State of the Industry from the NRHSA Expo

Model Retailer Magazine has an article about the general feelings of retailers and manufacturers from the recent NRHSA Table Top Expo in Las Vegas.  They lead with the headline “Cautious optimism” and go on to talk about the state of the industry with many retailers saying that sales are up so far this year.  This news aligns nicely with the upcoming survey from the Hobby Manufacturers Association, overall suggesting that the hobby industry is seeing continual growth.

But of course, it’s not all peaches and gumdrops, as many retailers believe that rises in oil, gas, and other commodity prices will cut into the amount of money people will spend on hobby products.  The big idea out of the show seems to be that hobby manufacturers and retailers that diversify their product lines and start to go after a broader market, rather than the core hobbyist, will be the ones that survive.

Here’s an excerpt from the article:

Many retailers attending the show commented their sales are up so far this year.  However, the good news is tempered with the knowledge that commodity prices, especially oil and gas, may shrink consumers’ disposable income.

“Overall, this year we’ve seen it start to brighten up a little bit. It’s better, but not spectacular,” said Noel Bays, manager of HobbyForce in Ontario, Ohio.  He thinks people are tired of reports about a bad economy and just want to get out and have fun.

“We are really positive and could see a great fall,” Bays said.

Click on over to the Model Retailer website to read the whole thing.