Subscriber Early Access Discussion

[mekaneckpain]

How does the price of a figure go up $5 from last year????? Corporate greed perhaps? This is an amazing example of gouging prices on a product that has a gazillion percent demand. TG can tell us that the price of plastics and paints are going up until he's purple in the face... I think it's BS. They can take their sub and sell it to someone else.

[markatisu]

Surely there's some mistake. They're going to give subscribers early access to get EXTRA figures of what they are already getting?? Doesn't make sense.

Early access to non-sub items is fine and deserved.
Early access to sub items they are already getting is crap, Mattel. Very crap.

It makes perfect sense, as a subscriber you are on the hook for $500+, so why not give them the perk of being to buy additional before everyone else?

I have absolutely no problem with it, I have had 2+ subs since they started in 2009. If i have to commit to Mattel the huge amount they want I need more perks then stickers

Its not designed to be fair, that is where the term membership has its privileges comes from

[Prince Adam's Dad]

This is undeniably an effort to squeeze out the selective buyers. There is a line between benefits for subscribing (which I am wholeheartedly in support of) and completely bending over those of us who choose not to buy hundreds of dollars of product that don't interest us to re-sell out of fear. If they want to allow sub holders access to non-sub items, make tiered subs. Not that hard.

If it was just $25 a month, I might have considered it. I'm just not down for having that number double, triple, and quadruple at various times throughout the year.

[cbomb23]

Did they make it a point to say early access was to also combine shipping with sub items?

[SCB]

Did they make it a point to say early access was to also combine shipping with sub items?

This is what I want to know, otherwise there's very little benefit.

Going to buy the entire stock of Ram Man with this early access.

[Prince Adam's Dad]

I sure hope there's a reasonable limit to the amount of early access figures that can be purchased. Because people seem awfully eager to buy up possible available stock of a very popular figure for no other reason than to screw people over. Apparently.

[Bonehead]

It makes perfect sense, as a subscriber you are on the hook for $500+, so why not give them the perk of being to buy additional before everyone else?

I have absolutely no problem with it, I have had 2+ subs since they started in 2009. If i have to commit to Mattel the huge amount they want I need more perks then stickers

Its not designed to be fair, that is where the term membership has its privileges comes from

Well said Mark.

I agree but then again I am a subscriber. I'm sure I wouldn't be happy if I was a DOS customer so I do understand where some of you are coming from.

That being said...this idea is awesome.

[mekaneckpain]

This is undeniably an effort to squeeze out the selective buyers. There is a line between benefits for subscribing (which I am wholeheartedly in support of) and completely bending over those of us who choose not to buy hundreds of dollars of product that don't interest us to re-sell out of fear. If they want to allow sub holders access to non-sub items, make tiered subs. Not that hard.

If it was just $25 a month, I might have considered it. I'm just not down for having that number double, triple, and quadruple at various times throughout the year.

Mattel doesn't want to offer tiered subs because the only way they can guaranty decent sales is to force them down our throat. They know that some fans don't want half the figures they make. So instead of giving us options, they urge us to buy what is essentially a mystery sub with only the first 3 months revealed. Then when you don't buy a sub, they punish you buy making day of figures almost impossible to get.

[markatisu]

I sure hope there's a reasonable limit to the amount of early access figures that can be purchased. Because people seem awfully eager to buy up possible available stock of a very popular figure for no other reason than to screw people over. Apparently.

I would be fine it they made it like the day before the sale and even if they put a limit on it. Like we can only get 2 or 3 extra figures to make it a bit more even with that DoS people can buy

- - - Updated - - -

Mattel doesn't want to offer tiered subs because the only way they can guaranty decent sales is to force them down our throat. They know that some fans don't want half the figures they make. So instead of giving us options, they urge us to buy what is essentially a mystery sub with only the first 3 months revealed. Then when you don't buy a sub, they punish you buy making day of figures almost impossible to get.

Welcome to business, whose goal is to make a profit and hopefully guarantee a profit range for its investors that give the greenlight for this line

[SmittyCent]

This is what I want to know, otherwise there's very little benefit.

Going to buy the entire stock of Ram Man with this early access.

This is the last line of the MOTUC sub.

"Other figures purchased outside the membership are charged and shipped separately"

So even though you may have access to non-sub items, you will still have to have them shipped separately.

I believe that they are only going to give subscribers access to out of sub items first. If not, you could buy a single sub to avoid most of what you don't want and order 10 of what you do. In the end, i think this would decrease the # of subs. That is not what they are aiming for.

[Prince Adam's Dad]

I would be fine it they made it like the day before the sale and even if they put a limit on it. Like we can only get 2 or 3 extra figures to make it a bit more even with that DoS people can buy

This seems reasonable. The subscribers can ensure they get what they want, and it's likelier there are scraps left over for the rest of us living under the stairs.

EDIT: I got it. You can order as many of the figure as you have subs. Someone, please tell me that isn't fair.

[Jor-El]

I don't care, whichever. This is osmething subscribers should have been allowed to do when Battle Cat was first announced.

You really think they should be allowed to buy up, say, Ram Man, leaving non-subbers with no chance?

I agree on Battle Cat. I was a subscriber who DID miss out. But subbers should only have access to non-sub stuff and to an amount of subs they actually buy. Not a free for all that leaves non-subbers with NOTHING. Ridiculous!

[jibernish]

We don't know the business reasons behind this so we can only speculate. However, from the customer experience perspective this just looks bad. Yes, subscribers should get incentives and bonuses but not at the expense of other customers.

Exactly! You said that perfectly. You should not devalue your customers.

[shadowfall1976]

This is the last line of the MOTUC sub.

"Other figures purchased outside the membership are charged and shipped separately"

So even though you may have access to non-sub items, you will still have to have them shipped separately.

I believe that they are only going to give subscribers access to out of sub items first. If not, you could buy a single sub to avoid most of what you don't want and order 10 of what you do. In the end, i think this would decrease the # of subs. That is not what they are aiming for.

Ha...perks....I chuckled a little there....

You really think they should be allowed to buy up, say, Ram Man, leaving non-subbers with no chance?

I agree on Battle Cat. I was a subscriber who DID miss out. But subbers should only have access to non-sub stuff and to an amount of subs they actually buy. Not a free for all that leaves non-subbers with NOTHING. Ridiculous!

And yes, if you buy 3 subs, you can have 3 non sub figures.....and then buy the rest DOS like the rest of us.....

But they still won't offer combined shipping....now sorry, but that is funny, there's your perks....now pay us extra shipping baby!!!!!!

[synthalus]

As long as the shipping costs are combined with the subscription items (which was promised last year at SDCC!!!), I'm happy!
If they are still incapable of combining shipping, then I am not a happy camper at all!

[Jor-El]

It makes perfect sense, as a subscriber you are on the hook for $500+, so why not give them the perk of being to buy additional before everyone else?

I have absolutely no problem with it, I have had 2+ subs since they started in 2009. If i have to commit to Mattel the huge amount they want I need more perks then stickers

Its not designed to be fair, that is where the term membership has its privileges comes from

I'm sorry, but it does not make perfect sense.

Subscribers get a free for all on everything, including stuff they are already getting?? That is ridiculous.

You have a sub because you want all releases. Not because you want access to buy more of the stuff you are already getting. What makes sense is early access to non sub stuff. Things like weapons packs, vehicles, Granamyr type releases. Not early access so you can buy up Ram Man for your e-store and sell him for $100+ just because someone who doesn't want crap like the Fighting Foe Men choses to spend $33 on Ram Man rather than commit to $500+ worth of stuff.

I have had the sub every year except last year. I had no problem getting what I wanted (which was almost everything anyway, I passed only on Vikor and Hurricane Hordak, and I picked up Vikor later anyway). I missed Battle Cat when first released, as a subscriber. So to me, this is what the perk should be - early access to stuff not in the sub ONLY.

[shadowfall1976]

As long as the shipping costs are combined with the subscription items (which was promised last year at SDCC!!!), I'm happy!
If they are still incapable of combining shipping, then I am not a happy camper at all!

I just read that they will not be combined......perks do have limitations don't they?

"Other figures purchased outside the membership are charged and shipped separately"

So even though you may have access to non-sub items, you will still have to have them shipped separately.

It's all DR rip off BS if you ask me, they want you to pay that flat rate shipping no matter what....

[SCB]

What is the point of early access, just so you don't miss out on day of sale? The main reason we asked for this is to combine shipping, not to buy stuff early.

Looks like I'll have have pay separate shipping on my 7,000 Ram Man figures.

[shadowfall1976]

I'm sorry, but it does not make perfect sense.

Subscribers get a free for all on everything, including stuff they are already getting?? That is ridiculous.

You have a sub because you want all releases. Not because you want access to buy more of the stuff you are already getting. What makes sense is early access to non sub stuff. Things like weapons packs, vehicles, Granamyr type releases. Not early access so you can buy up Ram Man for your e-store and sell him for $100+ just because someone who doesn't want crap like the Fighting Foe Men choses to spend $33 on Ram Man rather than commit to $500+ worth of stuff.

I have had the sub every year except last year. I had no problem getting what I wanted (which was almost everything anyway, I passed only on Vikor and Hurricane Hordak, and I picked up Vikor later anyway). I missed Battle Cat when first released, as a subscriber. So to me, this is what the perk should be - early access to stuff not in the sub ONLY.

I agree.... so no, sorry it's not fair on the sub items, the non sub items will have a much higher DOS presence due to the same production as sub items, therefore those being early access are fine, but the sub figures should be DOS like everyone else, they are already getting theirs....so it's not very fair....

What is the point of early access, just so you don't miss out on day of sale? The main reason we asked for this is to combine shipping, not to buy stuff early.

Looks like I'll have have pay separate shipping on my 7,000 Ram Man figures.

And you'll likely pay $7,000 in shipping as well....

[mekaneckpain]

Welcome to business, whose goal is to make a profit and hopefully guarantee a profit range for its investors that give the greenlight for this line

Not really interested in a business lesson, but thanks. God forbid a company has any interest to make their customers happy. pfft.

[shadowfall1976]

Not really interested in a business lesson, but thanks. God forbid a company has any interest to make their customers happy. pfft.

I myself don't care how the business world works, even though I know it well.....

Customers should be first, and not just because they have deeper pockets than others....that is proper business, and Mattel hasn't practiced that in years....Hasbro is a much better customer friendly company...

MOTUC is a great line, but it's just not worth the price they want now plus shipping, it's just not, and with the new offerings, it's really not....I really hope they drop the hammer on reveals for the rest of 2013....if not....the line-up will pretty much suck. Ram-Man & Jitsu are the only 2 strong runners out of 8, maybe Netossa, but I don't even know who she is....

[Firefly]

I'm ok with early access to non-subscription items, but if it is early access to all items, I'm not a fan of that. I don't really see how you can get new people into the line if you don't at least give them at least somewhat of a chance to get figures on the day of the sale. No one is going to go from cold turkey to committing to buy $500 worth of toys plus shipping.

[shadowfall1976]

I'm ok with early access to non-subscription items, but if it is early access to all items, I'm not a fan of that. I don't really see how you can get new people into the line if you don't at least give them at least somewhat of a chance to get figures on the day of the sale. No one is going to go from cold turkey to committing to buy $500 worth of toys plus shipping.

You've got that right, I've been around since August, and with all the DR BS, and Matty back peddling, and on top of it the "if you don't subscribe, you are pretty much worthless" I don't ever want a sub, plus there are not enough wanted figures to nudge me into it....

And if I just came in, from now until Jan '13 and saw a possible, impossibility to buy figures from the site DOS, I would never have even gotten this far into the line. I would have seen it as the whole Hot Wheels greed, not worth the hassle thing again for me. Plus I am far from a completist....

I don't see many collectors as hogging the figures, but I know there is likely to be a few that will ruin it for everyone, and at that point....screw it, I'll buy the last few I want from BBTS with no Matty hassle, pay a little more for the less hassle and to guarantee I get my figure....and wash my hands of MOTUC altogether....

I said if the price goes above $25 DOS, I was done....and honestly give me Dragstor & Mantenna....and I am.

[mick4metal]

This is the official nail in the coffin for cherry pickers. Do you people really think there will be any Ram-Man left for non-subscribers? Get real! All the subbers are going to buy it all up and turn around and scalp. I am in the position now as to if I don't get a figure I don't care. This business plan has killed it for me. I am so sick of Mattels corporate greed and I will not support it.

[Howlor]

I'm ok with it. Honestly, I can't really get myself worked up either way about it. I mean, the subs were supposed to ship out before sale day. How well has that worked out? I'm still lucky if mine ships out in the same week. I predict that everyone's going to hit Mattycollector on January 14th (or whenever the early access is) and have zero access to anything until the same time as everyone else on January 15th at 9 am Pacific. Then it'll be a year of excuses and wordplay before that perk disappears on the 2014 sub.