Author Topic: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack  (Read 84734 times)

Offline ruiner

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #195 on: August 27, 2008, 03:52 PM »
I can convince myself that $8 figures are a value if I think about it long enough.

Offline Force Guy

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #196 on: August 27, 2008, 04:58 PM »
...actually, with the Bantha pack in mind, this doesn't really seem all that far out there in terms of its pricing.

But you really cannot compare the Bantha pack with this crappy set.  The Bantha pack had, well, a Bantha.  The Bantha is BIG.  The Bantha initially had a $30 price point (with the POTF2 line) and came with one figure.  How can you compare the Bantha to a crappy, significantly smaller piece of desert igloo?  And c'mon, we all know that the main appeal of this upcoming set isn't the crappy POTF2 repacks (or, to be PC, the "less attractive molds" pack-in).  It's the playset piece, which is certainly NOT worth anything close to $50.         


Quote
I hate it when my gut feeling of "overpriced, blargh" becomes replaced by "well, I guess it makes sense given this and that."

That's the type of "logic" needed to justify and convince yourself of making a not so sensible purchase.   
« Last Edit: August 27, 2008, 05:45 PM by Force Guy »
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Offline Adam_Pawlus

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #197 on: August 27, 2008, 06:53 PM »
But you really cannot compare the Bantha pack with this crappy set.  The Bantha pack had, well, a Bantha.  The Bantha is BIG.  The Bantha initially had a $30 price point (with the POTF2 line) and came with one figure.  How can you compare the Bantha to a crappy, significantly smaller piece of desert igloo?  And c'mon, we all know that the main appeal of this upcoming set isn't the crappy POTF2 repacks (or, to be PC, the "less attractive molds" pack-in).  It's the playset piece, which is certainly NOT worth anything close to $50.         

Can't you?  The appeal of the Bantha pack wasn't the Tuskens either-- extra figures packed in are an excuse to raise the price.  And what you have with the Bantha pack was a $30 toy with new fur (less the $5 for the missing POTF2 Tusken), a $5 Tusken Female from 2002, another $5 Tusken with Massiff from 2002, and a $10 (let's be generous) VTSC Tusken.

The Bantha was a barely modified version of an existing mold.  And it isn't really all that big.   The desert igloo is an entirely new mold, which required new development costs.  Also, the Womp Rat isn't free.  So the Lars Homestead set has new molds in it, and the Bantha doesn't.  Considering Hasbro's products have had one (and are about to have a second) across-the-board price increase soon, well, it doesn't seem quite as outlandish.

I'm not saying the Lars Homestead set is as fun as a Bantha, or as neat as a Bantha, or as interesting to me personally as a Bantha.  But as the sets go as a sum-of-the-parts, they're somewhat comparable.   It's not as fun, of course, but I'd be curious to know the actual development costs against that of, say, a Hoth Turret.   (And having a few dealings with Hasbro exclusives, I can say it's not always possible to get newly molded figures.)

...I'll give you "crappy" for the figures they picked.  That's totally fair.   But still, crappy costs money, and even POTF2 figures have to cost something.  It's not like they'd be $5 if Hasbro put 'em out on Legacy cards today.  But still... $50... gah.   What would you guys think the Lars homestead piece by itself should cost, anyway?  $20-$25?  (That'd be my estimate.  Even if it isn't quite as exciting as a vehicle.)
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Offline Force Guy

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #198 on: August 27, 2008, 10:23 PM »
But still... $50... gah.   What would you guys think the Lars homestead piece by itself should cost, anyway?  $20-$25? 

More like $10.  Tops.  It would make more sense to release the homestead piece by itself and keep the crappy POTF2 repacks.  And the Womp Rat?  They can keep that, too.   
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #199 on: August 28, 2008, 01:55 AM »
I don't care how you rationalize plopping (and I stress "plop", as in taking a dump in a deep dark toilet), $50 for this is too much to stomach for me.  I'm passin' on it.  I don't care if it is worth $400 in a year either.  This is just one of those things that's become a very easy item to pass on.
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Offline ruiner

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #200 on: August 28, 2008, 08:33 AM »
  The appeal of the Bantha pack wasn't the Tuskens either-- extra figures packed in are an excuse to raise the price. 

I think you're mistaken here.  I believe the extra figures are included to increase the play value.  How boring would that Bantha look without those Tusken Raiders?  You know collectors aren't the only ones supporting this line.

Similarly, if you think that sand hut looks lame now in the box, imagine how it would look without the figures.

Offline Adam_Pawlus

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #201 on: August 28, 2008, 03:10 PM »
  The appeal of the Bantha pack wasn't the Tuskens either-- extra figures packed in are an excuse to raise the price. 

I think you're mistaken here.  I believe the extra figures are included to increase the play value.  How boring would that Bantha look without those Tusken Raiders?  You know collectors aren't the only ones supporting this line.

That's one way to spin it. :)  Adding extra product is a great way to squeeze a few extra dollars from the customers (both Toys "R" Us and any collectors/parents/kids).   *A* Tusken is necessary, a Tusken clan?  Not so much.

Play value is absolutely important, but is there a reason it *had* to be a $45 set?  Why sell you a $30 Bantha when you can sell a $45 gift set?  Sure, it's more play value.  But call me a cynic, I don't think Hasbro takes an existing product and adds more to it just to give a kid a good time.  (Especially since, and correct me if I'm wrong here, I don't think a lot of kids get birthday presents and holiday gifts at the $50 price point unless they've been VERY good that year.  At $45, you're probably looking at special occasions or collectors.  Or, of course, spoiled kids.)
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #202 on: August 28, 2008, 03:37 PM »
I'm going out on a limb here and suggesting ruiner's comment was more sarcastic than anything else.  Hasbro continually feeds the line about kids being the major consumers and I think there are relatively few here that agree. 

I would suggest that they have done a smart thing with the Clone Wars movie in targeting kids as the next generation of collectors, but I don't think things like this, as you have said, are targeted at the kids as a great many things shouldn't be (cough*Indiana Jones*cough).
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Offline ruiner

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #203 on: August 28, 2008, 04:01 PM »
No, I was serious. 

I know the hut isn't targeted towards kids (one of the few exceptions) but like I asked before, can you imagine how poor the presentation would appear if it were packaged by itself?  The figures included help tell a story.  Without them it's just a lame sand igloo.  It's not even Star Wars to most people without the figures.  Why do you think there are two large stormtroopers plastered on the front panel?

The same question applies to the Bantha.  No, three Tuskens were not required but in Hasbro's defense they are trying to tell a story with each sku (their words, not mine) and I think it makes sense as a strategy.

And yes, as a result the price goes up but I think it's worth it if the perceived value is there.

« Last Edit: August 28, 2008, 04:02 PM by ruiner »

Offline Morgbug

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #204 on: August 28, 2008, 04:59 PM »
Damn, my mistake. 

I stick by my opinions on the targeting. :-X
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Offline EpicGon

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #205 on: August 30, 2008, 02:38 AM »
Why only 3 action figures and a scurrier? it is good, but needs more sandtroopers

Offline Dressel Rebel

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #206 on: August 30, 2008, 07:32 PM »
Wait.  What's the price of this thing?
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Offline Muftak

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #207 on: August 30, 2008, 07:44 PM »
Fifty bucks was what we've all been going by, but the speculation about the Target UBPs being sixty here in the Clone Wars UBP thread really puts that up for debate.

It's sad because, ugly pack-in figures or not, I would have been all over this thing three years ago. Now I think it is a nice idea, but far too little too late. Last year I made a decision of how I would display my collection, and this just doesn't fit my plans at all.

Maybe in a few years when I upgrade to a real collection room I can pick up one of these off of eBay/trading on the cheap. Til then, I'm not gonna miss it.

Offline Dressel Rebel

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #208 on: August 30, 2008, 08:56 PM »
Fifty bucks was what we've all been going by, but the speculation about the Target UBPs being sixty here in the Clone Wars UBP thread really puts that up for debate.


Okay this thing is very overpriced then.  For this price I better have an all new Owen and Beru with 14 points of articulation and a bunch of sandtroopers.

The dwelling itself is worth about $15.  Hold it up next to a Homing Spider Droid or a Torrent Fighter that you can get for $20 and that should be self explanatory.
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: TRU "Disturbance at Lars Homestead" Battle Pack
« Reply #209 on: August 31, 2008, 09:52 AM »
This TRU set is $60, the Target sets are still supposed to be $50, last I heard.

BTW, Bluesnaggletooth found one (Lars Homestead) here in LA. Didn't say what he paid for it.
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