Batman 66 Series 4 up for pre-order. Now $29.99 each! October release

[TRDouble]

Maybe the price hike is the reason why the EE Exclusives were so expensive.

Not thrilled with the price hike, just like I wasn't thrilled with the increased cost of the Robert E. Howard series, but hopefully it stays contained to a line where they have to pay for actor likenesses. Maybe new licence fees paid for the likenesses of Yvonne Craig and others forced a price increase.

I pre-ordered a set at BBTS. They cost even more there, but with the Pile of Loot, it's basically covering the shipping cost I would pay elsewhere.

[Hedji]

Four of these and you're halfway to the cost of the Tweeterhead Batgirl statue.

[wise guy]

BBTS 34.99 each and 129.99 for the set ? I might pay that for Batgirl, and Catwoman , but nobody else in the 66 line

[ScottA]

I'll pick up my set at next years Mego Meet I bet. Love the figures.

[ovenmitt]

Wait for EE to have clearance sale. I got extra sets of FTC Batman 66 Series 2 and 3 $80 each FREE shipping! $20 a figure!

[Teemu]

the price hike is disappointing, especially when you see EMCE's Trek figures going for 17.50 a pop at BBTS. If this is the trend there, it will make me hesitate with more purchases.

pretty much guarantee that Super friends will be 29.99 each

[Teemu]

I don't mind the price increase on the '66 figures, since they do have more work on them than the others...but shouldn't Mr. Freeze have his gun??

um YEAH! what good is he without it? 29.99 and no gun just isn't right

[ovenmitt]

pretty much guarantee that Super friends will be 29.99 each

Time Warner owns DC and Hanna Barbara so maybe Super Friends will be $25 each and ALL the other Hanna Barbara cartoons FTC is making figures of!

I just thought the $30 price hike for Batman 66 was for all the $$$ FTC has paid for actors' likenesses.

[Toycade]

We were hesitant to list the figures for pre-order because we didn't want to receive the brunt of the complaints about the price increase. As a retailer, we are probably more upset about price increases than you are! Or at least as upset. I don't speak for FTC but let me give you some of the reasons for a price increase.
1) 3 totally new figures with all new detailed clothing and sculpts. Yes, Shame and Mad Hatter were detailed and intricate as well. But the other 2 figures were essentially re-packs. Going forward, if you don't want re-packs (and from your feedback, it sounds like this is the case) then it's going to cost a bit more to get the characters you want.
2) Increased manufacturing cost just because "they can." Often when a line proves successful, manufacturers will raise the costs and dare the client to go elsewhere knowing doing so would likely force the client to raise the price anyway. Sad but true.
3) Likenesses. Every time you get a new character, FTC had to pay to get the actors likeness. Wave 4 has 4 new characters. Most waves coming contain new characters. As a line progresses, it simply costs more to keep it going. See MOTUC.
The stuff coming is amazing and there will be no skimping on quality. I hate that we have to pay more but it beats the alternative of the line simply ending. Don't shoot the messenger.

[thunderbolt]

^^ The price increase on this will probably help speed up the end of the line anyway. It is heading toward the end anyway, Catwoman and Batgirl are the only other two I want, I'd get O'Hara if Gordon was a possibility but that hasn't been mentioned yet. If they come up with more villains like False Face, Olga, Sandman etc they might get me for more. Series 3 was the only one with "repacks" thus far. The other two were 4 unique figures with the same level of detail. This increase is nothing more than shooting themselves in the foot. I will buy them, but will be looking for a better deal. If they were shifting to a better body or were guaranteeing that the heads would be in scale it would help the sticker shock some.

[Boy_Wonder_1978]

Big Bad Toy has it even more ramped up. $10.00 above FTC's price! Ouch.
http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...93&mode=retail

Add $8.00 for collectors grade. Are they having a laugh?

Think I'll wait for the ever reliable Toycade and get them from them somehere down the line. Only way I'll pay the initial RRP is they start to disappear quickly, which I don't see happening really.

[alex]

Hey I dont mind, these are great looking figures, I always wait around for bargains anyway. I dont think Freeze will get a gun, because of his closed hand .

[The Bat]

Wait for EE to have clearance sale. I got extra sets of FTC Batman 66 Series 2 and 3 $80 each FREE shipping! $20 a figure!

Exactly! These will only be bought by Collectors...kids aren't going to buy them. So...if we Collector's don't buy them, the price WILL drop when they go on clearance.

[MIB41]

We were hesitant to list the figures for pre-order because we didn't want to receive the brunt of the complaints about the price increase. As a retailer, we are probably more upset about price increases than you are! Or at least as upset. I don't speak for FTC but let me give you some of the reasons for a price increase.
1) 3 totally new figures with all new detailed clothing and sculpts. Yes, Shame and Mad Hatter were detailed and intricate as well. But the other 2 figures were essentially re-packs. Going forward, if you don't want re-packs (and from your feedback, it sounds like this is the case) then it's going to cost a bit more to get the characters you want.
2) Increased manufacturing cost just because "they can." Often when a line proves successful, manufacturers will raise the costs and dare the client to go elsewhere knowing doing so would likely force the client to raise the price anyway. Sad but true.
3) Likenesses. Every time you get a new character, FTC had to pay to get the actors likeness. Wave 4 has 4 new characters. Most waves coming contain new characters. As a line progresses, it simply costs more to keep it going. See MOTUC.
The stuff coming is amazing and there will be no skimping on quality. I hate that we have to pay more but it beats the alternative of the line simply ending. Don't shoot the messenger.

Thanks for the overview. That at least offers some rationality outside of the usual suspects when consumers see price increases. I appreciate you stepping up and offering that insight.

[TRDouble]

Exactly! These will only be bought by Collectors...kids aren't going to buy them. So...if we Collector's don't buy them, the price WILL drop when they go on clearance.

... and the line will then come to an end.

Which is fine. If people don't like the price increase and choose not to buy at full price, that's cool. That's why I skipped the EE set. It went beyond what I was willing to spend on these.

But slow or no sales until items go on clearance will kill a line.