RC2/ERTL & Hobby Lobby

[roadwarrior]

I stopped in 1 of about 7 of the Hobby Lobby Stores here in Houston, Texas area. There on the display shelf in front of the Model isle was a red & white sign, "SELECT MODELS, 40% OFF".
All of the kits on this display that had been marked down were all AMT/ERTL kits. Too, bad they have not had any Tractor-Trailer models from AMT/Ertl there in any Hobby Lobby at all in this area. Only fire trucks and Italari 377 Pete.
I looked down the isle and there were a few AMT kits on the shelves but they were marked down as well. NONE OF THE REVELL, TESTORS, ETC....

[Bri]

I was told by one hobbyshop that AMT has set a deadline for all their kits to be off the shelves or else they will be returned to the factory and destroyed. Shops will get a percentage of their money back should that happen. I know the WalMarts in this area are cutting the prices on the AMT kits as well and they are going FAST!!!!

[roadwarrior]

That is stupid. Just let them keep them and sell 'em. The crap corperate does is stupid!!!

[mullett471]

what a bunch of a#@holes
they aren't iterested in making them anymore so why bother with them after they have stopped
makes your blood boil

[78KW]

When I read this I think 2 myself, "You're kidding me right??", but it doesn't totally surprise me.

[towguy76]

I posted the info about AMT on another model forum i am in and here is a reply i recieved. I don't have a sub to this mag, nor can i find it on the shelves where i am at so i cant confirm it. Maybe someone here can confirm or deny.

"I just read in Scale auto enthusiest that they are planning on the opposite...lots of new tooling and bringing back more old favorites... "

[Rustycab]

I think everyone might be jumping to conclusions here- Be calm cool and collective, Time will tell

[chevymaniac]

I talked to a few representatives from AMT while setting up my deal with my distributors for kits to be sold on my website I was told that AMT does want to sell, or should I say unload the plastic models line but they are not going to sabotage any hope of making a deal by destroying assets (in other words KITS). The company is still alive and still developing kits, althought no truck kits in the moment. In order for them to sell the division at a profit, it has to be profitable. When I asked them about the rumors going around they basicly told me rumors are tactics from hobby shops to push sales and the worts thing about it...it works. I talked to the owner of my local hobby shop and he told me he has heard nothing. I think the hobby is still alive and a bump like AMT closing the doors might hurt our hobby but it wont kill it...be patient and see what the future brings...hold on to your money, don't pay a high price for a kit just because you are affraid you'll never find one again, I think it's too early for that.

Later

[oldcat]

Hobby Lobby is the biggest reason my stash is so big. The 3 local stores{aurora/st charles/fox valley} "used to" be well stocked and had the 40% off sale on a more regular basis. Now it's the same old stuff...still sitting there. I've got about three tamiya dragon wagons that I got for something like $12 each{usually $75 each!} and the last time I got the amt astro for $12. Wish they'd get more old truck/trailer kits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bri]

While at WalMart 2 days ago, I was checking out the model section just to see what was on the shelves. The Lindberg Dodge truck release was stacked on the shelves and there was also a sheet of paper showing the new merchandising layout for the model section taped to the shelf. I looked at the sheet and saw where each AMT kit that had previously been stocked was now eliminated from the shelves. All of the AMT kits were on a Clearence Shelf for $3.97. Everything from the dirt track re-releases to the Internatrional Scouts, Dodge Daytonas, 71 Dodge Chargers, everything AMT was on the shelf. Again, I asked the manager and he informed me AMT was no longer supplying models to WalMart and their line had been dropped from the model line, at least in this area.
So, with this being said, draw your own conclusions from what I personally saw. I think with marketability goes the fact that the molds AMT currently has is of older kits that have been repopped numerous times and are in need of repair to once again produce crisp, clean kits. The lastr few AMT kits I got were loaded with flash and the minor detail that once was prevalent was almost nonexistent. Had AMT spent more time tooling all new kits rather than re-popping older kits in the hopes of staying alive, I truly feel they would not be in the position they find themselves in right now. Yes, they did put out the new Camaro, but realisitcally, AMT's efforts have steadily declined over recent years and now they are paying the price for their lack of enthusiasm for the hobby, as we all are.
On a side note, it has also been announced that in 2008 WalMart will no longer be carrying the Revell line of Nascar kits. Now, I know in my area, these kits take up a majority of the space on the shelves, so I'm not the least bit happy to hear this announcement. I build a ton of Nascar models and my LHS sells the new Nascar kits for almost $10 more than WalMart does. I'm not the least bit happy about this development at all.

[towguy76]

Walmart in my area only stocks revell kits now, and none are Nascar kits.

[oldcat]

I used to run an injection molder long ago.{..ask your wives about the "duck billed spreader the doc uses for looking.....}. A decent sized die assy{2'x2'} was supposed to cost around $10k to clean up{polish} and that included new indexing pins, knock out pins and slides along with coolant passage and vent clean out. I'd figure the die for an average truck kit would be 3'x3' possibly and run twice as much to redo...and they can only be redone so many times before they aren't salvageable any more. I heard a new die ran around $50-$70k{back then} each.
It's really neat how ours worked...plastic pellets poured into a tube, an auger pushed/squeezed that though a heated tube to the die block...the the die heat was somewhat regulated to prevent cold spots and when it opened it popped the whole sprue out. Bad runs were simply tossed into a grinder to be re entered into the machine again...little to no waste.