Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

QBKiller94 wrote:I won't be renewing my TFCC membership next year. It's wildly overpriced. I liked my membership figure this year, but it's a $12 figure for a $40 membership price. I can afford it, but I'd rather save my money for quality figures.

I'm sorry to be quoting you, as this is not directed specifically at you; but anyone who makes this strawman argument. This is not a $12 dollar figure, this figure is priced pretty accurately at whatever it is. You're rolling your eyes and thinking I'm an apologist or whatever and you're probably going to stop reading here. But should you continue I shall explain. For the sake of argument, I'm going to compare TFSS Circuit to Hasbro's Banzai-Tron. A straight repaint, not factorin in extra costs such as new headmolding.

1) There will be fewer Circuits made than Banzai-Trons, probably in the amount of tens of thousands. That means production costs will have to be covered over a fewer number of figures.

2) It costs the same amount of money to set up a manufaturing line for TFCC's Circuit vs Hasbro's Banzai-Tron. I don't know what that number is, I've heard anything from $50,000 to 1 million before the first completed figure rolls out of the line. This takes into account
--communication with the factory
--instructing the factory workers on what is required
--retreiving the proper molds and prepping all the consumables (plastic, paint etc)
--starting the line
The flip side of course is that with a shorter product line some costs can be saved
--Less money is spent on worker hours
--Transportation costs might be cheaper
--less consumables such as plastic will ultimately be consumed. Why did I not mention paint? Read on.

3) Circuit will require more paint apps than Banzai Tron. TFCC stated at a previous Botcon (2010?) that one of their deluxe figures has on average twice the amount of paint apps than the Hasbro figure it used. Such detail work actually requires skilled (perhaps it should be called less-unskilled) labour and more time than a Hasbro figure.

4) Distribution. Hasbro bulk ships to stores and washes their hands of the whole thing. TFCC needs to receive those bulk shipping containers and individually get them into smaller boxes (another consumable) and then get them to their customer. As this is done in the US, minimum-wage labour is required which is much more expensive that that used in China.

All in all it adds up. Compare this to other exclusive repaint figures and you'll see that these are some of the cheapest on the market right now.

I don't care if you don't want the figures, it is your oppinion/collection/money after all, but you justify it poorly.

QBKiller94 wrote:Thanks Mkall for the detailed breakdown of the manufacturing process and costs. Well written and informative.

My point is a simple one. If the consumer is paying a premium price, then the product should be exceptional. I don't find this to be the case with this line.

And I cannot fault you for that. If you don't feel you're getting your money's worth, then it's your call. I feel different but it's all a matter of taste.