30AC Star Wars Comic Packs

[Darth_Anton]

Hasbro just got greedy, they know these are popular so they raised the price. This is of course in direct controdiction they used when they introduced these last year. They said the reason why they could sell these at the 10.00 price range was do to the cheaper packaging. I can see them rasing the price to 11.00 but this 20% Increase is just insane, and nothing they say can convince me otherwise! 

So all the news plastered all of the news about safety recalls doesn't even leave room in your mind for the possibility that Jaybird's reasoning could be the culprit?

They knew people would start to collect these, get them hooked, and then they would have no choice by to buy them if they wanted to complete the series. And of course how can they explain away the fact they did not introduce any new packs since the new year started, so why are the packs that cost 9.99 last week ( meaning they were in they were produced last summer) so what is the excuse? I think Hasbro has some explaing to do, and when you consider that the 25th G.I Joe figures and the G.I Joe comic packs are being priced at 9.99. 

 

This has be cover a thousand times before. Gi-Joe doesn't have a licensing fee to tack onto the MSRP. Plus your supposition about waiting for the '08 packs to hit before starting the new price simply isn't how retail/ purchasing works. New fees, even if planned, often start at the start on new business quarters or in this case, the business year.

It will be intresting to see if TRUS and Walmart keep last years price, or will they raise them? Remember that Target was the only big box store to see the vintage at 11.99 while the rest were 9.99.

Not true, WM was the only store at $9.99.

I will agree that 20% is a bit much. 

[Darth_Ice]

I hate to break the news but Hasbro was already using the highest "standard" when it comes to the issue of safety. I was watching a news program last month, and they pointed out there is a symbol on the package that represents what is called the "European" standard which is the highest "standard". So I looked and found that symbol on the Star Wars stuff.

[Jayson]

I hate to break the news but Hasbro was already using the highest "standard" when it comes to the issue of safety. I was watching a news program last month, and they pointed out there is a symbol on the package that represents what is called the "European" standard which is the highest "standard". So I looked and found that symbol on the Star Wars stuff.

Yep, and it costs money to maintain and build upon those high standards. We pay for a "premium" product. 

[Diddly]

I haven't seen any at Target for a while but I saw some Comic packs at WM for $10.88 today so looks like the price increase is everywhere.

[Jesse James]

I think there's slight truth to both points...  Darth Ice points out the "vintage" figures, and I think that's a valid point that Target does try milking something as best they can for the most they can, which simply takes them out of competitiveness for me...  The same will apply to the comic packs where they seem like they'll be a full $1 more than Wal-Mart, even if WM price increases...  At least in my neck of the woods that seems to be the case as I saw them for $11.99 compared to a possible (haven't seen comics at WM in ages) $10.88 price at WM... 

The price increase isn't a shocker though, like Jeff said.  It's just disappointing to see it jump more than it was supposed to jump at Target...  They dance on the K-Mart realm of pricing at times, depending on the item.

The other disappointment is that, while the comic 2-packs are often neat, the price was what made them so to an extent.  Villie as a figure is cool at $5...  At $6 he's dropped from cool, to nice.  If he jumped to $7, he would be disappointing I think.

That is true across the comic line in general though...  Dark Woman is the Het set stinker, and she wasn't great to begin with IMO.  So the price increase kind of knocks her down a few pegs as a figure.  Sets like the Commando/SBD will still be cool, Obi/Alpha are still a value IMO, etc.  There's a fine line though, where my utility for the dollar has been maximized with some of the sets I think.  It's the accounting experience in me I guess that makes me view things so intricately, and with such scrutiny. 

Anyway, basics are still $5.88 at WM here, so I'm still happy there...  I hope that doesn't change.  I stomached the $7 price all year, but the drop at WM is just great while it lasts.  Kind of makes up for the rest, and it's just ideal for getting the extras as that $1 mounts up fast.

[Darby]

The comic packs are 12.19 at Target here, which is within reason (still about $6 a fig, less including the comic) but I was spoiled at $10.  If the price of basic figs goes over $7, that is it.  No joke.  I will be out.  There is no justification for it, especially when Hasbro delivers the same product in other methods for less (comic packs, battle packs, evolutions, etc.)

[CHEWIE]

If figure prices continue to rise (and I'm sure they will, steadily over time) then hopefully my salary increases will help offset it.  Or I'll just scale back a bit.

[Darth_Anton]

If figure prices continue to rise (and I'm sure they will, steadily over time) then hopefully my salary increases will help offset it. 

Depends on your job. Wage increases, for the most part, haven't kept up with inflation and the cost of living since the late seventies. 

[Jeff]

I am going to reserve my judgement on the Comic Pack price increase until I see how it pans out.  Hasbro told us that the reason they were increasing the price was to give us more articulation in the new sets:

We will be raising our pricing (and suggested price to $11.99 SRP) in 2008 in an effort to be able to provide some more articulation.

If that holds true, and the figures in the 2008 sets have more articulation on average than the 2007 sets did, then I'm fine paying a few more bucks.  But, if the articulation doesn't go up as promised, it will be very disappointing... 

[DoctorPadawan]

I am going to reserve my judgement on the Comic Pack price increase until I see how it pans out.  Hasbro told us that the reason they were increasing the price was to give us more articulation in the new sets:

We will be raising our pricing (and suggested price to $11.99 SRP) in 2008 in an effort to be able to provide some more articulation.

If that holds true, and the figures in the 2008 sets have more articulation on average than the 2007 sets did, then I'm fine paying a few more bucks.  But, if the articulation doesn't go up as promised, it will be very disappointing... 

Like Jeff, but more pessimistically, I'll believe the increased articulation/value for the price increase when I see it.  A lot of the figures we've seen rumored listings for (and those over the past year) have needed minimal new sculpting or tooling, so I'm curious as to how they can justify a two dollar increase across the board (at least at Target) on figures like the Duro and human Rebel Stormtroopers (two new heads and two new hands between them; the rest was already done), the Luke officer and female officer (again, a new head for Luke and previously done tooling), and the SBD/Commando packs (SBD is the same as 30AC, and all the Commando has new is a new backpack).  I think the first signal of how these are going to be, quality-wise, is the Thrawn/Karrde pack, which should have two super-articulated figures for 12 bucks.  If one of them is lacking ball jointed knees or elbows, that's going to be a huge red bull**** flag for this price increase in my eyes.

Oh, and don't be surprised if, before too long, Hasbro stops putting the comics in the packages outright but keeps the 12 dollar price tag because, "fans have continued to ask for characters from video games and novels that have never appeared in comic books so we have listened; look for "super fantastic 'original' artwork featuring these characters as a collectible backdrop in the new "EU Two Pack" assortment!"  They'll also probably pick that time to cut back on the articulation due to increasing production costs, and we'll be getting 12 dollar two packs with no comic, back-to-basics (or below) articulation, and poor character selection. 

Oh, and the sky is falling. 

[Jesse James]

I'm all for a bump in articulation on the comic packs, and if that holds true then the price bump doesn't bug me much.  Dampens the fun of getting 2 figures for cheaper than usual, and Hasbro can deliver more for less I believe, especially in the multi-pack area, but whatever.  I mean, they have made up many costs by simply repainting a lot...  All the Marvel sets are repaints, the Commando/SBD set, the Obi/ARC set...  There's lots of re-used stuff amidst all that.

I'll take the bump for the quality it should deliver, but I'm with Dr. P that I'll believe it when I see it as well.

Sometimes the bump wasn't even necessary...  Hell, look at X-Wing Luke...  Hasbro did its classic, "let's articulate ankles, but not knees", maneuver that hasn't made sense since 2005 when they started the practice.  That set would've had a bit more value to it (IMO) had they done something that made more sense, but whatever.

Hopefully things pan out well for collectors...  It's been a good line, I'd hate to see it offed by simple inflation.

[Force Guy]

No complaints from me as of yet.  Picked up the Fett/RA-7 set earlier today at Wal-Mart for $9.88. 

[Darth_Anton]

The WM exclusives are priced lower anyway.

[Morgbug]

Canadian perspective:

Basic figure price:
Walmart: $8.92
TRU: $9.99

Comic 2 packs:
TRU: $16.99
Zellers: $14.99

Whatcha all complainin' about?  12% tax added onto those prices too. 

We now return you to your proper thread topic...

[jedi_master_sal]

Canadian perspective:

Basic figure price:
Walmart: $8.92
TRU: $9.99

Comic 2 packs:
TRU: $16.99
Zellers: $14.99

Whatcha all complainin' about?  12% tax added onto those prices too. 

We now return you to your proper thread topic...

That's the same argument that Europeans will give as well. Fact is, it's still more expensive than we Americans are used to. Gas has climbed to over $3 a gallon...We'll never stop b!tch!n about the price, regardess of what others are paying. Just a fact of nature from our perspective. lol