The Energon Pub

Kibble wrote:
I agree...it's pretty crappy of them to include the replacement parts along with something 99% were going to buy anyway. Now excuse me while I go play with my MP-09 v2 that costs even more than the QC riddled v1.

PS: for the 1% that wasn't already getting the follow-up figs, there was a website you could request replacement parts through.

LOST Cybertronian wrote:Actually if I remember correctly, they did just give you the replacement part if you emailed them and wasn't going to buy the next figure.

And good on them then. I'm not too big to say that I got that one wrong. Like I said, I was speaking from hear-say not experience and acknowledged that I could have been wrong on that point.

Kibble, I'm going to try and pick through the sarcasm of the MP-9 comment and I'm going to assume that you purchased MP-9 versions 1 and 2. If you didn't then disregard but if you did, why did you? Takara pretty much got slaughtered for their MP-9 debacle. And they deserved to. But after the first version was QC garbage, why did you reward Takara by buying a second version and giving them more of your money?

At the end of my day, all of my comments are really towards the collectors out there not demanding enough from the toy makers. I believe that the 3rd party market is the biggest offender but Has/Tak do not get a pass by any means. The only reason I give 3rd party the most flak is because I got a whole shelf of figures by Hasbro that are genuinely great figures that I didn't pay my mortgage payment for.

Clearly, I am in the minority on the 3rd party issue. And I'm fine with that. Ironically, I like the idea of the 3rd party market. I just don't like its execution. I believe that the prices are way too high for the product that you get. That doesn't mean that I don't like the products.

Herc and Giant are both impressive in my book. The new Megatron may possibly the best Megatron toy to date. (Megs always seems to get shafted. Another debate for another time.) But just because he is the best Megs ever that doesn't mean he is worth $100 just by default. At least, not in my book anyway.

I still check this forum for the one 3rd party product that is good and worth the price that they charge. Until I find it, I don't buy. There isn't a single third party product on my shelf.

I also think that, at heart, most collectors agree that 3rd party prices are getting a bit off scale. But they all rationalize to justify their purchase. "Its 3rd party. Its special." If Hasbro started charging 100 bucks for a voyager, nobody would buy them. Nobody would let Hasbro get away with such prices yet the collectors here happily let 3rd parties charge them an arm and a leg. I find that odd. I get that Hasbro and 3rd parties target different audiences and I also get that 3rd parties have to charge a little more to turn a profit. Its just a "for argument's sake" statement, so lets not go pulling it apart. I'm curious as to what the average profit per figure is for Hasbro and what TFC made per figure with the Herc set.

At the end of the day, I just want "more" and "better" for my fellow collectors' money. I'm surprised more people here don't share that sentiment.

joesaysso wrote:I'm curious as to what the average profit per figure is for Hasbro and what TFC made per figure with the Herc set.

A more interesting figure would be the data per project, not per unit. Comparing figures with wildly different target audiences and capacity for sell through yields an apple and oranges comparison. You might as well compare the "profit per figure" between a Cyberverse figure and MP-10.

joesaysso wrote:At the end of the day, I just want "more" and "better" for my fellow collectors' money. I'm surprised more people here don't share that sentiment.

Acknowledgement of the economic realities of inflationary pressures?

I didn't actually buy both MP-09 figs...just making the point sarcastically. But I did get stuck with the inferior v1...not dishing out another $200+ for the 'fixed' version. I wish they included the fixes for 09 with MP-10!

But serious reply...I understand it's natural for expectations to be higher because you're paying so much more, but you're not necessarily paying more because you're getting far superior product. 3rd Party toys cost what they do because of how small the operations and runs are. The closest comparisons are BotCon, FunPub, and other various small run exclusives. Look how much those sell for and they're largely just repaints with maybe a new head thrown in! The 3rd Party products are all new, original molds. Yes, when you're paying $100 a pop you shouldn't get stuck with a piece of crap, but if they're correcting the issues, that shouldn't be held against them, but rather applauded.

Kibble wrote: Yes, when you're paying $100 a pop you shouldn't get stuck with a piece of crap, but if they're correcting the issues, that shouldn't be held against them, but rather applauded.

I agree. If TFC did right by their customers regarding the QC issues then good on them.

metaphorge wrote:A more interesting figure would be the data per project, not per unit. Comparing figures with wildly different target audiences and capacity for sell through yields an apple and oranges comparison. You might as well compare the "profit per figure" between a Cyberverse figure and MP-10.

Acknowledgement of the economic realities of inflationary pressures?

Semantics. Say it however you want to. Profit per figure would be a percentage number representing money made per unit sold. Naturally, things such as R and D would be included. It doesn't matter what kind of figure it is. Just because it is a Cyberverse figure doesn't mean that it can't have a bigger profit margin than an MP. For all we know, the average Cyberverse figure may garner a 20% profit for every unit sold while the average MP may only bring in 15%. I don't know. Its not really apples and oranges at all.

And fine, the economy isn't what it once was. But while the average Hasbro voyager has gone up in price a couple dollars, the average 3rd party voyager has gone up $20. I'm fine with 3rd party figures costing more. I get it. I just think they are price gouging the collectors. No way do I think the Herc figures should have been $22. $50-$60 seems more reasonable.

Hey, I have no problem admitting I am wrong about things. I already have in this thread. You show me some data that shows that, at their high price points, 3rd party figures profit margins are somewhere close to Hasbro profits and I'll sing the praises of the 3rd parties forever for giving the fans what they want.