whats the old saying "once bitten twice shy" I wouldn't preorder from these people if thats their practice..

 

One thing about the rise in prces, it doesn't matter how limited something is, the chances of it selling out are less.

 

Alot of limited exclusives that would have sold right out a year or so agao, if you look are still available on most sites awaiting clearance.

 

Thats what happens when companies try to take advantage of a boom in any situation, they get greedy and burst their own bubble.

true but also don't forget that they moved production to areas with more cost effective facilities. Also keep in mind a place like BBTS is getting a wholesaler rate and are not paying full retail themselves.

 

I don't see how you can blame BBTS. Sure, they're getting a bulk discount, but they're also having to pay to ship these from Japan AND have to make a profit. Somehow after that we're still getting these at the Japanese retail price. BBTS could easily ask for more and pretend the costs associated with getting these were more than they are, that's what some retailers would do, but BBTS is doing us right by these.

 

Then you also have to factor in from Takaras end that the design work for this figure was all done 25yrs ago, so all they're doing is recasting. That all the R&D cost are neglegable if not negated.

 

True, though they did come up with a new paint scheme and a new box which comes with a new cost. But all that stuff aside, this is a limited time exclusive, since when were those as cheap as normal retail in the first place?

 

And for the record, when the first Predaking reissue came out in 2004 (not 2005) he was over 14,000JPY or over $160USD (by today's rates) so a small $20 mark up six years later on a limited exclusive with new packaging and paint is hardly something to complain about.

 

Emerje

I payed $110 retail for that Predaking that included shipping.

 

As far as money associated with box art. sure thats a cost, but especialy with computers, it's not a high cost.

I've worked prepress for years starting back when all this stuff had to be done by hand.

Box art is pretty simple and the cost of production is less then youd thing.

 

Concerning the shipping, I discussed this about a month ago in I believe a thread about Unicron. BBTS isn't paying the $40 or so we would for shipping, they're getting a massive bulk rate from a distributor, and recieving pallet, not pieces.

 

Think of it this way, when you order fron them, the initial ship price for whtever the item is is about $8. Thats their shipping and handling. After that initial item though, the cost is more prominent bassed on weight as the box is already payed for. Hence the more you order, the less the shipping per item.

 

My brother-in-law owns a seafood provissions company, and imports from asia all the time. He needs expidited shipping, refridgerated train cars and trucks, as well as dry ice and other assorted means to keep the product fresh. Even with all that, his shipping per pound is a negligable price concerning the product.

 

Why, he's doing so in bulk, and he's combining as many providers as possable into each shipment.

 

Shops like BBTS are doing the exact sme thing. They aren't getting 1 case of Predaking at a time one day, then a gundam the next, no, it all happens in bulk, and bulk = cheap.

 

All that said, I've been bying for years, and know all the markets. I'm not alone in that either. In that watching, what I've seen in the past 2 years concerning Takara and TFs is a rape dollar raise in rates on items that are mostly just reissues.

Is it an import, sure

Is it better paint, sure

is that anything new, nope

Granted imports have always cost a little more, but their prices have gone from understandable to outlandish.

 

So here's whats gonna happen, all these high end limited reissues are gonna sit cause outside of a few people they've priced out their general consumer base, and the items will join figures like Black Convoy on clearance as they alienate people who have to decide between novilty and necesity.

Still going to wait until either RK puts something up on its website, or for a Vintage to come down in Price on eBay. during the release.

 

Since Vintage is known to drop in price whenever they reissue

yeah, I remember all the old Metroplex's got cleared right out when Encore hit.

 

Sky Lynx and Omega had the same thing happen as well.

Not to mention... Hasn't anyone here ever bought product for a company before ???

 

Take a Comicbook store for example. Do you think a store pays retail from Diamond Distribution for ANYTHING ??? The more something costs in a Previews catalog the less a store has to pay for it and the better profit they get. I've seen it and got WAY better deals because I had that info. Check out the "Retailers" copy & order form for any issue of Previews and you'll see.

 

When BBTS buys from Japan they don't pay top $$$ for anything and will probably get even better deals when buying in bulk. So in fact they are already getting a profit BEFORE they mark it up even more. AND, as Liege has said, they get a better shipping price per item then we ever could.

 

I'm not singling out ANY store. That's how they ALL make their $$$

Enjoy the HUNT, go out and pick up the dang pieces 1 by one and make your own set. It took me 15 YEARS to get a decent price on the last left hand I needed to complete mine.

 

Thats the thing with collecting these things, sooner or later you wind up having it all and then what?

 

I'm also all about salvage. Taking a junk lot of bots, and fixing up junkers to make a whole toy again, saves it from the land fill and or robot grave yard.

 

I have a predaking head around somewhere, that could start someone off.

 

Spent part of my evening, after hanging out and having dinner with some friends hitting a couple Targets and a Walmart looking for new bots. It's all about the HUNT! And pre-ordering stuff off some web site takes all that away. Especially if it's something you can pull together from other means.

 

I still remember BotCon 94. I was determined to buy a predaking, but I could not afford $100+ for one. So I scrounged around and bought all 5 bots, including the Rhino boxed just to get a set (minus that hand and, the big gun and the little weapons which I don't give 2 shits about) could not have been happier. Hey Weet, where'd ya get Predaking? Over there, over there, boxed part over there... Got the 4 loose ones for about $10 a piece, the boxed one was $20 at the time, so for about $60 I think I did damn good. Of course that fist cost me $15 all those years later but it's all good.

 

So hit Ebay, look up some loose lots and piece one together!

 

My Diaclone Ultra Magnus came from 3 locations around the world. Started off with the Blue Prime from a friend in Hawaii, then I bought the trailer and accessories from a guy in Italy, and finally bought the box from a guy in Japan. Took me 5 years to pull that together, went through 2 trailers to get it too.

 

HUNT! Be like the sweeps and HUNT!

I'm pretty content with my G1 Predaking. A reissue purchase of him isn't even on my radar. One of that massive beast is enough for my limited shelf space.

I also feel it would be ridiculous of me to spend another 150 plus hard earned dollars on the same figure i already own when it's not even vintage. Which is important to me. Have never been a buyer of reissues. With a few exceptions of course. PIRANACON.

I'm pretty content with my G1 Predaking. A reissue purchase of him isn't even on my radar. One of that massive beast is enough for my limited shelf space.

I also feel it would be ridiculous of me to spend another 150 plus hard earned dollars on the same figure i already own when it's not even vintage. Which is important to me. Have never been a buyer of reissues. With a few exceptions of course. PIRANACON.

 

As far as Vintage versus reissue. It depends on the figure. Predaking is definitely preferred Vintage. While I can settle for a reissue Megatron or one of the G1 Autobot Cars.

 

Though I might just but this Predaking and have him and the Vintage Predaking next to each other or on the ends of my Gestalt shelf

Enjoy the HUNT, go out and pick up the dang pieces 1 by one and make your own set. It took me 15 YEARS to get a decent price on the last left hand I needed to complete mine.

 

Thats the thing with collecting these things, sooner or later you wind up having it all and then what?

 

I'm also all about salvage. Taking a junk lot of bots, and fixing up junkers to make a whole toy again, saves it from the land fill and or robot grave yard.

 

I have a predaking head around somewhere, that could start someone off.

 

Spent part of my evening, after hanging out and having dinner with some friends hitting a couple Targets and a Walmart looking for new bots. It's all about the HUNT! And pre-ordering stuff off some web site takes all that away. Especially if it's something you can pull together from other means.

 

I still remember BotCon 94. I was determined to buy a predaking, but I could not afford $100+ for one. So I scrounged around and bought all 5 bots, including the Rhino boxed just to get a set (minus that hand and, the big gun and the little weapons which I don't give 2 shits about) could not have been happier. Hey Weet, where'd ya get Predaking? Over there, over there, boxed part over there... Got the 4 loose ones for about $10 a piece, the boxed one was $20 at the time, so for about $60 I think I did damn good. Of course that fist cost me $15 all those years later but it's all good.

 

So hit Ebay, look up some loose lots and piece one together!

 

My Diaclone Ultra Magnus came from 3 locations around the world. Started off with the Blue Prime from a friend in Hawaii, then I bought the trailer and accessories from a guy in Italy, and finally bought the box from a guy in Japan. Took me 5 years to pull that together, went through 2 trailers to get it too.

 

HUNT! Be like the sweeps and HUNT!

 

:agree It's all about the hunt and building something like Predaking piece by piece. When i was looking to complete him it took me about a year of hunting and scrutinizing the figures that i found to find out if they were in good enough condition to merit purchasing. If they weren't, i'd keep hunting. I love to peruse the internet or flea markets for figures complete or incomplete. The one stop shop all in one box no fuss no muss approach takes the thrill out of it for me.

Oh......and i'm still on the hunt for Predakings left fist at a decent price....and it's been two years now and lovin it. The trill of the chase! :D