Author Topic: Marvel Universe  (Read 281563 times)

Offline Diddly

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1665 on: July 6, 2016, 10:06 PM »
Stopped in my local comic book store this afternoon and they had some new Marvel figures in stock. They had Wave 3 with Morbius, Rogue, Hydro-Man, and Quasar. Then they had Wave 2 of the Comic Packs, which I had never even seen or heard of before.

I ended up grabbing the Spidey/Kaine set and Morbius for my Spidey collection.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1666 on: August 5, 2016, 07:38 PM »
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Offline Pete_Fett

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1667 on: August 8, 2016, 07:54 PM »
Looks like BBTS has the new 3.75" Falcon from CIVIL WAR up for pre-order.  And it looks pretty cool!



Wow - nice!

Definitely getting this!
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Offline JediJman

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1668 on: August 8, 2016, 11:26 PM »
Nice, but not $22 nice.  I'll pick it up if I see it for a good price, but I'm not in the mood to get further price gouged right now.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1669 on: August 10, 2016, 05:25 AM »
I can't say that I care for the price, either.  But we've seen this sort of price creep happening for a little while now with both the Marvel and Star Wars Hasbro lines.  It leaves me wondering if Hasbro might shift manufacturing from China to another locale that can offer less expensive labor costs.
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Offline JediJman

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1670 on: August 10, 2016, 11:47 AM »
It's a tough environment for sure, but I'm not sure much can be done about it.  All these big companies have goals to increase margin percentages (vs. overall profit).  I know they fall back on rising production costs, and I'm sure those are increasing, but what they don't talk about is their internal need to make higher percentages on new items as well.  Margin percent growth is typically tied to senior leader compensation and is highly valued by Wall Street Analysts for stock price growth, so most big companies tend to focus on growing the margin percent versus the overall profit.

For example, let's say a figure used to cost Hasbro $5 to make.  If they made a 50% margin, they would sell to retail for $7.50 and if retail sells at a 50% margin, our cost was $11.25.

Now let's say that same figure costs $7 for Hasbro.  We don't just see the price go to $13.25.  Hasbro's margin target has maybe moved to 75%, so they sell to retailers at $12.50.  Retailers want higher margins as well, so if they also have a 75% mark up, now our price is $21.40. 

We're paying $10 more per figure in this example, but the cost is only 20% of the increase.  The rest is all higher margins demands.   :-[  Even if they could get lower production costs, they're not going to move backwards on their margins.
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Offline Jeff

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1671 on: August 10, 2016, 12:05 PM »
It's a tough environment for sure, but I'm not sure much can be done about it.  All these big companies have goals to increase margin percentages (vs. overall profit).  I know they fall back on rising production costs, and I'm sure those are increasing, but what they don't talk about is their internal need to make higher percentages on new items as well.  Margin percent growth is typically tied to senior leader compensation and is highly valued by Wall Street Analysts for stock price growth, so most big companies tend to focus on growing the margin percent versus the overall profit.

For example, let's say a figure used to cost Hasbro $5 to make.  If they made a 50% margin, they would sell to retail for $7.50 and if retail sells at a 50% margin, our cost was $11.25.

Now let's say that same figure costs $7 for Hasbro.  We don't just see the price go to $13.25.  Hasbro's margin target has maybe moved to 75%, so they sell to retailers at $12.50.  Retailers want higher margins as well, so if they also have a 75% mark up, now our price is $21.40. 

We're paying $10 more per figure in this example, but the cost is only 20% of the increase.  The rest is all higher margins demands.   :-[  Even if they could get lower production costs, they're not going to move backwards on their margins.

QFT.  Internal margin% increase was a HUGE factor in why they moved to 5POA for Star Wars, despite all the "kids like it better" nonsense.   :-\
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1672 on: August 10, 2016, 06:06 PM »
"Kids like it better" was pure marketing speak, nothing else.
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Offline Diddly

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1673 on: August 11, 2016, 09:55 AM »
I almost wish Hasbro would just pick a scale for Marvel and stick with it... stores locally don't bother stocking 3.75 inch figures, and we get like 2 cases of 6 inch a year that pegwarm. Then there's the non-collector stuff that sits there. Could possibly free up some resources for Hasbro, etc.
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Offline JediJman

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1674 on: August 11, 2016, 01:57 PM »
I almost wish Hasbro would just pick a scale for Marvel and stick with it... stores locally don't bother stocking 3.75 inch figures, and we get like 2 cases of 6 inch a year that pegwarm. Then there's the non-collector stuff that sits there. Could possibly free up some resources for Hasbro, etc.

The 6 inch Build-a-Figure concept also has its pros and cons.  In theory, Hasbro sells more figures as someone who would have only bought some of the wave is forced to buy all the figures to make the BAF.  In practice, I don't think that's working so well at retail for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, outside of die hard collectors most people don't want to drop $160 on a set of action figures or don't want all of the various characters, so they only cherry pick a few from each wave.  Those that do want the full wave likely won't see them all in the same place at the same time, so why buy a partial set at retail?  It pretty much forces peg-warming with each and every wave, especially when some figures are 2 per case or you get an extra set of Odin arms.  I don't even see the pegs clear out with 50% off sales.  I ordered the XMen wave online from EE because its so hard to find them all in one place at retail, and I didn't even want Iceman, Cable, or the Juggernaut BAF.   ::)

I think there's also something to getting a figure that includes a BAF part you will never use.  Instead of feeling like a cool pack-in bonus, it feels like something unwanted or unusable that you paid extra for.  That doesn't create a lot of good will for the line.  I really enjoy the 6 inch figures, but between the extra BAF parts I don't need and the constant repacked/return/theft you find at almost every store, it's a disheartening line to collect sometimes.   They must be doing okay because Hasbro keeps making them, but I'd much rather see $15ish figures without BAFs. 
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1675 on: August 21, 2016, 07:15 AM »
Looks like BBTS has the new 3.75" Falcon from CIVIL WAR up for pre-order.  And it looks pretty cool!



I picked this up at TRU yesterday.  It's priced at $19.99 there and I had some rewards $$$, so it only cost me $16 after tax.  It looks pretty cool in person.  Much better than the WINTER SOLDIER version of Falcon, definitely.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1676 on: August 31, 2016, 10:44 PM »
Found a Vision figure from some new wave up here at TRU.  Horrendous price, around $16 after tax.  Thank goodness there's little I want left from this line aside from obscure figures that won't be made. 
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Offline McMetal

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1677 on: September 14, 2016, 04:39 PM »
I picked up a loose Moon Boy from that SDCC set off eBay for $10 and got him today. Did not realize this was a flocked figure - very cool!

I really want Devil Dinosaur now though...
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1678 on: March 16, 2017, 05:06 PM »
Kind of surpised to see some new Marvel 3.75" figures hitting retail.  Notably Moon Knight and the Hulk as Maestro.  Has anyone seen the new MCU 2-packs in stores yet?  I know that HTS has gotten them, and I've seen reports that some people have gotten them.  I'd just like to see the GotG and Dr. Strange 2-packs in person before pulling the trigger on these.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2017, 05:08 PM by Nicklab »
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Offline JediJman

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Re: Marvel Universe
« Reply #1679 on: March 16, 2017, 05:20 PM »
I saw the new Iron Man and Female Wolverine at the store last night, but none of the others or any two packs.  It is nice to see something new finally in this line.
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