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

[OnlyOneSkeletor]

same deco degree,a minimum of accessories of course...
i was a Moc collector,now i'm a loose one so polybag packaging wouldn't bother me at all, if it has to be.

[Romadon]

NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,NO,...enough with poly-bag talk!!!

If the sub fails its not gonna be cuz of packaging or price. Its gonna be selection!


However if push comes to shove: option B

[jzachery]

* If an accessory is vital to a character like Bow having bow and arrows, or He-man's sword, then those are accessories that shouldn't get cut, but random shields and daggers or whatever can go.

* As for poly bags, for some collectors MOC can mean whatever packaging the figure was released in. Mail order characters like Clark Kent from Super Powers came poly bagged, and as long as he's in the bag, he's considered MOC. So it's not like there will be collectors with packaging that you won't have. The downside is that it displays poorly, stores poorly, and has the potential for warping the figure during mailing or storage.

[Skystalker]

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.

Add me to the number who agree with this!

[csc0709]

No, it would be time to call it quits.

[nicholighkun]

If it fails, then they should do a pre-order with two options, packaged, or bagged, that way MOC collectors (which I am not) don't get stiffed. Two prices, obviously. As for paint and deco, just let it be on a figure by figure basis.

[Tundra_Torque]

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.

I agree with this, too. If figures had reduced deco, they wouldn't look right next to the other figures on my shelves.

[orbles]

No, I would not accept figures w/ reduced deco and accessories. They would look too out of place with the current figures. I would accept the polybagged figures, but as TG stated, this would not significantly impact the cost of the figures. I would prefer the same level of quality and such, just spread out over the year.

[jzachery]

Would polybagging or smaller packaging reduce shipping? Beyond character selection that's the main issue.

[shadowfall1976]

* If an accessory is vital to a character like Bow having bow and arrows, or He-man's sword, then those are accessories that shouldn't get cut, but random shields and daggers or whatever can go.

* As for poly bags, for some collectors MOC can mean whatever packaging the figure was released in. Mail order characters like Clark Kent from Super Powers came poly bagged, and as long as he's in the bag, he's considered MOC. So it's not like there will be collectors with packaging that you won't have. The downside is that it displays poorly, stores poorly, and has the potential for warping the figure during mailing or storage.

Not this collector, MOTUC has been packaged in blister packaging for 4+ years, I would not want or accept less from a brand new direct from retail product that I have been collecting one way for a year and a half, and that has been around packaged one way all this time.

If the figures never came in blister packaging, maybe, but what's the point in collecting and displaying sealed figures in bags? Blister packaging shows off the figure and can have awesome artwork, or at least add to the visual appeal, a bag is just a friggin bag.

Would polybagging or smaller packaging reduce shipping? Beyond character selection that's the main issue.

No, anything on DR is the Flat Rate shipping, no matter how small it is, they'd probably ship a set of toothpicks for $9.90 Cornerstone. So, for those thinking this, sorry, but no.

[jzachery]

Not this collector, MOTUC has been packaged in blister packaging for 4+ years, I would not want or accept less from a brand new direct from retail product that I have been collecting one way for a year and a half, and that has been around packaged one way all this time.

If the figures never came in blister packaging, maybe, but what's the point in collecting and displaying sealed figures in bags? Blister packaging shows off the figure and can have awesome artwork, or at least add to the visual appeal, a bag is just a friggin bag.



No, anything on DR is the Flat Rate shipping, no matter how small it is, they'd probably ship a set of toothpicks for $9.90 Cornerstone. So, for those thinking this, sorry, but no.

Shadowfall, you're a perfect example of why polybags probably aren't the answer. Like with character selection we can't risk excluding a portion of the market when it comes to sub sales. This solution would exclude Shadowfall and collectors like him, it's not fair to exclude them. We need a solution that everyone is comfortable with. Can the sub survive without this portion of the market? I'd be hesitant to give it a whirl. A lot is riding on 2014 and all of our collections. Without the remaining characters I'd feel like I have a Voltron missing an arm. LOL

[He-Dad]

If it fails I'll go back to Star Wars. If they release a motu figure here and there on Matty, ill pick it up. I don't plan on subbing though...been disappointmented with the sub selection and the broken promise about being able to change shipping month to month with the my sub page and DRs inability to combine shipping on outta sub purchase with the sub. Shouldn't be hard to do but to them it seems common sense is impossible.

[Replikor]

I am in for the long haul... quality or not, I will paint on more deco if needed done myself... wouldn't be the first time with this line...

[shadowfall1976]

Shadowfall, you're a perfect example of why polybags probably aren't the answer. Like with character selection we can't risk excluding a portion of the market when it comes to sub sales. This solution would exclude Shadowfall and collectors like him, it's not fair to exclude them. We need a solution that everyone is comfortable with. Can the sub survive without this portion of the market? I'd be hesitant to give it a whirl. A lot is riding on 2014 and all of our collections. Without the remaining characters I'd feel like I have a Voltron missing an arm. LOL

Thing is, I open mine mostly now, but I still keep the packaging from the newer ones, I had to toss the old packing, at least I thought I had to....due to storage issues that were potentially coming up, but fell through....sucks.

But the packaging is still important to me, as I said I keep it and have it from Spikor on for everyone (Spikor and the rest of the blastic figures I didn't open due to the paint, but later I did, but I still have it all). I keep it to maybe in the future have a half and half collection. I never collected for future value, I love seeing carded figures, which is why I keep the packaging now, so I can repackage them at a potential future time if I so choose in ZW cases and they look as if they are sealed.

[csc0709]

If it fails, then they should do a pre-order with two options, packaged, or bagged, that way MOC collectors (which I am not) don't get stiffed. Two prices, obviously. As for paint and deco, just let it be on a figure by figure basis.

This is not an option with this small run of a line. We barely have enough to go into production as it is now. To do what you suggest would require two separate runs. In the end, this would be way more costly. It would also split the subscription into two categories, each with not enough for a full run of production.

It is like when you replicate CDs vs duplicating them. To duplicate (mass burning) you can do just about any volume or number of discs. The more you do the less it is per unit to duplicate. To replicate you need a minimum of 500 copies total to offset the setup of doing replication. Replication is the professional way to mass produce CDs, in which the data is stamped in one step and sealed as opposed to burned. Hypothetically, the minimum number of discs to replicate represents the minimum number Mattel would need to go into production. If sub sales are barely over the minimum, and you want to do two separate runs as in your example. Then you split that number up and you don't have enough to go into production. Plus the per unit costs rises exponentially the fewer you have. Whereas at the 500 disc mark you can do it for $1.50 per disc, that costs rises to $6.00 per disc for and order of just 100 copies (which would have to be duplicated because your under the minimum of 500 copies required for replication).

[Uki]

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

[eCollector]

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.

Isn't this already happening? See Horde Prime's lack of head paint apps. I don't have him, but isn't it just straight red with no detail?

[melmoth666]

Let me start by saying I am happy with the line as is and I DO NOT WANT ANY ChANGES except for shipping and perhaps DR, but in a worst case scenario, I think they COULD get away with offering decreased deco and accessories for a FILMATION line, because these characters are more basic in design to begin with.

While i don't support this unless it really was a feast or famine scenario, I would even say that the FILMATION line could come in different packaging than the standard MOTUC...maybe even polybag or just a cheaper blister and cardback. The FILMATION line would just be seperate from classics...so maybe we would get 4 classics/yr, but 6-8 FILMATION characters/year...everyone would be done in time....

[jzachery]

I wouldn't want to do that to the Filmation figures, I want them to fit in, on or off card. Where I think we can compromise is accessories, to a point. Again, if the weapon or accessory is something that helps define the character like She-Ra's sword or Skeletor's staff, include it, but with the exception of Ninjor, I don't see where every character now has to come with multiple weapons. Take glimmer for example, she should get her staff, but beyond that, is her shield really needed? Something that we can get in a weapon's pack. Or Tung Lashor, do we really need another snake staff? Something else that can come in a weapon's pack.

[melmoth666]

I wouldn't want to do that to the Filmation figures, I want them to fit in, on or off card. Where I think we can compromise is accessories, to a point. Again, if the weapon or accessory is something that helps define the character like She-Ra's sword or Skeletor's staff, include it, but with the exception of Ninjor, I don't see where every character now has to come with multiple weapons. Take glimmer for example, she should get her staff, but beyond that, is her shield really needed? Something that we can get in a weapon's pack. Or Tung Lashor, do we really need another snake staff? Something else that can come in a weapon's pack.

I guess my point is that your not really REDUCING deco on FILMATION figures, because, by nature, they are already big gobs of primary color...i.e. Pimpcup Randor--- so anything you really do to enhance the exisiting design is plus up. I really would not be that sad if my lizard man doesn't get the blue trim on his onesy, or the bolts on Strongarms arm were not a different color than the metal, because if the choice was between having NO figure or a reduced deco figure, I would take the reduced deco figure hands down.

[AuraBoyX]

The Emperor has decided to chime in:

[RocketPunch]

A definite No to reducing the deco and/or accessories.

I don't care for the bios or the current packaging design, so personally i'd be ok if those were dropped. However, that would certainly be a bad idea for the lines' future, as MOC collectors would not be happy.

[iron_pride]

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

Agreeeeeeed!

[snakeeyes0217]

I'd give up current packaging for a polybag if it meant getting more figures per year. However, I will not sacrifice deco or accessories.

[WDWFreak53]

Has this ever happened with any other line?

I don't recall Scott or Mattel ever posing the question about lower-deco/poly-bagged "cheaper-priced" figures as an option to keep a line going.
Just goes to show how much Scott really does love this line. He's trying to find a way to keep it on life-support a little longer if/when the time comes to call it quits.