<<snip>>After all these years there simply is no excuse for it. Once a model is documented, published, distributed, and sold for a few years the manufacturer has ample time to seek feedback and make corrections. Once done they can replicate them at will at no additional cost. Why this isn't done by each and every one of them is beyond me. <<snip>>
Clay,
I agree with pretty much everything you wrote, and had a similar conversation with a colleague yesterday. He's getting back into the hobby after years of career and child-raising that precluded building. Now he's looking for a good kit, to build with the pre-teen son. I suggested Sig and Herr kits.
However, I'm replying to comment on the quote above. For manufacturers of commodities (light bulbs, lawn mowers, lawn chairs), the kind of response to customer input you describe is imperative. To a cottage industry, maybe not so much.
My take on the kit industry is, it's reverting to cottage industry status. There's just not enough volume (money) in it to keep people like Bruce Tharpe and Adrian Page interested.
I think that means the future is in scratchbuilding, and that's fun too. Not much incentive for the inexperienced, who can go buy an arf for half the price and a tenth of the effort. Still, I figure the interested ones cans still find a building project, and the Web will provide the help you describe.
Just my 2ยข worth,
Dave Olson