Ronin Graphics pre-order approach for 1/32 scale decals ?!?!.

[SharkOwl]

Ronin Graphics pre-order approach for 1/32 scale decals.

 

Here is something proposed by Ronin Graphics Australia about a 1/32 scale decals projects for RAAF Mirage IIIO :

 

Quote

 

HI All. Okay I have been getting some static about doing 1/32 Mirage decals. so this what I propose. Here is a sample of the decals that I would be looking at doing in 1/32 scale. Now due to the LACK of sales of 1/32 decals in the past and the losses that it has created. This set will be a Pre order set.

The pre order meaning a deposit will be taken on them, and if we get enough sales it will go ahead and the remainder will need to be paid before posting. This is a large set with a large booklet of instructions and the price will be $70.00 a set. with a $5.00 deposit required upon order.This deposit is NONE refundable if you decided to cancel your order. If the sales don't come up to the required numbers then the deposit will be refunded. If you don't like this idea then don't order. Here is a rough sample of what the decals will look like. The print run will take place in exactly 1 month from now the 8th of July all order must be in By the 1st July.

 

Unquote

 

Ronin have fixed to 100 the number of ''5 $'' pre-orders to confirm the production of this decal sheet !!!

 

Ronin is saying :

 

Due to the LACK of sales of 1/32 decals in the past and the losses that it has created. This set will be a Pre order set.

 

My questions :

 

Q1 :

 

Is the lack of sales of 1/32 decals could be related to the very (very) high price offer of Ronin ?

 

70.00 AUD $ ( 52,95 USD $) for a 1/32 decal sheet ? Really !

 

I have in front of me a superb 1/32 decals sheet for US Navy F-5E Top Gun Tiger II from Furball Aero Design that I bought for 19.99 US$.

Ronin could fix its price at 25 USD $ and even 30 USD $ but ...... 52,95 USD $ ? Really !

 

And he is complaining about lack of sales of 1/32 scale decals ?    

 

Q2 :  

 

Can we really think of losses on the Decals Industry as pretended by Ronin ?

 

Please share your thoughts about it !

SharkOwl

 

Reference :   https://www.facebook.com/Ronin-Graphics-Australia-570533299733906/?hc_ref=ARQURlDtclO7RHunBw1brg5cEMtfWiqh0afrRGm1RtW7WL3qKOZuH18wtHAYVs5H3n8&fref=nf

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2018 by SharkOwl

[Kagemusha]

It's their money at stake, their call. I have a couple of their RNZAF A-4 sheets, very nicely produced, weren't that expensive, but they obviously want to produce the Mirage set in a certain way, with a booklet, or not at all. There are other 1/32 RAAF Mirage decal sheets available.

[Rick Griewski]

I speculate that the decal losses for him is not a pretend thing. Completion is strong, one must figure out who is interested in what (his proposal), if you pay for artwork that's $$$, short run printing costs are higher and if you miss the target it hurts. I will buy a higher priced set if it is multiple sheets/choices with interesting and accurate history ( e.g., Fundekals, Eagle Editions, Baracudacals, others) else it is about interest and cost.

 

Rick

[Guest Peterpools]

Decals look excellent but at $52 is a bit pricey.

Peter

[ziggyfoos]

I have no issue with them setting aside a minimum price that they see fit.

 

Could depends on how much return on their investment they're hoping to see. There is always that unknown line between asking price and how much a buyer will spend before it's a turnoff/no sale. Their method of requiring pre-orders will answer that issue for them obviously.

 

No idea who they use for printers (and where they're located, may be costly for shipping from printers to Australia), so that may be a factor too if it's a short run print (the big printers like Microscale and Cartograf minimums are 250 and 500 sheets so they're talking small run printer since they're saying 100 sheets).

 

If it comes with a booklet, that may account for a good chunk of the cost for the printing alone, plus the added time/money to design it.

 

Their decal cost loss concern I'm sure is real. Unless maybe they're Me109, P-51, Spitfire, or F-14 sheets or something for example, then the market for 1/32 sheets could always be in doubt. I have no clue on market for Mirage sheets, and specifically RAAF Mirages - that narrow subject matter/interest may be a factor as well in their pricing.

 

... if you pay for artwork that's $$$, ...

Since they're already showing artwork images of the 1/32 sheets, that expense is already done though regardless if they end up printing the sheets or not.

 

 

On the personal side, as a modeler, I'd not pay $50+ for decal sheet of any subject (regardless of booklet included).

[quang]

Us old timers remember the good olde times when a new MicroScale sheet cost $2.00. Looks like yesterday! 

[Guest Peterpools]

Quang

Sure do - great times indeed!

Peter

[GrahamF]

The answer to Q1 is I think the high price is not the thing that will deter more sales or enough sales put it that way, I think doing 100 sets is probably optimistic and the cost I think is entirely realistic, I've spent just under $700 for 125 sets of Supermarine Attacker Decals and I doubt I'll get through those for about 4 years.

Whenever you get decals made it's not a matter of just going to your PC and uploading photos of real decals and expecting them to be artwork ready.

Each colour has to be a piece of vector artwork [ not images made from dots ] in solid colour and each colour is a separate layer with it's own cost.

I think the time taken to do the artwork was about 2 solid days.

You might think that the cost for each decal for my kit is good value and that I could double my money? but I'm not a decal supplier it's an added cost for me to my

kit, once you are doing stand alone decals and that's your main product it's no good making a small profit on each one.

Q2 I think the losses are not pretended at all and lets face it the only things that sell well are food and mobile phones so if you're into providing stuff for hobbies it's risk all the way.

Graham

[TonyT]

Oh dear, I cringe when I see stuff like this, when will people learn to put a copyright across images of their planned or released decals or distort it to prevent the unscrupulous lifting the images and using them to print their own. You do all the hard work for some scroat to take advantage.

[GrahamF]

Oh dear, I cringe when I see stuff like this, when will people learn to put a copyright across images of their planned or released decals or distort it to prevent the unscrupulous lifting the images and using them to print their own. You do all the hard work for some scroat to take advantage.

No they're OK they've done the image very low res, A lot of work in those decals if you ask me and very nice.

Graham

Edited June 8, 2018 by GrahamF

[Guest Maxim]

Well , there's at least 10 colors on that sheet then you have the clear so printing will be expensive. They're nice and just what you need if your a Mirage fan but too expensive for me.

[SharkOwl]

Well , there's at least 10 colors on that sheet then you have the clear so printing will be expensive. They're nice and just what you need if your a Mirage fan but too expensive for me.

 

This RAAF Mirage IIIO 1/32 decal sheet from Aussie Decals at 36,95 AUD $ is at an affordable and reasonable price.

SharkOwl

 

Reference : http://www.modelkitsonline.com.au/pages/main/moreDecals.php?Key=3468

[LSP_Mike]

I see essentially decals for one aircraft. reference, printing, layout, test shots, packing, I get. perhaps a second set of roundels might seem a better value for the dollar?

[LSP_K2]

Not me,... no way.

[Alburymodeler]

I see essentially decals for one aircraft. reference, printing, layout, test shots, packing, I get. perhaps a second set of roundels might seem a better value for the dollar?

 

No upper wing roundels on RAAF Mirages, so if the place another pair of small fuselage ones then then you have two aircraft.