Estes Support

[Azamiryou]

The argument is that Estes is targeting the beginner or new guy that is just getting into to the hobby. While this is true for with the smaller kits, that argument goes out the window when you start talking models in the $60-$70 and up price range. Beginners are not buying Saturn V or the new Shuttle as their first or second rocket.

A beginner buying for themself might not, but a grandparent buying a grandkid their first rocket? There are definitely some who will do that.

(Just like a lot more people will buy a $300 pen as a gift than will buy one for themselves.)

 

[Back_at_it]

Don't understand Estes or don't understand the people who buy these products?

The people that buy the products.

 

[Capt. Eric]

Their pricing does make me scratch my head sometimes. The Red Sapphire was a good example. And I don't see how they sell a Big Red Max for $55 (less when it was on sale), then charge $90 for the Leviathan and Ventris, etc. And they didn't even come in a fancy box like the DBRM does!

 

[mh9162013]

Their pricing does make me scratch my head sometimes. The Red Sapphire was a good example. And I don't see how they sell a Big Red Max for $55 (less when it was on sale), then charge $90 for the Leviathan and Ventris, etc. And they didn't even come in a fancy box like the DBRM does!

Yet those products still sell. I don't quite get it either, but more power to Estes if they can cater to a certain market segment.

 

[Buzzard]

I believe that it reflects the Quanity of Scale. If you make 100 of something, it costs a lot more that if you make 10,000 of them. So the smaller amount costs more to make per unit. Think if a car manufacturer only made 1,000 of a type of vehicle. Each one would have to include the R&D, tooling, etc. Some of those costs would be lower per unit if 100,000 were made.
Or they could just charge a lot for the exclusivity of the kit...

Chas

 

[sr205347d]

- RTF models. The argument is that Estes is targeting the beginner or new guy that is just getting into to the hobby. While this is true for with the smaller kits, that argument goes out the window when you start talking models in the $60-$70 and up price range. Beginners are not buying Saturn V or the new Shuttle as their first or second rocket. True scale model collectors aren't buying these as they aren't to scale and they lack the details that a collector would want.

RC airplanes went that way a long time ago. You can't even buy a kit. If you want to build, then it is scratch.

 

[Art Upton]

RC airplanes went that way a long time ago. You can't even buy a kit. If you want to build, then it is scratch.

Even SIG's RC classic kits are all "out of stock", they still have and sell ARFs, which take some building unlike RTFs. In the past I could build an ARF in a weekend including the Friday night.

But "Kits of Sticks" could take months or even a year depending on the effort you put into it.
For Airplanes I now prefer ARFs over kits of sticks, it let me have more time to fly on weekends rather then build kits of sticks.

 

[sr205347d]

For Airplanes I now prefer ARFs over kits of sticks, it let me have more time to fly on weekends rather then build kits of sticks.

Maybe Estes thinks that all rockets should go the same way. That way they can make a bigger profit margin on Chinese made models.

 

[Capt. Eric]

They still make a variety of kits for different desires or skill levels,which I think is good. And perhaps the quantity of scale is at least part of the reason for price disparity. But that doesn't explain all of it, or the Red Sapphire incident. Charging what the market will bare is the bigger influence I think. They are watching eBay!

 

[Azamiryou]

They are watching eBay!

Honestly, I approve of Estes getting more of the collector's money and the eBay scalper getting less of it.

 

[Capt. Eric]

Honestly, I approve of Estes getting more of the collector's money and the eBay scalper getting less of it.

I somewhat agree with the sentiment, I just wish it didn't affect me as much. I was interested in some of the bring backs, but not at the prices they were at. I'd rather see less markup for "collector" rockets. I don't know of a practical way to combat that.

 

[cwbullet]

I somewhat agree with the sentiment, I just wish it didn't affect me as much. I was interested in some of the bring backs, but not at the prices they were at. I'd rather see less markup for "collector" rockets. I don't know of a practical way to combat that.

If I were running Estes, I would look at that scalper sales and produce kits to reduce it. Obviously, if someone is willing to pay $300 for a Pro Nike Smoke, Estes could produce them cheaper.

I recently saw a port-potty rocket go for over $130.

 

[NTP2]

I recently saw a port-potty rocket go for over $130.

I think you missed out!

 

[Back_at_it]

RC airplanes went that way a long time ago. You can't even buy a kit. If you want to build, then it is scratch.

I saw the same thing happen with RC Cars. When I first started with them the only options were kits unless you wanted Radio Shack or Walmart junk. Traxxas came along and introduced RTR to the hobby and kits started to dry up. Thankfully, not all brands went RTR and in recent years, kits have made a huge comeback.

In a hobby where things break often, you need to understand how to fix them. I just don't see that happening with the in the RTR and RTF world. Everything has become disposable.

 

[gldknght]

I saw the same thing happen with RC Cars. When I first started with them the only options were kits unless you wanted Radio Shack or Walmart junk. Traxxas came along and introduced RTR to the hobby and kits started to dry up. Thankfully, not all brands went RTR and in recent years, kits have made a huge comeback.

In a hobby where things break often, you need to understand how to fix them. I just don't see that happening with the in the RTR and RTF world. Everything has become disposable.

This is true. And with most ARF, RFT or RTB aircraft, they have mostly gone to using foam for everything. One sort of hard crash, you don't repair anything, you have to replace.