I wasn't suggesting that the museum shouldn't sell number plates, rather that it should not kept in stock. A deposit could be made, and the piece would be delivered when ready.
Unlike a typical retail item, the number plate is a unique item made in a somewhat limited quantity. People who really desire one should be willing to wait. Who is the audience will be for such a product? My business sense tells me that if someone really wanted a steam locomotive number plate, they would be willing to wait for it.
Although this isn't the best analogy, it is the best one I can think of at the moment:
Candy bars are placed close to the register at grocery stores because they are considered impulse purchases. Their price is less than the median cost of an item one would buy on the grocery shelf, thereby making it attractive to someone craving the particular candy offered.
The number plate is unlike the candy bar for the following reasons:
- It would likely be the most expensive item in the entire gift shop, thus not appealing to most visitors as an impulse purchase.
- The candy bar has (almost) universal appeal to buyers while the number plate has niche appeal
- I believe the number plate seems to fall outside of the target demographic of the gift shop, although I don't know this to be a fact.
If reproduction builders plates were offered for sale a nice compromise might be to take make a limited initial casting run for the plate open to the public by advanced order.
This could achieve the following:
- It could help gauge interest in more plates being produced for sale.
- It could reduce foundry costs because of the greater quantity being poured.
- The costs of the replica plates could be used to offset the cost of the one being used by the museum.
- The appeal of having a "first run" plate might motivate potential buyers to be willing to wait out the production time.
Steve