Well, aside from the atrocious spelling it doesn't really say much.
In VI, I understand why Wolverine was three per case. I may not entirely agree with it, but he is selling, he is a tremendously popular character with Marvel and is likely to attract a casual buyer in addition to comic fans or collectors.
Movie punisher is a bit puzzling, but not altogether. The rationale for the case ratio was probably decided before the movie came out and bombed, relatively speaking. I don't think they clearly understood the relative unpopularity of Punisher as a character - this is not 1982 after all. His lines have long passed in most cases and the character has a core following, but a small one. Making him one per case would have been smart, even if the movie had been a smash hit. They can, and have as they have shown, repack a figure down the line.
I even understand Phoenix being short packed. Traditionally in action figure lines, female figures do not sell well for the most part. Elektra sold fine, but I can find them on the pegs still and that was a one per case. I think they underestimated the popularity of an X-female character, especially one that would appeal to an ideal target audience - collectors between 25-60, those that likely recall the original Phoenix storyline in the comic. Two per case would have been ideal.
As far as VII goes, I haven't followed as closely, but it certainly looks like they suffer from Hasbro-itis in the sense that they operate under the impression that kids are buying this line, something I think is about equally true for STar Wars as with Marvel Legends. The real buyers are the fans that can readily identify with and have a nostalgic link to the line. This is called Legends after all, so you should be appealing to an older crowd. Granted I don't buy comics anymore, but I would think Vision and Hawkeye would appeal to Avengers fans, a line that is not, as far as I know, at the top of Marvel's hit list at the moment. Apocalypse being shortpacked is just plain stupid. Villains are popular, grasp the concept.
This extends into the LOTR lines with them as well. Evened out case packs will make everyone happy. If for some unforseen reason Aragorn and Frodo suddenly become the darlings of the toy world (they are not) then repack the damn figures. I really, really do not understand the concept of one figure per case of a particular figure. Anyone seeing Arwen coronation, Moria Orc Archer sitting on the shelves these days? Ok, how about Elendil or SA Aragorn? Yeah, thought so. Even it out. OR admit you are trying to create a buzz in the industry and secondary market to hype your line. All we're asking is that you be truthful and let us know you're not stupid and understand what's going on. At least McFarlane makes no real bones about that and everyone understands where the relative value is. I don't think it's a good marketing tool for the long run, but I understand the immediate appeal for the parent company. I'd daresay that retailers are tiring of it though - lots of buzz when figures are put out; a bunch of fat, old guys go in, ravage the toy department and then the dregs are clearanced five weeks later. No additional merchandise is purchased during the frenzy - how many guys you see walking out with a couple of football variants in addition to some pork chops, deodorant and a lawn mower? Yeah, me too.
As far as secondary market pricing, why bitch at toybiz? Sure, they created it by the lousy case packs, but as he said, they don't set retail prices. Bitch at toybiz for the lousy casepacks and have them fix that which will in turn fix the secondary pricing.
I don't think manufacturers understand at all where and by whom their toys are being purchased. There is no way in the world that some kid's parents are dropping $4000 US on toys on them in a year (for the average, normal kid). Look in the collectors thread and look at what Dave and I have spent, by way of example. We aren't making up for one or two kids, we're making up for hundreds of them. And we are far from the exception, I suspect we are pretty close to average or below overall. Many, many individuals do not partake in message boards.
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