1/64 Model Collectors Thread

  • Thread starter SVX
  • 55,425 comments
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Do you take your cars out of the blisters?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 315 50.8%

  • Kinda, I open most of them.

    Votes: 127 20.5%

  • Nope.

    Votes: 90 14.5%

  • Yes and no. I buy a second for opening/customizing.

    Votes: 125 20.2%
  • Total voters
    620
http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/minicars-hot-wheels-nissan-r390-gt1-road-car/

001-4654_HotWheels-NissanR390GT1.jpg
 
I’m just wondering if exporting Hot Wheels, etc, is worth investing in a small business venture. They all seem to be dirt cheap here (Thailand), even 7 Eleven has special packs for the price of a pack of smokes.

I know nothing about the collector scene other that it’s quite popular. I’ve never actually bought any but always check out the latest releases whenever I run out for snacks.

Can anyone suggest if it’s worth the hassle to get into exporting?
 
W3HS
I’m just wondering if exporting Hot Wheels, etc, is worth investing in a small business venture. They all seem to be dirt cheap here (Thailand), even 7 Eleven has special packs for the price of a pack of smokes.

I know nothing about the collector scene other that it’s quite popular. I’ve never actually bought any but always check out the latest releases whenever I run out for snacks.

Can anyone suggest if it’s worth the hassle to get into exporting?
Click to expand...

Short answer: probably not.

Long answer: That boils down to which buyers you're targeting, I'm guessing that would be collectors like us here, those who are actively ready to hand people money for new stuff. Considering how some of us already have local access to Hot Wheels and other brands, one thing you have to compete with our box stores on is price. Having to ship may very much be a deal breaker for us if we were to buy from you.

So what other options can you look at:
1) Offering stuff we can't get locally, brands our stores don't carry, or country-exclusive things.
2) Offering us the stuff we want, where you get super catered in what you stock up on.

There are already a ton of people in the States who order boxes of Hot Wheels releases just like our box stores and post individual ones on eBay (for example). These cater to us because we don't have to go to stores HOPING the giant bin of cars will have what we're looking for. They profit a little (or a lot depending how hot the item becomes), and a business can be had (as far as I can see). In East-Asia, there are another handful of eBay sellers doing the same with brands more accessible over there like Tomica, Mini-GT, and Hobby64.

Thailand and Hot Wheels, I think til this day, is still very much focused on selling the scarce ones, "Super Treasure Hunts" as they known. In theory, every box of regular Hot Wheels (about 36 if I recall correctly), one of them is one of these super treasure hunts... so yeah they're rare. Thailand is one of the 2 places where Hot Wheels are manufactured, and word has it that staff from the assembly line snag them and sell them on eBay for lots of moolah. Although the Super Treasure Hunts are where profitability is one of the highest, it'll be hard to compete with several sellers on eBay.

Your niche would have to be something not already done. What would that be? I'm unsure at this time. My brain power is reaching its limit by this point of writing. I think the logic to follow to discovering that niche is to identify all markets already being done and then looking for what hasn't been done based on that list.



______________________________

@R1600Turbo

wLdCGme.jpg


Comes with unapplied decals, and apparently only 1248 were made. The already applied decals aren't even that bad, and this is a Tarmac Works too.
 
AOS-
@R1600Turbo

wLdCGme.jpg


Comes with unapplied decals, and apparently only 1248 were made. The already applied decals aren't even that bad, and this is a Tarmac Works too.
Click to expand...
Tarmac Works models just aren't worth it in my opinion. The moulds aren't that crisp and the decals look cheap with poor placement on occasion. I don't think the price is reflective of the overall quality, which turns me off completely. I've only ever bought 3 models and I don't intend to get anymore because the value proposition doesn't add up.
 
domalorite
Surprising no one post this. TLV not in fashion anymore?
Click to expand...

Ordered it yesterday. Hell of a lot cheaper than I imagined it was going to be. If it actually makes it out of Japan (my last order was sent back thanks to Japan Post's Covid shipping restrictions), it'll be my first TLV in over a year. :lol: Don't collect much these days. It's not just TLV's, my interest in the hobby overall just isn't what it used to be. Couldn't really pass this one up though.
 
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Spacegoat
Ordered it yesterday. Hell of a lot cheaper than I imagined it was going to be. If it actually makes it out of Japan (my last order was sent back thanks to Japan Post's Covid shipping restrictions), it'll be my first TLV in over a year. :lol: Don't collect much these days. It's not just TLV's, my interest in the hobby overall just isn't what it used to be. Couldn't really pass this one up though.
Click to expand...

Yep, there are some releases that I cannot pass either. But, gone are the days I could readily get any die cast. Now I have to resort to online stores. My last purchase was the TLV F355 from Japan Booster. I have preordered the NSX from them as well, and waiting for the R32 to be made available.
 
domalorite
Yep, there are some releases that I cannot pass either. But, gone are the days I could readily get any die cast. Now I have to resort to online stores. My last purchase was the TLV F355 from Japan Booster. I have preordered the NSX from them as well, and waiting for the R32 to be made available.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll never completely stop collecting but the days of having a couple of cars preordered every month are long gone.
 
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CLowndes888
Tarmac Works models just aren't worth it in my opinion. The moulds aren't that crisp and the decals look cheap with poor placement on occasion. I don't think the price is reflective of the overall quality, which turns me off completely. I've only ever bought 3 models and I don't intend to get anymore because the value proposition doesn't add up.
Click to expand...

I'm well aware of your opinion from past lives. I was hesitant on the brand as well, but thankfully the decals aren't as noticeably textured like they used to many moons ago. I really like this car and decided against paying $30 for a basic Majorette. The display case, decals and labeled "limited edition" sweetens everything knowing that there is a declared scarcity.
 
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