Happy Holidays from Model Expo

Model Expo would like to wish all of our friends & families a Happy & Safe Holiday season!

As a reminder, please take note of Model Expo's holiday hours:

• Monday, 12/24 - 9am - 12pm ET
• Tuesday, 12/25 - Closed for Christmas 
• Monday, 12/31 - 9am - 2pm ET
• Tuesday, 1/1/13 - Close for New Years Day
• All other days are normal business hours (9am - 6pm ET)

And, our website is always up 24x7x365 for your hobby & modeling needs!

Model Expo Technical Difficulties with Email

Model Expo fans - just as an FYI, our email server took a big hit yesterday. We're in the process of rebuilding however, in the interim, if you have any questions, please send all your emails to modelexpo@gmail.com

We should be back up by Monday. Sorry for any inconveniences.

Eric @ Model Expo

A customer speaks out about Model Expo kits!

Four months ago, we received a review on the Fair American 14-Gun Privateer by Model Shipways from a customer (Frank J. Ryczek, Jr.) - it was posted on the comment section of our Fair American kit page. While not the best review,

Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning ~ Bill Gates

Bill Gates said that “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” Recently, there was a post from one of our customers regarding our 

Model Expo Launches NEW eBay Store!

Attention Model Expo Fans: We've launched a new

Have you toured our factory yet?

Many of our customers show up at the Model Expo offices in Hollywood, FL and are surprised to find

Stop Stealing Dreams by Seth Godin

As a father, small business owner, and college professor, one topic that is constantly on my mind

Vote for Model Expo!

Hey Model Expo Fans! Did you know that FedEx is running a Small Business Contest?

Getting over ourselves - Seth Godin

I think Seth hit the nail on the head with this blog post - we need to get over ourselves! 

Recent customer feedback!

We've received some nice feedback from our customers recently and we thought

iHobby Expo Cleveland Pictures & Results

John & I are back from the iHobby Expo in Cleveland - we had a good time! The most important

Is business really headed in this direction?

So here I sit, in the Charlotte NC airport, waiting on my return flight to Fort Lauderdale, FL after the iHobby Expo show in Cleveland. Why am I sitting & waiting? Well...

Come Visit Us at iHobby Expo in Cleveland!

Looking for something to do the weekend of October 13th & 14th? If you're going to be in Cleveland,

Host a Model Expo Workshop and Earn Some Cash!

Hey Model Expo fans! We know you're passionate about what you build and, like many of our modelers, have a longing to share what you do. The good news is we've been putting together a program

Small Business Marketing 101 - Simple Power of One a Day

I was catching up on my Seth Godin reading and his latest blog post, The simple power of one a day, really resonated

Positive Thinking: How to Change Your Future!

As election time rolls near, we enter a difficult time in our lives. Our beliefs, emotions, performance all is impacted - as Seth Godin says, our "lizard brain" gets in the way. I stumbled across

September Flyer Sneak Peek!

Here's a sneak peak of the cover of our September Model Expo flyer going out

Our customers sound off on our model kit quality!

We love seeing and hearing feedback from our customers! Whether it's the good, the not so good, or the ugly,

Marketing email frequency

We have received feedback from customers advising that while they like our sales and our emails,

Measurement challenged?

As manufacturers of model kits & tools that are sold across the globe, one of the challenges we always face is regarding measurement. Specifically,

Tom Walden Article in Miniature Magazine

Tom Walden of Tom Walden's Miniature Furniture built one of our

We need more of this kind of thought leadership!

I stumbled across this speech from Neil Gaiman - a commencement speech

The reviews just keep on coming in!

Lately, I have been impressed with the number of customer comments that continue to pour in via our

Happy Fourth of July from Model Expo

Model Expo wishes everyone a happy and SAFE Fourth of July!

July Firecracker Sale - Sneak Preview!

As many of you know, we have a July Firecracker sale every year - well it's that time

A legacy in the making by Jim Semmel

Jim Semmel sent us pictures of his completed models in his collection; he is now

Announcing Model Expo's eBay Outlet Store!

Model Expo is proud to announce the launch of our eBay store! Within the

Announcing a New Designer to the Model Expo Family

We've signed a new designer to the Model Expo family! Kenneth Foran, author of

Remember this weekend

This Memorial Day weekend, do not forget to remember and honor those men and women

A surprise gift from Model Expo!

As the winner of our "guess which ship model is coming out next" post on Facebook and on our Blog, Jim Bartusek received a

An Industry Leading Guarantee!

At Model Expo, we pride ourselves on what we manufacture. And to back up what we do, we offer an

Phil Cox says Get Engaged!

As you know, our month-long marketing campaign is about getting engaged with your hobby and other modelers. Unfortunately, most modelers take a very self-centered stance and, for whatever reason, do not feel compelled to share their work & know-how with others. Phil, on the other hand, 

A nice story from one of our customers

We always love to hear great feedback and a great story! One of our customers recently sent us

The "New" Hobby Store?

While we were out in Las Vegas this past week, we were discussing the hobby industry and a thought occurred  to us - could the "new" hobby store be your local, independent hardware store? We're curious as to how many of you

Viva Las Vegas!

Just a quick note - we're attending the 2012 National Retail Hobby Store Association Table Top Expo in Las Vegas this week!

Did you know we are the exclusive importer of bicycles?

Many of you probably do not know that we are the exclusive importer of fine Italian bicycles. Through a partnership with 

Simplest Way to Get Smarter

Want to boost your brain power? Forget the puzzles, games, and mental exercises; there's an easier

Super Spray Paint Combo!

This deal is way too good to pass up! Did you know that you can get your very own

Hot out? Paint inside with our Compact Spraybooth!

At Model Expo, we know that when it gets hot outside, our hobbyists and modelers like to stay indoors. Unfortunately, working indoors can

Shine a little light on your project!

Using the Disqus comment tool, Dale from Seattle posted a nice comment regarding

On making a ruckus in your industry

Seth Godin's blog posts really speak to all the small business owners in America. In his latest post on making a ruckus in your industry, I was

Freshening up the site!

Here's an early sneak peek at how our site re-design is coming along - clean and easy to use! We're hoping to launch this during the summer and

A New Month, A New Challenge

As with any business, the start of another month brings new challenges and opportunities. Whether it's aggressive sales targets, problems with suppliers, or operating in a niche market,

Mini Air Compressor Review & Commentary

If you haven't noticed already, we've added comment functionality to all of our product pages. A recent comment was made

New projects, new product lines, new ideas

As the leader in wood and metal ship, airplane, wagon, and civil war armament & equipment model kits, Model Expo is constantly looking for new content / techniques / kits to bring to the hobby modeling community. During some recent research,

Necessity is the mother of invention!

Necessity is the mother of invention. Another way of saying this is: When people really need to do something, they will figure out a way to do it. 

I have been thinking about what to do with our hobby saw issue. After realizing we were going to be unable to manufacture the Preac Saw, I scoured the internet, I queried our suppliers, and just 

Model Expo is now on Tumblr!

After checking out Tumblr, I decided to take the plunge and see if anyone from our small tribe uses this medium to share pictures of their work. Tumblr reaches

Final Update: Model Expo & the Micro-Precision Table Saw from Preac Tool Company

Unfortunately, after researching what it would take to manufacture the Preac Table Saw, we have determined that it is not economically feasible given all of our other projects and commitments at this time. That being said,

How Underdogs Can Win ~ Malcolm Gladwell

As everyone will attest, I tend to look at situations a little differently than everyone else - I guess that's why I'm drawn to the writings and musings of Malcolm Gladwell. In thinking about Model Expo, the customers we serve, and our obstacles,

Why do we do what we do?

Model Expo designs Model Shipways, Model Airways, Model Trailways, and Guns of History model kits -  the best, most historically accurate, and authentic wood and metal model ship, airplane, wagon, and war arms / equipment scale model kits in the world. One of the questions that repeatedly comes up from our customers, distributors, and even suppliers is - why do we do what we do? Why, in this day and age, do we

Free Resources

I've been toying with the idea of "Free" - reading a great book by Chris Anderson - Free: The Future of a Radical Price. In it, he discusses the movement from free as a marketing tool to free as a policy (look at Google). This got me to thinking

Do you have what it takes to be our next designer?

As you may have read recently on our blog(s), Model Expo is continually trying to expand our various product lines with new kits. While we have a relatively solid handle on our Model Shipways and Model Airways product lines, we were entertaining the idea of adding a few designers to our Model Trailways and Guns of History lines.

Consistency & moderation over intensity

In all aspects of life, more often than not, we think if we push really hard, that we'll get there (wherever "there" is) quicker. Of course, we all know the results of this effort - burnout and failure. Examples:

Update: Model Expo and the Micro-Precision Table Saw from Preac Tool Company

Just as an update to our Preac Saw post,  I'm heading up to New York on Monday to chat with Arlene about  manufacturing the saw on their behalf - our way of continuing the Preac legacy. 

Model Expo Web Site

When placing your orders on our web site, please note the following;

  a.  do your shopping "first" adding your items into the "shopping cart".
  b.  when your shopping is completed go to "check out".
  c.  if you are an existing customer of Model Expo check in as a "Returning Customer", using
       your "Last Name and Password"(not case sensitive).  If  you forget your password or you are having
       trouble logging on "Do Not Re-Register".  Call our Customer Service for assistance.  Re-registering
       will cause multiple entries and will lock you out of our web site user area.
 d.   if you are a "New Customer" click on and complete the information requested.

Customer Service

Addressing "old" business concerns

I was on the phone the other day with one of our long-time modelers and he mentioned that in his small circle of modeling friends, the question of Model Expo "being in trouble" came up yet again. His short response to this question of Model Expo's status is no, they are NOT "in trouble".

We still surprise modelers with our guarantee...

Our customers are still amazed by our unconventional guarantee. Every week, I see posts in forums and receive emails from customers who are surprised that our guarantee actually means something.

A customer makes the switch from European kits to Model Expo kits!

Recently, I received an email from a customer who, in addition to wondering about the status his Guns of History Civil War Coffee Wagon order, wanted to express his happiness for our kits manufactured here in the USA!

We actually MAKE our products!

It amazes me how many of our long-time customers do not know that Model Expo actually MAKES our own product lines (Model Shipways, Model Airways, Model Trailways, Guns of History).

Model Expo and the Micro-Precision Table Saw from Preac Tool Company

Many of you may remember the Micro-Precision Table Saw from Preac Tool Company - a great saw from a great company! Ask any modeler who owns one--There is no other modelers tool on the market that enjoys such popularity. Professional Modelers, Museum Shops, and Amateurs the world over own "A Preac"!

Customer Service

Hi Modelers,  my name is Tom, one of your Customer Service Representatives.  Please check this blog site for future updated information from our CSR department.
Happy Modeling

(Un)expected Turbulence

As I wrap up another exciting week of running a small business, the thought of "Unexpected Turbulence" comes to mind. This week, we encountered several instances of turbulence in the manufacturing of our model kits.

What it means to stand behind your product!

What does it truly mean to "stand behind your product"? We've all seen, read, and in many cases experienced where this has gone terribly wrong - and it ultimately left us with a "bad taste in our mouth".

Trading in your pain - from Seth Godin

Seth Godin is a marketing hero of mine and a recent post in his blog really resonated with me - I hope you enjoy. Also, note that I added his feed to the right-hand side of my blog - check it out, very good reading!

Trading in your pain

The pain of a lousy boss, of careless mistakes, of insufficient credit. The pain of instability, of bullying, of inadequate tools. The pain of poor cash flow, corrossive feedback and work that isn't worthy of you.

Pain is part of work. And it leads to two mistakes.

We have customers that still write letters...

Recently, I received a hand written letter and actual photographs of the work of one of our modelers (David Armitage) and I paused to reflect on our on-going transition. Model Expo, like many older companies, is a company in the middle of a technological transformation. For over 30+ years, Model Expo was predominantly a direct mail-based business and our internal processes, systems, and employees supported that type of business (slower response times). While we still mail catalogs and post-cards, this type of marketing is VERY expensive, time consuming, and quickly becoming outdated (much to the dismay of many of our customers).