Kit options.

[alnewall]

I would suggest that World Designs could make available detailed plans for a range of projects, including foolproof instructions and a parts list with required specifications of all components.
This would reduce the financial outlay for the company and make it possible to offer a wide range of designs without incurring losses when a particular design proved less popular.
This could also be an option alongside complete kits.

[NickG]

But would that either require designing around off the shelf transformers, or doing the work to design and prototype the transformers. If they were off the shelf transformers, I can't see how they would get a return on the design cost by just selling plans. Especially as there would be no way of stopping them being passed around.

If they designed their own transformers, and sourced the components, they would then have to have a stock of the transformers and parts to sell, otherwise I don't see how it would pay for the design cost. If they had to have the parts in stock, I can't see how its any less work than selling a complete kit. If the design doesn't take off, you have still the outlay for the initial work.

And I can imagine the support nightmare, people would use part official parts, and parts they thought was a good idea, but still come back to WD for help when it didn't work. Or even worst, if it didn't work out because they didn't use all the right bits, they could then start to bad mouth the design (ignoring the fact it was their own changes that caused the problem) on the net causing untold bad publicity for WD.

There are already a huge number of designes out there on the net, some of them may well be good, getting a list of parts together wouldn't be a hard thing to do if you were interested, I am sure many on the BB would help with that.

Sorry if that sounds negative, but just my 2d

Just another thought, maybe its worth agreeing on a set of poll questions, I think in many cases (just like normal market research) the questions may be leading to a skewed answer,

[alnewall]

All valid points Nick.
I'm sure if my suggestions turn out to be impractical, then they will be ignored by WD and thats fair enough.
The problem that I foresee is that if the new company produce no compromise amplifier kits then the inevitable high purchase cost will put some people off buying them. I hope they will produce kits that compete at the highest levels, but I don't think that the other end of the market should be ignored.
Remember the worldwide interest in Gainclones(albeit fairly shortlived). If WAD had been able to think on its feet then they could have tapped into a sizeable market for minimal investment.
Yes I could easily pick a design from the net and build it with the help of others, but it would be nice to able to assemble it with some comprehensive instructions and know that it will perform when finished.
There is a danger that people who are unable to splash out many hundreds of pounds on a Total kit, will take the next easiest option and boost the Chinese market instead.
Of course there's always the secondhand route but where's the learning, satisfaction and fun in that.

I have voted NO.

Nick has covered most of the downsides to such a plan.

I also disagree that it would be that much cheaper anyway, if a manufacturer supplies a full kit all the purchasers will benefit from some economy of scale which will offset some of the designers profit margin.

If you want to use someone elses circuit to build your own kit their are plenty of circuits out there.