JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => Past Hasbro 3.75" Lines => Saga Collection '06 => Topic started by: Diddly on July 15, 2005, 09:58 PM
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From GH:
Hasbro announced Entertainment Earth's exclusive Astromech Droid 5-Pack Exclusive!
Two five packs:
One Imperial pack containing–
R2-Q2, R4-A22, R3-T2, R4-E1, and R3-P6
One Rebel pack containing–
R2-A6, R2-X2, R2-C4, R3-X2, and R4-M5
****, more overpriced sets from EE. Why must I be a sucker for Astromechs? Ah well, I can't wait to buy these. I just hope they aren't TOO expensive. :-\
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Cool!
http://red6.home.insightbb.com/Aliens/Astromech/
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Also a sucker for Astromechs, so I'm hooped.
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Sweet! Very Nice!
I will buy, even at $30 a pop or what-ever they charge, I love those fiesty Astro Droids! :)
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I might buy them.
Something like this is more appealing than a cup set. :)
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Whether or not I buy these depends completely on the price. If it's at the price level of the Clone 4-packs, they can forget it. If it's 25 bucks per pack, then EE might get my money.
The thing that stands out to me, and kind of irritates me too, is that yet again, there is no R5 unit amongst those 10 figures. It has been almost 10 years since that piece of crap R5-D4 came out, and they've done umpteen astromechs in that time period, but never once have they done an R5 (not counting the Star Tours thing, which I don't).
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I'm guessing and hoping that R5 will be making and appearance in the new line...or else there will be hell to pay
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Depends on the price. I will not pay more than $25.
Then again, I sucked it up and paid $33 for an EE clone pack, so what do I know.... ::)
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Lack of an R5 unit irritates me as well. We should get on EE's case for not demanding one as a condition of carrying the exclusive. But then again, when has the exclusives branch of Hasbro ever willingly done new sculpts?
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Well I read GH's report this morning. It sounds like these will indeed be about the same price as the Clonetrooper sets. Which actually made me shy away from buying a set. Mainly because I knew there would be plenty of other clonetrooper figures at retail with ROTS.
However, I may go for the droids because I can't see them putting many of these out at retail. Not that the clonetroopers in those sets were but let's face it there are plenty of clonetroopers to buy at retail. If you can't get the EE sets there are plenty of other options.
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I read the report as well. Sucks that they will be that high, i think i may still buy these though.
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5 droid repaints for the same price as 4 Clone repaints is at least an upgrade. Not much of one though, and unfortunately ordering a case isn't as interesting as it was for the Clones.
I want the astromechs... I hand it to Pawlus for a nice idea... I prefer them released throughout the line though like the IMperial astromech or the R4 droid... I think repainted items are a mixed bag in that the prices they garner as exclusives makes you pretty pissed off that they're just repaints, and sometimes repaints are easier to take in moderation (see any/all discussion pertaining to the "final 12" ROTS figures).
I dig it though, that we'll have all these astromechs... I like that. I just think that EE overprices their stuff. I mean, if they sold the Clones at $6+ per figure when sold by the case, they obviously profited on them sold at that rate... so was $10/figure when sold by individual 4-packs REALLY necessary? I don't think so... And I stick by my guns that I haven't seen ANYONE put out a shot of 90 loose E2 styled SA Clones all lined up like dominoes... Call me crazy, but I don't think army builders jumped on that set like people want you to believe they did.
Anyway, the astromech set is a nice idea, ****** price again. Mixed bag of nuts, like the Clones were.
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LOL, and here I thought my 5 pack of "beloved Droids" would be a joke.
ok so my set had Missile R5, and 'ell endowed R2" , and Gonk.. so I guess it isn't the same. =p
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I noticed this over at GH today, don't know if everyone caught it...
From Adam Pawlus:
Why no R5-D4? No mold. I asked. I didn't want to see the "Attack" mold again, and I assumed you felt the same way-- if you did want it, well, my apologies. You can blame me here. I don't like the Attack mold and will do everything in my power to prevent you from having an opportunity to buy it again, which basically boils down to you not seeing it in these sets.
So, the answer for why no R5-D4 - they wanted to use pre-existing molds for these guys and couldn't get them to make a new mold/sculpt. >:(
Here's hoping we get a new R5-D4 eventually...
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Really...all they would need to do is make a new head mold. I don't see why this is difficult...oh wait...$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
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So what astromech mold are they going to be using for these packs? Were these shown at the presentation or at the booth or anyplace else at the Con, or is it another one of those "top secret projects" that Hasbro's always going on about?
BEST CASE SCENARIO: Mold used for body is either the R2-Q5 or R4-G9 body mold.
THIS WOULD KINDA SUCK SCENARIO: Mold used for body is the R2-D2 Naboo Escape or the R2-B1 body mold.
THE OH NO THEY DIDN'T SCENARIO (comedy option, I hope): Mold used for body is the 1995 POTF2 R2-D2 body mold.
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From a customizer's POV, not all current astromech molds are compatible... How does that translate into potential GOOD news for us?
Well, the R3-T7 dome, I don't THINK, is compatible with say the Naboo R2 body... However the mold for the Star Tours R3 exists and wasn't terribly different than the Naboo R2 body (if not identical) so they have a stationary R3...
To me ideal would be, even though I dislike the wheels, the R4 from the Preview Wave for ROTS. I'd dig seeing it, as the way the leg drops but the dome still moves completely without the feature hindering it makes it ideal. The little wheels are a bit silly to me, but the figure has the best overall sculpt for an astromech. The back-up incase the R3 dome isn't compatible (I doubt it would be) is R3-T7's highly articulated body for the R3 droids.
I'm surprised no R4 ("Real" R4's, like M9 and stuff) aren't on that list if I recall... That'd have been cool.
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I call bull**** on that R5-D4 remark. They've already made an R5 mold from the Star Tours figure (one of the best Astromechs ever made, IMO), and it could easily be modded to be a movie accurate R5-D4 (just need to get new "eyes" and add two antennae).
As for the sculpts in the set, I hope they don't use the ROTS Sneak Preview body, I'm in the minority in that I don't like the "turn head, move third leg" action feature, as he can't freely move his head. I'd prefer for them to use the Bar2-D2 sculpt, as well as the R4-M9, if they're making any of those.
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Yes
I will be all over those 2 packs
Finally something good from hasbro
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At least AP fessed up as to what happend with the R5 units. I mean, what would we rather have if a new mold was just not possible, no R5's or the POTF2 mold? I hate to say it, but under those conditions, I think they did the right thing. Otherwise we'd have another carded Wedge on our hands.
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But again, all they need to ******* do is mold a new head...or glue the two pieces of the existing mold together. It should not be as hard as it has been
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Here's some pics that are just awesome speculating on what they might look like, I believe these were put together by Darth Tedious -
Imperial Astromechs -
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Tedious1/ImperialPack.jpg)
Rebel Astromechs -
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Tedious1/RebelPack.jpg)
:P
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Cool, thanks for the photo, Chewie (and to Darth Tedious for putting everything on one place). It's nice to be able to see what we'll probably be getting since for reasons unknown, Hasbro didn't seem to want to share these at the SDCC.
I can honestly say that the only way I will not buy a set of each is if they don't use either the R2-Q5/R4-M9/R3-T7/Bar2-D2/ or R4-G9 body/head sculpts. In other words, the only way they will not get my money is if the Naboo Escape R2, POTF2 R2, or the Episode I R2-B1 sculpts are used as the basis.
I'm just hoping EE puts up a case assortment listing soon so I can see if anyone wants to let me go in on a case with them. ;D
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Hell all they need to do for R5-D4 is to tinker with the Star Tours version a little bit. I think Hasbro is just trying to make sure a big demand is built up before they release it. They want to make damn sure it sells somewhere before committing to it.
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This one had me pretty excited. I've been wating for them to put out somthing like this for a while now. I'd like to say I won't buy it if it's too expensive, but I know I'll cave. I'm a sucker for astro droids. As for R5, I tend to agree with Darth Broem, they're probably trying to build up demand for him, though I'm really hoping we'll finnaly get him in '06. Who knows maybe they'll release an all R5 repaint 5 pack after that.
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It's an interesting situation really... "tweaking" the mold to a toy is a bigger process than one can imagine. It, as is my understanding, usually requires a new mold anyway, it's just based on an established sculpt. Not sure on that, as I don't know specifically how capable Hasbro's manufacturing facilities would be to actually just alter an existing mold, but I know other companies are not capable of doing that... So I'd think Hasbro would be limited in that way, but who knows.
Scott's right though, it boils down to it being more work than just ordering the manufacturer to alter the paint application order...
One could say, "well yeah, but it'd cost more", but the reality is that the profit margin on sets like this is so spiffy for Hasbro, that it is a bit frustrating that one new "tweak" isn't done. I doubt a new head mold for astromechs would really make the sets less of a success for everyone involved, ya know?
Another factor though, and maybe a good one to NOT get R5-D4 in these, is that maybe Hasbro felt R5 should be a basic figure... sorta released en masse. I know customizers will have a field day with the figure when it's eventually released... Astromechs seem to be kind of popular, and almost like army builder figures. Just a random thought.
I agree that the dome wouldn't cost them enough to be cost prohibitive... Those sets are profit with really negligible costs. That's what sucked so bad about the EE Clone set's price to me. Short of them being REALLY limited production items, which I don't bite.
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This is kind of a neat idea, and if there are some new molds sprinkled into the sets, they'll have a winner on their hands...of course, the price will have to be somewhat reasonable which is the part that worries me.
These sets might be great for a person like me who doesn't have a lot of astromech droids.
And I hope they don't go crazy on the packaging, the clone sets were WAY overdone - we wanted white mailer boxes and got freakin gold (double boxing adds A LOT of cost to the product).
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Pawlus mentioned in the GH Q&A that his original description of the figures in the SDCC report was incomplete, so he updated with some more details on them. Long story short, it looks like Hasbro is using a trio of molds for the astromechs, namely the R4-G9, R4-M9, and R3-xx molds, which makes me very happy.
With this news, I'm definitely getting one of each set. This is one of the most welcome ideas I've seen in a long time. :)
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OT - I appluad Adam's decision to leave RS and form his own website which has a loyal following. In doing so, he has partnered himself with EE and Hasbro thus creating a name for himself.
Kudos to Pawlus for seeing the writing on the wall, taking a chance, and making it work.
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These are kind of a neat idea I think, and I might bite on these sets. The price might not be great, and that would be the only thing that would give me pause, but we all like more Astromechs, and this is a neat way to get a whole mess of them at once. Nice surprise, and could be pretty neat.
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There is only two more Astromechs (outside of the R5 units) I would ever want to see:
(http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r3o1/images/c.jpg)
(http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r2a5/images/R2-A5b.jpg)
I think they could do a 5 pack of R5 units...
Imperial Black (http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r5a1/)
The one in Mos Eisley (http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r5a2/)
Red Leaders (http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r5k6/)
Jabba's From Ep I (http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r5x2/)
R5-D4 (http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r5d4/)
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This is kind of a neat idea, and if there are some new molds sprinkled into the sets, they'll have a winner on their hands...of course, the price will have to be somewhat reasonable which is the part that worries me.
And I hope they don't go crazy on the packaging, the clone sets were WAY overdone - we wanted white mailer boxes and got freakin gold (double boxing adds A LOT of cost to the product).
The packaging will most likely be fancy window box because Hasbro and EE both know that if it's in a fancy window box they will appeal to the packaged collectors more than a plain white mailer box.
And, according to the info I recieved today, there are no new molds in this set just re-paints of existing molds.
Imperial Pack:
R3-T6 = PotJ Sneak Preview R3-T7, repainted white with red markings
R4-E1 = PotJ R4-M9, repainted white with red markings
R4-A22 = PotJ R4-M9, repainted white w/orange markings
R2-Q2 = RotS Sneak Preview R4-G9, repainted gray with white/black markings
R3-T2 = RotS Sneak Preview R4-G9, R2 colors with red dome
Rebel Pack:
R2-A6 = RotS Sneak Preview R4-G9, repainted white with green markings
R2-X2 = RotS Sneak Preview R4-G9, repainted black with white markings
R2-C4 = RotS Sneak Preview R4-G9, repainted white with red markings
R2-M5 = RotS Sneak Preview R4-G9, repainted white with yellow markings
R3-Y2 = PotJ Sneak Preview R3-T7, repainted green with white markings
as always, while this is the current plan, all info is subject to change by the whim of Hasbro
Jeff
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Here's some pics that are just awesome speculating on what they might look like, I believe these were put together by Darth Tedious -
Imperial Astromechs -
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Tedious1/ImperialPack.jpg)
Rebel Astromechs -
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Tedious1/RebelPack.jpg)
:P
Freaking awesome!!!
i dont care if they are just repaints, these will rock hard!!
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OT - I appluad Adam's decision to leave RS and form his own website which has a loyal following. In doing so, he has partnered himself with EE and Hasbro thus creating a name for himself.
Kudos to Pawlus for seeing the writing on the wall, taking a chance, and making it work.
I assume you're not talking about GH, Travis, since Mike Sullenger is the guy who "formed" that site (like CSW before it). Adam just does the Q & A and reviews there (but doesn't participate in the community/forums at all). Maybe your talking about that "16bit" site that he does though...
But yeah, kudos to him (and anyone else for that matter) for being smart enough to leave RS. Cool astromech idea too.
Now if Adam would kindly refrain from smugly telling me "I don't need to grill Hasbro, 'cause I know everything that's coming out in the future" (at the Q & A), then all would be honky doree. As if I hadn't already seen and heard that a hundred times already... :-X
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Now if Adam would kindly refrain from smugly telling me "I don't need to grill Hasbro, 'cause I know everything that's coming out in the future" (at the Q & A), then all would be honky doree.
He actually said that to your face? Holy ****, that takes balls (and apparently, a bit of an oversized ego).
He really doesn't fit with the rest of the friendly GH crew.
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I will say this and be done with the matter in public: If I can't say something nice about someone, I just won't say anything at all. :P
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Hmmm, I guess I'm confused then.
So it's Mike that runs GH and works with EE and Hasbro?
Why does Adam's name always come up when there are talks about EE exclusives and what not? Is he not the one who is spearheading the whole thing??
???
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Hmmm, I guess I'm confused then.
So it's Mike that runs GH and works with EE and Hasbro?
Why does Adam's name always come up when there are talks about EE exclusives and what not? Is he not the one who is spearheading the whole thing??
???
Mike Sullenger owns GalacticHunter.com. From the GH Staff Page:
"Mike Sullenger
(Creator, Editor-In Chief, Photographer)
Michael Sullenger is best known for his previous creation, the popular Star Wars collecting website CollectStarWars.com, which along with its Bounty Hunter Collective discussion forums, grew into a popular spot for collectors online for more than two years. Galactic Hunter is a result of his vision and desire to not only provide a good resource for news and information on Star Wars collectibles past and present, but to build a community online which collectors can call home."
Adam Pawlus is one of Mike's Staff Members over at GalacticHunter.
Again, from the GH Staff Page:
"ADAM PAWLUS
(Associate Editor, Reviews, Q&A)"
Recently, Adam took a job working for EE as a catalog writer. So, Adam now works for both GH and EE, giving them an in with EE and ultimately Hasbro. It is Adam's job with EE that got him involved with the Astromech set, that's why his name is popping up.
And just to clear things up EVEN FURTHER, Adam Pawlus is not ADAM (aka Adam May) who built the Tradefederation.net website and occasionally pitches in to help them out with news from time to time.
Hope that clears things up for ya!
Jeff
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Didn't Pawlus help "design" the Clone 4 packs too?
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Thanks for clearing that up guys!
I guess I was wrong in saying that Adam started up GH.com - but he is the one that left RS and works for/with EE.
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Set 1 (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/aff-home.asp?id=JE-405087801&number=HS87056)
Set 2 (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/aff-home.asp?id=JE-405087801&number=HS87057)
Sets 1 and 2 Together (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/aff-home.asp?id=JE-405087801&number=HS87055AA)
Full Case (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/aff-home.asp?id=JE-405087801&number=HS87055A)
They do look good, but will be pricey. Luckily they come out when I'll have some Christmas money. Or better yet, I'll get them as a gift.
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Thanks for the heads up! This tidbit of news is now on our front page. 8)
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The droids themselves look great and I would hope that all of the R3's have transparent domes, the pics for R3-T2 and R3-Y2 don't appear to be that way. What I find funny is that a pack of 5 astromechs will cost $40 + shipping ($8+ per fig), but a pack of 7 figures (the Bounty Hunter set) will only cost $35 + shipping ($5+ per fig). How the hell does that happen? ???
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$40 or so a crack? Easy pass. I like droids, but not that much.
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Wow. $40? Time to put down the pipe, Hasbro. Good lord.
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Holy ****... That price, good god. ::)
These seem to be more than the Clone sets, or am I wrong? Maybe not. Maybe it's just that astromechs in general seem like so much "less" figure. I mean, they don't come with anything even.
I'm reluctantly going to go in on one set in a case, IF I find a case to get in on with my local buds... If not, I'm potentially going to pass I think... :-\
As much as it pains me (I'd like them a lot), this set somehow feels like even more of a butt-**** than the Clone sets were. I still don't have an Episode 2 Clone Army because of those things... A mere handful an army does not make. Price kept me from picking those up as much as I wanted, and I'm really gonna have to ponder what to do on these astromechs.
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Somehow I'm not suprised. >:( ::) If you go in with 4 other people it comes down to about $6 each plus shipping, and $60 for both sets; which isn't too bad considering basic figures are $5.88 around me. Still overpriced since these won't be coming with any accessories. >:(
Why the **** does Hasblow do this? they lose so many customers, those sets should have cost $25, $30 tops. >:(
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It's buying individually that really is the stinger in the whole thing... I feel for ANYONE inable to get in on cases with their local friends. That's what makes things a bit more pallatable.
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I'm sure someone will eventually chime in and state that EE has to make their money on selling the item and while that is true, that in my eyes does not justify the price, here's a few reasons why.
1.) Average retail price of one carded figure over the life of the line has been $5, so I'll be using that as a basis. Note that currently the average price is around $6, but prices do tend to fluctuate during a movie year.
2.) The overall costs (R&D, production, packaging, shipping, etc) to Hasbro of the figure tend to be more about $4. Commonly the packaging of a figure costs $1 or so (someone please correct me if I'm wrong). That means the figure itself only has a value of $3. I'll get back to packaging in a moment
3.) The expenses in creating new figures in this case are wiped out as previously existing molds are being used, thus no new toolings will be needed and production can start immediately. If a quarter of a figure's value is from the R&D process, then a figure has a value of $2.25
4.) While never before seen paint ops are being applied to these droids, all are similar to previously seen paint ops and as such have a negligible cost increase to the production of an individual figure and thus the value of it.
5.) Assuming these will be coming in a box similar to the Clonetroopers 4-pack, there is a cost in the design and construction of the box. We'll say that those costs are 3 times as much as those for a card, thus equating the box value to $3
What we see then is that for a boxed set of 5 astromechs, the cost of the set from Hasbro's pov should be ($2.25 x 5) + $3 = $14.25.
Now marking that up for a retail sale per unit for Hasbro, would be ($4 x 5) + $3 = $23.00.
Commonly, retailers will try to get a 25% markup to make profit, so the average cost for sale should be ($23 x 0.25) + $23 = $28.75.
This final value still exceeds the purchase of 5 carded figures at the average retail price, but is a respectable value since EE needs to make profit.
Now I know my numbers are probably off, but I'm willing to bet they're in the general ballpark (again if someone with more concrete information can chime in that would be great) as such I have to ask where is the other $11.24 coming from? Is Hasbro charging EE a fortune when selling these items to them or is there a huge markup going on? Or is it more down the middle?
Please keep in mind that I am trying to determine a logical analysis to how this price was established. It may help myself as well as others decide, if it's worth purchasing the sets or not.
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I'll be the first to step up and say that the price doesn't bother me. These are so obscure, that we're lucky to get them. I thought that the EE clone sets were overpriced because they were an item that could have done very, very well on cards, but Hasbro never offered them. It was almost like Hasbro knew how much we wanted colored SA clones, and held back from releasing them on regular stores.
With the R2 units, well, this set would tank at retail.
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They are obscure but they are still expensive. Hopefully I can get these loose down the road for inexpensive.
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Good lord! $40 plus outlandish shipping charges for 5 droids!! No new tooling!!??
But I'll be the first to bitch and the second to order....
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I really like these sets, and would like to get them...but with the price I'm not sure I'll be able to. I guess it depends how much Christmas spending ends up being this year, and what else is out at the time. Its frustrating, because they look like neat sets...but $40 for these seems a little high. We'll see...they do look neat though.
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And I thought the Clone four packs were overpriced. ::)
I'm completely with Corran on this one. There is absolutely no reason for these packs to be as expensive as they are, and it reeks of gouging. EE has always priced things a bit higher than they should, and this is getting into the ludicrous range to say the least. These figures required no new tooling, not much R&D outside of finding out the paint schemes themselves, and this doesn't even include the statement that Pawlus made about Hasbro not wanting to put an R5 in the sets because they would have to make a new mold.
Obviously they wanted to put forth the smallest amount of effort for the highest possible return. With EE and their already exhorbitant prices, they've found their perfect retail partner so they can gouge, gouge, gouge away. >:(
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This set is so overpriced it's not even funny.
Adam Pawlus should be ashamed of himself for even promoting this set as something that "everyone" is going to "love"
$40 for FIVE repaints with absolutely NO accessories and NO new sculpting.
At most these sets should cost $30 if you buy ONE and then go down from there if you purchase them by the case.
Sure I'm bitching and I'll eventually put in my order, but I won't be doing for these what I did for the clones, which was buy an entire case - that's another ridiculous thing - a case of these is 5 sets of two?!?!?!!? Four sure, 'cause then I could buddy up with someone like Matt who might want two of each set, but FIVE?
I'm more inclined to just take it up the ass and get two of the two-packs for $74.99 each. At least then you get a $2.50 on each set of five.
I wish Hasbro would put an end to this ****. This is price gouging at its best and eventually it's going to drive even the most die-hard of collectors away from the line.
Compared to the way things were in 1995, there are so many OTHER collectible items competing for our Star Wars dollars, you would think Hasbro would be doing this to make sure the collectors stay, not things that make the collectors want to jump ship and move to collecting something else.
Look at it this way. If you're like me and you get two of everything, these two sets will cost $150 plus shipping. Why not take that same money and buy the first three SideShow Toys 12" figures which are supposed to be at most $50 each. Sure, I'm going to do both, 'cause I'm nuts. But if I was in a cash crunch, I'd pick the 12" figures from Sideshow Toys.
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These seem to be more than the Clone sets, or am I wrong? Maybe not. Maybe it's just that astromechs in general seem like so much "less" figure. I mean, they don't come with anything even.
They seem to be pretty close to the price of the Clones.
The Clones were $300 for a Master case (12 boxes of 4 figures - 48 figures at $6.25 each).
The Droids are $300 for a Master case (10 boxes of 5 figures = 50 figures at $6 each).
When all is said and done, ordering by the case is the way to go.
When you order that way, each box of droids will run about $34 (with UPS shipping) or $6.80 per figure. When I ordered the Clones by the case, each box ended up at $28 (with UPS shipping)or $7.00 per figure. In other words, they are pretty dang close in price.
So, if you've got local guys or even trading pals, you can save quiet a bit of cash. For example, if you order a set (1x each box form EE) it would run you about $85 (shipped the slowest). If you order by the case, it works out to closer to $68 (with faster UPS shippping).
That's a savings of at least $17, so even if you have to pay another $5-6 for re-shipping to split a case, you are still saving money!
Jeff
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Adam Pawlus should be ashamed of himself for even promoting this set as something that "everyone" is going to "love"
Without getting into mudslinging, I'm just going to report the facts:
1. He works for Entertainment Earth
2. He had a hand in the creation/development of these figures
3. He gets paid regardless of what EE charges for them
4. He probably gets a discount on these figures as a result
5. He couldn't care less how much they cost as a result
And this is just pure speculation:
6. If someone complains about the price, he'll make a snide remark toward them and say that people are overreacting.
(edited to remove some tactless statements by me)
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4. He probably gets a discount on these figures as a result
No disrespect intended here at all, but if he's got half a brain, he's probably getting a master case for free as part of the deal. My guess is he's bright enough to latch onto some of the prototypes as well. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest I could come up with anything cool of this sort, I'm not nearly so obsessed, but if I were at that point, I'd be looking for free figures, prototypes and money on top of it all.
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Without getting into mudslinging, I'm just going to report the facts:
1. He works for Entertainment Earth
I have read Adam's Q&A for years. I always enjoy reading it for his info and his humor. When I found out that he was working for EE, I no longer look forward to reading it. Why? 'Cause now you have to wonder, is he hyping certain things in the line or certain exclusives (like this droid trainwreck) out of a love of SW figures or now because he works for EE? It would be like a movie critic making his own movie (yeah right) and then writing a review of his own movie.
2. He had a hand in the creation/development of these figures
Again, if he was an evangelist of the collecting community and had gotten Hasbro to make this set independent of a specific on-line shop, then I would be giving him HUGE props for doing so. As it stands, really all he did was suggest to Aaron and/or Jason Labowitz that they should do something like this, Aaron and/or Jason probably asked him to pick the droids and then EE went to Hasbro building on the relationship EE and Hasbro have had over the past many years. Adam saying he had a major role in this is like a NJ house-frau who gets designers and contractors to completely renovate her home with her husband paying the bill and then brags to her friends that "she rennovated the house" - in reality all he did was pick out paint schemes.
3. He gets paid regardless of what EE charges for them
4. He probably gets a discount on these figures as a result
5. He couldn't care less how much they cost as a result
Again, this is a big sticking point with me. I'm almost starting to wonder if his "swami" was one of the guys over at EE who get to see what's in the pipeline six-to-twelve months in advance. Of course he could give a rats ass about how much these cost 'cause he would be a complete RETARD not to work into his contract as a "benefit" that he gets one of each case that comes down the pike. If you look at the "About Us" page on the EE site, this is EXACTLY why Aaron and Jason founded the company, and I quote:
We admit to being selfish when we started this business. We wanted to find a simple way to buy all of the new action figures and toys at reasonable prices without wasting our time. Our solution was right in front of us, similar to the big-box warehouse store model, we decided to sell full cases of action figures. Thankfully, we were not the only collectors who felt this was a good solution.
So there you have it, obviously one or both of the brothers at the helm take the cases that come in for themselves, so again, Adam would be retarded not to ask for the same treatment.
So I'm willing to bet that he gets the stuff for free, not at a discount or at cost, but FREE. Does he still talk about what he can find in his local stores? He used to mention that kind of thing in his Q&A all the time (i.e. what he found in the local Scottsdale, AZ Target, etc...) - if he stops or rarely mentions what he's seeing in stores in his answers that means that he is definitely getting open-stock items from EE for free and the only reason he hits a brick-n-mortar store is to pick up that chain's exclusive item.
6. If someone complains about the price, he'll make a snide remark toward them and say that people are overreacting.
He will.
You know what? What they should have done is follow-up their AOTC clone box sets with ROTS clone box sets for Utapau, Shocktrooper, 501st, Kasshyyk Green and Coruscant Gray/Blue Detailing variations. Just have all four figures be identical and all four of them based on SA Clone #41.
That is something I would pay for. I would also pay for clone commanders or concepts based on the Art of Revenge of the Sith. There's a seller on eBay who's been doing that pretty steady for the last two months and his figures NEVER sell for less than $125 - sometimes they even come close to $300. Here's an example of his work: Custom Commander Appo (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5991114347&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1)
If Hasbro could make a Commander Gree by just applying a new paint-op to SA Clone #41, they could do the same with Appo.
Before anyone slams me for the post, please realize that:
a) I know that it seems that I'm jealous of Adam, but I'm not, I just don't like the idea of him using GH as a forum to help him promote EE exclusives - especially overpriced ones.
b) I know that I am a completist by choice and no one forces me to buy two of every item, but at this point, with 10 years and who knows how much $$$ invested, two Astromech 5-packs aren't enough to make me stop collecting.
c) These pieces shouldn't be any more expensive than a BattlePack - $21 - $26.
It's times like this when I'm glad that I pre-order stuff from EE and then cancel it on their ass when I find it in the store first.
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No disrespect intended here at all, but if he's got half a brain, he's probably getting a master case for free as part of the deal. My guess is he's bright enough to latch onto some of the prototypes as well. I wouldn't be so bold as to suggest I could come up with anything cool of this sort, I'm not nearly so obsessed, but if I were at that point, I'd be looking for free figures, prototypes and money on top of it all.
No disrespect detected, Brent (if you were addressing that part to me). I don't hold any ill will toward Pawlus or anyone for that matter who is able to get an "employee discount" on anything, since such a thing is usually one of the perks of working there. I was just listing what I know and what I assume as a way of interpreting Pete's comment about him saying how everyone would "love" the exclusive and how his intentions might not be so much influenced by the product as his connection(s) to said product.
As for Pawlus himself, I will not engage in any mudslinging. All I will say is that he is walking a fine line between honest writing and commercial (as in advertisement) writing these days with his connection to EE and GH. At the point where he is no longer able to remain objective about things, he should consider if he is still writing his Q&A for the right or wrong reasons.
Does he still talk about what he can find in his local stores?
I haven't seen that come up in recent Q&As really, but I know that our own JediMAC has met him (Pawlus recently moved to California to work for EE apparently) in a Target recently, so who knows.
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OK, with the onset of these EE box sets, I was thinking of pulling all my little Astromechs out to display on one shelf. As I was compiling a list, I realized that we already have quite a few of these little guys!
R1-G4 (Saga) - does he count as an "astromech" droid? :-\ I'll count him for now because I like him...
R2-B1 (Ep1)
R2-D2 (pick one ;))
R2-Q5 (PotJ)
R2-R9 (Ep1 Queen’s Starship)
R3-A2 (TRU Hoth 4-pack)
R3-D3 (Star Tours Wave 1)
R3-T7 (AotC Sneak Preview)
R4-G9 (RotS Sneak Preview)
R4-M9 (Dk Green, PotJ)
R4-M9 (Lt Green, Star Tours Wave 2)
R4-R9 (TRU Imp 4-pack)
R5-D2 (Star Tours Wave 3)
R5-D4 (PotF2)
That's 14 different Astromech paint schemes already! I guess they came out over time so I never really took the time to count them until now. So, when you add in the upcoming Astromechs:
R2-A6 (EE Box 2)
R2-C4 (EE Box 1)
R2-M5 (EE Box 2)
R2-Q2 (EE Box 1)
R2-X2 (EE Box 2)
R3-T2 (EE Box 1)
R3-T6 (EE Box 1)
R3-Y2 (EE Box 2)
R4-A22 (EE Box 1)
R4-E1 (EE Box 2)
R4-P17 (RotS #64)
That's 25 unique Astromech paint schemes! :o
Plus, you could give the TRU Silver R2-D2 a new name and throw him out there too... that’s 26 (25 I guess if you don't gount R1-G4 as a pure Astro-droid).
That's going to make one mighty fine display shelf to see them all lined up in a row...
Jeff
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Geeze, these are pricey. I'll get a complete set though and open it.
:P
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Does he still talk about what he can find in his local stores?
I haven't seen that come up in recent Q&As really, but I know that our own JediMAC has met him (Pawlus recently moved to California to work for EE apparently) in a Target recently, so who knows.
Yeah, I've run into Adam at one of our local Targets, and I've actually seen him mention at least several times in his recent Q & A's (since he move to L.A.) how much harder toy hunting is out here in SoCal, with all the scalpers and dealers and such... So it's safe to say that he's still looking for some product at least. He was looking for the new Target cupsets when I last ran into him, so maybe it's just the retailer exclusives he has to track down. Or, it could still be everything. I dunno.
6. If someone complains about the price, he'll make a snide remark toward them and say that people are overreacting.
Well, he might say something in his Q&A, but that would be the extent of it. He doesn't participate in the forums though, so it'd be highly unlikely that he'd ever speak up in that format. I think that's something that's always struck me as odd about him, that he has absolutely no interest whatsoever in being a part of the greater collecting community, and making friends and/or participating in discussions in the forums. Not sure why that is exactly, other than perhaps he doesn't like mingling with the "commoners". Just speculation on my part...
I was a HUGE fan of his newsletter way back in the day. I don't think there was a collector out there who's heart didn't skip a beat when they found that waiting in their e-mail inbox. That's where most all of the breaking scoops and new information came from during the mid/late 90's. I have no idea how a 14/15 year old kid had such incredible inside connections back then, but he sure did, and I loved reading all about it.
But since then, I haven't found any of his Q & A's to be nearly as exciting. Just answering a lot of the same ol', same ol' questions. But since he's joined EE, I've grown a tad bit tired of his frequent proclomations of "being in the industry" and "I know everything, but can't tell you anything since I'm sworn to secrecy" stuff. Yeah, I get it. The first few times were more than enough to make me remember. Thanks. I guess the fact that I've talked to him numerous times in person and he never has any idea who I am (despite the usual re-introduction everytime), bugs me a bit too.
Now, back on topic, I've got to say that personally I love these Astromech multi-packs coming from EE. I've wanted to see something like this for a long time, so I'll at least give Adam a little credit for pitching the idea to EE (granted, it's just some repaints yeah, but still). Would've loved some R5's in there too, but as has already been noted, a good R5 sculpt just didn't exist for them to use. But hey, at least they didn't go "clean" and "dirty" on the droids this time, like they did on their prior Clone sets, so that's cool.
As for the price on them, seeing as it's very much in line with the prior Clones, I can't fault them on consistency there. Also, I think we have to remember that stores (smaller retail, or e-tail) that don't get stuff in mass bulk like the big boys do, usually have to charge a slightly higher amount on figures to compete. But on the flipside, obviously the production cost would be lower on these, since they're just repaints, and there's no new molds involved. As Jeff and others have already pointed out though, the way to go is by grouping up with a few others and ordering a case of these. Much cheaper that way, and hell, they basically come all the way down to current retail figure prices if you do that (with a painful shipping cost though). But it is a bummer that folks that would like to avoid all that, and just want to order a couple sets, have to get gouged a bit on the prices.
Anyway, Adam may not be the friendliest fella, and his ego's getting a tad bit too big these days for my liking, but that aside, I definitely dig the Droids a lot, and am happy to see them coming, so kudos to team EE for getting them out to the collectors like this.
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Matt, I do kind of have to disagree with you on the pricepoint issue. Sure they don't push product in the amounts a Wlamart or Target might, and they are more specific, but they also do not have the overhead that those stores have. That's why Amazon is able to have prices lower than the brick and mortar stores they compete with.
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Matt, I do kind of have to disagree with you on the pricepoint issue. Sure they don't push product in the amounts a Wlamart or Target might, and they are more specific, but they also do not have the overhead that those stores have. That's why Amazon is able to have prices lower than the brick and mortar stores they compete with.
Actually, Matt is correct. It is Hasbro who dictates in per item price of any one piece. So if you're a retailer who wants an exclusive and you get 50,000 of them that will be one price per piece, but if instead, you're a bit braver and you make 100,000, the price per piece goes down.
While these aren't the exact numbers, I'm betting that EE can't order on the same quantity level as Target or WalMart so they don't get as good of a price per piece as the big stores would.
As good/bad as EE is for getting things, Amazon is a MUCH BIGGER company than EE. Just because a lot of SW collectors rely on them along with some collectors of other choice lines, that doesn't mean that they are even remotely at the same level as Amazon. What they are however, is the biggest independent online e-tailer you can get SW stuff from.
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My opinion stands that htey're pricey unless bought by the case, but even then they feel like "less" than what you got with the Clones when bought by the case. I don't know why, they just don't feel substantial by comparison, and as such the price stings a bit more...
A key to remember is that if EE can sell a case, and bring the "per-figure price" down to $6-ish, then they're profiting at that price and really the individual and double-pack offerings are mark-ups on EE's part, not Hasbro's... The Hasbro minimum is probably the case per-figure price though, which is right there around retail... Granted, they're not the most "substantial" things either. Some accessories would be nice, at least...
Not to mention, as always, that astromechs are sculpts the company has... The cost to manufacture an item you already have mold toolings for is SUBSTANTIALLY less, so the profit margin is much more in favor of the company than any newly sculpted item.
I love the sets myself, I think they look neat, and at $6-ish a figure for repaints I can bite and not feel bad (getting in on a case with local friends is the key though there). It's the separated pieces that really stings though. At LEAST buying one of each set should only cost you $6-ish a figure. Breaking up the sets though to buying only a single one of the two, that is a risk for EE so I can see slight increase there.
I've found a group I can go in on a case with locally so I'm thinking I will get my set... That's cool. The good thing with astro's is I only want the one set too... In that regard I definitely still dislike the Clone situation MUCH more. I wanted such an army of white Clones and never have gotten it thanks to the absolutely ****** way in which that exclusive was handled. I hold much more resentment there.
And personally, I don't see many pictures of 100 Episode 2 Clones all in a row like I see of other BETTER released army builder figures... Seems like that set just wasn't as much meant for "army builders" as people boasted it was. And the only people who suffered were the army builders who could only sit by and watch. That's what I'll always resent EE for on those sets.
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R1-G4 (Saga) - does he count as an "astromech" droid? :-\ I'll count him for now because I like him...
R2-B1 (Ep1)
R2-D2 (pick one ;))
R2-Q5 (PotJ)
R2-R9 (Ep1 Queen’s Starship)
R3-A2 (TRU Hoth 4-pack)
R3-D3 (Star Tours Wave 1)
R3-T7 (AotC Sneak Preview)
R4-G9 (RotS Sneak Preview)
R4-M9 (Dk Green, PotJ)
R4-M9 (Lt Green, Star Tours Wave 2)
R4-R9 (TRU Imp 4-pack)
R5-D2 (Star Tours Wave 3)
R5-D4 (PotF2)
That's 14 different Astromech paint schemes already! I guess they came out over time so I never really took the time to count them until now. So, when you add in the upcoming Astromechs:
R2-A6 (EE Box 2)
R2-C4 (EE Box 1)
R2-M5 (EE Box 2)
R2-Q2 (EE Box 1)
R2-X2 (EE Box 2)
R3-T2 (EE Box 1)
R3-T6 (EE Box 1)
R3-Y2 (EE Box 2)
R4-A22 (EE Box 1)
R4-E1 (EE Box 2)
R4-P17 (RotS #64)
Nice list Jeff! I think over time you can lose track of how many of these little rascals you have. I think the R4 unit from the Imperial Forces 4-pack is actually R4-I9 though. I'm just going by memory on that one. :)
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I think the R4 unit from the Imperial Forces 4-pack is actually R4-I9 though. I'm just going by memory on that one.
Your insight serves you well, Nick. :) The R4 is definitely R4-I9, as I had to dig up the name in my own records a few weeks ago myself.
R1-G4 (Saga) - does he count as an "astromech" droid?
I've always counted him as one, although I'd hate to see the starfighter he was supposed to fit in. :D
And thanks, as well, Jeff for reminding me of the Naboo Royal Starship astromech's name (R2-R9). I'm writing that down so I never have to remember it again. :)
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Well i think they are a bit pricey, but i placed the order for both sets.
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The R1 is considered an astromech, but they were used aboard larger starships rather than as snubfighter counterparts. Incidentally, the R1 reused the shell of the Mark II reactor drone.
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FYI, Big Bad Toy Store has the sets available for preorder for a few dollars less.
Both Sets for $69.99 (http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/toystan.asp?Queryid=pr717)
Shipping with them is always $7, and it'll probably arrive faster than EE. I may just order it from BBTS...
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Forgive me for a dumb question ... How do they do that if it's an EE exclusive? Are they buying them by the case, and reselling them at just under EE's price?
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Forgive me for a dumb question ... How do they do that if it's an EE exclusive? Are they buying them by the case, and reselling them at just under EE's price?
That's the only thing I can think of that makes sense. As we established earlier the sets are $30 each plus shipping when you buy by the case, so they must get the cheapest shipping so the can profit and they they set their shipping costs high to make up more money.
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Retailer discounts would be my guess.
The EE clone packs made it down under courtesy of a local etailer here.
So i would imagine you will see other etailers with these sets cheaper than EE once they get their stock.
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I guess i will cancel my EE order and go with BBTS, save a little money i guess.
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My son really wants these and I do think they're cool, I like the little astro droids. So from what I've read in the article they won't ship until Dec, is that right?
I haven't pre-ordered anything before, has anyone had a bad experience with pre-orders getting messed up?
Would it be a wise choice since these are "online exclusives" to go ahead any buy these now instead of waiting til later in the year?
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My son really wants these and I do think they're cool, I like the little astro droids. So from what I've read in the article they won't ship until Dec, is that right?
I haven't pre-ordered anything before, has anyone had a bad experience with pre-orders getting messed up?
Would it be a wise choice since these are "online exclusives" to go ahead any buy these now instead of waiting til later in the year?
If you pre-order from EE you'll have no problem getting the sets.
If you pre-order from someone else, like Big Bad Toy Store, you might be okay - but it's entirely possible that they may over-sell what EE is letting them purchase and then some of their pre-order folks may be left out in the cold.
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Ok - so this morning I decided to check out Adam's Q&A for the first time in about six weeks and this was in his closing remarks.
Hasbro, if you're reading, I hope you're considering (or reconsidering) R5-D4 for 2006 or 2007. I have never seen this kind of flood of email demanding a figure see production from the original trilogy short of maybe Tarkin, Wedge, and Slave Leia back in 1996. The fans want R5-D4, they want him as a new figure (or the R4-G9 body with a new lampshade dome), and after you do that, they also wanted me to let you know they would be very happy if you would repaint it in the various very striking color schemes used throughout the Saga. (Maybe one every several assortments. Astro repaints are cheap and fans love them.)
Ok - so here's the part that cracks me up, it's this line:
Astro repaints are cheap and fans love them.
I guess they're only cheap for Hasbro to make and EE to buy, not for the fans who have to buy them at EE's outrageous prices!
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Exactly! Sculpting is the most expensive part of the process. Painting costs as much as it does to pay an artist to paint up the figure, even if they spend one whole week per astromech, it's still dirt cheep.
The prices will always be based on the MSRP of an individual figure, no matter how cheep or expensive it is to make. And if it's an excusive, forget it, every retailer knows they can charge more just for the heck of it.
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Just to say this up front: I love Galactic Hunter (http://www.galactichunter.com) and I visit their site regularly, because (with the exception of JD of course ;D ) they're one of the most reliable sites on the web when it comes to SW collecting. I think that Michael Sullenger and Adam May and the rest of the crew do a wonderful job there and I hope they continue for many years to come. So no offense to those guys at GH at all. :)
There's actually a point in the Q&A that I was marveling at his thinly veiled use of semantics to avoid the cost of the EE packs. Let's take a look, shall we? :)
While basic carded figures are the heart and soul of Star Wars collections worldwide, they don't make for great exclusives-- me, I'd rather see more multi-packs of figures if most (or all) of the figures are new enough to be cool.
Now, this I agree with. I don't like the idea of a basic carded figure being an exclusive, especially if it's an army builder (like the Target Clone) or a unique figure that isn't a repaint. He had me up until this point, and then the laughter ensued.
In recent history, individually carded exclusive figures were priced at levels that, frankly, I don't care for-- $10 at Toys "R" Us for a holographic figure, or free with purchase? $12-$16 for Wedge? $13 or so for Holographic Leia or Holographic Emperor? Color me cynical, but I don't much like those prices.
Of course you don't like those prices! Since those figures are exclusives to someone other than Entertainment Earth, you would have to pay actual retail for them and, you know, have to communicate with the plebians in the collecting community you avoid contact with so much in order to locate some of them! How dare Hasbro not cater to your individual wishes! ::)
Are the figures overpriced? Sure, they're overpriced, and I don't think anyone will deny that. But the approach that he seems to be taking is that exclusive figures that cost more than a basic figure being sold at retailers other than EE is bad, while those sold at EE for exhorbitant prices is a-okay. And he further cements this with this little gem:
If you can get the price down to $8 or less each in a multipack, it's a little more acceptable, if all the figures in the pack are OK.
So, just a minute ago, 10 bucks for a Holographic Yoda was bad, bad, bad, but 8 dollars for a repaint in, say, a five pack of figures exclusive to Entertainment Earth is perfectly acceptable. Sure, fine, whatever you say oh sage of the SW collecting world. ::) I have to admit though that this one paragraph has shown perfectly (if a bit subliminally) how the conflict of interests between work and hobby is starting to take its toll on people. :)
Also, for those of you who might be saying, "I don't get that he's condescending toward his readers at all" just check out these little gems from this morning's Q&A:
As far as other Jedi, well, keep asking Hasbro when you have the chance to bring it up. Write them letters and be sure to ask nicely, because I could care less and won't be asking for them myself.
Nice (grammatically incorrect) insult there, isn't it? Also, way to imply that your opinions are the only right ones and the only ones that you will support (he does this several times, discounting the support for any KOTOR figures while saying how Kir Kanos would be his big choice, as if that would sell any better than a KOTOR figure). ::) I'm curious how he knows what fans are talking about and what fans want considering, from all reports and observations, he doesn't take part in any fan communities, not even the GH forums.
It actually took me a good while to get through the Q&A due to the obstructed view created by the huge ego floating in front of it. ;D
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Crap, I just tried the $10 coupon that was posted on the main page about a week or so ago and it doesn't work....go figure.
Anyone else have any luck?
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I'm curious how he knows what fans are talking about and what fans want considering, from all reports and observations, he doesn't take part in any fan communities, not even the GH forums.
Painful, isn't it? "It appears [his] hypocrisy knows no bounds." ::)
Crap, I just tried the $10 coupon that was posted on the main page about a week or so ago and it doesn't work....go figure.
Anyone else have any luck?
The $10 off coupon at EE is only good for in-stock items. Unfortunately, pre-orders don't count. :-\
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Ok - so this morning I decided to check out Adam's Q&A for the first time in about six weeks and this was in his closing remarks.
Hasbro, if you're reading, I hope you're considering (or reconsidering) R5-D4 for 2006 or 2007. I have never seen this kind of flood of email demanding a figure see production from the original trilogy short of maybe Tarkin, Wedge, and Slave Leia back in 1996. The fans want R5-D4, they want him as a new figure (or the R4-G9 body with a new lampshade dome), and after you do that, they also wanted me to let you know they would be very happy if you would repaint it in the various very striking color schemes used throughout the Saga. (Maybe one every several assortments. Astro repaints are cheap and fans love them.)
Ok - so here's the part that cracks me up, it's this line:
Astro repaints are cheap and fans love them.
I guess they're only cheap for Hasbro to make and EE to buy, not for the fans who have to buy them at EE's outrageous prices!
Some extra fuel to add to the proverbial fire, from today's Q&A w/ Adam...
As such, allow me to make a couple of things known regarding the upcoming droid exclusive, as many of you seem to think that this item should have been included in this set. First, it's no secret that this, like the Clone Trooper set, is essentially a big box of repaints. It is possible Hasbro might make some modifications to the molds, but these sets came into being based on the limitation that they were repaints, which means, no mold changes.
So there we have it, outside of new paintjobs, there have been no changes made to the figures, which considerably reduces the cost of production on these figures. Well I guess that leans us towards the answer of who decided on the high price of these droids.
Edit: Had to fix the subject header to more accurately represent the overall topic.
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Anyone have any coupon codes for EE that CAN be applied to pre-orders?
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::)
These sets have now been delayed until January 2006.
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HS87055AA (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HS87055AA)
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Hmmm.... I'm ok with them being delayed. My budget is very tight right now.
:P
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They look nice though.
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::)
These sets have now been delayed until January 2006.
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HS87055AA (http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HS87055AA)
Good news, bad news. Lots coming in the fall, January is better.
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I agree. These will be a nice way to kick off the New Year, I can wait till then. I'm liking them more each time I see the pics.
Hopefully it will be successful enough for the people at the big H to do more. I know they seem pricey at 5 for $40.00, but they seem well enough done that I can live with it.
Now they just need to do the Astromechs of all the Rogue Squadron Pilots...
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God, I hate to say this, but really the price isn't that bad.
When you consider how much gas money you'd spend to find all ten variations at retail, it's in-line - from a certain point of view! :P
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God, I hate to say this, but really the price isn't that bad.
Yeah, there is a bit of sticker shock for sure but it really isn't so bad if you can find buddies to go in on a case with you.
The gang in the MN thread went together on a few cases (3) of the droids from EE, and the final cost works out to about $336 per case or about $34 per box of droids. That is $68 (including shipping) for 1x set #1 and 1x set #2, which is $6.80 per droid.
Really, that's about the same as a buying a RotS figure at TRU - $5.99 plus tax = $6.41 - and that doesn't even include the fact that there is no hunting involved, they are just delivered right to you.
Sure, maybe they should be cheaper since they are just repaints with no accessories, but EE knows you are getting exclusive droids in a fancy exclusive packaging.
Anyway, IMHO for about the same price as retail, it really isn't too outrageous. :-X
Now, of course if you get stuck buying the set for $75 plus $10 shipping and paying $8.50 each per droid (after shipping), well yeah - that totally sucks. :(
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And I'd be one of those suckers paying $75 plus shipping! :'(
I was going to ask if I could go in on the cases that you so kindly bought for everyone in the MN thread but I assumed that you guys get together and split the bounty vs. shipping them out to everyone.
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I was going to ask if I could go in on the cases that you so kindly bought for everyone in the MN thread but I assumed that you guys get together and split the bounty vs. shipping them out to everyone.
Yeah, they will most likely be divvied up at a future MN Club meeting once they arrive in order to avoid re-shipping. However, there were a few grubby Canadians that wiggled their way in there too. :P
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I'm gonna pass on these for now ($40?!?!). I'll get them later down the road.
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My beef's the latter part of your statement Jeff... Individual sets shouldn't sell for that much. EE should be divvying them out for better than that considering it's not like the Clones where they run the chance of being stuck with one set over the other really... It's just down to gouging in my eyes then.
The Clones... I'm still bitter over that. An army builder set you can't really army build with, without paying an arm and a leg to do so. Not cool. I lucked into finding someone who only wanted Officers so I got two sets and sold him the Officers and kept the troops... Gave me more than average, and when going in on cases like that it worked out great, but 16 white clones isn't as many as I WOULD have bought if these were truly "for the army building crowd" and were fairly priced.
Hell if buying a single set of astromechs was more fairly priced, I'd have bought 2 sets, but instead I'm getting one from the case the local guys got together on. Once again the price will keep me from buying as many as I WOULD have otherwise, just as with the Clones.
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Really, that's about the same as a buying a RotS figure at TRU - $5.99 plus tax = $6.41 - and that doesn't even include the fact that there is no hunting involved, they are just delivered right to you.
Sure, maybe they should be cheaper since they are just repaints with no accessories, but EE knows you are getting exclusive droids in a fancy exclusive packaging.
Still...when you get multipacks, they should cost less per figure, not more (just look at the Saga TRU multipacks). Those TRU price quotes are a little high IMO.
And the fancy packaging doesn't cost them THAT much more...its like when they repainted the silver Fett and sold it for $10...did it cost more money to make this figure than other figures? No.
I'm not trying to be offensive at all, I'm just sick of seeing Hasbro try to gouge.
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Oh that's exactly what it is...gouging. They know people who want will pay the extra money for them though. Although it's kind of dumb since they could lower the price and actually sell more of the product and actually get some more money kind of how that little retailer Wal-mart made it big.
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I want to say something inflammatory here, so prepare thyself:
I don't think that there should be any difference between what EE charges for a case of toys and what they would charge for the same item individually. I keep seeing everyone (and I am not complaining about you guys in particular, just at EE) talk about how if you order a case, they end up being almost 2 dollars cheaper than if you buy one set of each separately. That's good for everyone who can actually afford to buy a case, but bad for those who can't.
Maybe I am looking at this from a communistic point of view (someone call McCarthy's estate), but just because some people can't afford to buy six of each at once doesn't mean that they should have to pay more for them. EE is basically saying, "Unless you buy 12 sets at once, you have to pay a higher price." And I can understand the argument that "you can make friends with people in your area and go in on a case together." The problem with that is that not everyone lives in a particularly large or friendly (or both) area, and may have to go online and beg people to let them take a set or 2 so they can actually get them without having to invest in some KY jelly.
There seems to be a lot of vitriolic sentiment in the collecting community these days against people who have jobs or who have families and aren't able to go out all the time to search for toys multiple times a day (I am not referring to anyone here, mind you, but you can probably guess who I am talking about). I'm glad that you are able to sit at home and collect a paycheck for doing something you love, but some people have to get up at the crack of dawn, go to a job they hate, just to be able to feed themselves, more importantly their spouse and/or children, and the last thing they want to worry about is making a daily trip to Target to see if they might have gotten that Commander Bly in today.
The point I'm making is that there seems to be a mentality among certain collector sects (especially in my area) that stresses competition over cooperation, evasiveness over honesty, and hostility over friendliness. Items are more and more being made for specific groups, as they are the only people who see them. Ebay is becoming the end destination for a rather large amount of the popular figures being released, and the old adage of collecting being a "hunt" is sadly becoming about as cutthroat amongst many people.
Hasbro knows that its product isn't getting to the people that want them, but they don't care. Retail makes just as much money (sometimes more when palms are greased) when one guy buys all 12 Clone Battle Packs as when 12 people buy one each, so they don't care. Entertainment Earth is given another popular exclusive that they have priced even higher than the previous overpriced exclusive, but as long as they make a dollar (or in their case, 40) they don't care. The whole "hunt" mentality has gotten to a point where a large number of collectors are out for themselves and **** everyone else who needs help, so they don't care.
One of the things I have enjoyed about JD and its forums is that there is no elitism, there is no division between the staff and the, well, forum members, and that there is a great sense of community and shared love for collecting. If I need something, I can count on someone asking what they could do to help, and if there is something I can do to help someone here, I am more than happy to do it. The sad truth is that we are one of the last bastions of this way of thinking in the SW collecting world, and that saddens me.
It is only through one of the nice people on this board that I might be able to get both of the astromech sets from EE, and I have thanked him before and I will thank him profusely if I am able to get my set of each when they are released. Were it not for his help, I would not be able to even get one of the sets, because EE has made it so economically unfeasible for me to get one of each. I can't help but wonder how many kids with internet access and no income feel when they see all the cool little droids and find out how much they cost. Hasbro goes on and on about how kids drive the line, but they continually market and sell items at a price point that no child could ever hope to afford?
I'm sorry to go on a rant like this, but when etailers are selling figures for a ridiculous price and other sites' writers are saying what a deal it is and how we should thank our lucky stars they are even made, it makes me ill. And again, none of this is directed at anyone here, because this is one of the only good places left these days.
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These look cool, but I would rather get a couple of the Imperial Droids carded. :P
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Well said DoctorPadawan :)
Its sorta like if they sold grape jelly in 40 gallon drums at Sam's Club (stay with me here). Yeah, you get a lot of jelly, but I only wanted a teaspoon. I was willing to pay the normal price for a teaspoon. But a teaspoon equals $6.50.
I hear what you are saying about the "hunt" dying. I remember going to Wal-Mart when I was little and having to pick up all those figures on my own, without Buy It Nows! and pre-orders. Yeah, while these are very convienient in some situations, it has diluted the hunt.
I remember seeing exclusives online when I was a kid and wanting them. How is a little kid supposed to be able to get some of these? I'm not trying to complaining, but some of these exclusives are definitely not "kid friendly".
I am glad I have refuges like this site to talk with like-minded collectors. With all the scalpers and jerks out there, its nice to know there are still decent collectors out there that care more about the hobby than the figures (if that makes sense).
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I can't help but wonder how many kids with internet access and no income feel when they see all the cool little droids and find out how much they cost.
I can help with this... I can tell you just how at least 2 little boys feel when they see things, go ape**** over wanting them, but then are deflated when I tell them A) it's too expensive, and B) their mother would gut me like a fish if we tried (successful or not) to get them this or that...
The Target Clone 5-pack... They saw it when I stopped at her house on the way home, the boys liked it and wanted one, I got "that look" and told them it's hard to find and costs a lot... They saw the Stealth Trooper over my shoulder one day while I was "working" here on JD, and the 8 year old went nuts and said he wanted two... I told him "you and every other guy... And these are $13 each so I don't think mom's gonna let you get this one".
Then they saw pictures of Rob's army and asked why I don't have that many figures. I hate you Rob.
And that's not even getting into me finding them what they want... Clones aren't exactly a dime a dozen 'round here so the boys have had some disappointment. Fortunately I bought with their birthdays a ways off, so I was prepared.
Anyways... Yeah, kids are disappointed by the exclusives, and even by the basic line itself. Hell, these two opened Clone 3-packs their mom bought them and immediately wanted them returned... "These don't move... They suck!" was the concensus from the back of the truck... I almost did a spit take laughing.
PS: You're welcome Dr. Padawan. :-X
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(http://www.picpop.com/gallery/albums/userpics/Bandwagon/bandwagon.jpg)
I second what all you guys said. :)
I think figures by the case should be equivalent in price to individual ones, except maybe for army building toys (like the clones) where you truly would be buying duplicates in bulk.
(Of course, in this model I'm assuming both the bulk price and the individual price are vaguely reasonable, not like certain recent exclusives. *coughcough* ::))
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Now with boxed photos… ;D
http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=HS87055A&id=JE-405087801#LargeImage
(nice signature Nate)
edit: just updated the link - Jesse
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Looking good, looking good! I can't wait for these to arrive.
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Buncha socialists in here. Sheesh, you guys all vote Dem? :P BTW, if you think socialism works, come on up here. TRU sells individual figures for $9.99 and the Evolution sets for $34.99. Yep, figures sold in multipacks cost more per figure than individually carded figures. ::)
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Late breaking news from Hasbro! EE Astromech sets (http://www.hasbro.com/starwars/pl/newsID.8F4DE70C-D56F-E112-4F504A19EB4C59CF/page.news/dn/default.cfm).
Way to be on top of things Hasbro. ::)
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I'm glad Hasbro annouced these things, despite my pre-order, I was waiting until it became official before I believed in their existence.
Exciting!
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does anyone know just when these little guys are actually gonna ship? I bought both sets for my son and I was just wondering how true "expected to ship in Jan" REALLY is??
we're really looking forward to them.
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In the latest EE news it does say this month
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I got the same notice, it basically said they're on the way.
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does anyone know just when these little guys are actually gonna ship?
I sent along an e-mail to our contact at EE, and here is what they had to say.:
Hello Jeff,
Thank you for your e-mail. Since these are being made exclusively for
us, and we ourselves just received the prototypes in December, and
because all of our dates are ESTIMATED, it may be pushed back again,
but we are still expecting to receive them sometime this month.
So, they are still on track for the end of the month (January), but you know how that goes... :-\
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thanks for the info jeff, I haven't bought anything as a pre-order before so I'm a little cautious. I'm still only sorta "comfortable" buying stuff on ebay so this buying a pre-order item online business is new to me. I can't wait for them, they look very cool! Oh and my son will like them too ;)
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I checked my pre-order this afternoon and lo and behold -
Estimated Arrival: February 2006
So much for the info from the e-mail and newsletters... looks like another delay. ::)
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Oh well at least they let you know. I still don't have my Early Bird set yet. Probably wont' get it either.
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I just got notification that my Astromech sets are ready to be picked up...I'll be grabbing them tomorrow morning, I think.
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I just got notification that my Astromech sets are ready to be picked up...I'll be grabbing them tomorrow morning, I think.
So, first they say January.... then a week later they reset all the pre-orders to read February... then 1 day later they start shipping them? ???
I guess they got the January shipment in, but maybe it's not enough to cover all the pre-orders?
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They probably don't have enough in stock to fill your eight case order Jeff!
;)
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They probably don't have enough in stock to fill your eight case order Jeff!
Hey, it was only four cases that I ended up ordering... :P
And, GH updated with this nifty picture today:
Clicky for Picture (http://www.galactichunter.com/photo.asp?image=image_bank/misc/0120dr-full.jpg)
Man, I can't wait to do that with all my little Astromechs when those sets finally get here (and on another note - boy will it ever be nice to swap the Saga R5-D4 for that PotF2 monstrosity ;)).
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Yeah, that picture definitely tempted me to order some of these too. I haven't so far because of funds and I wasn't sure I could justify the price...but with brick and mortar stores having a price hike and just seeing how cool they look all together like that, it is getting more tempting.
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My sets have shipped as well ;D
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My sets have shipped as well ;D
What bugs me is that when you look at the EE pre-order pages, all of the SINGLE boxes and the set of 2 show a January date and people are getting shipping notices. Yet, the "buy the case" pre-order still says FEBRUARY? :-\
I hope I don't have to wait for them to fill a bunch of single orders before I get my cases of those droids... ::)
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That's what's happening Jeff. I called EE to see if I can pick up my case, and they explained to me that they are filling the set orders first as they have not recieved their full order from Hasbro yet.
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That's what's happening Jeff. I called EE to see if I can pick up my case, and they explained to me that they are filling the set orders first as they have not recieved their full order from Hasbro yet.
So, basically they are filling the orders where they make the most money first? Lame. >:( >:( >:(
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Just got the email that my astrodroids have shipped! Hope they get here soon!!!
;D ;D ;D
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Didn't they get bitch slapped for doing this back a few years ago? They were selling cases at a show before they had even started to ship preorders to customers like me
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Didn't they get bitch slapped for doing this back a few years ago? They were selling cases at a show before they had even started to ship preorders to customers like me
The infamous 2003 Wave 13 case... don't even get me started on that one. >:(
I can see why they are doing it that way - a case has 5 sets for $300, but if they fill the "by the set" orders first, they get $75 per set or $375 for that same case. It's a way for them to get the money back on them the fastest.
It sucks ass though that those of us who chose the more economical route get penalized and have to wait... :(
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Yep, that's not very cool. I was hoping to pick them up this coming Friday, but that seems unlikely now.
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I need to order a set of these soon. That pic of all the astros lined up looks sweet. I think I'll wait until after all of the preorders ship though.
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Yep, that's not very cool. I was hoping to pick them up this coming Friday, but that seems unlikely now.
Are you going to be in town? :D
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I just got an e-mail notification that my case is reasy to pick up.
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Dear Rob Foster,
We thought you'd like to know that the following has been shipped to you:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Item#, Quantity, Name, Price, Extended Price
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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HS87055A, 1, Exclusive Star Wars Astromech Droid Action Figure Case,
$299.99, $299.99
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Subtotal: $299.99
Shipping & Processing: $0.00 (SUPER SAVER - USPS PARCEL SELECT)
(Previously Paid In Full)
Total: $299.99
Ship Date: 1/24/2006
Number of boxes: 1
This shipment completes your order.
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I just got an e-mail notification that my case is reasy to pick up.
We thought you'd like to know that the following has been shipped to you:
HS87055A, 1, Exclusive Star Wars Astromech Droid Action Figure Case
Good news... I hope I get my shipping notice soon. :)
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Good news... I hope I get my shipping notice soon. :)
Me too! ;)
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I went ahead and ordered one set today, don't know why I did, the price is just ridiculous. I guess they will look cool in various dioramas.
:P
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Rob - how did you get free shipping?
Just curious.
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Anthony, yep, I'll be driving down on Friday morning!
I just got an e-mail notification that my case is reasy to pick up.
Got mine as well. So it looks like EE is the first destination for Friday. Have some returns to do there as well.
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I went ahead and ordered one set today, don't know why I did, the price is just ridiculous. I guess they will look cool in various dioramas.
:P
I would LOVE to buy those sets but yeah it's just too much mula for me to spend on astromechs. Oh well.
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Picked my sets up and popped them open. It's just cool and exciting to see the different paint schemes. Bigg's Droids paint scheme is off though, as is the imperial R3 unit, I think.
Aside from a bunch of R5 unit's, I think we got all the major film canon Astromechs, don't we?
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Well, I guess EE finally worked their way up the food chain to the "mega-sized" orders like mine. :P
I got my shipping notice today, so my four cases of Astromechs are finally on their way and should be here next week!
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Holy Crapola man.
Jeff, should a spot open up on your end, someone I know is out a set and needs them. I have two sets for me and someone else lined up, but I just got a note about this so if something should come up, just let me know.
My sets are from BBTS I think, I believe that's where the local guy handling it ordered from anyway, so there's been a longer wait on ours locally. I sorta hope soon but I wouldn't mind if it went till March at this point, from my own financial standpoint, hah.
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Group Photo ;D
(http://us.a1.yahoofs.com/users/41ad84f9z5b16c61d/cba7/__sr_/676f.jpg?phQt92DBdw6tlsTD
)
I wish these things were a bit cheaper. I would love to pick up another set.
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Group Photo ;D
(http://us.a1.yahoofs.com/users/41ad84f9z5b16c61d/cba7/__sr_/676f.jpg?ph4jk2DBRh84lsTD
)
Pic no worky for me, just red X. :(
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There are a few Astromechs not made yet. Not counting the 6+ R5 units (Orange Mos Eisley, Red Leaders, Echo Base, Imperial, Naboo Royal Starship, Jabba's Boonta)
There are a couple of R2's and R3's
(http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r2g2/images/mosespaR2-2.jpg)
R2-G2
(http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r2a5/images/R2-A5b.jpg)
R2-A5
(http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/r3o1/images/a.jpg)
R3-O1
I'd love another 10 pack of these with the R5's and the remaining Droids
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Got my Astrodroids today! ;D
my son and I are very happy with them, half have the retractable middle leg activated by twisting the droid head, the others youhave manually push/pull the middle leg up or down.
very cool indeed!!!
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Wow. Where did that picture of R2-G2 come from? I have never seen that photo before, and I've seen them all! (Well, not all.) Very cool.
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Wow. Where did that picture of R2-G2 come from? I have never seen that photo before, and I've seen them all! (Well, not all.) Very cool.
Ive seen that pic and others at http://www.astromech.net
they have bunches of refrences photos of many droids as well as its own collecting and R2 building group from the looks of it.
That's how my son and I figured out which droid is which.
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I went ahead and ordered one set today, don't know why I did, the price is just ridiculous. I guess they will look cool in various dioramas.
:P
Wow. You know, Chewie, Red5sixx would give these to you at a better price than EE's retail...and since you're going to take them out, he'd probably ship them loose and save you on shipping costs.
I'd cancel your EE order and hit up Red5sixx.
-DD
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PM sent to you DD. Thanks, as always for helping me out. :)
:P
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Thanks DD,
I posted some in the classifieds section of the fourms.
Red5
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I'm sure this will be a tough order to fill, but if anyone is interested in selling just the OT astromechs, I'd buy them with interest for the trouble. Please lmk if there is anyone willing to!
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Rob - how did you get free shipping?
Just curious.
It wasn't free. I ordered 3 Wedge figures from them on the same ticket and was charged the entire shipping amount when the Wedges shipped.
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I sorta hope for a set with all the R5's now that they'll have that dome... I think it'll be hard to get just one set of just R5's though but man they have catching up to do on that model considering it's just now gonna get a nice new dome.
If they don't do the red/black rebel pilot R5 unit, I just don't know how I'm gonna paint one up myself... So I'm being greedy and just hoping for R5's at some point in a set like this.
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I'd love another 10 pack of these with the R5's and the remaining Droids
I got my mega-order of Astromechs yesterday and I totally agree - I'd be all in on another couple of 5-packs to get some R5s and a few more of the left-over R2 units. :)
For some reason, the dark Astromechs really stand out as great droids. The Queen's/Naboo Droids are all a little too "R2-D2-ish" in appearance, varying only in primary color, but the two droids with the totally different dark paint schemes really pop.
The R3 droids with the clear domes aren't quite as nice paint-wise as the previous 2 (Sneak Preview and Hoth Battle set). Still pretty cool to have though.
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I didn't order any of these yet, mainly because I kind of have to budget out my spending each month and wasn't sure if I could afford them. Every time I see pics online of them and hear people's comments though, it gets more and more tempting to get a set. Always nice to have a whole mess o' astromechs on display :).
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I got my set the other day and I have to say that overall, I am extremely pleased with these (might even be more pleased than some of the clones). I love the dark clones and my son has already thought of ways to use the one that might be a spy that was flying with Biggs.
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With these being an Exclusive.
It would of been nice if some of them came with data links, flip out arms, saws, sensorscopes and ect.
Or is R2-D2 the James Bond of AstroDroids... ;D
But, I'm looking into getting them...Anyways, I hope!
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These really are nice sets for what they are (repaints).
I almost flipped out when I removed the white mailer from the set with the black droid. He was packaged "backwards" and I thought he was missing the silver secondary paint that is on the front!
My 3 year old couldn't wait to open them, he thought they were all infrared controlled like the TOMY version I let him play with!
;D
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With these being an Exclusive.
It would of been nice if some of them came with data links, flip out arms, saws, sensorscopes and ect.
Or is R2-D2 the James Bond of AstroDroids... ;D
But, I'm looking into getting them...Anyways, I hope!
Well supposedly Anakin has made "modifications" to R2-D2. So, he may really be the James Bond of Astromech droids :)
I saw some group shots at Rebelscum. It kills me but I just can't plunk down the money for these as cool as they are. Maybe someday. I also need to get that imperial droid from the Empire set someday. I am way behind on astromechs now.
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I only want R2-A6 and R3-A2, so if somebody wants to split a set?
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I only want R2-A6 and R3-A2, so if somebody wants to split a set?
Check with Red5sixx- he was so cool to sell me just the OT astromechs I wanted. He might be able to sell you those!
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I'm sure this information exists somewhere in this thread, but I was trying to figure out which droid went with which scene and in which movie and I found this site:
http://scifi.about.com/b/a/187817.htm
It was very helpful.
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These droids are super-cool! Thanks again for being the local distributor Jeff!
I wish there was more than 1 imperial though... My display space is limited, and I can only have so many dioramas set up at a time. I need more "bad" droids for my death star.
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my sons favorites are the black and gray ones plus thw two conehead R4s in red and orange. We've found most of the droids on the dvds except the orange r4 who is suppossed by in or near dexters diner.
now that we're getting a decent r5-d4 we can hope for some repaint variants sometime or another.
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One thing that bugs me is Hasbro calling some droids Imperial. There was the R4 from the Imperial TRU pack, which is not an Imp despite his black/blue color. He was in the Yavin hangar rolling behind Han and Chewie while they were packing up. Then, R2-Q2 and R4-M9, both called Imperials, when they are both seen in Rebel areas such as Yavin hangar and Hoth hangar, respectively. Did anyone think, when seeing them rolling down the Tantive corridor in front of the captured rebel troops, that they were Imperial? I've always assumed those 2 were "marching" just like the captured troops. Isn't that an easier explanation, seeing how we see them later as rebels (or some identical to them)?
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I'm sure this information exists somewhere in this thread, but I was trying to figure out which droid went with which scene and in which movie and I found this site:
http://scifi.about.com/b/a/187817.htm
It was very helpful.
Thanks for that Rob. Here is perhaps the best astromech reference I've see:
http://www.astromech.net/Lists/Galleries/astromechs/Default.htm
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There's EU saying those droids were "imperial" but I don't necessarilly buy that either...
Also the black R4 unit was seen in a publicity still with R2-Q5 somehwere from ROTJ as I recall so I assume he was in the Death Star Hangar somewhere but not seen in the film or barely seen if he was... They probably just re-used him to fill things out.
The others though that were rolling on the Tantive IV, I chalk that up to just some asinine EU writer wanting to make everything, no matter how insignificant, interesting beyond what it probably was or should have been.
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I really like these, and am enjoying them. I like the various details that are included with them. I have an extra set I thought was sold locally, but I waited, and waited tonight and the guy no showed me.
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These are GREAT. I only ordered one set, and probably don't need another, but if EE were to this every year with different paint jobs and add the upcoming R5-D4 mold or even the R5 from Star Tours and I would buy it again.
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I'd go with that too Paul... They could dish out the R5 head then, which is sorely behind in the astromech running. I want that orange R5 from Mos Eisley dammit, and I REALLY want the red/white/black R5 Rebel Pilot astromech for Red Leader...
I'd buy at least one more set if they included those. The really complex and unique looking paintjobs are the best reason to get the sets, then all the other less complex or outstanding paintjobs are kind of just gravy.
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Digging up an older thread here, but I still haven't picked up these Astromech sets (although I've wanted to). I just wanted to touch base with those of you who have had these for awhile, what do you think of them overall? Are they worth it? I see that EE still has them in stock, so I've thought about ordering them sometime soon if the budget allows - and I was wondering what everyone thinks of them. Its always fun to have more astromechs, and hopefully I can get ahold of these eventually. Is one set "better" than the other, or is it best to have them all? I usually lean more towards OT stuff, especially with higher priced exclusives, but with the astros it doesn't seem to matter as much. Anyways, just looking for some of your opinions, if you have any.
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Personally, I like both sets equally. R2-Q2 and R2-X2 are my favs and the happen to paint both their designs on the sweet astromech sculpt that has the working wheels and the middle leg retracted fully into the body.
It's tough to go wrong with either set.
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I don't think that I could pick one set over the other. Both sets have a mix of OT and PT droids and both are great.
I would love to see them crank out another 2 sets next year. There are still a ton of color schemes for R2/R3/R4 droids to do, plus there's the fact that with the R5-D4 sculpt done, they could mix some new R5 Droids into the sets too.
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These are nice sets. A bit pricey but worth it IMO. I would like to see at least one more set including:
R3-A2
R4-I9
Red R2 from the Starship
Probably 3 of the best pack-in figures Hasbro has ever done.
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Get both sets as they are pretty cheap on the secondary market. That's the thing with this hobby, if you wait long enough you can often find a good deal....
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I agree wholeheartedly that both are equal to me as well... I'd get both. Honestly I'd like 1 more of each as it stands but they're pricey enough I am holding off on it. Great scene fillers though, no doubt.
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They really do add a lot to a loose collection. I'm not sure I would get them if I wasn't an opener-
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I'm not sure if anyone is still in the market for these or not, but tfaw has both sets on sale for $33.74 each.
http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Star-Wars%3A-The-Saga-Collection-Action-Figure-Set-Astromech-Droid-5-Pack-Series-1-___217972
http://www.tfaw.com/Profile/Star-Wars%3A-The-Saga-Collection-Action-Figure-Set-Astromech-Droid-5-Pack-Series-2-___217973