Re: Molecule8 - 1/6th Scale John Lennon
I think this is a classic case of biting off more than you can chew, underestimating the 1:6 development process, and abandoning QC. This was a company that came rolling into the 1:6 market boasting of "reinvention" and ""innovation". They had landed an interesting license; hired one of the best talents in the market to create a fantastic sculpt; and showed off some nice 3D renders. In theory it was a good plan, and enough to get a good amount of collectors to risk $299 on an untested company. It wasn't like spending $500, which was really probably closer to what the figure should have gone for had it hit on all cylinders.
I don't know how much research they did on the prices and suppliers in their workflow chain, or if they just guesstimated numbers and were more focused on licensing and cool renders. But my guess is once they actually started pricing things out the numbers were way, way off. So instead of High End Tailor A, they have to scramble and find Bargain Basement Tailor F in order to make those numbers work. Similarly, the head sculpt was probably farmed out to a lower quality manufacturer, which is why the resolution is so poor and the size is off. Molecule probably didn't factor in shrinkage or didn't know about it. The smarter thing for the company to have done would have been to forego the innovation of creating a new body system, and releasing a figure with two heads, two outfits, and a guitar (which I now understand is undersized). Instead they should have gotten their feet wet and focused on releasing a regular Lennon figure using an existing body system and with one well made outfit, which they probably could have sold for $199 or so. They could have offered figure #2 separately, either at the same time or a few months after the first one. They could have also offered the guitar for maybe $39 and if they did produce a 1/6 grand piano, that could have gone for $159 to $199 depending on complexity. That way they build up good will and a positive reputation. Then down the road, after extensive testing, they introduce their body system and other innovations as they make sense.
Instead the company has nuked its reputation. It will take a lot to rebuild, if ever. I know I won't be preordering anything else from them. And if this figure ever does arrive, I will send it back for a refund id possible.
