what’s up with the crazy prices
Walthers is more of a supplier to distributors, so if they priced lower than their ratailers they would be undermining them.
Concor has this problem. They are a small outfit and do small runs of models and when the have had an item on the shelf for some time they will sell at lrage enough discount to frustrate some hobby shops. The operators tell me thats why they dont sell Concor for the most part.
you think they inflate the price so people feel like they get a deal at other places
hmmm
IF they don’t, the shops have no leeway to make deals.
Supply and demand…
I do give them credit
they have a huge line
just wi***he price was more in line
even the sale price seems off’
K
When you go to Walthers.com, you are effectively buying from your LHS, and paying the retail price(except on sale items). Walther’s, being primarily a distributor, choses not to sell direct for less than MSRP just so the dealers they sell to will stay in business. The only price jump I have seen was in Life Like, and you have to admit that Proto 2K items were a good price before Walther’s came along and bought them. I usually spend over $100 per month from them just to get free shipping, and of course there is no sales tax for most people. And by the way, with the exception of their own lines, Walther’s does not set the prices on the items they sell, so if you think the prices are too high, complain to the manufacturer. And don’t forget where plastic comes from and what the price for it is!
Bob Hayes
Seems to me its not just Walthers that has gone berserk on prices, every model railroad equipment mfg has. I just saw and advertisement for a corn crib for $22.00 from blair, and while I’m sure its very nice with lazer cut wood parts and all but twenty two dollars for a 2 1/4 by 2 3/8 . I think thats a little much, but of course thats my opinion. I’m sure there are people who can and are willing to pay that price, as for me I’d rather spend the money on scratch building supplies, and do it myself.
Walthers prices has always been MSRP. Since I’m not into mainstream modeling themes or prototypes (I’m modeling a indoor three foot narrow gauge Large Scale logging shortline and a Gn15 (Large Scale on HO track), I either have to scratchbuild most of my equipment, or use common models and modify them. I buy most of my supplies and detail parts from small, proprietary, or cottage-industry firms. I believe these firms charge a lot less than Walthers would charge if they distributed their products. One nice thing about modeling off-beat themes, gauges, and scales is that I can ignore most of the high prices for current and limited run models that are being touted by the mainstream modeling companies.
Yeah, what’s with Walthers? I can go to 1stplacehobbies and get Cornerstone structures for much less than Walthers. What? Cornerstone is a Walthers line? What? 1stplacehobby’s website says they get their stuff from Walthers?
Never mind.
You don’t have to shop there if you don’t like their prices. Personally as I live many thousands of miles from the US, I choose to shop with them because I know if something goes wrong they will put it right without question.
" money it’s plastic and led not gold"
Led what?
I buy from Walthers sometimes for one simple reason: For all their backorders and temporarily out of stock items, they sell what I need. I use Tony’s or Litchfiled Station for DCC, and a few other on-line shops for track and what-not, and I also patronize my local hobby shop. But quite often Walthers is easier and more dependable.
I had questioned the P2K pricing post Walthers some time back. Apparently, the last releases under LifeLike were much higher priced, so the price jump actually came before the take over. Personally, I think a P2K loco with sound is now way too high and have not purchased one in over a year.
Proto 2000 was not that long ago one of the leading manufacturers. Then the parent company lost interest and they drifted downhill and raised prices until Walthers bought them.
Walthers needs to do more with the brand than milk it for sales to recover what they paid for it.
We can’t forget: When the price of oil goes up…everything is affected. Think about it…Walthers is not trying to chase customers away. They still must make a profit and have to adjust to economic shifts accordingly. That’s for all businesses.
Guys, some of the items that you’re complaining about will be available at cheaper prices from other vendors and ebay.
What people fail to realize is Lifelike was deep in doo-doo way before Walthers bought them. They produced far more than the market could absorb and to try and survive (they didn’t) they dumped stuff on the market. This worsened their hold on the market because many stopped buying Lifelike for stock because they figured (rightly so) that Lifelike would end up dumping on the market. While cetrtain parties think it was great to be able to buy for cheap, it ultimately led to the complete failure of Lifelike. Lifelike’s bean counter was jacking the price long before Walthers in order to try and stay afloat (they couldn’t)
Yes, I remember this same feeling of quiet outrage when Athearn jacked up the cost of a boxcar kit from $1.79 to $2.85.
Dave Nelson
+1 on 1stplaceobbies. Good prices and fast shipping. If I want Walthers, I get it from them. [:D]
all the above