I didn't realize this until my first BotCon (2006), and talking to people there. There is a very large amount of attendees don't post on any of the forums. They're much more casual fans. Apparently there is a significant contingent that buy expensive shit on eBay, they buy all the BotCon toys, they buy everything in the stores, but they completely or almost completely ignore the big online sites.

 

How much you think I can get for this?

 

DAMN IT.... Oh well.. time to sell a kidney for this set in aftermarket...

 

Kind of sucks that these sets are such a gamble for the non-attendees. You have to pay ~$300 and then hope that the set turns out to be something you actually want, or popular enough that you can sell it and get your money back. Because anyone who waits to see what the whole set actually contains, probably won't be able to get one. I mean, for this year, we only had one figure (Kup) shown around the time orders started. Two more figures were leaked (only one of which is, likely, part of the set), but at virtually the same time as sets were already 60% sold. By the time another figure (Scourge) was previewed, the non-attendee and loose sets are sold out already; gone before the remainder of the set was shown. Not that I'm too concerned this year, since this set turned out to be rather poor (IMO) but, for the future, it would be nice if orders weren't taken until all the figures in the set were shown, so potential buyers wouldn't have to gamble on the set being decent.

 

I do find it kind of funny that people are already moaning about OMG scalpers, when the TFCon exclusive has already been offered at least once with offers of over $200 being entertained. Interestingly enough, that thread has now vanished.

 

ahh damn it, oh well dealer room scrounging time for me...

 

You didn't get a loose one? That doesn't bode well for me getting one. Which in turn doesn't bode well for FP getting any money from me next year.

 

I just got the primus package and the dinner thing. Kinda wish I did get a loose though. Sigh..... oh well.

 

Ahhh. OK, panic temporarily over...

 

That is does - thanks kindly - I was just curious on why these were selling out a lot faster considering all the negative feedback (at least here) there was about this set *confused*

 

Pete has ALSO said it's not scalpers that are doing the buying.

Really, is it THAT hard to imagine there's vocal minority? I like 'em. Not to the extent that I've liked '06 and '08 (too early to tell if I like it more than/less than '07), but I'm definitely excited about getting them. Particularly Skyquake and Leozak.

 

After the fiasco of the Seekers, my guess is a lot of scalpers order away ASAP in the hopes of cashing in on a major return like the Seekers yielded.

I find it hard to believe that there are that many fans willing to pay hundreds of dollars for a box set of exclusives site unseen otherwise. Even the year of the Seekers, we got to see all the preview figures before they sold out. Or maybe I'm wrong and there are all these new buyers who got into TFs thanks to other aspects of the fandom and it's just a result of a growth surge.

 

I sent my fax for a non-attendee at around 8 this morning, I got the e-mail confirming they received it but I'm still wondering if I made it in time

 

  I live an hour or so away, cant miss it. Cant wait to meet everyone in the flesh.

 

OMG they're SOLD OUT?!?! I..... don't particularly mind.

Good thing this isn't 2007!  

 

Ah, like this I posted at Allspark the other day:

JUST to be clear. I did not say all were single ordered registrations. I said there was nothing unusual between this year and last year. And in fact, we have had quite a few single orders. Are some people buying multiples? Yes, that happens every year. But we are not seeing some crazy influx of Dealer purchases. We just have a LOT of people signing up to attend the show. And right now, that is where the bulk of all orders are coming from, people attending...

This is no rip against anyone or any board. But I think sometimes people online think that the fandom is only comprised of people who post online. The reality is there are thousands of collectors out there and many of them just go about there collecting quietly and discreetly...

I know that I personally was a die hard back in the day with Jon and Karl, Raksha, Harold and so on, and I never posted online until Jon, Karl and I started talking BotCon 2004. Not many people knew who I was except the same people I saw at BotCon each year. Anyways, before I go too far down memory lane, I think I have made my point

 

Pete,

Why won't you tell us how many were made, or how many are left now?