Catastrophic new Daily Bit

[Luke]

It's good business practice for ANY company when selling a product like a club membership to set forward in basic terms what the costs will be in the future or at least some warning of them. It's not good enough to say "oh give us $30 and we'll let you buy whatever we decide to put out this year" - thats pretty amateur because it's ambiguous. If the line hadn't sold they could have increased the figure prices dramatically or even just put one or two out, and still been within rights to keep peoples money yet i'm sure people would have been hopping mad. Some people are more clued up (from either reading MC or Palisades forums) on what the exclusives were going to be or how much the prices might be, some people also will be more aware than others on how much it costs to product an action figure and that some processes cost more than others. For the average joe who just buys a product, types in the URL from the blister and joins the club there should have been some clearer terms and conditions as to what might and might not happen in the future as it saves argument later on and makes the company look better. Same when international people suddenly discovered the extortionate shipping prices for them which were hidden away halfway down an order form.

Anyway, that was the basic point i was trying to make, i'm not even going to bother arguing it out any more because its such basic business practice, i don't blame them as they were new to it an set it up quickly - just saying it would be wise to warn people signing up about how future costs can fluctuate and how many exclusives they can expect on average to be offered. I don't have a problem with the price of the CC figures or exclusives - $19 for a Toyfare Vacation Fozzie wasn't bad, and $20 for Chef with articulated lobsters isnt bad either, although it seems this isn't by choice but because the lobsters were sculpted so HAD to be made.

So anyway nobody answered on the chef glazing shiny paint thing - is that really on his face or was it just the light exposure in the photo thats made it look shiny in the closeup ?

 

[Zack the Dog]

I feel the lobsters are a great idea, this isn't a store EX, only for a show, so i would say these would sell well, this is a great character with three pack-in's! it's ture to the show, fan based but also a figure that could apeal to everyone. i mean even if a lot of scalpers buy them by the ton, they are still being sold...then they put them on e-bay...hardly anyone buys them because they maybe in the CC and can get them so the scaplers go hungery for a few weeks.

kevin (Foz) puts it a great way, this is the cheepest price you will pay for it, why only if you lived next door to the place where the show is taken place would be the cheepest. but actualy going to the show, travel and everything would cost a lot. i'm not really for anything on his face, but i am getting the kicthen. i do think it was a good idea for people who want the chef but can not aford the playset or don't have room for it could buy this repaint but the paint on his face may turn some people down.

 

[frogboy4]

This is just the beginning of the Collector's Club and Palisades is a small company. They really have to learn as they go, but the membership fee has already payed for itself with the first package. I don't have a lot of cash, but I am commited to this line as a fan. That's what it's about. I'm sure Palisades do what they can to keep the price down. Most collectors know that some exclusive items are going to cost no matter what club they join - and the club was never a discount deal. It was a way to get the figures to the fans instead of the Ebay crowd. I don't find it necessary for them to add some fine print about every issue that could come up. People can make their own decisions and ask their own questions before joining.

 

[Bulldawg]

ya know the chef is cool...but im kinda diggin the grotesque HOD Bob figure that was featured in the bit as well. now THAT is a great sculpt.

 

[Luke]

Originally posted by frogboy4
I don't find it necessary for them to add some fine print about every issue that could come up. People can make their own decisions and ask their own questions before joining.

I don't think the issue is about price, it's just about good buisness practice and good customer relations. I'm not suggesting they have fine print for every issue that comes up but when you are talking about a virtual product rather than a physical one, companies are usually a lot clearer at the start about what people are buying into and what will happen during the membership period. I know Palisades started it up quickly just to satisfy the few fans on the boards who were getting ripped off on the exclusives but if they would have thought about it a bit more at the start it would have saved all the issues about the club that have come up since. It's probably a bit of a poor excuse to say people should ask their own questions - if Palisades accepted their money then their customers expect a certain level of professional service and to know in advance what that service will be. Anyway, can't do anything about that now, but surely this club will grow and grow what with the Transformers and Street Fighter fans being way larger in number than us - maybe its something for them to look into.

As for the price of the CC - i agree that it's not too bad, about the same as joining any fan club nowdays. It may have paid for itself in the fans eyes if they got the 'extra' suprise but i think the original package itself (without that) is about right for the money. What i do think they should sort out is their shipping charges (especially international) which aren't very competitive and probably put a lot of customers off joining. I understand that they need certain safeguards in sending things out so that can't be helped, but hopefully they are going to try to get the costs down a bit this year, and the members and all the new members who i expect would join as a result could get a better deal.

I notice that a lot of people here are saying the Chef's face is too messy, interesting how that differs from the really hardcore figure collectors on the Palisades forum who really love it like that.

 

[Zack the Dog]

I notice that a lot of people here are saying the Chef's face is too messy, interesting how that differs from the really hardcore figure collectors on the Palisades forum who really love it like that.

yes this is interesting Luke, I think Palisades just wants to do something else with Chef, this isn't a repaint exactly, but an Ex, so they want to give it a different feel, i think the lobsters and some mess on his apron are enough, but i still think it's a cool idea, i just feel bad for those who want a nice looking clean chef (or at least his face) but can't aford to buy the whole kitchen.

 

[beaker]

Originally posted by Zack the Dog
yes this is interesting Luke, I think Palisades just wants to do something else with Chef, this isn't a repaint exactly, but an Ex, so theywant to give if a different feel, i think the lobsters and some mess on his apron are enough, but i still think it's a cool idea, i just feel bad for those who want a nice looking clean chef (or at least his face) but can't aford to buy the whole kitchen.

Messy chef, clean chef, firefighter chef...I just want those DARN LOBSTERS! ^_^

 

[frogboy4]

Luke

I just don't think people need that kind of nurse maiding. It's up t an individual to consider his or her investment. I really don't see many actual club members complaining too much. It seems to be others who haven't joined finding fault with Palisades' system and coming up with solutions. The fee has already paid for itself. It just seems ridiculous to complain. The original purpose of the CC was very clear. It was not to give discounts to members - it was a way to get the figures to them at the retail price without Ebay markup. I consider it a huge success. Nobody's pointing a gun to anyone's head making him or her buy the Chef. People can make their own choices. Why should Palisades have to hold everyone's hand through their decisions?

I just don't get it.

 

[Luke]

Re: Luke

Originally posted by frogboy4
Why should Palisades have to hold everyone's hand through their decisions?

Well because they are an ever growing toy company with a responsibility to their customers, and leaving unanswered questions at the start leads to more and more questions and confusion from the middle to the end that they then have to answer. If you ever have done or do a business studies course they always teach you to treat the customer as if they don't know a thing about you and educate them from there. Thats because otherwise you have to deal with people who have differing levels of understanding, differing preconceptions and great communication and clarity with the customer gives the company a more 'people friendly' image and will usually lead to MORE sales. It's the same with website design - most designers keep it simple, have easy to undertand navigation, faq's and the like to get people coming back and more hits.

I'm NOT complaining or attacking, i have no reason to do that. I just noticed that a lot of the collectors club members are asking lots of questions as they go along - will XX be offered to members before my membership expires, XX is in Toyfare - will it be offered to members of the CC ?, why does XX figure cost so much when invisible Fozzie was only $15 ?. All questions that could have been and maybe should be answered in a 'Collectors Club' FAQ or something. If people had to pay money, they shouldn't ever be in the dark. I'm not saying the club isn't a success or isn't giving the fans what they want, I was just making a point from what i spotted - dis is why i am here ..... well that and i'm a busybody !

 

[beaker]

First off, if you recall there was *no* Colelctors Club...it was through much fan persistence and ballyhooing that we even got one in the first place...so it was setup rather quickly, and they did a great job IMO. Should they have said "prices will vary on various exclusives"? I dont think so. Obviously if youre joing the club youre already a hardcore fan with a few extra pennies to spend.

This was in resposne to auctioneers raping people's wallets on eBay with their rediculous prices...Palisades just quit the insanity by giving away the Beaker VC and Industry freebie Invisable figure for free to the fans.

This is a great way to eliminate those snake oil ebay auctioners, and give the fans these con exclusives without breaking the bank.

Would ya rather have fans paying up the wazoo on ebay for a con exclusive, or a mere $15-$20?