Tamiya prices at Tower/MAP Pricing

[Juggernut]

Looks like online retailers can use one of those "to get the real price, add to cart" button.  Not sure what programming would be required for online retailers to re-tool their websites to comply but it definitely isn't free and may not be worth the hassle.

Just seems silly and totally unnecessary to me.

[Juggernut]

12 minutes ago, GTodd said:

I believe this is US only. I just ordered an Egress from RCMart for "just" 340 (ps that's the exact price it sold for in 1990) plus 44.00 shipping. Still about 200 less than tower shipped 

That's what it looks like.  Or possibly, rcMart just doesn't care what Tamiya's requirements are?  Their volume may be high enough where they can dare Tamiya to take action?

[tamiya3speed]

I think it was Losi that used to have a MAP and you had to add it to the cart to see the real price.   Curious that none of the retailers seemed to try that method.  I wonder if the communication to retailers was as bad as it was to the public and they had no time to implement the authorized work arounds.

[markbt73]

Well hey, at least they finally spelled it out.

Speaking of RCMart, Stella, etc: the "Grey Market Information" tab is an interesting (funny) read. Basically, it amounts to "Please don't order our stuff from unauthorized dealers, or we will be sad."

But it's better, I think, to go to your local shop (if you are fortunate enough to still have one) and ask them for a price on the kit you want. I don't know if this is the intended consequence of this move, but it's the only positive outcome I can see.

[Juggernut]

56 minutes ago, markbt73 said:

Speaking of RCMart, Stella, etc: the "Grey Market Information" tab is an interesting (funny) read. Basically, it amounts to "Please don't order our stuff from unauthorized dealers, or we will be sad."

I read "In order to ensure the proper palms get greased, only buy through White Market channels".

If you want to laugh even harder, follow this link:

[Saito2]

3 hours ago, Juggernut said:

If you want to laugh even harder, follow this link:

You know, I played along to see what Tamiya dealers might be near me and came up with 3 about 50 minutes from my house. Too bad the first one deals strictly with model trains and the second one's owner has been dead for a year and the shop long since closed (he only sold plastic models). The third one is Hobby Lobby who sells a few Tamiya jar paints among with artsy mirrors, clocks, wreaths, picture frames and Thanksgiving decorations. I wonder if they will order me an Avante and then sell it under MAP to me? Or...I could just give up and hand my business over to rcMart. Oops so much for supporting my local Tamiya dealers and enriching the brand. 

[OCD]

I'm noticing a common theme with a lot of the dissenting comments in this thread. It seems that a lot of you are convinced that Tamiya makes a significant portion of their profits from North American markets. Why is this? Unless I'm mistaken, Tamiya has all but pulled out of the United States market after ending the TRF program, closing the headquarters, and now closing the track that resided on the property they sold.

Again, maybe I'm mistaken, but does anyone here really believe that the increase in MAP pricing was anything but a global strategy? Tamiya sells most of its products in asia, and very little of that is RC items to begin with. How exactly would increasing their pricing in a very exclusive/tiny market ever translate to a significant impact in their overall sales? Or maybe a better question, how would the bean-counters ever allow it? Surely I can't be the only one that sees the flawed logic behind this?

[tamiya3speed]

3 minutes ago, OCD said:

I'm noticing a common theme with a lot of the dissenting comments in this thread. It seems that a lot of you are convinced that Tamiya makes a significant portion of their profits from North American markets. Why is this? Unless I'm mistaken, Tamiya has all but pulled out of the United States market after ending the TRF program, closing the headquarters, and now closing the track that resided on the property they sold.

Tamiya USA is alive and kicking.  My LHS orders most of my Tamiya kits and parts from them.  I did hear the track is closing. 

I think the biggest issue is what is going to incentivize a dealer from selling under MAP if all US online sources have to sell at MAP?  They want the most profit they can get.  I'm lucky that my shop doesn't try to gouge me with the new prices.  When he retires I will most likely go Rcmart exclusive if MAP remains.

[OCD]

15 hours ago, tamiya3speed said:

Tamiya USA is alive and kicking.  My LHS orders most of my Tamiya kits and parts from them.  I did hear the track is closing. 

I think the biggest issue is what is going to incentivize a dealer from selling under MAP if all US online sources have to sell at MAP?  They want the most profit they can get.  I'm lucky that my shop doesn't try to gouge me with the new prices.  When he retires I will most likely go Rcmart exclusive if MAP remains.

Yes, I realize you represent anecdotal sales. I don't doubt that a market exists. I'm just contending that it's by no means a significant focus for Tamiya.

And Tamiya America has contracted out their entire Aliso Viejo operation to a fulfillment warehouse. They haven't hosted Tamiyacon since what, 2008? And how about the "Tamiya T.A.B.S." competition that disappeared over two years ago? Did anyone even notice?

We are in really bleak times for crafting hobbies like scale modeling and RC. I'd be willing to bet it COSTS Tamiya money to stay in the NA market. A few lost sales here and there is meaningless in the bigger picture.

[Saito2]

27 minutes ago, OCD said:

It seems that a lot of you are convinced that Tamiya makes a significant portion of their profits from North American markets

Quite the opposite. I've always felt that Tamiya's presence in the US has been shrinking for some time now. While companies like Traxxas and Axial expanded to be what average folks picture when when they think "RC", Tamiya has faded into obscurity, remembered only by us "old timers" who were in the thick of it in the 80's. I'm well aware that RC and hobbies in general are a shrinking market but I want Tamiya to succeed. We can debate the truth behind all the good intentions spelled out on Tamiya MAP page but I'd rather not speculate. The fact is, this policy has made it even more difficult for the Tamiya faithful to buy their products in the US from US stores. For as much as they were vilified for crushing the competition, Tower Hobbies was in the US and had US employees working there. I've also mail ordered from brick and mortar shops across the country who had an online presence. I can't go into these distant shops and haggle for a realistic price. Now it looks like I have no choice but to go to the likes of rcMart if I want to continue purchasing new kits. Now that the dust has settled, the MAP page is up on Tamiya USA and speculation can end, the simple fact is Tamiya has made it harder to purchase the products we love from them here in the US.

 

16 minutes ago, OCD said:

We are in really bleak times for crafting hobbies like scale modeling and RC.

I agree totally but I won't to be complacent about it.

[Juggernut]

3 hours ago, Saito2 said:

You know, I played along to see what Tamiya dealers might be near me and came up with 3 about 50 minutes from my house. Too bad the first one deals strictly with model trains and the second one's owner has been dead for a year and the shop long since closed (he only sold plastic models). The third one is Hobby Lobby who sells a few Tamiya jar paints among with artsy mirrors, clocks, wreaths, picture frames and Thanksgiving decorations. I wonder if they will order me an Avante and then sell it under MAP to me? Or...I could just give up and hand my business over to rcMart. Oops so much for supporting my local Tamiya dealers and enriching the brand. 

That's was pretty much my experience.

3 hours ago, OCD said:

I'm noticing a common theme with a lot of the dissenting comments in this thread. It seems that a lot of you are convinced that Tamiya makes a significant portion of their profits from North American markets. Why is this? 

Regardless of their current profit base, seems counter intuitive to make it that much harder for those of us living in the US to purchase their products.  Unless they've just given up on 300+ million potential consumers.  Considering I can't buy Tamiya from a local hobby store and it appears the  US online retailers don't have the resources or motivation to retool their websites to comply.  Maybe it doesn't matter given the current state of RC, but jeez, why add an extra hurdle for some spurious aura of eliteness? 

Also, MAP pricing on a Bruiser is $1000+.  The knock off is $250.  I can't help but feel insulted and sad at the same time.

 

[OCD]

3 hours ago, Saito2 said:

Quite the opposite. I've always felt that Tamiya's presence in the US has been shrinking for some time now. While companies like Traxxas and Axial expanded to be what average folks picture when when they think "RC", Tamiya has faded into obscurity, remembered only by us "old timers" who were in the thick of it in the 80's. I'm well aware that RC and hobbies in general are a shrinking market but I want Tamiya to succeed. We can debate the truth behind all the good intentions spelled out on Tamiya MAP page but I'd rather not speculate. The fact is, this policy has made it even more difficult for the Tamiya faithful to buy their products in the US from US stores. For as much as they were vilified for crushing the competition, Tower Hobbies was in the US and had US employees working there. I've also mail ordered from brick and mortar shops across the country who had an online presence. I can't go into these distant shops and haggle for a realistic price. Now it looks like I have no choice but to go to the likes of rcMart if I want to continue purchasing new kits. Now that the dust has settled, the MAP page is up on Tamiya USA and speculation can end, the simple fact is Tamiya has made it harder to purchase the products we love from them here in the US.

 

I agree totally but I won't to be complacent about it.

So if you admit that Tamiya probably isn't making a significant profit in the NA market, then you can understand my confusion regarding all of the criticism surrounding their efforts to stop the bleeding. Instead we're hearing a lot about how great Traxxas and Axial are etc. Which is ironic because one of those companies is largely responsible for bankrupting Hobbico, which is Tower Hobbies' parent company. I know someone who worked for Horizon, which was partially employee owned at that time. Guess what happened to those shares? And as far as Axial goes? Well I haven't seen anything they've produced in their own factories, so comparing them to Tamiya isn't really defending the position that "if they just did things like Axial did, they would get my money".

 

Not that any of that matters, because everyone here has made it clear they have no issue circumventing these outlets anyhow -- Because in most cases folks want to save money, not support some corporation who is just trying to maintain profitability.

 

My point is that trying to frame Tamiya as a bad actor for doing something any company in their position would do, is basically less than complacency IMO. If you truly want Tamiya to succeed, idly complaining about their procedural corporate business decisions is an odd place to start. And I say procedural, because unless you have some kind of privileged insider info that the rest of us don't know, I'm going to safely assume a company as old (and Japanese) as Tamiya won't be participating in risky, unorthodox business moves. MAP marketing schemes are common and effective at increasing company valuation, which translates to access to cash/credit, and I imagine that's why they've employed it. This is a belt-tightening measure to whether the drought. Sure it's going to have an effect on the relatively small number of markets that they've shunted, but this is an always evolving thing. They will come back when the money is there, pure and simple.

[Hibernaculum]

4 hours ago, OCD said:

And Tamiya America has contracted out their entire Aliso Viejo operation to a fulfillment warehouse.

Does that mean they don't have the public-facing Tamiya shop anymore? I went there back in 2007, it was pretty cool.

On a connected note - I would just like to say that the www.tamiyausa.com website has problems from a marketing standpoint. Parts of it feel dead. But most notably:

• The contact form (for US customers) cannot even be submitted because the Google "CAPTCHA" box is throwing an error about being defunct, preventing the whole form working. (Unless it's just me...)
• In the footer of the site, links to http://www.teamtrf.com/ and http://www.tamiyarcforums.com/ are dead.
• Also in the footer, the link to http://www.tamiyamodelers.com/ goes to some spam site.

Embarrassing. I wrote them a message via the mobile site (as it throws to an email address), and they wrote back to say they will look into it ASAP.

Just kidding. I got zero response.

Which is also what happens whenever I contact Tamiya in Japan. And also the Australian "contact" for Tamiya (which according to this spam friendly page of raw email addresses, is just some dude's email. Which must be full of spam by now.)

Tamiya's online "strategy" needs massive work. And the fact they don't appear to have one in 2018, and their websites are poorly maintained, is something I find more surprising than MAP, or hobby shop stock, or anything else. An active online presence is extremely important for any business.

[GTodd]

So strange, just 10 years ago Tamiya had a HUGE presence here. There were booths and events at the Indycar race in Long Beach, they sponsored drivers racing all over CA, 1/8 buggies and Truggies going head to head with AE, Lossi, and Kyosho. Tamiya sponsored events for parking lot series etc. The 501 series of cars were champs. What happened?

Traxxas has proven that RC Cars can still be profitable. Come on Tamiya sell some RTRs based on kits, dumb them down to hit a price point and come back!

[Saito2]

6 hours ago, OCD said:

So if you admit that Tamiya probably isn't making a significant profit in the NA market, then you can understand my confusion regarding all of the criticism surrounding their efforts to stop the bleeding.

Yes, I could see that. Without the numbers we don't know for sure, but I can agree with that. It just seems they are close to removing the whole "limb" to stop said bleeding.

6 hours ago, OCD said:

instead we're hearing a lot about how great Traxxas and Axial are etc.

I don't know if that is directed at me and I'm being misinterpreted or not. My comment about the expansion of Traxxas and Axial in hobby shops and the reduction of Tamiya's presence was matter of fact. I'm NOT praising those two companies rather lamenting the loss of Tamiya here. I have NEVER bought a new Traxxas or Axial product. If I want one of their products (I have 2 vs the over 75 Tamiya models in my collection) because Tamiya doesn't offer a comparable product, I buy used. I just can't hand money directly into the pockets of those companies or any other RC company who manufactures in China for that matter. I don't think those companies are great and I don't want to have to turn to them.

7 hours ago, OCD said:

Which is ironic because one of those companies is largely responsible for bankrupting Hobbico, which is Tower Hobbies' parent company.

BTW, have you seen some of the numbers? The Traxxas/Hobbico lawsuit was just one of many nails in Tower's coffin. We just heard about it because it was, visibly, a big deal in the industry. They owed Futaba $2,265,026.91, $400,000 the UPS and $354,000 to Team Associated. Whatever the reasons (shrinking market, etc.) Hobbico shoulders a lot of the blame for getting that far behind.

 

7 hours ago, OCD said:

so comparing them to Tamiya isn't really defending the position that "if they just did things like Axial did, they would get my money".

Again, I don't know if this is directed at me, but I did not say, nor insinuate this.

 

7 hours ago, OCD said:

Not that any of that matters, because everyone here has made it clear they have no issue circumventing these outlets anyhow -- Because in most cases folks want to save money, not support some corporation who is just trying to maintain profitability.

 

I DO have an issue with it. I am not here to judge. I do not care how other members get their products. MY frustration stems from the fact I DON'T want to send my money halfway around the world. I want to buy my Japanese-made Tamiya products from US sources like I always have. Strip away the fancy "restoration technician" and the fact is, I'm a lowly auto mechanic with a stay-at-home mom/wife and a 5 year old daughter. Nearly every cent that I have left to play with (after all my other financial responsibilities are attended to, including most importantly, the happiness and well-being of my family) goes to Tamiya and has for close to two decades now. I do not have the luxury of simply paying the high MAP to continue supporting Tamiya. It would be nice, but being lower middle class doesn't afford me that choice. So, I'm left with violating my principles by circumventing MAP outlets or ending the hobby I love so much.   

[Juls1]

This has always been a America thing, Tamiya Japan have nothing to do with this MAP crap. 

Tamiya America is nothing more than a importer/distributor and ultimately a “Private Business” that has its own will. It buys tamiya products from Tamiya Japan and from there in, its on it’s own basically. 

The decision to create a MAP is specific to the private business of Tamiya USA. I imagine that the owners or managers of Tamiya USA have either:

1. Buckled under the pressure of regular non internet low buying capability stores complaining about advertised internet prices and introducing MAP as a way to remedy this issue. 

Or

2. It’s part of a greater strategy to involve larger more mainstream retailers as opposed to specialised hobby stores, introducing MAP may improve there ability to gain interest from larger national toy retailers. 

Either way it’s a US issue, created in the USA for USA. 

In the long term, maybe the current Tamiya USA business will fail, it’ll be sold/dumped/closed and another entity will take up management of importing and distributing Tamiya in the USA. It happens with every other brand in every other country, it can happen in the US too.  

If your going to hurl abuse, direct it at TamiyaUSA. Not Tamiya Japan, they have nothing to do with it. Neither does any other country in the world.

[OCD]

On 8/4/2018 at 5:22 AM, Juls1 said:

This has always been a America thing, Tamiya Japan have nothing to do with this MAP crap. 

Tamiya America is nothing more than a importer/distributor and ultimately a “Private Business” that has its own will. It buys tamiya products from Tamiya Japan and from there in, its on it’s own basically. 

The decision to create a MAP is specific to the private business of Tamiya USA. I imagine that the owners or managers of Tamiya USA have either:

1. Buckled under the pressure of regular non internet low buying capability stores complaining about advertised internet prices and introducing MAP as a way to remedy this issue. 

Or

2. It’s part of a greater strategy to involve larger more mainstream retailers as opposed to specialised hobby stores, introducing MAP may improve there ability to gain interest from larger national toy retailers. 

Either way it’s a US issue, created in the USA for USA. 

In the long term, maybe the current Tamiya USA business will fail, it’ll be sold/dumped/closed and another entity will take up management of importing and distributing Tamiya in the USA. It happens with every other brand in every other country, it can happen in the US too.  

If your going to hurl abuse, direct it at TamiyaUSA. Not Tamiya Japan, they have nothing to do with it. Neither does any other country in the world.

Tamiya America is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tamiya Japan. Nothing they do isn't without the explicit approval of Tamiya Japan, the parent company. This is by no means a unique way to organize a business, and techniques like regionally applying MAP are completely standard. I'm not sure where you've heard otherwise.

 

Hurling abuse at any of the entities being discussed here is absolutely pointless, whether it be Tamiya, Tamiya USA, or entire countries as you've suggested.

 

And you are at least partially correct that this is largely an issue created in the United States, and I agree that there is no reason in blaming Japanese manufacturers. You are, however, forgetting that most Americans would rather spend their hard-earned money on automatic weapons, chicken wings, and leaded gasoline. "Gaining interest from larger national toy retailers" is a ship that has sailed with the closing of mega-outlets such as Toys-R-Us, etc. There is no "there" there when it comes to gaining market share for hobby grade toys in the United States. As an American, it's a sad reality that I accept, but I'm certainly not pointing my finger at Tamiya.

[OCD]

13 hours ago, Saito2 said:

It just seems they are close to removing the whole "limb" to stop said bleeding.

Think of it as more of a splinter removal; Remove the source of the irritation, and prevent the potential need for amputation.

13 hours ago, Saito2 said:

I don't know if that is directed at me and I'm being misinterpreted or not. My comment about the expansion of Traxxas and Axial in hobby shops and the reduction of Tamiya's presence was matter of fact. I'm NOT praising those two companies rather lamenting the loss of Tamiya here. I have NEVER bought a new Traxxas or Axial product. If I want one of their products (I have 2 vs the over 75 Tamiya models in my collection) because Tamiya doesn't offer a comparable product, I buy used. I just can't hand money directly into the pockets of those companies or any other RC company who manufactures in China for that matter. I don't think those companies are great and I don't want to have to turn to them.

Yeah, it does seem that I'm attributing two different arguments to you personally, which I do apologize for. Between this and the Bruiser clone thread, I'm admittedly a little bit flustered by the degree of indifference coming from Tamiyaclub members. Hopefully you can understand that my comments come from a place of empathy and not meant to be accusatory in any way I'm honestly just curious how one can reconcile the facts that making luxury purchases, whether they be here or abroad, are not going to have an appreciable effect on the number of newcomers to this hobby. And make no mistake, that is what Tamiya needs more than anything else. This is why I keep repeating the line that Tamiya isn't doing this to boost short-term profits, but instead are trying to maintain the long-term impression of value to their global market. No amount of buying at MAP will save this hobby, and I'm certain Tamiya recognizes this. Likewise I hope that our small group of enthusiasts understand that effectively supporting Tamiya in these tough times comes through positive attribution, and not our wallets. If we could spend our way into changing people's habits and preferences, the world would be a far different from the diverse place it is today ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

13 hours ago, Saito2 said:

The Traxxas/Hobbico lawsuit was just one of many nails in Tower's coffin.

Agreed, but I do believe that Traxxas is the best example of where the hobby industry is headed, which is why I mentioned them in this case. There may have been other nails, but only one of them sued. It wasn't a fluke that they received most of the press coverage.

 

 

[Juggernut]

11 hours ago, OCD said:

I'm honestly just curious how one can reconcile the facts that making luxury purchases, whether they be here or abroad, are not going to have an appreciable effect on the number of newcomers to this hobby. And make no mistake, that is what Tamiya needs more than anything else. This is why I keep repeating the line that Tamiya isn't doing this to boost short-term profits, but instead are trying to maintain the long-term impression of value to their global market. No amount of buying at MAP will save this hobby, and I'm certain Tamiya recognizes this.

 

Case in point:

There is no future if you make it virtually impossible to buy your poduct. Companies make boneheaded decisions all the time. Tamiya is not immune.

 

[Sayer]

On 8/3/2018 at 7:27 PM, OCD said:

Yes, I realize you represent anecdotal sales. I don't doubt that a market exists. I'm just contending that it's by no means a significant focus for Tamiya.

And Tamiya America has contracted out their entire Aliso Viejo operation to a fulfillment warehouse. They haven't hosted Tamiyacon since what, 2008? And how about the "Tamiya T.A.B.S." competition that disappeared over two years ago? Did anyone even notice?

We are in really bleak times for crafting hobbies like scale modeling and RC. I'd be willing to bet it COSTS Tamiya money to stay in the NA market. A few lost sales here and there is meaningless in the bigger picture.

This makes no sense to me. If I accept that it probably COSTS Tamiya money to stay in the NA market, why on Earth would they engage in activities designed to erode the sales in an already tenuous market? Why wouldn't they just pull out altogether? - especially if I accept that the NA market is of at best tertiary importance when compared to the other more lucrative markets.

Bonus points for the old "unless you have insider info" Barb followed immediately and predictably by a hypothesis charitable to the company.

[OCD]

40 minutes ago, Juggernut said:

Case in point:

There is no future if you make it virtually impossible to buy your poduct. Companies make boneheaded decisions all the time. Tamiya is not immune.

 

Virtually impossible? The single anecdote you've cited isn't really a compelling argument to that point.

It happens to be easier than ever to buy Tamiya kits of any variety you might desire. It's only "principles" that keep some of us from buying from certain mail order outlets, which wouldn't even exist if they didn't shift the enormous volumes of product that they do. In fact, if you consider the history of this hobby, it was mail order that made Tamiya affordable and available to the masses to begin with. This is clearly a fact that Tamiya is aware of, or they wouldn't have addressed it in they manner they have.

And why weren't these principles as heavily discussed when Tamiya started moving a lot of their production to the Phillipines? That was also a money-saving strategy Tamiya employed, which in turn has allowed them to continue selling products at prices that were in most cases the same pricing offered two decades ago. Factually speaking, you are getting a lot more value for your money when you figure in inflation.

It's not that I can't conceive that Tamiya is simply moving around some deck chairs on a sinking ship, but to claim we know better than the financial experts who head a very old and Japanese company is a bit hard to swallow.

[OCD]

11 hours ago, Sayer said:

This makes no sense to me. If I accept that it probably COSTS Tamiya money to stay in the NA market, why on Earth would they engage in activities designed to erode the sales in an already tenuous market? Why wouldn't they just pull out altogether? - especially if I accept that the NA market is of at best tertiary importance when compared to the other more lucrative markets.

Bonus points for the old "unless you have insider info" Barb followed immediately and predictably by a hypothesis charitable to the company.

That they are engaging "in activities designed to erode the sales" is your narrative, not mine.

Their efforts to boost the value of physical stock/inventory is exactly what they are doing to buttress this tertiary market.

Although you've taken my rhetorical statement out of context, I'd still contend that my "charitable" hypothesis is factually grounded. Outside of the facts that we do not have, nothing points to Tamiya employing anything other than normal, well-proven business practices.

Please don't shoot the messenger, I'm just glad Tamiya isn't going the way of Kyosho, Marui, HPI, Associated, Losi, Novak, Tekin, Parma, ...

[Sayer]

The argument isn't that Tamiya isn't employing standard business practices. The argument is that the practice they are employing isn't likely to have their intended effect. Business practices aren't universally correct regardless of market or situation. Businesses make silly mistakes all the time at the recommendation of people far more knowledgeable than either you or I. It isn't enough to just assume they must know what they're doing because they're a big or old company or have had no doubt countless meetings to come to the decision.

"Activities designed to erode sales" isn't just my narrative. The attempt to increase the value of physical stock doesn't really count for much if that stock sits in warehouses unsold. We can't dismiss threads full of dyed in the wool enthusiasts swearing off the brand as "anecdotal" or "a few sales" when Tamiya already caters to a niche within a niche. 

Who is going to buy the premium priced product when the nostalgia of the enthusiasts have been exhausted or  they've jumped ship? What happens to that percieved value the first time that new customer sees the cheaper competitor backflip over a house?

 

 

[Juggernut]

35 minutes ago, OCD said:

Virtually impossible? The single anecdote you've cited isn't really a compelling argument to that point.

It happens to be easier than ever to buy Tamiya kits of any variety you might desire. It's only "principles" that keep some of us from buying from certain mail order outlets, which wouldn't even exist if they didn't shift the enormous volumes of product that they do. In fact, if you consider the history of this hobby, it was mail order that made Tamiya affordable and available to the masses to begin with. This is clearly a fact that Tamiya is aware of, or they wouldn't have addressed it in they manner they have.

And why weren't these principles as heavily discussed when Tamiya started moving a lot of their production to the Phillipines? That was also a money-saving strategy Tamiya employed, which in turn has allowed them to continue selling products at prices that were in most cases the same pricing offered two decades ago. Factually speaking, you are getting a lot more value for your money when you figure in inflation.

It's not that I can't conceive that Tamiya is simply moving around some deck chairs on a sinking ship, but to claim we know better than the financial experts who head a very old and Japanese company is a bit hard to swallow.

There are principled buyers and there are buyers that are value focused. I'm primarily value focussed as I'm inclined to believe the vast majority of consumers are.  From the post I linked, it looks like the poster is hesitant about paying rcMart's shipping cost.  Add to that the time it takes to get the item from foreign supplier and you have a major negative when in the states shipping is both cheap and fast.

I presume a consumer in the states would have to be very motivated to either pay straight up MSRP or a high shipping rate from an unfamiliar foreign supplier.

Forcing online retailers to advertise at MSRP makes no sense in an age where price comparisons/product research can be done so thoroughly and easily.

The conspiracy theorist in me says someone with decision making power at Tamiya knows someone at rcMart and they both pulled off a major con. THAT makes more sense to me then forcing advertising at MSRP on US online retailers.

 

[OCD]

22 hours ago, Sayer said:

The argument is that the practice they are employing isn't likely to have their intended effect.

Yes, this is the opinion I keep seeing. I happen to disagree for all of the reasons I've previously outlined. That "businesses make silly mistakes all the time" is not a very convincing assertion if you're describing a company that has remained the leader in their industry, even after their home economy has disintegrated and never recovered.

22 hours ago, Sayer said:

threads full of dyed in the wool enthusiasts swearing off the brand

This is by definition "anecdotal", but I'm curious to hear what you imagine the actual breakdown is by market. I've stated my belief is that Asia is by far the bulk of their sales by a very large margin. It cost money to operate a distribution network outside of your home region. The United States is without a doubt a very expensive market to exist in. Even if every single one of us (Americans) started paying MAP tomorrow, it would do zero to change this immutable fact. Tamiya's products just aren't that popular over here. Americans just don't spend much money on this kind of stuff... and even fewer are by the day. As you've pointed out, there's threads full of Americans saying this exact thing.