How are we all doing? Everything painted yet? Run out of lead mountain? Brushes lost all their bristles from over dry brushing? All of your cans of primer empty? I hope not. At the beginning of this pandemic we were debating whether or not Salute was to go ahead or not. Now it looks as though in the UK anyway, that that's it for this year. No shows. Well, I miss you guys. Hell, I even almost miss getting hit in the face by a backpack or two, or hit in the shins by a trolley suitcase.
I'm pretty sure most of the small companies felt they relied on some of the larger shows for big injections of cash throughout the year (especially Salute) so I was beginning to worry that maybe we would start to see announcements from some of our favourite companies having to call it a day and cease trading, we might still. Although I think there is yet hope.
I'm pretty sure most of the small companies felt they relied on some of the larger shows for big injections of cash throughout the year (especially Salute) so I was beginning to worry that maybe we would start to see announcements from some of our favourite companies having to call it a day and cease trading, we might still. Although I think there is yet hope.
With people stuck at home and unable to go to the pub or on holiday, those that have been lucky enough to still be on full income have found joy in hobby time again. I don't know how the smaller companies are doing but I do know that the big GW (who as we know shut down for a whole period of time as well) have reported massive profits. If they are the industry marker it's a good sign. Crafting in general seems to have gripped the nation. At one point you couldn't get a knitting needle from Hobbycraft for weeks I'm reliably told. Social media right now is flooded with updates of long forgotten purchases finally getting a lick of paint, therefore paint supplies are running low and more lead is being bought.
I myself since April have probably spent the same amount of money on mail order as I would have spent at Salute, just instead of one big hit, its been a small trickle of spending. It's kind of the opposite of my supermarket shop. I've gone from buying milk every other day to once a week and toy soldiers twice a year to once a month. I don't know if I am the norm, it certainly feels like a natural progression.
There are a lot of the small companies in the lead belt that did manage to continue to trade all the way through the year so far, the one person companies, the family set ups, if you are one of these companies there is nothing stopping your mail order service. (with some careful social distancing with your postal collection service) I am even aware of one company that is so busy they have on more than one occassion had to turn off orders on their website to catch up with demand. Now obviously this may not translate to oodles of cash for them, they may just be making the same amount they would have made at a trade show or two where they would have had the extra help of maybe a couple of extra hands and the quicker transaction of take cash, give models. However, it is a good sign that maybe business isn't terrible.
So where does this all leave us? Well, there may still be companies that don't make it obviously. It doesn't take an economics expert to see a recession coming, but lets hope hobbying is something that thrives over the next few years and we don't lose our favourite companies. What we might lose I fear is some of our shows though. I'm sure a lot of companies have undone their display racks of stock and used it all up for internet orders and have probably enjoyed a few more Sundays without driving transit vans around around the country. If they can manage this year without the trade shows they might decide to cut back next year and only do the larger ones. I'm sure they'll still do their favourites or the big one at Salute, but I do think some of the smaller ones might struggle to get as many traders. I hope I'm wrong. I hope next year we all get back together, safely and sensibly and the industry thrives.
On a lighter note, what's on my painting table? Well, these little guys I couldn't resist from Crooked Dice. I'm drafting a small skirmish game and I let youngest choose the colour scheme for them. It's going to be a simple Deathmatch type scenario for us to play with cards drawn to decide what weaponry you are armed with.
I myself since April have probably spent the same amount of money on mail order as I would have spent at Salute, just instead of one big hit, its been a small trickle of spending. It's kind of the opposite of my supermarket shop. I've gone from buying milk every other day to once a week and toy soldiers twice a year to once a month. I don't know if I am the norm, it certainly feels like a natural progression.
There are a lot of the small companies in the lead belt that did manage to continue to trade all the way through the year so far, the one person companies, the family set ups, if you are one of these companies there is nothing stopping your mail order service. (with some careful social distancing with your postal collection service) I am even aware of one company that is so busy they have on more than one occassion had to turn off orders on their website to catch up with demand. Now obviously this may not translate to oodles of cash for them, they may just be making the same amount they would have made at a trade show or two where they would have had the extra help of maybe a couple of extra hands and the quicker transaction of take cash, give models. However, it is a good sign that maybe business isn't terrible.
So where does this all leave us? Well, there may still be companies that don't make it obviously. It doesn't take an economics expert to see a recession coming, but lets hope hobbying is something that thrives over the next few years and we don't lose our favourite companies. What we might lose I fear is some of our shows though. I'm sure a lot of companies have undone their display racks of stock and used it all up for internet orders and have probably enjoyed a few more Sundays without driving transit vans around around the country. If they can manage this year without the trade shows they might decide to cut back next year and only do the larger ones. I'm sure they'll still do their favourites or the big one at Salute, but I do think some of the smaller ones might struggle to get as many traders. I hope I'm wrong. I hope next year we all get back together, safely and sensibly and the industry thrives.
On a lighter note, what's on my painting table? Well, these little guys I couldn't resist from Crooked Dice. I'm drafting a small skirmish game and I let youngest choose the colour scheme for them. It's going to be a simple Deathmatch type scenario for us to play with cards drawn to decide what weaponry you are armed with.
Hi Peter Interesting article, I think it actually could be the death of the large wargame shows, in particular Salute, I now prefer the small to medium size shows, Partizan is now my goto show twice a year, much cheaper than Salute and more focussed on the Historical wargame, and very well organised.
ReplyDeleteInteresting theory. Maybe the larger shows may not survive due to a smaller number of companies. Possibly the largest and the smallest will go and the medium will survive?
DeleteI think you are being a little pessimistic regarding the closure of companies. Most are small affairs, perhaps even part time operations. The medium sized companies are probably more at risk than either the large are very small companies. Perhaps that is also true of wargames shows.
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DeleteNo, I think you are right, Khusru. The smaller family and one person companies may be able to ride the storm. They have been able to continue to trade safely as long as their contractors have continued as well. (casters, sculptors etc.) I do hope we don't lose any companies, heck maybe we may even see some new ones!
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