MOTUC Q&A's From Around the Net (3/15/2012)

[bcrduke]

that is extraordinary and makes me really angry that they do stuff like that; can you link where these figures are (i never come up trumps on this kind of stuff when i go looking)

No no . That's not exact. I was trying to illustrate how out of control most companies' expectations for a large profit margin have become.

The thing is, a company can make a 500% profit or a 700 or 800% profit. The question is: does that hurt their sales long-term to go for the most extreme profit margin? I think it does

[Baena]

Well when he says similar I can only imagine that it won't have much articulation at all. What does Tytus have, 6 points?

Well that's your interpretation.
I could spin it the other way and say he'll have more, or different articulation.
It's all speculation at this point.

[Nemisythe]

Well I just actually hope that Granamyr will not just turn YELLOW considering all the trouble they went thru to vote on the two other colors!!!

[Dr Kain]

Hold it, they were upset the Wind Raider sold so "poorly," so they are going to... raise the price? Am I reading that correctly?

[Sgt. Slaughter]

Hold it, they were upset the Wind Raider sold so "poorly," so they are going to... raise the price? Am I reading that correctly?

Makes about as much sense as making a bunch more of something that didn't sell well, to "try and see if it sells better again". Let's be honest, they've been spinning this Wind Raider thing for months now. I have no idea what the true story is about that product (though I have my suspicions) but the one thing that's for certain is that we've never once heard the truth about it.

It's absolutely inconceivable that if a product doesn't sell to your expectations, you then make more of it and bring it back up with a higher pricetag to see if it sells better.

[d*r*j*]

It's absolutely inconceivable that if a product doesn't sell to your expectations, you then make more of it and bring it back up with a higher pricetag to see if it sells better.

The fanbase was very vocal about this. The WindRaider was just a victim of bad timing and shouldn't be the true test of the baseline for vehicles. In order to give the fans a 2nd chance they have to price the WR realistically in-line with the established price structure.

[GRANAT]

"Geoff was the only one willing to do a figure for free and let us use his name to promote it."

You get what you pay for.
sir-laser-lot-e1329223516281.jpg

[markatisu]

No no . That's not exact. I was trying to illustrate how out of control most companies' expectations for a large profit margin have become.

The thing is, a company can make a 500% profit or a 700 or 800% profit. The question is: does that hurt their sales long-term to go for the most extreme profit margin? I think it does

Well it depends as a company how you look at it, MOTUC is not the big dog for Mattel nor its only money maker (that would belong solely to Monster High after the last 2 fiscal quarters)

In this day and age you are looking just to make it to the next quarter without any catastrophes and give your shareholders reasons to invest. Its all about the short term as that is the most "controllable" aspect. You can't plan for the long term with an economy that could crash (see the Eurozone or even the US in 2008) , there is just too much instability.

We need to get real, its about making money and it always has been. Companies are run by how much money they make. If they are making a 700-800% profit margin the people who invest millions (aka NOT you and me) do not particularly care what the company is doing unless its illegal.

You bring in people with that profit margin they expect you to keep it, you don't they bail and you lose shareholders and then people lose their jobs. Its this way in video games, toys, and most other business.

Whether its right or not does not matter, we are not the ones investing the millions into the company and guiding its direction. Yes we buy MOTUC but in business the customer is only one part of the equation, and usually not a very important one in the grand scheme

[vertigoink]

"Geoff was the only one willing to do a figure for free and let us use his name to promote it."

You get what you pay for.
sir-laser-lot-e1329223516281.jpg

That's already been proven to be an out and out lie.

[Berserker79]

Wonderful ! Now, we'll get a $80 figure with very limited articulations (I guess in order for him to get ball jointed articulations, his price should be around $180)...

Granamyr will have to look REAALLLY amazing. Otherwise, I'll just have to pass.

At least 80$! The final price isn't confirmed. The 80$ were around SDCC before the price increase!

Besides that: Did you think Mattel would give you a 30 point of articulation dragon?
Granamyr fans can only hope, that their dragons won't yellowing like the Marshmallow Man

[Dr Kain]

Granimyr was a pass the moment they said he would be around $80.

[Darkspecter]

Well it depends as a company how you look at it, MOTUC is not the big dog for Mattel nor its only money maker (that would belong solely to Monster High after the last 2 fiscal quarters)

In this day and age you are looking just to make it to the next quarter without any catastrophes and give your shareholders reasons to invest. Its all about the short term as that is the most "controllable" aspect. You can't plan for the long term with an economy that could crash (see the Eurozone or even the US in 2008) , there is just too much instability.

We need to get real, its about making money and it always has been. Companies are run by how much money they make. If they are making a 700-800% profit margin the people who invest millions (aka NOT you and me) do not particularly care what the company is doing unless its illegal.

You bring in people with that profit margin they expect you to keep it, you don't they bail and you lose shareholders and then people lose their jobs. Its this way in video games, toys, and most other business.

Whether its right or not does not matter, we are not the ones investing the millions into the company and guiding its direction. Yes we buy MOTUC but in business the customer is only one part of the equation, and usually not a very important one in the grand scheme

I still think it makes more sense for them to make a little less profit, than have a line die because it's overpriced. I mean...then the company gets 0% profit because it's no longer being made since they were greedy.

Let's say they make 600% profit on the line. They could decrease it to 500% profit by keeping the same price (hypothetical example). Getting 500% profit you can add to your quarterly statement is a hell of a lot better than a 0%...right? Right!?

[CRAZYMOTUFAN]

Agreed. Keep the figures coming, because you never know when they'll decide to pull the plug and we'll belfet with a semi-complete line, like the 200X lie.

[Thrawn29]

Similar to Mattel is exactly the same. But for double the money.

That's what I took away from that comment too.

[shadowfall1976]

Granimyr was a pass the moment they said he would be around $80.

Pretty much my thought on it too....not to mention, it's one I can really live without.

But will he be $88 now that the prices went up since they announced him at $80 last year?

[phantom1592]

Pretty much my thought on it too....not to mention, it's one I can really live without.

But will he be $88 now that the prices went up since they announced him at $80 last year?

Sub price should still be the same... wouldn't be surprised to hear the 'day of' sale goes up...

[PPC]

I don't believe he's in the sub.

[Daniel Lynch]

I'm a little late to the party today!

-> http://www.itsalltrue.net/?p=17559

[oICEMANo]

So who were the other 'celebrities' that were approached for this 30th slot?

[Sir Reilly]

Mattel Q&A from www.PlanetEternia.de :

1) Without going into specifics, can you tell us if more Shadow Weavers were produced than SDCC '08 King Grayskulls, or less? Fans just wonder which figure had the lowest production run.

SDCC King Grayskull is the lowest run followed by Shadow Weaver and then Wun-Dar and Preternia He-Man.


2) Figures often arrive with bent weapons, and though it's not too complicated to fix that, it's still kind of a nuisance. Is there a way to ensure that accessoires ain't packed in a way that bends them?

We will pass this off to packaging and let them know customers are still looking for improvements.


3) Do you have concrete plans to motivate more fans to sign for the Club Eternia 2013 subscription who passed on the 2012 sub?

We did move a few 2013 figures around (for the first time) to ensure the Q1 figures are very strong to show fans how much life the line still has! When we aquired the Filmation rights it meant a reworked of all future line ups, so we used this opportunity to ensure the Q1 figures each year were very strong to help sell in the subs.


4) Since Filmation characters are possible now, would there be a chance to see the BraveStarr brand, like producing the Marshall himself as a sort of MotUC special surprise Exclusive?

Brave Starr is s separate license from MOTU. We do not have rights to every property CM manages, only MOTU (and Voltron!). But both are 100% separate agreements with the same partner.

[phantom1592]

Mattel Q&A from www.PlanetEternia.de :


2) Figures often arrive with bent weapons, and though it's not too complicated to fix that, it's still kind of a nuisance. Is there a way to ensure that accessoires ain't packed in a way that bends them?

We will pass this off to packaging and let them know customers are still looking for improvements.

Once again trying to re-invent the wheel...

Little baggies dropped at the feet of the figure. That's how it was done in the 80's, and it worked JUST fine.

Half the things I try to get out of these plastic death traps end up bend or 'near' breaking... I HATE unpackaging these guys

[Scorpia]

No no . That's not exact. I was trying to illustrate how out of control most companies' expectations for a large profit margin have become.

The thing is, a company can make a 500% profit or a 700 or 800% profit. The question is: does that hurt their sales long-term to go for the most extreme profit margin? I think it does

The thing that worries me is how managers constantly push for increased profits. This year they've introduced the 30th anniversary line, which is surely going to boost any money 'lost' through declining subs. But what happens next year?

As long as Mattel don't reach out to new custumers (which I understand they were trying to do by getting Geoff Johns on board), the line will always have a ceiling. Profits will level out (and decline) if more new fans don't buy into the line.

[bigsexy_j]

I;m wondering what they are actually going to do to promote Sir-Lazer Lot? There is no other marketing in this line, what is going to be different for him?

Was he paid for making this figure or was it really a free job?

J

[Barbecue17]

I;m wondering what they are actually going to do to promote Sir-Lazer Lot? There is no other marketing in this line, what is going to be different for him?

Was he paid for making this figure or was it really a free job?

J

You know, I was thinking about the way MOTUC figures are marketed as well. Last night I was reading some of my weekly comics. I've been reading about 8 or 9 titles from the new DC 52 (whom Mattel has a partnership with and whose Chief Creative Officer created an action figure for MOTUC) and was thinking about how there were no ads for any Mattel product. (I know DC advertises for DC direct, so while it would seem that they don't want to compete with themselves, DC still approves Mattel to make toys that in some ways compete with DC Direct.)

Wouldn't it make sense for Mattel to work out some kind of arrangement to advertise some product in comics? (without Toyfare magazine around, comics are about the most similar demographic I can imagine Mattel could tackle. Could Mattel advertise in IDW titles? That company knows how to handle 80's properties and probably has a reader base that could potentially expand MOTUC.

[Teacher of Madness]

That's already been proven to be an out and out lie.

Can I ask how and where? I read enough of the lie accusations, I'm interested to see where the proof is published so I can weigh the evidence.