How is it that 1:500 costs more than 1:400 per model it seems?
Herpa has a monopoly since many years about 1:500 scale (i am not considering Aether Models because they started now, i am still waiting for the first two models) so they decide how much a 1:500 scale model must cost.
Second, producing in China has become more expensive: if since some years ago, before Sars Cov-2 we can say, shipping costs by ship were covered by low manufacturing cost, now higher job costs are summed to higher shipping costs. So It would be more convenient producing in Europe.
Third, Herpa misteries: many questions, few or no answers, just words like "war" "shipping costs" "job costs" and so on.
These crazy prices for small pieces of plastic and metal (few) are not justified at all.
On the other side It Is true that in 1:400 scale world, where there are about 10 manufacturers, a NGModels airplane costs up to 60 euro and this is crazy too so the "1:500 monopoly" has no more sense anymore.
Until few years ago a 1:500 model costed 25 euros arriving to 30 euros for a biggest model and 1:400 model costed from 30 to 40 euros; today a 1:500 Azul A330-900neo costs 45 euros and a NGModels A320 costs 55 euros. It Is like a Cappuccino in Venice: 8 euros!!! Really crazy and insane, we are witnesses of a not justified rising of cost of our dear hobby. Models are not made in Gold or Platinum materials in 2025, it is always the same zinc alloy; there could be more cost for better quality check and more details on the model fuselage, but this Is a 1:400 matter (and not regarding all manufacturers because some of the are shameful even in 1:400 scale) because about Herpa quality check and details are non esistent!
Collecting has become a hobby for rich people, no doubts.
