3.75" Collecting Thread

[Darth Waller]

Hasbro approached this the wrong way. The vintage collection hasn't had any support for years. Many of the people collecting 3.75 back then have either moved on to something different (LEGO, 1/6, Props, Statues etc.) or just stopped collecting altogether. I know a lot of people have sold their Hasbro stuff to fund other parts of their collection.

They should have had a couple waves of the new vintage collection at retail first. Not crappy repacks from new movies, but from the OT. Wave one should have been some classics and Wave 2 should have been very ROTJ Sail Barge heavy. They should have shown the sail barge at an SDCC or something and explain what the plan would be. Then open it up for preorder now that people have figures to populate it with. Maybe offer a payment plan or just a deposit (because $500 is a lot to front for something you won't have for at least a year). Open it up international and then it would reach the goal.

As it is now, there is no risk for Hasbro. Everything is placed on the consumer.

I completely agree. A wave of repacks will not get TVC collectors back. If this gets funded, wave 2 better be all sail barge or ROTJ figures.

 

[Boba Ben]

I never stopped collecting the super articulated 3.75" figures. A lot of the Wal-Mart Black Series were really hard to find around here. Never found a white Boba Fett, Cassian, Death Trooper, Shoretrooper, or any of the Last Jedi ones besides Rose.

 

[Buttmunch]

Over half way with 23 days to go is pretty promising. Right now, Hasbro is sitting on $1.26M in revenue. I don't think they are gonna walk away from that and say "well we tried...everyone get their marbles and go home". No way. Plus they are looking at some major exposure on the TRU front, they are gonna need some cash. I'd say we might see them pull some things out like that Jabba figure and we may end up painting the damn thing ourselves, but I'd say production is just about a lock. If it gets to 4K, the details and finishing will be what's sacrificed. imo.

Actually with TRU going under, I don’t see Hasbro wanting to take any risks. I would think now more than ever they’ll need this to hit 5,000 supporters or else they won’t do it. It’s hard to say if they hit 4,999 and they won’t do it. There has to be an actual minimum number for them and it might actually be 5,000. They are probably hoping for more but 5,000 is probably the cold hard minimum. If they are a hundred short of that they probably won’t budge but if it was under 25 from the goal, that might realistically be close enough and allow them a handful of ‘in stock’ orders in a year.

Realistically, I think Hasbro needs to see this as an advertisement for the next try. Put out some sail barge denizens in the next few waves, have a nice painted prototype and diorama at SDCC, and show commitment to the project with more planned figures and maybe even some retail skiffs and Sarlaac Pit companion pieces. Seeing a clear plan and commitment could get us to 5,000 on a second try.

 

[DCFett]

As it is now, there is no risk for Hasbro. Everything is placed on the consumer.

True, but is this not the cornerstone of an on demand offering?

I think Hasbro has a few plans built into this. They of all groups know the value of negative press and will have some contengencies so they don’t pull a Scott Neitlick on this and loose their entire base. Showing this at Toy Fair is, when you think about it, a bold move as you’re showing the industry that you’re serious about manufacturers led Retail. Showing all their cards and having the minimum actually be the go / no go number is hard to believe. I don’t know, but I would venture to think that we are in somewhat stretch mode now. Failing at this has to have a better more thought out scenario. This is the company that starts RE-production on figures simply cause fans “missed” them.

 

[TaliBane]

2659. This has stalled out not far over half way with only 2 1/2 weeks to go.

 

[Darth Waller]

 

[barryo]

That big box just inspired thousands to buy 2.............

 

[TaliBane]

I hope that image doesn't come to symbolize this whole project - a huge, blank empty box being held by a smiling Hasbro rep.

 

[SoGS]

I feel like a finished prototype could do a slightly better job at persuading collectors to take part in this project. Just slightly. Although I do love me some pictures of mint shipping boxes...

 

[a-dev]

https://www.jeditemplearchives.com/...ion-for-jabbas-sail-barge-via-dark-side-toys/

 

[a-dev]

A UK/Europe option is opening up

https://www.darksidetoys.co.uk/page...n-jabbas-sail-barge-the-khetanna-in-uk-europe

 

[Khev]

Is there a specific street date for the new TVC carded figures other than "April?"

 

[TaliBane]

https://www.jeditemplearchives.com/...ion-for-jabbas-sail-barge-via-dark-side-toys/

A UK/Europe option is opening up

https://www.darksidetoys.co.uk/page...n-jabbas-sail-barge-the-khetanna-in-uk-europe

So do those UK/Europe sales numbers go on the dreaded 5000 counter at HasLab or no?

 

[Malgus]

So do those UK/Europe sales numbers go on the dreaded 5000 counter at HasLab or no?

Lets see if the UK numbers match their mouth or we just get a few dozen more orders from them.

 

[Robianco]

Am I reading that correctly? They're just a reseller that's prepared to make an order based on enquiries, and sales, from them, which they'll ship from the US to a European hub to distribute to each buyer? And they're in no way affiliated with Haslabs.

They're also making a nice profit from it. £599 for a Sail Barge for something that equates to $500 (£358 in current conversion rates). Even with duty they'd be making a tidy profit per item. If they made a modest £100 per barge (20% duty only takes it up to around £430 and it isn't £170 shipping per item) they'd be making a bloody fortune.

Haven't they left this a bit late as there's only 18 days to go on the funding timescale. There's also a line in their FAQ at the end that makes this sound odd: Lets show the USA how this is done and get the Khetanna to uk and Europe.

 

[TaliBane]

Am I reading that correctly? They're just a reseller that's prepared to make an order based on enquiries, and sales, from them, which they'll ship from the US to a European hub to distribute to each buyer? And they're in no way affiliated with Haslabs.

They're also making a nice profit from it. £599 for a Sail Barge for something that equates to $500 (£358 in current conversion rates). Even with duty they'd be making a tidy profit per item. If they made a modest £100 per barge (20% duty only takes it up to around £430 and it isn't £170 shipping per item) they'd be making a bloody fortune.

Haven't they left this a bit late as there's only 18 days to go on the funding timescale. There's also a line in their FAQ at the end that makes this sound odd: Lets show the USA how this is done and get the Khetanna to uk and Europe.

UK/EU people are used to being reamed so there'll be a lot of orders - so long as this remains the only option.

Hasbro made cryptic statements about opening it up to international people, yet this says it's not affiliated with Haslab. It's almost like Darkside is having some agent in the U.S. place a whole bunch of orders that they are then shipping/reselling in the UK/EU.

 

[stickman]

Sail barge will be $1,200+ on eBay

 

[Tee-Kay]

Looking at Dark Side Toys statement and reports from Jedi Temple Archives, i get it they have actually cut a deal with Hasbro to ensure all the orders they can secure will be sent directly from asian factories to their facility in the UK and then dispatched to customers in the UK and continental Europe.

£600 ($835/€680) isn't the best deal but pretty close to what it would have cost to import from the US anyway.

 

[a-dev]

It's a lot of money but I'd basically call this a high-end item so it's about what I might have expected and there is a partial payment option available. My only doubt is the legitimacy of this site. They're apparently very very new - makes me wonder why the more established sites didn't make an arrangement for the Barge.

 

[Captain Clown]

Yeah, there's no way the Sail Barge is happening. It's stupid. It should've been $400 at most, and they should've had it open to Canada from the beginning and not announce it nonchalantly a month in. I bet there's still Canadian fans who don't know they can order it.

I dunno. The idea of 2,212 more people deciding to back this during these last 15 days seems insane, unless Hasbro decides to actually advertise the damn thing.