There’s a phrase that kept popping up in various forms in our inbox after we asked you about your bookshelves. Michael put it best:
I'd be happy to send you photos of my wooden model collection. It's quite a collection, so don't be surprised.
Attached: nine photos.
We wondered how this actually happens. No one buys a wooden model kit with the intention of starting a collection. And yet, some of you now have 18 models on your shelves. Here’s what your emails have told us about it.
Phase 1: It almost always starts with a gift
This isn't just a guess—it's reflected in our numbers: A little more than half of all first-time purchases with us are gifts, not purchases for oneself. And that's exactly how it starts for many of you.
Richard sent us two photos and wrote the following:
I received both as gifts. Fantastic model kits.
Holger is one step ahead; for him, it now works both ways:
I have even more 3D models, but you can see most of them in these two pictures. My wife is giving me the sailboat as a birthday present.
Phase 2: The next model is already on its way
This is where it gets interesting. A striking number of you didn't just send us photos of your bookshelves—you also told us what's next.
Wolfgang: "But more models will be added."
Viktoria, in three lines and three photos: "Here's my collection. One is still in the making. And here's what's still to come."
And Henry, who sums it up most honestly:
This is what it looks like on the shelf; there are still 4 items waiting, and the order list hasn't been processed yet.
A shopping list. Not an order. That's the moment when a hobby becomes a collection.
Phase 3: The Shelf Becomes the Focus
At some point, the question of space arises, and it’s solved creatively. Peggy has moved her collection to the garden shed. Emre has found room for two models on his desk and writes with disarming honesty: “Sorry, I don’t have a shelf yet.”
At Michael's place, the wooden models simply share the shelf with everything else that's important to him. Nestled among collectible figurines and movie posters stands a wooden Tower Bridge, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Hans, who tells us about 18 models, has a nice way of putting it:
So far, I have 18 models in my collection, and there will certainly be more to come.
Let's Talk About Money
Hans added something to his email that we don't want to leave out here, even if it's uncomfortable:
Unfortunately, your models are out of my price range. I hope I can still find something from you that fits my budget.
This isn't just one person's opinion. In our post-purchase survey, price was the second most frequently cited reason—after "Nothing; I was convinced right away"—that nearly led to a decision not to buy. About one in five people who hesitated at all did so because of the price.
We could argue this point away right now. But let’s not, because both sides are right: High-quality, thicker wood with a clean laser cut costs more than thin plywood from a low-cost manufacturer. And yet, it still has to be possible to get started without spending a three-digit amount.
So, specifically, if the budget is the limiting factor:
- Start small. A small model that you finish is worth more than a large one that stays in the closet.
- Check out the starter sets. They're designed specifically for your first kit, and they come with tools.
- Take advantage of MagicClub. Earning points costs nothing and makes the second model more affordable.
- Purchase on account. Build first, pay later—if your uncertainty outweighs your excitement.
The real issue
You don’t need 18 models for it to be worth it. Emre has two on his desk, and they’re enough to bring a smile to his face as he walks by. For Jutta, it’s a typewriter she received for her 75th birthday. For Alfred’s father-in-law, it’s a single bucket-wheel loader, which he calls his masterpiece after four weeks.
A collection doesn't come about because someone decides to start collecting. It comes about because the first model was fun.
Thanks to Michael, Richard, Holger, Wolfgang, Viktoria, Henry, Hans, Peggy, and Emre. And thanks to everyone who wrote to us, even if your photo didn't make it into this series. We read every single email.
If you'd still like to show us your collection: info@magicholz.de—we'd still love to see any photos you have.
Your MagicHolz
