i think personally that the US gun laws are b.s. anyways seeing as how many real guns are on the street, but that point aside, the price hike just goes with the economy as it stands there are less people that can afford MP-08 than there were that could afford MP-01, they have to make back the engineering and production costs of the figure, i would love to get my hands on one, smaller or not, it is still an awesome piece. and a lot of collectors "wait for clearance" on larger figs, which also hurts hasbro's sales of them

 

Do you tuck his tail between his legs and pretend he's a she?

 

Heck yeah, here he is on my shelf with BW2 Tazmania Kid:

 

Any given MP Grimlock thread:

-Someone gives new info
-people say he's too pricey
-explanation to his price is given
-people look at explanation, start a new thread asking why he's so pricey

 

But Megatron, who had die-cast, was still fragile. It just that Prime was far more robust, but less intricate than Starscream and Megatron. Starscream and Megatron's fragility probably stems from their intricacy, rather than amount die-cast content.

 

yeah, Megatron had a metal bar and some light weight metal feet but it was an insubstantial amount. It was probably difficult for Takara to use more diecast with that one, seeing how the transformation is so complex. I like Mp-08s basic transformation, and for that reason I think more metal was probably originally intended.

 

MP Grimlock cost me $102.38 at retail, at Toys R Us, in Japan. You can thank your 2nd and 3rd (or is that 3rd and 4th) part vendors for the price hike. Not saying it's too much, but by the time you pay for the double shipping, whatever import taxes there may be...

They still have MP-7 there too, he is sitting at $90, MP-8 is $100. I think the popularity drives the price up too.

Either way, it's a solid figure, and I don't regret the purchase for a second.

 

His price does seem expensive for what he is relative to the other MPs, but the prices you list here for the others also seem rather artificially low. Sure those aren't '+$60 shipping' prices?

More realistically the others were all $90-120, except US release SS.

 

You just stated all the reasons and then say you don't care make it cheaper...I think I will use this tactic on my mortgage - "Hey, I know, like, interest has gone up, and building materials and stuff, but I only wanna pay X dollars for my house."

Yeah, that doesn't make sense.

Mold production, for starters. BS and Jazz used previous molds that were created years ago. I can't really think of another reason than that.

Yes, but weren't they produced years ago? So seeing as they were not made during the current economic crisis, material supply costs were at previous levels.

Not to be an ass, but it seems that you are having a difficult time grasping these basic economic principles. It could be that you are just looking at it from all angles, and I sincerely apologize if that is the case.

 

Join me in crossing fingers that hasbro will release their own version which looks likely.

 

Actually, the problem with his prices are that he's talking in pounds from a year or so back when the exchange rate was higher then it is now. Unfortunately, he doesn't actually extrapolate on this until later in the thread.

 

I have to go with the dog on this one.

 

This.
Something isnt adding up.

I can understad one compromise on the part of the buyer due to an "economic crisis"...but we are paying 50% more for 50% less.

 

I like Transformers, and this was a toy I wanted, and I don't want to sound like i'm bashing it. I think the toy could have been more, and really wanted it to be better than MP01. That being said, it's not a bad toy.
I'm not sure how much it costs to make a new mold, but your explanation rides entirely upon that principle. Aren't we paying customers, is it wrong to get what you pay for?

 

Personal value is subjective.

 

Indeed it is. After handling Grimmy I can honestly say I wouldn't feel ripped off had I paid $200+ for him. I've purchased many high-end Japanese toys over the years and I've certainly paid more than this for much less toy.

 

I understand that, and I don't know the answer to the mold question (and also hoping someone could chime in).

Anyway, I agree that opinion is subjective. Hey, I think the Alternity is one of the best TF toys ever made, yet many think he is too highly priced. Of course it doesn't hurt that I am fortunate to be able to afford higher-end toys if I so choose.

 

What makes a toy "high-end"? Seriously - I've heard this justification for Grimlock's price so much that I'd like to know.

Do movable fingers double the price of what is essentially a smaller-than-leader class toy?

I mean, when you buy a Ferrari you're paying for the name as well as the spec. Grimlock is just a Transformer like all the other cheaper transformers out there. He has lights? Seen them on cheaper toys. He has chrome? ditto. He has a couple of minor gimmicks? ditto. You also can't tell me that an upscaled G1 Grimlock with a fancier leg transformation required more R&D than some of the other figures that have come from cheaper lines either.

Granted, I'm playing devils advocate here but is the real reason that he's so expensive simply that the toy companies have seen what grown men are capable of spending on "toys" and that they're charging that (and edging higher with it) just to see what they can get away with? Is it simply a case of emperors-new-clothes and that the main, DEFINING factor on whether something is high-end is no longer it's metal content, it's ingenuity of engineering or even it's size - it's just it's price?

It's funny how no-one is complaining about the price hikes in non-Masterpiece Transformers.

Food for thought.
Steve.

 

This boggles me. 50% more for 50% less, compared to what? MP-01?

The same figure that came out 6 years ago? Come on dude. I am a finance professional but you don't need to work in finance or even have a grasp of economics to know that prices change over time for certain products, both up and down.

Example, if a flat panel plasma tv screen (say, 42") cost $3500 in 2003, by your logic, a flat panel plasma tv of 40" (i dont think there's such a size, but for argument's sake, pretend it is) should cost around $3200-$3300 today, in 2009. Similar materials, similar size. Obviously, that is not the case, and I specifically highlighted a product (consumer electronics) whose prices actually trend downward over time, to illustrate why you simply cannot compare cost structures of today with cost structures of yester-yester-yester-yester-yester-yesteryear.

Go to amazon.co.jp and look up Masterpiece Thundercracker. He's about 6700 yen. Masterpiece Grimlock is around 10,200 yen.

 

I'm not involved with economics, but I think your example isn't applicable for a few reasons. Electronics depreciate in value as technology improves and prices of new electronics can be validated by better technology. The GOING rate of MP01 continues to be around $100. MP-01 contains all the same element of MP-08 and more! There is a bigger size difference, that directly effects how the two figures relate to each other...in other words they are not compatible.

Here's a better example.
1 apple costs $1 on Monday
1/2 an apple costs $1.50 on Tuesday

We can guess all we like as to why, but it's all just speculation. Fact is, the reasons for this remain unknown.