Curious what fans think - do you want a cost reduced 20.00 figure?

[Darkkosis]

If only polybags and/or the change of shipping methods would reduce the overall cost, and as long as the figures won't break during shipments, so be it... However accessories and paint applications should not be sacrificed under any circumstances, or I'll definitely quit, screw it...

[Tallstar]

And again, nowhere was it suggested to pick between deco, accessories or packaging, it was pick all 3 or leave the line as it is.

I can only speak for myself (no doubt there are many others who feel like this, though), but my feeling is there is always room for negotiation even though Toyguru never said we could pick just one of the 3 options. It's sort of like when he said that something like Castle Grayskull could only happen in a movie year. That didn't stop folks from continuously asking for it in Classics.

If figures were shipped in a polybag, there's no telling how damaged they might be. Anyone remember the short lived bubble mailer? 0_o

If the factory in China just dumped a bunch of polybagged figures into one big box and shipped them off like that, then yeah, I can see where there would be a lot of issues with bent accessories, crumpled header cards/hang tags etc. However, if the factory and Digital River used varying sized boxes of this nature...



...I think it's possible there might be LESS overall damage. I mean, with MOC, I've had a ton of issues with warped and/or bent accessories and body parts because of those clear rubber bands and the way the figures are forced into place, so it's not like all the figures are coming out undamaged all the time.

[DO4M]

If they go Polybag for the figures, will they be axing the white box as well?

[wyldman11]

The reality even on shipping is it isn't likely to get lowered. Amazon can afford to lose money on shipping because they buy product at whole sale price and make money off the mark up. Big bad toy store gives shipping at cost, because of similar things.

Digital river most likely had one of two options with the contract they signed with mattel, take a portion of the action figure cost or take money off the shipping. the first would have most likely increased the cost of the figure, and would most likely mean they may not make money if a figure didn't sell unless they took the money up front. The other option was most likely what they did because then they don't lose money. the added shipping cost is where digital river is making it's money. They most likely use slower shipping to increase their profit margin.

[mikethedrummer]

As a MOC collector, I would not want a poly bagged figure. Might as well collect loose. I love the blister packaging and it displays awesome! Plus, I don't want to cut a cost to make a less cool figure. Don't look at the cost of the figures...look at the expensive shipping options and QC issues.

[Stygian360]

The new survey is a great idea and I sincerely hope Mattel uses this (at least somewhat more) definitive data to make some real decisions and better yet, positive changes. Personally price was never the largest rub. If anything it's DR, through and through. They haven't screwed me over whole hog ever, but it's the death by a thousand cuts thing with them. It's no one huge thing they do, it's everything combined- (i.e., opening up items before they should be on sale, returned product snafus, a virtually non-functioning subscription page, and the list goes on). If Mattel were willing to improve in the one area where most fans gripe the loudest- CUSTOMER SERVICE- I'm sure most would chill about costs. After all, as has been said inumerable times; costs are for the most part fixed. Unless we want to lose quality, packaging, weapons, decos, accessories, or some combination of all of these, I just don't see how costs can go down. Difficult to turn the Titanic, to borrow that tried and true metaphor. Anyway, personally- for whatever this point of view is worth- if Mattel made huge inroads in either getting rid of DR and replacing them with someone better or truly cleaned house with that vendor I could see the road to improvement happening. Until that day, it's always going to be Mattel simply paying lip service to its fans. Which probably explains why so many are so bitter, hateful, disdainful, baleful, and downright POed.

[The Riding Ghost]

$20 Figures? Yes! I might actually start buying again. Maybe a year-end weapons pack for all the weapons that had to be cut and I'm good.

RG

[Barezz]

I just saw images of the new Iron Man 3 Movie figures, a line with limited articulation (5 points) and paint applications. They are, I believe supposed to be a cheaper figure option ($5 or so). They look pretty horrid, more like something you would find at Dollar General. This is exactly what would happen if we go cheaper with MOTUC figures. I personally don't want to see the quality, paint deco or accessories change at all.

[General Hawk 7]

I dont like spending almost $40 for $20-$25 figures... I dont want cut quality or deco or accessories... I'd just like the figure to be WORTH the cost!

I get we HAVE to pay shipping because these arent retail... but for me, paying $40 per figure for figures I feel are at LEAST $10-$20 below that value does not add up for me.
ESPECIALLY when I am getting figures that I DONT EVEN WANT and paying $40 for it. That's foolish of me.

Im planning to go back to cherry picking on this line. Im sorry. But unless they really do something to add to the value of the figures making them WORTH $40... It's stupid for me to continue buying subs.

I know people both like and dislike Fangman... So this next statement isnt about my personal opinion of the character or his looks... Fangman is just NOT a $40 figure. Netossa....NOT a $40 figure. Fangman is more like a $20 figure plus shipping IMO. Netossa is more like a DCUC figure value. I KNOW we have to pay more because they are online exclusives...They have to jack up prices because of the smaller numbers they make, etc etc. ... but at the end of the day, I'd like to get what I pay for.

I love this line. So much so that I have been willing to pay the $30 a month for figures when I think that its crazy to spend $30 on a figure. (if that makes sense) But Ive been willing to because I love the figures. I look at it in two ways...Value... and Worth.... Value wise...no...they arent a $30 value. BUT... it was WORTH it to me to give up all the other lines I collected so I could spend the extra for these figures.
There was a time when I thought it crazy to spend $20 on one figure (that wasnt a 12" figure). But I found myself spending that and more for these figures because... well, like I said, its a great line! But now Im being asked to spend $40 per figure... and it feels like the figures are getting less and less in value AND worth.

I dont know if all that makes sense to anyone else. I dont even know if this will be read.

Bottom line... If I am to spend $25 PLUS $12 something for shipping making my bill per figure almost $40... I expect to get AT LEAST close to that in WORTH if not in VALUE as well. And other than Ram Man and maybe Jitsu (and Jitsu only because I simply have to pony up or go without him, so Mattle, you got me by the leash on him...), this year's line up just is not cutting it for me.

So cut the costs? No... not necessarily...but make them WORTH the $40? That'd be better.

There are a lot of great suggestions in this thread.

As far as moc vs poly bags... Im an opener, so I wouldnt mind bags... BUT... I dont want them that way because my fellow MOC collectors would be shafted, and we'd lose a lot of supporters.
Get rid of the inner bubble. Remember the original toys? They had a cardboard back, and an outer bubble. That's it! And They were GREAT! This IS a CLASSICS line after all. So it would even make sense. (its too bad we didnt do this from the beginning though) And it would cut back on packaging.

Lower shipping rates would also help..for most people. Not for me. Unless we could get figures back down to the $30 range after shipping (without loosing quality)....which we will never see again Im sure.

My two cents.

[Romadon]

As a loose & MOC collector, if mattel dumped the packaging for poly-bags, I'd be ****** but still try and complete my loose collection.

however I and many other loose/MOC collectors would slash are sub purchases in half. To a loose collector's perspective, a loose he-man & a MOC he-man is the same figure, you simple throw away the packaging. But to a MOC collector a loose He-man & MOC He-man are like two different figures altogether. Mattel knows when they sell a action figure to someone like myself (loose/moc collector) they r selling the same figure to me twice cuz they know we want one to open and one to keep carded. If mattel dumps the packaging, they would be slashing their sales by 50% with their
loose/MOC collector base. That is where i think the sub sales would take an immediate hit. I know MOC collectors have expressed dumping the line altogether if this happens, whether or not they actually go throw with it, well idk. But i can only speak for myself as a loose/MOC collector and for my friends who buy multiples and have expressed the same concern is that we would drop half r sub purchases.

[adol]

$20 Figures? Yes! I might actually start buying again. Maybe a year-end weapons pack for all the weapons that had to be cut and I'm good.

RG

This, so long as paint apps aren't reduced, and sculpts aren't poopy.

[AuraBoyX]

If they go Polybag for the figures, will they be axing the white box as well?

Even if they did go poly-bag (which I hope never (EVER(EVER EVER)) happens), the figures would still be contained in a box with Mattel/MOTUC logos and information all over them. So the white mailers - though probably a different size/shape - would remain.

But this is all cuckoo crazy town talk - the figures will remain carded.

[shadowfall1976]

Even if they did go poly-bag (which I hope never (EVER(EVER EVER)) happens), the figures would still be contained in a box with Mattel/MOTUC logos and information all over them. So the white mailers - though probably a different size/shape - would remain.

But this is all cuckoo crazy town talk - the figures will remain carded.

People think there is a compromise to be made on Mattel's side, I'll be willing to bet there is not....That is what I find funny about all of this.

If Mattel wanted to listen, they had years to do it already, what makes people think something is hugely going to change? They listened to one thing last year when the subs were tanking, but it really wasn't a compromise, they ditched figures not many wanted in the first place. They didn't listen when the figures had bad QC, no, instead in 2012 they give us purposely reversed forearms, paint over black plastic that loved to chip and flake (and this came coincidentally after the sub drive was over? ....yeah), they cut accessories and deco, no one wanted that (which proves packaging is not a huge factor to cut costs, tooling and labor is).

Scott did not offer a compromise, and 33 pages later the fact he has never once replied proves that, if there was a compromise, we would have had more options from him by now....But it also only proves once again his sarcasm to the collectors and life blood of the line....ever think, he is a huge part that turned people off? The initial question was do you want the line to remain as is, or get stripped down $20 figures in a doggie bag?

A Weapons pack to fill all missing, and mind you the figures would come with 0 accessories, is stupid.

And what about the cut deco, will they offer a paintbrush and paint set at the end of the year too?

[erik352]

I don't have a problem polybagging figures, since I open most of my figures....and if that also means lower shipping, Im all for it. But I think the one thing that Toyguru really needs to address is the ridiculously high shipping price digital river is charging. Its just criminal

[fball13z]

Update on this topic

http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...108#6621012108


It has been pretty clear fans are not looking for us to cost reduce the figures by removing deco and accessories. So we aren't currently looking into this as a long term solution.

[Dynamo of Eternia]

I don't have a problem polybagging figures, since I open most of my figures....and if that also means lower shipping, Im all for it. But I think the one thing that Toyguru really needs to address is the ridiculously high shipping price digital river is charging. Its just criminal

But it probably won't lower the shipping price. Even smaller items (like a small box of DC stands) cost the same amount to ship by themselves as a single MOTUC figure, and the total size and weight of those stands and the box that they come in is probably smaller overall than what a loose MOTUC figure (or a figure in a pollybag) would be. There's a fundamental problem with the basis for their shipping charges that will not be resolved by eliminating the packaging of the figures or reducing the size of it.

[Telkan2]

Update on this topic

http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...108#6621012108


It has been pretty clear fans are not looking for us to cost reduce the figures by removing deco and accessories. So we aren't currently looking into this as a long term solution.

I hope, for the sakes of my MOC collecting brothers and sisters, that the absence of "reducing packaging" from ToyGuru's response does not indicate that they are considering that. While I am not a MOC / box collector myself, I certainly recognize how upsetting this would be for those collectors, and I can understand the potential monetary fallout that's been expressed over losing them.

[DarkLiger]

As long as my figure gets to me undamaged and with all accessories I honestly don't care what you pack them in.

[Prince Adam's Dad]

As long as my figure gets to me undamaged and with all accessories I honestly don't care what you pack them in.

You will when they go to polybags, we lose a chunk of subscribers, and the line can't meet quota next year. Heck, how many people buy 2 subs JUST to keep one in a box?

[wyldman11]

Update on this topic

http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...108#6621012108


It has been pretty clear fans are not looking for us to cost reduce the figures by removing deco and accessories. So we aren't currently looking into this as a long term solution.

I would say he isn't wrong, and is just stating a true statement. Almost no one in this thread has said they would be willing to have deco removed, some have said they would still like to get accessories but maybe in a weapons pack (note some).

On polybag some have said they would be willing, others have been vehemently against and others have said if they absolutely had to.

but most importantly his answer is specific to the question asked, which is are you planning on removing deco or accessories to lower the cost of the figures. The original question he is responding do did not say anything about packaging.

[Calabeli]

Toyguru isn't really giving us a genuine choice here. What would we, adult collector, find interesting or visually aesthectic in a polly bagged figure with no accesories and reduced paint deco? The truth is these figures were relatively expensive to begin with. Now they are definitely expensive and combined with the 40% increase in shipping costs, well....

[shadowfall1976]

I would say he isn't wrong, and is just stating a true statement. Almost no one in this thread has said they would be willing to have deco removed, some have said they would still like to get accessories but maybe in a weapons pack (note some).

On polybag some have said they would be willing, others have been vehemently against and others have said if they absolutely had to.

but most importantly his answer is specific to the question asked, which is are you planning on removing deco or accessories to lower the cost of the figures. The original question he is responding do did not say anything about packaging.

That's because cutting the packaging will not cut any noticeable costs. The costs most associated with these things is Accessories (toolings), and Deco (labor, and materials). Packaging has remained constant throughout the years, therefore nothing is to be gained by simply cutting it, they tried it before by reducing it, yet they still had to cut both deco and accessories to gain any significant decrease.

Mark my words though, we will likely see more Black plastic type issues in the line, because as I said, there is no compromise to be made....shipping is the only thing reasonable to be addressed, and they refuse to look into that, I mean I get prices, they are high everywhere, but in saying that, anything over $25 sub, I'm out.

[wyldman11]

That's because cutting the packaging will not cut any noticeable costs. The costs most associated with these things is Accessories (toolings), and Deco (labor, and materials). Packaging has remained constant throughout the years, therefore nothing is to be gained by simply cutting it, they tried it before by reducing it, yet they still had to cut both deco and accessories to gain any significant decrease.

I know, and despite what some think it wouldn't reduce the cost of shipping. Which again shipping won't get reduced because the shipping price is more than likely where Digital River is getting it's pay from.

But I think making a big deal out of what Scott said there shouldn't be done, a specific question was asked and he answered it. Yes he could have mentioned packaging as an additional statement but he didn't.

Removing the packaging decreases a lot of subs, as many are buying two for that matter. others would drop, some would be Ok with it. But my guess they would have a similar problem if they decided no more POP figures.

[shadowfall1976]

I know, and despite what some think it wouldn't reduce the cost of shipping. Which again shipping won't get reduced because the shipping price is more than likely where Digital River is getting it's pay from.

But I think making a big deal out of what Scott said there shouldn't be done, a specific question was asked and he answered it. Yes he could have mentioned packaging as an additional statement but he didn't.

Removing the packaging decreases a lot of subs, as many are buying two for that matter. others would drop, some would be Ok with it. But my guess they would have a similar problem if they decided no more POP figures.

That would be true, I know some bought subs just to get the POP figures and sell the rest off, I was offered this last year buy a few in PM's, they offered to see the sub figures to me, but keeping the POP ones. So there are actually people that sub just for specific factions, and or characters. Some people do buy subs merely for convenience and never having to sit at their computers, not everyone who buys a sub, keeps every figure....I don't plan to keep every figure.

I myself would vote no more NA figures, I don't like them, I don't need them, don't like the story, same for 200X, to me they had their line just recently, but on the other hand that would make me just as selfish, I don't personally care they are part of MOTUC, it doesn't bother me one single bit, I may complain about the characters being made over others that could have been made, but in the end I do accept that MOTUC encompasses everything, and if 200X was not included I would not have an awesome figure like Griffin, nor would I have what I think is the best look for Stinkor. I never had POP, I never watched POP as a kid, and I for one am glad I finally get a chance to own something I never would have otherwise owned, because I do not collect dolls, and POP being made into MOTUC figures, gives me the chance to own something besides He-Man MOTU figures, and makes the line more vast and interesting.

But, whatever they want to think, it doesn't matter, we have the figures, and not much they can do about them, except sell them or not buy them.

[jdt24frog]

Just chiming in really late here... Shipping is what makes the figures too expensive. I'm ok paying $10-15 shipping for multiple figures (do quarterly shipping). I'm not ok paying $10 shipping for a single figure now that the figures are $5-7 more than last year. What puts it over the top is that I have to pay for shipping again if I want to buy an item thats not included in the sub?! Thats almost $75 for only 2 figures, because of shipping. Its even more stupid if we get new filmation characters added like Icer for example and have to pay extra for them to ship. Thats not a perk of being a sub holder. Thats punishing me for being a sub holder. If I was DOS, I could buy Clamp Champ and Icer and pay $12 shipping. Because I'm a sub holder I have to pay $20 shipping now. Its not figure price thats going to end the line, its poor management decisions like this. I'm glad you are asking and trying to find ways to keep the line going. You just have to follow what everyone here is saying and suggesting. Thanks!