If December is a busy month in the wargames industry, January and February out shines it every year. People are often puzzled by this and would have guessed that December and in particular, the Christmas Shopping rush would be the time of peak trading. There’s a number of good reasons why it is not the case. In a business governed to some extent by the Post office, Christmas provides an artificial barrier to overseas customers who are put off by the Last Day of Posting advice and the chance that their parcel will be delayed in the Christmas peak posting period. The result is that trading is slightly down for our overseas customers. Also, as we go into the Christmas gift buying period, our largely Male dominated customer base, leaving things to the last week or so, realise that they better sort out the Christmas gifts that they need to purchase and so are distracted by other issues. Suddenly, the Marks And Spencers underwear department is no longer off limits or they get trapped in the everlasting queue in the Pandora Bracelet shop. I’m sure that it takes three days to get anything in the Victoria Centre branch – there’s even a queue to get into the flipping shop.
This clip from Father Ted could easily be a group of wargamers rather than priests….
The real issue though, is the lack of present buying by our non wargaming friends, relatives, partners and wives when it comes to our hobby. Now I know that I am in danger of being consigned to the Donald Trump Feminist Appreciation Society with my comments above but there is a certain truth to the following. In the run up to Christmas, it’s not unusual for wargamers to be asked what they would like for Christmas. The reply goes something like this: ‘Well I would like a Panzer III Ausf. J with a long barrelled 75mm gun and if you can get it with side skirts, even better… Or… I could do with a new shirt for work’. My bet is that it’s the work shirt that gets wrapped up nine times out of ten. However, the aforesaid non wargaming present givers usually redeem themselves by tucking a tenner or two in your card ‘ to treat yourself to that tank thingy….’ So a slight famine in December turns into a feast in January as wargamers search out that elusive model that will complete their army.
So if you find yourself with a pile of nice new socks, pants and a new work shirt at Christmas but you do have some Christmas cash to spend, please visit us at Arcane Scenery and Models , we may have just what you are looking for. And to make your cash go a bit further, we offer free postage worldwide on most of our lines. Even better, if you enter blog2016 as you go through checkout, we”ll knock 10% off of the bill. The code is valid until 20th January 2017.
Happy New Year!