The Collector's Club...

[MM-III]

For those of you who've emailed Ken about VC Beaker and what not... you have no doubt recieved the email about the proposed "collector's club"...

For those not in the know... EMAIL KEN, let your interest be known!!

residentlilly2@comcast.net

Anyway,

Now while it's no means a sure thing, if it does happen, I was curious to find out how many people here would join and how much you'd be willing to pay to join? Also, what would you expect the club to provide outside of access to the exclusives?

As for me, I have been thinking about it and my idea of reasonable is 35.00 a year. My thinking on that price is as follows:

avg price of show exclusive: 15.00
+ Shipping: 5.00

If you figure there are 4 show exclusives per year (Wizard World east, chicago, San Diego, and Muppet Fest), the 35.00 averages out to 8.75 a figure.

So your final price per figure: 15.00
+ 5.00
+ 8.75

Total: $28.75

Now if you think about it, that makes it cheaper than you'll ever find it on ebay, and it would actually make it cheaper than going to the show itself if you figure in admission costs, travel, food, lodging... etc...

So what does everyone else think?

 

[Electric Mayhem]

I already replied to Ken's e-mail about this.

Basically, I based my ideas/opinions on the old Starting Lineup collector club I used to be in: you pay a fee to be in the club, then you are offered the right to purchase exclusives, and only pay for those that you want.

I tould Ken $15 would be fair club price, maybe even $25 if some sort of "members only" t-shirt were included, then your average exclusive would be about $15 each (members could purchase a limit of 2 per exclusive).

I'd definitely join.

 

[Kedrick]

If I understand your reasoning, you are saying that your $35 yearly membership charge would cover the cost of the figures, correct?

If that is the case, then I have to disagree. ANY collector club I have ever heard of/been involved with charges a flat membership fee (generally includes a newsletter, membership card, and perhaps a button or somesuch throwaway freebie) and then an additional charge for any exclusive merchandise.

My idea was something like a $20 yearly membership fee which would include online, exclusive access to upcoming product pics, ship dates, etc, as well as the option to purchase a CLUB EXCLUSIVE (as in not available to ANYONE BUT CLUB MEMBERS!) figure, as well as the chance to purchase exclusives done for various cons and shows.

And I would be very willing to join such a club, especially if it encompassed not just what Palisades is doing with their Muppet line, but also news and info on other upcoming Muppet related projects.

Clint

 

[Joggy]

I personally would not pay for info on figures (so, I'd know one month earlier what colour Scooter's sneakers will be - so what??), and I would most certainly not be interested in other Muppet related news. That's what MC and Tough Pigs are for.

My reason for joining would be buying the rare exclusives. It's the only way we as fans can get them for an affordable price.

 

[Aerosmith]

To join the Moore Action Collectables club it cost $36.90 but you get a free shirt and exclusive figure. So if Palisades did something like that i would definently pay that much!

 

[MM-III]

Kedric,

I think you misunderstood... I'm not saying the price goes up if there are more figures, my idea was a flat fee... I was just doing some math to show that even at 35 bucks, you get access to the figures for FAR cheaper than anywhere else, and that includes actually going to the cons themselves.

I realize 15-20 bucks sounds a lot better than 35.... but I was trying to balance between a price that would make it worth it for Palisades, and something the collector could stomach. Keep in mind, Palisades isn't a massive company.

I think the idea of offering figures only to club members will only serve to anger the buying public. I mean the show exclusives seem to infuriate them as it is...

I agree that paying for info is not really a bonus since we can get it here just as fast, but I'd personally go as high as 35 just for access to the exclusives. If it's lower? Great! But 35.00 represents as high as I would go.

 

[Kedrick]

Again, are you saying the $35 is the total charge? As in that buys your figures and your membership with no additional cost? $35 delivers your figures to you? Or is that the price you're paying for the chance to buy these figures later?

Clint

 

[MM-III]

Kedrick,

35 is club membership for one year...

For that you get to buy the figures directly from Palisades and not have to worry about going to the cons...

So.. to take the to the next logical step... If you bought every exclusive offered that year (and I assumed there would be 4 total) Your price per figure would average out to $28.75

If you bought two of every exclusive, the average price would be even lower...

I know that when Fer Sure mentioned she was going to the Chicago show, people were willing to spend up to 30 to obtain a VC Beaker... That money paid for the figure itself, shipping, and the additional addmission fee for the people Fer Sure would have to bring along so she could be allowed to buy the figures.

Therefore, I reasoned that 35 would be okay because assuming you buy them all... your price per figure is quite cheap.

 

[wong]

i'll join. I just want vanishing beaker.

 

[Electric Mayhem]

"I realize 15-20 bucks sounds a lot better than 35.... but I was trying to balance between a price that would make it worth it for Palisades, and something the collector could stomach."

True collectors will pay quite a bit- haven't you been watching eBay?

"I think the idea of offering figures only to club members will only serve to hack off the buying public. I mean the show exclusives seem to infuriate them as it is... "

Companies do this all the time. If someone's "hacked off" then all they have to do is join like everyone else!! The only people the show exclusives are infuriating are US- the Muppet fans!! And if such a club existed, most all of us would be in it, I'm sure.

The point is to make these figures accessible to us by any means necessary. Not to get some kind of discount on them or something (although that would be nice, but doubtful).