[Rowsdower]

I used to buy a lot of Enthusiast FOV. Now you're basically paying $60+ to get what would have been considered a $30 Action Series vehicle a few years back.. before they killed that line. I didn't mind spending $30 and weathering an Action Series vehicle myself, but I will pass on paying a premium price for a vehicle that looks like it just came off the assembly line at the tank plant with a measly amount of weak accessories thrown in.

Hell, I like my old 21st Firefly better than the one they just released.

[[CAT]CplSlade]

Forces of Valor is not a company; it is a line of military toys manufactured by Unimax.

Even if they stop making FoV, Unimax will still be around as the majority of their output are very successful.

They make Hello Kitty toys and collectibles, for example, and as long as there are Asians and young girls those will stick around quite a while.

FoV, as a niche item, obviously is not a priority for them.

[ledhead0085]

i understand how you feel because i feel the same way for the same reasons. but i have been buying all their new kits at full price because i fear them going out of business i hope maybe it will keep them alive. think about it if their gone there's nobody left.
plastic general i have thought the same thing for a long time changing the turrets would really help pick up sales. Ive actually been working on that idea. i plan on making custom turrets and other mods then recasting them to sell. so collectors may buy 2 of fov tank then buy my aftermarket turret. this will help their sales. take a look at my custom panther A http://www.warbird-photos.com/gpxd/view ... =2&t=29709 that will be coming out soon. its coming along nicely and i hope to have some new progress pics up Sunday night

[ledhead0085]

so maybe they got a huge order for hello kitty so they had to put the fov on hold for a wile.

[tmanthegreat]

I used to buy a lot of Enthusiast FOV. Now you're basically paying $60+ to get what would have been considered a $30 Action Series vehicle a few years back.. before they killed that line. I didn't mind spending $30 and weathering an Action Series vehicle myself, but I will pass on paying a premium price for a vehicle that looks like it just came off the assembly line at the tank plant with a measly amount of weak accessories thrown in.

Rows, you just said exactly what I think!

Their older "Enthusiast Grade" vehicles from the 2004-2007 time period are practically works of art - and the low cost Enthusiast grade line was great. What we get now borders on crap. I mean, FOV used to use a lot of metal in their construction, but the latest releases have just been unweathered plastic shells - and that was the Enthusiast Line! What would get Unimax to change their mind would be a drop in sales - we simply don't have to buy the inferior products for higher prices. Eventually, it could send a message...

[Dauntless]

They are doing ok on some of their aircraft. Just got the 1:72 B-26 Marauder "Flak Bait" ... it's nice.

I never did buy any of the higher end weathered FOV armor because of the prices, but probably should have.
I was ok with the just off the factory line look, as long as I was paying $30 at the most at Target or Toys R Us. Even as low as $10 on sale. Picked up quite a few this way at least.

[ledhead0085]

i wish there was away to talk to them and let them know what we want

[ledhead0085]

to be fare tho you have to consider their side of it. all business have to compete for shelf space at the store. and let face it we may like them but the overall pop isn't buying them so they aren't flying off the shelf so to compete for that shelf space they have to offer higher profit margins to the retailer or they will give that shelf space to someone else also if they can't keep their item in stock even if it sells well a retailer will give that space to someone else even if they don't make as much profit because empty shelfs drive costumers away. so it may be the retailer causing your prices to go up. not fov. and as for weathering i imagine that cost alot more man hours to do and alot more rework with mess ups and finger prints. i work in a factory and i try to imagine how they would make them it can't be cheap in man hours even tho they are only getting paid little.
besides weathering your own is easy to do. i've gotten quite good at it try some weathering from AK INTERACTIVE.
P.S. i hate fov really bright version of dark yellow from FOV thet we see every once in a wile tho

[Rowsdower]

I used to get pretty much all my Enthusiast FOV from my local hobby shop. I would tell him what I want and he would order it up. Great deal because he always gave me a good price, I didn't have to pay for shipping and it always got there super fast. I was in there today shooting the bull and brought up FOV and he said he can't order it anymore because his supplier stopped carrying the line. He had a couple guys who bought FOV from him as well so he asked the supplier why they stopped stocking it and they told him it was a poor seller.

[EnemyAce]

Real trouble began when their WWII line got dumped by Target. The modern stuff was okay, but the WWII had a lot more diverse stuff.

I just hate the fact that their 72 armor line stuff is now priced at $30 a pop! That what we were paying for the 32 stuff 5 years ago.

[plasticgeneral]

Hey Leadhead, that's great news about your 1:32 after-market project!
You can count me in, when you start doing T-34 (76) and K-V II turrets for my FOV chassis.
Getting back to the sad state of FOV, it did not need to happen this way. Good business practice could have kept the brand active and available. I live in Toronto, the 6th of 7th largest city in North America and I could not find a single place to buy FOV, how is that possible?

[Rowsdower]

I just hate the fact that their 72 armor line stuff is now priced at $30 a pop! That what we were paying for the 32 stuff 5 years ago.

Thank you! I really liked their 1:72 armor. The quality and detail was great for the price. I picked a lot of mine up at TRU, then they dropped the retail line and jacked up the price.

[hotrodrock]

Some interesting comments in this thread, especially about some of the new 1/32 releases being overpriced. Couple of years ago I made a post saying the same about repaints of some 1/32 planes that were being re-released. The price on those hadn't doubled from a few years earlier but were close. Some members, one who even has a post in this thread, stated that since I didn't want to pay nearly double, it was because I obviously couldn't afford to be in the hobby and should just get out. I see some FOV releases from the last couple of years going for $70-$80 in some places. Even if it now costs twice as much to manufacture the item, I'm just no longer really interested at that price point. I will take that money and spend it somewhere else where I feel there is more bang for the buck since there are other things I collect besides military planes and vehicles. I will say that I am still jonesing for a 1/18 California Cutie P-38. Think thats the only one I don't have besides the QVC one. And yes, I know it will take probably 5 times the original cost but that one is worth the cost to me. I may finally break down some day and bite the bullet for the U.S. and German ambulances but right now it's like poking a stick in my eye every time I see the prices on them. And lastly, yes, I shop at Wal-Mart which has absolutely NOTHING to do with what I will pay for a collectable.