[iminime] / Trevor Grove - The Cowboy ~ FULL REVEAL ~

[denny kim]

I would love to explain things more clearly.

Ok....don't need to name any other custom artists for comparison.

but you can't really say what is the different custom works that we do from other custom artists?

Our quality is lower? I doubt it.

the price that we offer is much lower, we use High quality materials(I guess we spend more : we even invest metal molding for accessories just for small quantity, which I pay at least 3K$ just for molding)

and our price is the minimum that I can offer best price.
many accessories like axe, knife etc....real metal and all hand works.

We are not yet perfect, but we are getting better and better and try to take as much as feedbacks from collectors to make them happy nowadays.
Once we change things, it takes at least 3-4 weeks again...

Prepayment is used to buy materials to stock...paying salary....and artist payment etc on....
we have around 21-23 staff including outfit team..now...but we try to get our profit from mass production not much from custom works....of course it helps me to run my team..but not enough to cover all cost honestly.
so....to maintain my team....many more projects are being worked out, this is the only way to run the team...my concern.....as a leader.

We have new skilled tailors added and the work process is now getting faster, and I am hiring more painters....to fast up.
but I always...tell my staff..to check it again and make it rework for better quality....so..it never get faster although I hire more people.
that's why you will see better with final results nowadays.

But Most importantly, all of our staff has the passion for 1/6 projects that we do...we love our work...indeed.

 

[greatlakes6]

Denny,

I appreciate your honesty and integrity. Thank you.

 

[Ajkhunter]

I love the work Iminime has been doing Denny, my first Iminime figure was The Skipper and now I am looking at 4 figures in my collection currently (The Skipper, Wall Street Killer, Agent Smith, Mr. Anderson), 4 on pre-order (The Cowboy, Space Monkey T, Crossbow Hunter, The Sheriff), and 6 announced figures I plan to pre-order (The Angry Bride, The Yakuza Queen, The Bad, The Ugly, Inspector of 9th District, Nakatomi Cop), Iminime has taken over my collection haha, love your work Denny and your passion, keep it up!

 

[denny kim]

wow...I am so sorry for your wallet~~

I hope the collections that you have will be more value in the future~!

 

[Ajkhunter]

wow...I am so sorry for your wallet~~

I hope the collections that you have will be more value in the future~!

Haha it is well worth it man!

 

[denny kim]

Haha it is well worth it man!

Happy that you regard it like that ^^ love you~!

 

[Ajkhunter]

Happy that you regard it like that ^^ love you~!

Haha thanks Denny, keep up the great work man!

 

[ricardobsn]

Iminime will be as big as hot toys one day

 

[Rdeezy]

Denny you rock man you are very passionate about creating the best product and your team is great. You guys are coming out with very high end customs at a very reasonable cost! Keep it up!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[denny kim]

Iminime will be as big as hot toys one day

really?? ;;; maybe not ~~

but I wanna do a lot of things for fun~~

 

[denny kim]

Denny you rock man you are very passionate about creating the best product and your team is great. You guys are coming out with very high end customs at a very reasonable cost! Keep it up!

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

You are so sweet to say that....that's so thanksful.

 

[Commtech]

Iminime will be as big as hot toys one day

 

[transhi100]

Well said Denny! You guys are improving dramatically with every release and you and your team's passion shines through. You will always have my support!

 

[karamazov80]

Yes. I appreciate that the rules are there... but a 30 day execution phase is really not enough. How many custom artists are capable of producing work in 30 days?

The 30 day thing was created back, really before we saw the onslaught of custom sales that we see nowadays. So it was from a different time. But the purpose was so that people would really be protected via Paypal. When you go over 45 days, that goes away. Other artists also take a long time (some 9 months to a year or so), and I don't think it's any better when it happens from someone else.

My previous argument was this, and it still holds IMO--in almost any industry, companies need more capital than they have in-hand to start up, and so what do they do? They don't ask customers to pay many months prior to getting a product. They take out a loan. Then, they pay it back after the receive profit. If they don't make profit, then they default. Successful companies become self-sustaining to the point where they can invest in their own products using their own funds, and don't have to rely on others to fund product development anymore. That is how things work in the "real world." The custom figure world is funny in that guys can can charge people upfront to fund projects they aren't even receiving, and like TotalDomin says, people are happy to pay. But when you step back and look at it, this is not a normal way for companies to behave. And I'm not singling out Iminime here. We all know there are others who do the same. And it's all fine and good as long as we get what we paid for. But just a few short years ago, we had a string of well respected custom artists going under, one by one, taking hundreds or thousands of others' dollars with them when it happened. DarkArtist, Les Walker, Chris Howes, Boot25, Hurricane, OnesCustoms (though he's currently trying to fix things and come back to the board) the list goes on. None of those guys did this because they wanted to screw customers. It happened because things happened that made them unable or unwilling to meet their obligations. And it's just a matter of time before it's going to happen with one of the new breed of well respected, high end custom entrepreneurs here. Are guys like Beto and Rainman and Iminime different, in that they aren't doing things on their own, and are making huge loads of money that provide a strong incentive for them to meet their obligations? Yes. But that doesn't make them immune to these potential problems. And once something goes sour, everyone will get their pitchforks out, and ask, "why didn't Dave and the mods do anything to protect us from this???"

Well, the forum is supposed to, in some ways, protect members from themselves. That's why the 30 day rule is in the FAQ. That's why Dave strongly discourages payment as gift. That's why you need X number of posts and months of membership before being allowed to sell. It seems that the direction Dave is moving is that you will need some kind of good reputation to solicit custom sales, and that wouldn't really address the time between payment and delivery issue I'm bringing up. It's helpful. But I still think it's ultimately uncool for all the customers to take on all the risk. Again, you can explain it. Axecutioner has done so very eloquently in the past. The explanation makes sense. But that doesn't necessarily make it OK.

As for how artists can get around the 30 days issue? Let them take on the risk of producing a product, then offering it for sale, and potentially taking a hit if it doesn't sell. That means they have to pay for it up front, and may not end up selling it. But in most other industries that's how it works. Companies take on those risks. Customers really don't. With custom artists now, customers essentially invest in these companies by helping them to develop product. . .but they don't get any interest or stock. They just get a product they pay for down the road. Another option is the Rainman-type approach--he essentially does one project at a time, and takes payment when products are about to be produced. He may not get them out in 30 days, but I don't think they ever go over two months. Does that work when you're trying to fund a whole team? Maybe not. But there are ways that this can be done or where something close to it can be done.

Just saying my piece here, since Wake was asking. Denny, like others, I love what you're doing in terms of the product you put out, and don't mean to detract from your great products by going on about this issue. But I feel it is an issue, and one worth being discussed and considered by custom artists, collectors/customers, and the forum administrator/mods. I know a lot of guys are completely OK with things being the way they are, but I think there are lots of others who feel the way I do, and simply don't speak out due to the fear they will be viewed negatively by other collectors or artists. As a moderator I really do feel I have to consider the bigger picture, and sometimes say things that may not be pleasant to hear. But I think this is often an elephant in the room in this section. . .

 

[batfan08]

Iminime will be as big as hot toys one day

really?? ;;; maybe not ~~

but I wanna do a lot of things for fun~~

I don't know. To be completely honest, Denny, you've got Hot Toys on the ropes, as far as my collecting budget goes. They've got a lot of nice stuff that's coming out, but it's all playing second fiddle to Tuco, Angel Eyes, and Dirty Harry.

 

[denny kim]

My real issue though is bigger than all that, and is with having collector's money tied up for even 4 months, much less 7 or 8 or whatever, because a company has to use that money to fund current projects. This is an argument I've made many times in the past and nothing has changed, but all it takes is one major crisis and then *poof* I've got selfish reasons for this, but it also concerns me as a moderator who has to consider the interests of the broad collector base here, when Iminime primarily uses this web forum as a means for product promotion and solicitation. If you read the FAQs here, Iminime and others are violating rules that were set up for very good reasons in the past in order to protect boardies. . .of course, there are good arguments for why a company like Iminime needs to act this way, but the bottom line is that the customers are taking on the risk.

I have not yet read all as i am in lunch

but what i am doing is best.
I can easily make it faster but I dont until
I check things better.

I am open and willing to tefund if you want.

and I do not want any argument here

if you have problems. directly send me emails

i will take care of it

denny

 

[denny kim]

and if things better. I am thinking to make
things ready to go before po. that's my target.

 

[denny kim]

What I sometimes dont want to read post is
something like arguments.

hobby should make them happy regardless money

I am so thanks to people who encourge me to take
more time. as thet want good quality
so I take more time eventually.

tdw: we did all heavy weathering. and also
spent a lot of fund just for molding for our custom
shoes. belt and accessories. crossbow
they are all done by mold which cost me
more than 15k.
molding takes so much time.. at least 45 to 60days
until all modification is completed.
that's why the delays happens.
i do not think any other artist can do this type
of molding to produce plastic or abs material
just for small quantity.

mold production : need thousands production
normally due to its cost
what I am saying is if you want to
debate or problems. plz send me
direct email. i dont know who they are with nicknames

but i am willing to communicate by emails
which i prefer.

thanks

denny

 

[Iggyrox]

Not sure what the risk is especially with Denny who's been extremely accommodating in both the creative and business side. I find Sideshow's coupon and gift card limitations, shipping charges, and NRD's more oppressive.

 

[batfan08]

Not sure what the risk is especially with Denny who's been extremely accommodating in both the creative and business side. I find Sideshow's coupon and gift card limitations, shipping charges, and NRD's more oppressive.

That's what I have a hard time understanding, as well. These are high quality products of iconic characters at a reasonable price. Looking at Hot Toys' pricing, these are seeming more and more reasonable every day. So, while I understand that it's a lot of money at stake, Denny's been very accommodating to us, so, perhaps it might be time to return the favor? Believe me. I'd love payment plans or deposits as much as the next guy, but it seems like Denny's spread thin, as it is, in regards to making this stuff as economically as possible.