209 replies to this topic

[LocutusOfTuborg]

Hi gang!

The figure looks nice...

...but for me the fun is out of it.

For now I'll keep my opened figures... allready sold a lot of my MIB / MOC figures.

...this way at least I only have to track down single figures and not pairs of them...
but even this isn't what its used to be... I canceled my orders for the Mirror Mirror figures (including the Marlena)... I dunno...

LoT (slightly depressed)

[FHC]

Thanks Ady I doubt that I will get it but hey for the moment I'm winning.

[AdyCarter]

No worries, I have a bunch of RSS feeds up to catch pretty much everyone that gets listed, I'll post em here as they show up (untill everyone gets fed up of my ebay spam )

[Gothneo]

allready sold a lot of my MIB / MOC figures.

LoT (slightly depressed)

I hear you LoT, When AA first came out with the line I had duplicates of Waves 1-3 and all the enterprise sets. I was buying one MOC set and one Loose.

I got rid of all my MOC sets once DST annouced that they would be having retailer exclusives as I thought (and rightly so) that it would become more difficult to find what I wanted at retail.

That's why I don't even collect one of each Loose... I just get the ones I like best. Thing is fans like you, me or VF would have gladly continued to collect two of each until the line was just cancled giving more revenue to AA/DST, but... oh well...

Each wave has seemed like I'm "Dodging some bullet" I wonder if I'm going to be able to find a eTailer that has the bundle I want, and lukily so far it's worked out (Thanks to NFC and AfX), but DST isn't making collecting this line any easier, so I can understand why exclusives like these can get you down (I myself perfer the Maroon over the Violet).

So hopefully you'll be able to redefine what this line means to you and enjoy it in some limited manner again.

[JMW326]

I have always been in favor of con exclusives. I think that the people that spend the time and money to go to cons should get something extra but some of these are getting out of hand. DST has gone exclusive crazy. It is starting to make this more of a competition to get figures than a hobby. Sorry DST but if you keep making people jump though hoops to get figures you are going to start loosing customers. With such a fragile license as Star Trek you may want to rethink your strategy. I would hate for the line to die becuase you have alienated your target buyers.

[AdyCarter]

http://cgi.ebay.com/...S:B:SRCH:US:101

[JMW326]

/\ /\ /\ /\ That is crazy for any action figure.

[DavAnthony]

Yeah I think DST is on crack or needs to freshen up a bit on the action figure history...Playmates in particular...to learn what to do and what not to do. The fact they are already pissing off collectors this early is not a good sign for them and they need to re-adjust their attitude

[ECH]

I have to say that I agree with everything that has been said. It's not great that DST has 'exculsive fever' at all. But I find myself asking why? Why are they doing this? I suspect the reason might be that the big retailers just arn't interested in stocking Trek.

[VulcanFanatic]

Sounds as if i have some company in my frustration with DST. Is there anything we can do to change this type of Marketing practice that DST is employing? I have not recieved any replies to the last two emails i sent DST complaining about this. I see that at least one of the Troi figures is over 100 dollars USD on ebay with several days of bidding left. This is exactly what i feared would happen. I am sorry to hear that LOT has sold off part of his collection because of this situation. It really makes me sick that loyal customers like LOT have had to throw in the towel with purchasing a complete collection as well as duplicates and that DST doesnt realize how they are affecting the collectors of their products. Using tactics to attract new customers while losing your established customers is really stupid way to do business. I have not sold my collection as of yet, but i am still entertaining the thought. I wish Rick would let us know if the surprises he alluded to have anything to do with this Troi figure becoming available at a reasonable price.

[DavAnthony]

Sounds as if i have some company in my frustration with DST. Is there anything we can do to change this type of Marketing practice that DST is employing? I have not recieved any replies to the last two emails i sent DST complaining about this. I see that at least one of the Troi figures is over 100 dollars USD on ebay with several days of bidding left. This is exactly what i feared would happen. I am sorry to hear that LOT has sold off part of his collection because of this situation. It really makes me sick that loyal customers like LOT have had to throw in the towel with purchasing a complete collection as well as duplicates and that DST doesnt realize how they are affecting the collectors of their products. Using tactics to attract new customers while losing your established customers is really stupid way to do business. I have not sold my collection as of yet, but i am still entertaining the thought. I wish Rick would let us know if the surprises he alluded to have anything to do with this Troi figure becoming available at a reasonable price.

I don't know but Rick went to bat BIG TIME to make the Trip figure available for purchase. So perhaps Troi is something he's working on.

As far as communicating with DST. I would just ask Donster at his thread and see what answer DST gives.

I will probably just buy a grey Troi and paint it maroon but the situation is still annoying to say the least and I don't like any steps in this direction of ridiculous exclusives and this is a ridiculous exclusive.

[knightone]

I think everyone needs to calm down a bit. This figure has been available for all of three days and everyone is already panicking over it. I think it's the panic and all the internet rumor and conjecture that is driving the price up on Ebay more than anything else.

This happens in pretty much every area of collecting and has happened with every toy line around. Rumors spread, panic sets in, and prices shoot through the roof in the first few weeks something is made available. It even happens to mass market lines like Star Wars. When ROTS came out, even common figures were going for insane amounts of money on Ebay. People on Rebelscum and other boards would buzz when a new figure came out and people paid high dollar for nothing when the figures became abundant later on.

Eventually the hype and hoopla dies down and the prices go down with it. This happens more often than not. It's pretty rare these days that a figure is truly rare or scarce, even with a limited run, especially with all the MOC collectors and speculators today. So everyone needs to calm down, give it time, and be patient. Most often, that is what pays off.

[FHC]

I have picked up every "rare" figure that Playmates ever made and for way below the "market price" That's why I collect. I wait and when the time comes I jump then I then have a piece that not many others have. I waited 3 years to pick up my Dathon with the Pog, 2 years to get my first 1701 figure. I will have on of these as well it just may take time for the hype to die down. Then my collection will shine. Until then I will wait by the side of the road until I see my chance to jump!

[FHC]

I just looked and there are a bunch of them ending before this 100 dollar one that are still going around 30 bucks. This one just got some crazy people bidding on it. LOL

[knightone]

I just looked and there are a bunch of them ending before this 100 dollar one that are still going around 30 bucks. This one just got some crazy people bidding on it. LOL

Hey, it's Ebay. Sometimes people get more involved with their bidding wars than with the actual item they are bidding on.

[Gothneo]

Yeah, your right Knightone, but I still don't see the Fan Excl Kirk showing up in numbers... and every other line I've collected, I've pretty much had a shot of finding rare items at retail and on the peg.

I've given up many a line that went this exclusive route.

In fact, I won't buy ANYTHING from Mattel any more because of the way they do thier exclusives.

At least with Hasbro they throw a bone to people who can't attend the convention. Other companies, Like SOTA, and Sideshow do the same. They have figured out that not all fans of the line can attend every convention (or sometimes any) but they value those fans greenbacks just as much and want to keep them coming back, so they have come up with a way to make some con exclusives available to the die hard fan that can't get to the con.

I don't think it's too much to ask of DST on this line since it's really only the fans that keep it going!

[DrHoward]

Well I'm glad to see the mystery surrounding this figure has finally been solved!

Seeing as how I concentrate on Beverly and Will, I wasn't planning on getting any Trois at all (even though she is Will's Imzadi) But if I were to collect one Troi this would have been it! Considering she held an unusual position on board, her attire should reflect that. At the same time, the maroon was more professional and uniform among the other bridge officers than the lavender, and more attractive. I know they had more than one copy of each suit, but over time, the lavender tended to look washed out and gray to me.

Like so many others, I'm disappointed and confused at DST's reasoning on this one! I was actually hoping it might be something like a lavender Troi with a "Nemesis" hairpiece with blonde highlights, similar to her look in the final few episodes of TNG. Something that could easily be passed up. But the maroon suit?! That's enough of a variant it should have been a retailer exclusive or even a chase in Series 2!

This is precisely why so many people are giving up collecting! Star Wars, for example, fans are tired of the repaints and rehashes. Then, when Hasbro DOES do a new figure of a main character in a much requested variation, IT'S ONE PER CASE!

However, having said all this, I must agree with FHC and Knightone.

Let me tell you a story. Picture it: Sicily, 1922. A beautiful young peasant girl... Sorry. I have an old "Tomart's Action Figure Digest" with coverage of Toy Fair 1997. That magazine has been torn and beat all to hell. Not because of me looking through it and drooling over the new toys I wanted to collect, but because I couldn't find a 1701 Tasha Yar, among others. I called every dealer advertised in that magazine, even a few who seemed a bit dodgy, but to no avail. I heard a lot of "call me back in a few days" and "let me take your name" but still nothing. I fell into the mentallity of "Gotta get it now. I'm not really a collector if I don't have one of these! Rare figure...everbody else has one...I gotta get one!" All I was doing was running up a phone bill. Finally, I had enough, threw the magazine, started cussing and yelling, kicked the thing a few times, and swore I was giving up collecting if they were going do this crap!

I don't know what happened, but all the fun was gone out of it. Paying $20 and up for a figure I should have been able to buy on the peg for $7 just wasn't that attractive anymore. Basically it was driving me crazy. It just wasn't worth that sickening feeling. But the thing is, I love collecting. I love having 3D figures of characters I like and usually see only in flat images! And I was letting "The Powers That Be" (meaning toy companies, scalpers, and lazy, lieing store employees) take that from me.

Again, I don't know what happened, but I just calmed down. Yeah sure, I wanted whatever figure, but if you go to the store looking for it, the scalpers have already hit it and they're gone. You hit Ebay while the figure's hot, the prices are insane. I can't tell you how many figures I've paid scalpers prices only to find them either hanging on the peg eventually or much cheaper even on Ebay. Now, I just check the figure out, decide if I want it, and place it on my want list. Then, every once in awhile, when I have the extra money, I check out Ebay, or look at the store. Usually by the time I have the dough, the figure's cooled off, and everybody else has moved on to the next big thing. Patience...

I don't know if any of this is making sense, but my point is, if you love Star Trek and collecting, you shouldn't let the bad choice of a toy company ruin it for you. Don't just stop collecting or sell off your collection to teach them a lesson unless you need the money or space. Odds are, the company's not going to care anyway, and you just end up hurting yourself. Yeah, this maroon Troi mess makes me angry too, but paying a gawdawful price for one isn't going to do anything but feed a scalper who's taking advantage of the current feeding frinzy and paranoia and drain your bank account.

Maybe Rick DOES have something up his sleeve (which I'd prefer myself), maybe maroon Troi will show up more readily available some other time. I think we all ought to just step back, take a deep breath, and wait. If you want one that badly, just put it on your want list and watch for it. You might not get it for awhile, but at least you'll have it someday, and probably not for $100 either! I have to admit, even if they had done with "Lab Coat S7 Beverly", I would have been even more ticked off than this (A LOT MORE!), but again, just add it to the list and wait. I plan on customizing the coat anyway.

Either that, or there are plenty of lavender Trois with the same accesories at EE looking for a good home, buy one of those, buy yourself some paints and go to work. Depending on how things work out, that's what I'll do. Just like I did years ago with the 1701 Tasha...hey, she may not be official, but at least I have her. An extra S1 Tasha and S7 Troi; simple head swap and paint job. Even gave her a promotion to commander. Sorry, didn't mean to ramble.

[Artistix]

You're going to customise Beverly's coat? I gather that would be easy enough if you have some skills with a needle & thread...

But I wouldn't count out a coated Crusher as some kind of exclusive like maroon Troi & Moreau...it seems easy enough...re-painted arms & a soft plastic coat piece.

It would be a bummer if this Crusher was hard to get....but I have a feeling we will be able to get things if we really want them...look at Moreau & Troi!

I was actually hoping it might be something like a lavender Troi with a "Nemesis" hairpiece with blonde highlights, similar to her look in the final few episodes of TNG. Something that could easily be passed up. But the maroon suit?! That's enough of a variant it should have been a retailer exclusive or even a chase in Series 2!

I get you, I get you...I thought you meant giving her an actual Nemesis hairdo with blonde in it!!

Though I think most people are pretty happy to get the maroon Troi. I prefer it to another lavender Troi with different hair.
Plus, as most here know, I really dislike the Nemesis hairpiece...

[slayerone76]

I never really let the exclusives kill my love of collecting, but I do get major irritated that they do things like this.

The arguement about people who go to cons deserve something special doesn't carry weight with me. If I had the $300 for an airline ticket and wasn't attending graduate school, I would be there too ... but the simple fact of the matter is that I CANNOT attend. Why should I miss out on something just because I am broke and have uber committments. I don't think anyone says (or very few people say) there is an exclusive figure at so-and-so con so let me spend all this money and take off work to go get it. I think the lure of the cons are the booths, the costumes, and the chance to meet people and celebrities. An exclusive figure might add to the greatness of the experience, but I don't think its a selling factor for most people. If anything, I would be more apt to buy a MIB NOT exclusive and get it signed by the celebrity on hand.

Also, I wouldn't mind an exclusive that was a repackaging ... Lavender Troi in a special Baltimore Summit packaging would have been far less annoying than this.

The 1701 fiasco was disturbing indeed, but I never stopped collecting Playmates because of it. I still enjoyed adding the remainder of the collection to my shelf ... in fact I am still doing it. I do think, that if you feel strongly enough to make a statement by no longer buying the product, thats what you should do. I would just hate seeing the line die because of DST's goofiness.

[Gothneo]

But DrHoward, it sounds like you still don't have the 1701 Yar

I know what your saying, but for completist these types of things take the fun out of collecting.

It also reduces revenue for these lines as many have pointed out becuase someone who might have collected them all now starts getting only a few.

I also collect Marvel Legends, (and I know a few of you do too) when ToyBiz was making completely different characters as chase figures, it was driving collectors nuts. They listened to the fans and took steps to make chase figures repaints only, and upped the number of chase figures so they would be easier to find. So if you really want one of those you can actually find them at retail.

I'd rather spend my time customizing a character that I think will never get the plastic treatment then having to do it for one the I know exists, but I can never have.