Model Show Etiquette

littletimmy

I would bring cash and leave the card at home. Just so you wont be tempted to spend the morgage payment on kits that wont have a home if you spend the morgage payment !!!

I agree.  And when it comes to haggling, cash is better.  A lot of vendors can take CCs (there's an app for that), but each transaction costs them, so they don't take home the amount you paid.  With cash, they might be willing to deal a little more, since they don't have the CC fees biting into their profit.

Paul

I would bring cash and leave the card at home. Just so you wont be tempted to spend the morgage payment on kits that wont have a home if you spend the morgage payment !!!

littletimmy

Just remember that  the price can be negotiated with most venders.  A kit with a $5 price tag  may be had for less. Especially if you buy more than one kit from his pile. You may also want to circle the entire show before buying / traiding.  My first show I went nuts at the first vender I found and bought a bunch of stuff that I later found much cheeper at another table.

Really?!  These are the things I need to know about!  It is my first show, so I'm not used to the ins and outs.  Thanks so much for the advice!

Another odd question.  Cash or credit?  Do they have the ability to do credit cards or should I bring a wad of $20's? 

Just remember that  the price can be negotiated with most venders.  A kit with a $5 price tag  may be had for less. Especially if you buy more than one kit from his pile. You may also want to circle the entire show before buying / traiding.  My first show I went nuts at the first vender I found and bought a bunch of stuff that I later found much cheeper at another table.

TarnShip

please post your impressions of the show after you get home

If you have as good a time as most of us do, you will be all enthused about building some special project,,,,,,,,,and rarin' ta go for the next show you can get to

as for the trading thing,,,,,it actually happens a lot once you know people,,,,,,,I always have some books or kits along that "Phil might be interested in",  a few vendors have set aside kits that "Rex might want" for me to look at before they put them up on the stacks,,,,,but, I am a long time customer with those vendors, to be fair

Rex

Tarnship, I am excited about it.  I really hope it turns out to be a big show with lots of vendors!  I'd like to get to know some of the people locally, but I fear there are not too many here in Vermont.  I asked about vendors in another post.  Just wondering if they thought there was any chance some "big name" vendors might be there.  We shall soon see.  I will most definately post what it was like.  I plan on taking lots of pics.  I like seeing built models for future reference on size.  The older I get, the 1/72 (unless it's a B-52!) scale stuff is getting harder and harder to do.  So seeing what Revell's 1/85 B-57 looks like would be a help to me.  Anyway, I will let everyone know how it goes Saturday! 

Eagle90

please post your impressions of the show after you get home

If you have as good a time as most of us do, you will be all enthused about building some special project,,,,,,,,,and rarin' ta go for the next show you can get to

as for the trading thing,,,,,it actually happens a lot once you know people,,,,,,,I always have some books or kits along that "Phil might be interested in",  a few vendors have set aside kits that "Rex might want" for me to look at before they put them up on the stacks,,,,,but, I am a long time customer with those vendors, to be fair

Rex

littletimmy

PSSST...... Hey buddy...... Want a good deal on a 1/200 bizmarck?     Step on over to my car office.

                                                                                         

Too funny! Now I'll really get a bad rap.........and I don't even have any ships for trade!

padakr

I think it would be perfectly alright to bring a list of your kits into the show and ask the vendors if they would be interested in anything, either to buy or trade.  Those that are interested probably won't pay very much as they would only be buying to sell.

Paul

Hey Padakr, That was my intent.  See if they would be interested or not.  I know I probably won't get much for them, but in trade I might be able to get one I'm looking for.  I've done business with oldmodelkits.com and had a great experience there.  I was hoping they might do the same at the show, but like I have mentioned, it's Vermont, so how big it turns out to be will be seen Saturday.  I plan on taking pics of the builds and post them hopefully that night.  It will be my first show, I'm kinda excited about it.

PSSST...... Hey buddy...... Want a good deal on a 1/200 bizmarck?     Step on over to my car office.

I think it would be perfectly alright to bring a list of your kits into the show and ask the vendors if they would be interested in anything, either to buy or trade.  Those that are interested probably won't pay very much as they would only be buying to sell.

Paul

ajlafleche

I wasn't trying to diss you, but it sounded like you were considering selling out of your trunk to show attendees. That would have been poorly regarded. Approaching the vendors with trade deals or giving them the option to buy your stash is another story completely. Sorry for the confusion. Hope you enjoy the show.

No offense taken.  Text/e-mails can be a funny thing when it comes to interpretation.  I should have been a little more clear in my initial statement.  No intent or desire to sell anything from my trunk in the parking lot.  Was just wondering if the vendors would be offended if I asked if they would be interested.  Thanks for the good advice!

I wasn't trying to diss you, but it sounded like you were considering selling out of your trunk to show attendees. That would have been poorly regarded. Approaching the vendors with trade deals or giving them the option to buy your stash is another story completely. Sorry for the confusion. Hope you enjoy the show.

Hey, not trying to undermine or take anything away from anyone.  Perhaps I should have been a little more specific in my question.  My train of thought was actually if the vendors themselves would be interested in trading or giving credit for some of their products.  I wasn't planning on handing out leaflets and popping the trunk to sell contraband in the parking lot.   I remember when I was into sports cards.  Most vendors were willing to trade or give you $ credit for something you had that they wanted (sometimes they would buy it outright too).  So I didn't mean to offend anyone or rock the boat....like I said, I have never had the opportunity to go to a model show, that's why I asked.  Sorry for any confusion.

Eagle90

What Rob did is kosher...he was trading one item for another. However, a stash in the trunk would be strongly frowned upon by the organizers and the vendors, both pro and amateur. They paid for the right to make money at the show. A "boot sale" in the parking lot undermines the abililty of the organizers to sell space and the vendors to make money. Don't do it. Consider buying a table if you want to sell. You might  even inquire into joining the club and putting stuff on the club table. The club takes a percentage and you get the rest. Best case in the boot sale is you get a bad reputation...worst case you the local police pay you a visit and inform you that you are trespassing. Repeat, don't do it.

Rob, didn't think about any raffle possibilities.  Thanks!  Yeah, I guess I'll but them in the car and bring along.  You just never know.  

There are plenty of non-vendors like yourself who sell at shows, but as I said, I don't know about trading.

I'd stuff them in your trunk. Often show raffles are for specific kits. Someone like me who wins a kit that isn't my cup of tea would be hot on trading it for a kit right up my alley. I know I once won a resin warship. Very nice kit, rather expensive and not something I was remotely interested in.

I saw another attendee who won an armor kit but didn't want it. He was asking a few of his friends if they'd give him $20 for it. I told him I'd give him my resin ship for his tank. He was a ship builder and we both left happy.

If you got something in the trunk, you have your trading material close at hand.

Thanks Rob,

I wondered if they would sell a table to a "non vendor".  I used to do that when I was into sports cards.  Of course that would really tick off the regular vendors.  Maybe I'll just forget about it this time and try to strike up some contacts/friends that might like to trade.  I'm not really looking to make any profit or make a business out of them, just thought I could trade for some kits I really wanted.  My "youth wish list" is getting harder and harder to check off.

Eagle90

Most shows sell table space to retail vendors and often times several individuals like yourself will purchase a table to sell their own stashes. I've known 2-3 guys who chip in to buy one table to sell, but I've never seen a table set up to trade.

But if you don't buy a table, keep the kits in the trunk of your car and have a "boot" sale in the parking lot. Price your kits in multiples of fives ($5, $10, $15, etc.) to ease making change and bring a good deal of cash to make change.