Pictures of the new ARD Models 1:400 Boeing 747 Range.

[aviation456]

Even here in the UK, the price difference betwwen these labour-intensive qantas examples on the BA exclusives is quite large.
At least the models have turned out great.

 

[MIAv8Diecast]

Can someone with knowledge explain to me why an ARD exclusive BA A380 on the AV400 mold in 1:400 scale would cost $114 before shipping once it’s already inside the US??? Phoning a friend…

 

[abdulmohiuddin]

Can someone with knowledge explain to me why an ARD exclusive BA A380 on the AV400 mold in 1:400 scale would cost $114 before shipping once it’s already inside the US??? Phoning a friend…

ARD needs to make money as a store since it has a physical location as well. The licensing fees from BA on top of that are probably quite expensive, so both of those are going to add up on top of the model production costs. I'm not sure if there are any tariffs to worry about but market speculation might push your shipping costs up as well.

Your only option is to suck up the cost, since no one else can retail these(much to my dismay) or wait for someone else like Gemini or Phoenix to release a BA A380.

Now I am mildly confused about where you got the $114 USD from, £49.95(Unit price for an ARD BA A380) is around $69USD, where are the other $45 dollars going to?

 

[bakejobb_23]

ARD needs to make money as a store since it has a physical location as well. The licensing fees from BA on top of that are probably quite expensive, so both of those are going to add up on top of the model production costs. I'm not sure if there are any tariffs to worry about but market speculation might push your shipping costs up as well.

Your only option is to suck up the cost, since no one else can retail these(much to my dismay) or wait for someone else like Gemini or Phoenix to release a BA A380.

Now I am mildly confused about where you got the $114 USD from, £49.95(Unit price for an ARD BA A380) is around $69USD, where are the other $45 dollars going to?

tarrifs and fees probably. Both BA 747s I want are broken down by these costs:

Model 1 - 68.02
Model 2 - 68.02
Tarrifs - 40.81
Shipping - 33.90

Total is 210.75 usd for two models....

Its kinda stupid just how expensive that is.

 

[MIAv8Diecast]

ARD needs to make money as a store since it has a physical location as well. The licensing fees from BA on top of that are probably quite expensive, so both of those are going to add up on top of the model production costs. I'm not sure if there are any tariffs to worry about but market speculation might push your shipping costs up as well.

Your only option is to suck up the cost, since no one else can retail these(much to my dismay) or wait for someone else like Gemini or Phoenix to release a BA A380.

Now I am mildly confused about where you got the $114 USD from, £49.95(Unit price for an ARD BA A380) is around $69USD, where are the other $45 dollars going to?

The one I’m referencing is at MTS Aviation Models in Dayton Ohio. That’s what it’s listed at online and in store.

 

[Serratedtrout]

Of Course, it is exclusive to us. You can purchase from us

Imagine if you’re a collector living in Foshan, where HX is based and have to order from ARD just so they can ship the models all the way from the UK back to Foshan. Kind of counter-intuitive if you’re from Foshan, nearby Guangzhou, the Greater Bay Area or just Asia in general.

 

[danwashere]

Imagine if you live in Foshan, where HX is based and have to order from ARD just so they can ship the models all the way from the UK back to Foshan. Kind of counter-intuitive if you’re from Foshan, nearby Guangzhou, the Greater Bay Area or just Asia in general.

HX is not based in Foshan?

 

[Serratedtrout]

HX is not based in Foshan?

Incase if there’s any confusion, HX is based in Foshan, which is right next to Guangzhou. You can even take the metro from Foshan over to Guangzhou. It’s that close. They’re all part of the Greater Bay Area, which is highly interconnected. This includes Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Foshan etc.

 

[planes_on_a_shelf]

They’re all part of the Greater Bay Area, which is highly interconnected. This includes Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Macau, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Foshan etc.

This is what the B-308T special livery is celebrating. (CZ is based in Guangzhou)
A network of cities. And of course the public transportation network outclasses anything in the rotw

 

[reggiehunt]

The number of people grumbling in this thread, whilst somewhat understandable is bizarre to me. ARD likely has to pay a hefty premium on these releases to secure the brand rights, trademarks usage rights, etc. that go into producing these models in an above board manner. Obviously we’d all love for models to be more affordable, but such is life. I don’t understand the animosity.

 

[Jazajia]

As someone who hates paying high prices for models, I will say this: Making custom models and then starting up a retail operation opened my eyes to why models are so expensive.

They are basically mass-produced kits. They require a high level of skills to make. By default, they are not cheap. While mass-production does bring the cost down significantly, we have to take into account that these are non-essential quasi-luxury items, so manufacturers have to make up for the inherently low demand with higher prices.

When you have a distributor in the middle (which ARD is acting as one with these releases), prices start to get pushed up even further as all parties involved are looking for a profit. Like anything else in life, the gains have to be significant enough for the whole thing to be worthwhile for everyone involved.

I will say this again: The gains have to be significant enough for the whole thing to be worthwhile for everyone involved. Be reminded that this includes you as a collector/consumer. The gain of paying X amount of money for a model needs to be enough for the collector to justify the expense. Will the happiness that the model will bring you justify the expense? If yes, drop the cash and don't look back; if not, don't buy it and move on.

In the end, the market will set the right price over time, but we all know that with some models, that price can end up being higher than MSRP. I know many praise the AV400 A380 mold, but aren't there plenty of good alternatives? I wouldn't be too concerned with an A380 in a current livery in 2026. In the case of the Landor 742, I would not be taking my chances.