Answers to WTFWTK 2.15!

[Eterniandreams]

I am one of the lucky ones that can afford e-bay prices for the exclusives and I will get them. It is just that I know for a lot of people the 20$ is already a stretch and I really want them to have to opportunity to be a "complete collector" too.

I just have to hide them from my wife... she will kill me if she sees the prices I paid for KG normal and chase.

If they will do more and more exclusives and variant (chase) figures I will stop being a double MOC completist though. Now I am buying 2 Moc and 2 loose (1 more if they have multible heads). That means He-ro will cost me at least 160$, but I am expecting to pay 50$ for the CC version. So that would be 280$ for a CC exclusive

[Cammor]

I agree with the thought that the line is currently bady guy heavy, but I like the bad guys best. They are right, He-Man can kick a LOT of bad guy butt and needs the fodder.

[Vending Machine]

1. Will Mattel offer a way for international fans who support the line get a hold of the chase/special figures you are releasing at the comic-cons without having to resort to eBay?
All of our Comic Con figures will be available on Mattycollector.com, although some may feature slight changes (such as a minor deco change or a different accessory) We will have more details closer to the convention.

I really don't understand why they think fans are requesting that the con figures be slightly (or AT ALL) different from their online sale counterparts. I mean, the fact that they're releasing a limited number of con figures on the internet already doesn't detract from the apparently-precious exclusivity (since they're not technically making more con figures to meet the demand but are rather liquidating the remaining con figures), so what is the reasoning behind this? Why is it that, when fans seem to by-and-large despise con exclusives, they not only keep giving con exclusives, but are now introducing tiers to the exclusives (i.e. He-Ro is a con exclusive that will have limited release already, but there is a version of He-Ro that is even MORE exclusive than the already-exclusive con exclusive)? It's the same thing with Gleek and the Wonder Twins for fans of DCUC. Why all of the marginalization to preserve some notion of "exclusivity" that only scalpers (and apparently Mattel itself) seem to care about?

Keep in mind before Mattycollector.com our SDCC figures were ONLY available at the show. So although the versions on line after the show may be slightly changes, they will still at least be an avenue for non show attending fans to get them. (unlike say Keldor or She-Ra who were ONLY at the show and had no online distribution).[/B]

First of all, that's not 100% true, as She-Ra was made available online through he-man.org. Second, while it's nice to point out that Mattycollector.com is apparently a favor to fans from a company that has absolutely no interest in making money (sarcasm), I'd like to point out that there was a time when Mattel and other toy companies didn't offer con exclusives--and seemed to do just as well. So, while we're supposedly keeping things in perspective, let's keep things in perspective.

Exclusives are called exclusives for a reason.

Never forget that "exclusive" has its origins in the word "exclude".

The fact that they are available on Matty at all is amazing. Until Matty the ONLY way to get these was to go to the con. They have a responsibility to collectors who travel and pay to go to these conventions to keep the exclusives collectible.

The San Diego Comic Convention offers a lot of information, panel discussions, previews up various types of upcoming media, etc. One would think that the privilege of going to the con is in the con itself, first of all. Second, as I've stated before, I recall a time when the con didn't have exclusives--not like this (it was before the 2002 MOTU line). Third, if the con exclusives are going to be different from what's being sold online, why sell the online version of the con exclusive in limited numbers (again, it begs the question of a tier system for exclusives)?

I'm sure thats part of why they are doing this. But again we should feel lucky they will be available online at all.

I can never understand statements like these. You act as though this isn't a company trying to make money, but rather some philanthropic organization doing charity work.

Well, convention-goers' opinion might be that they got a slap in the face if exclusives were no longer exclusives when they spent all that time and money to get there to get them, and you simply can't please everyone.

Again, this isn't Excluso-Con. This is San Diego Comic Con. The con offers so much more than Mattel's exclusives, and I frankly don't understand the misplaced feeling of entitlement on the parts of con-goers. They get to talk with and learn from several of the hottest names in the comic world, entertainment industry, and the like. For a con where there's so much to see and do, I hardly think that people who do fly there from the East Coast will spend $1000 for a plane ticket and hotel stay just to pick up Gleek.

IMO people should be more excited about the fact that they have any chance of getting them on Matty after the show.

But they won't. They'll get a limited-production variant of an already-exclusive figure that is different from the exclusive itself. That's not the same at all.

I couldn’t agree with you more!!! Exclusives are incentive to go to the con and reward those fans that go.

You mean aside from the con itself (which is the reason why the con exists), right?

exclusives are part of the reason I may shell out like 700+ dollars to go to SDCC.

You are certainly one of those rare people who happens to have the expendable income to shell out that much to go across the country just for few toys. Most people are willing to pay $20.00, $30.00, even $40.00 for an action figure--but few are willing to pay $700.00+ for one (which is exactly what Mattel is suggesting the price should be for people who don't live right next door to the con if they want the non-online variant He-Ro--a suggestion that I find inherently unfair and just a bit unethical).

[Eric]

It's always been my understanding that exclusives help pay for the Con for the companies that sell them. That in itself is reason for a company to have them. I'm sure it isn't cheap to bring all those people and resources out to San Diego for a weekend.

[Eterniandreams]

Thank you Vending Machine! I tried in the beginning in this thread but started to think I was alone... You couldn't have described the way I feel any better!

Eric, as for your post above:
Do you think Mattel made less money (to pay for the con) when they sold Faker as the exclusive, who went on sale on Matty without changes. Didn't they sold out just the same?

[Darth Latveria]

I also agree with Vending Machine. I am utterly against exclusives and wish they would be stopped entirely. As a matter of fact, one of the few benefits I see to the NYCC being moved til October 2010 is the fact that there will basically be one less exclusive in the year to come (although it might mean a couple that are very close to each other come late Summer 2010). I just hope that if they are going to do exclusives at all they'll just offer the same one at the 2010 NYCC as the 2010 SDCC because they're so close together, getting rid of at least one exclusive for the year.

[Mern-Ra]

It's always been my understanding that exclusives help pay for the Con for the companies that sell them. That in itself is reason for a company to have them. I'm sure it isn't cheap to bring all those people and resources out to San Diego for a weekend.

That is a fact. Companies didn't start exclusives to screw fans, they started them to help cover costs because that is a requirement for a business. If you want everyone to stop making exclusives then you need to take advantage of the Q&A's they so generously do with us each month and offer up an alternative that will please fans and allow them to cover the cost of going the con.

[Darth Latveria]

That is a fact. Companies didn't start exclusives to screw fans, they started them to help cover costs because that is a requirement for a business. If you want everyone to stop making exclusives then you need to take advantage of the Q&A's they so generously do with us each month and offer up an alternative that will please fans and allow them to cover the cost of going the con.

They have sold out of every character they've made so far. So maybe they could... I dunno.... make some more, bring them there and sell them? Or for that matter, maybe just bring a bunch of the figures they have coming out (MAA, Hordak, etc) to the con and sell a few hundred there. That'll certainly lead to a nice little chunck of change and they can even sell them at a higher price point than on Matty since the people would be saving on shipping costs. Unless there is a rule against selling regular figures at the con, I don't see why they can't do that.

For that matter, if they want to do an extra figure, why can't they just create the regular run-size, sell some at the con and put the rest up as a bonus figure? I think I heard that Faker was a smaller run than the other runs so instead of causing that fiasco to occur again, they should just up the numbers and sell a second figure online that month.

[King Kahn]

this was a really good and informative Q&A. i am going to digest what was said a bit

[JVS3]

IMO, the real problem with exclusives is they've made a huge shift over the past 5 years from being a simple repaint, or refresh,
to being unique characters fans want and you have to be there to get.

That's where I feel things have gone wrong.

Exclusives are important in paying for convention expenses, and that is a main factor behind them.
So I'm all for exclusives... just as long as they don't stick it to fans and collectors of that toy line.

If you have to come to SDCC to get a special gold edition He-Man,
or a He-Man with a different accessory than the regular release,
both limited in quantity with a high $ price,
that's one thing.

But I feel making fans miss out on a desired character only serves to work against the company by alienating and outraging fans.

Even knowing you might get it later on is discouraging.
Not only is the figure not truly an exclusive any more which takes away from its value and collectivity,
but few people enjoy having to have to wait a year or more for a figure they missed on while other fans get to enjoy it, unless they shell out a fair amount of money to get it from a reseller, which (and I've seen this numerous times) sometimes drives people away from the line.

I feel many companies have simply lost touch with exclusives and things have gotten out of control.
IMO, it works against the original purpose of exclusives, while also working against the very fans and collectors of that line.

[Darth Latveria]

I agree with Val, at least up to a point. I totally agree with him that it's okay to simply change up the paint scheme for an exclusive, but not so sure about the accessories. For me it depends on what he views as being fair when it comes to a different accessory. For instance, if they released He-Man with an axe at the SDCC but not in the regular figures it wouldn't bother me too much, but something like the Keldor alternate head from the 200x line a few years ago really bothers me since that was in my eyes either a new characters or at the very least a far superior version of an existing one.

[King Kahn]

IMO, the real problem with exclusives is they've made a huge shift over the past 5 years from being a simple repaint, or refresh,
to being unique characters fans want and you have to be there to get.

That's where I feel things have gone wrong.

Exclusives are important in paying for convention expenses, and that is a main factor behind them.
So I'm all for exclusives... just as long as they don't stick it to fans and collectors of that toy line.

If you have to come to SDCC to get a special gold edition He-Man,
or a He-Man with a different accessory than the regular release,
both limited in quantity with a high $ price,
that's one thing.

But I feel making fans miss out on a desired character only serves to work against the company by alienating and outraging fans.

Even knowing you might get it later on is discouraging.
Not only is the figure not truly an exclusive any more which takes away from its value and collectivity,
but few people enjoy having to have to wait a year or more for a figure they missed on while other fans get to enjoy it, unless they shell out a fair amount of money to get it from a reseller, which (and I've seen this numerous times) sometimes drives people away from the line.

I feel many companies have simply lost touch with exclusives and things have gotten out of control.
IMO, it works against the original purpose of exclusives, while also working against the very fans and collectors of that line.

i agree. when mattel started doing the MOTU exclusives it was just a dif painted he-man. that was fine. but doing a separate/unique character to "up the ante" is annoying. especially for a line that already is limited by being online.

if it was a retail line and for example they would be able to release he-ro in the next retail wave with a slightly tweaked deco i dont think many people would bat an eye.

I feel THAT is what gets to the fans. the fact that there are certain CHARACTERS they wanted for awhile but were then made limited. even if the con figures have the same amount made as a normal release figure they will still be more scarce since
A. they have the general public buying them at the con AND online buyers.
B. more people will buy it to "cash in" and make a quick buck since it is a known that these figures are a quick and easy ebay profit.

[Fisto69]

I'm perplexed as well, it seems there reasoning is that exclusives will bring people to the con or their boothe or what have you. Why bring people so you can sell your product and open up your product to a wide range of people. Now it seems expanding your products demographics or what have you is only necessary when your not all ready selling out of your product in three days. It seems the demand is more then there so what is the difference if x bought the product at the con or y bought the product via the website the product is sold and thats the number one goal-in the supply demand market.

Some say well i traveled all the way there what do i get? Well you get to meet people in person. You get any left over figures like He-Man that none of the rest of us can get besides ebay. You get to be the first to find out about new figures at the panel discussion. Being at the con itself .To me that seems like alot i dunno

[Vending Machine]

That is a fact. Companies didn't start exclusives to screw fans, they started them to help cover costs because that is a requirement for a business. If you want everyone to stop making exclusives then you need to take advantage of the Q&A's they so generously do with us each month and offer up an alternative that will please fans and allow them to cover the cost of going the con.

How about...

Do you think Mattel made less money (to pay for the con) when they sold Faker as the exclusive, who went on sale on Matty without changes. Didn't they sold out just the same?

...this solution, which is one that has been right at Mattel's fingertips the whole time?

IMO, the real problem with exclusives is they've made a huge shift over the past 5 years from being a simple repaint, or refresh,
to being unique characters fans want and you have to be there to get.

That's where I feel things have gone wrong.

Exclusives are important in paying for convention expenses, and that is a main factor behind them.
So I'm all for exclusives... just as long as they don't stick it to fans and collectors of that toy line.

If you have to come to SDCC to get a special gold edition He-Man,
or a He-Man with a different accessory than the regular release,
both limited in quantity with a high $ price,
that's one thing.

But I feel making fans miss out on a desired character only serves to work against the company by alienating and outraging fans.

Even knowing you might get it later on is discouraging.
Not only is the figure not truly an exclusive any more which takes away from its value and collectivity,
but few people enjoy having to have to wait a year or more for a figure they missed on while other fans get to enjoy it, unless they shell out a fair amount of money to get it from a reseller, which (and I've seen this numerous times) sometimes drives people away from the line.

I feel many companies have simply lost touch with exclusives and things have gotten out of control.
IMO, it works against the original purpose of exclusives, while also working against the very fans and collectors of that line.

I agree. I was certainly less upset about yellow staction Evil-Lyn than I was about Keldor, a unique character available only through the SDCC. The only thing I would stipulate is that the variant should be at the con, not in the main line; that is, vanilla King Grayskull should have been released online to the mainstream fans while "Battle Damaged King Grayskull" should have been the con exclusive. It would have "preserved" Mattel's precious idea of exclusivity while alienating less fans.

Or, as has been said, early release. Faker proved that such a thing could work and STILL help pay for con expenses WITHOUT changing the figure for online sale.

Some say well i traveled all the way there what do i get? Well you get to meet people in person. You get any left over figures like He-Man that none of the rest of us can get besides ebay. You get to be the first to find out about new figures at the panel discussion. Being at the con itself .To me that seems like alot i dunno

Oh, but Fisto, you can't sell experiences on eBay for an insane mark-up (the likes of which Mattel as a company won't ever see, anyway, since they sold the figure at the con for substantially less than what it goes for on eBay). See the difference? It's all in the scalping.

[Mern-Ra]

Yeah, Faker did sell out crazy fast--I think doing what they did with him could very well be the way to go to make everyone happy and keep the money coming to Mattel that they need to go to the cons. Way to go .org!

[Patreek]

You are certainly one of those rare people who happens to have the expendable income to shell out that much to go across the country just for few toys. Most people are willing to pay $20.00, $30.00, even $40.00 for an action figure--but few are willing to pay $700.00+ for one (which is exactly what Mattel is suggesting the price should be for people who don't live right next door to the con if they want the non-online variant He-Ro--a suggestion that I find inherently unfair and just a bit unethical).

Considering how many people attend these Cons I'd hardly call it rare...lots of people make the trek to SDCC from out of state. Regardless, I DON't have lots of expendable income, that's the exact reason why I might not be able to go, and the reason why if I do it will in part be because of the enticing exclusives offered. Going means I am going to have to pick up and work a lot of extra shifts at work and save money.

Anyway I agree with Val though, I much prefer the idea of repaints for exclusives than this idea of a character that others can't get or an accesory that others can't get. that does kind of suck.

It has also been mentioned that the Con has rules that the companies have to abide by if they are going to offer exclusives, one of these rules very well may be that the item actually is exclusive to the con in some way.

[ash]

It has also been mentioned that the Con has rules that the companies have to abide by if they are going to offer exclusives, one of these rules very well may be that the item actually is exclusive to the con in some way.

I kind of doubt that to be the case. Last year was the first year I'd ever gone to the con, and I was expecting to get a lot of different exclusives. Turns out most of them I could get online in advance. I was ticked when NBC sold 80% of their exclusives via their website so that they had 50 left per day which were sold to the vendors who could get into the exhibit hall first...

[Patreek]

Well its possible the rules are new because of stuff like that. . .*shrug* I mean last year there weren't any differences between what was at the Con and what was online but this year there seems to be so maybe the event is being stricter

[TheShadow]

An exclusive is an exclusive for a reason. Either you go to the place where the exclusive is offered or you buy it from someone who was there and is willing to sell it. Plus, everyone is well aware that at these conventions there is usually a limit rule, a raffle, etc. You go, you take a chance on it all.

There is an aftermarket because people are willing to pay. Buyers create the market and establish the price.

Mattel can do what they want on this as long as they follow whatever rules SDCC has placed upon them. I think it is extremely nice that they are even offering a limited supply of the exclusives on the Matty site. If it has different accessories, lack of accessories, or his hair painted bright green-- well-- that is what you are being offered. Look at it and decide either yay or nay on a purchase.