*IF* The 2014 Sub Fails, Are You Open To Bagged Figures & Reduced Acc/Deco OR...

[Tallstar]

Let's pretend that the upcoming 2014 subscription fails to meet expectations sales-wise and doesn't get greenlit by management.

Would you be open to a "do-over" for a full year's worth of figures, with reduced deco and accessories and polybag packaging, OR would you rather get a figure every once in awhile with all the bells and whistles but NO guarantees of getting more than just a handful of figures spread out over time? (Awhile back, Toyguru said MOTUC would likely not disappear completely, and Mattel would try to fit in a figure here and there, like maybe as a SDCC exclusive or something.)

Just curious.

[CanadaClassics]

The figures would need to stay the same as they are, the cheap out figures wouldn't look good in wth the opthers, it would just take longer to finish the collection.

[blackiecats]

Only to get Glimmer, Madame Razz and Scorpia. I definately wouldn't sub if this were the scenario.

[Barbecue17]

I don't think that decreasing the deco of the characters would make me ever want to sub. I'd be ok with a lower cost option with fewer extra accessories (no second heads, only the accessories that came with the vintage character, etc) in polybags and more figures that reused more parts (Oolar, Disco Skeletor, most of the characters in the fans choice poll that were mostly reused bodies with new heads). That's only if the 2014 sub doesn't happen as originally planned.

[MOTU_Maniac]

I collect both MOC and loose/complete. So, the MOC collector in me would not be interested in cheaped out figures. Keep them the way they are even if it means fewer figures per year. But the opener in me wouldn't care quite as much though I am still not a fan of cheaping out and reducing deco/ accessories.

So, I guess I would stop collecting as much, but would never stop completely.

[jzachery]

If I absolutely had to compromise I would never vote for reduced deco. I can suffer with a poly bag and reduced accessories (provided they come out later in a weapons pack), but there is no way I'd vote for less on deco.

[Shokoti's Slave]

If I absolutely had to compromise I would never vote for reduced deco. I can suffer with a poly bag and reduced accessories (provided they come out later in a weapons pack), but there is no way I'd vote for less on deco.

Agreed with completely.

[enoch]

If I absolutely had to compromise I would never vote for reduced deco. I can suffer with a poly bag and reduced accessories (provided they come out later in a weapons pack), but there is no way I'd vote for less on deco.

Yeah me too

[DO4M]

If I absolutely had to compromise I would never vote for reduced deco. I can suffer with a poly bag and reduced accessories (provided they come out later in a weapons pack), but there is no way I'd vote for less on deco.

This... is what I'd choose as well.

[Tallstar]

One thing to keep in mind regarding the first option is that, presumably, these decreases wouldn't effect every single figure. Overall, I'm guessing we would see a greater reduction of paint deco and accessories than in previous years, but some figures would likely get more attention than others. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[tumalu]

No way!!!!

[Jedi_Master_Jeremy]

Since I collect both MOC and loose I have mixed feelings on this. I absolutely don't want a deco'd down figure that looks like crap. That just wouldn't sit right at all with me especially loose. As a MOC collector I would miss the packaging but while the packaging means something to me, I would regard the figure itself as the most important component so lets say we had to do without the packaging to keep the paint deco that would work for me. To some degree these figures are already over accessorized for me. It's cool getting extras and I have nothing against anyone who wants both the vintage and lets say a MYP cartoon weapon but for me I display mine almost entirely straight vintage with a couple exceptions...I use the MYP Moss Man head and Stinkor head. I use the MYP Buzz Off staff but everything else I keep as close to the vintage figure and or Filmation look as I can. So a few less accessories wouldn't really bother me. The area where I'll disagree with myself on that is the option of having some Filmation accessories like the Diamond Ray of Disappearance for example. But if it came down to getting the figure or not getting it I would scrap the package, any non-essential weapons like the extra Clawful shield or Whiplash weapon and take a less expensive shipping option if it were available if that meant I could get a loose figure with quality paint deco and bare minimum accessories.

I'm going to jump all in for 2014 like I did for 2013 by doubling my subs just to support this line. But beyond that I'm kinda at my limit. And I hope it doesn't come to the possibility of a greatly diminished line after this year. I'm kinda getting used to seeing a figure or two a month. But this is the place I was dreading we would get to in this line. And I can't help but think of the many many figures I want that may not get made because of multiple issues not the least of which are figure slots that went to figures like Pre-ternia Disguise He-man or Dekker...not to take anything away from fans of those figures...its just that these weren't even on my radar and I still don't have all my Mantenna, Blast Attak, Ninjor, Glimmer, Angella, Tung Lashor, Squeeez, Castaspella, Scorpia, Rio Blast, Horde Troopers, Modulok or Two Bad and thats not even naming them all much less getting into the Filmation figures. So the package can go, accessories can go but the paint deco and bare minimum essentials must stay, like He-man's sword comes with He-man

[mjw41]

As Scott put it in ask matty it's an all or nothing deal. poly bag, decreced deco and cut accessories or things stay as they are.

Now to answer Tallstars question. If the 2014 sub did not meet the sales needed then i would accept a hand full of figures spread out over time should mattel choose to even do that otherwise just end MOTUC's which management would do, and say it was a fun run while it lasted.

[AuraBoyX]

AAAAAAhhhhhhhhh! No more bag talk!!!

lol

BEAT DEAD HORSE.jpeg

[mjw41]

One thing to keep in mind regarding the first option is that, presumably, these decreases wouldn't effect every single figure. Overall, I'm guessing we would see a greater reduction of paint deco and accessories than in previous years, but some figures would likely get more attention than others. Just thought I'd throw that out there.

No thats not true and if you go over to ask matty and read what scott has said you would understand to get a cost reduced figure it's all or nothing. Scott said polybag, Reduced deco & cut accessories or figure accessories and packaging stay as they are at the $25.00 cost. So they won't just do it for some and not others it would be every figure.

[Tallstar]

Another thing to consider (I'll update the initial post with the info. from my second post and this one) - and someone correct me if I'm wrong - is that we probably wouldn't be able to get some of the more unique characters if we opted for Option B.

I seem to remember Toyguru saying they're able to fit in some figures with a lot of unique tooling (i.e. King Hsss), because they amortize the costs over a full year's program. So Option B might be somewhat limiting, so far as what characters could be included in the program.

[mjw41]

2014 is already set according to CW in ask matty she said Scott knows how many figure slots management gave the ok on as well as any outside of the sub items like Granamyr. Scott just hasn't made an announcement on anything 2014 yet.

2014 will finish up Vintage MOTU & Vintage POP along with lots Filmation Characters such as Scorpia. Don't forget a lot of filmation characters have been trademarked and anything we don't get in 2013 should show up in 2014. So I hope Scott has a really good line up listed at SDCC to ensure people want to subscribe to Club Eternia 2014.

[UTK007]

No. I'm no fan of the packaging, but I like the deco on the figures. If the sub does fail, I would imagine Mattel might simply make the first few figures shown at SDCC, sell them to the people who did purchase the sub, and probably a few extra, and then call it a day.

[lemure77]

Same as they are please. Though maybe they could do every other month to cut down costs if things are going that badly. And take the 6 months to do 1 vehicle or somesuch. Like Battle Ram

[Tallstar]

No thats not true and if you go over to ask matty and read what scott has said you would understand to get a cost reduced figure it's all or nothing. Scott said polybag, Reduced deco & cut accessories or figure accessories and packaging stay as they are at the $25.00 cost. So they won't just do it for some and not others it would be every figure.

I guess my questions are: What is the difference if Mattel removes one accessory from 12 figures or, say, 2 accessories from 6 figures? Doesn't this sort of go back to what I was saying about a full year's program giving Mattel more options? It seems to me that they've already been doing this, what with some figures losing some deco, the white mailer box being reduced in size, etc.

[Arkangel]

funny how mattel finds ways of putting customers working out solutions to give them money

[Nianotreve]

*IF* it failed, I'd take my MOTUC fix anyway they can get it to me, I still need hundreds of figures to be produced before my collection will be complete!

Though to make it clear if it was an option of continuing as is (with steady price increases of the years) I would much prefer this. the reduced deco/polybag/accessories is a last choice for me, just above getting nothing!

[Sword2Blanket]

Before I'd even consider option A, someone would have to give me a pretty detailed explanation of what the phrase "reduced deco" means to Mattel. Regardless, if and when we get to that point, my morale will be so crushed I probably won't even care. As was said, most of my most wants probably wouldn't even get made under option B, so it's a lose/lose.

2014 will finish up Vintage MOTU & Vintage POP along with lots Filmation Characters such as Scorpia.

I know Scott has said that (or something similar) before, but I still don't think that's even possible.

[shadowfall1976]

In short, the answer is no. The line as it is, or I'm out.

[Benedict Judas Hel]

Periodic figures as they are now, detail and accessory-wise (3-4 a year)