Unfortunately, our license for Star Trek does not cover sales outside the U.S. or Canada. However, you may be able to find an online retailer in the U.S. or Canada who ships overseas.

Bob

Thanks

Sometimes it is a mystery why certain stores only invest in certain products, and I can’t speak directly to Hobby Lobby’s entire thought process, but I believe part of it has to do with the fact that they have a certain amount of shelf space allocated for sci-fi, and that is currently divided among Trek, Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica. They also seem to prefer the smaller “standard” model kit boxes — although they obviously make exceptions, as they do carry some of the larger SW and BSG kits.

Hopefully, as interest in Trek continues due to the success of the new movie, they will consider allocating more space for Trek, including taking some of our items that are in the larger packaging, like the Enterprise E, and the upcoming Vulcan Shuttle and Spock kits, which are due out later this year.

Bob

Bob … Is there any special reason why Hobby Lobby is carrying the Star Trek Polar Lights models, but not the Star Trek AMT Models?
Because with the popularity of the new movie I think it would be a mistake not to sell these models ….

Tommy

Really interesting discussion of hobby retailers vs ‘mass market’. I often wonder if the mass market is perilously close to being gone. Model building seems to have evolved into an adult past-time in this country. Adult modelers get kits for their kids, sure. But I really wonder how long the mass market will be around.

Not a silly question at all — I should’ve addressed this more clearly. You are right — it is a lot of hassle and expense to go through for the same kit. I have to admit, I don’t completely understand the reasoning behind the decision, but apparently the hobby retailers want an obvious point of difference between their kit and what is available in the mass market. (At least, that is what the sales/marketing folks tell me.) The mass being big chain stores like Toys’R'Us or Hobby Lobby.

The decision was made with the Trek kits to make that point of difference the way the box art is handled: traditionally illustrated packaging for the hobby accounts, and photographic/digital treatment for the mass accounts. In the case of the Enterprise-E, we were confident our mass accounts would take the kit and proceeded with the “mass” version of the box art. Unfortunately, the mass accounts passed on taking it. So — I ended up with a pretty piece of art to be used on the website and the blog.

Hope that makes a little sense, at least.

Why do 2 sets of box art? Seems like a lot of hassle and expense to go through for the same kit.

Actually, we had permission from the Star Trek licensor to show the concept box art at WonderFest only; it has to go though a further round of approvals (Paramount and Bad Robot) before we can show the thing to the whole dang world. I hope to get approvals this week on both the concept art and an official press release announcing the license. We’ve been working on getting the license for a while now, and it was finally confirmed a few weeks ago! The timing was good to announce it at WonderFest — most reactions at the show were extremely positive.

Hang tight; I’ll post the image as soon as I can.