The Energon Pub

First off, I have never complained about something being an exclusive, I just wanted to bring something up which rarely seems to be considered in these arguements.

We all know how a lot of people felt when this years BotCon exclusives were announced, and you've just got to look at the TFCC Seacons post to see how this new exclusive has upset some people. Now, for the most part, I do agree with the moderators feelings towards people complaining about exclusives such as these. The remaining Classics Seekers and the Seacons wouldn't be available any other way.

However, I do feel a certain branch of the fanbase deserves some more leniency when stating their frustrations. I'm talking about those of us who do not live in North America. TFCC membership costs us double, and going to BotCon really is an impossibility for most of us outside the US and Canada. In otherwords, most of these exclusives just aren't financially available to a vast number of us.

I'm not saying insulting or offensive language should be acceptable. I'm just asking for people to make the effort to find out where someone is from before shooting them down for showing their frustration a little. Remember, outside North America, we miss out on so many 'general releases' already, making exclusives such as these feel like Hasbro rubbing salt in the wound for many Brits, Irish and Aussies (and more).

Wreckgar wrote:First off, I have never complained about something being an exclusive, I just wanted to bring something up which rarely seems to be considered in these arguements.

We all know how a lot of people felt when this years BotCon exclusives were announced, and you've just got to look at the TFCC Seacons post to see how this new exclusive has upset some people. Now, for the most part, I do agree with the moderators feelings towards people complaining about exclusives such as these. The remaining Classics Seekers and the Seacons wouldn't be available any other way.

However, I do feel a certain branch of the fanbase deserves some more leniency when stating their frustrations. I'm talking about those of us who do not live in North America. TFCC membership costs us double, and going to BotCon really is an impossibility for most of us outside the US and Canada. In otherwords, most of these exclusives just aren't financially available to a vast number of us.

I'm not saying insulting or offensive language should be acceptable. I'm just asking for people to make the effort to find out where someone is from before shooting them down for showing their frustration a little. Remember, outside North America, we miss out on so many 'general releases' already, making exclusives such as these feel like Hasbro rubbing salt in the wound for many Brits, Irish and Aussies (and more).

Keep in mind the U.S. is not the only nation to receive exclusive figures...we feel the same frustration when it comes to ehobby and other japanese exclusives. We have to pay the extra shipping costs and inflated prices to get those figures. The simple fact is, its not worth moaning about. If you want the figures bad enough you will find a way to pay for them. The internet makes them all available even if they are more expensive. The simple fact is reading thread after thread after thread of people complaining that an exclusive should have been a general release gets very old. Yes it would be nice if exclusives were general release...but they aren't and complaining about it after the fact isnt going to change that. Its either an exclusive release or no release at all. I think its very safe to say that EVERYBODY would like EVERY figure to be at retail, because it translates to less money speant.

I have and still do, sympathize with those in other countries who can not go to the conventions or are forced to pay significant club prices. It sucks, plain and simple. Still, most of the people doing the most vicious complaining aren't even from overseas. They're here in the US.

What really bothers me, is the ungrateful, child-like mentality most people take on, every single time I hear, "This is a slap in the face to the fans...etc, etc."

This hobby, in it's most truthful ugly form, is about the ability to drop cash.

There are very very few highly desirable figures that do not cost a boat load of money. Every single Japanese only release costs all of us gaijin a significant mark up, but we don't hem and haw about that? The reason being, is that people understand that without the middlemen, adding to the cost, we would never have seen the toys anyway. Why can't people realize this about club and BotCon stuff as well?

Hasbro and Funpub are two different companies. Hasbro approves Funpubs exclusives but they don't produce them. They sponsor Botcon but they don't run it. If you want to complain about the collectors club exclusives make sure you aim the complaints at the right company and stop bashing Hasbro for it. Thats my biggest issue when I see people attacking Hasbro over the exclusives regardless of where the person with the complaint is from.

Also the fact is these are "exclusive" figures. They aren't meant for every member of the fandom to be able to get them. They are limited run items that are meant to be rare and special. And though its debatable that is supposed to make it worth the extra money and effort it takes to acquire them. I find it amusing that masses of people don't bitch at Takara about their limited run exclusives not being sold to the masses. Lucky Draws and the DVD figures and the like are even smaller runs and usually cost even more but people don't seem to see that as an issue. Yet when Hasbro is connected to an exclusive people riot.

Fact is if you willing to spend the money you can get anything. Complaining that something is to expensive or to rare isn't going to change it, especially when our complaining that the item is exactly what it was intended to be. And note that as I said I'm not aiming this at anything particular nationality of fans but at the fandom as a whole.

Its funny to see people complain about the Seacons set when we haven't even seen a price for them yet.

Glad to see more exclusives for the club, makes spending for the membership worth it. More fiction, art and other fun stuff makes it worth it to be a member. Just need to pay the membership and your in, not difficult.

Well as far as complaints from those of Us who live here in the US, and those who shoot them down, it's really just a matter of tolerance. I already voiced my opinions as to why I find the exclusives from Botcon too offensive to me, and that is simply availability and price..though I'm not mad about that as so much is I'm mad at the price gouging that goes on after..

But I don't even hate the sellers of those toys on ebay, simply because idiots choose to pay that high amount in the first place!! but as far as my gripes and such goes for the future of the exclusives, consider me satisfied.. I made my piece and case several hundred times, so I feel fulfilled, whether I got shot down or not, my mind is still the same..

it is not a part of this hobby I wish to acknowledge and I really could care less about them. I can't afford them, and even if I did, there are other more important collectors items I want..like the HOTTOYS superman returns figure which retails at $238.00 and the Takara Batman figure is $360.00, BASTARDS!!! depending on ebay sellers..I'm still saving up to buy just one of those..

I own my own business in Williamsburg, which needs me more then ever it seems like every day, i have to force myself to take very little pay because we are a small business, so my funds are very low at present, but one day I will make lots of money, I hope, but for now, yes Transformers is a Priority for me, Botcon is not..

And for those of you who don't already know, I am obsessed with Superman and Batman!!! Particularly Superman!!!

I wasn't actually making a complaint about these exclusives myself, I just wanted to draw attention to something which I felt was being overlooked when some people DO complain about them and are shot down for it.

I just feel that a lot of the time, certain American collectors forget that not everyone on this board is from the US/Canada, making these exclusives much more expensive.

On a more personal note, I own several E-Hobby exclusives, and the comparison doesn't really wash. Compared to TFCC prices (especially when the membership fee is taken into account), E-Hobby exclusives do seem A LOT more affordable to me. £20/£30 for a repaint of a G1 Autobot Car compared to £40/£50 for a repaint of a Cybertron Deluxe...

I have empathy for anyone who cannot get the exclusive sets. That sucks, especially for those that live overseas.

However, ask Oscar Schindler says, "Nice things cost money."

Hasbro makes figures in a variety of price ranges, from $4 to $279 boxed sets (actually by Fun Publications with permission from Hasbro). I'm glad they do. At one point, this year's exclusives were available to everyone worldwide -at a price.

Wreckgar wrote:I wasn't actually making a complaint about these exclusives myself, I just wanted to draw attention to something which I felt was being overlooked when some people DO complain about them and are shot down for it.

I just feel that a lot of the time, certain American collectors forget that not everyone on this board is from the US/Canada, making these exclusives much more expensive.

On a more personal note, I own several E-Hobby exclusives, and the comparison doesn't really wash. Compared to TFCC prices (especially when the membership fee is taken into account), E-Hobby exclusives do seem A LOT more affordable to me. £20/£30 for a repaint of a G1 Autobot Car compared to £40/£50 for a repaint of a Cybertron Deluxe...

ok, if the ehobby example doesnt wash perhaps the binaltech nemesis prime example will suffice. Those of us in the US that have it either A)got extremely lucky on ebay before prices shot up B)Have a friend/family that was able to procure one C)Paid a greatly inflated price for it.

I am going to lock this thread because we have been down this road too many times. It is an old arguement and we are not going to beat this dead horse anymore nor are we going to have flaming.

FYI, this argument has been made before.