Discussion with James Hood from Round 2

[Del]

I wonder how feasible it would be for them to rent [buy?] the Revell Voyager molds. I'm guessing the pent-up demand would have to reach improbably high levels. Thrilled to think of a Cadet version!

It wouldn't be only an issue of renting/buying the molds. It's also a licensing issue. Revell Germany has the license to produce those kits for the European market. Round 2 would have to not only work out the lease/purchase of the molds, but also negotiate a whole new license with CBS/Paramount to produce the kits.

They are already licensed for everything except for the JJ movies. My bet is that if they decide to do a 1/2500 Voyager, then they may do 1/1000 as well while they're at it since it's not really that large of a ship. We can hope.

[RogueWolf]

I, for one, welcome our new R2 Overlords!

[asmcelhinney]

I'll welcome any new kits from R2, but what I'd really like to see is a dedicated UK/EU distributor. These models are very hard to find in stock, and even harder to get at a sensible price. Why does a $25 kit suddenly cost £35? ($60!)

But I digress. More new kits will always be welcome.

[Del]

I'll welcome any new kits from R2, but what I'd really like to see is a dedicated UK/EU distributor. These models are very hard to find in stock, and even harder to get at a sensible price. Why does a $25 kit suddenly cost £35? ($60!)
But I digress. More new kits will always be welcome.

I think part of the reason for the higher prices for imports is that England, like most European countries, enjoys applying a rather large import tax (about 19%) on everything. So, not only shipping costs, but tariffs also eat into the cost of doing business, especially if the places you're buying from are also local hobby shops that have to pay rent and utilities.

If you order from Starship Modeler, after you pay for post, and Customs taxes, a $25 kit might only cost $50, compared to your local hobby store. But I wouldn't mind paying just a little bit more to support a local hobby store, if I had one. Unfortunately, I have to purchase everything online.

[zookman]

i get some things online .. closest hobby shop to me is an hour away but i dont get there much like i used to when i lived closer ... would love to open on of my own here but funding isnt in the works plus i would be my best customer lol

[zookman]

so round 2 has the license for everything cept jj trek ... cool i hope we can see all trek ships in same scale/scales in the upcoming future .. 1/2500 for most everything and 1/1000 for most major ships .. even the d and e wount be that big in 1/1000 when compared to the 1/350 kits .. a couple new 1/350 kits would be nice as well .. both the tos and refit klingon D-7 and maybe the romulan bird of prey .. then maybe the defiant and voyager .. possibly some of the shuttles in same scale as the tos shuttle kit since its the only one out there and is in need of sister shuttles lol

[RogueWolf]

I get almost everything online. I'd like to saupport my local hobby shop but their mark up is insane. They make most of their business from the RC hobbiests. A $15 kit at Walmart would be marked up to $25 at my LHS. I just can't support that kind of markup.

[Moongrim]

The local hobby shop markup is insane because they pay taxes too.

And I'd rather endorse the insanity of a local hobby shop as opposed to the insanity of Wally World.

[RogueWolf]

I never said I buy from Wally World.

[zookman]

well at least your wally world carries models .. ours used to but then they just up and stopped used to have a fairly decent selection and some basic supplies but now nothing .. even our local kinneys dont carry them anymore
so now im either stuck bying online or driving an hour and hoping they have what i need or want