Transformers Figure Subscription Service Is Go

[Trent]

...And suddenly, 3rd party asking prices didn't look so bad after all.

I'd bet that's what's happened. They've seen what people are paying for 3rd party figures and jumped on that bandwagon thinking that everyone will dance around throwing money at them willy nilly no questions asked

[griffin]

The EOI topic is here, for those wanting one or more of these figures (but aren't a member, or don't want all six).

[SuspectimusPrime]

I wonder if this will gain much scalper interest.
They are made to order, so aren't going to run out (a scalper's dream), and they are so expensive for a Deluxe toy in a bag (remember, Deluxes in America are $10-15 IN packaging). If any figures are high demand and others are really low demand, it will also make it difficult to offload a lot of extra figures if a scalper buys up several sets. (kinda like a retail case assortment with half being Bumblebee - online stores have to sell those cheap, while charging more for the remaining figures to offset it)

They also mention that the extras will be sold on their site for considerably more (as an incentive to pre-order all six). Just how much more can they charge for a Deluxe in a baggie.

I can definitely see scalper interest here. Remember whilst they are producing according to demand, they have a ridiculous cut-off date that's scarcely 3 weeks from their announcement date (10th Sept 2012). So far out of all the figs they've sold, the only one that's really shelfwarmed for them is Animated Cheetor. Botcon Spinister/Octopunch has surprisingly been up for a a while now. Seems like anything Classics related sells like hot cakes, so I can only see that they will stand to make an ginormous profit even from the excess that they'll list on their website.

Secondly, see:

5. The figures will be shipped in random order. All members receive the same figures each month. So if you don’t mind, when you get your shipment each month, PLEASE do not go online and tell what you received. We want each shipment to be a surprise for as many members as possible.

Subscription figs are shipped once a month at random. We can already observe some figures showing more demand than others. If somebody was lucky enough to score a Slipstream or Ultra Mammoth on their first month, I'm sure it will fetch a pretty penny on the secondary market - as with what happened with the recent FP Steel Core shipments.

There's always the possibility that even after paying FunPub's asking premium, you may not receive that one fig you truly want until 12 months later. That would be incredibly unlucky - like 0.1% chance unlucky (1/6 * 1/5 * 1/4 * 1/3 * 1/2), and maybe a sign that you should invest in a lottery ticket

[tinyJazz]

No no, All members receive the same figure each month. For example: everyone gets slipstream in the first shipment.

Okay, I'm confused already. Am I correct in thinking that if you yourself are a subscriber, you MUST receive one of each toy, but are able to order as many copies of each as you like?
Or is it you can only order in multiple complete sets of 6?

[kup]

I'd bet that's what's happened. They've seen what people are paying for 3rd party figures and jumped on that bandwagon thinking that everyone will dance around throwing money at them willy nilly no questions asked

The trick is that they have to make stuff people would want to buy at those prices not just do lame repaints of older molds.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

So far out of all the figs they've sold, the only one that's really shelfwarmed for them is Animated Cheetor. Botcon Spinister/Octopunch has surprisingly been up for a a while now. Seems like anything Classics related sells like hot cakes, so I can only see that they will stand to make an ginormous profit even from the excess that they'll list on their website.

Their Astrotrain, Airrazor and 2005 set of figures were hanging around for years.

As for the random shipping, I think that they are just stating that they can't tell which 2 figures will be first. EG, they might save the Scourge until the end of the year, but everyone gets sent an Ultra Mammoth and Slipstream as the fisrt batch. That's why they don't want people posting it on the web. (Good luck with that, there is no way the Americans are going to wait 2 weeks for the rest of the world to get theirs)

Okay, I'm confused already. Am I correct in thinking that if you yourself are a subscriber, you MUST receive one of each toy, but are able to order as many copies of each as you like?
Or is it you can only order in multiple complete sets of 6?

Me too, so one subscription allows me to order extras or what? If I can choose to buy 3 scourges but only one Mammoth, then why can't I decide to drop Mammoth altogether?

I also agree that the cut off date is too soon. this is why I won't be rejoining, but it still bugs the crap out of me!

[SuspectimusPrime]

As for the random shipping, I think that they are just stating that they can't tell which 2 figures will be first. EG, they might save the Scourge until the end of the year, but everyone gets sent an Ultra Mammoth and Slipstream as the fisrt batch. That's why they don't want people posting it on the web. (Good luck with that, there is no way the Americans are going to wait 2 weeks for the rest of the world to get theirs)

We are a community that's notorious for exercising our bragging rights

Okay, I'm confused already. Am I correct in thinking that if you yourself are a subscriber, you MUST receive one of each toy, but are able to order as many copies of each as you like?
Or is it you can only order in multiple complete sets of 6?

Me too, so one subscription allows me to order extras or what? If I can choose to buy 3 scourges but only one Mammoth, then why can't I decide to drop Mammoth altogether?

I'm still a member until Feb next year, just logged in to the subscription service and this is what you get:



It means you get to order unlimited amounts of the same six-fig set.

Also, looks like BBTS has already gotten in on the scramble. With BBTS setting premiums on these premiums, you can be quite sure they won't be going for any less on eBay in the coming year. With Scourge/Slipstream/Ultra Mammoth amounting to $330, this ensures a healthy profit for any other small-time scalpers (especially from domestic US). Pic below as of 19/08/2012. Saying that the Subscription Service figs are made to order, however must be sold in a set, probably does more to promote than to deter scalperism. They're essentially setting a popularity contest.

[Hursticon]

Well from the looks of the above, top work too by the way Suspectimus , there is only going to be 1 to 2 winners here and it's not going to be the customer - Especially not an International customer.

I think I'll stick with cheapening my hobby.

[Decepticon]

I think my membership ends this month. If I order these figures now and don't renew, will I still get sent these things over the next 12 months?

[griffin]

No no, All members receive the same figure each month. For example: everyone gets slipstream in the first shipment.

Okay, I'm confused already. Am I correct in thinking that if you yourself are a subscriber, you MUST receive one of each toy, but are able to order as many copies of each as you like?
Or is it you can only order in multiple complete sets of 6?

Being a member doesn't force you to buy a set, or reserve one for you either. It's more like a double-membership, in which you have to buy a membership to the club first, then you have to buy a membership to this subscription system.
And think of it like a BotCon boxset, but is instead being sent out one-per-month instead of all at once. You have to buy all six as a set, like a package deal, but you will only get one toy sent out each month for six months. Everyone gets the same toy in each particular month, but the identity of that month's figure is a surprise.

JUST BE AWARE - the original wording of their Transformers Subscription had copied their GIJoe wording, so it mentions a plural of two figures being released at a time. This is not applicable to the Transformers Subscription. We are only getting one figure per month released, the GIJoe Subscription is getting two per month.

Me too, so one subscription allows me to order extras or what? If I can choose to buy 3 scourges but only one Mammoth, then why can't I decide to drop Mammoth altogether?

No. You have to buy complete sets. Unlimited sets, but all six have to be purchased like a BotCon Boxset.

I think my membership ends this month. If I order these figures now and don't renew, will I still get sent these things over the next 12 months?

That shouldn't be a factor, as you purchased it (pre-ordered it) before your membership expired... so they already got one membership fee out of you to authorise your access to the toys.
Just make sure that if your postal address changes before the toys are released, you contact them about it.
Or just send them an email asking if you MUST remain a member during the entire toy-release period.
This is something they plan to do every year, so maintaining a membership long-term may end up being necessary anyway.

(each year at botcon they try to get our sympathies over how much time and resources are taken up on creating 40-50 toys each year for their two clubs - which affects their other services like the club and conventions - so how much more of a negative impact is an extra 10-12 toys for both clubs gonna have on their other services? If you think they are bad now, this "toy business" direction they are heading into is just going to make everything else suffer)