SST Shock Trooper

[LOPIE]

I don’t know I think SS and Medi bank on the fact that Star Wars fans will buy anything they put out. At first when the prices were low I got every Star Wars stuff SS came out with. Now with the way the economy is and the price increase I’m a bit more selective in what I get. On top of that I’m not pleased with the paint apps. So I get all my SS stuff repainted. As far as the clones, it just my opinion, but SS blows Medi out the water. Again it’s just my opinion, but I think SS has gotten into a pissing match with Medi and let the free market dictate who has the better product.

 

[minivader]

its market share... SST will obviously benefit from "owning the cow and not just settling for a percentage of the milk"...

besides... with a kicking Clone line, SST may find themselves without competition this side of the water.

market share? medicom is not making more clones. There is only SSC making new ones. Besides, when did medicom had a large market share this side of the water?

 

[The Josh]

I still think there's a lot of incorrect speculation going on about figure choice. I seriously doubt the ES has anything at all to do with it.

Yeah, calling this figure a failure cause the ES is only 750 is silly. Not to mention a bit presumptuous since the ES on the regular hasn't been announced. Then you toss in that honestly I didn't expect a large ES since Medicom has one out and you have some that will keep that version. It was an announcement to get their version out and get that into collectors hands that would want it. I have no problems guaranteeing this will have little effect on future clones.

Not to mention if SS version turns out as freaking awesome as the Utapau their Shock will be much better.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I agree SSC makes a better clone.

That said I do think RELATIVE to the Utapau at 1500 ES for the exclusive vs 750 for the Shock that its indicative that LESS people wanted the shock....at least the Exclusive version anyway...

I think its silly to think that cutting the edition size in half was just business as usual and that SSC doesn't need to evaluate WHY that happened. At the very least it would be very narrow sighted from a business perspective to not ask that question to themselves.

Its my opinion that other clone choices possibly could have sold 2 or 3 times that amount... I'll let you business gurus out there keep explaining how SSC wouldn't want that.

 

[Deeznutz6]

I agree SSC makes a better clone.

That said I do think RELATIVE to the Utapau at 1500 ES for the exclusive vs 750 for the Shock that its indicative that LESS people wanted the shock....at least the Exclusive version anyway...

I think its silly to think that cutting the edition size in half was just business as usual and that SSC doesn't need to evaluate WHY that happened. At the very least it would be very narrow sighted from a business perspective to not ask that question to themselves.

Its my opinion that other clone choices possibly could have sold 2 or 3 times that amount... I'll let you business gurus out there keep explaining how SSC wouldn't want that.

Could it be that Utapau sales didnt meet expectation????
So why make another 750 of these if they wont sell...

 

[The Josh]

I agree SSC makes a better clone.

That said I do think RELATIVE to the Utapau at 1500 ES for the exclusive vs 750 for the Shock that its indicative that LESS people wanted the shock....at least the Exclusive version anyway...

I think its silly to think that cutting the edition size in half was just business as usual and that SSC doesn't need to evaluate WHY that happened. At the very least it would be very narrow sighted from a business perspective to not ask that question to themselves.

Its my opinion that other clone choices possibly could have sold 2 or 3 times that amount... I'll let you business gurus out there keep explaining how SSC wouldn't want that.

Ok less people ordered the EX or they set the ES after only a week which is pretty common for them to do. Nothing more nothing less. There's little to evaluate. It may have sold less due to some wanting to keep the Medicom version and some not caring for the shock. I don't think its any kind of a major issue.

Well, the I'm sure the Clone Commanders would have but I don't know if other clones would sell more than say 1500 for the Ex. The Utapau sold well enough cause nobody had made one I think its that simple, I think the 501st could very well be the same as the shock. In the end its always nice to see some of these come in with ES at this range as it helps with those that like low ES on their 1:6th figs.

Plus like Carl said its a good filler figure till we get to SDCC and they can announce a clone commander or two. I think some of you forget the time of year and that SS isn't going to announce much of anything major right now with SDCC coming up.

I

 

[ProgMatinee]

Could it be that Utapau sales didnt meet expectation????
So why make another 750 of these if they wont sell...

Its possible, but I'm assuming that when SSC leave the edition size at TBD for a while that its because they are gauging sales. Obviously, if 2000 people preordered a figure they wouldn't cancel orders and cap the sales at 750.

But you also have to note that using "TBD" isn't a new practice for SSC and they use it not only to make sure something doesn't oversell but also so it doesn't dramatically undersell. So if the Utapau clone only had 750 orders they would not have set the Ex at 1500.

So I think it can be said that the number of preorders (cancellations aside) must have been significantly different.

Its possible that you're on to something though if preorders followed by cancellations on the Utapau for some reason were higher than usual.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Anyway, I can understand why some people don't like discussing this stuff and just want to discuss the toys themselves and thats fine, but as a business student and now budget analyst I find this stuff interesting to speculate and debate on...but by all means if you aren't interested in the discussion just ignore me....

 

[LOPIE]

I think if SS came out with a better Exclusive they would have sold a few more. The Ex. base is kind of stupid. That’s why I ordered mine from a different vender. The only reason I get stuff from SS is because of the Ex. being something that is cool. If not I'm not willing to spend a few extra bucks on SS website.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I think if SS came out with a better Exclusive they would have sold a few more. The Ex. base is kind of stupid. That’s why I ordered mine from a different vender. The only reason I get stuff from SS is because of the Ex. being something that is cool. If not I'm not willing to spend a few extra bucks on SS website.

Yeah. That could be what led up to a high ES on Utapau. People were stoked for a cool exclusive and were disappointed, but ordered anyway just in case they realized they wanted it, then eventually decided it wasn't so they cancelled.

I can maybe concede that the shock ES isn't low but rather Utapau was inflated somehow.

 

[LOPIE]

Anyway, I can understand why some people don't like discussing this stuff and just want to discuss the toys themselves and thats fine, but as a business student and now budget analyst I find this stuff interesting to speculate and debate on...but by all means if you aren't interested in the discussion just ignore me....

Speculation is like an ASSUMPTION, which are like a$$holes everyone has one, but not everyone is willing to expose theirs. I’m glad to expose mine every chance I get.

 

[ProgMatinee]

Speculation is like an ASSUMPTION, which are like a$$holes everyone has one, but not everyone is willing to expose theirs. I’m glad to expose mine every chance I get.

me too. what else is there to do? i'm stuck here at work.

 

[LOPIE]

me too. what else is there to do? i'm stuck here at work.

Me too. Me and the tech for the computer department are good friends so he opened this website for me, if not I'd be bored to death and everyone wouldn't be able to enjoy my assets

 

[The Josh]

Yeah. That could be what led up to a high ES on Utapau. People were stoked for a cool exclusive and were disappointed, but ordered anyway just in case they realized they wanted it, then eventually decided it wasn't so they cancelled.

I can maybe concede that the shock ES isn't low but rather Utapau was inflated somehow.

Thats a very likely scenario actually. Folks have a habit of ordering everything and then canceling. Which only drives the ES up. So I expect these companies might cut the ES a bit short on some just to make sure they don't end up with a ton left over.

I think the demand for items in general has dropped over the last year or so or at least it seems. Which explains why we've seen items coming out with smaller ES than what would have been in the past.

 

[ProgMatinee]

no question. Wasn't the ES for the Bespin Han like 3500 or something crazy?

 

[LOPIE]

no question. Wasn't the ES for the Bespin Han like 3500 or something crazy?

We all know that figure suck @$$. I cant even sell that thing for $25.00. I just used it for parts; I hate that figure.

 

[The Josh]

no question. Wasn't the ES for the Bespin Han like 3500 or something crazy?

No, his Ex was 2000 but the regular was even higher at 8000. So yeah that one was pretty crazy. Its not just SS either I've seen HT cut back the ES on items as well. The only figures I keep reading about having more made each time is the MOTU figures and thats cause they're $20.

The market just isn't there with how things are and probably won't be for some time I would imagine.

 

[ProgMatinee]

We all know that figure suck @$$. I cant even sell that thing for $25.00. I just used it for parts; I hate that figure.

yeah but whats crazy is if i remember correctly that figure still sold like hot cakes even though everyone complained about eyebrows fat cheeks etc.

really goes to show the change in situation when really sub par products can sell thousands and good products cant.

price is the factor. I think that first major jump around the endor figures turned a lot of people off.

 

[Deeznutz6]

No, his Ex was 2000 but the regular was even higher at 8000. So yeah that one was pretty crazy. Its not just SS either I've seen HT cut back the ES on items as well. The only figures I keep reading about having more made each time is the MOTU figures and thats cause they're $20.

The market just isn't there with how things are and probably won't be for some time I would imagine.

I agree the market for these seems to have changed, but I think SS has something to do with that. Personnaly I think the choices this year aside from Lando have been snoozers, sorry and the Sandtrooper. Not really any "must have in my collection" aside from those 2 and Vader.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I think there have been some fine figure releases recently IF these were still $50-$60. RFT, Capt. Antilles, Piett, etc I would have been stoked at $55. Then with a 10% mark down at a dealer for $50. I would be all over that. But for $63 plus shipping from a retailer I just couldn't do it.