Author Topic: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?  (Read 3550 times)

Offline Vote for Chewbacca the Wookiee

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Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« on: October 15, 2004, 10:56 AM »
According to the listing from the Target computers posted on several sites, it appears that Target is jacking the price up two dollars.
Between cost of living, the agravation of finding maybe a dozen figs all last year and the cost of driving to stores, I almost abandoned collecting. If the price is going up to $7, I can't stay in this.


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Offline Mister Skeezler

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #1 on: October 15, 2004, 11:12 AM »
That'll just plain ******* suck.
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Offline Jeff

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #2 on: October 15, 2004, 11:12 AM »
Yeah, we were talking about this over in the DPCI thread...

EE upped their prices for case purchases to $79.99, which works out to about $6.75 each.  That was the first indicator that the price on these figures was going up...

There is hope though.  Remember that the early Saga 2004/OTC figures were listed at $5.99 in the Target computers, but eventually dropped to $4.99 when Wal-Mart droped their prices.

I'd say that the primary reason that the Target computer has the price listed at $6.99 is because that is Hasbro's MSRP on these 2005 figures.  Target ALWAYS initially lists things in the computers at the MSRP, that is their policy.  

With that said, I wouldn't be though surprised if the price comes down to $5.99 (or even $5.49) as Target and Wal-Mart price battle over the holidays,

I do think that after Christmas of this year we'll have seen the last of the $5 figure price-point.

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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #3 on: October 15, 2004, 01:42 PM »
When the AOTC figures first hit they were $6 at Target and $5 everywhere else except Kmart/KB - so I still have hope.

 :P

Offline CorranHorn

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #4 on: October 15, 2004, 11:13 PM »
When the AOTC figures first hit they were $6 at Target and $5 everywhere else except Kmart/KB - so I still have hope.

 :P

I surely hope you're right, but as I said in the other thread, Hasbro has shown recently that they can get away with increasing the price on figures (the VOTC) and not be concerned with the fanbase suddenly not buying the figures. Plus think of all the fair-weathered fans and the kids who will buy the toys, they aren't buying them right now so they don;t know how much they go for now and thus have no comparison point. A shrewd move by them, but it only makes me want to wait more for the inevitable clearance sales.
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Offline Vote for Chewbacca the Wookiee

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #5 on: October 17, 2004, 05:31 AM »
When the AOTC figures first hit they were $6 at Target and $5 everywhere else except Kmart/KB - so I still have hope.

 :P

I surely hope you're right, but as I said in the other thread, Hasbro has shown recently that they can get away with increasing the price on figures (the VOTC) and not be concerned with the fanbase suddenly not buying the figures. Plus think of all the fair-weathered fans and the kids who will buy the toys, they aren't buying them right now so they don;t know how much they go for now and thus have no comparison point. A shrewd move by them, but it only makes me want to wait more for the inevitable clearance sales.
Regular sales and clearances (neither happen much anymore) kept me in the game through the great price hikes of '98 and '99. But if I'm expected to shell out $6 or 7 a fig next year, then I'm out of the game.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #6 on: October 19, 2004, 01:27 PM »
I can pay $6 or $7 per figure - but I will be very limited in what I buy if they go over $6.  I'll still get one of every figure I'm sure, but will limit my army-building and definitely stay away from much custom fodder.

If they are smart, they will keep the retail at $5.  That really helped the EP2 figures sell better than the EP1 ones in my opinion.

 :P

Offline Brian

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #7 on: October 19, 2004, 01:39 PM »
I'm really hoping that the figure prices stay the same, but it isn't sounding that way.  I think Jeff hit it on the head, the days of the $5 Star Wars figure might be over post-Christmas.  I could still pay $6-7 a figure, but I think I'd limit it more as well, especially if they are $7.  That's just a lot for a figure that size, unless they are all VOTC quality.  I was hoping/planning to do my best to limit myself to the best figures come ROTS time anyways, and passing on things like the Arena Padme, Outlander Anakin, etc. of the AOTC line.  Last time I bought just about everything that first month or two, and now I realized that I didn't necessarily need it.  I hope to shop with more discretion this time around, especially with the higher pricepoint.  $5.99 I can handle, if it gets to $7-7.99, that is getting a bit much.  I'll still buy some, but much more limited I think.

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #8 on: October 20, 2004, 01:26 PM »
I don't think it is reasonable for those days to be over, simply by looking at what can be had for the $6-7 price range.  Two very popular lines right now, Marvel Legends and LOTR are right in there.  The figures are, for the most part, better sculpted, better articulated, better accessorized (this is open to argument).  I think the paint app argument is open to debate, I've seen a number of crappy figures in all three lines though from that standpoint. 

Packaging costs shouldn't be dramatically different, unless Hasbro is planning on continuing with the background idea into the Ep III cardback style.  I don't think that's happening, so they really shouldn't be much different than the cards the LOTR come on.  LOTR uses the large twisties, Hasbro the small elastics, so the labour component should be similar. 

From a volume of plastic (and quality?) both other lines surpass Star Wars quality and size.  I've no droopy accessories from Toy Biz, the same cannot be said for Hasbro. 

I think it's simply a captive audience response - they know they have one more big shot, so go for it while they can. I think CorranHorn summarized that aspect quite nicely. 

For me, again, control is the issue.  I'll hopefully buy this crap down the line.  At the same time though, since most of my stuff is purchased down in the US then shipped to me, given that the Canadian dollar is up 25% roughly over the last two years, it more than compensates for the increased price and having figures shipped up in reasonably large shipments is still cheaper than buying them at retail locally.  How sad is that?
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Offline Snively Bandar

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Re: Figure price getting jacked up to $7?
« Reply #9 on: October 26, 2004, 02:40 AM »
While I'd obviously prefer the figures stay at $5, many of us have stated we'd be willing to pay a buck or two more if the figures had more articulation and better detail.  Based on what we saw last week with the ROTS prototype figures, it kind of looks like Hasbro is surprisingly headed down that path.  So if they stay the course with figures like that, I think I could maybe tolerate a slight price increase if I have to.  Target may start out at $7, but I think TRU and WM may come in at a dollar cheaper, so Target will eventually get with the program and drop their's too.  Just hope there's some OT figures in the mix somewhere, and not just all ROTS!