My KOTCS Indy/Fridge review

[The Batman Professor]

Polystone is plastic (it's a type of resin,) and it's actually cheaper to produce in small quantities than styrene or a similar injection molded plastic, because it doesn't require metal molds.

I just got my EX, and I love it.

 

[thenammagazine]

I think Ween was referring to them doing a rotocast one.

 

[The Batman Professor]

Still requires a metal mold which costs about 10K per part. Regardless what Ween was thinking, a resin piece is the only way to contain costs on a low run item. Make no mistake, anything less than 5,000 pieces is considered low run. WalMart can sell rotocast figures for $14 because they order 50,000+ units. With that kind of production numbers, cost amortization of the tooling becomes almost a non-issue.

Let's just say that SS wanted to make the fridge out of rotocast plastic, and the three-part tooling came in at $15,000.00US (conservative est.) That's $30 per unit on a 500 piece run, and you haven't even cracked open a container of plastic to inject into the mold.

It would shock you to know how little the "polystone" pieces we prize so much actually cost to produce. Most of the cost is tied up in licensing and a healthy profit margin for the company.

Fact: A "coldcast porcelain" statue I worked on for another well-known collectibles company cost $8.00US per unit to cast, paint, package, and ship from China. That was a numbered collectible, with a limited edition of 1,500 pieces. Retail was $75.00US.

 

[thenammagazine]

Still requires a metal mold which costs about 10K per part. Regardless what Ween was thinking, a resin piece is the only way to contain costs on a low run item. Make no mistake, anything less than 5,000 pieces is considered low run. WalMart can sell rotocast figures for $14 because they order 50,000+ units. With that kind of production numbers, cost amortization of the tooling becomes almost a non-issue.

Let's just say that SS wanted to make the fridge out of rotocast plastic, and the three-part tooling came in at $15,000.00US (conservative est.) That's $30 per unit on a 500 piece run, and you haven't even cracked open a container of plastic to inject into the mold.

It would shock you to know how little the "polystone" pieces we prize so much actually cost to produce. Most of the cost is tied up in licensing and a healthy profit margin for the company.

Fact: A "coldcast porcelain" statue I worked on for another well-known collectibles company cost $8.00US per unit to cast, paint, package, and ship from China. That was a numbered collectible, with a limited edition of 1,500 pieces. Retail was $75.00US.

I don't think as many people "prize them" as you think. Additionally, Sideshow would've had no problem selling more if the price had been lower. Hell, they could've gone the way of the roto and included one with every figure at the $125 mark and I think it would've been a bigger success. But in the end, collectors were left scratching their head on just why they should fork over $85 for a polystone fridge. That's why, even at such a ridiculously low ES, the Ex is still available.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I don't think as many people "prize them" as you think. Additionally, Sideshow would've had no problem selling more if the price had been lower. Hell, they could've gone the way of the roto and included one with every figure at the $125 mark and I think it would've been a bigger success. But in the end, collectors were left scratching their head on just why they should fork over $85 for a polystone fridge. That's why, even at such a ridiculously low ES, the Ex is still available.

Excellent point. I wouldn't have batted an eye for $125. But $175 was simply too much for me, as big an Indy fan as I am.

 

[The Batman Professor]

You don't prize your polystone collectibles? I do, otherwise I wouldn't pay hundreds of dollars for them, even though I know what they actually cost to produce. Nor would I post on this forum.

The point I'm attempting to make is that pouring resin is much less costly than an injection molding process. If SS had made 5,000 rotocast fridges, do you think they would have sold them all at say $50 each? That is probably the lowest price they could have sold them for and still make a suitable profit. It's doubtful.

I agree that the $175.00 price was steep, but the price would have been even higher had the fridge been made out of anything other than a resin material. That is if SS wanted to maintain a consistent percentage of profit.

 

[thenammagazine]

You don't prize your polystone collectibles? I do, otherwise I wouldn't pay hundreds of dollars for them, even though I know what they actually cost to produce. Nor would I post on this forum.

The point I'm attempting to make is that pouring resin is much less costly than an injection molding process. If SS had made 5,000 rotocast fridges, do you think they would have sold them all at say $50 each? That is probably the lowest price they could have sold them for and still make a suitable profit. It's doubtful.

I agree that the $175.00 price was steep, but the price would have been even higher had the fridge been made out of anything other than a resin material. That is if SS wanted to maintain a consistent percentage of profit.

See, I beg to differ. I think there was more than enough profit garnered off of the figure to warrant chopping costs on the fridge. Additionally, including it with a $35 mark-up from $90 to $125 would've covered manufacturing costs to add it as an accessory to every KOTCS figure. Would've been a no-brainer and likely a sellout and they could've left the dagger as a better Ex.

P.S. And from what I understand, injection molding is completely different than rotocasting. One injects small amounts of plastic into molds to create a solid finished product. The other involves a rotation process to create a hollow product. Sounds like you're trying to mix the two.

 

[stshammgod]

If anyone wants to unload their fridge, LMK.

 

[The Batman Professor]

Excellent point. I wouldn't have batted an eye for $125. But $175 was simply too much for me, as big an Indy fan as I am.

The regular edition was $90.00, and you expect SS to manufacture a large, multi-piece (body, door, freezer drawer,) rotocast accessory, and only charge an additional $35.00 for an edition size of 600?

I wish the realities of plastics manufacturing allowed for that, but unfortunately they do not.

 

[The Batman Professor]

P.S. And from what I understand, injection molding is completely different than rotocasting. One injects small amounts of plastic into molds to create a solid finished product. The other involves a rotation process to create a hollow product. Sounds like you're trying to mix the two.

You're correct there, I was using the term "injection molding" as a catch-all.

 

[thenammagazine]

The regular edition was $90.00, and you expect SS to manufacture a large, multi-piece (body, door, freezer drawer,) rotocast accessory, and only charge an additional $35.00 for an edition size of 600?

I wish the realities of plastics manufacturing allowed for that, but unfortunately they do not.

No, he was replying to my post where I suggested they include it with every KOTCS Indy, both regular and exclusive for a total run of 1850 and charge $125 for it. They could then make the dagger the Ex and potentially add another $5 for it (making the Ex $130) and add it to the first 600 KOTCS Indys.

 

[The Batman Professor]

See, I beg to differ. I think there was more than enough profit garnered off of the figure to warrant chopping costs on the fridge. Additionally, including it with a $35 mark-up from $90 to $125 would've covered manufacturing costs to add it as an accessory to every KOTCS figure. Would've been a no-brainer and likely a sellout and they could've left the dagger as a better Ex.

I've been involved in the collectibles industry for over 20 years as a designer and art director, and this simply is not the case. You can believe what you wish, but there is no way to make even 2000 rotocast 1/6 scale fridge accessories and bring them to retail for $35.00. You might be able to get there on a run of 5000 to 8000 units, but then I imagine that you would end up warehousing a boatload of product.

I'm done arguing about this, but if you would like some contacts in Asia to price this out yourself, PM me.

I like my Indy fridge, so sue me.

 

[thenammagazine]

I've been involved in the collectibles industry for over 20 years as a designer and art director, and this simply is not the case. You can believe what you wish, but there is no way to make even 2000 rotocast 1/6 scale fridge accessories and bring them to retail for $35.00. You might be able to get there on a run of 5000 to 8000 units, but then I imagine that you would end up warehousing a boatload of product.

I'm done arguing about this, but if you would like some contacts in Asia to price this out yourself, PM me.

I like my Indy fridge, so sue me.

Nobody is saying you don't have to. We're merely stating why it didn't sell out and why it's not more popular. It's just not worth the price.

Additionally, I do have contacts in china who can mold the plastic body (upper and lower receivers - 2 pieces) of an M4 for about $10 a piece for a unit run of 1000. And that's considerably bigger than the fridge. So it is doable. And the more products you purchase from them, not necessarily the same item, the bigger the discounts.

 

[The Batman Professor]

It's just not worth the price.

Nowadays, what is?

If the loons in Washington institute the VAT, the collectibles industry will tank, as $85.00 polystone fridge accessories baloon to $120.00, and people stop buying.

 

[The Batman Professor]

Nobody is saying you don't have to. We're merely stating why it didn't sell out and why it's not more popular. It's just not worth the price.

Additionally, I do have contacts in china who can mold the plastic body (upper and lower receivers - 2 pieces) of an M4 for about $10 a piece for a unit run of 1000. And that's considerably bigger than the fridge. So it is doable. And the more products you purchase from them, not necessarily the same item, the bigger the discounts.

Is that painted, packaged, and drop shipped?

Seriously man, I bet the fridge didn't cost SS $10 to make. I just know what kind of profit margin the suits expect.

 

[thenammagazine]

Nowadays, what is?

If the loons in Washington institute the VAT, the collectibles industry will tank, as $85.00 polystone fridge accessories baloon to $120.00, and people stop buying.

That wouldn't affect U.S. residents who order from Sideshow or U.S. retailers though. Besides, we already have something similar... sales tax.

Is that painted, packaged, and drop shipped?

Seriously man, I bet the fridge didn't cost SS $10 to make. I just know what kind of profit margin the suits expect.

Drop shipped?! No drop shipping. And if we upped it to $35 a unit, yes, they could paint and package. As with Sideshow (who doesn't drop ship - I don't know where you got the idea that they do), they'll box them up and send them on a freighter across the Pacific.

 

[The Batman Professor]

Sorry, don't know why I typed that. Trying to get some real work done on top of posting here.

As for the VAT, if it goes through, it will essentially be a National Sales Tax on top of any state tax.

https://www.economy.com/dismal/article_free.asp?cid=121682&src=datapoints