likely with Smokey coming in November or December

 

• Iceman (or Magnum)
• Hunk
• Magnum (or Iceman)
• Dunerider
• Smokey (or other limb)
• Thomas
• Other limb (or Smokey)
• Berserk?  

 

When is Magnum coming out?

 

Probably after Iceman or Hunk which is June or July

 

im guessing that TFcon in October will have colored samples of Berserk, Dead End, Menasor, either Firefly or Slingshot, and Jazz

 

That would be great! I'd love to see all the v2s as well -- Berserk, Tesla, Spindrift, Chomp, and Acoustic Wave  

 

True with Sheridan but I know that was to do with shipping fees from China - and only if you buy the item now, at today's price of shipping. I have it on good authority that the price will be much closer to the stated pre-order price prior to the shutdowns when shipping services resume to optimal efficiency. And just because it's the first "release" after the shut down doesn't make it acceptable.

People /are/ assuming it's "selling out" - it's an FT product - of course it's selling out - is what people are saying and have been saying for years. When I mention people pulling preorders because it's too steep a price hike I get reprimanded and laughed out because - oh wait - it's an FT product. If someone pulls out, there will be someone waiting in line to take the pre-order, or buy it at a higher than pre-order price after the fact - again, adding profit to the overall margin from a retailers perspective. The money is there and will be there. We're not talking about a readily available item here - we're talking about a product that the manufacturer only make a limited amount of because they know their own market. It's not shortsightedness at all. There will be people with money buying more than one to then sell at an even higher price on the 2nd market after because of the nature of this particular manufacturer. This is not a high risk product - it's a top seller with a track record. What is uncertain is the economic status of the customer, like myself, who have been effected by the virus.

Which is what I'm saying and you are persistently justifying the price to me and to others as though it effects you as if it's your asset you're protecting. We don't even have to become smart enough - we just need to be effected financially enough to have the choice taken away altogether.

It might be a case of refusal. It might be a case of necessity. And you're right, the history of these products from this manufacturer show a constant sellout rate for the most part, and the ones that haven't are holding value as the stock levels are depleted. Then, and only then do FT consider the 2nd run. History is changing very quickly in a short space of time and resting on those laurels is exactly another case in point that justifies a price hike and continues an upward trend. And it's not necessarily entirely an account of organisations that promotes this - it's moreover that people with money will continue to spend it without a thought for those who don't.

I think you are justifying it in all that you are saying. You may be pointing out some interesting facts about the ins and outs of the 3P market, where I'm just making educated guesses on what might be the case based on my broader knowledge of retail, but nonetheless you are. Lamentation is great but you're still saying that the consumer is not smart enough, or not willing enough to take the action necessary to change things. I'm trying to do that with the points I'm raising and you are telling me I don't know any better, that my view is subjective, and that when I'm gone someone will take my place in the preorder line. That to me is justification of the price in the way you are challenging. Perhaps if more people in your position, with a respected place in the 3P community, also turned around and said enough is enough then things might change - but you then are still part of that same problem.

Again you are just as certain about the "sellout" as you are in regards to your other points. That then takes us back to the capital you speak of and the fact that this money is no "guarantee" and needs to remain there if a refund is requested. I get that so please don't tell me I'm being shortsighted. If you're that confident the product will sell out then the capital you put down becomes a very low risk business decision. The risk lies in the price you then resale at and whether people are willing to pay it.

This to me says that retailers are using this particular product (and the state of postage today) for an increase in price so they can regain losses. That to me is a capitalisation on the reputation of the product itself.

This virus has effected a lot of people financially, physically and emotionally. Myself included. I'm on a lot less that what I was. Factor in a retailer adding a large hike in price - I'm being effected twice. 40% less income plus a 15-20% increase on price. Yeah, it's hard. A customer / average Joe / once again footing the bill.

It won't happen, even when the world is crying out for a change - less aggressive growth and more stability in what we have.

It is over priced at $219 because of shipping charges today that might not be as high come October.

 

I think dalianjj said that they will have new pics of chomp at the next tfcon after being redesigned. It will be nice to see what's new with him

 

Both Iceman and Magnum will be out before Hunk.

 

I think part of what we're seeing as "price hikes" is the relative strength of the dollar ti the yen. Warpath went up in price at release and wildrider went form $110 in January to $115 now.

Blitzwing could still go up in retail price before he's released and Thomas could go down. I think we are still too far out the know the final peice on blitzwing. Phoenix was $220 a few years ago for a slightly bigger bot with far less complicated transformation. Might as well do no money down preorder for a figure you are going to get that may go up in price later.

 

Good point. Man, preorders have got to be tangly for retailers.

 

True forgot about Acoustic Wave, Spindrift is probably gonna be sooner since he’s already been shown in a grey proto.

 

So Acoustic Wave when? Do you think this year?

 

That's definitely a good point. I would imagine a portion of the later preorders were panic-driven placeholders. Hell, even mine was a reaction to FOMO.

From a selling perspective, preorders are a mixed bag. Yes, you do get an idea of what demand could be like. No, not even deposits are a sure thing.

Preorders were something I just never really had a solution for. When I started collecting online, prepay preorders were the norm. I think BBTS was one of the earlier no-money-down places. By the time I was into selling, you basically had to fund preorders out of pocket to compete. That was a severe limiting factor for me. I could've gone to a prepay or deposit model but a couple of years in I was glad that I never did. Embarrassment Earth was so flaky with when, or even _if_ (and sometimes what), they'd deliver, while customer tolerance for delays was on an inverse trajectory from their frequency (in other words, the more prevalent delays became, the more likely people were to cancel and go elsewhere at the drop of a hat). I know some people that were frequently hit with chargebacks on "non-refundable" deposits and those costs escalate quickly (there's a charge to fight them and you lose the transaction fees no matter what). God help you if you were trying to sell on a marketplace like eBay, because _then_ you had to fight for selling fees back and put up with all sorts of consequences from negative feedback (lower search ranking, higher fees, etc).

Oh, and I also wanted to say I can't believe ShowZ sold out of Jazz already and I suspect it's part of a snowball effect from other releases like Astrotrain disappearing so quickly.

 

Very unlikely it would be this year, and tbh, I hope we see the two active combiners completed, the two triplechangers and Chomp headmaster released, a Lupus toon-color version released, and maybe even the insecticons reissued, before we get another MP Soundwave.

 

Acoustic Wave definitely feels like small potatoes these days with the current schedule. Two completed combiners this year even feels like a huge undertaking with everything that's going on, but it looks possible!

 

I agree with this. I want the combiners to be completed

 

I think Menasor and Superion will be completed next year.
This year is a bit unlikely if you look what they are planning to release this year.

 

FWIW, I po'd al the FT items I know I want, at TD (and BW at ShowZ). If anything, I got a locked PO at a site is sure to honor prices (BW will be $200 + easy, it will be interesting to see what ShowZ does - I'm sure they will request more $$$ at which point I'll just het it at TD )

Unless the world goes to shit, I know I will get them, and I'd be lying if I say that "no money down" makes things easier, especially now. It must be hard being a retailer rn, so much uncertainty.

 

Except TaoBao, is there an another store with reasonable price for Thomas? I will not buy him fo $220.