I dont really collect MP, but was shocked that the MP ver 2 Megs will be 230 bucks.
From what I gather , he will be roughly MP10 height and come with some accessories like faces, chest plate, mace etc.

No trailer , roller, combat drone or other bulky items.

Also the coneheads are in the 180 and SW was 200 as an exclusive.

A lot of the 3p companies seem to be offering comparable products or even better (imo Quakewave) for cheaper prices.

I know the yen is increasing in value and inflation will always exist, but to have such a jump in price is jarring
do you think these increased prices will make them lose significant business due to 3p or will fans continue without batting an eye?

 

The price is a bit jarring. Im thankfully just about done w the official MP Line so its not going to impact me all that much. I was going to get 2 Megatrons, but at the $230 price, its now only one. I already have Apollyon, so a 3rd Megs (if ever desired) will likely become MT's figure.

After Megs and the remaining S1 Carbots, I'll only be buying locally released (US) characters.

3P has/will fill my outstanding voids.

 

Well, there has also been a drop in the value of the US Dollar since last Wednesday.

I know here in the UK the pound has been crap since June, it's one of those things  

 

I wish I had gotten into MP when Hasui was still designing the line, but I was more focused on other things at the time and had very little money. While I am enjoying the designs put out in Generations, the poor quality plastic and lack of paint apps is making them increasingly easy to skip. I would love to get more into collecting MPs, but between the aftermarket prices of the older ones and the odd aesthetic/inflated price of the new ones, I have turned to third party figures. When Ramjet (a remold of a 10-year-old design riddled with QC errors) is more expensive than Carnifex (a brand new design and arguably one of the best transformers of all time) you really got to ask how Takara can justify charging what they are for their MP line.

 

Actually, the dollar is the highest it has been in a year vs the yen. US retailers always overcharge for Japanese stuff. I have megatron preordered from nippon yasan shipped for $178.

 

  No. We've already had Premium Collectables come out and say it's their most successful product ever. It's also the best selling first place in the hobby category at Amazon Japan. MP-36 is selling like hot cakes. The MP line is absolutely hot right now and continuing to climb. Nothing will stop it.

3P is a joke. Nobody is buying it except the niche which account for maybe a couple of thousand at most. It's a stale product. It's going nowhere. Right now their only way to make money is from characters that TT haven't made yet. I'll give the 3P companies props though, they realise the MP market is hot and are trying to make a quick buck while they have the chance. Smart business men.

The truth hurts but I tell it like it is.

 

I hope for the TT fans that this Megs will be better than the previous one especially for the money.

TT isnt infallible. Mp-09 seems to have caused a lot of wailing and grinding of teeth.

 

im not a huge 3rd party guy, but you do got to wonder why their stuff is starting to become cheaper.

 

Business 101, lower the price when you've got a lot of competition. Their competition isn't TT (gotta laugh at the thought of them competing with TT), they're competing against each other. Although by doing so they're only diluting their market.

Takara has the monopoly, they can charge premium prices because they've got a product they know will sell.

 

To some, sure. I was personally looking forward to Megs and I'll buy official product more often than not but that price immediately swayed me to go 3P. There's no reason for it to be as large as it is. So in my small little world TakTom lost this battle.

Edit... And even at 170 USD I still feel like that's a bit much rich. With Prime you got the huge trailer, roller, these are massive and complicated accessories so I could see the justification for the price. Megs doesn't have that luxury and it feels like they're charging what they are just because It's Megatron. That leaves a sour taste in the back of my throat.

 

The key words there is 'in your own small little world'. The number of people choosing your path would be so little that you don't matter in the scheme of things. MP-36 will sell to TT's expectations regardless.

 

Agreed but your summation is speculation. Not without merit, but speculation still.

 

I laughed at MP Megatron's price. Between the pricing and the ugly cartoon-centric direction of the line, Takara is making it easier than ever for me to look elsewhere.

 

The thing is they'll charge what they think they'll get for it. Until it's proven wrong, it will be what the price will be. MP Skywarp was going for outrageous prices on the aftermarket. Don't think TT doesn't notice that and think they can get a bit more.

If you think it's too high, buy a 3P Megatron. You have options now.

 

The fact they've done multiple of production runs of previously released items, no. Masterpiece is Tak-Tom's ace on the hole, their license to print money as the cliche goes.

 

In Asia, their target market, their prices have stayed the same. You are way overpaying for this in the US, BBTS is the one making money from you, not Takara. For example, in HK you can get a pre-order for MP-36 at 1200 HKD, or just over 153 USD. So BBTS is making 77 USD, or 50% what HK consumers are paying in additional margin over the HK retailers.

Takara doesn't set prices for the non-Japanese markets.

 

I never understand this hardliner hatred.

There are a lot of people here who love 3P product. There are many who prefer 3P on the whole over official Masterpieces. I'm not one of them, but they do exist and they are numerous. Here. Then there's another group who does like 3P product, but doesn't buy 3P... and the ONLY thing keeping them from choosing a 3P offering over an official figure is the vast price difference between the two. If you remove that price difference factor from the equation, you're going to have more fans crossing over into 3P territory. That's all the OP is suggesting, and I think it's very much a valid supposition.

I think Takara's upcoming MP Megatron looks better than any of the 3P alternatives. And for me, it's not even close. But for someone who prefers the aesthetics or proportions of one of the 3P versions -- and those people do exist -- thanks to the price of MP Megatron v2, they now have zero reason not to go 3P over TT.

 

Not really if the price is still reasonable to the Japanese our complaining about it on our end are moot. While Japan didnt' seem overly expensive to me I didn't live there nor was I working there to earn a living. While their economy isn't stagnant anymore its still probably easier for a collector here than there. Somebody who lives there probably knows better than me. Mp-36 is about what I expected it to be. Even the original toys were comparatively priced so the surprise that the MP counterparts would be different should come as no surprise. Until minibots and insecticons are released most of the next MPs will be pricier than the carbots we are used. Some of the price is most likely a reflection that they they probably don't produce as many bigger bots as smaller carbots. Some of it will be due to complexity and part counts, and as the bots have gotten more expensive they have also gotten more diecast. As far as the cheaper 3P prices now most likely there are more companies to compete against especially as they keep bumping heads to produce the same figures. It will be interesting to see how much longer all these competing companies can stay in business if no one grabs contro of the market that prefers a 3p to an official.

 

I don't think they're any cheaper lately just more realistic. Many 3Ps have learned how to be more cost effective with their products, while others I think have tested and proven that there is in fact a ceiling on how much people are really willing to pay for a single TF toy. So overall the market has settled into a steady price structure.

 

What price increase? MPs cost the same as they ever have for their size.

Megatron is the number one seller in toys on Amazon Japan. I don't think Takara really gives two shits about a handful people bitching on some website in English.