Jazz Inc 66 Batman 1/6th FIGURES

[JacktheRipper]

Did that have a Keaton sculpt? Was that a well received figure? The wings looked great which should be expected since they are known for vehicles.

 

[BigWayne]

At his numbers, a few hundred only, I would imagine it's going to be very hard to remain in that range I believe. Also add the retailer's cut unless Joost is selling from his own site.

That said, HT is pushing past that range already and Joost hasn't even started yet, so maybe that is 2022 pricing.

Lots of decisions for Joost.

I’m not sure, given his target numbers, price point, and customer involvement level that leveraging a retailer brings anything to the table. He’s already got a sales pipeline, and his website seems like it would work for any type of commerce he’s interested in. I hate to think of the scenario where someone orders both a vehicle and a figure, and has to go to multiple places to keep up with it. That sort of flys in the face of his reputation for personal service and accountability.

I also wonder, should he produce unlicensed figures, if that limits which retailers would be able to sell those. Certainly, there are IP laws here in the US that would probably come into play and could be problematic for a US retailer. Specifically, all of the disney / dc / star wars franchises immediately come to mind.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I also wonder, should he produce unlicensed figures,

Joost isn't offering unlicensed figures though, nor do I believe he will start.

 

[BigWayne]

Joost isn't offering unlicensed figures though, nor do I believe he will start.

Wasn't the vulture unlicensed?

 

[Wor-Gar]

Wasn't the vulture unlicensed?

Yes, but that was more vehicle with its pilot -- it did give him a taste for building figures though, AND he got the WB license shortly thereafter. Now there's no problem with licensing the Bat characters (except for Batgirl 66) so I don't think he'd start doing unlicensed characters and risk his relationship with WB.

 

[BigWayne]

I understand your point, but it sort of seems like splitting hairs on if it's more figure or more vehicle. For all practical purposes, neither the vehicle nor the figure was licensed, even though both components highly resemble both a vehicle and a character from a Marvel property, which is really all it takes for an IP lawyer to rear it's ugly head. However it is defined, it is what it is and you can still buy it today on his site.

My point was that, although it appears he has license for the DC stuff, which is fantastic, he could still do another "Iron Scavenger" and it would potentially have issues going for sale in the US through a retailer.

Regardless, I'm going to snag anything he makes in the 1966 line and I absolutely wish him the best of success

 

[DiFabio]

A sitting cockpit ‘89 Batman for the Batwing and Batmobile would be a definite buy depending on how well they looked.

And a Panther Suit Kilmer that could sit in the Forever Batmobile would make me buy the Forever Batmobile . . . Just saying.

 

[aragen]

Here's hoping he makes a fully poseable Panther in general~

 

[BigWayne]

And a Panther Suit Kilmer that could sit in the Forever Batmobile would make me buy the Forever Batmobile . . . Just saying.

I'd love a panther kilmer suit.

 

[Wor-Gar]

I understand your point, but it sort of seems like splitting hairs on if it's more figure or more vehicle. For all practical purposes, neither the vehicle nor the figure was licensed, even though both components highly resemble both a vehicle and a character from a Marvel property, which is really all it takes for an IP lawyer to rear it's ugly head. However it is defined, it is what it is and you can still buy it today on his site.

My point was that, although it appears he has license for the DC stuff, which is fantastic, he could still do another "Iron Scavenger" and it would potentially have issues going for sale in the US through a retailer.

Yes, all valid. And I agree.

But now that he's a licensed manufacturer he may not so quickly move into further unlicensed figures. Now, he may actually just try to get the license for specific Marvel stuff he may want to build. Time will tell.

Is there another licensed manufacturer who also does unlicensed stuff?

 

[KingGrayskull]

Joost gave an estimate in his previous Q&A at 1:29:22.



"I really want to be at the same price... close to the same price as Hot Toys even though we will be making a much, much more extremely limited edition. Like I said, a couple of hundred pieces worldwide, if I get lucky a thousand pieces worldwide, which is again like a fiftieth of what Hot Toys does for a regular figure...We are aiming for that $250-$300 per figure price point."

Hot Toys are at 50,000 units for a regular figure?! Holy production numbers, Batman, that is insane!

 

[Asta]

Yes, all valid. And I agree.

But now that he's a licensed manufacturer he may not so quickly move into further unlicensed figures. Now, he may actually just try to get the license for specific Marvel stuff he may want to build. Time will tell.

Is there another licensed manufacturer who also does unlicensed stuff?

There's VTS/DAM, or Asmus who have been bold enough to make unlicensed figures under their own name (e.g., X23 from Logan), or under the Xensation name when they're feeling less brave.

I doubt Joost would dabble in the unlicensed world now that he's legal.


Kit said there was a licensing requirement with his vehicles that they could only be sold through his site. Hopefully that won't apply to the 1/6 figures because with his estimated price point they're going to be ridiculously expensive once shipping, tax and the courier's fee for collecting taxes is added.

It would be more cost effective to buy them from the regular retailers like Kit.

 

[BigWayne]

Yes, all valid. And I agree.

But now that he's a licensed manufacturer he may not so quickly move into further unlicensed figures. Now, he may actually just try to get the license for specific Marvel stuff he may want to build. Time will tell.

Is there another licensed manufacturer who also does unlicensed stuff?

Not that I know of - I think he's somewhat of an anomaly because of how he got started and the relative youth of his company.

I completely agree with you that he's probably only going to be producing licensed stuff (figures, vehicles, dioramas, etc) for DC. I'm just not sure he's going to make the jump to licensing with other currently unlicensed properties that are represented by his products. I'm sure he'll get licenses for other franchises, perhaps as he expands, but I tend to believe he'll have a mix of licensed and unlicensed products offered, at least for the foreseeable future. Of the current 22 items he has for sale (not sold out or discontinued), I counted only 8 DC properties, so there are more unlicensed items for sale than there are licensed items.

As you said, time will tell.

 

[Bleah]

It would be more cost effective to buy them from the regular retailers like Kit.

Wouldn't that cost even more? Logistically, he has to assemble all the pieces at his location which he does right now, sell at wholesale pricing which is lower than retail but still need to make a profit, and ship it out to a retailer across another continent who will need to make a profit and charge for shipping to get it to the buyer, I think it'll be more costly as opposed to doing direct to buyer which is what he is doing right now.

 

[Asta]

Wouldn't that cost even more? Logistically, he has to assemble all the pieces at his location which he does right now, sell at wholesale pricing which is lower than retail but still need to make a profit, and ship it out to a retailer across another continent who will need to make a profit and charge for shipping to get it to the buyer, I think it'll be more costly as opposed to doing direct to buyer which is what he is doing right now.

He said the production for the figures would be completely separate from that for the vehicles, so one wouldn't be impacting the other. I can't imagine he would be assembling the figures in Europe, but more likely in the Chinese factory where they'll be produced.

 

[fantasticfrog]

I hope there is an option for a Bruce/Grayson two pack for those of us who already have the hot toys bm and Robin.

 

[Wor-Gar]

Yeah, he'd be smart to pack those two together to profit off a lot of people with the Dynamic Duo already. A sizable pool in need.

 

[BigWayne]

Wouldn't that cost even more? Logistically, he has to assemble all the pieces at his location which he does right now, sell at wholesale pricing which is lower than retail but still need to make a profit, and ship it out to a retailer across another continent who will need to make a profit and charge for shipping to get it to the buyer, I think it'll be more costly as opposed to doing direct to buyer which is what he is doing right now.

It would have to cost more, as compared to his direct website sales model. A middleman never reduces cost, unless they’re guaranteeing a significant minimum purchase quantity, which helps with production planning and costing. With the current direct from website model, the NRD is being used in a similar capacity.

Regardless of where they are assembled, they can either be drop shipped directly to the customer, or to the retailer, so local assembly labor costs notwithstanding, where the assembly takes place isn’t terribly important.

The big question is how much is the markup for the reseller versus how much are production and sales costs reduced by the retailer’s provided cash commitment and sales channel.

. . . Assuming the savings are not taken as margin

 

[Chopper Face]

Wouldn't that cost even more? Logistically, he has to assemble all the pieces at his location which he does right now, sell at wholesale pricing which is lower than retail but still need to make a profit, and ship it out to a retailer across another continent who will need to make a profit and charge for shipping to get it to the buyer, I think it'll be more costly as opposed to doing direct to buyer which is what he is doing right now.

Shipping a crate or two to Kit and then Kit selling a figure onto me in the U.K. would probably still work out cheaper than the customs charges- unless Joost would be willing to mark low values on the customs declaration…

That’s the only thing holding me back from buying his stuff. I wouldn’t mind a high price even if there was a U.K. store to buy from; it’s just when that ******* customs charges letter shows up it makes me want to go on a murderous rampage and instantly kills any anticipation for what I’ve ordered.

Having a fully assembled batch go directly from a factory in China to Kit would be ideal.

 

[WolfBoy]

All companies lately seem to be doing is teasing/talking about Catwoman figures and delivering absolutely nothing.