The Energon Pub

monstergrotusque wrote:Stellar repaint but GADDMAN that price tag is absolutely ridiculous!! Gotta be outta your mind to drop that kinda dough on a 20 dollar figure.

As sweet as it is. No thanks. 50 bucks....tops!

I would do 60-70. High priced exclusives end up dropping when they over-estimate how much collectors are willing to spend. BBTS recently sold out on TFcon Nightbird overstock by dumping them at $29.99. That used to be a $150.00 figure. I also recently picked up the Japanese exclusive G2 Darkwing/Smokescreen set for $60.00 (plus 30 ship) from a Japanese e-bay seller. And look how much the price of the United targetmaster mini-cons has dropped. If you guys wanna see prices on exclusives drop, hold out. I only give that kind of money for 3rd party figures.

Smexy.

Doubt Stepper is going to flop in the secondary market. United's been rather strong, even the 3-Packs are still at a stable price.

Nightbird dropped because it was from IT, and was awful to begin with. Darkwing/Smokescreen were movie-based molds, and Neo-G2's still pretty niche. United Targetmasters, well I didn't pay a dime for them, plus they were sold in the secondary market at an inflated price.

While incidents in which oversea exclusive prices have dropped are much higher in this day and age, there are still far too many cases where it's gone the other way. It's a good mold, and I do believe the price for it right now is ridiculous, but it's no Henkei Strafe.

Blurrz wrote:Smexy.

Doubt Stepper is going to flop in the secondary market. United's been rather strong, even the 3-Packs are still at a stable price.

Nightbird dropped because it was from IT, and was awful to begin with. Darkwing/Smokescreen were movie-based molds, and Neo-G2's still pretty niche. United Targetmasters, well I didn't pay a dime for them, plus they were sold in the secondary market at an inflated price.

While incidents in which oversea exclusive prices have dropped are much higher in this day and age, there are still far too many cases where it's gone the other way. It's a good mold, and I do believe the price for it right now is ridiculous, but it's no Henkei Strafe.

I fear you're right on this. As much as I want this thing to drop to about 50$, I just don't see it happening. United just seems to go higher, never lower in the priceranges.

Eventually I'll break down and get it. That mold is just extremely good and the added targetmaster... Yep. Sign me up.

Factored into the price on these Million exclusives is the work that goes into them and the price of the book.

Don't forget about that.

Blurrz wrote:
While incidents in which oversea exclusive prices have dropped are much higher in this day and age, there are still far too many cases where it's gone the other way. It's a good mold, and I do believe the price for it right now is ridiculous, but it's no Henkei Strafe.

Which is why my plan is to hold off initially and watch stock levels...as well as see if overseas competition might offer him at a more reasonable rate (ie RK charging ~$38 for Dark Skyfire while BBTS was charging ~$94.) If he looks to be going fast and no better deals present themselves, I'll bend over then...otherwise I'munna just wait it out.

Counterpunch wrote:Factored into the price on these Million exclusives is the work that goes into them and the price of the book.

Don't forget about that.

BBTS doesnt specify whether the price includes a book or not. Granted, it lists Stepper as "Transformers Generations 2011 Volume 01 - Exclusive Stepper". But lists the shipping weight as 0.70 pounds. Thats pretty light for a book and a figure. Nothing in the item description even mentions you are getting a book. BBTS lists the book for sale seperatly at a clearance price os $19.99. I honestly dont think you get the book with the figure. The figure seems to be just a promotion by the company that makes the book. Plus the listed shipping weight for the book alone is 1.79 pounds. Also, the United E-Hobby 3 packs were just a little higher rhan the price of this single figure.

BBTS Stepper link:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... icture=out

BBTS Transformers Generations 2011 Volume 01 link:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

No, what I mean is that you have to buy the book and do the mailing to get the figure.

Rated X wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:Factored into the price on these Million exclusives is the work that goes into them and the price of the book.

Don't forget about that.

BBTS doesnt specify whether the price includes a book or not. Granted, it lists Stepper as "Transformers Generations 2011 Volume 01 - Exclusive Stepper". But lists the shipping weight as 0.70 pounds. Thats pretty light for a book and a figure. Nothing in the item description even mentions you are getting a book. BBTS lists the book for sale seperatly at a clearance price os $19.99. I honestly dont think you get the book with the figure. The figure seems to be just a promotion by the company that makes the book. Plus the listed shipping weight for the book alone is 1.79 pounds. Also, the United E-Hobby 3 packs were just a little higher rhan the price of this single figure.

BBTS Stepper link:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... icture=out

BBTS Transformers Generations 2011 Volume 01 link:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

What he possibly means is that you can only get the figure by buying the book and mail ordering it with the enclosed form. That adds an additional hidden cost.

Hmmmmmm........That stepper looks an awful lot like jazz holding cyclonus's gun. Im going to have to do some digging......

decepta-scott wrote:Hmmmmmm........That stepper looks an awful lot like jazz holding cyclonus's gun. Im going to have to do some digging......

That's the whole point, this is homaging the Japanese Target master repaint of Jazz which came with Nightstick, this is that guy's classics update.

Dead Metal wrote:

decepta-scott wrote:Hmmmmmm........That stepper looks an awful lot like jazz holding cyclonus's gun. Im going to have to do some digging......

That's the whole point, this is homaging the Japanese Target master repaint of Jazz which came with Nightstick, this is that guy's classics update.

And to prove it, here's the reissue from 2004:



Still available in some places if I may add. May need to get me one

Counterpunch wrote:No, what I mean is that you have to buy the book and do the mailing to get the figure.

With the book at 20 bucks, how much will the figure cost with the book coupon ? (including shipping) Any savings or do you end up spending more then 100 bucks ?

Not to mention, who reads Japanese ?

I just have a feeling theres gonna be a huge stockpile of these things in some Japanese warehouse thats gonna end up getting liquidated by mid 2012.

Rated X wrote:Not to mention, who reads Japanese ?

Hmmm... Perhaps the Japanese?

It was my understanding and I could be wrong about this, but I thought you actually had to live in Japan to actually send off for the figure via the coupon. If that is the case I don't know how places like BBTS gets theirs.

Rated X wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:No, what I mean is that you have to buy the book and do the mailing to get the figure.

With the book at 20 bucks, how much will the figure cost with the book coupon ? (including shipping) Any savings or do you end up spending more then 100 bucks ?

Not to mention, who reads Japanese ?

I just have a feeling theres gonna be a huge stockpile of these things in some Japanese warehouse thats gonna end up getting liquidated by mid 2012.

I agree with you that they will go on clearance. It's going to happen.

LostCybertronian is right though, you can only have these figures delivered to a Japanese address. It's another hassle that adds to the cost.

Same as Pistachio Encore Ratchet, the Stealth Ligier among others. You buy the magazine, cut the coupon etc etc.

Added cost and effort.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:

decepta-scott wrote:Hmmmmmm........That stepper looks an awful lot like jazz holding cyclonus's gun. Im going to have to do some digging......

That's the whole point, this is homaging the Japanese Target master repaint of Jazz which came with Nightstick, this is that guy's classics update.

And to prove it, here's the reissue from 2004:



Still available in some places if I may add. May need to get me one

AH HAA!!!! I knew it! Further more this has been happening for awhile now right under our noses. I believe that hasbro in an attempt to save money has been taking the same moulds, repainting them, packaging a different weapon with the repainted figure, giving that figure a different name and selling it as a new figure all together!
I dont have proof yet but I suspect I will be able to come up with something concrete very soon now. Ill keep you posted.

Seriously though, Im glad I have never heard of steper. I have no bond to this figure and so I can easily pass on him. I have several repaints, but only the bots from the original toons.
I do however love the jazz model and think it one of the very best looking figures out.

decepta-scott wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:

decepta-scott wrote:Hmmmmmm........That stepper looks an awful lot like jazz holding cyclonus's gun. Im going to have to do some digging......

That's the whole point, this is homaging the Japanese Target master repaint of Jazz which came with Nightstick, this is that guy's classics update.

And to prove it, here's the reissue from 2004:



Still available in some places if I may add. May need to get me one

AH HAA!!!! I knew it! Further more this has been happening for awhile now right under our noses. I believe that hasbro in an attempt to save money has been taking the same moulds, repainting them, packaging a different weapon with the repainted figure, giving that figure a different name and selling it as a new figure all together!
I dont have proof yet but I suspect I will be able to come up with something concrete very soon now. Ill keep you posted.

Ehm... That's a Takara release, not Hasbro...

LOST Cybertronian wrote:It was my understanding and I could be wrong about this, but I thought you actually had to live in Japan to actually send off for the figure via the coupon. If that is the case I don't know how places like BBTS gets theirs.

I could be wrong, but I would imagine BBTS and the like have some sort of backdoor access to these rather than having to have someone mail off for 100s of these things.

Kibble wrote:

LOST Cybertronian wrote:It was my understanding and I could be wrong about this, but I thought you actually had to live in Japan to actually send off for the figure via the coupon. If that is the case I don't know how places like BBTS gets theirs.

I could be wrong, but I would imagine BBTS and the like have some sort of backdoor access to these rather than having to have someone mail off for 100s of these things.

No, they actually have to pay someone to do that, I believe these Generations book figures cost around Japanese retail price plus shipping. It's the reason why these figures always cost so much from BBTS and the like.

So they pay someone(s) to order like 500+, have them mailed to their home/office, then turn around and mail them all to BBTS? Yeah, color me skeptical that's how it actually goes down...

Kibble wrote:So they pay someone(s) to order like 500+, have them mailed to their home/office, then turn around and mail them all to BBTS? Yeah, color me skeptical that's how it actually goes down...

They don't pay just one, they have multiple guys doing that.

For instance Henkei Thundercracker and Skywarp where handled just like this, their actual retail price was around 25 dollars + shipping to a Japanese address.
The reason why the set of them cost 160 dollars was due to BBTS having to pay for the figures, the shipping to their Japanese contacts, a little commission for their Japanese contacts, shipping to the US and then some on top to make a profit.

Same goes for all past Generations book exclusives, just take a look at the Encore Ratchet movie colours edition:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

his item is only available in Japan if you purchase a $30 book, fill out a mail-order slip and pay retail pricing for the item. We are lucky enough to have a supplier in Japan who is willing to find the books and fill out all the paperwork needed for this item. Because of the expense and time spent on his end, our selling price is a bit high, but it is the best we can do on this item.

By the way, you can do the same with the help of this guy here:
http://www.fantofan.jp/
That's where I got my Henkei TC and SW for 45 each plus shipping.

^
Man, I totally forgot about fan2fan!! I used to go there all the time to.

Dead Metal wrote:

Kibble wrote:So they pay someone(s) to order like 500+, have them mailed to their home/office, then turn around and mail them all to BBTS? Yeah, color me skeptical that's how it actually goes down...

They don't pay just one, they have multiple guys doing that.

For instance Henkei Thundercracker and Skywarp where handled just like this, their actual retail price was around 25 dollars + shipping to a Japanese address.
The reason why the set of them cost 160 dollars was due to BBTS having to pay for the figures, the shipping to their Japanese contacts, a little commission for their Japanese contacts, shipping to the US and then some on top to make a profit.

Same goes for all past Generations book exclusives, just take a look at the Encore Ratchet movie colours edition:
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/prod ... ode=retail

his item is only available in Japan if you purchase a $30 book, fill out a mail-order slip and pay retail pricing for the item. We are lucky enough to have a supplier in Japan who is willing to find the books and fill out all the paperwork needed for this item. Because of the expense and time spent on his end, our selling price is a bit high, but it is the best we can do on this item.

By the way, you can do the same with the help of this guy here:
http://www.fantofan.jp/
That's where I got my Henkei TC and SW for 45 each plus shipping.

Yup, absolutely right. The figures are not that much if you live in Japan and buy the books and mail in the coupons. The figures are preordered about 8 months in advance, so basically the figures are made to order. So if there is any surplus it's because retailiers like BBTS have ordered tons. With all the time consuming effort to get these figures, they tend to be rare.

Razorclaw0000 wrote:I still wish the gunbarrel was golden. But I can live with it.

I'm with Mkall, though, I want an Artfire!

I'm in good company then. I want Hauler too since we're on that mold. Yes, my club magazine came today.

Really looking forward to this one. Looks much nicer than the mock ups.

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

decepta-scott wrote:

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:

Dead Metal wrote:

decepta-scott wrote:Hmmmmmm........That stepper looks an awful lot like jazz holding cyclonus's gun. Im going to have to do some digging......

That's the whole point, this is homaging the Japanese Target master repaint of Jazz which came with Nightstick, this is that guy's classics update.

And to prove it, here's the reissue from 2004:



Still available in some places if I may add. May need to get me one

AH HAA!!!! I knew it! Further more this has been happening for awhile now right under our noses. I believe that hasbro in an attempt to save money has been taking the same moulds, repainting them, packaging a different weapon with the repainted figure, giving that figure a different name and selling it as a new figure all together!
I dont have proof yet but I suspect I will be able to come up with something concrete very soon now. Ill keep you posted.

Ehm... That's a Takara release, not Hasbro...

And the plot thickens! Takara is involved as well? Good detective work jelzee. Is there no end to the coruption?........Wait a minute.....How do you always know so much usless........YOUR INVOLVED TOO!!!