Friday saw the latest episode of the Quarantined Wargamer air on my YouTube channel. This week I discuss the need to support our favourite hobby traders and manufacturers by continuing to spend with them. I'm not oblivious to the fact that many people out there are struggling financially at the current time - and I'd never advocate putting your hobby ahead of paying essential bills or feeding the family - but for those us that can do so, we should continue to support our regular traders. Otherwise, they may not be around in six months or a years time.
So do you agree with me or disagree. I'd love to hear your opinion (so long as it's polite!). As always please feel free to comment below, or in the comments section on YouTube. Stay safe folks!
Frankly I've avoided any online ordering since the lockdown to help, in a very small way, to reduce the burden on the whole postal system, whether delivery drivers or the normal postal workers. At the same time I am acutely conscious of small businesses who need orders to help them through these difficult times. A difficult choice for sure.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting point. I've no idea how the UK postal system has coped, I've certainly not heard any negative stories, although Royal Mail said they were only going to do parcel services at weekends. I suspect that the lockdown has just hastened a change that was probably on the horizon anyway.
DeleteIve been buying throughout the lock-down and thought that the impact of losing Salute will have placed a lot of financial stress on the figure producers. I feel almost saintly in placing orders. Joking aside I have tried to buy modest amounts of units and I know talking to Dave at Pendraken they are busy which is great news.
ReplyDeleteI expect that some of the bigger companies would survive the loss of just one show, but not a whole season. And as for the smaller concerns...I fear this could be a fatal blow.
DeleteI think even before the current situation, it was becoming increasingly important to identify those business that you want to still be around for the next 5 - 10 years and focus your money there, so whether that is your favourite tea room, high street shop, barber or show / internet trader - support them.
ReplyDeleteNow that we are in this financially damaging time, that ethos is as relevant as ever. I have done two things, diverted what would have been my petrol and Costa Coffee money towards the hobby and phoned the trader, just to give a bit of direct personal customer support and thank them for being open ...... the balance of that act obviously being not spending all afternoon on the phone distracting them!
Even when we are not in a position to invest, keeping our hobby alive for ourselves by playing, painting and doing the forums stuff etc, will at least we as the customer are still around for when the better times come.
I think there is a lesson to be learned by us all, to use our disposable income wisely. It is almost certain that we are on the cusp of a huge recession, and its going to become even more important to spend our money responsibly. In my case that will mean a few less frivolous over-priced coffees and some extra orders with my regular suppliers.
DeleteI like your idea of speaking with our favourite traders, if only to thank them for staying open or letting them know we understand if deliveries are delayed or prices have to rise.
You're not wrong Lee. We're doing alright, but things are definitely tight enough to put a hold on "discretionary" spending. That said, I've bought enough pre-Covid to last me for a while, so I don't feel too bad ;)
ReplyDeleteEveryone's circumstances will be different. My wife and I are lucky - no debt and a little savings - but I know we are an exception to the norm and I'm grateful to be in the position we're in. But as part of my job I daily encounter people who have got into money troubles because of a single mistake, missed payment or the loss of a single wage cheque. We all have to do what we can, but in the end we have to recognise that hobby spending is a luxury that not everyone will be able to afford.
DeleteWe seem to be talking about two distinct levels of people being able to participate in the hobby. There are those who have discretionary funds with which to indulge the desire for a new army or even just a unit. Then there are those folks whom the pandemic has placed in a financial bind. The pittance allotted once ($1200US) is barely enough to provide food and shelter for a small family. I live in the New York City area (about fifty miles due East as the crow flies) and this has been a world pandemic hot spot. Many businesses have closed, children work at distance instead of going to school and unemployment is rampant. However, we have to think about two things. Will our local brick and stone hobby shops which are now closed survive? Will figure manufacturers and distributors survive.
ReplyDeleteMy point is that despite our best intentions and efforts some businesses will not survive no matter what we do. One important British glossy has suspended publication for two months. And on top of this, transatlantic orders have been handicapped with deliveries from the UK to the USA taking at least three times the usual delivery times. Right now I am working on completing a rather large collection of Romans and while at the end of the month I may have a few surplus dollars to spend, I may try ordering from American sources just to see if I can receive the orders in a timely fashion.
Your concerns are well supported by the evidence. Much will be determined by how long the pandemic persists and whether or not a vaccine or anti-viral medication can be developed.
Thanks for your reply, its given me some things to think about.
DeleteFirst, I totally appreciate that some gamer's are not gong to be in a position to spend anything. Their finances have been shot to pieces and the priority will always be paying the rent or putting food on the table. As I wrote earlier, the hobby is a luxury item and as such its a long way down the list of important expenditure.
For those of us lucky enough to be weathering the storm, we need to focus our spending a lot more than we are used to. How much do we normally spend at a show that has us scratching our heads when we get home? I'm all in favour of reserving purchases for local retailers, of domestic manufacturers, if only to save on postage and leave more for actual products.
As for the duration of this crisis, we're in this for the long haul (regardless of how much unfounded optimism our leaders try to spoon feed us). Even if COVID were cured today the cost of the last few months will not go away soon. We all need to husband our disposable income and manage it responsibly, because no-one knows where they will be in 6 month or a years time.
I have been very fortunate during this time to not see a decline in income. I want to support charities but, also have ordered items from our hobby traders to keep them in business. Being quarantined has allowed me to reduce my expenses and I can support them.
ReplyDeleteFor the time being, I'm in a similar situation. Reduced expenses and an untouched income. I'm very lucky, and I know it. Partly this is luck of our own making - we saved when we could and have always worked to clear our debts ahead of time - and now our financial prudence is paying dividends. But I'm also very aware that many people - through no fault of their own - have not been so lucky. The next few years are going to be very tough for some people.
DeleteAs I've said (sorry for repeating) our hobby is a luxury item and we should all treat it as such.
I think it is important to do everything we can to support the hobby during this time, I am lucky that I have the ability to work during the pandemic and have the income to continue in the hobby. I have tried to focus on my local hobby store, but have also bought online from some of the major players.
ReplyDeleteI haven't really got a local store nearby (unless you count central London!) so all my preferred retailers have been, and will continue to be, online. But its an interesting point...should we be focusing on the retailers (shops and traders) or the manufacturers who sell direct?
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