Leon is always on this Forum !!

Harsh.

I'd rather think its because Pendraken minis are selling like hotcakes and the supply can't keep up with the demand.



Time to take on new staff Leon old chap...which is, a positive sign in these straightened times...

Give it a few years and there will be Pendraken stores on every high street as it becomes the 2nd Evil Empire and we all start bitching about getting fleeced (while still doling out the cash in fistfuls for the latest 10mm plastic eye candy)...shudder.

Victims of your own success.  Comes a time in the growth of every business when demand outstrips production/distribution.

Quote from: ianrs54 on 24 March 2011, 12:22:17 PM
Leon is always on this Forum !!

Booh! That's cruel.  

In fact I just received my two packets of early war Germans and some early Russky stuff in the mail, ship shape as usual and well on time. And Gawd do those early Jerries look good. Thank thee, Leon & Co.  

Cheers,
Aart

We're not too bad at the moment, about 10 days for me, a couple more for Dave, so well within the stated 21.  We're hoping to get caught up completely before Salute, as the amount of stock needed will take a good few days of solid casting.

Having Gandalf on board has been great as well, we'd have really struggled the past few months without his help.  The problem always comes down to finances though, and having the income to pay people.  With metal, fuel and now postage all going up in the last 12 months, it gets tricky!  

Oh well, that 1p reduction on fuel in the Budget will really ease the pressure....  

Quote from: Leon on 24 March 2011, 08:49:03 PM
Oh well, that 1p reduction on fuel in the Budget will really ease the pressure....  

If anyone in the UK believes that, I have an Arnhem bridge I want to sell to them.

Anyhoo, I would easily shoulder a 10% price increase on Pendraken stuff if that's what it takes to keep you lot afloat. What with the excellent Pendraken service, this forum, the friendly atmosphere and the promising future for 10mm you guys are already very competitive.

Cheers,
Aart

Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 24 March 2011, 08:57:32 PM
Anyhoo, I would easily shoulder a 10% price increase on Pendraken stuff if that's what it takes to keep you lot afloat. What with the excellent Pendraken service, this forum, the friendly atmosphere and the promising future for 10mm you guys are already very competitive.

I think 3 price increases within a 12 month period isn't fair though, it makes me feel all Guess Who...

Quote from: Leon on 24 March 2011, 09:03:11 PM
I think 3 price increases within a 12 month period isn't fair though, it makes me feel all Guess Who...

That's nonsense, Leon. It's not your fault so it's not a matter of fairness. We, the Pendraken customers, are not blind. Even your foreign customers read papers and we are in the know about metal prices, postal rates and VAT issues in the UK. Since this credit crunch thingy started I've seen more than a few good shops and small businesses in my own country go belly-up and I wouldn't want you to follow their example.

Cheers,
Aart

Quote from: Aart Brouwer on 24 March 2011, 09:08:39 PM
That's nonsense, Leon. It's not your fault so it's not a matter of fairness. We, the Pendraken customers, are not blind. Even your foreign customers read papers and we are in the know about metal prices, postal rates and VAT issues in the UK. Since this credit crunch thingy started I've seen more than a few good shops and small businesses in my own country go belly-up and I wouldn't want you to follow their example.

We keep an eye on things, and we actually had a discussion last week about it.  At the moment, we don't really want to put prices up again, so we're looking at ways of cutting other costs instead.  Metal levelled out a bit last month, so we'll see how that goes, we can go second class on postage, and there's other areas we can trim.  Prices will go up eventually, but we're not at that point just yet. 

Don't upset Leon, in case he gets a little short with you...

Sorry, couldn't resist.  It's a hard job starting these meme things.

Serious question.

Would different quantities in a pack, at a pro rata price, make a difference? eg 60 figs at £7, or 45 for £5.25? 10mm, being a 'mass' scale can bear extra figures in a pack - OG sell in 100's not 30's.

Have you looked at the most efficient mix of figures to cast at a time, thus reducing utilities bills (as well as time)?

Quote from: Last Hussar on 24 March 2011, 09:47:52 PM
Would different quantities in a pack, at a pro rata price, make a difference? eg 60 figs at £7, or 45 for £5.25? 10mm, being a 'mass' scale can bear extra figures in a pack - OG sell in 100's not 30's.

Have you looked at the most efficient mix of figures to cast at a time, thus reducing utilities bills (as well as time)?

I think we're pretty efficient as we are, all of the moulds are set up to produce a full pack of 30 (or 15 or artillery), we keep any spares until they make up a full pack, I keep spare command in case people want double, etc.  I even fill a load of moulds at the end of each shift so that I've got something to clip while the pot melts the next day.

Quote from: Last Hussar on 24 March 2011, 09:47:52 PM
Don't upset Leon, in case he gets a little short with you...

Sorry, couldn't resist.  It's a hard job starting these meme things.

Tell you what - I'm 5' 6": come tell me I'm short...

QuoteSerious question.

Would different quantities in a pack, at a pro rata price, make a difference? eg 60 figs at £7, or 45 for £5.25? 10mm, being a 'mass' scale can bear extra figures in a pack - OG sell in 100's not 30's.

Have you looked at the most efficient mix of figures to cast at a time, thus reducing utilities bills (as well as time)?

That's more like it - much more sensible

In the greater scheme of things I think that Aart has nailed it: I think that:

- wargaming / modelling are niche hobbies
- 10mm is, therefore, a niche within that niche
- 10mm is growing in popularity - but will probably never be the definitive scale - which seems to be 28mm currently
- there is 10mm...and then there is Pendraken  
- Pendraken is one company (of several) focusing mainly on 10mm
- Pendraken is a small, cottage-industry company
- once you go Pendraken, you don't go back  

<fanboy mode on> I think you guys do a great job & will get repeat custom because:

- you do a great job - consistently - and are forever developing...
- you price very competitively
- you go way beyond the extra mile
- you care about your customers (* see below...this is important, to me at least)

In the last 18 months or so, your profile has increased in the wargames world - this forum is growing stronger constantly, and your website is improving all the time as well as the quality of new releases really pushing the limits of 10mm amazing-ness....etc etc etc

I think I'm right in saying that you have a great customer base who will always come to you - who have this forum & your site set as favourites...who have a printed PD catalogue in several strategic locations in their life...who will read a book, watch a movie, see something online - and immediately look to you to provide...I am unashamedly one of those  

All of this brings to me this simple conclusion:

Even if you raise the price of your figures to make them 20p each [£6 or £2 / pack-ish] we'll buy them because they are great - and still stupdily less-expensive than a single Space Marine  

Anyway, 'nuff said - I, like Aart, would support the continuation of Team Pendraken through & beyond the current global financial climate: and wouldn't bat an eyelid if you had to readjust your business model to survive what are pressurised times.

* Footnote: I've never actually met Dave, Leon or Matt (can't really believe that, but there it is) - but I would consider them as my friends. I 'speak' more frequently to them than people that live in my village [I'm waiting for some jokes from Kiwidave here, natch  ]

QuoteTell you what - I'm 5' 6": come tell me I'm short...

Last bloke who threatened me ended up in hospital.

He never found where I was hiding though, so he went home.

Turns out a nurse's uniform suits me.

I will go shortest than Nikharwood...

+1 to all he said!

I didn't know 10mm before Pendraken. Now, when I see my Samurai Apes army (and the Amazon army of my sweetheart), I love this scale. I love the price. I love the space I have gained in my appartment!^^
This forum is very cool, the people I have met (virtually) are nice. They make me discover FCW (thanks Nikharwood and others), HOTT (I have found the french version yesterday!^^) and I'm hesitating to have a german army for Blitzkrieg and also the fishmen army for HOTT!

Thank you Pendraken!

To finish unpacking the feelings of feeling good marshmallow, I say : Live long and Prosper!


[Edit] Again, I have improved my english!^^