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Tamiya prices at Tower/MAP Pricing

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Just noticed that a lot of the Tamiya prices at Tower are outrageous.  High Lift kits were recently in the 450-470 range (as they still are elsewhere)!  Now prices at $630 plus.  What gives I wonder?

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Towers prices on higher end Tamiya kits have always been high. Even with discount codes, its usually cheaper to go to Tamico, or Rcmart. But the regular re-re kits such as the new 2018 Manta Ray are actually cheaper with the codes. I have no idea who prices these kits out, but since they are still a business, it would make sense for them to compare prices with other retailers.

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While I agree they have always been on the higher end (all are vs rc mart and other asian retailers before taking shipping into account) this appears to take it to a whole new level.  Another example, they had asked I think $779 for the Bruiser since forever ago and now want $1,059.  I'm more concerned if this price hike (over 36%) will be at other retailers too or if it is a product of their recent bankruptcy.

They have the Lunchbox priced over $140!  That was $100-$110 recently.

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Those were NOT that high a week ago. I just bought a Tundra from HobbyKing for 290something. Tower's price on it was like 460. It was not 637. Something in their system is either messed up or they have bumped the prices very close to retail. I won't shop there any longer if those prices stay in those ranges.

 

Horizon Hobby (the buyers of Tower) have their prices hiked up very high as well. Nice.

 

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Went up significantly. Hope this isnt going to be at other shops, not a chance i am buying an avante for $625 or a lunchbox for $175

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Holy mud! That's outrageous! Some of the kit prices have jumped over $100. All of them are up significantly. I did a quick look around using the Super Clod Buster as a comparison. Stormer and Amain hobbies still have it at around $299. Tower and their sister, Omni models, have the price jacked up to $412. Not surprisingly, Horizon, who now owns Tower, are also is selling the Super Clod for $412. Thanks for buying Tower Hobbies, Horizon...and thanks for ruining it.:angry:

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I asked Tower, here is the response:

 


Thank you for contacting Tower Hobbies.

MAP (MINIMUM ADVERTISED PRICE) is a policy that some manufacturers implement to establish the lowest prices at which retailers and other resellers are allowed to advertise their products.

Tower Hobbies just received (and put into effect) this regulation from Tamiya. This is the reason for the higher pricing than what existed for us previously.

We appreciate your patience and understanding

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I noticed this yesterday but I'm having issues finding some of the models I want to buy.  Unfortunately Tower has been such a huge presents in the states that their aren't a lot of good options. 

One thing I know for sure is that i'm not buying from them at the current price.  

 

AMain has the Grasshopper for $99 - 

Tower wants $132.....Umm NO!!!

 

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I wonder if it has anything to do with tower owing tamiya a few hundred grand? Well i am sure they know now they just killed their tamiya sales

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I'm betting you are right. I guess we will see if other sellers increase their prices.

 

That Bruiser clone is probably not looking too bad now! 300 vs 1,000.

 

 

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I guess Tamiya is trying to say that it is a "quality brand."  (befitting higher price)

Just a few days ago, a hobbyshop owner on youtube was saying how Tamiya wants to raise the price to discourage discounts, etc. 

1)  For people who don't know Tamiya, this type of marketing could work.  "Hmm, Arrma and Tamiya are same price, they must be same in quality."  

2)  This could backfire for people who know Tamiya, since Tamiya is known for inexpensive entry-level RC. 

 

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Just checked Amain, their prices for their Tamiya stuff is now the same as Tower. $1,000 Bruiser, $428 Sand Scorcher. 

A big thumbs down for Tamiya USA :angry:

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1 hour ago, Rb4276 said:

I wonder if it has anything to do with tower owing tamiya a few hundred grand?

I hope you're right. I curious if Horizon also recently upped their prices on Tamiya in reaction to absorbing Tower (Hobbico) and in turn their outstanding debt to Tamiya. I guess we'll have to wait and see if other retailers begin cranking up their Tamiya prices. So far, not yet. Well, I was tempted to buy a Manta Ray from them, but not now. 

34 minutes ago, Juggular said:

I guess Tamiya is trying to say that it is a "quality brand."  (befitting higher price)

If this is the case, I'm done. I can't afford this extreme price hike. Outrageous.

Edit:

Just now, one_hit said:

Just checked Amain, their prices for their Tamiya stuff is now the same as Tower. $1,000 Bruiser, $428 Sand Scorcher. 

A big thumbs down for Tamiya USA :angry:

Well, that changed in a hurry. You're right, one_hit. Just this morning Amain was $299 for the Super Clod and now this afternoon its $412, same as Tower and all the rest. I'm completely gutted.:(

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These are some really big increases. I'm glad I jumped on a $500 Bruiser last year now.

I wonder if this is going to happen everywhere or just the US market.

Totally with you on the gutted part. Some of these are cheaper just going to order from RCMart with shipping now.

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2 hours ago, tamiya_1971 said:

I asked Tower, here is the response:

 


Thank you for contacting Tower Hobbies.

MAP (MINIMUM ADVERTISED PRICE) is a policy that some manufacturers implement to establish the lowest prices at which retailers and other resellers are allowed to advertise their products.

Tower Hobbies just received (and put into effect) this regulation from Tamiya. This is the reason for the higher pricing than what existed for us previously.

We appreciate your patience and understanding

I found this thread on another rc forum...

https://www.rctankwarfare.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25362

30_A0_AF1_D_8_BF6_4_AE3_A216_648_A299388

It is unclear if/when/how this may affect U.K. or the EU sellers or distributors.

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Wow. I can only hope that Tamiya loses sales due to this and they drop their prices. I don't see this going the way they want it to. This is terribly disappointing.

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Yeah, I've been doing searches across some other model forums. Looks like all Tamiya products are affected, even plastic models. The next question, as was stated, is if this affects Tamiya pricing across the globe. There is the theory that the shrinking of hobbies in general may be to blame. I could see gradual price increases as a result of this to cover diminishing sales. This sudden, violent, price increase seems a lot more like simple greed to me unfortunately. I'm also not too keen on Tamiya fixing prices and then bullying dealers into submission. I've held Tamiya in the highest regard in the past. I'll try my best to reserve judgement until it all shakes out but my opinion (and support as a loyal customer) is plummeting fast. Don't get me wrong, I realize, as one customer, I'm just a nobody expressing their woes on the web. 

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If this is the case across the board and for the foreseeable future then goodbye Tamiya.  I expect that far less will be willing to pay these new retail prices for their stuff, I sure won't.  Then again, I guess the value of all my 30 odd NIB kits just went up 35%.

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4 hours ago, tamiya_1971 said:

I asked Tower, here is the response:

 


Thank you for contacting Tower Hobbies.

MAP (MINIMUM ADVERTISED PRICE) is a policy that some manufacturers implement to establish the lowest prices at which retailers and other resellers are allowed to advertise their products.

Tower Hobbies just received (and put into effect) this regulation from Tamiya. This is the reason for the higher pricing than what existed for us previously.

We appreciate your patience and understanding

Tamiya USA just priced themselves out of the R/C market then. $150 for a Lunchbox? by the time you add bearings, radio gear, battery, paint, ect.......add another $100 to the cost. Its a fun truck, but not when you compare it to say a Traxxas RTR that is 10x more durable, with plentiful parts everywhere.

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Hi everyone, this is very disheartening. I’m glad I have a nice amount of NIB kits to build.  At the same time, I guess my NIB bruiser is now worth 1K wow. How does this price hike affect individuals who profit from selling tamiya vehicles? I never thought Towerhobbies would be destroyed like this (at least for me).

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1 hour ago, 4x4 Chris said:

I never thought Towerhobbies would be destroyed like this (at least for me).

I was initially ticked at Tower until further research showed they are not to blame since all US shops carrying Tamiya have been force (by Tamiya) to raise their prices. If prices aren't hiked in countries other than the US, this raises the question of a theory posted on another board, possible cause being related to the Trump tariffs.

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Even though it wouldn't surprising, I actually think this may be one thing that trump isn't responsible for, lol

The entire toy and hobby market is taking a pretty severe financial beating, and Tamiya is most likely taking fairly standard measures that any company their size would. While Kyosho has sold to be liquidated, Tamiya is left as one of the last few standing, and enforcing msrp is a simple measure that will boost the value of the company at large.

At least that's my hope! :ph34r:

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8 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

I was initially ticked at Tower until further research showed they are not to blame since all US shops carrying Tamiya have been force (by Tamiya) to raise their prices. If prices aren't hiked in countries other than the US, this raises the question of a theory posted on another board, possible cause being related to the Trump tariffs.

reading that linked forum, its at least the UK as well and applies to all Tamiya distrutors. Time will tell if this is a good move my Tamiya

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Raising prices = fewer sales

In a shrinking market, that's not going to bring up the value of a company. Nobody mentioned the wholesale cost going up, so this just effects their distributors sales & customers cost. If that makes their brand look better, more power to them. Personally, I think it looks the opposite.

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