05-05-2009, 02:25 PM
tomustang Wrote:Don't sell your stuff!
First off you have to look at this from another angle.
How many model shops are around you?
How much are you charging for 'ready built" houses/structures?
How many others actually do this? I mean I haven't seen anyone make custom houses from kits and sell them, so you might have a scheme here 8-)
I would say find another job for now, and get into some school courses that'll give you a better background for sales/marketing.
Tom, thanks for the reply.
To answer your questions:
How many model shops are around you?
There are 3 hobby shops that are strictly trains, and 2 others that i know of that are RC and trains. I would not be only selling locally, i would be selling mostly on ebay from the stuff i would be getting from Walthers. I would most likely open a store on ebay....
How much are you charging for 'ready built" houses/structures?
So far, i have not been charging hourly, its just way to out of the question, and my structures would end up costing $400-$500 which is just not practical. I have usually just been charging full retail plus and extra "build" charge, as well as a "weathering" charge if they would like it weathered. Usually ill make between $20-40 a structure, depending on how much the kit costed me to get, and the fees that i get charged from PayPal. So ordering wholesale would almost double my profit on these structures i build and sell, because i would be getting them at wholseale prices and selling them for full retail if they are built + some extra for the "build" fee. I really should sit down and come up with a chart or something for the build fees. say a $40 kit would have a build fee of $30. I know this sounds like alot, but believe me, there are people out there willing to pay these prices for structures, based off personal experience.... I would not be persoanlly willing to pay that much, but others are, you just have to find them lol
How many others actually do this? I mean I haven't seen anyone make custom houses from kits and sell them, so you might have a scheme here 8-)
Ive noticed a few others doing this, buying wholesale (at least i think) and reselling on ebay. I have not noticed many people building structures and selling them however, and so far, ive done pretty good building and selling for the most part, so im keeping my hopes up lol