🚀 go-pugleaf

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.

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
Craig Dewick - Professional Train Manager (RailCorp) + HO Scale Rail Modeller
http://www.railzone.org -- Check out the RailZone Online Forums! Send email to
craigd@lios.apana.org.au -- RailCorp Train Crew Council: http://www.rctcc.org
Oz Rail Safety List: http://lios.apana.org.au/mailman/listinfo/aus_rail_safety