*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.

[Blaster]

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

You know what's funny, now that we have Ram-Man, you just add Angella, and Mantenna to that short list I could really care less about 2014 being greenlit or not. Now of course there's others I'd rather have too, but my collection will feel incomplete without those figures.

[AuraBoyX]

AAAAAAhhhhhhhhh! No more bag talk!!!

lol

BEAT DEAD HORSE.jpeg

[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.

[Uki]

I'd prefer the scattering of a few great figures over time.

[King Tamusk]

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.

Why is this even being asked? It was pretty obvious the large majority wouldn't want anything reduced or deleted when the sub goes forward. Why would you think offering an inferior product would save a dying line??? This makes absolutely no sense at all.

"I can see people are no longer interested in buying Classics figure. How about I remove the packaging, take away all the accessories, and most of the paint. How about now...Eh? EH???"

I'm sorry. But this is a pointless question. The large majority are not willing to buy anything less than what they are receiving now. By default, this alone answers your question.

[he-man121]

I have already stated in this thread that plastic bags are not reduced packaging they are the least amount of packaging,and if you take reduced deco or one or none accessories for the princely sum of $20 plus $9-$14 shipping then the line is already dead.
What if we could do away with the white mailer boxes as per 2008-09,there would be no printing costs and no costs for 2 cardboard boxes,maybe just wrap the figure in bubble wrap in the shipping box.
Maybe as fans we should be patient on what we want from this line,not everyone wants all the factions but we would get there eventually if we just be patient,same with the weapons packs and figure stands and the calls for obscure figures,ie FFM and Star Sisters,high end items,ie,Granymyr, and maybe just have the latter as con exclusives and do away with weapons packs and stands as they are all pushing up the costs unfortunately.

If it means i can receive a monthly figure with full packaging and deco and all accessories then i for one would gladly give up the weapons packs and stands and the white mailer boxes,the first twelve or so of my collection don't have mailers anyhow.

[Tallstar]

Why is this even being asked? It was pretty obvious the large majority wouldn't want anything reduced or deleted when the sub goes forward. Why would you think offering an inferior product would save a dying line??? This makes absolutely no sense at all.

"I can see people are no longer interested in buying Classics figure. How about I remove the packaging, take away all the accessories, and most of the paint. How about now...Eh? EH???"

I'm sorry. But this is a pointless question. The large majority are not willing to buy anything less than what they are receiving now. By default, this alone answers your question.

The purpose of this thread is to determine how (or if) the majority of fans would like to see Classics continue in the event that management isn't pleased with the 2014 subscription numbers, and pass along our collective thoughts to Mattel so they can create a backup plan to present to management sooner rather than later.

Should the 2014 line-up fail, I would imagine that many folks would get desperate because there are still tons of characters that are missing from their collections that they want. If the figures are back to $20, that price reduction would still be a major draw for a lot of folks despite fewer accessories, etc. So we have to look at what our potential options are. It may come down to us having to pick between:

A) A full year of cost-reduced figures that, while many of them would have fewer "paint hits" and accessories, would allow us the option to still get some of the more unique, heavily-tooled characters.

OR

B) A handful of figures spread out over time that have the packaging and a decent amount of deco, but are conservative so far as the amount of tooling that went into them.

Toyguru said that it would be extremely difficult to get heavily-tooled characters in a 4-6 figure yearly plan, because the P&L doesn't crunch with all the tooling and only a few figures to amortize it over. I believe he said they need a full year's worth of figures for something like that to be possible.

Anyhow, I'm not in a panic about 2014 or anything at the moment, but I just think it's better to be prepared so Mattel knows where we all stand.

[Heidi]

Toyguru said that it would be extremely difficult to get heavily-tooled characters in a 4-6 figure yearly plan, because the P&L doesn't crunch with all the tooling and only a few figures to amortize it over. I believe he said they need a full year's worth of figures for something like that to be possible.

Anyhow, I'm not in a panic about 2014 or anything at the moment, but I just think it's better to be prepared so Mattel knows where we all stand.

Rather than paying app.$20 for low-budget figures, I'd like to see the remaining heavy-tooled figure made well at a higher prize point. I do hope though that we will see them in this line without any prize-hikes. With all the shared tooling the figures have I hope Mattel has made enough profit to make the ones that need more tooling aswell. But if not, I'd happily buy the figures that need more tooling at a higher prize point (say $40 a piece?) if needed. I'd also subscribe to buy 4-6 originally sculpted and tooled figures at that prize point for 2014. Assuming that they are all atleast 80% originally tooled (give or take).

[bigassbuzz]

No.
(This is in response to the thread title. I didn't bother to read any of the context...)

[A C Enforcer]

Rather than paying app.$20 for low-budget figures, I'd like to see the remaining heavy-tooled figure made well at a higher prize point. I do hope though that we will see them in this line without any prize-hikes. With all the shared tooling the figures have I hope Mattel has made enough profit to make the ones that need more tooling aswell. But if not, I'd happily buy the figures that need more tooling at a higher prize point (say $40 a piece?) if needed. I'd also subscribe to buy 4-6 originally sculpted and tooled figures at that prize point for 2014. Assuming that they are all at least 80% originally tooled (give or take).

100% with you Heidi. All in for a 2014 sub!! The detail work the 4HM did on the NECA statues is simply awesome. Go for gold plating!!! An increase in price for increased deco (or as is - yes - had no issues with quality!) is fully supported by me. In the end, we are many, but in the absence of a movie, or new animation, we are in economic terms few... with DC making more comics... can you sense the rise of support? Lets give Mattel no reason to not license and support the MOTU (classics or not!) line!

[shadowfall1976]

I'm not buying stripped figures in a bag (nor am I buying any figures in a bag after 4+ years of packaging), I don't care how many they make after. I'm not buying Weapons packs every year or few months to compensate, and you can't compensate for stripped details unless you plan on learning how to do so neatly or are a customizer.

I will not buy a years worth of figures for $20 a piece and get nothing for me but the damn figure....in a bag. I want packaging, deco & accessories, or I want nothing at all. I don't care if it's selfish, but that's the way I want and expect the line to be, it has been since 2008, and unless it stays that way, I'm out, plain and simple.

They never offered Ghostbusters in bags to save that line. They offer Watchmen in huge ass highly decorated with unique art to each character, clam shell book style packaging, and then ask us if we want to compromise on MOTUC? I'm not compromising, nor am I buying what I will perceive as knock offs in a bag.

Sorry, but hell no.

[King Tamusk]

The purpose of this thread is to determine how (or if) the majority of fans would like to see Classics continue in the event that management isn't pleased with the 2014 subscription numbers, and pass along our collective thoughts to Mattel so they can create a backup plan to present to management sooner rather than later.

Should the 2014 line-up fail, I would imagine that many folks would get desperate because there are still tons of characters that are missing from their collections that they want. If the figures are back to $20, that price reduction would still be a major draw for a lot of folks despite fewer accessories, etc. So we have to look at what our potential options are. It may come down to us having to pick between:

A) A full year of cost-reduced figures that, while many of them would have fewer "paint hits" and accessories, would allow us the option to still get some of the more unique, heavily-tooled characters.

OR

B) A handful of figures spread out over time that have the packaging and a decent amount of deco, but are conservative so far as the amount of tooling that went into them.

Toyguru said that it would be extremely difficult to get heavily-tooled characters in a 4-6 figure yearly plan, because the P&L doesn't crunch with all the tooling and only a few figures to amortize it over. I believe he said they need a full year's worth of figures for something like that to be possible.

Anyhow, I'm not in a panic about 2014 or anything at the moment, but I just think it's better to be prepared so Mattel knows where we all stand.

You're beating a dead horse, Tallstar. More like liquifying a dead horse....as usual. This option isn't something the majority of collectors and fans want PERIOD. Why would you think it is something that would "win back" subscribers? If I tried to sell you a figure, and you didn't want it, then I broke that figure in half and tried to sell you part of it, would you change your mind??? No, of course not. It's the same deal. If people ultimately decide to drop out of MOTUC subs, offering them a sub par product isn't going to win them back. Does finishing a collector's line where the back end of figures look terrible by comparison sound appealing in the slightest? I don't think so, and neither do the majority of buyers.

These are not collective thoughts, since it has already been well established that the majority doesn't want this. Mattel already knows where we stand, Scott knows where we stand, and so should you. This pessimistic thread is actually sending the wrong message. Why are you planning for the failure of 2014 when we have barely begun 2013 and it looks strong, Castle Grayskull was a huge success, and licensing for the brand as a whole is at a peak? There is no reason to even suggest 2014 would fail, especially since we have NO IDEA what it will involve, how much it will cost, nor how many skus it'll have.

This is a completely pointless and moot topic, especially since there is no evidence to back up such a conversation and we have no idea on the status of the 2014 sub AT ALL.

Check out these links. It says it all...

http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...7/m/5301062108

http://forums.mattycollector.com/eve...7/m/1171061108

[shadowfall1976]

I just thought too, can you imagine if they used Blastic again, the issues the bagged figures would have then? You thought the paint was chipped and flaking from the ones in the Bubble packaging, just wait and let the figures get painted then bagged....

And don't think they won't try it again.

[nanoFatato]

Polybag probably is the easiest and quicker solution, but has its flaws like shadowfall1976 described above.

Reduced deco is the weakest option, the figures wouldn't fit with the others and would ruin the collection as a whole.

Less figures per year seems a viable solution for me, let's say 3 or 4 figures, with standard deco and accessories (or maybe even less accessories if we can get a weapons pack somewhere down the road

[Romadon]

You're beating a dead horse, Tallstar. More like liquifying a dead horse....as usual.]

Thankyou. lets enjoy what NYTF has to offer and deal with 2014 when its time.

[X-Factorz]

Umm...no, not at all!

[ksensor]

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.

If it was the only way to ever get another MOTUC figure? Sure.

But the fans shouldn't let it come to that when the 2014 sub is offered this summer. Grayskull's coming in December... If you subbed in 2013, why wouldn't you sub in 2014 for the remaining core characters?

[undeadplastic2711]

I'm not worried about 2014, lets just get through this year first