🚀 go-pugleaf

C. Dewick wrote:

> Jane Sullivan <jane@yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk> writes:
> 
>>In message <1WCde.16397$0X6.15316@edtnps90>, B Dixon <WDixon@telus.net>
>>writes
>>>For unique, low production run models, the direct sales method gives a
>>>better (and faster) return to the manufacturer than the hobby store
>>>route.
> 
>>I wasn't suggesting the hobby store route. I was suggesting that the
>>manufacture appoint an agent (one agent) in the overseas countries where
>>he/she expects to sell several models, to eliminate the customers' pain
>>of trying to import the models individually, that's all.
> 
> I'm in agreeance with you Jane - I think that appointing a single
> distributor to support products from an overseas (in this case,
> Australian) manufacturer makes a lot of sense especially from a
> marketting/sales point of view. The manufacturer can drive the production
> side to keep costs contained and the distributor can collaborate with the
> manufacturer on marketting and sales support. Providing the distributor
> does it's job well, the sales will flow the revenue back to the
> manufacturer in such a way that the manufacturer can continue to supply
> existing products and develop new ones.
> 
> This would be especially beneficial for the European market where there is
> much more awareness of Australian prototype models than in the saturated
> US-centric model railway market in the USA/Canada. I personally feel that
> until the US model railway industry pulls it's head in a bit, it will be
> very difficult to see a lot of penetration by Australian prototype models,
> even with the high profile (locally anyway) of Austrains and now with Ron
> Cunningham's Eureka Models venture adding to the availability of
> super-high-quality RTR Australian-prototype models.
> 
> I've never once seen an add for Austrains locos in any of the issues of MR
> or RMC I read (and I get RMC on subscription), for example. With the
> success of the NR's (which is Austrain's 'signature' model at the moment),
> you'd think there would have been at least some promotion directly in
> either one or both of the premier model railway mags in the US... 8-)
> 
> On the flipside, did Lima's Australian prototype products ever do any good
> in markets outside of Australia? My guess is that they were basically
> unknown in the USA/Canada and better known in Europe, but Europe has
> plenty of well-established manufacturers and Lima's Australian-prototype
> products were never a peak item in the companie's product inventory.
> 

In the case of the 44's they would sell in both Greece and in Spain as
the prototypes were used there with local mods of course. And the 45 was
used in Greece and the body shells of the 48 look close to a greek bo-bo
alco branch liner.