Well, given the economic changes, supply chain cost increases, regulatory costs, shipping rates, and all the other expenses that a small business must incur, it will be necessary for us to make a few changes in 2024.
Free Shipping will still be offered, but we will have to increase the minimum threshold from $50.00 to $60.00. The price for shipping under that threshold will remain at $9.99. Most of our competitors are in the $100 range for Free Shipping so we think we are still the better deal in this regard.
Prices will begin changing to a “quarter rounded” pricing system instead of the .09 cent rounding we currently have. This should help facilitate reaching the minimum shipping threshold without having that last penny or two needed to get there. This change is really being prompted by the changes in pricing that must take place for the Pendraken line we carry. If you want to know the factors behind the Pendraken price increases, you can check out their 2024 price increase blog article here, which explains how and mostly why they are raising prices. Given the numbers, they really have no other choice. We’re trying to absorb that increase to some extent, but we too are dealing with similar “stress factors”.
Now for the good stuff!
We are adding a few new product lines to our catalog in 2024, because if you’re not growing your losing… so I am told.
Some of you may have already noticed the Scalextric 1/32 scale slot car products, we hope this line will take off and we can in some small way do our part to enhance this excellent hobby.
We’ve also begun adding a new paint line, Mission Models Acrylic Paints, which will give us a non-dangerous goods option for thinners and brush/airbrush cleaners – all 100% made here in the United States – Burbank, CA to be precise. I don’t know how they do it, but we’ve heard good things from customers and finally decided to take the plunge for a paint line to augment our existing offerings, not only for historical modelling, but they have a range for R/C Models too.
Speaking of which, we plan to add Radio Control to the catalog in 2024 as well, starting with crawlers and other vehicles in several scales between 1/6th and 1/24th.
And we’ll see where all of that takes us going into the spring… BTW: We’ve ordered over 1,100 packs of figures from Pendraken to begin delivery in January of 2024. We remain committed to expanding our stock in this line across all of their ranges.
There are other plans in the works, including a new 1:144 scale product line, but we’ll have to hold off on those until the time is right. In the meantime, keep the perspective – “Cool Minis – Cool Games – Fun Times ™”
