(COMMERCIAL) Modelzone in administration

[former user]

well the common ground would obviously be "self-made" and not ready-made....

[Captain Blood]

Shock suprise horror.

Sell models at higher than RRP
Have terrible online store
Have terrible online customer service
Have terrible sales where we only sell the corgi cars at 50%
Hire shop staff with no interest or knowledge in model making (and in the Bham flagship stores case make sure 2 of them are girls who look 15)

All of which has been the case for as long as they've been trading quite happily and successfully.
ModelZone hasn't got any worse at any of these things - they were never much cop in the first place. But they were conveniently located for many people, and carried a very wide range of useful and desirable products (in their larger stores anyway).

What's changed is that the UK high street has fallen off a cliff, with declining numbers of shoppers with less disposable income, rents have increased exponentially, and ballooning competition from online traders has siphoned off custom from all niche retailers. In case you hadn't noticed, dozens of big and small retail brands have gone to the wall in the last three years. The fact that ModelZone employ young women who may not build Tamiya kits themselves, or that they run sales which don't discount the things you want to buy, has nothing to do with it.
If you're not selling food, clothes or other things people need, your place on the high street is currently precarious in the extreme.

[Mr Brown]

It is always a bit saddening when we see stores like this close. Unfortunately, as has been pointed out, they aren't the first and will definitely not be the last retailer to go.

Our local ModelZone in Aberdeen supported our local club and offered a discount to paid up members which was great. However, the prices were generally higher than what I could get elsewhere in town. Sure if you need that particular paint right now then the internet isnt an option but we are lucky in that we have a big Hobbycraft nearby as well. If I'm being honest, I only really visited it as a retreat for a few minutes when on shopping trips with the wife. I personally won't miss it but feel for those that will.

The worst part is always the guys (and girls) who are at the receiving end and facing the chop. Here's hoping they end on their feet.

[ilikepaintinglead]

I've just been into the Reading store and all tools, glues and paint were 50% off so vallego paints are £1.10 and Tamiya pots are £0.90, just stocked up on lifetimes worth of matt varnish.

[bobblezbob]

Having read the original post I popped into my local store in Gateshead last night to stock up on Woodland Sceinics - which were only 20% off - and spoke to the manager who said they'd been instructed that day to put up a 'Closing Down' banner up.
He gave it about 3 wks before they'd be gone, as the administrators had to give them 2 wks notice (which he was sure they'd be getting shortly), he was confident prices would be reduced even more before then.

[OSHIROmodels]

Spent over £70 on sprays today and will probably go back 

cheers

James

[Captain Blood]

Every cloud has a silver lining... 

[Inso]

I've just been into the Reading store and all tools, glues and paint were 50% off so vallego paints are £1.10 and Tamiya pots are £0.90, just stocked up on lifetimes worth of matt varnish.

I was in the same store this morning. It is sad but if it is going to disappear, we may as well make it a little easier to bear and buy stuff .

I bought a 1/48 Merlin HC3 ( I worked on these in Iraq and there is a decal with my ' SPLAT' nose art that I painted on a damaged Merlin... so guess which one I'll be making ) and a couple of packs of Milliput. I too looked for Matt spray varnish but someone had obviously got there before me  .

[Vanvlak]

The worst part is always the guys (and girls) who are at the receiving end and facing the chop. Here's hoping they end on their feet.

This - and hope so too.

[Eric the Shed]

100 pounds spent on paint, scenics and other bits. Will head back again next week.

[S_P]

All of which has been the case for as long as they've been trading quite happily and successfully.
ModelZone hasn't got any worse at any of these things - they were never much cop in the first place. But they were conveniently located for many people, and carried a very wide range of useful and desirable products (in their larger stores anyway).

What's changed is that the UK high street has fallen off a cliff, with declining numbers of shoppers with less disposable income, rents have increased exponentially, and ballooning competition from online traders has siphoned off custom from all niche retailers. In case you hadn't noticed, dozens of big and small retail brands have gone to the wall in the last three years. The fact that ModelZone employ young women who may not build Tamiya kits themselves, or that they run sales which don't discount the things you want to buy, has nothing to do with it.
If you're not selling food, clothes or other things people need, your place on the high street is currently precarious in the extreme.

This.

You see it all over the place here, even with more mainstream things such as bookshops and record shops, hardly any left in my home town (Waterstones plus Oxfam 2nd hand bookshop; 1 chain and 1 independent Record shop left) 

[OSHIROmodels]

Every cloud has a silver lining... 

Not really as I would have got them anyway, I just need to get them all now as I won't be able to later (I try and buy as much from the high street as possible for everything).

cheers

James

[joroas]

Out of the blue, my wife suggested going to Merry Hill next weekend.........

[James Holloway]

I too have benefited from the price cuts (going slightly ape in the Cambridge branch -- very slightly, but ape by my standards anyway) and I too feel kind of bad about it. I often went in there, because of its convenient location, but in all honesty they never had that much that I really wanted and couldn't get elsewhere. It's a shame; in my mind's eye I see myself as the sort of person who builds model kits, but in reality I think I may not have the patience.

[leonmallett]

This is a shame as I buy my Vallejo's from them; my local model shop has two guys (brothers I think) owning/running it, and unfortunately the rude surly one mans the shop while the friendly helpful one attends the shows. Leaves online retailers then. :|