Author Topic: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?  (Read 4344 times)

Offline Morgbug

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Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« on: November 24, 2008, 04:33 PM »
Just wondering, but it is seeming to me that their product is suddenly very, very cold.  The older, mostly limited stuff still holds some value on the secondary market, notably the AOTC busts, but not much else.  Most collectors seem to have figured out that just waiting a bit means that you can get anything newer at 25% off MSRP at a minimum and often 50% or better.  Not much is selling for retail and that just can't be good.  If the retailers cannot make any money on it, then they likely are not going to carry the product going forward.  I'm not a fan of some of the price points, but these aren't Hasbro plastic products either.

Animated maquettes run greater than 25% off. 

Bustups are pretty much dead period.

Mini-busts are not really selling all that well.  The Galactic Marine PGM offering is still not sold out, so the PGM really isn't that big anymore.  There seems to be some horrible information on various collecting boards and I'm not sure if that's intentional by GG or whether collectors are just not paying attention.  Over at Scum there was much talk of a very limited run of the Galactic marine with only 300 being offered to PGM members.  Well, turns out the edition size is 3000 and they maybe sold only 1000 at the event in England.  Much ado about nothing would accurately describe collector panic on this one.  Same too for the Airborne trooper with an identical edition size of 3000.  Sold out quick at SWS.com, but pops up every so often (anyone need one, I have three on order ::)) and four hours after going up on the PGM offering is still available (as is the Marine that went up Friday :o).

At least the animated maquettes are sort of selling well, though lots are pretty cheap secondarily as well. 

The classics busts were an unmitigated failure.

The Customz I don't know how they did, but I gotta guess they weren't much better than the busts if at all. 

Statues are selling at 50% off their MSRP on the secondary market, if that in many cases. 

I know this place is pretty dead with respect to GG (and there is a similar sidebar to a thread at Scum) but I'm curious what people here think the future holds for them?   I'm looking forward to a number of products that are still to come out in the future, but I have to confess I really wonder if those products are going to make it to market.  Tie Pilot bust, Snowtrooper bust, Obi animated maquette are all on my 'want' list and I'll buy them.  But will they make it out?  What do you think?
Minivans: a sign of the apocalypse.

Offline Brian

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2008, 04:47 PM »
I'm far from an expert on all of the Gentle Giant stuff, but I thought it seemed like things have really slowed down lately.  I've always been a fan of their mini busts, animated maquettes, and some of the statues - but haven't been able to afford the majority of it.  Recently (within the past six months) I've been able to start grabbing more of these products just because of crazy sales on things (through Gentle Giant's own site in many cases).  I'm slowly building up the mini busts I wanted to grab, but haven't paid more than $20 for any of them really.  There's some other OT-based ones I'd like to get, but I'm kind of playing the "wait and see" game you mentioned to see if the prices drop even further on them.  I've picked up three of the OT animated maquettes for $40 each, and hoped to get more until the budget has recently had to get narrowed.  I had been watching a number on ebay, and it looks like almost all of them can be had for less than retail for the most part - and even the Yoda/R2 exclusive was reasonable at times it seemed.

For awhile, I was watching some of their regular statues as well (thinking that Han and Luke on Taun Tauns would be nice "bookends" in a movie room I'd like to have someday), and although I won't likely be picking them up anytime soon, they even went for about half the price on ebay as well (those are other items I'm watching for a sale on somewhere too).  Anyways, I could definitely see what you are talking about Brent, just from the few things I've been picking up and/or buying lately.  I don't know if it is the economy that plays a part as well, and higher end stuff in general is maybe struggling?  Maybe the enthusiasm is slowing down a bit too.  I guess I still look forward to some of it, mainly because I don't have much yet so there is still a little more of a "new line" excitement with it.  That being said though, unless I see some great deals I doubt I'll be buying much of it for awhile either.  The bust-ups are something I got into for a bit as well, but as you mentioned, that line seems pretty much dead at this point.

Offline Darth Kenobi

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2008, 04:51 PM »
I may get some heat for this but one of the biggest problems with the mini bust are the higher editions sizes. With the release of the ROTJ Vader (15000) and ESB Yoda (10000?) Gentle Giant started to screw up.  People saw these two bust and Han sale for $35 or less after they paid retail for them so now most people wait till the bust are out a bit since most of them will go under $40 on ebay.  Gentle Giant should of kept the edition sizes low like the AOTC bust at 2500 a piece, IMO, since these are suppose to be limited edition items.
I know there will be bust that I will most likely not have in my collection; Red AOTC Clone Trooper, Vader, Yoda, Jango Fett; and if I do want them I will have to spend more on them, which I have no problem with since they are collectibles/limited pieces.     
Hopefully the company still is around for a while so that we can still get some of the stuff that was shown at Comic Con and other places since it seems its fan favorite stuff that is being release.
« Last Edit: November 24, 2008, 05:05 PM by Darth Kenobi »

Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2008, 06:10 PM »
While I love the mini busts, this is one line I wouldn't be upset with if it just ended.

That would pretty much just leave me with the Hasbro stuff and that I'm drawing back on even further.

High prices and age have crept up on this, as well as saving for a new home.

Collecting in general may take a hit over the next 6 months for some people, with the economy the way it is.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2008, 10:18 AM »
Judging by the deep discount, er, Thanksgiving, sale and some of the products that are just sitting in stock (b/w Luke maquette for $40 (thanks Nick, I paid $90 >:( ;)) and other maquettes for a whopping $18, I'm going to go out on a limb and say oh-oh.   :-\
Minivans: a sign of the apocalypse.

Offline Darth Kenobi

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #5 on: November 27, 2008, 01:27 PM »
Judging by the deep discount, er, Thanksgiving, sale and some of the products that are just sitting in stock (b/w Luke maquette for $40 (thanks Nick, I paid $90 >:( ;)) and other maquettes for a whopping $18, I'm going to go out on a limb and say oh-oh.   :-\

Can't believe some of those prices wish I had some extra money to buy some of those bust for $20.  Hopefully GG will reorg. they business to what it was back in the beginning of the company's history with a few bust relasesed a year. 

Offline SITHSPAWN

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2008, 12:37 AM »
I think they'll still be around for awhile.  I just think they'll take some hard hits.  They need to just cut down to their Mini Bust and Statues.  Cut back on the edition size and make their exclusives more exclusive.  People want a collectible when they buy a collectible.

Even though I like the Kustomz line I'm sure it's next to bight the bullet.  Then the Animated Maquettes will probably be next.  That I don't mind as much though, I only have Bobas, Stormies, and Maul from that line.  Though they better put out Boba Fett w/ Han in Carbonite!  I really want that one for my collectiong, and I think others will too.  It should be a decent seller.

Offline Rob

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2008, 02:17 AM »
I see the secondary market prices are low and all, but if they're selling them to distributors, why would they care?


I haven't heard anything outside of us nerds speculating to suggest that they are having any trouble and they've just announced a barrage of 2009 product.  I'd guess that they're doing okay.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2008, 02:19 AM by Rob »

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2008, 11:09 AM »
I see the secondary market prices are low and all, but if they're selling them to distributors, why would they care?



I'll ask a different question then: how happy do you think retailers are sitting on product that won't sell at 15% off MSRP because tons of collectors are waiting to get stuff at 50% off retail pricing on ebay? 

I agree, I haven't heard boo about them being in trouble.  And yup, they've announced a boatload of new stuff (just like General Motors :-X) but if it isn't selling at the prices that retailers need to sell them at to make a profit, how much longer do you think they'll keep buying the stuff to sell to us?  I'm as happy as anyone buying stuff at below retail but I know I'm not necessarily contributing to the success of Gentle Giant by doing that.  In point of fact, I'd suggest I'm hurting their probabily of continuing. 
Minivans: a sign of the apocalypse.

Offline Brian

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #9 on: December 30, 2008, 11:19 AM »
I'm definitely no expert on all the Gentle Giant lines, but they almost seem to suffer from the same thing Hasbro does in just producing too much stuff at one time.  Sure, they have the sales numbers, so maybe that tells them something differently, but I'm just getting the feeling that some collectors are getting burnt out on all the stuff out there and instead of limiting a focus - in many cases they're just saying "forget it" and waiting/quitting/picking it up much cheaper via ebay later on.

In the past year or so, I've just been starting to pick up my first GG product (mini busts and animated maquettes), and I have to say I really like both lines.  Going forward, I won't be able to afford to do both, but I'm hoping I can still grab a mini bust here and there.  Again, since I'm just getting into this, I'm not as familiar as most - but from what I understand the mini bust line started at a nice pace, and then they started making more and more (and ridiculously exclusive/obscure busts) until it got difficult to keep up.  Then they have lines out there like the Classics busts, Kustomz, Bust Ups, etc. that don't seem to have found the right audience.

I'm not sure if they are suffering or not, but I'm a good example of the secondary market prices.  I've picked up five mini busts and four animated maquettes over the past year or so, and haven't paid more than $30 for a mini bust or $40 for a maquette.  Basically half price or less for each of them, and not a one has been from ebay, they've been from online retailers.  That can't be the greatest thing in the world for the retailers (although nice for us).  Anyways, I hope GG isn't in their death throes, because I really like the OT busts, and if I could afford them, I'd grab a few statues as well.  I really want to get the Han w/Taun Taun statue off their site at that discount, but the timing isn't the best for that type of purchase right now.

Offline Rob

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Re: Is Gentle Giant in its death throes?
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2008, 08:16 PM »
I'll ask a different question then: how happy do you think retailers are sitting on product that won't sell at 15% off MSRP because tons of collectors are waiting to get stuff at 50% off retail pricing on ebay? 

Naturally, I have no idea.  I'm interested to see what the edition sizes are like in 2009.  It seemed like they upped a lot of the numbers in response to the complaints about the limited availability, and then (as you'd expect) people realized they could wait and get them cheaper later.  All the exclusives and low edition busts sell for more still (even if it's not as much as they did at their peak). 

Retailers must still be taking them willingly, or GG would be stuck with them, and wouldn't produce as many.