Hot Toys - MMS196 - The Avengers: Battle Damaged Mark VII (Movie Promo Edition)

[tommyh84]

Some customers are just not worth it to companies. The resources the company has to use to deal with all of their whining phone calls, emails and demands because they feel they are so entitled. Losing those types of customers might not be a bad thing.

Let me ask you a question have you ever complained to a company before? How would you of felt if they turned around and told you to **** off because you're whining?

Stupid argument is stupid

 

[tommyh84]

sure bud

Yes bud

 

[Darkmatter]

Is this helmet more accurate to the Avengers ver?

This is another good business move by HT, but a **** move to the collectors. A true slap in the face, so not only is the increased price of the mark VII BD is already $300 (compared to the previous movie promo which was $190), they decide to give a half complete figure and the accurate helmet on a less popular figure

Spoiler

now that most fans have seen the IM3 movie, and red snapper only have a few secs of screen time

it may be the same helmet for all we know.

 

[tommyh84]

I dunno bout UK or which UK dealer you are talking bout, but here in Indonesia, in order to exchange my leaky DX02, I need to email HT CS the receipt from their Indonesia dealer in order to exchange it.

We dont have an official Hot Toys dealer in the UK, we have about a dozen or so well known sellers all of whom get their stock from suppliers in HK. If we have a problem with a figure we go back to our seller and if they're out of stock they then have to go back to their supplier in HK who then goes and does god knows what

 

[Hydeous]

Why did they order so many to begin with? Just ill-informed speculative investment?

Because back then, the previous figures such as berserker, falconer, mark IV etc all were selling like hot cakes and you can profit like $40-50 easily. That's why a lot of non collectors were tempted and started POing by the dozens on any Ht products.

Same thing happened in Hk I think with the Bruce Micon, Indy DX, etc, that why they require more deposit money now than before. And I think they cut some of their loses by selling the Bruce lee body as TT bodies, while they mentioned when they launched the DX04 that the Bruce Lee body would be exclusive and won't be sold separately.

 

[Hydeous]

We dont have an official Hot Toys dealer in the UK, we have about a dozen or so well known sellers all of whom get their stock from suppliers in HK. If we have a problem with a figure we go back to our seller and if they're out of stock they then have to go back to their supplier in HK who then goes and does god knows what

So this means that the distributor spot for Uk is still pretty much open, but if you sign up to be their sole agent, be prepared to order at least a few dozens on all of their products and no exception, even if your customer doesnt order that much on that particular figure.

 

[PopCultKid]

None of us knows the details of how these agreements work and decisions are made, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least is, as a contractual requirement, SSC were required to report sales information back to HT in terms of what is sold where to what extent. If Europe, Australia, Latin America, or wherever were really important enough to HT's bottom line for them to warrant exclusives potentially targeting them, then my suspicion is that they would get exclusives specifically targeting them. If Europe was important enough, wouldn't you figure a European company would be able to take on primary distribution for that region itself instead of relying on a U.S. based company to do so (Hydeous's post confirms someone in Europe is distributing in some capacity. . .why aren't they getting the perks that Indonesia is?)? Recall that SSC closed down its European warehouse a couple years back. I think that speaks to the fact that the collecting habits of that region just aren't as significant as some here might wish they were.

It does suck for you guys. I feel for you all not just for this, but for all the crap customs charges and other taxes you have to pay, the difficulty you have with returns, etc. So I'm not trying to anger people about this, but I really do think the U.S. is the hub of western collecting activity, which is why we get certain perks others don't.

I don't see anyone attempting to make an "I'm right" argument, only trying to explain the realities of the business.

And yes, I do think it's fair to say that Sideshow's and even Hot Toys' priorities are going to tend to be U.S. centric, for no other reason than basic math:

Total population of the UK: 65.5 million
Total population of Canada: 33.5 million
Total population of the U.S. 315.7 million

I'm not trying to defend their business practices, only explain the logic that most likely exists behind them.

Unfortunatly this is the real deal fellas. And no doubt a lot of countries get the sh-t end of the stick. I also feel bad about custom charges and returns and all the other BS that makes collecting for certain countries more difficult. But it really boils down to the numbers. Like I said fom the beginning of this whole talk, HT decision of distribution is calculated and thought out. The offered it to their biggest markets.

Sure there are a lot of countries that HT & SS supplies but how much does HT/SS net/gross with them compared to the larger markets annually? If the market was as big in other countries as it is in The States & Asia then those countries would warrant having a large distributor like SS

 

[CrAZyVEgAsBoY]

Yes bud

Lol repeating the opposite of what i'm saying dosent change the facts. I honestly wish It wasn't the case but big companies only care about the bottom line and until that changes in your favor there isn't really anything that can be done. Bottom line is HT made the call, SS is obliged to do as they ask. Do you honestly disagree???

 

[tommyh84]

So this means that the distributor spot for Uk is still pretty much open

If there was such a spot I'm sure one of the sellers would of picked it up and ran with it long ago, fact is as far as I'm concerned no such spot has ever been available - I mean all of the UK sellers over here do sell their allocation of PO's for Hot Toys figures so why wouldn't one of them jump at the chance to be the official UK/European distributor?

I know we have an official Enterbay seller

 

[Darkmatter]

Unfortunatly this is the real deal fellas. And no doubt a lot of countries get the sh-t end of the stick. I also feel bad about custom charges and returns and all the other BS that makes collecting for certain countries more difficult. But it really boils down to the numbers. Like I said fom the beginning of this whole talk, HT decision of distribution is calculated and thought out. The offered it to their biggest markets.

Sure there are a lot of countries that HT & SS supplies but how much does HT/SS net/gross with them compared to the larger markets annually? If the market was as big in other countries as it is in The States & Asia then those countries would warrant having a large distributor like SS

one of the advantages of living in the USA!!!

btw, that 'girl' joshh was trying to say had a BD VII for sale is definitely him. i tried to deal with him for $100 up front, then an exchange of the BD IM and my factory sealed Iron Monger. that's about a $550 value. he wanted it all up front. when i balked, he said simply...'thank you for your interest.' what a tool.

 

[Mr.Tanker]

Sure there are a lot of countries that HT & SS supplies but how much does HT/SS net/gross with them compared to the larger markets annually? If the market was as big in other countries as it is in The States & Asia then those countries would warrant having a large distributor like SS

Unfortunately, this is simply the reality of the situation.

 

[Rorywan]

I don't see anyone attempting to make an "I'm right" argument, only trying to explain the realities of the business.

And yes, I do think it's fair to say that Sideshow's and even Hot Toys' priorities are going to tend to be U.S. centric, for no other reason than basic math:

Total population of the UK: 65.5 million
Total population of Canada: 33.5 million
Total population of the U.S. 315.7 million

I'm not trying to defend their business practices, only explain the logic that most likely exists behind them.

Unfortunatly this is the real deal fellas. And no doubt a lot of countries get the sh-t end of the stick. I also feel bad about custom charges and returns and all the other BS that makes collecting for certain countries more difficult. But it really boils down to the numbers. Like I said fom the beginning of this whole talk, HT decision of distribution is calculated and thought out. The offered it to their biggest markets.

Sure there are a lot of countries that HT & SS supplies but how much does HT/SS net/gross with them compared to the larger markets annually? If the market was as big in other countries as it is in The States & Asia then those countries would warrant having a large distributor like SS

That "basic math" would be very very wrong...
Total Population in Europe: 750million Approx
Total Polulation in Australia: 23million Approx

That's just Europe and Oz making 773million people? Thats over twice the US and those are pretty much all "1st world" countries.

 

[tommyh84]

Lol repeating the opposite of what i'm saying dosent change the facts.

There are no facts, you assumed that the number of people in Europe, Canada, Australia, Africa wherever that would want this figure is in your words 'extremely limited'

You dont know that as a fact and unless you spend the rest of your life dedicated to finding out the answer you'll never know that as fact. What is fact though is you dont have a clue how many people would want this figure if it was made available to them

 

[karamazov80]

I guess you're including Central and Eastern Europe in that count? I wouldn't if I were making an argument about "1st world" countries, though I know there are a handful of collectors from that region who are boardies. Though I think your point is well taken that the UK doesn't constitute the "developed" world, Europe, or western Europe proper.

 

[Hydeous]

Population =/= collectors

There are more buying power in a small country such as Singapore With a population of 5 mil than compared to say, Uganda with population of 30 mil.

 

[Malgus]

Let me ask you a question have you ever complained to a company before? How would you of felt if they turned around and told you to **** off because you're whining?

Stupid argument is stupid

I would not be emailing/calling a company or be on a forum crying because I could not get a figure but then my parents did not spoil me rotten. I don't go thru life feeling I am entitled to anything so I don't tend to stomp my feet and behave like a spoiled brat when things don't go my way.

 

[Mr.Tanker]

That "basic math" would be very very wrong...
Total Population in Europe: 750million Approx
Total Polulation in Australia: 23million Approx

That's just Europe and Oz making 773million people? Thats over twice the US and those are pretty much all "1st world" countries.

Yes, but the simple fact that we don't see a dedicated European Hot Toys distributor is indicative of that the sales are most likely just not there to justify it.

And lets' be honest, a good chunk of the counties within Europe are not likely to have a lot of disposable income as compared with the U.S. or the UK. I'm not trying to put that part of the world down, only state the reality of the situation from a business perspective.

Once you remove all the former Soviet Union nations, which let's face it are not in the greatest economic shape, that number drops off massively.

 

[Darkmatter]

OK guys, here's your HT lesson of the day....

unless there is a specific edition amount listed by hot toys, the figure will be listed as 'limited' or 'extremely limited' if they are producing an item in a not so popular genre.

either means that they will be producing the figure as long as there's an interest through sales. once they determine the interest has waned in popularity (sales) with no chance of resurgence, the item sells out after all previous production stock in expelled.

this is why you'll see a figure for sale for what seems forever, then it's all of a sudden listed as sold out, and no retailers have any for sale.

take this to the bank as i have been buying hot toys for several years, and this is my honest observation.

 

[Malgus]

one of the advantages of living in the USA!!!

btw, that 'girl' joshh was trying to say had a BD VII for sale is definitely him. i tried to deal with him for $100 up front, then an exchange of the BD IM and my factory sealed Iron Monger. that's about a $550 value. he wanted it all up front. when i balked, he said simply...'thank you for your interest.' what a tool.

It was actually funny reading his posts. I always suspected there was no friend.

 

[Laney74]

That "basic math" would be very very wrong...
Total Population in Europe: 750million Approx
Total Polulation in Australia: 23million Approx

That's just Europe and Oz making 773million people? Thats over twice the US and those are pretty much all "1st world" countries.

And both have stronger currencies than the US, problem is everything gets converted back to USD to get to HKD, which carries a fee and means the difference in currencies basically gets sucked up.

All this comes down to avoiding the need to convert currencies, saves $$ and provides a bigger bottom line profit if you trade in USD ... Easiest way to do that is sell only in the US... And worst of all, because the USD is performing so poorly, increase prices to ensure profit %