Inflation is a very real thing that is happening to economies and nations across the globe, but there are many companies who are using inflation to drive artificial scarcity and using both as justifications for ridiculous price hikes that go far beyond the the increased costs to manufacture.


Case and point. When there was a “gas shortage” in the US earlier this year, it wasn’t a cause of bad politics or an actual increase in the price of gas, the price of oil and gas was actually lower then normal. But Companies used global circumstances as an excuse to increase the costs of their product far beyond inflated production costs, and then most of them publicly reported having record high profits.

Exxon and Chevron Made Record Profits as Gas Price Gouging Hit Californians | California Governor
Pallone Demands Answers from Oil Companies on Record Breaking Profits Amid High Gas Prices

Put simply. Inflation is real, but companies were using it as an excuse to price gouge. For a lot of companies it worked, temporarily as they saw record high profits, but now consumers are being pushed closer and closer to poverty as the costs of everything increases but the wages stayed the same and now consumers have less money to spend on non-essential items, which means the toy and entertainment industries will be the first to suffer as people can no longer afford nor justify the price of their products. Especially considering the quality of them, as well.

 

He's certainly ready to lend someone a hand.

 

Looking forward to reviews on this one. I\'m usually on the fence with SS figures until I see them in person or see a super positive review. The truck mode alone looks fab though. 

 

Was there ever a designer post like this for Maverick ?

I can't help but look at him and think what a great G2 Hooligan the mould would make.
I'd really like to know if the licensing would allow it.

I would say Fearswoop would work too. G2 Jetfire is perhaps to similar though. But there was other decos it just kinda screams "repaint it into a Cyberjet" to me.

I am very curious if that is possible.

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As for this guy perhaps they can slap him in a giftset and sell him in Blue "just for fun" sometime.

 

I really wish more people would get this. There has always been the element of "how much more are they willing to pay" in corporate discussions. The idea of using any inflation period to their advantage is nothing new. When we find out they've been cutting the budget for Transformers since Siege (and even admitted to for at least THIS year by the designer during his BTS on Pointblank) while things get more expensive...and they STILL raise prices? That's full-on taking advantage of the situation.

 

That’s what corporations do, it’s never about necessity it’s about soulless, short-sighted greed. Same thing was the ‘gas shortages’, ‘extra shipping costs’, ‘supply chain issues’. Yeah, those were all factors that you multiplied by ten to get your new prices.

But as long as they can pass the blame onto the economy or the politicians or the social climate then people don’t see it. That’s why you see dumb stickers on gas pumps, because people are stupid and easily tricked.

 

Agreed. I no longer want to buy things immediately cause of that, when I find things like selects galvatron going for 30 bucks or even deluxes going for less than 20 if you wait long enough.

You'd think companies would be smarter about this. "If we price gouge but don't pay proper proper wages, we'll surely make so much money! Long term benefits be damned" You'd think none of them have ever taken a history class

Since this is wave 1 of 2023 I'm sure I can afford to wait a little on this one

 

Say what you will, Maher's post about Scraphook was infinitely better than past ones

 

It was which is why I was shocked that he showed bts/make of info about the figure. First time since Pointblank that we've gotten that.

 

Did you wait an entire month to reply lmaooo? And spent a month what? Missing the point?

 

Nah just logged back in. Somebody was looking for something so I replied to them

 

alright man whatever. I’m not arguing but I think you oughta reread what I said.

 

Did some reading up, while on the whole I still like this Battletrap figure there's a growing concern how well this toy will hold together between modes.

I wasn't intending to sound entitled or expect the designers to do anything specific for me but I can understand I could have worded things better

But I'm sensing hostility from you, assuming I meant the worst and feeling the need to speak on behalf of the toy designers. Then you put me down for not spending enough time here to reply to you fast enough and assume again I meant the worst and was being purposefully dismissive of your original comment? Your criticism feels strangely vindictive

 

Okay I think you oughta see it from my perspective.

Your first post sounds awfully dismissive (“I cannot stand the other designers… add nothing but hot air”) which feels weirdly aggressive when the posts you’re talking about mainly boil down to “hey here’s something I worked on that I’m proud of and here’s some fun info about it” you know? Comes off very entitled n rude. I get that that may not have been your intention but it’s how I read it at least.

So I reply. Nothing happens. Such is life. You then come back a month later with a reply. Which like I get that I spend too much time on here and not everyone’s going to be checking in a couple times a day but whatever. Feels like you’re bringing up old stuff that I haven’t thought about in a month for no reason. It also feels like you’re taking past me rather than to me. Like nothing I said was accounted for.

So I’m sorry if it seemed like I was putting you down or came off as vindictive. That was truly not my intention but I’m only giving back the energy I feel like I’m receiving.