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Selling paints, masking tapes etc is great idea, especially if you were able to demonstarte on screen how these can be used (ie linked to tips for newbies like me).

Also if you were to keep the costs of postage and packing down it would be a great marketing tool. I recently bought a conversion kit weighing a few grams from a large supplier in the UK and I was charged over £5 p/p. I took it to a post office and they said it would have cost £1.20 second class (which is how it was sent). I never use that organisation unless I have to because they rip us off on postage costs. Again, a second class postage charge of over £5 for a couple of pots of Xtracrylix is outrageous - so I'd bear in mind these charges but it's a great idea - hope you run with it and that it succeeds.
Aidan

HI John,
I would buy glues, masking tape and paint, great idea mate.
Joolz.

Sounds like a solid idea. As one of the non-UK members I would expect to pay FAIR postage and have at times been put off ordering small items due to minimum postage charges.
I would suggest that you focus on some of the more hard to get things; Like Gator glue!
A problem I could envisage is what to stock and what not to stock.
I think we are all agreed that tamiya masking tape is the best at its job, so thats a good one to have.
Paints could ba a tricky one as all have there favorits. I'm sure if you went with say Vallejo model color and Humbrol Enamels, you would have the to top sellers...Some one will surely come with an other option.
As to stocking actual kits? That would be nice, but are you thinking full blown shop or a service to Forum members? Some of the other non-UK residents could be tempted to use a middle man. I often see "Post free in the Uk" or some such. Flea bay is another place were seldom seen kits are offered up for sale, but the seller will not send out side the UK.

Nuff speculation; Things I would buy: Good quality craft knife blades, there are so many Chinese tin can blades that only stay sharp while in the box!
Good quality paint brushes! Suited to acrylic or enamel paints. Tamiya Masking tape. (BOOKS! Now theres an idea!) Decal paper for the DIY decal folk.
HArd to say really untill you find that you need something!

If you do it, I will be suportive and buy some thing !
Ian M

Originally Posted by Fenlander

However, if funding the forum is a prime issue, maybe you should be looking at it becoming a reasonable subscription for members.

That will never happen I've always been totally against that, I don't know if you have noticed but there is minimal advertising on the site, I have done that because I don't want adverts to take over the site like you find on others, and I would never ask anyone for money to be a member of the site, they are here because they like is and want to stay here, yet are free to move on at any time and not stay here until their monthly subscription has ran out.

However I have thought about this for a long time, and still not sure about it, I would have a large layout at first and I could be stuck with that stock for quite some time, I would set up another site which would probably be scale-models.net and I have looked at ebay but they take that much commission now it doesn't seem worth it.

Maybe the smaller things like glue, paint etc but then if I did that, what supplier paint would I stock, and what colours would I stock, I know there's a lot to think about that's why this is still at the early stages and I am really looking for feedback then I can look in to it further.

Paint could be solved by a poll on the forum. Post a list with all the brands you can get hold of, and poll the question which paint do you normally buy. Job done.
Coulours? All of them! But a compleat range then you have the start up. just top up the ones that sell most. (does paint have a shelf life).
The out lay will only be as big as you let it.. Start small and go from there.

Ian M

Good point Ian this sort of feedback is what I'm looking for.

But as for paint what do people use and what do you pay? The more I think about it the best way to get it going is starting off with small items like paint that cost next to nothing to post and may be build it up like that, but it would take a while.