Foundry Price Rise!

[Westfalia Chris]

Hi

Attention, it seems to me that the rise in prices concerns only certain ranges, including the Vickings and company precisely!

In the mail I received, they stated more or less clearly that the price rise will start with the mentioned ranges and will then be rolled out to the remainder of their catalogue. I wouldn't expect them to do otherwise, from an economic standpoint.

[Condottiere]

Don't give them any ideas! The way this will work out, most likely, is that the two figures you want are split over two half-packs! 

Like the ninjas...

Used to be 2 packs of 5 figures at £10 each, now 10 for £24.

[black hat miniatures]

I have never understood the argument about figures being old so they should be cheap.  it costs the same to manufacture and spin up a mould of old figures as it does new ones...

Dave Ryan at Caliver always gets the same complaint even though he is employing casters to do the work.

Mike

[Dolmot]

I have never understood the argument about figures being old so they should be cheap.  it costs the same to manufacture and spin up a mould of old figures as it does new ones...

Can't you really think of any costs that would only apply around the initial release?

And please don't extrapolate anything from that. I'm just asking that one question for a quick check.


Regarding Foundry prices...as someone who started with GW, I think all historical miniature prices are still basically zero or can be rounded to that. I used to pay £2 for bog standard rank and file 20 years ago. And based on the size of an average gamer's lead pile, it seems that buying new minis is still the least painful part of this hobby.

However, I do admit that I've seen some pretty dodgy casts from Foundry in recent years. Especially with their £5+ fantasy stuff, I'd dare to expect a bit better than that.

[Belgian]

I have never understood the argument about figures being old so they should be cheap.  it costs the same to manufacture and spin up a mould of old figures as it does new ones...

Dave Ryan at Caliver always gets the same complaint even though he is employing casters to do the work.

Mike

While I understand, the cost of manufacturing is the still the major factor in producing I have never understood why Wargames Foundry hasn't used other means of production that would lower these labor intensive processes. Thinking about machine cast resin (from the existing master models) or even hard-plastic production (thought that may not suit their existing sculptures), changing production methods may cost money but guess that they should be able to explore these methods as other outfits are capable of doing this. That said they have lovely miniatures but not sure they can compete with more modern ranges at the increased price tag.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

Correct me if I am wrong, but £2 per model is in the high end of the scale. I mean, many companies charge between £6.50 and £7.50 per 4 models packs (between £1.62 and £1.87 per model), although others, like Front Rank or Perry brothers (they don't need to pay the sculptor! ) charge £7.50 per 6 figures pack (£1.25) Plastic models are cheaper, of course (£37.50 per 60 models, as in the latest Victrix release, which would be 62 pence per model)

Now, I don't mind to pay more if I believe that the goods are worthy of the price asked for them. Alas, it has been long since last time I felt the compulsion to buy Foundry's stuff. 

[Cubs]

Foundry has an odd way of doing things. They seem quite rigid and user unfriendly in how they sell their products. I love their old figures - the Perry sculpts mostly - but their insistence on a set postage fee and large packs (presumably to make things easier at their end) puts me off making any orders. Maybe they just don't have the staff and/or infrastructure and need to keep things simple to stay in business.

[Mindenbrush]

The price increase for postage has clearly worked as a friend in Ottawa, Canada received his recent order within 7 days of ordering.
As for figure price increases they are always going to happen even if the range is an old one - the price of metal does not change.
I must be lucky with quality control as I have had very, very few figures with casting defects from them and I have been buying them for around 30 years, any defective figures have been replaced by Foundry.
The only thing that I find odd about Foundry is that they do not discount VAT for overseas orders. This was not so much of a problem when the free shipping was on an £80 order but that has gone up to £100 and Canada Customs have been active this year hitting orders with import duties.
I for one will continue to buy from them as they have a lot of ranges that interest me and despite their age are still as good or in some cases better than some of the new ranges put out these days.

[mcfonz]

While I understand, the cost of manufacturing is the still the major factor in producing I have never understood why Wargames Foundry hasn't used other means of production that would lower these labor intensive processes. Thinking about machine cast resin (from the existing master models) or even hard-plastic production (thought that may not suit their existing sculptures), changing production methods may cost money but guess that they should be able to explore these methods as other outfits are capable of doing this. That said they have lovely miniatures but not sure they can compete with more modern ranges at the increased price tag.

Do you mean the Prodos/Archon casting processes or the more readily available spun cast resin?

[flags_of_war]

In this day an age with the so many options in the hobby i find it odd that they don't have anything new. So many of their sculpts are still great but quite a lot are out dated and the hobby has moved so much in the last 10-20 years. They need new sculpts to stay relevant imo.

[jetengine]

In this day an age with the so many options in the hobby i find it odd that they don't have anything new. So many of their sculpts are still great but quite a lot are out dated and the hobby has moved so much in the last 10-20 years. They need new sculpts to stay relevant imo.

Afaik they dont actually have any. Their effectively a larder of multiple ranges they've inherited and just sell them

[Cubs]

I painted some Zulu War miniatures for them many years ago (10? 15?) which were a new release, but I think they binned them because some of them were truly terrible sculpts with some glaring mistakes - cuff decorations missing on one side, 6 fingers on a hand, missing epaulettes - that somehow slipped through quality control. It's a pity because they had some potential, but they looked rushed and like the work of a sculptor still learning their trade so probably not up to their own expectations.

[Arrigo]

Probably I am the minority, but I do no think the price rise is unwarranted, and certainly the fact that they keep in production on of the biggest assortment ever it is already extremely commendable. 

But of course in the age of internet bashing and complaining are easier... 

[Atheling]

Just to clarify, I like a lot of their mini's and own a large number of them and love the sculpts too.

My only real gripe with the Foundry price increase is simply that there is no quality output.

I realise the production costs keep going up and Brexit probably isn't going to help matters.

[Grimjack]

They actually have two and bit rooms worth of moulds and sculpts, some never released, some which complete ranges and some which are whole ranges in themselves.

What they DON'T have is enough staff to go through all those moulds and boxes, whilst also casting, posting and working the shop.

The price rise seems fair to me, especially as the pricing of some companies is similar or higher. In the historical side of the industry, some companies keep the overall price down by keeping their own prices far too low to make a real profit. IN the fantasy and sci-fi market, the 'GW standard' keeps prices high.

Foundry has some great sculpts, admittedly somewhat aged now, but I agree that they have been surpassed by others. Plus, by employing a pretty much skeleton staff, they keep costs down but have little or no flexibility to get things 'new' into moulds. They also pay royalties to past sculptors, so make much less of a profit than you think.

And finally, the costs to run a Wargames business are going up, and will rise higher. Too many businesses, fighting for the same materials, up against far larger, bloated businesses, plus the pound versos the dollar, etc. The Foundry business plan is 'survival level', with many more companies finding themselves or already in the same mode.