If you are talking value for your dollar, this guy costs (at retail in the U.S.) the same as 4 Masters of the Universe figures, and less than half the cost of a single Hot Toys figure. I think that is value for something that looks as great as this does. If you have to pay extra import duties, eBay mark-ups, etc., then I feel for you, but it isn't fair to judge a product based on its aftermarket price. You can say it isn't worth that cost of course, but that argument is independent of the intrinsic quality of the product itself and retail cost.
If you were wanting more for Grimlock (twice as big, funkier transformation, etc.), then I'm sure Takara could have done that. . .and charged fans twice as much. If they did, it sounds like you would still be taking issue with it being too expensive.
Well, see, i think you
should include such things when buying, its essential i think otherwise you will end up getting ripped off.
Some of us (like me) are
forced to include the cost of shipping/ebay markups etc because more often than not importing something or paying e-pay prices is the only way to get these toys, since hasbro usually decides to either cancel or simply not release half of their line-up over here.
I factor in shipping costs and mark-ups whenever i have to buy a toy online as part of the cost of buying the toy itself, not as seperate costs.
Besides, even
if, somehow, by some snow-balls chance in hell id find one of these on the shelves of TRU for regular uk RRP i still wouldnt think he'd be worth it.
(what is he, $70 over there in the US? So he'd be £70 here, which converted into USD is $109!)
I just cant justify spending 70 quid on something this small and simplistic.
And your arguement about if they made him bigger and more complex but even more expensive is moot, as i would
gladly pay the price it costs to get a Takara MP Prime, even with the insane import prices/e-pay markup's, as i think that is worth the money because it is a large, complex and heavy toy with die-cast parts, not a tiny, plastic, simplistic POS. Ok so calling Grimmy a POS is a little harsh but you get what i mean.
If i had that kinda money laying around id buy Tak MP Prime in a nano second, along with Magnus as well, and Megatron (i have them all except Magnus). But i didnt so i had to settle for the 20th anniversary MP Prime, which i think was still worth every penny my wife paid for him.
MP Grimlock simply isnt, to me.
It is worth whatever people are willing to pay for it at the end of the day. And to me, he isnt worth more than £40 on the shelf. I could push for £50 ordering online but no more and that would have to include shipping, and even then id think i would rather buy Leader Starscream or Buster Optimus Prime.
Both are much larger and more complex than "MP" Grimlock, but are half the price.
So just chill out
