ZeldaTheSwordsman wrote:Here's the thing about those $9 deluxes (Which I remember as well): Money has become worth less on the primary market while at the same time production costs have increased... It's been gradually worsening since 2011. The 2014 Movie Advanced rerelease of Battle Blade Bumblebee had to be sold as a Voyager... That should tell you something.
There's also the fact that extra things like extensive paintjobs (such as SIEGE Sideswipe's painting parts red - including some that were already red plastic - for the sake of color uniformity) cost too.
It all makes sense, obviously I've seen the change in years past.
But it also makes it way easier for me to pass on a lot of figures.
As much as I want something like a new and improved Cliffjumper in my collection, it's not even the money that truly turns me away... It's the cost on top of the fact that I don't like the look of a lot of these figures.
I mean, it won't be an insta-purchase if MP Starscream ends up being $400... In fact, I hate thinking he'll be that much (especially considering if I like him, I'll want some other new mold MP seekers).
But if I see a figure I really like, I'll most likely get it.
If SS Leader Slag costs $70 but I love the look of him, I'll bite, even though I don't care at all about the Daniel I'm also paying for.
So it's unfortunate that production costs have gone up, but we're still seeing things like hollow lower legs, or half legs on a figure like Runamuck...
And I get it; everything has to fit within an allocated budget.
Just a bummer that it seems like we're not really getting what we're paying for these days (imo).