An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

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An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby ThePhantomFunko » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:59 am

So, if you've read any of my posts here it wouldn't be hard to figure out that I absolutely HATE when Funko makes exclusive POP's that can only be purchased at con's and other special events, and I absolutely HATE when those POP's end up on eBay for ridiculous collectors prices. I've been racking my brain about how Funko could still sell those exclusive POP'S and release them on a global scale for everyone to own, and then it hit me....

Why not make a limited batch of a specific figure aimed toward the con attendees that have a limited edition sticker on the box and/or a stamping on the bottom of the figures foot to denote that it's an event exclusive? That way the in the box, and out of box, collectors can display them knowing that it's a rare POP and folks who just want to own a POP of that whatever the specific character is can buy a normal version in retail. It makes sense to me to do something like this to please both sides of the spectrum and that way your entire fan base is happy.

Nothing bothers me more than the fact that certain major characters, such as Qui Gon Jinn, are con exclusive and I'll never be able to own one unless I'm willing to shell out hundreds of dollars for one. I could (maybe) see the point if the figure had some special notation on it specifying that it's an exclusive while a normal version is in circulation, or if the POP in question is a small bit character, but with major characters they really need to rethink this strategy. Especially if there is only one made of that specific character.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby CaseyJones14 » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:00 am

I have the exact opposite viewpoint. Exclusives should be exclusive. My favorite part about SDCC is waiting in line trying to get a hold of the POPs and Dorbz I want. If you make every single "exclusive" available to every Joe and Mary then the fun goes away.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Classier » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:24 am

I think that most of the exclusives are small enough where it doesn't really matter. Indy is the only one that comes to mind that should've had a release outside of the con.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby The Head » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:34 am

CaseyJones14 wrote:I have the exact opposite viewpoint. Exclusives should be exclusive. My favorite part about SDCC is waiting in line trying to get a hold of the POPs and Dorbz I want. If you make every single "exclusive" available to every Joe and Mary then the fun goes away.


I see both sides, but tend to lean more this way as well. If everything was available to everyone, it'll get watered down more quickly in my opinion.

With that said, it would be nice if there was an option for the general public, or at least a wider fan base, on some characters because most people who collect can't go to SDCC or NYCC. If they offered these exclusives at more cons in other cities, that's one thing, but I may never go to SDCC so my only option ever will be the secondary market for limited items. To say that's how it should be if you can't go to that specific con is a little elitist if you ask me.

I think a better option is to make a different mold for wider release for some characters. Then there is a very clear distinction between the limited item and the more common version. I know that obviously is more complicated logistically for funko, but qui gon is the poster child for this because there is absolutely a business case for a wider release. Obviously licensing could get in the way, but it would be odd to me that if they got permission to make qui gon, that they could only make one and that it had to be limited.

I think what they did with indy worked out fairly well since the Disney parks exclusive was available on their app and generally goes for about 40 now, which while still high, isn't too bad.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Stu » Wed Jan 11, 2017 12:31 pm

CaseyJones14 wrote:I have the exact opposite viewpoint. Exclusives should be exclusive. My favorite part about SDCC is waiting in line trying to get a hold of the POPs and Dorbz I want. If you make every single "exclusive" available to every Joe and Mary then the fun goes away.


I agree with this. While I do enjoy that some of the exclusives are shared exclusives with other retailers (it is how I have gotten almost all of the convention exclusives I own), I would have no problem if Funko made all of their convention exclusives 100% exclusive to the convention. Part of the fun of collecting is having something that not everyone has...this may sound elitist, but it is the truth.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby lovetheangels » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:04 pm

Stu wrote:
CaseyJones14 wrote:I have the exact opposite viewpoint. Exclusives should be exclusive. My favorite part about SDCC is waiting in line trying to get a hold of the POPs and Dorbz I want. If you make every single "exclusive" available to every Joe and Mary then the fun goes away.


I agree with this. While I do enjoy that some of the exclusives are shared exclusives with other retailers (it is how I have gotten almost all of the convention exclusives I own), I would have no problem if Funko made all of their convention exclusives 100% exclusive to the convention. Part of the fun of collecting is having something that not everyone has...this may sound elitist, but it is the truth.



I agree with both of these statements. It kind of contradicts the term exclusive if it really isn't an exclusive. Funko does a pretty good job of doing color variations, metallic versions, flocked versions at the conventions then you still have the option of buying the standard version at a retail store.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:09 pm

I feel like anyone who has ever had to pay for travel, hotel, ticket fees, etc. and then camp out or wake up at 4am to get in line for several hours have essentially earned the exclusives they bought. It would be disheartening to spend all of that time and money only to buy something that anybody can buy. Having a special sticker is nice, but it's even nicer to have something that truly is exclusive.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby The Head » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:32 pm

valorandvellum wrote:I feel like anyone who has ever had to pay for travel, hotel, ticket fees, etc. and then camp out or wake up at 4am to get in line for several hours have essentially earned the exclusives they bought. It would be disheartening to spend all of that time and money only to buy something that anybody can buy. Having a special sticker is nice, but it's even nicer to have something that truly is exclusive.


I get that sentiment, but it still bothers me that people still try to make this argument. If you are traveling to sdcc or nycc from out of state, paying for a hotel, etc., please don't try to sell me that you're doing it only for that prized funko exclusive. You're doing it for the experience of going to the con, see some panels, get first looks at teaser trailers, maybe get an autograph or two, etc. Its the collective, of which the pop is one part. Otherwise, it just doesn't make any sense.

With that said, I agree with the overall point, which is why I think there should always something different about the numbered exclusive, besides just a sticker or stamp.

I think funko has done a good job of making regular con "exclusives" (not numbered) available more broadly with the different stickers. Some people really care about that sdcc sticker and others don't. If they made exclusives for more cons, like for c2e2 and others, I'd be 100% in the camp that says con exclusive should actually be exclusive, but why would you ignore the vast majority of your target audience for all con exclusives if you don't have to?

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby lcarus83 » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:35 pm

Heck I'm still upset that I can't own the older DC pops without paying pretty large prices. And a few Marvel ones as well. I wish they'd at least give a few of those characters an updated or different look.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby CaseyJones14 » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:39 pm

The Head wrote:
valorandvellum wrote:I feel like anyone who has ever had to pay for travel, hotel, ticket fees, etc. and then camp out or wake up at 4am to get in line for several hours have essentially earned the exclusives they bought. It would be disheartening to spend all of that time and money only to buy something that anybody can buy. Having a special sticker is nice, but it's even nicer to have something that truly is exclusive.


I get that sentiment, but it still bothers me that people still try to make this argument. If you are traveling to sdcc or nycc from out of state, paying for a hotel, etc., please don't try to sell me that you're doing it only for that prized funko exclusive. You're doing it for the experience of going to the con, see some panels, get first looks at teaser trailers, maybe get an autograph or two, etc. Its the collective, of which the pop is one part. Otherwise, it just doesn't make any sense.


Last year turned into Funko Con for me and Priscilla lol We literally spent the entire weekend buying stuff for others, waiting in the Funko line at 4 in the morning, and then waiting in the Conan POP line every day for a couple hours. We did also wait in LEGO lines and did some other stuff, but honestly 90% of the trip was geared towards Funko.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:40 pm

The Head wrote:
valorandvellum wrote:I feel like anyone who has ever had to pay for travel, hotel, ticket fees, etc. and then camp out or wake up at 4am to get in line for several hours have essentially earned the exclusives they bought. It would be disheartening to spend all of that time and money only to buy something that anybody can buy. Having a special sticker is nice, but it's even nicer to have something that truly is exclusive.


I get that sentiment, but it still bothers me that people still try to make this argument. If you are traveling to sdcc or nycc from out of state, paying for a hotel, etc., please don't try to sell me that you're doing it only for that prized funko exclusive. You're doing it for the experience of going to the con, see some panels, get first looks at teaser trailers, maybe get an autograph or two, etc. Its the collective, of which the pop is one part. Otherwise, it just doesn't make any sense.

With that said, I agree with the overall point, which is why I think there should always something different about the numbered exclusive, besides just a sticker or stamp.

I think funko has done a good job of making regular con "exclusives" (not numbered) available more broadly with the different stickers. Some people really care about that sdcc sticker and others don't. If they made exclusives for more cons, like for c2e2 and others, I'd be 100% in the camp that says con exclusive should actually be exclusive, but why would you ignore the vast majority of your target audience for all con exclusives if you don't have to?


Well, I plan on going to ECCC for the first time this year and my main objective is to hit up the Funko booth. And I know for some of my friends, their main reason to go to SDCC is to get the LEGO exclusives. The experience, panels, etc. are nice bonuses, but the main reason that makes some of us pull the financial trigger on going to these conventions is the opportunity to buy some really cool, rare pieces.

I'm not sure if you've been to many conventions, but for some of the bigger ones, you have to make hard choices. You don't get exclusives AND go to panels AND get autographs. If it's something highly prized, whether it be that Funko LE item, Stan Lee autograph, or Game of Thrones panel, you can only pick one per day. If you want something that's less popular, then you can probably fit more things in that day. But for the more popular things, you can't have it all. So the argument that you're doing all of this for a chance at exclusives is sound.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby edmomo » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:49 pm

valorandvellum wrote:
The Head wrote:
valorandvellum wrote:I feel like anyone who has ever had to pay for travel, hotel, ticket fees, etc. and then camp out or wake up at 4am to get in line for several hours have essentially earned the exclusives they bought. It would be disheartening to spend all of that time and money only to buy something that anybody can buy. Having a special sticker is nice, but it's even nicer to have something that truly is exclusive.


I get that sentiment, but it still bothers me that people still try to make this argument. If you are traveling to sdcc or nycc from out of state, paying for a hotel, etc., please don't try to sell me that you're doing it only for that prized funko exclusive. You're doing it for the experience of going to the con, see some panels, get first looks at teaser trailers, maybe get an autograph or two, etc. Its the collective, of which the pop is one part. Otherwise, it just doesn't make any sense.

With that said, I agree with the overall point, which is why I think there should always something different about the numbered exclusive, besides just a sticker or stamp.

I think funko has done a good job of making regular con "exclusives" (not numbered) available more broadly with the different stickers. Some people really care about that sdcc sticker and others don't. If they made exclusives for more cons, like for c2e2 and others, I'd be 100% in the camp that says con exclusive should actually be exclusive, but why would you ignore the vast majority of your target audience for all con exclusives if you don't have to?


Well, I plan on going to ECCC for the first time this year and my main objective is to hit up the Funko booth. And I know for some of my friends, their main reason to go to SDCC is to get the LEGO exclusives. The experience, panels, etc. are nice bonuses, but the main reason that makes some of us pull the financial trigger on going to these conventions is the opportunity to buy some really cool, rare pieces.

I'm not sure if you've been to many conventions, but for some of the bigger ones, you have to make hard choices. You don't get exclusives AND go to panels AND get autographs. If it's something highly prized, whether it be that Funko LE item, Stan Lee autograph, or Game of Thrones panel, you can only pick one per day. If you want something that's less popular, then you can probably fit more things in that day. But for the more popular things, you can't have it all. So the argument that you're doing all of this for a chance at exclusives is sound.


I'll agree with Priscilla on the choices. Back at SDCC pre-twilight years? Yeah, you could just walk into things and someone just making it a business vendor could be viewed unfavorably to scoop up something you don't even personally want just to make a buck. Since then, it's is nuts and you suffer a lot of sleepless nights at the chance to buy something... maybe... if the gods look favorably on you. I'm not condoning anyone going simply to flip it but in the same vein for those who take the time to even get into a booth, you earned the right to do whatever the heck you feel with your purchase. Even if they did make it at every con there is no way any human could make the time for all of it let alone be lucky to pick up every exclusive so you'll still be stuck on the secondary market or if you're lucky from the good will of fellow collectors so everyone would still be crying a river about how unfair it all is.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Strending625 » Wed Jan 11, 2017 1:58 pm

I agree with both sides to a certain point. I would love to see a lot of the con exclusives that don't have pops of the same character available with a different mold, colors or what have you available elsewhere. But I'm fine with limited number con exclusives being exclusive. I've learned to live without some pops that I know I will never be able to afford. It's not going to break my collection because I don't want to spend $300 or more on Quigon. If they make him a wide release with a different mold of course I'll snatch one up. But I'm not going to stop collecting because I wasn't able to find some that I want.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby The Head » Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:08 pm

valorandvellum wrote:
I'm not sure if you've been to many conventions, but for some of the bigger ones, you have to make hard choices. You don't get exclusives AND go to panels AND get autographs. If it's something highly prized, whether it be that Funko LE item, Stan Lee autograph, or Game of Thrones panel, you can only pick one per day. If you want something that's less popular, then you can probably fit more things in that day. But for the more popular things, you can't have it all. So the argument that you're doing all of this for a chance at exclusives is sound.


Yeah I've been to plenty of cons in chicago so I get that you have to be willing to miss something for the opportunity for something else. I have not been to sdcc or nycc though and I know those are different animals.

I'm totally not trying to be a jerk, but here's where I struggle. The funko piece may the main reason, but still not the only reason you are going to the con. If it's the only reason, the financial and time commitment necessary for most people makes it nonsensical. You are potentially spending $1,000 plus (if you're lucky), just to get and stay there with no guarantee that you are going to get what you want. Why not just buy it on the secondary market at that point? You save yourself tons of time AND money. Almost everything is available in the secondary market. Granted that is not the sexiest way to collect, but very few things can ONLY be obtained at the con and it will always be that way. I guess I'm saying I get it, it just doesn't make any sense to me if that's the only reason you're going. Maybe it's like my wife says, I like the easy way out. lol

Anyway, I still love you guys, I just view things through a different lense. Apologies to the OP for veering off topic.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Chase Variant » Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:10 pm

valorandvellum wrote:I feel like anyone who has ever had to pay for travel, hotel, ticket fees, etc. and then camp out or wake up at 4am to get in line for several hours have essentially earned the exclusives they bought. It would be disheartening to spend all of that time and money only to buy something that anybody can buy. Having a special sticker is nice, but it's even nicer to have something that truly is exclusive.


That's a bit of my issue with the retailer "Summer Convention Exclusives". It seems inefficient to me to have people camp out at 4 am for a figure with a special SDCC sticker that they can get more easily without the sticker by walking over to the Horton Plaza Hot Topic. I kind of want the booth to focus on the numbered exclusives and then do the "Summer Convention Exclusives" with the retailers after the con.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Wed Jan 11, 2017 2:44 pm

The Head wrote:Yeah I've been to plenty of cons in chicago so I get that you have to be willing to miss something for the opportunity for something else. I have not been to sdcc or nycc though and I know those are different animals.

I'm totally not trying to be a jerk, but here's where I struggle. The funko piece may the main reason, but still not the only reason you are going to the con. If it's the only reason, the financial and time commitment necessary for most people makes it nonsensical. You are potentially spending $1,000 plus (if you're lucky), just to get and stay there with no guarantee that you are going to get what you want. Why not just buy it on the secondary market at that point? You save yourself tons of time AND money. Almost everything is available in the secondary market. Granted that is not the sexiest way to collect, but very few things can ONLY be obtained at the con and it will always be that way. I guess I'm saying I get it, it just doesn't make any sense to me if that's the only reason you're going. Maybe it's like my wife says, I like the easy way out. lol

Anyway, I still love you guys, I just view things through a different lense. Apologies to the OP for veering off topic.


No worries! I'm not taking offense to anything – we're just having a healthy discussion lol

Well, the amount of money spent on the con relates directly to how big the con is. I'm lucky enough to live in the same state as SDCC so I'm probably only spending hundreds of dollars versus thousands to go to SDCC. SDCC typically has about 50 exclusives at the Funko booth alone. Then there are other booths that will also have Funko exclusives too – Funimation, Blizzard, Stan Lee/Crazy Cat Collectibles, and Conan to name a few. I also hit up booths that are selling Pop Asia for $20 (versus buying the $40+ versions online. I also seek out LEGO, prints, and sometimes comics with exclusive variant covers. So there is a potential of 60+ Funko items and other company exclusives that I can buy for cost versus buying in the secondary market. I think this is what makes it worth it to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars.

I think Funko has struck a nice balance of numbered LE items and shared store exclusives for the bigger cons. Also having some of the numbered items for sale in their online shop is a nice gesture to their fans who can't make it out.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby The Head » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:16 pm

valorandvellum wrote:Well, the amount of money spent on the con relates directly to how big the con is. I'm lucky enough to live in the same state as SDCC so I'm probably only spending hundreds of dollars versus thousands to go to SDCC. SDCC typically has about 50 exclusives at the Funko booth alone. Then there are other booths that will also have Funko exclusives too – Funimation, Blizzard, Stan Lee/Crazy Cat Collectibles, and Conan to name a few. I also hit up booths that are selling Pop Asia for $20 (versus buying the $40+ versions online. I also seek out LEGO, prints, and sometimes comics with exclusive variant covers. So there is a potential of 60+ Funko items and other company exclusives that I can buy for cost versus buying in the secondary market. I think this is what makes it worth it to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars.

I think Funko has struck a nice balance of numbered LE items and shared store exclusives for the bigger cons. Also having some of the numbered items for sale in their online shop is a nice gesture to their fans who can't make it out.


That's what I'm talking about! You have a bunch of stuff you're trying to buy, not just a handful of funko exclusives. Plus it's relatively simple for you to get there (comparatively speaking). You're practically making my point for me!! I kid, I kid. lol

I agree that it should be a mix between truly exclusive items and shared and funko does it very well.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Libertyroxx » Wed Jan 11, 2017 6:50 pm

Personally, I find zero wrong with having items be exclusive to conventions. I can't even count the amount of hours and effort I've put in to not only be at SDCC and NYCC, but to score the Pops I most want. And as a few others have said it may be about the experience, but you also have no choice but to pick and choose what you do. And I've skipped all kinds of things (in San Diego in particular) to make the goal possible. For those of us that have done that, the idea that anyone anywhere can get every single thing far more easily from their house just undermines what makes the exclusives special to begin with. There is a story there. A journey. For me anyway, it transcends just the act of owning another Pop. It's one I worked for.

And yeah there are things I would have liked to have gotten for retail say from ECCC last year, but that was those attendees story. Granted, none of this accounts for flippers who of course are worst kind of scum.

In the end, I don't think there is a way possible to make everyone happy. Phantom is upset he couldn't get Qui-Gon just as I'm less than optimistic about ever getting my hands on Biggs or the Shadowtrooper. Yes, there are way more Funko fans now than there were in 2011/2012, but the run was also upped to 2,000 from 480 in this particular case. Tons of vaulted Pops that were commons when they came out are worth vastly more than when they were released too. It's simply the nature of collecting.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Wed Jan 11, 2017 7:06 pm

The Head wrote:
valorandvellum wrote:Well, the amount of money spent on the con relates directly to how big the con is. I'm lucky enough to live in the same state as SDCC so I'm probably only spending hundreds of dollars versus thousands to go to SDCC. SDCC typically has about 50 exclusives at the Funko booth alone. Then there are other booths that will also have Funko exclusives too – Funimation, Blizzard, Stan Lee/Crazy Cat Collectibles, and Conan to name a few. I also hit up booths that are selling Pop Asia for $20 (versus buying the $40+ versions online. I also seek out LEGO, prints, and sometimes comics with exclusive variant covers. So there is a potential of 60+ Funko items and other company exclusives that I can buy for cost versus buying in the secondary market. I think this is what makes it worth it to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars.

I think Funko has struck a nice balance of numbered LE items and shared store exclusives for the bigger cons. Also having some of the numbered items for sale in their online shop is a nice gesture to their fans who can't make it out.


That's what I'm talking about! You have a bunch of stuff you're trying to buy, not just a handful of funko exclusives. Plus it's relatively simple for you to get there (comparatively speaking). You're practically making my point for me!! I kid, I kid. lol

I agree that it should be a mix between truly exclusive items and shared and funko does it very well.


I guess I misunderstood your point then. I thought you were saying Funko isn't the only reason people go to conventions and sometimes it is. As Brett stated earlier, Funko was 90% of what we were going for and doing while we were there. I also know people who go just to go to the big panels and people who go just for the LE Mondo prints. People can have a very singular reason for going to the big conventions :tongue:

And I was about to say that I don't think anybody would go just for one single item, but there are people who stand in line at Hasbro all day just for one piece. LOL
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby The Head » Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:21 pm

valorandvellum wrote:I guess I misunderstood your point then. I thought you were saying Funko isn't the only reason people go to conventions and sometimes it is. As Brett stated earlier, Funko was 90% of what we were going for and doing while we were there. I also know people who go just to go to the big panels and people who go just for the LE Mondo prints. People can have a very singular reason for going to the big conventions :tongue:

And I was about to say that I don't think anybody would go just for one single item, but there are people who stand in line at Hasbro all day just for one piece. LOL

Ha, no you understood it fine, but it sounded like there was a bunch of other stuff you were interested in (lego, comics). Granted most of it is funko, but it's also much more convenient for you to go, which is not the case for most people. For someone like me (I'm from Chicago) it would be very silly for me to go to the con just for even multiple Funko items. However, I hear people all the time say that they paid thousands for airfare, hotel, etc., and that because of that they should have that item as theirs and only theirs (in a manner of speaking), which is a little ridiculous to me to try and make that argument.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Mos_Eisley » Wed Jan 11, 2017 8:44 pm

I think there are already way too many pieces that are sent outside the cons. Hundreds who are actually at the big cons walk away empty handed, while some dude in Alaska is walking into Barnes and getting all he wants. I think more (actually all, in my opinion) of the inventory should be sent to the show the item is supposed to be exclusive to. If those people don't buy it all, go from there. But the way it is now makes a mockery of the term "exclusive."

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:04 pm

The Head wrote:Ha, no you understood it fine, but it sounded like there was a bunch of other stuff you were interested in (lego, comics). Granted most of it is funko, but it's also much more convenient for you to go, which is not the case for most people. For someone like me (I'm from Chicago) it would be very silly for me to go to the con just for even multiple Funko items. However, I hear people all the time say that they paid thousands for airfare, hotel, etc., and that because of that they should have that item as theirs and only theirs (in a manner of speaking), which is a little ridiculous to me to try and make that argument.


Well, I'm single with no kids so it's feasible for me to pay for a flight, hotel, tickets, and take time off work to go to a convention (which is what I'm doing for ECCC since that is not so conveniently located). Haha.

I don't see anything wrong with that argument though. Not even talking about Funko, there are some ridiculously priced items out there – for example, name brand purses. If someone is willing to pay $2,000 for a purse, fine. I wouldn't pay that much, I don't get the purse, I'm fine with that. But I could see why that person wouldn't want that special purse to be available at, say, Walmart. If a person is going to spend that much money and probably effort to track down one some limited edition handbag, why wouldn't they want to be one of just a few people who tote it around?
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby The Head » Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:37 pm

valorandvellum wrote:
I don't see anything wrong with that argument though. Not even talking about Funko, there are some ridiculously priced items out there – for example, name brand purses. If someone is willing to pay $2,000 for a purse, fine. I wouldn't pay that much, I don't get the purse, I'm fine with that. But I could see why that person wouldn't want that special purse to be available at, say, Walmart. If a person is going to spend that much money and probably effort to track down one some limited edition handbag, why wouldn't they want to be one of just a few people who tote it around?


True. Nothing wrong with that sentiment at all. If I paid thousands for something, I wouldn't want to see it at walmart either. I just don't buy that someone is spending thousands only for a few exclusives that could be purchased on the secondary market for a few hundred each.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby rkwo » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:19 am

Make friends and offer to trade. I've given up trying to get everything, but if you absolutely need to have something then figure out a solution even if that means you have to pay a little more. It's not a great argument to say Funko produces something and everyone should have a fair shot to get it, if that were the case they would just keep printing everything and the collectability would lose it's appeal.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby d3monicwolv3s » Thu Jan 12, 2017 4:12 am

I think it would be nice if the exclusives were up for preorder from the funko shop for a brief time. (maybe a week to a month). They make a second wave based on the order change the box or sticker to say funkoshop shared exclusive ect.

But I haven't really concerned myself with any of the convention ones. There's a few cheaper ones I will probably get off ebay eventually but there's too many others to buy and other things to spend money on that keep popping up.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby TriFeckTa » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:09 am

lovetheangels wrote:
Stu wrote:
CaseyJones14 wrote:I have the exact opposite viewpoint. Exclusives should be exclusive. My favorite part about SDCC is waiting in line trying to get a hold of the POPs and Dorbz I want. If you make every single "exclusive" available to every Joe and Mary then the fun goes away.


I agree with this. While I do enjoy that some of the exclusives are shared exclusives with other retailers (it is how I have gotten almost all of the convention exclusives I own), I would have no problem if Funko made all of their convention exclusives 100% exclusive to the convention. Part of the fun of collecting is having something that not everyone has...this may sound elitist, but it is the truth.



I agree with both of these statements. It kind of contradicts the term exclusive if it really isn't an exclusive. Funko does a pretty good job of doing color variations, metallic versions, flocked versions at the conventions then you still have the option of buying the standard version at a retail store.


Keep exclusives, exclusive! That's the fun part of collecting. No one can really have it all, you may have something but another person may have something you don't. If things were readily available and everything is easy to obtain, there wouldn't be a hunt, chase, or thrill.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby ThePhantomFunko » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:38 am

Since I'm the OP, allow me to rephrase my concern....

I don't mind a POP being exclusive and only available through one outlet such as a con or event, but when that is the ONLY figure available for that character thats when I have to challenge the decision. Again, I'll use Qui Gon Jinn as an example. If there was a version, any version really, of Qui Gon that was readily available for me to purchase in retail than I wouldn't mind, but since the con exclusive is the ONLY version available I have to toss the challenge flag at Funko.

Make a different version available for the masses to please the fans, and keep the exclusive version exclusive. Everyone's happy that way.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby TriFeckTa » Thu Jan 12, 2017 6:57 am

ThePhantomFunko wrote:Since I'm the OP, allow me to rephrase my concern....

I don't mind a POP being exclusive and only available through one outlet such as a con or event, but when that is the ONLY figure available for that character thats when I have to challenge the decision. Again, I'll use Qui Gon Jinn as an example. If there was a version, any version really, of Qui Gon that was readily available for me to purchase in retail than I wouldn't mind, but since the con exclusive is the ONLY version available I have to toss the challenge flag at Funko.

Make a different version available for the masses to please the fans, and keep the exclusive version exclusive. Everyone's happy that way.


That's reasonable, i agree, in the case of main characters there should be a variant that is readily available.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby ks082091 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 7:19 am

ThePhantomFunko wrote:Since I'm the OP, allow me to rephrase my concern....

I don't mind a POP being exclusive and only available through one outlet such as a con or event, but when that is the ONLY figure available for that character thats when I have to challenge the decision. Again, I'll use Qui Gon Jinn as an example. If there was a version, any version really, of Qui Gon that was readily available for me to purchase in retail than I wouldn't mind, but since the con exclusive is the ONLY version available I have to toss the challenge flag at Funko.

Make a different version available for the masses to please the fans, and keep the exclusive version exclusive. Everyone's happy that way.

While I completely disagree with your original post, I think this rephrasing has merit. I can see where people would be upset when it's the only version of the character. An action pose or something would have helped people not be so upset. But here's the thing. Iv been collecting pops since 2011. While I haven't been collecting forever, I have been around a good amount of time. And for years, people would be complaining that the con releases were lazy. That they just did a simple repaint, or made it metallic, or made it glow. So Funko goes and decides to make a whole new character, with a new mold. Very decidedly not lazy. But people still complain lol. The point being, everyone won't ever really be happy unfortunately. I think this past nycc was them trying to have a bunch of brand new pieces like people have asked for. After the qui Gon back lash, it'll be interesting to see what they do for sdcc. Just my two cents lol

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Chase Variant » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:28 am

ThePhantomFunko wrote:Since I'm the OP, allow me to rephrase my concern....

I don't mind a POP being exclusive and only available through one outlet such as a con or event, but when that is the ONLY figure available for that character thats when I have to challenge the decision. Again, I'll use Qui Gon Jinn as an example. If there was a version, any version really, of Qui Gon that was readily available for me to purchase in retail than I wouldn't mind, but since the con exclusive is the ONLY version available I have to toss the challenge flag at Funko.

Make a different version available for the masses to please the fans, and keep the exclusive version exclusive. Everyone's happy that way.


I agree with this. I think Con (and Retailer) Exclusives should be special variants of characters available at general retail, not the only way you'll be able to get the character.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Chase Variant » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:41 am

ks082091 wrote:Iv been collecting pops since 2011. While I haven't been collecting forever, I have been around a good amount of time. And for years,


Nothing to do with your point, but you don't get to follow "since 2011" with "good amount of time" and "for years". lol You're a wee bairn!

So Funko goes and decides to make a whole new character, with a new mold. Very decidedly not lazy. But people still complain lol.


I don't think it would've taken a lot of foresight to know that making the main character of the fourth Star Wars movie—a franchise known for having obsessively completist collectors—a limited convention exclusive would not be received well.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Libertyroxx » Thu Jan 12, 2017 11:13 am

ThePhantomFunko wrote:Since I'm the OP, allow me to rephrase my concern....

I don't mind a POP being exclusive and only available through one outlet such as a con or event, but when that is the ONLY figure available for that character thats when I have to challenge the decision. Again, I'll use Qui Gon Jinn as an example. If there was a version, any version really, of Qui Gon that was readily available for me to purchase in retail than I wouldn't mind, but since the con exclusive is the ONLY version available I have to toss the challenge flag at Funko.

Make a different version available for the masses to please the fans, and keep the exclusive version exclusive. Everyone's happy that way.



That's certainly reasonable. And honestly, although it wasn't released at the exact same time, I can't fathom that there won't be another Qui-Gon at some point. Disney may have been hesitating on more prequel Pops simply because the films are so maligned(and not without good reason). But now that they've seen people's reactions to the few prequel Pops happening recently I'm sure that will change.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby eljefe81 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:35 pm

I think another thing to keep in mind here is that being at conventions does cost Funko money. Sales at the convention help defray those costs (or maybe turn a profit, I have no idea what it costs to be at SDCC and how much business Funko does there) and the best way to guarantee sales is to offer something that can only be found there. If all they sold at the booth was Summer Olaf, generic Batman, and base Harry Potter (you get the idea), they'd do very little business and it wouldn't make much sense to even be at the convention. The con exclusives help make it feasible to show up at the cons, which in turn gives us the opportunity to get something cool as well as visit with the Funko team and see the cool stuff they have at the booth.

While in a perfect world we'd all be able to get every Pop that we want, the reality is that we are collectors. And part of what makes collecting fun is having grails and things that are more difficult to obtain than others. Please don't take this the wrong way, but this idea that Funko owes us to make every single item available to anyone who wants it screams of entitlement. It's their business and they can run it how they want. We can choose to collect or not to collect. And yes, you can moan about something (like Qui-Gon) that you really want that might be impossible to get. That's part of the fun of collecting too, but if you start getting upset (not saying you are, just a generalized statement) you're kind of missing the point of collecting. It's not necessarily about getting every single item, it's about the fun, journey, and stories you collect along the way.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Thu Jan 12, 2017 12:39 pm

ThePhantomFunko wrote:Since I'm the OP, allow me to rephrase my concern....

I don't mind a POP being exclusive and only available through one outlet such as a con or event, but when that is the ONLY figure available for that character thats when I have to challenge the decision. Again, I'll use Qui Gon Jinn as an example. If there was a version, any version really, of Qui Gon that was readily available for me to purchase in retail than I wouldn't mind, but since the con exclusive is the ONLY version available I have to toss the challenge flag at Funko.

Make a different version available for the masses to please the fans, and keep the exclusive version exclusive. Everyone's happy that way.


I personally don't have an issue with this because we don't really know what's on the contract for the license. And as other people have stated, if you just give it time they will probably eventually release variants of the character. But even if there is only the one character Pop exclusive for a convention or event, I don't have a problem with this either.

For example, a character named Sona was released at the League of Legends World Championship only. At the moment, this is the ONLY Pop of this character. She's going for $$$ in the secondary market. I had to make a choice if I wanted to save up and get her, or let this one go. I made the choice to eventually buy her and it took quite a bit of time looking around eBay. And it was actually kind of fun being on the hunt for a big grail. It also makes her feel more special now that I have her.

I can definitely see why you have your viewpoint though and it CAN be really frustrating to not have access to a Pop you really want. But I'm fine with keeping exclusives exclusive.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby Chase Variant » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:12 pm

eljefe81 wrote:While in a perfect world we'd all be able to get every Pop that we want, the reality is that we are collectors. And part of what makes collecting fun is having grails and things that are more difficult to obtain than others. Please don't take this the wrong way, but this idea that Funko owes us to make every single item available to anyone who wants it screams of entitlement. It's their business and they can run it how they want. We can choose to collect or not to collect.


Certainly, Funko doesn't owe us every single item available, and they can run their business how they want. But if the way they run their business will be consistently making a main character from a line more difficult to get as a limited convention exclusive, then I know not to waste my time and money with that line. And I'd like to offer feedback about why I would not invest in that line. That's not entitlement.

Also, I understand that licensees don't always have full control over what can be released and when, but I'd like to offer feedback to Funko that when it's possible, they should avoid situations like Qui Gon. I don't think that's entitlement either.

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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby eljefe81 » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:18 pm

Honest feedback like that definitely isn't entitlement. But strictly complaining about a situation and acting like you are owed something by them is a danger I think it's important to be cognizant of and avoid (and to be clear, I don't take your comments as being in that vein). A lot of it comes across (and this isn't just from this thread, but from other threads and messageboards) as sour grapes. You will see people complain about a Funko Shop item being limited to 500 pieces (when they don't get it) and they go off on Funko for enabling flippers etc, but then the same people complain when an item is released with a high print run or (no limit) about how it's not collectible.

I think as collectors we can all (mostly) agree that we like having limited print runs on some items. That makes them more collectible, and when we are lucky enough to get them, a feather in our caps. From a business perspective, doing QGJ (or any other major character from a line) as a limited exclusive for the solely available figure would seem to leave a lot of money on the table, so I would expect that we'd see a variant/different pose at some point.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby treswright » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:24 pm

I think exclusives and rarities are a big part of the novelty of collecting Funko products. If everything they made was easily obtainable these forums would be a lot more boring :-) It's fun and exciting as a collector to get your hands on something that few others have. And it's almost as fun to live vicariously through others and see them score something special. That "something" is different things to different people, Priscilla's DJ Sona is my blue Pop Ride Batmobile for example lol I searched for almost a year for that Batmobile, they only made 200 of them and they almost never turn up on eBay. It was the only hole in my Rides collection. A fellow Funatic finally helped me out, and even though it's not the flashiest or most interesting Ride in my collection it brought me a lot of pleasure in finally filling that missing gap :-) As collectors we often have to look at collecting as "dollar cost averaging". Priscilla paid a lot for Sona, and I paid a lot for that Batmobile. But look at the hundreds of other Pops we and just about everyone here has bought at bargain prices, often below retail though HT promotions and such. If you average that "splurge" in with the others then you haven't really spent that much more on the hobby as a whole. That's kind of my attitude, if I want Qui Gon bad enough I will find a way to beg/borrow/trade enough to get him. And if I'm not willing to go to that effort well then I guess I really don't want him that bad. So in general I really don't think Funko should change a thing, they have an interesting mix of commons, exclusives and numbered exclusives and it should stay that way.

By the way I agree with Brian, I would be quite surprised if we don't see another version of Qui Gon, maybe an action pose or something. Funko does listen to their fanbase and they know there's a lot of saltiness over Qui Gon.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby treswright » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:32 pm

Chase Variant wrote:But if the way they run their business will be consistently making a main character from a line more difficult to get as a limited convention exclusive


Serious question, what examples are you thinking of other than Qui Gon? I can't think of any myself. I don't really recall anyone complaining about numbered limited editions until the whole Qui Gon saga. Qui Gon was the one Pop I remember hearing mentioned the most whenever the wish list subject came up, and I'm already on record in other threads as stating that it seemed like a poor decision to limit that one given that they had to know how popular it would be. So granted, they should have made it a higher number, made it an unnumbered exclusive, or even made it a common. But I don't see that it indicates any kind of a trend, seems more like an isolated example.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby valorandvellum » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:49 pm

treswright wrote:As collectors we often have to look at collecting as "dollar cost averaging". Priscilla paid a lot for Sona, and I paid a lot for that Batmobile. But look at the hundreds of other Pops we and just about everyone here has bought at bargain prices, often below retail though HT promotions and such. If you average that "splurge" in with the others then you haven't really spent that much more on the hobby as a whole.

What a wonderful way of justifying our expenditures! Thank you for enabling and relieving some guilt for that splurge. lol But it is a very good point. A majority of my Pops cost between $10-$15 which is far cheaper than collecting something like LEGO.
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Re: An idea about how to market exclusive POPS and non-exclusive POP'S....

Postby edmomo » Thu Jan 12, 2017 1:56 pm

valorandvellum wrote:
treswright wrote:As collectors we often have to look at collecting as "dollar cost averaging". Priscilla paid a lot for Sona, and I paid a lot for that Batmobile. But look at the hundreds of other Pops we and just about everyone here has bought at bargain prices, often below retail though HT promotions and such. If you average that "splurge" in with the others then you haven't really spent that much more on the hobby as a whole.

What a wonderful way of justifying our expenditures! Thank you for enabling and relieving some guilt for that splurge. lol But it is a very good point. A majority of my Pops cost between $10-$15 which is far cheaper than collecting something like LEGO.


Yeah my lego-head friend is always looking at 10 cents per brick or lower to average out his cost of whether or not a set is worth him buying.
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