Brainiac
Super Freak
Well they're exclusives, it wouldn't be exclusive if everyone got one, you snooze you lose
Hot Toys – MMS255 – Guardians of the Galaxy: 1/6th scale Star-Lord Collectible Figure
- Thread starter Darklord Dave
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Well they're exclusives, it wouldn't be exclusive if everyone got one, you snooze you lose
So they do not want you to flex the EX but they are ok if you flex the regular version?
DarkAngel
Super Freak
Sad but true. Just saying a figure is exclusive makes it sell immensely faster. Look at the EX ASM2 figure. Few really enjoyed the movie and even fewer liked the figure yet it sold out in a couple days. Just the way things are.
Boba Ben
Super Freak
It makes sense to me that they'd prematurely put the exclusives on waitlist status rather than keep the order open for quite some time like they've done with similar exclusives like Bespin Luke, Silver Centurion and Mark VII.
Open pre-orders give customers more options like being able to use rewards points or discount coupons after a certain period of time. If they make about the same amount of figures, but a larger percentage of those orders are converted from waitlists that can't have coupons or points applied to them, they should end up making more money. At the same time, collectors get hyped up when they see the figure go to waitlist so quickly and that hype makes collectors more likely to hold onto that full priced pre-order when it converts. There aren't any edition sizes on these, so you'd think they'd make as many exclusives as they can sell, not the amount that would sell out in a day or two.
Open pre-orders give customers more options like being able to use rewards points or discount coupons after a certain period of time. If they make about the same amount of figures, but a larger percentage of those orders are converted from waitlists that can't have coupons or points applied to them, they should end up making more money. At the same time, collectors get hyped up when they see the figure go to waitlist so quickly and that hype makes collectors more likely to hold onto that full priced pre-order when it converts. There aren't any edition sizes on these, so you'd think they'd make as many exclusives as they can sell, not the amount that would sell out in a day or two.
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But you can still use reward points, coupons, etc on the regular edition. Also if more people get on Flex then SSC gets money every month, if the are on the WL and convert they do not a dime until next year when the figure is their warehouse. So for a business having money coming monthly is a much better for paying the bills. If HT made as many Ex as they could sell it would not be a Ex IMO.
Boba Ben
Super Freak
I think Sideshow probably makes more direct customer order sales on exclusive versions of these figures than they do on the regulars. There are quite a few retailers that provide the regular figures at discounted prices with a packout at no additional charge. The exclusives entice collectors to buy from Sideshow instead of places like Alter Ego Comics or Cornerstore Comics. I don't think Sideshow and Hot Toys care about limiting exclusive edition sizes. They care about maximizing profits and getting more orders by wooing customers with an extra exclusive item is a tool they can use to maximize direct orders.
You're right, they don't earn money on a waitlist order until the figure comes into stock, but if they limit the option to use reward points and coupons, while hyping the EX, they might end up making more money in the end because they get more orders paid at full retail price rather than a bunch if discounted ones. They can also convert these waitlist orders any time between now and the figure's release and grant a flex pay plan if the customer requests one.
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Try it again, Edward....I had similar feelings about it after I saw it on opening night....went and saw it again at the drive-in last night (double-featured with CA:WS!) and I really ended up liking it a lot moe. Yes it's different than the Marvel stuff we've seen up to now....but once you can get past that...it really works.
So glad I threw an order in for this figure before I saw the movie....now it's wait listed. But considering it's a big hit now, I'd say it's a given that HT will re-visit this character again...maybe even as a DX....
Brainiac
Super Freak
Snacks McGee
Freaked Out
Hard to believe Sideshow would result to shady tactics like that.
Snacks McGee
Freaked Out
Fully agree.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
Whatever the reason, I am glad I got the exclusive.
I am not a conspiracy theorist, so I don't think there is anything shady about it. When they put something up for preorder, they know how many they are putting up, and they likely know they will end up getting more, but you always undersell. If you THINK you might 500 EX units, but only KNOW you are getting 300, you put up 300, not 500. You put up the other 200 when you KNOW for sure Hot Toys will deliver them. Also, when it comes to preorders, they base production levels in part on preorder sales. So they put up a number, and depending on how long those take to sell, gauge how whether it's worth upping to production line. Did those sales constitute 90% of the people who will buy? Or 50%? If it's 50, you make more. If it's 90, not worth it. There's so much that goes into deciding all of these things, that being intentionally shady, obtuse and playing mind games with customers doesn't need to be one of the headaches.
It's like with BBTS. They'll put something up for preorder, it will sell out, then a few days later they will add many more units. People then assume that BBTS is messing with them, putting up less than they know they have just to cause artificial hysteria. Well, that's backwards logic and really a symptom of people wanting to foist their internalized affectation of a situation as a direct result of a specific intention to cause that reaction. That logic doesn't follow. Just because you have a certain reaction something, doesn't mean the thing that caused that reaction did so with the specific intent of causing that reaction. This is a VERY common human flaw. Leads to most interpersonal misunderstandings and in this way, extends to the business-consumer relationship. The reality is MORE likely, and I like Occam's Razor in these sorts of instances, is that BBTS orders X amount of units from the manufacturer, then if those sell out quickly, decide "hey, we can up our order and not sit on all this stock", so they call up the manufacturer, add more units to their purchase, then add those units to their preorder list. Looks like some shady crap to the consumer who is all in a fuss, when really it's just the business trying to maximize their profit by giving the consumer what they want, not dangling it like a carrot.
/rant
I am not a conspiracy theorist, so I don't think there is anything shady about it. When they put something up for preorder, they know how many they are putting up, and they likely know they will end up getting more, but you always undersell. If you THINK you might 500 EX units, but only KNOW you are getting 300, you put up 300, not 500. You put up the other 200 when you KNOW for sure Hot Toys will deliver them. Also, when it comes to preorders, they base production levels in part on preorder sales. So they put up a number, and depending on how long those take to sell, gauge how whether it's worth upping to production line. Did those sales constitute 90% of the people who will buy? Or 50%? If it's 50, you make more. If it's 90, not worth it. There's so much that goes into deciding all of these things, that being intentionally shady, obtuse and playing mind games with customers doesn't need to be one of the headaches.
It's like with BBTS. They'll put something up for preorder, it will sell out, then a few days later they will add many more units. People then assume that BBTS is messing with them, putting up less than they know they have just to cause artificial hysteria. Well, that's backwards logic and really a symptom of people wanting to foist their internalized affectation of a situation as a direct result of a specific intention to cause that reaction. That logic doesn't follow. Just because you have a certain reaction something, doesn't mean the thing that caused that reaction did so with the specific intent of causing that reaction. This is a VERY common human flaw. Leads to most interpersonal misunderstandings and in this way, extends to the business-consumer relationship. The reality is MORE likely, and I like Occam's Razor in these sorts of instances, is that BBTS orders X amount of units from the manufacturer, then if those sell out quickly, decide "hey, we can up our order and not sit on all this stock", so they call up the manufacturer, add more units to their purchase, then add those units to their preorder list. Looks like some shady crap to the consumer who is all in a fuss, when really it's just the business trying to maximize their profit by giving the consumer what they want, not dangling it like a carrot.
/rant
hokietwo
Super Freak
What did you do, read "The Invisible Hand " this weekend? Hahaha they're dollies, don't put that much thought in people complaining low quantity alerts make them buy figures like trained sheepies.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
What did you do, read "The Invisible Hand " this weekend? Hahaha they're dollies, don't put that much thought in people complaining low quantity alerts make them buy figures like trained sheepies.
This conversation was already going on in great detail before I said a word, so mocking me for having a more rational and thought out approach to it seems sort of useless, don't you think?
hokietwo
Super Freak
Sideshow must have ran through their pre-sale allotment so fast, they were able to secure additional pre-sale units and open the wait list again.
One sentence. No need for a 1,000 word diatribe on sideshow conspiracy.
Wasn't mocking you, but that's many big words and sentences for a rather simple explanation to what is occurring and pretty much everybody realizes.
In direct irony, my sentence fits more than your paragraph by the Occum's Razor principle.J/k.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
I agree, the explanation is simple, and yet I read these same conspiracy theories spoken with conviction every time something sells out. I wasn't writing that for the benefit of people who don't believe in the conspiracy theories. Was just trying to outline examples of why this conspiracy nonsense is just that. The only need here is that I enjoy musing on things, and yes, I do trend towards the verbose.
hokietwo
Super Freak
I agree. No worries.
SurlyJ
Super Freak
I agree. No worries.
You and I would make a great police duo. Instead of good cop/bad cop, we'd be direct cop/long-winded cop. I'd bore interrogation suspects to the point of snapping when you swoop in and drop the one word hammers.
The Clown Prince of Crime
Super Freak
After watching the film twice, I decided to cancel my Starlord preorder, not because I didn't like the film or the character, it was great. I just don't think the long coat is the "definitive" look of the character. Am I the only one who wants the short jacket version? I'm going to wait for this version...if HT makes it. It's the definitive look of the character, imo.
I also like the battle of Xandar uniform because I think it looks very iconic...so this could be another figure.
I also like the battle of Xandar uniform because I think it looks very iconic...so this could be another figure.
hokietwo
Super Freak
You've got two jackets going on in the photos, but yeah the short jacket is nice. If HT doesn't make one then buy an additional coat and cut the trencher down to coat size and stitch it. Or cut the one it comes with. It appears to be the same jacket just shortened length and a zipper down the front to get you the pre team uni look.
