I agree on the scout. Attrocious.
I'd actually like to see a DELUXE SA Scout come out with a NEW to-scale bike, (no features or anything, just a bike), and a clear stand it sits on for a hovering effect. That'd be an ideal new item I think, but I'm not counting on it. Just a wish. I'd go up $5 on that one even I think.
I'd rather not see a 4-pack fo the POTJ sculpt... Just like I'd rather not have seen a 4-pack of the Endor Rebel (POTF2 or Saga), or of the RFT (any head variant of it), etc.
If they dump out new sculpts in the regular line, and if they adhere to super articulating them (or coming damn close), then I think they are fair game for army building. And at this point I think anything's fair game for a resculpt. I'm not counting on it, but even the RFT, the Hoth Soldier, the Snowtrooper, and the Biker Scout are all potential to get new sculpts.
The 4-packs are just gravy for Hasbro then... They're almost pure profit considering the primary costs will have dwindled, and only running production costs (which are generally minimal) would remain... That's what's so extra irking about the Clones too. They're almost pure profit. They could sell for LESS than retail.
It's the same reason you get those 4-packs at Toys R Us, and when you break down the costs that are involved, they're pure profit... Simple, easy to make, molds are there, you just put more out and the profit margin on every unit sold increases by a percentage.
Yet the SA Clone is being sold for $10-ish a figure unless you're in on a case. It's not like they WOULDN'T profit off it at $20 per 4-pack, they just are sticking us thinking it will work to their benefit. Will it? That remains to be seen, and I can't say we'll ever truly know, because there's a lot of "Well what if they'd sold (x) ammount at $20-$25 a set insteady of (y) ammount at $30-$35 a set?", ya know?
Factoring costing on all levels to make sure you're doing what is ideal and most profitable is not a black and white job, believe me I know this all too well because it's an area of work I've enjoyed in the past, and I think Hasbro's missing the broader picture on this army builder set IMO. They'll profit off it (They wouldn't produce any if they didn't have guaranteed sales that benefited them), but they could've done so much better I believe.