Sideshow Hoth Han Solo (Echo Base)

[AIR]

I just want to see how this turned out already because I've been getting more and more tempted to get it.

 

[Pixelpiper]

I assumed everything went from the China factory to SSC in the U.S. and SSC then sent it to their direct customers as well as their distributors overseas, but maybe those distribs get them straight from the factory?

That would waste a lot of money for large orders. Hot Toys distributes Sideshow in Asia, so it definitely doesn't make sense for any of that stock to leave China for Sideshow in the US. I have no idea about other distribution centers or stores of course. Smaller orders do probably hit the US first, even when their final destination is outside of North America.

 

[davejames]

If this figure is really ready to ship and just waiting in a container in a port, I just can't understand why Sideshow can't put out any pictures of the finished product. For god sake, don't they have cameras in whatever factory they are producing it?! Hot Toys always has in hand photos released by early bird bloggers BEFORE the figure is being shipped to the public, can't say why here this is not the case.
Only reasonable explanation for this lack of pictures is either the figure is not yet produced (and they are using shipping delays as an excuse) or the final product is less than desirable so they don't want to burst their bubble just yet and cause cancelations.

Well given the pickiness of their customers I can easily see why they'd want to put off ANY reviews or final production photos until right before it's ready to ship-- regardless of the quality of the actual figure. Because the more time people have to think about their order and whether they want to keep it, the more likely they might be to cancel.

 

[nathan.never]

If a few SSC R2's are starting to show up in-hand in Asia (i.e. not purchased through Sideshow in the U.S., so I guess never got stuck in a U.S. port) shouldn't there be some in-hand pics of this guy in the next few days too?

I assumed everything went from the China factory to SSC in the U.S. and SSC then sent it to their direct customers as well as their distributors overseas, but maybe those distribs get them straight from the factory?

Oh, yes, I forgot about R2D2, how come we got pictures of him and not Han or Luke?
All in all, it's not very fair of sideshow to drag this actual product reveal for so long when they themselves have the product in hand.
It's one thing to have prototype pictures on their web(order) site a year before the figure is produced (in all fairness there is no other possibility for them), but it is completely different thing to have an actual figure produced and packaged and then "hide" its true appearance for months until it's all payed for by customers and on-route to their home.
Hell, they only just now updated their site with pictures of the real Snake Plissken and they've already sent out a lot of them.

 

[davejames]

I kinda get the sense that they actually don't have the final product in hand yet or packaged, and that there must be some other kind of delay besides at the port. Because April-May is just too far off to be completely due to shipping issues.

 

[bmarz1000]

Not to mention, how would they KNOW the strike will be resolved by April-May? It has to be based on more than the strike.

 

[TonTon]

All in all, it's not very fair of sideshow to drag this actual product reveal for so long when they themselves have the product in hand.

Who says they have the final product in hand? They've been reshooting figures when they have final production versions in hand--superman, snake, R2--so it seems like they don't have those for Luke and Han.

 

[Pixelpiper]

If the factory has made a full production run then sideshow has final samples in hand. No company would ever move to full production without doing a sample run. And samples will be delivered by air like FedEx.

 

[TonTon]

Well the last we heard was they had an early production figure at Seoul last month, not a final version, so given that this got pushed back so far it might be unrelated to the dock issues. A couple of the other items they've done new photo shoots of are now shipping, hopefully R2 is soon too. Just doesn't seem like Han is as far along or they don't want to do new promotional photos when it's not available for 4 months.

 

[Invictus Sol]

Not to mention, how would they KNOW the strike will be resolved by April-May? It has to be based on more than the strike.

They don't. They're just pushing it back and hoping for the best. If the strike continues the figure will just be pushed back to June-July and so on.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Well the last we heard was they had an early production figure at Seoul last month, not a final version, so given that this got pushed back so far it might be unrelated to the dock issues. A couple of the other items they've done new photo shoots of are now shipping, hopefully R2 is soon too. Just doesn't seem like Han is as far along or they don't want to do new promotional photos when it's not available for 4 months.

Everything you've said makes sense. But it also implies that someone at Sideshow is lying as they've stated this product in particular is additionally delayed due to being stuck on a ship, right? Obviously the first round of delays had nothing to do with the strike as these were supposed to be shipping last year. December for Han, October for Luke and the Taun Taun..

 

[davejames]

So has there ever been a case when they actually pushed UP the release date after receiving their shipment earlier than announced?

I'm guessing not. Lol

 

[TonTon]

The email didn't seem to say this figure specifically was on the boat. At least that's how I read it. Just made it sound like everything is backed up at the ports so this is getting delayed. I thought those were the second or third round of delays too, but who can keep track? I originally ordered this thinking that it would be my first figure and got the probe droid to go with it. I now have Vader and a Snowtrooper too, and a Tusken Raider on its way. Wonder how many others I'll get before this nerd herder decides to show up.

 

[Pixelpiper]

Well my hope with the original delays was that they were changing up their paint production. I'm still hopeful this will be better than the Snake Plissken, which to me, still really looks like a slightly up-graded Hasbro sculpt in terms of its plastic-ness. Certainly not at the level of where a $200 figure should be. It would be a right shame to have to drop more $$ to have him repainted.

 

[TonTon]

Yeah, Rex gives me some hope, momaw has some nice photos I'm sure you've seen showing what looks like improved skin detail over previous figures. That figure is only $170 too. Just out of curiosity i went back and it looks like Han was originally November, then December, then February, now April-May.

 

[Kodiak3d]

Is that one of Sideshow's next figures? Look like Phicen to me

 

[Deeznutz6]

They don't. They're just pushing it back and hoping for the best. If the strike continues the figure will just be pushed back to June-July and so on.

This is where there is more to the delays than the port, I'm actually blaming Han on production that SSC is not telling us, it's the only plausible way, just do the math.

If this cargo was either on the water, waiting to discharge from a vessel or at the port already then we will have him by March latest given the max time it would take if stuck as I mentioned.

If still in China and not loaded, you think SSC is going to wait until June to get the thousands of dollars they have invested in this figure? No chance, you bite the bullet ship to Seattle and truck to the distribution center, total cost max 4k difference. You increase you shipping charge and that loss is covered.

 

[Deeznutz6]

Is that one of Sideshow's next figures? Look like Phicen to me

Katie banks just got a lot more hits lol

 

[rubio95]

Well my hope with the original delays was that they were changing up their paint production. I'm still hopeful this will be better than the Snake Plissken, which to me, still really looks like a slightly up-graded Hasbro sculpt in terms of its plastic-ness. Certainly not at the level of where a $200 figure should be. It would be a right shame to have to drop more $$ to have him repainted.

I'll have mine tomorrow evening, so check over in that thread. I'm not holding my breath, but I am optimistic, especially since I have Han on preorder, also.

 

[omagro]

This is where there is more to the delays than the port, I'm actually blaming Han on production that SSC is not telling us, it's the only plausible way, just do the math.

If this cargo was either on the water, waiting to discharge from a vessel or at the port already then we will have him by March latest given the max time it would take if stuck as I mentioned.

If still in China and not loaded, you think SSC is going to wait until June to get the thousands of dollars they have invested in this figure? No chance, you bite the bullet ship to Seattle and truck to the distribution center, total cost max 4k difference. You increase you shipping charge and that loss is covered.

All the ports on the west coast have the same problem with the Union, so if they ship to Seattle they could also have delays and extra shipping expenses.