Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

[Cobotron]

Just take the registered sal Cobster. Gives you a bit of peace of mind.

That's exactly what I chose. Thanks for the advice Fenster!

[prjkt]

No Magnus from BBTS for me yet, kind of a good thing as I've got no money this week (damn surprise bills)

[SKYWARPED_128]

Yeah, I'm going Takara as well. For the painted rims if nothing else.

Unpainted rims are on of my biggest pet peeves.

YEah, too many Transformers are in a serious need of a good rim job.

I see what you did there, sir.

[DedicatedGhostArt]

I think this mold actually looks better as Starscream than Thundercracker.

[-Kanrabat-]

Yeah, I'm going Takara as well. For the painted rims if nothing else.

Unpainted rims are on of my biggest pet peeves.

YEah, too many Transformers are in a serious need of a good rim job.

I see what you did there, sir.

[LOST Cybertronian]

Yeah, I'm going Takara as well. For the painted rims if nothing else.

Unpainted rims are on of my biggest pet peeves.

YEah, too many Transformers are in a serious need of a good rim job.

sig'd

[skywarp23]

I'm fairly certain I was among some of the first to pre-order Magnus. But to find out on a Friday evening that only a few came in. Now I have to wait until Monday to know if I'm one of the lucky ones. Lol.

[william-james88]

You know, I just bought some more stunticons and noticed that their hubcaps were painted. I realized that it was something I always thought I would get since it never dawned on me that there would be a day when you wouldnt get that. Well, it seems like Hasbro chose Leader Magnus to be the toy to let go of that basic feature and its just one more reason to go with Takara. I mean come on, the DELUXES have painted hubcaps!

[Rated X]

Still too much money for just a Minimus Ambus figure

You know, if Japanese prices were more comparable in retail I would actually say get Takara and Hasbro and sell the Hasbro. But I mean, I hate the mark up TT does for some paint apps. Yeah they do look better and for deluxes I dont mind paying $10 more for awesome decos...but leader class that are almost $30 more? nah.

Paying 10$ more for a deluxe, or 30$ more for a leader ammount to paying 50% more. It's the same thing. Still, it may look bigger for you Americans.

No its not the same thing. This is not a math thing. Its a price gouging thing. Its clearly about how much more money can Takara justify adding to the price for a few extra swipes of paint. If $10 is the cost, then Takara UM should only cost $55. And if $30 is the cost, than every takara deluxe figure should cost $45. The few extra swipes of paint only have one cost to the factory no matter how big a piece of plastic they are painted on.

[william-james88]

No its not the same thing. This is not a math thing. Its a price gouging thing. Its clearly about how much more money can Takara justify adding to the price for a few extra swipes of paint. If $10 is the cost, then Takara UM should only cost $55. And if $30 is the cost, than every takara deluxe figure should cost $45. The few extra swipes of paint only have one cost to the factory no matter how big a piece of plastic they are painted on.

But doesnt a bigger figure get more extra paint? And last time I checked, paint is a variable cost, not a fixed cost since it<s cost is dependent on how much is used. In any case, both prices are the very same right now so this is a non issue. You are technically getting less for the same amount by buying the hasbro version.

[Optimizzy]

No its not the same thing. This is not a math thing. Its a price gouging thing. Its clearly about how much more money can Takara justify adding to the price for a few extra swipes of paint. If $10 is the cost, then Takara UM should only cost $55. And if $30 is the cost, than every takara deluxe figure should cost $45. The few extra swipes of paint only have one cost to the factory no matter how big a piece of plastic they are painted on.

But doesnt a bigger figure get more extra paint? And last time I checked, paint is a variable cost, not a fixed cost since it<s cost is dependent on how much is used. In any case, both prices are the very same right now so this is a non issue. You are technically getting less for the same amount by buying the hasbro version.

Huh. Am I agreeing with Rated X? Dang. I guess I am. Yeah it's a variable cost but when they budget the cost to produce then (so they can make a suitable profit) it should be a standard amount. The difference of $10 and 30 is very suspect if you think of it. Far better is to argue that gang molded parts of different plastic would be were the true cost is going. However, I do think Takara takes a little more advantage of their consumer base with their prices. Cloud releases are a good example. Sometimes they are not so bad, other times it's outrageous.

[Optimizzy]

Side note: went to Walmart, all wave 2 deluxe and legends are marked down on clearance. Meanwhile they have about 30 AoE one steps and 15 power battlers. What surprised me was that they had some generations legends and deluxes from last year that were full price. They just got it and put it on clearance?

[Rated X]

No its not the same thing. This is not a math thing. Its a price gouging thing. Its clearly about how much more money can Takara justify adding to the price for a few extra swipes of paint. If $10 is the cost, then Takara UM should only cost $55. And if $30 is the cost, than every takara deluxe figure should cost $45. The few extra swipes of paint only have one cost to the factory no matter how big a piece of plastic they are painted on.

But doesnt a bigger figure get more extra paint? And last time I checked, paint is a variable cost, not a fixed cost since it<s cost is dependent on how much is used. In any case, both prices are the very same right now so this is a non issue. You are technically getting less for the same amount by buying the hasbro version.

Exactly how much do you think paint costs ? Does 2 ounces of paint really cost $30 more than 1 ounce of paint ?

Since you seem to agree that this is a math thing, try doing the math. 30 bucks for an extra ounce of paint is super suspect...

I dont even know the exact price of the takara version. Im buying the Hasbro version because I want the cartoon accurate white thighs. What bothers me is that hasbro couldnt shed an extra 25 cents worth of paint to do the rims. Plenty of $15 hasbro deluxes have painted rims. It wouldnt have bankrupted them to paint rims on a $45 figure.

[fenrir72]

Still too much money for just a Minimus Ambus figure

You know, if Japanese prices were more comparable in retail I would actually say get Takara and Hasbro and sell the Hasbro. But I mean, I hate the mark up TT does for some paint apps. Yeah they do look better and for deluxes I dont mind paying $10 more for awesome decos...but leader class that are almost $30 more? nah.

Paying 10$ more for a deluxe, or 30$ more for a leader ammount to paying 50% more. It's the same thing. Still, it may look bigger for you Americans.

No its not the same thing. This is not a math thing. Its a price gouging thing. Its clearly about how much more money can Takara justify adding to the price for a few extra swipes of paint. If $10 is the cost, then Takara UM should only cost $55. And if $30 is the cost, than every takara deluxe figure should cost $45. The few extra swipes of paint only have one cost to the factory no matter how big a piece of plastic they are painted on.

Engaging subject. But to put it simply......everything in Japan costs higher. Using as analogy, in the USA, a 12 episode BD compilation of lets say Samurai Girls/Fate StayNight would cost you $ 60.00. In Japan, thats just (1) episode/disc. They really do jack up the prices with all the bling that comes with it.

You also have to contend with packaging. Different fonts. Different instruction manuals plus those sales gimmicks where you scan the codes. That comes as extra cost for the advertisement sales gimmicks.

The extra apps also entail reassignment of painting resources. Now, it's more complicated with the programming of computer controlled resources. Of course, you add more paint. More paint......extra cost.

But it's done on the same plant? Yes it is but the product is programmed for a different market. Tomy isn't even considering the overseas market for their product. Iirc, in one of TFYuki tweets or was it in a Hobby magazine, the designers mentioned the foreign market as an after though when they repurposed Slingshot from another mold instead of A-B. So no huffing and puffing will ever get the prices to be at par with the USA domestic release.

[william-james88]

And its not just the costs of paint but of painting it and applying it (however they do so) which is linearly related to the paint applications. But regardless, its a non issue, because the preorder makes the price at parity to the hasbro cost:

http://www.amiami.com/top/detail/detail?gcode=FIGURE-011557&page=top%2Fsearch%2Flist%3Fs_keywords%3Dultra+magnus%24pagemax%3D40%24getcnt%3D0%24pagecnt%3D1

Also, the regular price is a 20$ markup, not 30$.

[-Kanrabat-]

At least, based on Canadian price of 60$CAN+tx for a Hasbro leader, the Takara one at Amiami is around 55$CAN.
Add Shipping and the cost OF THE TAKARA IS THE EXACT SAME AS THE HASBRO WITH TAXES.

TAKARA IS SAME PRICE AS HASBRO FOR BETTER PAINTS APS!!!

Once again, privileged Americans live in another world, with their cheaper everything and all-the-time free shipping.

[SW's SilverHammer]

At least, based on Canadian price of 60$CAN+tx for a Hasbro leader, the Takara one at Amiami is around 55$CAN.
Add Shipping and the cost OF THE TAKARA IS THE EXACT SAME AS THE HASBRO WITH TAXES.

TAKARA IS SAME PRICE AS HASBRO FOR BETTER PAINTS APS!!!

Once again, privileged Americans live in another world, with their cheaper everything and all-the-time free shipping.

[Rated X]

Still too much money for just a Minimus Ambus figure

You know, if Japanese prices were more comparable in retail I would actually say get Takara and Hasbro and sell the Hasbro. But I mean, I hate the mark up TT does for some paint apps. Yeah they do look better and for deluxes I dont mind paying $10 more for awesome decos...but leader class that are almost $30 more? nah.

Paying 10$ more for a deluxe, or 30$ more for a leader ammount to paying 50% more. It's the same thing. Still, it may look bigger for you Americans.

No its not the same thing. This is not a math thing. Its a price gouging thing. Its clearly about how much more money can Takara justify adding to the price for a few extra swipes of paint. If $10 is the cost, then Takara UM should only cost $55. And if $30 is the cost, than every takara deluxe figure should cost $45. The few extra swipes of paint only have one cost to the factory no matter how big a piece of plastic they are painted on.

Engaging subject. But to put it simply......everything in Japan costs higher. Using as analogy, in the USA, a 12 episode BD compilation of lets say Samurai Girls/Fate StayNight would cost you $ 60.00. In Japan, thats just (1) episode/disc. They really do jack up the prices with all the bling that comes with it.

You also have to contend with packaging. Different fonts. Different instruction manuals plus those sales gimmicks where you scan the codes. That comes as extra cost for the advertisement sales gimmicks.

The extra apps also entail reassignment of painting resources. Now, it's more complicated with the programming of computer controlled resources. Of course, you add more paint. More paint......extra cost.

But it's done on the same plant? Yes it is but the product is programmed for a different market. Tomy isn't even considering the overseas market for their product. Iirc, in one of TFYuki tweets or was it in a Hobby magazine, the designers mentioned the foreign market as an after though when they repurposed Slingshot from another mold instead of A-B. So no huffing and puffing will ever get the prices to be at par with the USA domestic release.

Some of what you say has the potential to make sense, but I would be inclined to think the factory workers have the paint machine programming down to a science. The only difference is the size of the piece of plastic being painted. Some takara deluxes that get the shiny paint treatment actually have more paint apps than the larger takara voyager figures which never get shiny paint job, just a different shade of color plastic. Yet the bigger ones with less extra paint apps get a bigger price gouge.

And then sometimes you get the real suspect takara items...

Jetfire- Hasbro has chrome weapons while takara has no paint on the weapons, shouldnt Hasbro cost more ?

Springer- same paint apps different shades of green and yellow plastic. Where is the extra cost ?

Grapple -same figure but twice the price for a painted yellow head and an autobot tampo ?

Its a load of BS honestly. Which brings me to my next argument...been collecting CHUG since 2007 and still dont get this imaginary "Asian market". Especially when Takara has a tendency to replicate paint schemes designed by American animators for an American cartoon that Japan got a voiceover of. I used to argue with board members back in 2009 about Thundercracker, Thrust, and Dirge. Their response was other than botcon the US would never get them in retail because thats the "Asian market". Needless to say they ate their words eventually. But then the US gets Black Shadow (a Japanese character) from Hasbro but Takara never makes one. Shouldnt that have been the Asian market? And how about skids? Everyone anticipated a G1 accurate darker blue Takara skids that never happened. Instead takara decided to do Rollbar, an AOE homage of a non transformer vehicle in a movie made for western audiences. How is that the "Asian market" ? And then theres slingshot and wildrider who Hasbro introduced first before Takara. Once again, the "Asian market" doesnt seem so Asian all of a sudden. Wasnt the western market version supposed to be IDW Alpha Bravo ? Im surprised Takara beat Hasbro in announcing a deluxe CW Groove ? We all know the inevitable Hasbro version will come as an online exclusive on American websites. Ok Ive given enough examples, the bottom line is that there is no "Asian Market". Its all a scam to get collectors to buy online and spend more money for more desired paint schemes. And my arguement from the very beginning more desired doesnt necessarily mean more costly to produce by the factory. You cant tell me silver rims, some knee paint, and a few other small apps costs $30 more to program or produce. Its price gouging. Theyre coming out the same mold as the hasbro version and being shipped straight to American online retailers. So in reality Japans higher cost of living has nothing to do with the price difference. The Hasbro version is just as much an Asian import as the takara version. To make it even worse, the factory is in China, and the figures being dubbed "Japanese" have never even set foot on Japanese soil. Yet they are being sold at Japanese prices out of the same shipping container used to ship hasbro versions the same route overseas from China. And they try to justify it with 25 cents more worth paint applied by a guy they paid 2 dollars a day dirt cheap Chinese labor. Now do you see where Im going with this ? The Takara price difference is total BS just like the "Asian market".

[Optimizzy]

So I should buy Takara because otherwise America wins? The idea that Americans are complaining because Takara is more expensive than hasbro is a little offensive. Are hasbro Asia toys marked up? It's not about which nationality the company belongs to. I honestly think Takara marks up the prices. Why? Because they can. Because we will pay for them. It's not really about the price of paint. What they do is not a fair increase, but dammit, it's a smart one. They know they can do it. And much of the time you get what you pay for: increased apps and a sense of getting something most casual collectors won't have. If that's worth it to you, then it's a deal. And Takara does have better apps usually. Man. Their stuff is beautiful. But I do get tired of the idea that it isn't a price gouge. It totally is guys. You can believe what you want but it's the reason I don't go for many of the Takara products. Bragging rights and paint isn't usually worth it to me.

Sometimes it is though

[william-james88]

Says the Putin supporter

[Burn]

The cost of importing Takara products into Australia works out to roughly the same price of buying Hasbro figures in Australian retail stores.

So ... yeah.

[Tsutsukakushi]

No fan has any data info on why other countries Transformers toy prices are so high. Think it's moot complaining until we know the reasons why.

Their are many factors that dictate higher Transformers toy prices in other countries. Guessing Smaller production runs. Stores creating their own prices, Triple luxury country taxes. Some Countries have a higher minimum wage for workers than America does.

Most of the American based imports sites that sell Takara Transformers toys. Sell them at 25% to 40% more than Takara's MSRP. Most guess the reasons are, Middle men fees, over seas shipping fees. Sites over charging due to anxious fans willing to pay any absurd high price.

[Rated X]

No fan has any data info on why other countries Transformers toy prices are so high. Think it's moot complaining until we know the reasons why.

Their are many factors that dictate higher Transformers toy prices in other countries. Guessing Smaller production runs. Stores creating their own prices, Triple luxury country taxes. Some Countries have a higher minimum wage for workers than America does.

Most of the American based imports sites that sell Takara Transformers toys. Sell them at 25% to 40% more than Takara's MSRP. Most guess the reasons are, Middle men fees, over seas shipping fees. Sites over charging due to anxious fans willing to pay any absurd high price.

You do know hasbro and takara share the molds, right ? They are made in the same factory by the same people at the same production costs. They just get shipped to different countries. All transformers are really Chinese. Unless you believe a different color of plastic and extra paint apps makes something either Japanese or American ? I dont...Its a huge scam.

[william-james88]

So I should buy Takara because otherwise America wins? The idea that Americans are complaining because Takara is more expensive than hasbro is a little offensive. Are hasbro Asia toys marked up? It's not about which nationality the company belongs to. I honestly think Takara marks up the prices. Why? Because they can. Because we will pay for them. It's not really about the price of paint. What they do is not a fair increase, but dammit, it's a smart one. They know they can do it. And much of the time you get what you pay for: increased apps and a sense of getting something most casual collectors won't have. If that's worth it to you, then it's a deal. And Takara does have better apps usually. Man. Their stuff is beautiful. But I do get tired of the idea that it isn't a price gouge. It totally is guys. You can believe what you want but it's the reason I don't go for many of the Takara products. Bragging rights and paint isn't usually worth it to me.

Sometimes it is though

How is Takara a price gouge when their preorder price is the same as the preorder price for a hasbro version?

I get the idea that the extra corporate cost is maybe a myth, but the extra consumer cost is a myth as well. Both products cost the same to preorder.

[Optimizzy]

So I should buy Takara because otherwise America wins? The idea that Americans are complaining because Takara is more expensive than hasbro is a little offensive. Are hasbro Asia toys marked up? It's not about which nationality the company belongs to. I honestly think Takara marks up the prices. Why? Because they can. Because we will pay for them. It's not really about the price of paint. What they do is not a fair increase, but dammit, it's a smart one. They know they can do it. And much of the time you get what you pay for: increased apps and a sense of getting something most casual collectors won't have. If that's worth it to you, then it's a deal. And Takara does have better apps usually. Man. Their stuff is beautiful. But I do get tired of the idea that it isn't a price gouge. It totally is guys. You can believe what you want but it's the reason I don't go for many of the Takara products. Bragging rights and paint isn't usually worth it to me.

Sometimes it is though

How is Takara a price gouge when their preorder price is the same as the preorder price for a hasbro version?

I get the idea that the extra corporate cost is maybe a myth, but the extra consumer cost is a myth as well. Both products cost the same to preorder.

Sometimes. If we are lucky. Not always though and usually it isn't. I'm talking about SRP though. And honestly, I think the idea that costs would be different in Japan is hard to trust. All the toys are made in China or Vietnam. If anything wouldn't it be more expensive to have them shipped to the states?