Hot Toys - MMS196 - The Avengers: Battle Damaged Mark VII (Movie Promo Edition)

[Hydeous]

erm..There are no other official distributers in most other countries? SS are the main worldwide distributer for HT outside the US and Japan.

So what is to gain by not allowing other countries to buy the US and HK exclusives?

There are other distributors in say, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines etc, but they dont normally get the exclusive figures because they need to reach a certain quota in order to get the exclusive stuffs.

Singapore (2-3 years ago started to get the exclusives) and Indonesia just last year also got the exclusive figures because they have reached the quota.

So in a way, each distributor are trying to protect their domestic sales at the very least actually, because if they reach the quota, then they could get the exclusive figures. Thats why the distributors here in Indonesia have been slashing price and giving huge discounts because they wanna cut off the parallel importers that are buying them from Singapore dealers.

 

[tommyh84]

But the figure also sold out immediately in every territory in which it was offered.

The only way this will have a significant and detrimental effect on either Sideshow or Hot Toys is if they see a significant decrease in orders from those territories excluded from this promotion, and I simply don't expect that to happen.

You're right it probably won't, we're all pissed off at Sideshow now but as soon as they list their next Sideshow Exclusive we'll all want it - for want of a better term they've got us by the *****.

Any company should strive to keep their customers happy though however big or small so I for one wont be forgetting how Sideshow have treated us regardless if I continue to purchase from them

 

[CrAZyVEgAsBoY]

There are 196 countries in the world and so far this figure is only available in 3 of them. Given Sideshow is the biggest official Hot Toys reseller for the majority of those 196 countries I disagree that they're only upsetting a few fans

You do have a point but your forgetting that of these 196 countries and the people encompassed in those countries how many of them actually want/care to own this specific iron man that is extremely limited? When you look at it that way it isn't as big as you think.

 

[tommyh84]

You do have a point but your forgetting that of these 196 countries and the people encompassed in those countries how many of them actually want/care to own this specific iron man that is extremely limited? When you look at it that way it isn't as big as you think.

Or maybe it's more than you think.

 

[Rorywan]

There are other distributors in say, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines etc, but they dont normally get the exclusive figures because they need to reach a certain quota in order to get the exclusive stuffs.

Singapore (2-3 years ago started to get the exclusives) and Indonesia just last year also got the exclusive figures because they have reached the quota.

So in a way, each distributor are trying to protect their domestic sales at the very least actually, because if they reach the quota, then they could get the exclusive figures. Thats why the distributors here in Indonesia have been slashing price and giving huge discounts because they wanna cut off the parallel importers that are buying them from Singapore dealers.

It's a big old world out there, glad to hear that Singapore now gets EX versions.

What about everyone else? It's just pushes people to ebay.

As Tommy said, for most of the World outside US and Japan, Sideshow ARE the official distributers. Apart from ebay, thats were we buy our Hot Toys from? Go to the Official HT page, now go to worldwide distributers. Most of the links are to toy wholesalers who do not sell to the public and most of whom have little or any Hot Toy releases to offer. In fact a lot of the links don't even work and the "alleged" distributers are pretty dodgy looking.

I don't know the conversation in here always seems to fall into the "I'm alright jack" type of thing, were everyone included in something tells everyone excluded to chill out or stop complaining. If the tables were turned however the *****ing from US residents would be legendary.

yup.. piss off a FEW fans...
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[tommyh84]

I don't know the conversation in here always seems to fall into the "I'm alright jack" type of thing, were everyone included in something tells everyone excluded to chill out or stop complaining. If the tables were turned however the *****ing from US residents would be legendary.

Case in point the amount of people moaning about how the UK got IM3 before them and how we better not dare spoil it for them

The fact that the UK did indeed get the film before the states makes the assumed limitation of this figure to us even more batcrap crazy

 

[CrAZyVEgAsBoY]

Or maybe it's more than you think.

Very doubtful, this probably isn't the first time SS has done this and I figure it wont be the last and as you stated its something you will soon put out of your mind/overlook as soon as you find another figure that you fall in love with.

 

[Hydeous]

UK, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Norway, Belgium, Greece, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Germany, rest of EU, Australia, India etc etc.?? It's a big old world out there, glad to hear that Singapore now gets EX versions.

What about everyone else? It's just pushes people to ebay.

As Tommy said, for most of the World outside US and Japan, Sideshow ARE the official distributers. Apart from ebay, thats were we buy our Hot Toys from? Go to the Official HT page, now go to worldwide distributers. Most of the links are to toy wholesalers who do not sell to the public and most of whom have little or any Hot Toy releases to offer. In fact a lot of the links don't even work and the "alleged" distributers are pretty dodgy looking.

I don't know the conversation in here always seems to fall into the "I'm alright jack" type of thing, were everyone included in something tells everyone excluded to chill out or stop complaining. If the tables were turned however the *****ing from US residents would be legendary.

HT have distributors to over 30 countries:

https://www.hottoys.com.hk/corporate.php

If the said distributor of a specific country haven't got any exclusives yet, they must work harder to sell and order more figures from HT. only after they reach the specified quota would they then be eligible to purchase the exclusive figures. High top earners distributors get rewarded with selling exclusive figures. This is business 101.

 

[BatBrain]

The whole thing was handled kind of strangely. They must have worked some deal with SS to secure so many more for the US than anywhere else. I definitely agree that if the US was excluded here there would be riots and boycott threats going on. I wasn't here for the last IM exclusive and I'm sure this has been answered a million times but was that also US only?

 

[Mr.Tanker]

I don't know the conversation in here always seems to fall into the "I'm alright jack" type of thing, were everyone included in something tells everyone excluded to chill out or stop complaining. If the tables were turned however the *****ing from US residents would be legendary.

I don't see anyone attempting to make an "I'm right" argument, only trying to explain the realities of the business.

And yes, I do think it's fair to say that Sideshow's and even Hot Toys' priorities are going to tend to be U.S. centric, for no other reason than basic math:

Total population of the UK: 65.5 million
Total population of Canada: 33.5 million
Total population of the U.S. 315.7 million

I'm not trying to defend their business practices, only explain the logic that most likely exists behind them.

 

[karamazov80]

None of us knows the details of how these agreements work and decisions are made, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least is, as a contractual requirement, SSC were required to report sales information back to HT in terms of what is sold where to what extent. If Europe, Australia, Latin America, or wherever were really important enough to HT's bottom line for them to warrant exclusives potentially targeting them, then my suspicion is that they would get exclusives specifically targeting them. If Europe was important enough, wouldn't you figure a European company would be able to take on primary distribution for that region itself instead of relying on a U.S. based company to do so (Hydeous's post confirms someone in Europe is distributing in some capacity. . .why aren't they getting the perks that Indonesia is?)? Recall that SSC closed down its European warehouse a couple years back. I think that speaks to the fact that the collecting habits of that region just aren't as significant as some here might wish they were.

It does suck for you guys. I feel for you all not just for this, but for all the crap customs charges and other taxes you have to pay, the difficulty you have with returns, etc. So I'm not trying to anger people about this, but I really do think the U.S. is the hub of western collecting activity, which is why we get certain perks others don't.

 

[Hydeous]

I don't see anyone attempting to make an "I'm right" argument, only trying to explain the realities of the business.

And yes, I do think it's fair to say that Sideshow's and even Hot Toys' priorities are going to tend to be U.S. centric, for no other reason than basic math:

Total population of the UK: 65.5 million
Total population of Canada: 33.5 million
Total population of the U.S. 315.7 million

I'm not trying to defend their business practices, only explain the logic that most likely exists behind them.

 

[tommyh84]

Very doubtful

Very probable

 

[Malgus]

You're right it probably won't, we're all pissed off at Sideshow now but as soon as they list their next Sideshow Exclusive we'll all want it - for want of a better term they've got us by the *****.

Any company should strive to keep their customers happy though however big or small so I for one wont be forgetting how Sideshow have treated us regardless if I continue to purchase from them

Some customers are just not worth it to companies. The resources the company has to use to deal with all of their whining phone calls, emails and demands because they feel they are so entitled. Losing those types of customers might not be a bad thing.

 

[CrAZyVEgAsBoY]

None of us knows the details of how these agreements work and decisions are made, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least is, as a contractual requirement, SSC were required to report sales information back to HT in terms of what is sold where to what extent. If Europe, Australia, Latin America, or wherever were really important enough to HT's bottom line for them to warrant exclusives potentially targeting them, then my suspicion is that they would get exclusives specifically targeting them. If Europe was important enough, wouldn't you figure a European company would be able to take on primary distribution for that region itself instead of relying on a U.S. based company to do so (Hydeous's post confirms someone in Europe is distributing in some capacity. . .why aren't they getting the perks that Indonesia is?)? Recall that SSC closed down its European warehouse a couple years back. I think that speaks to the fact that the collecting habits of that region just aren't as significant as some here might wish they were.

It does suck for you guys. I feel for you all not just for this, but for all the crap customs charges and other taxes you have to pay, the difficulty you have with returns, etc. So I'm not trying to anger people about this, but I really do think the U.S. is the hub of western collecting activity, which is why we get certain perks others don't.

Well spoken sir.

 

[Hydeous]

None of us knows the details of how these agreements work and decisions are made, but it wouldn't surprise me in the least is, as a contractual requirement, SSC were required to report sales information back to HT in terms of what is sold where to what extent. If Europe, Australia, Latin America, or wherever were really important enough to HT's bottom line for them to warrant exclusives potentially targeting them, then my suspicion is that they would get exclusives specifically targeting them. If Europe was important enough, wouldn't you figure a European company would be able to take on primary distribution for that region itself instead of relying on a U.S. based company to do so (Hydeous's post confirms someone in Europe is distributing in some capacity. . .why aren't they getting the perks that Indonesia is?)? Recall that SSC closed down its European warehouse a couple years back. I think that speaks to the fact that the collecting habits of that region just aren't as significant as some here might wish they were.

It does suck for you guys. I feel for you all not just for this, but for all the crap customs charges and other taxes you have to pay, the difficulty you have with returns, etc. So I'm not trying to anger people about this, but I really do think the U.S. is the hub of western collecting activity, which is why we get certain perks others don't.

Indonesia dealer managed to get the quota last year because the year before then, almost everyone and their spouse, brothers, uncles, parents POed dozens of Supes, Tracker, Sweeney Todd, Indy, Alice basically whatever figure that's flooding and are selling below the MSRP now. I dunno if they manage to get the sales quota this year, since everyone was kinda traumatized by that strange ordeal

 

[Rorywan]

HT have distributors to over 30 countries:

https://www.hottoys.com.hk/corporate.php

If the said distributor of a specific country haven't got any exclusives yet, they must work harder to sell and order more figures from HT. only after they reach the specified quota would they then be eligible to purchase the exclusive figures. High top earners distributors get rewarded with selling exclusive figures. This is business 101.

They are not real distributers mate, they simply supply some very low key websites with product, just to say they have international distributers. Most of those places don't even have any stock.

HT began this back when there were major QC issues with DX02. They told everyone that they should send their problems to their local distributers, there weren't any. So HT had to deal with thousands of leaky bat bodies. For example the place listed in the UK? Have a look at it, I've never even heard of them and they don't sell to the public. And they barely have anything on their site. Not real distributers.

This is why Sideshow collectibles is allowed to distribute worldwide?

Some customers are just not worth it to companies. The resources the company has to use to deal with all of their whining phone calls, emails and demands because they feel they are so entitled. Losing those types of customers might not be a bad thing.

Again you are referring to all sideshow customers outside of the US and Japan, right?
Jesus, get a geography book for your birthday. Your post above is pretty terrifying in it's blind ignorance. There is a world outside of the US you know?

 

[karamazov80]

Indonesia dealer managed to get the quota last year because the year before then, almost everyone and their spouse, brothers, uncles, parents POed dozens of Supes, Tracker, Sweeney Todd, Indy, Alice basically whatever figure that's flooding and are selling below the MSRP now. I dunno if they manage to get the sales quota this year, since everyone was kinda traumatized by that strange ordeal

Why did they order so many to begin with? Just ill-informed speculative investment?

 

[Hydeous]

I dunno bout UK or which UK dealer you are talking bout, but here in Indonesia, in order to exchange my leaky DX02, I need to email HT CS the receipt from their Indonesia dealer in order to exchange it.

 

[CrAZyVEgAsBoY]

Very probable

sure bud