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>happy meal toys are often joint promotions between whatever property and the fast food joint.
They’re a Lost Lead: an item made to get you into the store/interested in the product. Most of the time, LL.s are considered marketing, and not expected to make money. (Hence the “lost” part; as in lost revenue.)
>Monster high has lots of accessories and bigger package and seems like a much better deal.
Scale plays a big part in it too. I’d bet the Monster High toys have runs five times that of the retro heroes. I’m sure someone could provide actual numbers, but I’d bet the Retro Heroes are released in runs of 25,000 to 50,000 units. Retro Heroes ISN’T a big priority for Mattel; at least not right now. It’s an experiment until sales show otherwise. That’s why you don’t see tv ads, wide distribution, a special DVD series.... ‘Course, those are the things that MAKE a hit. Catch 22. But Mattel would prefer an in-house line that they don’t have to pay royalties on over a licensed one that has people outside the company expecting a cut, licensing fees and an amount of control over the product.
Stores are another confounding variable. Usual discount for a store is about 50% of the final cost; that is, they pay half of what they sell it to you for. (NOTE: I know this is a very rough number; and the item, production deals, distributor deals, number bought, etc alters the value so’s to be somewhere between 30% and 65%, but 50% is pretty good overall for sake of discussion.) It’s easy to say “GRRRR! Them nasty-bad stores are ripping me off ‘cos it costs them almost NOTHING for this stuff!!!” but a store sits on a LOT of merchandise. They make up for stuff that sits a while with the stuff that sells now. (Look at all them back issues not making money for your favourite store....) Hence the markup on popular stuff, and the really low clearance prices for things taking up space. Most local comic shops have really thin margins of profit.
It works a little differently for huge chains, but the ATTITUDE is the same. Worse maybe, since it’s easier for a TRU to unload old stock than your local shop. (TRU could throw it out, and claim a loss. Your local shop has too much invested in that one $30 RA Batman to do so.)
Don C.Leave a comment:
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I turned the hose on 'em for you Tot! 
Astronut, we all understand how passionate you are about rediscovering Megos and your wish for the line to succeed as much as the rest of us.
You've made your opinions quite clear at this point. I heartily encourage you to sit back and take in some of the atmosphere of the museum and get to know the players. Read through old threads where similar discussions have already taken place prior to your arrival. They are incredibly informative and enlightening in regards to many of your questions and concerns.
It is astounding how much access we have to the principals of the various companies like EMCE, CastAWay, Zica, Biff Bang Pow etc. that have worked so hard to spearhead the revival of the 8" retrol cloth Mego-style action figure out of pure passion and reverence. You will find them incredibly down to earth and often surprisingly candid when it comes to the day to day of their business, and that they are regular folk just like the rest of us and not necessarily faceless entities working in mysterious ways.
Explore other corners of this forum and chat about some of your other passions and interests, both nostalgic and current. Take some time to relax and ease into our community, but most of all have fun and spread the joy!Leave a comment:
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the retro action retails for two dollars more than the monster high. Monster high has lots of accessories and bigger package and seems like a much better deal.Leave a comment:
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With a lot of emphasis on "sort of", right? Financial planners aren't given a sizable chunk of your portfolio ("preferred stock"), and they aren't given a Golden Parachute clause that guarantees them a huge (as in, huge) bonus even if your portfolio tanks.
If corporations are going to pay irrational sums of money regardless of the quality of governance... then I wish they'd just hire me as a CEO. I'm sure I'd be more than capable of running their company into the ground for $25 million.
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No, I don't collect them. I have zero interest in the characters up until WW and Cheetah.
But I did pick up Green Arrow and first series figures. I soon regretted buying them and not because of floppy body issues. It's because I have so little interest in the characters and it's money I could have spent on characters I like better.
The bodies are floppy but comparing the prices on them to bootlegs is getting a bit silly. It's also totally unrealistic to think a licensed figure made in limited numbers for a niche market should sell for what mass market Barbie dolls do that are made in absolutely enormous production runs.Leave a comment:
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This Post is Silly for the most part.
Retro Heroes fall apart, Are on a Body, that Now Mattel Has addressed that needs to be Retooled . The Body looks like a Retooled Shrunk Big Jim Body for the most part. That Somebody didn't do thier Homework Properly on , when they decided to string it. They Don't Stand, They are on the Thin Paper like Cards. None of the Head Sculpts are Iconic to the Characters they Represent, almost Your " Knock Off" like Comment . Mosture is Trapped in the Figures, that has been addressed as over Siliconed Coats. Yeah, I want My Kid Sucking on a Superman Head real quick. Suits come raced out. And The Emblems come Cracked, Off Centered, and in some Cases fall off of the figures right after opening them. And People have to "Fix them" or Put them on Different Bodies to Truely Enjoy them. Nothing like Buying a Brand New Toy ... And " Fixing it " . Superman's got Pink Undies. Let me race right out and drop another 20+ on Something I gotta Fix. This All Screams " Knock Off" to Me. All this from a Muti-Million Dollar Company, Who has the Most Capital to Be able to put out the Very Best In Quality , and does it with other Lines. They Should be Leading the Charge even More so with a Super Hero License, ( How do you screw that up ? ) Instead they are Blocks behind EMCE & Castaway and Even so far Zica's Body.
You Stated yourself That you Don't Buy them. For someone Who doesn't Buy them, or Has any to inspect for Himself, Must not have The Knowledge for Debate, and Is using this Thread to Argue about unclear Opinons on the Subject. Just an Observation.Last edited by BlackKnight; Sep 24, '10, 11:34 PM.Leave a comment:
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Comparing dollar store GI JOE bootlegs to Retro Action heroes is like comparing those 99 cent blow molded knock off fashion dolls with a few sprigs of hair to collector Barbies. Retro Action dolls might have trouble holding some poses but you know they will be safe to actually play with.
Yes, those bootlegs and knockoffs you find at dollar stores, big lots and flea markets are dirt cheap. When you can slip under the legal radar of safety regulations and don't have to worry about little things like toxins in the plastics and paints you use or if parts are too small or sharp and you can ignore pesky things like intellectual property rights and license fees you can be amazingly cheap.
This is getting silly.Leave a comment:
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I'd love to be able to get smaller superheroes of that quality for that price! I'd buy cases of them.What are your thoughts about these?
These are nice 11" figures with clothing, lots of accessories, boots and very attractive packaging all for only $5.00 each. Is that great deal or what?
These did not take no $12 million dollar a year CEO to stand behind others to produce. Some times companies spend millions of dollars to save a quarter. Not very good business sense IMO.Leave a comment:
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You are defiitely entitled to your opinion just like everyone else here and that is the reason why I asked.
I was just wondering about your comment of them not being safe for a child. I thought ALL toys had to meet certain safety requirements before they are to be sold in a retail store?Leave a comment:
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[QUOTE=The Bat;616972] I was talking all the new Star Trek And POTA in particular. I mean DR Mego is closer to the source (He made them) My friend was paying Doc (HIs profit margin) and to have them delivered. He should have been more expensive then Dr Megos site NOT the other way around. Now toys are us has a huge inplace infilstructure. Definatly not a small specialty shop.And they are charging even more?
I worked as a manager for Walmart... They control the factories in China, They own the ships, trucks, planes. They control the distribution centers right to the shelf... You dont have any middle person saying I need to make a profit here. Thus they can undersell anybody... Hell LIke Milo in catch 22. They can diliberatly lose money and still get a head.Leave a comment:
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What are your thoughts about these?
These are nice 11" figures with clothing, lots of accessories, boots and very attractive packaging all for only $5.00 each. Is that great deal or what?
These did not take no $12 million dollar a year CEO to stand behind others to produce. Some times companies spend millions of dollars to save a quarter. Not very good business sense IMO.Leave a comment:
Leave a comment: