2018 HasLab - TVC Jabba's Sail Barge (The Khetanna)

[JediJman]

Barge Backer Update: 2337

We need about 84 new orders per day over the next month to hit 5k

[Darth_Anton]

Well, I'm official. Took me long enough, but my order is in.

[Rob]

I'm really getting more skeptical by the day...  I know there's always a good surge at the end, but at this rate it'll be about 5 days before we hit the midpoint. 

Opening it up to Canada is cool, but I wonder if the word got out... I also hope they could find a way to open it up to at least a couple more countries where there's a heavier collector presence... specifically England.

[JediJman]

I'm really getting more skeptical by the day...  I know there's always a good surge at the end, but at this rate it'll be about 5 days before we hit the midpoint. 

Funny, I'm in the exact opposite camp.  I think they'll get to 4k easily and that's probably close enough for them to find a way to make it work.  Open it up to more markets, extend the deadline, toss in an exclusive figure or two to up the pledges and we're set.  I know they said 5k, but I honestly think this would have to stall around 3,500 or less for them to nix it. 

Just doing some quick math on it:  Let's say they can sell 3500 of these at $500 each.  That's $1.75mm.  I don't know what their normal profit margin is, but direct to customer means they get all of their usual margin plus whatever the retailer would typically take.  Go low and assume 30% Hasbro and 30% retail. A 60% margin on just 3500 units is over a million dollars in profit.  I've seen big companies make dumb decisions, but you'd think that would be tough to walk away from.

[Jeff]

I'm really getting more skeptical by the day...  I know there's always a good surge at the end, but at this rate it'll be about 5 days before we hit the midpoint.

OK, let's say that it takes 5 more days to hit 50%.  That's day 22... of 45.  Isn't that right on track?   

Spike at the start, lag in the middle, spike at the end is how a lot of the crowdfunding things typically go.  I'm choosing to stay optimistic.  Maybe an etailer works out a deal to take a couple dozen.  Maybe they find a legal loophole to open it up to Europe or Asia.  Maybe those on the fence raise enough to join at the end run. 

Four weeks left is still a lot of time.  I'll give it another two weeks before I let my dreams be dashed.

[Jesse James]

I'm not gonna cry if it doesn't get funded.  I say again I'd be no worse off than I was before NYTF.  But I will also say it'd not shock me if it doesn't get funded either.  It'd be fun if I knew I was the fund that put it over the top hehe.

[Rob]

Okay okay, fine. 

I know the crowd funding thing generally works on a reversed bell curve of sorts, I just expected it to be further along than it is.  Hopefully the surge at the end is equal to the one at the beginning and it's no big deal.

The one thing I'm pretty sure of though, and I've said it a few times, is that with the way they worded the TOS that we all agreed to, I doubt their legal department would let them extend it, or make it if it doesn't hit 5K - simply because some pot-stirrer would be able to throw a fit about how the agreement said it wouldn't happen unless certain conditions were met, and if someone wanted to be a real baby about it, they could start threatening to sue. 

I'm not saying it would happen, I'm not saying Hasbro wouldn't love to make it anyway, but I've 'worked with' their legal team on commercials, and I've worked with lots of other company legal departments, they're paid to be the ultimate sticklers for stuff like that and they don't make exceptions when it comes to legal language.

That said, tossing in exclusive figures / sweetening the deal... opening it up to other countries, 'buying' a certain number themselves to put on HTS... I think those would all fly because they would simply be ways for it to hit the goal in the agreed to time frame. 

[Darby]

I don't expect it to be extended/sweetened, but then I didn't expect them to make a barge. If they open it to Europe, it will fund. I think it probably will - I know a few people waiting - but this week will be a real indicator of sustainability.

[StBrianOfMinneapolis]

If anyone else is ebaying your way to the barge, try buying shipping boxes through Amazon.

I have found that boxes measuring 9”x 6”x 4” ship a majority of toys and the weight is so low you can ship first class and beat out other sellers on shipping costs.  Plus these rates are even better than bulk box warehouses and there is free shipping.

9”x 6”x 4” boxes
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KU2IIW4/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Nicklab]

Not bad!  I had been using some boxes from Staples.  They were $0.59 each, and 12" x 6" x 6".  The last batch I bought was 10 pieces.  But that's definitely a better deal!

[McMetal]

I recycle boxes I get from stuff I order on eBay, so it's like a perpetual self sustaining ecosystem.  The size on those Amazon boxes is pretty ideal though.


I still think it would help to get the word out a little more, celebrity geeks like Seth Green should be talking this up non-stop.

Does JediMAC even know about this???

 

[Nicklab]

I recycle boxes I get from stuff I order on eBay, so it's like a perpetual self sustaining ecosystem.  The size on those Amazon boxes is pretty ideal though.

I recycle a lot of my Amazon boxes, too.  But my current stock of boxes that are appropriately sized for shipping a single figure is way down.  And with eBay buyers who watch the shipping costs like hawks?  I try to keep those costs down so that I can ship USPS First Class and keep the weight under 1 lb.  That's what makes these particular boxes an attractive option.

[Phrubruh]

I have a feeling this barge isn't going to fly. It just shows that there aren't very many collectors or even star wars scalpers out there to make this thing a reality. If Hasbro didn't screw up store distribution there might be people around that would buy this thing. Just look at the hits for this web site. We are very few in numbers these days. Stuff sits on store shelves and we never see new waves at retail. I don't think there is enough of us left to buy this thing at $500. Besides where would I put it?

[Darby]

Besides where would I put it?

I think that's probably a key factor in 'where is everyone?' Myself, I have nowhere for it. I can't really afford it, or at least afford it and afford to do other things are really more important. We've all been at this a long time, and there's a lot of real estate both physically and mentally that is occupied by a lifetime of collecting. How much more? Adam Pawlus talks about sometimes wanting the line to take a break. I say it sometimes, and I never do, though when people ask me what I want most from these toys, that's it. I want a break. I want to go away and come back fresh and excited, or maybe just enjoy what I have. There are multiple stresses on the hobby that are producing this moment of shrinking retail, websites, interest and we're all squeezed in the middle.

[Rob]

Besides where would I put it?

I think that's probably a key factor in 'where is everyone?' Myself, I have nowhere for it. I can't really afford it, or at least afford it and afford to do other things are really more important. We've all been at this a long time, and there's a lot of real estate both physically and mentally that is occupied by a lifetime of collecting. How much more? Adam Pawlus talks about sometimes wanting the line to take a break. I say it sometimes, and I never do, though when people ask me what I want most from these toys, that's it. I want a break. I want to go away and come back fresh and excited, or maybe just enjoy what I have. There are multiple stresses on the hobby that are producing this moment of shrinking retail, websites, interest and we're all squeezed in the middle.

I do agree that it's expensive and space consuming... but in my mind I'd rather have an amazing ROTJ Sail Barge than Kylo Ren's starfighter, a U-Wing, an MTT, and a pile of other odds and ends vehicles that I've amassed over the years.

Basically, I'll get rid of other things to fit this sumbitch in, and those things that I sell if I do sell can help pay for it too, because this is one of the last key, iconic pieces of the original trilogy that's never been made.