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Post by Chip on Jul 30, 2021 10:27:15 GMT -5
This. This is why we can't have nice things. I'm still backing the project, and ordering multiple sets. But I don't think I'll ever see them. I've been pretty critical of Mattel's offerings in the last few years. But this package is an absolute home run in my eyes. It's the type of item that has been talked about for years as a "if only Mattel would do X." The price points are very reasonable for a limited run collectors item, the stretch goals are cool add ons that, for me, top what we've seen Haslab add in, and I think the collection as a whole makes sense given the success of Ultimates. Mattel definitely made a misstep taking payment up front. And that opened the door for a floor of negativity. People like to back a winner. The response was largely very positive right up until orders started. When it stumbled out of the gate, it was like there was blood in the water. If it's not something people want, fine. If you can't afford it, I get that. But this is the kind of package and price point that they're going to be designing. They aren't going to crowd fund for a $30 figure alone, or release a $70 stage. They bundle items like this because it meets the profit targets and scale that the company needs to make it worth their time. That's just a reality of business. And maybe the reality is that there just isn't a deep enough or affluent enough collector pool to support these kinds of projects in the WWE line. If this doesn't get made, I've made my peace with it. But people need to stop with the fantasy booking of how it should have been released differently, or cheaper, or with characters that they don't have the ability to make. Mattel put out a very fair offering, and the collecting community shot it down hard. That's fine. But it also means that there will be ramifications. The corporate suits aren't going to invest tooling time, research, marketing, etc into projects that don't see a return. And this project failing could very mean they'll stick with "safe" offerings like the Retros moving forward. can lock this thread now. this is everything. |
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Post by Bandalero on Jul 30, 2021 10:50:28 GMT -5
I think Mattel's marketing team also needs to take as second look at their strategy.
Making a cool video to show the potential of the product = excellent
Spending precious minutes of that video showing off the incredible cardboard crowd (nothing we've ever gotten before) and NOT make it be part of the pot = poor planning
I'm all for the concept - crowd funding for greater things - but if you're giving us some paltry offerings with an astronomical target to get something else that's mediocre, and showing off stuff like the cardboard audience unintentionally, how are you motivating the consumer? Like it's cardboard, what crazy overhead costs do you think would be involved to get that mass produced?
Also, they literally have 7...7 product photos for this set on the site? Ummm take more damn photos, sell the product to those on the fence!
Set realistic project targets. Who at the sales meeting decided that 7000 backers was achievable?
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Post by punksnotdead on Jul 30, 2021 10:58:52 GMT -5
once again, constant negativity wins out here. everyone was on board with something like this, until it happened.... and then people started saying "well they should have done....." and it puts different ideas in your head so that the actual thing doesn't seem as good anymore. read these threads on here and its almost completely negative comments, a lot of which are not constructive or helpful, instead just saying unreasonable things like they should have just done the entrance or they should have made jeff jarrett the figure its unfortunate that this community has to be so toxic. and beyond a reasonable level. ive had a few things to say about this project but both positive AND constructive criticism. still didnt stop me from backing it because i think OVERALL this is a pretty cool thing, and i want to own it. This. This is why we can't have nice things. I'm still backing the project, and ordering multiple sets. But I don't think I'll ever see them. I've been pretty critical of Mattel's offerings in the last few years. But this package is an absolute home run in my eyes. It's the type of item that has been talked about for years as a "if only Mattel would do X." The price points are very reasonable for a limited run collectors item, the stretch goals are cool add ons that, for me, top what we've seen Haslab add in, and I think the collection as a whole makes sense given the success of Ultimates. Mattel definitely made a misstep taking payment up front. And that opened the door for a floor of negativity. People like to back a winner. The response was largely very positive right up until orders started. When it stumbled out of the gate, it was like there was blood in the water. If it's not something people want, fine. If you can't afford it, I get that. But this is the kind of package and price point that they're going to be designing. They aren't going to crowd fund for a $30 figure alone, or release a $70 stage. They bundle items like this because it meets the profit targets and scale that the company needs to make it worth their time. That's just a reality of business. And maybe the reality is that there just isn't a deep enough or affluent enough collector pool to support these kinds of projects in the WWE line.If this doesn't get made, I've made my peace with it. But people need to stop with the fantasy booking of how it should have been released differently, or cheaper, or with characters that they don't have the ability to make. Mattel put out a very fair offering, and the collecting community shot it down hard. That's fine. But it also means that there will be ramifications. The corporate suits aren't going to invest tooling time, research, marketing, etc into projects that don't see a return. And this project failing could very mean they'll stick with "safe" offerings like the Retros moving forward. Seems to be the case to me. |
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secondwhiteline
Main Eventer
Joined on: Nov 18, 2015 13:06:39 GMT -5
Posts: 1,543
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Post by secondwhiteline on Jul 30, 2021 11:01:51 GMT -5
I guess I'm curious about your first statement there. I know Hasbro's set a precedent of extremely expensive crowdfunded items, but historically crowdfunding projects have succeeded at just about every price point you can imagine. A $100 item doesn't seem totally out of the realm of possibility even from a large company. mattel sold rings for $100 already. they've sold all kinds of other items in that $100 "range" they wouldnt need to crowfund an electronic piece of stage that doesnt go with anything else they have available to buy. other crowfunded projects are done on kickstarter and its usually just a guy who wants to publish a book or something silly. the amounts are WAY lower and the price point is WAY lower. Steve already said they have to make at least 5,000 of these things or the warehouse wont even bother people saying they should have just crowfunded the stage piece are being completely ridiculous with their expectations of how this kind of thing SHOULD work. if you only want the stage piece, back the project and sell the extras, its really that simple. That's a weird characterization of Kickstarter. Major board game companies crowdfund regular releases all the time through it. Obviously that's at a different scale than Mattel, and economies of scale probably do favor bigger crowdfunding projects from a company this large, but the larger board game campaigns have made much more than the $1.25 million minimum it would take to fund this. Frosthaven pulled in almost $13 million with its base pledge at $100. It kinda seems like they've got a pretty low ceiling here for a company as big as Mattel.
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secondwhiteline
Main Eventer
Joined on: Nov 18, 2015 13:06:39 GMT -5
Posts: 1,543
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Post by secondwhiteline on Jul 30, 2021 11:04:00 GMT -5
I think Mattel's marketing team also needs to take as second look at their strategy. Making a cool video to show the potential of the product = excellent Spending precious minutes of that video showing off the incredible cardboard crowd (nothing we've ever gotten before) and NOT make it be part of the pot = poor planning I'm all for the concept - crowd funding for greater things - but if you're giving us some paltry offerings with an astronomical target to get something else that's mediocre, and showing off stuff like the cardboard audience unintentionally, how are you motivating the consumer? Like it's cardboard, what crazy overhead costs do you think would be involved to get that mass produced? Also, they literally have 7...7 product photos for this set on the site? Ummm take more damn photos, sell the product to those on the fence! Set realistic project targets. Who at the sales meeting decided that 7000 backers was achievable? 5,000 for the minimum seems pretty achievable in theory, just comparing this to other crowdfunding campaigns of this size. Hasbro hit 21,000 for the Sentinel and I think their minimum was 6,000. |
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Post by Bandalero on Jul 30, 2021 11:36:24 GMT -5
5,000 for the minimum seems pretty achievable in theory, just comparing this to other crowdfunding campaigns of this size. Hasbro hit 21,000 for the Sentinel and I think their minimum was 6,000. I would agree, but to be fair to Mattel, Hasbro has the luxury of a deeply rich host of characters, literally from mortals to gods, with infinite realms of possibility for how they can be portrayed in toy form. Haslab can create a massive planet like Unicron and a 31' Galactus and expect 5000 backers minimum. For wrestling what do we have? Themed rings and figures. Sure throw in a hell in a cell, but that's just a glorified cage. There's not much else you could put together that would be outstanding; it is unfortunately in the names of the wrestlers that will sell product. That's why we see so many Rocks, Cenas, Rollins, etc. So this crowd fund with only two action figures available and one being unlocked at nose-bleeding height of 7000 backers makes it pretty ridiculous to whomever it was that approved these targets and prizes. |
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Deleted
Joined on: Nov 28, 2024 3:52:46 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2021 23:12:58 GMT -5
How in the world is that unreasonable?? because CROWFUNDING an item that would cost $100 doesnt make any sense at all. they would never do it, in any universe. thats not what crowfunding is about. if they were going to sell an entrance stage piece normally, they would do it. the point of this project was to give you a big setup all at once for a premium price because you wont have a chance to get anything like it anywhere else. That sounds like they shouldn't have done crowdfunding then. 🤷♂️ |
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