With quite a bit of KOs made for 3P toys (and seemingly coming out at a fast rate), do you think this will hurt 3P companies bottom line to the point that 3P companies will not find it worth it to make these 3P toys anymore? I fear that it won't be Hasbro/Takara that will shut down these 3P companies but rather the KO companies. Hasbro/Takara does high volume sales so may not be effected by KOs of their own products that much. But I think 3P companies have a smaller profit margin that anything that takes away from that profit can effect them a lot. Wouldn't it be ironic if Hasbro/Takara are the ones making or sponsoring the KOs of 3P products... 

 

Look at it this way, the KO companies won't have any 3rd party KO's to make if they go under then you have qc to think about, will the KO's be as good and there is plenty of people out there that would rather have a Fansproject release than a KO.

 

That will depend on the collectors, I feel. If we truly understand and a good portion of us support the 3rd party, the KOing of these products will stop or at least decrease.

 

Only cheap asses and snoozers-losers buy KOs of 3rd party toys. They're a minority.

 

I just read some of the posts in the KO Battle Tanker thread. Looks like there is a discussion along this line already...

 

You said 3P, 9 times, just sayin.

But no, as long as people will buy them, they will make them.

 

I doubt the KO companies are thinking that far in the future about 3P going under. They just want to make the profits now. QC issues could be a problem, but the cheaper prices might be enough for some people to overlook QC issues.

 

I thik they can coexist. You see you can't asume that a KO sold equals one less sold of the original. As a collector I go for the real thing if I can afford it and get a KO when I can't or when I want parts and accesories. Because I understand the difference in quality.

It's just like movie piracy. Just because I'm willing to download a pirated copy of a Michael Bay movie doesn't mean I'd go to Best Buy to get it.

 

The 3rd parties, like Hasbro, could probably deal a critical blow to KOs if they'd make some smarter decisions. That means cool it on the insane prices and it wouldn't hurt to reissue stuff once in awhile.

 

say it 13 times and primus appears

 

And show me an image of my one true love?

 

Don't see it hurting the third parties, really. The KOs aren't in direct competition given the third parties usually have finished their production runs and sold their toys to retailers by the time the KOs turn up.

 

The death nail won't kill a 3rd party group in a short run, but it will sure kill their motivation of designing new stuff in a long run.
Unless the 3rd party group has reached the size of mainstream production level company, or they will eventually die out before somebody mention their name by accident.

 

Unless KOers can get their products out at the same time as the original 3P, I don't see it hurting them much. Like Tekno said, the 3P have sold out mostly and made their money by the time a KO shows up.

The only thing a KO might do is diminish the chance for an "official" 3P second-run.

 

Re-read that statement. I get the feeling you meant something different than what you said.

 

Fixed to match the point you seemed to be trying to make

 

No. I meant that. I could download a copy of a certain movie but I wouldn't pay much money for it.

Likewise there are figures I wouldn't pay retail prices for but I can get a KO to fool around with.

If it's a figure I really like I go for the original with better quality. Like PE Reflector for instance. I know there's a KO out there but I'm saving for the real thing.

 

So how about this scenario: I purchased two sets of the original Fansproject City Commander armor, one to display in trailer mode and one to display as armor. When it was sold out and the price was ridiculous on the aftermarket, I sold one of the originals on eBay and purchased a KO to display in its place, in trailer mode (where the lower quality doesn't make much difference).

I did the same thing with Shadow Commander.

I've already committed to purchasing one original Battle Tanker, and I'm now debating whether I should purchase a KO to display in tanker trailer mode. I'm doubting that I am interested enough in Battle Tanker to purchase two originals at full price.

So, my question is, how much incremental harm is purchasing the KO at all doing, and is that in any way offset by supporting MakeToys by purchasing an original Battle Tanker through retail channels?

How would this scenario change if I wanted to purchase an original and a KO or not purchase any versions of the item at all?

How does purchasing a previously sold third party product on the aftermarket affect its manufacturer differently than buying a KO?

BTW, I think that the title of this thread should be "death knell," not "death nail."

 

  both are equally shitty, who cares?

 

I buy KO 3P stuff.

I have 3 KO FP commander armors, 2 are for custom repaints and the 3rd is the powered commander version since the real armor won't fit on KOLD blue convoy I'm gonna have to mod all te clips anyway.

I also have FP CC and SC as well as Protector and the insecticons.... And all of PE stuff a few HR all of TFC Herc

My point is i want something the way it is I'll get it upon release from the 3rd party but if it's something I plan on modding or repainting I have no problems buying a KO. If we get KO Hercs I'm buying 3 sets for my diaclone, euroyellow and orange g2 repaints I'm planning.