Swap Meet Help

Your core group of modelers are aging. Some have downsized and have shops still crammed with models, no room for many more. ARFs are crowding out built up models also. At the largest swap meet in the world, the Perry GA swap meet last weekend, sales were very slow, except for vendors that were giving great deals on kits, ARFs and accessories. Electric flight items were hot, batteries, ESCs, motors/gear drives were moving off their tables as fast as they could take the money. I brought back several out of production kits I was not willing to "give away". One is now going for $150 on e-bay only a day after listing. Regardless of sales, swap meets are a great reunion to touch base with modelers you haven't seen for quite a while. I think next year I'll just rent a table in the middle of the hall, put chairs all around and serve coffee and doughnuts - and rent the chairs by the hour. Record the conversations and sell them on CD's the next year. :-)

-- Red Scholefield VRCS 951 snipped-for-privacy@yahoogroups.com

Sounds like you did quite well for a remote club. I have been to several swap meets in the London (UK) area that didsn't do much better than that. There are millions of people within an hour of there.

Good observation Red. Couldn't agree with you more!

I just returned from what is billed as the "largest RC Flea Market in the U.S.A.

I go every year and my general impression was a bit of a disappointment from previous years. Fewer vendors with less quality items. Many more planes that should be in the trash. Lots of electrics and very few kits.

The only thing I can say positive about the trend nowadays is if ARFs, electrics and 3D flying will bring in more pilots, then it is better than us veterans allowing the hobby to die.

m-m