Magazine build-up models

My Grandmother made this mistake many years ago with 'Real Robots'... Link here

It was £3.99 but went on for 96 issues, a total of close to £400. And it was crap! It ended up in the bin.

These magazines are an absolute con.
 
I did the full Dinosaurs with the T-Rex model one in the 1990's when I was like 8-12 ish. Wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up back then and loved dinosaurs so my parents treated me to it. Think I still have all the magazines in their binders in the loft along with the trading cards.

No idea what happened to the model though. :(
 
OK, tell me if you think this is a con, and be honest.

A while ago, DeAg ran a partwork to build the HMS Victory. It ran for 120 issues at £5.99 an issue. So for £714 you got the entire model, a magazine with the history of Naval warfare, full colour instructions and free gifts including a rotary tool worth £60.

This is the exact model they used in the build. They always use Artesania Latina as they are Italian. http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/artesania-victory.html

Look at that model and tell if you think £714 is really a con.
 
I bought the Titanic model and magazine by Hachette, funny enough today i moved it out of the cupboard when putting xmas decs away and put it upstairs.

Don't know why people say it's a waste of money, great idea building up each week to spread the cost.

This is all i have done after 12 years. :eek:

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Spook187 said:
I bought the Titanic model and magazine by Hachette, funny enough today i moved it out of the cupboard when putting xmas decs away and put it upstairs.

Don't know why people say it's a waste of money, great idea building up each week to spread the cost.

This is all i have done after 12 years. :eek:

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I wouldn't leave a wooden model on a radiator for a start :p
 
robfosters said:
Can anyone here actually give me a reason as to why it's a con rather than just shouting it everywhere?
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see post number 4... it is exploitative

the TV adverts don't make the total cost/number of magazines required clear

tis quite easy for some kid to buy the first one, follow up one etc.. and not actually realise how many will be required

why don't they make the cost clear in the advert? Why do they offer a discount on the first?

because if everyone who bought the things realised the total cost up front then they'd have a lot less customers

ditto to pay day lenders, electrical shops offering payments by installments etc..etc..
 
dowie said:
see post number 4... it is exploitative

the TV adverts don't make the total cost/number of magazines required clear

tis quite easy for some kid to buy the first one, follow up one etc.. and not actually realise how many will be required

why don't they make the cost clear in the advert? Why do they offer a discount on the first?

because if everyone who bought the things realised the total cost up front then they'd have a lot less customers

ditto to pay day lenders, electrical shops offering payments by installments etc..etc..
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It clearly says on the TV advert how many issues and at what cost are required to complete the model. If you can't manage to work out 100 X £8.99, then I fear for you.

EDIT: All businesses are exploitative tbh.
 
I'm not going to say its a con for adults, clearly most people here spotted when it says 8.99 per mag 100 issues, thats not the question.

It does however appeal to kids, I got sucked in as a kid by these, think I had an unfinished glow in the dark spider, a gem collection, a wooden spitfire I think, and another one at least that I can't remember now.

All in all these cost my parents probably about £1500 over the course of 6/7 years and I never finished one collection due to them being discontinued.

However as an adult you have to be aware that this will potentially cost £899 shelf price for a nice model, or if you decided to sack it off halfway its £xxx of junk.

Each to their own, if you enjoy it do it, but I'd definitely be subscribing to guarantee getting it all if it was me.

e: I say subscribe because inevitably when the rush dies down newsagents take these off their shelves, so you might not see them again.
 
robfosters said:
It clearly says on the TV advert how many issues and at what cost are required to complete the model. If you can't manage to work out 100 X £8.99, then I fear for you.
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you do seem slightly naive to be dismissing this

What do you think they gain from selling this in the form of magazines as opposed to as a whole kit? Why do you think the magazine business model allows for expensive TV advertising?
 
They are bad news for kids, I agree with that completely. But all the arguments about them not stating the total cost are ridiculous when it comes to adults. Any adult with half a brain can easily find out how much it will cost.
 
dowie said:
you do seem slightly naive to be dismissing this

What do you think they gain from selling this in the form of magazines as opposed to as a whole kit? Why do you think the magazine business model allows for expensive TV advertising?
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They gain more customers as not everyone can afford £800 in one hit for a model, which as I have proved above, is the real cost of one.

Plus, the difference between the instructions in a partwork and the instructions in a full model are ridiculous. Some models instructions are simply baffling. All black and white and just too difficult to follow unless you're an experienced scratch builder.

As for the point about TV advertising. Well, I think it's pretty obvious that you need to advertise to make people aware of your product.

Dowie, at the end of the day, many people who have modelling as a hobby, could not afford their high end models without compnies like this existing. And many people, like myself, would rather spend £10 a week on my modelling hobby, than things like 3 pints of beer in the pub. Plus, we are not getting ripped off, again as I have proved above.
 
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I think you missed then point re: advertising... do you see many whole model kits advertised on TV?

Also if you think the issue is simply one of credit on the part of the customers then why not offer a full model kit on credit?

There is an obvious reason why magazines work, why they price the first issue lower than the rest etc...
 
dowie said:
Also if you think the issue is simply one of credit on the part of the customers then why not offer a full model kit on credit?
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That's quite simple really. If people get bored halfway though, they stop paying their monthly payments and Deag have to chase and eventually get debt collectors in.

This way, they're only risking a maximum £24 a time, so it's more economically viable for them.

By the way. DeAg do sell full kits on their website.
 
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