eldargal
06-13-2011, 06:24 AM
In several of the Finecast threads I mentioned that metal miniatures were now extremely expensive to manufacture with low profit margins, and it wasn't just GW that was raising prices. Well I finally managed to find the source, it was the chap that runs Heresy Miniatures (http://www.heresyminiatures.com/), I've bolded some of the relevent bits:
I am shocked and horrified at the latest price for metal. It has risen another 30% since December, which itself had gone up 12% since the price rise in September. I just can't carry on with the prices as they are on the majority of the range. I need to put prices up to maintain profitability. It saddens me to do it, but it means that there is a reason why GW are charging £8.00+ for single figures these days.
To illustrate, when I started out the metal price was £4.65 a kg plus VAT, it is now £23.75/kg plus VAT, which means in order to get bare minimum profits on the heavier figures at trade discount (which is the bugger in all of the pricing problems), and that ignores additional costs such as packaging, labour, a figure like a Deathball Ogre needs to be price at £22.00 each. Currently they are £12.00, with an option to buy them at £8.00 each if you get 5 or more. Something has to give, the disparity is too great. I think they will have to come with less pieces from now on, ie only two random fists not 6, only two heads not 3, just so I can scrape some savings on the RRP. The NL2, it says on my Excel spreadsheet, should really be £154.00 Laughing My *** Off That one's not gonna happen, i'll tell you that. Fortunately, i don't sell it to Trade so i can limit it to around £65.00 RRP Azaroth DOES sell to trade, so he needs to be £55.00 instead of £30.00. Whah? Again, this just means people won't buy him any more. Have to seriously look into getting him resined up. it can't cost as much as the metal does now.
Just a final reminder - some of the bulky monsters, and some of the surprisingly heavy smaller figures are going to go up in price by over double in some cases, assuming that I continue to sell them to trade. The Snow Troll for example is going to have to rise to £32.00 from £15.00, which is outrageous (purely to allow for a whopping trade discount and still be able to turn a decent % profit on the basic metal cost) and is a prime candidate for not selling except directly. Giant Slugs will be £9.00 for 3 instead of £6.00. All the sci-fi range will be moving from £3.50 to £4.00 or £4.50, in some cases up to £6.00 and the heavy weapons types coming in at the £8.00, £9.00 levels.
Two years ago he was probably £20. Back in the days when metal cost less than it did now by a massive amount. In fact, checking my spreadsheet, I think it was £9.25/kg two years ago around April. Now it's £27.32/kg. Hence he no longer costs £20... Sad
I may as well make him in plutonium for all the difference it would make to sales at this point.
Source is here (http://forum-of-doom.com/index.php?topic=14492.0).
Spent ages looking for this, then found it by accident.:rolleyes:
I am shocked and horrified at the latest price for metal. It has risen another 30% since December, which itself had gone up 12% since the price rise in September. I just can't carry on with the prices as they are on the majority of the range. I need to put prices up to maintain profitability. It saddens me to do it, but it means that there is a reason why GW are charging £8.00+ for single figures these days.
To illustrate, when I started out the metal price was £4.65 a kg plus VAT, it is now £23.75/kg plus VAT, which means in order to get bare minimum profits on the heavier figures at trade discount (which is the bugger in all of the pricing problems), and that ignores additional costs such as packaging, labour, a figure like a Deathball Ogre needs to be price at £22.00 each. Currently they are £12.00, with an option to buy them at £8.00 each if you get 5 or more. Something has to give, the disparity is too great. I think they will have to come with less pieces from now on, ie only two random fists not 6, only two heads not 3, just so I can scrape some savings on the RRP. The NL2, it says on my Excel spreadsheet, should really be £154.00 Laughing My *** Off That one's not gonna happen, i'll tell you that. Fortunately, i don't sell it to Trade so i can limit it to around £65.00 RRP Azaroth DOES sell to trade, so he needs to be £55.00 instead of £30.00. Whah? Again, this just means people won't buy him any more. Have to seriously look into getting him resined up. it can't cost as much as the metal does now.
Just a final reminder - some of the bulky monsters, and some of the surprisingly heavy smaller figures are going to go up in price by over double in some cases, assuming that I continue to sell them to trade. The Snow Troll for example is going to have to rise to £32.00 from £15.00, which is outrageous (purely to allow for a whopping trade discount and still be able to turn a decent % profit on the basic metal cost) and is a prime candidate for not selling except directly. Giant Slugs will be £9.00 for 3 instead of £6.00. All the sci-fi range will be moving from £3.50 to £4.00 or £4.50, in some cases up to £6.00 and the heavy weapons types coming in at the £8.00, £9.00 levels.
Two years ago he was probably £20. Back in the days when metal cost less than it did now by a massive amount. In fact, checking my spreadsheet, I think it was £9.25/kg two years ago around April. Now it's £27.32/kg. Hence he no longer costs £20... Sad
I may as well make him in plutonium for all the difference it would make to sales at this point.
Source is here (http://forum-of-doom.com/index.php?topic=14492.0).
Spent ages looking for this, then found it by accident.:rolleyes: