Catastrophic new Daily Bit

[Luke]

Ok this could be my mistake - in the main photo it looks like there isnt anything on his face besides a little flour, thats fine - not too bad. However in the close up photo of his face, there seems to be a little glazing on the side of his face and nose suggesting egg whites or something, but this would mean that shiny paint coating. Maybe it's not there at all, maybe it's just the lighting in the photo. Perhaps Ken could jump in and clarify.

As to the price, yeah i'm sure it is quite a jump in price for Americans, it's not too bad if you are going to the show but through the club the shipping is going to be pricey, not least for international members. However they pay that much for even the regular figures here. People say look at Vacation Fozzie or Superhero Scooter but those include courier shipping - big difference. It's the lobster banditos that jack up the price and it's the 20 or so hardcore's here who were partly to blame for that at a time when Palisades took too much notice of the more gushing fans so they got sculpted, and also Palisades for not working out pre-sculpt how over budget it would make the figure and ditching the idea. Personally i think the lobsters are un-neccasary and not all that special - definitely not to justify this kind of expense. The chicken in the basket would have sold tons more at the regular exclusive price. I'd say if you really want the lobsters or are a completist get someone going to the show to pick it up for you, but if you just want a chef then pick up the playset (it's fantastic) and the regular Chef figure looks much better. At least from what i've seen in person, as gets said you can never make a final judgment on these till you see em in person, but only showgoers i guess will get that luxury.

Perhaps the collectors club people have cause for complaint though or at least a quiet word - when they signed up they paid an amount to be able to buy a number of exclusives through the year and at the time the ones announced and expected to come out were at the regular exclusive price. Admittedly they got their moneys worth with the suprise package they recieved, but Palisades do now seem to have changed things completely, with a more expensive $25 two-pack Bunsen/Beaker and the $20 Chef figure. All of these more expensive items are taking the place of where regular priced exclusives would be in the collectors club, and aside from Tour Animal, the other cheaper club exclusives probably won't be available till next year when their membership is renewed. It's all well and good saying you can pass on the CC figures if you don't like em but they paid their money upfront to buy a number of them. If people are on a budget, not least with all the regular figures to buy i would expect that the extra $5-$10 on top of the regular exclusive price and the expensive club shipping could make all the difference.

Finally on Ebay, the price for these things doesn't always double automatically. You just have to wait for the right deal - i got a MOC Toyfare Vaca Fozzie for $8.25 a few weeks ago.

 

[frogboy4]

The article states that the paint it being adjusted so I'm sure they are addressing some of these issues. I actually like a bit of flour on his face. It looks a little much here, but they might tone it down. This item it hot for the lobsters alone.

For all those concerned about the $20 price tag, well - if all of the professed Muppet fans bought more the figures the price wouldn't be so high. I'm certainly not saying that everyone has to buy everything, but if you don't actively support the line and purchase most of the figures, you can't legitimately complain about steep prices. The exclusives are not for everyone - there is a limited number of them so the tag has to be more than the average figure. Don't buy it if you don't like it. That's factored in, but if too many people take that course - don't be shocked if the next exclusive costs more.

Lately it appears that we have been, well...spoiled with all this contact and input we have with Palisades. Let's not forget that such direct communication is a privilege and not a right. Do you see Sideshow or Rhino asking us what we think? Palisades has welcomed comments, but some of the criticism has degenerated into rant. Not only is it unkind, but also it's an easy way to have your point ignored by the very person you are trying to reach. These people are heavily invested in the product. In all this we can forget that this is some of the best darn Muppet product ever. The best IMHO.

BTW - Luke (you were posting while I was) What is wrong with $25 foir a two pack Bunsen/Beaker exclusive. it's 2 figures. That's really not bad at all.

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by frogboy4
Lately it appears that we have been, well...spoiled with all this contact and input we have with Palisades. Let's not forget that such direct communication is a privilege and not a right.

BTW - Luke (you were posting while I was) What is wrong with $25 foir a two pack Bunsen/Beaker exclusive. it's 2 figures. That's really not bad at all.

Jamie,

You are right, $25 isn't all that bad for two limited run exclusive figures, my point was when people were signing upto the club they were expecting (although Palisades didn't specifically state this) a few $15 single carded exclusive figures scattered throughout the year. I'm not saying people aren't getting their moneys worth, but if you look at say a single mother on a budget or an unemployed person joining the club, maybe they could have afforded the $15 figs but a $20-$25 purchase might just be that little too much and exclude them. Not good for members or the company itself - cool figures and very much worth it, but maybe something that should have been pointed out. I'm not beetching on them or anything though - it's great they've done this for the fans.

As for your first point, right again - this contact and input we have with Palisades is a privledge, however they also get a lot out of this relationship too - especially at the start when they didn't know some of the obscure stuff behind the show or more remote characters but they have a nice little consumer/research base here too. The fans have really helped this line be a notch above any other muppet product and not just a Sideshow Toys Fozzie disaster. We've helped add lots of little touches that have really enhanced the line, although admittedly it's 95% Ken's work and it rocks, he's a fantastic designer, a great 'thinker' and i'm sure we all love him to bits. Admittedly the fans have led them down the garden path a few times too - Koozebane playset and Lobster banditos etc etc. So yeah, i think it's a priveldge for both of us and the Palisades guys are lovely people. I hope still the fans can have an independant voice though and making our feelings known on early product shots can only help things i guess. I apologise to both the members and Ken if it sounded more like a rant earlier, i was just a lil' dissapointed, thats all - i was just expecting a regular repainted chef with a messy apron, guess i over-reacted !

 

[radionate]

I don't understand all the griping. The Collector's Club isn't overpriced. I remember joining many a club and getting the same amount of swag for the same amount of money.

And 20 bucks isn't a lot for this exclusive. You have 3 PVCs and a Figure. Do the math breakdown people. It's not that much.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by Luke
Don't like it - in fact HATE IT !!! Ugh ! Messing up the apron, thats fine and the whole idea of it - but putting shiny mess over his FACE has ruined a pretty much perfect figure, incredibly bad idea, detracts from the likeness and it also means that there is no opportunity for fans to have a decent looking chef to display if they couldn't afford the playset.

At first when reading the daily bit intro i thought "Hmmm bad PR move letting people see the cheaper alternative Chef just when the expensive playset is about to hit" as they might decide not to buy the set and wait. However on actually seeing the Variant Chef i think it's an excellent move - a lot of the people who see this i would think will now go and buy the playset instead of waiting !

Sorry Luke, Im holding off on the playset in favor of this one. WHY? LOBSTERS!!! And posable lobsters at that! And a kitchen playset is a bit too...dainty? Well, I dont know...I just dont have room for it. And it has no character packins. I just want the chef and lobsters! Man, those LOBSTERS!

Lobsters, chickens, robots, Koozebanes...did ya ever think we'd get such obscure character packins?

As for the price point, I'd pay $50 for the chef and Lobsters! LOL

BTW: LUKE...the way you feel about Palisades messing up Swedish Chef's face in the variant is how I feel about Pepe's face...man, dialate those pupils and at least partly close that mouth, heh^_^

 

[radionate]

Originally posted by Luke
I'm not saying people aren't getting their moneys worth, but if you look at say a single mother on a budget or an unemployed person joining the club, maybe they could have afforded the $15 figs but a $20-$25 purchase might just be that little too much and exclude them. Not good for members or the company itself - cool figures and very much worth it, but maybe something that should have been pointed out.

I'm sorry Luke, but if a single mother with limited income or an unemployed person is joining the club and trying to get all these exclusives, there is something wrong with the consumer, not the company.

I'm on a limited budget. I know that. I hate that. I'm fresh out of school, and just getting my feet wet in the "real world". I've also pursued a line that very few people make gobs of money with, or even comfertable livings. Its all a matter of priorities. When I save up my pennies, I splurge on something fun for me. I haven't picked up a single exclusive yet, as I haven't been able to justify me spending that money. I've gotten the entire series of regular figures though. Do I want all the exclusives? Of course, but I don't expect a company to take my pocketbook into account.

 

[frogboy4]

Both sides definitely benefit, but we really get more out of it than they do. They could have easily just gone on without us and still had close to the same success in the scheme of things. Just sometimes gets really harsh on them. All of the - "I'm going to die if Rowlf is in a tux or if Pepe has his mouth open" is not very helpful. However, some of your paint remarks are easy fixes and a good point to bring up at this time. There just seems to be a lot of griping around these days.

I also think the Collectors Club has payed for itself a few times over since it began. We can't have everything and we forget that it's purpose was to end evil Ebay auctions.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by frogboy4
For all those concerned about the $20 price tag, well - if all of the professed Muppet fans bought more the figures the price wouldn't be so high. I'm certainly not saying that everyone has to buy everything, but if you don't actively support the line and purchase most of the figures, you can't legitimately complain about steep prices.

Exactly! People arent freaking buying the figures...I mean its not the collectors fault entirely...I went to the mall and only two stores had em(EB, and Suncoast..with a couple at Sam Goody)
If collectors truly believed in the lin like they said in 2001/2002, Palisades would be in much better shape with sales. So yeah,
Im not being nosy...but Im sure im in the minoirty when it comes ot how much IVe spent on the line(Ive bought every single figure and playset so far, and then some) Im not asking that, but at least buy a couple frome ach line...just dont get em at specialty stores like comic shops(theyll rip ya off!)

And yeah, I dont mind paying $5 extra...the collectors club isnt for everyone...they can charge what they want within reason; and if I like the figure I'll pony up.

 

[frogboy4]

Originally posted by beaker
Pepe...man, dialate those pupils ...^_^

The pupils are dilated. They need to be shrunk and will be according to Ken.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by frogboy4
The pupils are dilated. They need to be shrunk and will be according to Ken.

As Mr. Burns would say, *exceeelllent* thanks Jamie!
I should call you the genie! LOL