Ramsay's Guide - Buyer input sought

[Andy Y]

As publishers of Ramsay's Guide we're seeking the thoughts of customers about the book going into the future as the ever-increasing range outputted by manufacturers is causing the publication to continually grow and hence increase in price.

 

Basically the options are:

 

·         Limit it to one big book by focusing on the main brands only

 

·         Continue as is, but accept that price will soon be £40+ and the number of volumes per edition could be 3+

 

·         Look at it going digital - either a digital magazine, or website

 

·         Any other options?

 

 

We just need to gauge what people think so your input is appreciated.

 

 

[Kal]

Separate volumes by years

 

Eg, Post 2000 and pre 2000 models

 

or

 

Separate by Current Manufacturers  and Ex manufacturers

 

or

 

Separate by Scale/Gauge

 

Also, an electronic version that is discounted if bought with the book

 

 

That way you buy just the volumes you want.

 

Demand will show whether each volume merits it's continued efforts based upon sales.

[Stubby47]

Exclude all the big box-shifter-product manufacturers, as they have their own catalogues, and only concentrate on the small suppliers.

[johnb]

To develop on Kal's ideas.

 

My preference would be for a scale/gauge split. Say 00 as one , then N,TT, and other small scales as another, then 'O' and large scale collectables in the third. The latter would pick up quite a lot of the ex-manufacturers.

 

I mainly use the guide for 00 so would certainly go for that, with the smaller scales volume as a possible.

 

Hope that helps

 

Separate by Current Manufacturers  and Ex manufacturers

 

or

 

Separate by Scale/Gauge

 

Also, an electronic version that is discounted if bought with the book

 

 

That way you buy just the volumes you want.

 

Demand will show whether each volume merits it's continued efforts based upon sales.

[gordon s]

Exclude all the big box-shifter-product manufacturers, as they have their own catalogues, and only concentrate on the small suppliers.

 

Am I missing something?  I thought Ramsays was a catalogue giving second hand values of models that have been produced over many years and therefore can't see the link to the big box shifter catalogues.

[Stubby47]

Oops, my mistake. Yes, my suggestion is that of a numpty.

[The Stationmaster]

Let's try to consider it from a user viewpoint if that is feasible?  I've got a copy which is several years old and probably cost me the best part of 50p as it came in an auction lot (I put the other, slightly older, copy that was also in the lot back into another lot) so the point I make here is that I'm not a big time big money buyer of these things but they are useful for back reference in debates about number of modes produced or past prices - Use No.1

 

Use No.2 is that they do have some use about current market price levels at the time they are published and in that respect they are just like such price guides for all sorts of other things - but to match that use they need to be current and they need to be comprehensive (or at least cover, probably, the most common parts of the market) Use No.2

 

Use No.3 is that provided it is sufficiently comprehensive and complete, including detail variations, it is probably the only widely available mulkti-range, 'cop book' for collectors however I'm sure that truly serious collectors would in any case look for even greater levels of information than Ramsay can provide.

 

Picking up on Gordon's point I don't think it is, nor has it ever pretended to be, any sort of competition for current manufacturers' catalogues.

 

Right from there I think the publishers face a couple of choices.  The first is to continue as is, possibly split into a couple of volumes for handling reasons and let the price gradually escalate possibly moving to a subscription basis and almost certainly offering an online version.  I'm sure that 'professional' dealers, buyers, and collectors would still be likely to be interested and for at least some of them it would be a deductible business expense.  But that approach would probably rule out Use No.1 for most people - unless they're happy with secondhand copies acquired at auction.

 

I don't think a volume split based on scales and gauges or manufacturers would necessarily be a good thing although taking out 0 Gauge and larger would be a recognisable and manageable split for collectors as my impression from the way auction crowds move is that the large scale buyers are usually a very different group from those into 4mm scale and smaller.  Indication of comparable marketability (but not the scale of the market) is to look at things like Ives and American Flyer guides or those for Marklin etc.  Could be a good split, could allow for some development, would fit - I think - the subscription model. 

 

The second choice is to do nothing except carry on - price escalates, sales drop, title is sold.

 

The third choice is to sell the title.

 

The fourth choice is a variant of the first following a similar course, with a  larger scale split-off, and take it a bit upmarket for the subscription/electronic version with auction reports.  More work, more service, possibly develop to include an online price guide - first couple of inquiries in an y X month period are free - then you have to subscribe.  Done properly (which is critical) it ought to work in the 'professional' market area where, for example, setting guide prices in an auction catalogue invariably involves either recent knowledge or a lot of research and a lot of that is done onine from what I see.

 

Best I can offer Mr Y.

[BMacdermott]

Hello Andy

 

I only have the latest edition, so can’t comment on how the catalogue has developed over the past six issues. I did have a couple of earlier editions, but can’t recall the detail.

 

The stated priorities (page 4) are:

Comprehensiveness;

Fast access to information.

 

It is certainly comprehensive, but the increase in the number of models produced will increase the need for easier access. As Pat says (also page 4), the sixth edition received more praise than any other edition, largely down to the use of colour.

 

Personally, I find the ‘values’ (pardon the pun) of little value. I enjoy seeing the pictures, dates and model detail (livery, running numbers etc) as well as the ‘company histories’. This enables me to be ‘an armchair collector’.

 

More pictures would increase Pat’s workload, although I’d dare say he has plenty that he has to leave out due to page content restrictions. For example (taken randomly), the Heljan loco listings on pp241-245 have 21 locos, but only 11 photos. I realise that we couldn’t have one for every livery variation etc, but one for each primary type would be very much appreciated.

 

Having the catalogue as an ‘on-line publication’ would mean that it could be kept up-to-date on (theoretically) a daily basis, and any minor corrections or new facts added.

 

This would then enable better segregation as 0, 00, N+smaller (ie three segments).

 

By definition, a catalogue is a ‘list of items’ and can be treated differently from a written book where it is normal to start at page 1 and read through to the end.

 

To sum up:

Photos of as many items as is practical;

Split into 0, 00, N+smaller;

On-line publication;

Up-dated regularly (say bi-monthly);

One-off payment for access to ‘current issue’ as at date of payment;

Or payment for access on a rolling basis, so that one sees all the amendments as they appear.

 

Whatever happens, I will be buying a copy!

 

Brian 

[brushman47544]

If it is necessary to split the publication, then I would support the split by gauge/scale. At least that way all models of whatever vintage in that scale will be covered by the same volume. Split by cut off year(s) and you will get the same model in different volumes depending on year of manufacture, or if split by year of first production, you don't get all the 19xx/20xx (year of choice) models in the same volume. Where would you put all those recent versions of Hornby tooling first seen in the 60s and 70s (e.g. Class 47 loco and Mk1 coaches)? In these cases if you're looking for a model but don't know when it was produced you wouldn't know which volume to buy.