To what extent has the recession affected the hobby?

[FNHIR]

Probably a hard question to quantify, but just looking to see what the consensus is out there.

I presume we've all bought less as a result, I know I have, I wonder has anyone had to sell their whole collection? Are we seeing less people on here as their work commitments don't allow them?

Or has it not had too much of an effect?

[1/32 farmer]

now thats a goon question

for me not brought a lot at all  just a few things today in a long time

as for selling yes part of my collection might get rid of the rest as well

just keeping a few collectables

[Lord Ferguson]

Interesting question....

Although I'd say that our hobbies will be less effected than, say, the sale of new cars or washing machines as it's a (relatively) low value hobby.  We all know the value of 'retail therapy' when we are feeling low.

I suppose it is inevitable that some poor buggers will be out of work and for that reason, will be curtailing their spending for a while though

[Murray]

not effected me one bit 

[schw84]

To be honest the recession hasn't directly effected my little area of the hobby, more the lack of things which interest me, I think that there is so much out there which is more or less the same, once you have one set of grass equipment, why do you want any more??? There has been nothing released in the past couple of months which I should imagine is as a direct result of the recession, but there is also the case of where do you put it all? I used to collect with the view that it would retain its value, now with so many models out there I'd only buy something I really liked.

With the recession I am tempted to sell the collection though, even with deflated model prices it would still be a very nice deposit on a house..

[Deere-est]

The recession has actually helped clarify for me what is important to me about the hobby. I want to collect good to high quality models, maybe less in numbers but not always less in value to build up a collection of machines I have a connection with of the real counterparts. I've used a lot of machines during my working life, some I will never own in 1/32 but I am getting ever closer to finding models of many of them.

The interest for me isn't having masses of the same models so that I can be a pretend I am a big contractor. If I can have a nice cabinet and a nice layout where my models can alternate between display and diorama, I'll be happy.  :)

[Paul Palmer]

good question,hasnt really affected me to much,but interesting what tris said about collecting things he has used or drove,i used to do that,then theres masseys ,hardly ever drove them but have an affection for them all,then there is my layout,and im struggling with that,i would like to add a silage gang but afraid of overloading the layout,there are so many models out there that i like,trying to find a balance somewhere is the only answer i think,but yes sure the recession affects us all

[FNHIR]

Good replies so far, question just came to me as I was looking at older posts in searching for info re a conversion and some users that used to be on here the whole time had not been on in ages. Could have been for a totally different reason though!

[tractorbob]

  i dont think i spend  less, just more fussy.. the recession has not affected me at all (phew)  even if i was skint, i would still add to my collection

[51MON]

im with triss on this one  good quality models for my glass display cabenets in my front room 

[Tractorman810]

hasnt really made much difference to me, i had started to buy less ,but more special a while back, as i had huge amounts of stuff with no meaning to me really,which was kind of pointless really,

[Mike R]

For me I mainly now collect the higher detailed models,I used to collect every model that came out now I am choosey and only buy either if I like them or want to review a specific model for the forum mag.

I collect Britains most of All UH  1 3/2 scale Wiking Weiss Replicagri some Siku and Imber

I have just swopped my older Ertls for new high detailed models.I want to keep up with the new releases but I am finding it very hard too theres far to many new releases coming out these days. Mike

[neilw]

Not so much the recession affected my collecting but I had to sell what little I had to help finance my wedding. I only buy stuff I have seen working locally, or that I have seen in years gone by which does help limited purchases anyway. I think it does some good now and again to adopt an "out with the old and in with the new" approach, but only as I have VERY limited space!!!

[AlexMF]

now thats a goon question

for me not brought a lot at all  just a few things today in a long time

as for selling yes part of my collection might get rid of the rest as well

just keeping a few collectables

you rang?

being a student, i was going to be poor recession or no. so it's not! although i don't buy that much, and wouldn't even if i had a lot more £, i just buy what i like and that wouldn't increase with deeper pockets

[Coxy]

for me, i only started to make model in the last year

i am booked up for the next 3-4 months if not longer, so hate to see what it like in the good times

just of someone want a model theywill still try get it

[Ciaran (Perfect-32)]

i think its made the hobby better as any 1 who is with out a job is looking for somthing to do . in the last 3 years their is alot more people seting up big diaramas in theri houses as somthing to do when ever thier is no work.

just an idea but i thin im onto somthing? \

[FNHIR]

i think its made the hobby better as any 1 who is with out a job is looking for somthing to do . in the last 3 years their is alot more people seting up big diaramas in theri houses as somthing to do when ever thier is no work.

just an idea but i thin im onto somthing? \

Could well be Ciarán, I was just throwing the question out there to generate a bit of discussion!

[Ciaran (Perfect-32)]

well im relitivly new to the hole thing but i have freinds that never new about this site or the type of following the hobby has up till now and i must admit ethier did i! and they have started buying loads of models and seting up diarams just for somthing to do. A lot of carpenters have started making up little sheads and stuff aswell for their kids and from that the word has spred and thay cant keep them made,

trubile is some people are charging non resestion prices for items that all they have in comen with the real machine is the same sticker, i know my prices are verry high but i like to think the detail in my models match the prices 

[Eurodeere]

The avalanche of new models has had more effect on people than the recession I believe.

How many people on here have had large reductions in income due to the recession? I would think a small percentage, it could make people rethink about the future but restrict present income, I doubt.

[jdman]

well im relitivly new to the hole thing but i have freinds that never new about this site or the type of following the hobby has up till now and i must admit ethier did i! and they have started buying loads of models and seting up diarams just for somthing to do. A lot of carpenters have started making up little sheads and stuff aswell for their kids and from that the word has spred and thay cant keep them made,

trubile is some people are charging non resestion prices for items that all they have in comen with the real machine is the same sticker, i know my prices are verry high but i like to think the detail in my models match the prices

some people just go over the top with prices and your prices arent too bad concidering the detail and work but i know a few conversionists that are tearing the rear end out of it with seriously high prices with models that other people make aswell and have better detail and have much lower prices

[FNHIR]

some people just go over the top with prices and your prices arent too bad concidering the detail and work but i know a few conversionists that are tearing the rear end out of it with seriously high prices with models that other people make aswell and have better detail and have much lower prices

It's unlikely that that will continue for too long I'd say

[FordTractorCrazy]

it is all about income. If the recession has had a negative influence on your income, it will certainly affect the amount of money you are able and willing to spend on the hobby.

For the people that kept their jobs, most have had a bit of a break with all them prices going down like petrol and electricity, so have actually had more to spend lately. So overall, i dont think it has affected the hobby too much.

What i do see, is that people are spending their money in certain time-periods. Like the beginning of Januari, i saw people buying loads of models. The same was the case around the end of March, beginning of April. Last 3 weeks, i hardly see people posting any new additions, It has probably a lot to do with the weather and work on the land but does show..

[powerrabbit]

This topic also has a strong relation and bearing on the 'where do you see our hobby going?' I think. The recession has had a slight affect, toy fairs that I have attended recently seem to have a few less tables, traders not traveling as far perhaps and public attendance has been down slightly and carrier bags being lighter in their purchased contents. I have bought no models as such since Malvern, a case of running out of storage space more than anything and being more choosey, or should I say more discerning in what I buy considering what's flooding in now. I'm going for the more limited stuff now and concentrating on earlier produced Britains that have eluded me up to now and attempting to build on my collection of Britains figures and animals.

[FNHIR]

This topic also has a strong relation and bearing on the 'where do you see our hobby going?' I think.

Marky only started his topic after seeing mine! 

[Deere-est]

it is all about income. If the recession has had a negative influence on your income, it will certainly affect the amount of money you are able and willing to spend on the hobby.

For the people that kept their jobs, most have had a bit of a break with all them prices going down like petrol and electricity, so have actually had more to spend lately. So overall, i dont think it has affected the hobby too much.

What i do see, is that people are spending their money in certain time-periods. Like the beginning of Januari, i saw people buying loads of models. The same was the case around the end of March, beginning of April. Last 3 weeks, i hardly see people posting any new additions, It has probably a lot to do with the weather and work on the land but does show..

Not here  :'( Petrol now £1.24 and Diesel now £1.25 / Litre  >