QUOTE (Nathan Rodgers @ 7 Sep 2006, 02:52)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I am considering starting a N gauge layout with German/Swiss stock , but i have to problem of buying the stuff. Anybody know any good sites , in English that sell the stuff.
Thank you in advance regards nathan
I mainly deal with these guys I have found them good to deal with and have used them for about three years now.
They are my regular supplier.
Modellbahn Kramm
These guys are also good. There prices aren't as good as Modelbahn Kramm but their command of english is a very good and I have found their customer service to be great. They will also get you Trix/Maerklin club exclusive models without checking if you're a club member.
Modelbahn Hildesheim
I found Lokshop to be arseholes to deal with and determining their payable amount with taking off tax and adding on surcharges is almost incomprehensible.
They are no help when you contact them.
QUOTE I have noticed with continental models that they tend to produce them permanently as 'limited runs' so if you see a model you want you have to buy it immediately, next year it is no longer in production and they have all been sold. Then its a lot of searching/ e-baying to get your collection organised.
Thats so true.
There is a large backlog of models I'm still chasing up and trying to get funds to buy which were limited runs.
QUOTE Germany
1) First point is that their VAT will be 20% in January and that there postage rates (driven by DHL/Deuschepost) are much higher than here in the UK. I get round this by placing bulk orders as it makes little difference whether you order one item or a huge amount. The reason is that they have a basic charge of, for me, 33 Euros and then there is a smaller charge of 3 Euros per kilo there after.
QUOTE 2)I have found few 'bargains' except some poor second hand models.
Unfortunately I am currently residing in a country where the prices are even worse than the UK.
So I have to buy all my stuff by mail order.
The upside is, as Dennis pointed out, I don't pay VAT from any European country.
So they are all bargains compared to what I would pay in the UK or Ozz.
Unfortunately the limited run is here to stay I reckon.
When any model is produced you are going to get your peak sales straight away then they will drop off to the point where it is no longer economically viable to produce. I guess they have done their calculations and have figured the specific number needed to maximise profitablilty.