# The cost of being a UK Mobeus modeller.



## SimboWales (Mar 1, 2009)

This is not a moan at the guys who make the products,but here in the good old ripp off UK I feel that I have to pay way way over the odds to purchase a Mobeus model.
For example,
Mobeus Jupiter 2 (UK) =£ 99.95 which equates to $ 151.70
Flying Sub (UK) £70.00 + $106.15
Flying Sub Accesories (UK) = £59.95 = $ 90.90 
MoonBus (UK) £49.95 = $75.76

I had these prices from a well known London on line Sci Fi modell shop (not FB but CM).
I am very disapointed that these UK "sellers" are more interested in getting as much as they can out of us but that looks like the way of things here these days.I know about the rise/fall of the $/£ affects us all but would you guys still buy the modells if they cost that much in the States ? Do you feel you over pay for things bought here in the UK ?
Please don`t think me ungreatfull for what Mobeus has done in re releasing these wonderfull kits,its just the UK cost that leaves me with an unpleasant taste.
Paul


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## SUNGOD (Jan 20, 2006)

SimboWales said:


> This is not a moan at the guys who make the products,but here in the good old ripp off UK I feel that I have to pay way way over the odds to purchase a Mobeus model.
> For example,
> Mobeus Jupiter 2 (UK) =£ 99.95 which equates to $ 151.70
> Flying Sub (UK) £70.00 + $106.15
> ...




I wouldn't mind if the profits helped Moebius and went to them but seeing as they most probably don't I have to agree. Rip off Britain does spring to mind but it's not the fault of Moebius that's for sure.


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

*would you guys still buy the modells if they cost that much in the States ?*

NO. I like the models very much, but that's too much money!


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## ClubTepes (Jul 31, 2002)

Wow, that can't all be the cost of simply getting them to the UK? Can it??


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## aeryn43 (Sep 23, 2009)

*check out GB model shops!*

Keep an eye on Modelzone (all over the southcoast of GB), they tend to do better pricing than "specialist sci fi Shop"...cos they get more stock.
Also in some of the shops they also give discount to some clubs (ie Airfix Club)( it doesn't harm to ask!.:thumbsup:


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## StanC (Nov 25, 2009)

Modelzone are price leaders in the ripoff
Spiderman,Goblin £29.99
Forbidden Planet local store £24.99
If you order from US its a gamble cos the UK customs might hammer you.


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## GordonMitchell (Feb 12, 2009)

I think you will find that its not the shop to blame here in the UK its the distributor,we had this problem in the 90's with the same distributor that is importing the Moebius range, a range of vinyl figures I was selling through my shop at 29.99($45)and this company muscled in and took over the dealer ship and their trade price was 29.99 which resulted in shops buying from them had to sell at 49.99($75) my prices changed only when the the exchange changed and if the pound was stronger I would reduce accordingly but the big guns here never do that they keep it at a pound per dollar and have a 50% profit margin for a distributor and the retailer is lucky if he gets 30%,we kow the specialist and you only have to look at the side of the box to see the distributor,and if I know the distributor then Moebius arn't getting that sweet a deal either.I buy from Cult TV Man and have him ship to uk it still works out cheaper than buying anywhere in the UK,just dont buy multiple units,you may pay extra getting things sent seperately but you will save on the import duty,
get the profit to the right pockets....Frank and co.not the UK distributor and his rip off side kick
Gordon M:thumbsup:


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## iamweasel (Aug 14, 2000)

Wow thats pretty nasty as far as prices go. I would never pay that much for kits.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

i think thats just the way of the world when it comes to things that arent imported (from anywhere to any other where) in vast quantities. manufacturers usually sell to distributors at the lowest price they reasonably can. so the importer pays that price to the manufacturer, but then has to have it shipped, pay for a customs broker, pay any duties or tariffs, and then sell it on to the retailer. (and for every dollar they spend, they have to apply a markup when selling it to the retailer.) 
by the time the retailer gets it, the cost is already way over what it would be in the manufacturers home country. that retailer then has to sell it and still make a profit.
id like to hear our friends down under about this. their nation puts a HUGE duty on "novelty items".. something like 40%... and if hobby kits qualify as that, they really get hosed. (i sell halloween goods on ebay, and often i have australian costumes shops buying from me, because its cheaper to buy it from me @ retail price, then mark it up and resell it, than it is to go through the proper channels and import it from the distributors!)


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## AJ-1701 (May 10, 2008)

Down here in oz the prices are some what extreme too. Thats why I tend to go with CultTVman and the like and import my own. I usually end up saving a few dollars and often get them in a faster time frame as well.


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Seaview's running around $250 at the moment, same with big Frankie. Iron Man $110. Mummy $99.95.
Small LIS robot is IIRC $38.
Rommels Rod $49.95 (not too bad considering).
Standard issue Revell 1/25 cars $45- $70.
Our Dollar's around US92c - has been in the late 80s to low 90s for a while....

Chris.


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## ochronosis (Dec 29, 2005)

Hi Chris and hello to my fellow UK'ers and everyone else :wave:,
I have to agree about the crazy prices over here. I wanted the Moebius Big Frankie but at £99.00 ($175.00 at the time) I decided it was out of my price range. The same goes with other brands, not just Moebius. I couldn't afford to buy the Revell releases of the old Aurora Dino range, which were going for £20 ($30) and over. I forgot all about buying them, until a couple of months ago when I came across a shop selling them all at £4.00 ($6.00) each! 
It seems that we are getting a raw deal but then again I bet it works both ways. I bet products like Airfix cost more in the states and other countries, that they do here in the UK.

Simon


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

Hi Simon:wave:.
Airfix here tends to be on the exxy side but not too bad.
The new 1/24 Mosquito's coming in with a projected price of AU$199. A good price in Oz when you consider the parts count and reported quality.
I picked up the Wallace and Gromit Austin van a year ago for $59.95. It's being converted to a Hemi powered wheelstander some day....

Chris.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

In a way its a two way street. There are hobby products made/sold in the UK that are cheaper there compared to the US price. Same with continental Europe. I have a friend pick me up some big A-model airplane kits directly in the Ukraine for under $100 usd while in the USA they retail for over $300 (things like a 1/72 Hughes "Spruce Goose" fiberglass resin kit).

You may consider buying the kits from overseas. Try places like Lucky Models out of Hong Kong or Hobby Link Japan, etc. Even with postage (and duties) you may still save money. In the USA now Italeri kits are brutally expensive and you can get a $70 kit from Lucky for $18 plus $8 postage.


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## dklange (Apr 25, 2009)

I don't know all the details, but I would think you could buy direct from Moebius via the webstore for much less! I don't think shipping would be that much. Just a thought... - Denis


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

I buy directly from the source. I can import kits with a total value of AU$1000 before I get hit with duty.

Chris.


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

dklange said:


> I don't know all the details, but I would think you could buy direct from Moebius via the webstore for much less! I don't think shipping would be that much. Just a thought... - Denis


Shipping for large items from the US will be staggering. We don't have surface mail any more, so things go "First Class Air". If they are too large for the size limit they get bumped up to Priority Mail. You don't want to mail a Jupeter 2 Priority Mail. I mail 1/35 tank kits quite often, and those run about $17 per kit from the US to Asia or Europe via First Class Air. 

For smaller kits its not a big deal. The nice thing about buying from Asian vendors is the price is just lower in many cases, and they have more shipping options available, like SAL if you are not in a hurry or are cheap.


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## toysoldierman20 (Mar 29, 2009)

Paul,
Why don't you just get someone here in the U.S to buy your model and ship it to you?Wouldn't that be cheaper all around???


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## skinnyonce (Dec 17, 2009)

toysoldierman20 said:


> Paul,
> Why don't you just get someone here in the U.S to buy your model and ship it to you?Wouldn't that be cheaper all around???


Ya ! kind of like having a seragate modeler


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## djnick66 (May 2, 2008)

Like I said shipping of the Jupiter 2 to the UK would be brutally expensive. ITs a large, heavy kit. Considering the UK cost is only about $20-$25 USD MORE than the US price... you would spend way more than that in shipping.


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## longbox (Nov 4, 2007)

I'm glad one of my countrymen raised this issue. I can get kits cheaper from Steve Iverson cheaper than the local high street, and that's including postage.

There is one distributor in the UK who seem to have the monopoly on all cool US model kits and have done since the days of those Halcyon Aliens kits.

There is an assumption in the UK that 'cult' status of a kit or toy = 'charge what the hell we like', 

Uk modellers know which company is responsible for this...

Am I right? or Amarang?:tongue:

LB


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

At those prices, it would be cheaper to fly from the UK to my town after ordering the kits from Udisco.com and having them delivered to my house. I could meet you at the airport where you could load up the suitcase, have a plate of fish and chips - and off you go back home!

Huzz


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## Moonman27 (Aug 26, 2008)

Holy cow! If I had to pay those prices,I would not be able to get them! I really feel for you guys over there. That kind of price gouging is just WRONG! Kinda reminds me of GAS prices!


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## TAY666 (Jan 8, 2000)

longbox said:


> I'm glad one of my countrymen raised this issue. I can get kits cheaper from Steve Iverson cheaper than the local high street, and that's including postage.


Well, that is pretty much universal.
I can buy kits mail order for less than what it would cost me in a hobby shop here in the states.
Anyone with an actual retail store is going to be higher than mail order.
They have a lot more overhead to cover. Rent, utilities, employees, taxes, etc.
When we still had a gaming store in our mall they had stuff like the PL Creature kit for $30.
At the time I could order it from any of the online retailers for like $15. Even with $5 shipping it was cheaper to get is from the other side of the country than it was to buy it locally.
I still bought kits from that store though. Just to do my part to help keep it open, so I had somewhere to go and pick up paint, glue, etc.
Sadly, though, when the economy went in the crapper, they closed.


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## razorwyre1 (Jan 28, 2004)

Auroranut said:


> I buy directly from the source. I can import kits with a total value of AU$1000 before I get hit with duty.
> 
> Chris.


that answers my question. they must not be classified as novelties (which, when you think about it, is a huge category. anything that isnt utilitarian is a "novelty".)


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## Auroranut (Jan 12, 2008)

The worst things to import are any items the government decides are "luxury" items. I believe the duties involved are staggering!

Chris.


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## SimboWales (Mar 1, 2009)

Well I have gone ahead and pre-ordered the MoonBus from CultTVman`s online shop.I am very happy with the cost,$56 which includes shipping which equals £37 as compared to £50 plus postage from a London scifi online shop (the one from Battersea !)
This is the first overseas order I have made,I just hope I don`t get hit with an import tax/VAT bill !


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## GordonMitchell (Feb 12, 2009)

as long as the value of the model isnt over £18 you should be ok,I have noticed that if it is a small packet(under 200g)it usually comes through ok even over the value if it comes by the normal postman or van but if parcelforce get their mitts on it you can get hit pretty badly,I discovered that if it comes freight ie parcel force then under a new law passed by the EU that they can charge vat on all services including postage,I double checked with HMRC incase I was being ripped of with the VAT and it was they who told me of the new changes,so if its over 200g and has to come large parcel be carfull what you add in the way of insurance value as its all chargable against VAT in the UK,I try to get one item at a time sent from Steve,keeps the charges to a minimum if any and they cant charge on letter or small packet postage as Steve doesnt have to declare the cost of postage on those forms so he isnt breaking any laws either,

Gordon M


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## SimboWales (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks for the info Mr Mitchell, just going to keep fingers ,eyes and everything else crossed and wait and see what happens !

Paul


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