General Marvel Legends

[hmmberto]

It's certainly possible that the exact pricing they landed on for non-pre-orders was influenced by tariffs, of course. But I neither believe for a single moment that the tariffs caused them to not make a profit on the pre-order units, nor do I think they wouldn't have raised price on the in-stock units had there been no tariffs. So, the effect of the tariffs is almost certainly fairly minimal.



Like I said above; I'm being the opposite of charitable. I think Hasbro was -always- going to raise prices on in stock units, tariffs or no. The exact number may have been influenced by their perceived or actual profit diminishment due to tariffs. But the price was always going to be higher than the pre-order price. Always.

Yeah, I guess we just have different views on this. I don't think it's crazy to think they were always planning to up the price on in-stock units, but it is just speculation. Meanwhile, we know the tariff rate went from like 20% to 50% between when they solicited them and they started hitting, which they're obviously going to react to rather than take a smaller margin.

I guess, my point is: where's my made to order Warriors Three set, Hasblow?!

 

[Damien]

Yeah, I guess we just have different views on this. I don't think it's crazy to think they were always planning to up the price on in-stock units, but it is just speculation. Meanwhile, we know the tariff rate went from like 20% to 50% between when they solicited them and they started hitting, which they're obviously going to react to rather than take a smaller margin.

The tariff rate basically changed every single day based on dipshit's whims. The reality is we have absolutely no idea if they paid -any- extra tariffs on the sentinels. And we certainly don't know what tariff rate they anticipated at the time that they raised the prices. No one knew. One of the big complaints companies like Hasbro were making at the time was literally that they didn't even know what tariff rate they'd be charged when the items hit port.

Also, tariffs can be pretty complicated. Tariffs are based on what is essentially the insured value - which is basically the manufacturing cost. Assume an individual Sentinel actually costs 47 dollars to produce (which, based on what I know from Hasbro in earlier years, and Mattel's margins these days - isn't that unlikely). They would have gone from the expected $9.50 or so in per unit tariffs, to $23.50 per unit.
An increase in 14 dollars. So even if you give them MAXIMUM latitude and say they needed to recoup the change up to 50% tariffs, that only accounts for a price increase on the Sentinel of 14 dollars.

All of that is just to say we really need to stop letting companies use 'but the tariffs' as an excuse for the wholesale unethical price gouging they've been doing.

 

[Alt]

They better not make Maximum Latitude before we get Maximum Daredevil or Cap.

 

[PanchaMaestro]

I'm ashamed I used to be terminally online enough to know this, but EoV was a Kingmaker for several channels.

King fly on top of the turd pile.

 

[hmmberto]

The tariff rate basically changed every single day based on dipshit's whims. The reality is we have absolutely no idea if they paid -any- extra tariffs on the sentinels. And we certainly don't know what tariff rate they anticipated at the time that they raised the prices. No one knew. One of the big complaints companies like Hasbro were making at the time was literally that they didn't even know what tariff rate they'd be charged when the items hit port.

Also, tariffs can be pretty complicated. Tariffs are based on what is essentially the insured value - which is basically the manufacturing cost. Assume an individual Sentinel actually costs 47 dollars to produce (which, based on what I know from Hasbro in earlier years, and Mattel's margins these days - isn't that unlikely). They would have gone from the expected $9.50 or so in per unit tariffs, to $23.50 per unit.
An increase in 14 dollars. So even if you give them MAXIMUM latitude and say they needed to recoup the change up to 50% tariffs, that only accounts for a price increase on the Sentinel of 14 dollars.

All of that is just to say we really need to stop letting companies use 'but the tariffs' as an excuse for the wholesale unethical price gouging they've been doing.

All fair points. But - and I realize I'm really, really splitting hairs here - Hasbro operates on margin, and they aren't going to give that up. So whatever the actual change in the final dollar amount is, one would assume it's going up at the same margin they want to make on the final product cost. So in your example, if Hasbro is selling at roughly 3x their final cost, that additional $14 in tariffs is going to get that same multiplier to become $42, which is in range of the actual price change we saw.

And to be clear, I'm not defending corpos excusing anything with tariffs. They set the lower price to begin with, and then they changed it a year later, which happened to coincide with a big increase in import costs. I'm of the mind that they're always going to charge the max they think they can get away with, and they don't really give a damn about "justifying" it to us. It's almost certainly a combination of factors like you said.

Not trying to beat the horse here, just enjoying the conversation. In all honesty? I don't know shit.

 

[yojoebro82]

They better not make Maximum Latitude before we get Maximum Daredevil or Cap.

I don't know if I see them making Maximum Daredevil now that they just gave us a new DD buck in Secret Wars.

 

[Alt]

I don't know if I see them making Maximum Daredevil now that they just gave us a new DD buck in Secret Wars.

Red logo.

Matching hand sets beyond grips.

Alt head.

Finish the job they started with the SW sticks being wireable.

Charge more money.

I don't see how you don't see.

 

[Damien]

Not trying to beat the horse here, just enjoying the conversation. In all honesty? I don't know shit.

No, we're good. Speculating on toy stuff. I know -a little-, but not enough to speak authoritatively about what definitely did or did not happen.

I'm of the mind that they're always going to charge the max they think they can get away with

That's pretty much exactly what I'm saying; people give them the 'but the tariffs' excuse, but it really is JUST an excuse. And this is what corporations have done forever. If their costs go up 3%, the product goes up 15%. That's why corporations are always magically more profitable than they were before increases to their costs. Crazy how it just ALWAYS seems to work out in their favor, right?

 

[Misfit]

The tariff stuff is kind of irrelevant at this point since it should have all been refunded, plus interest, by now. Which probably just goves Hasbro a bit more latitude to drop the price when they finally decide they have too many sentinels taking up space somewhere. I do think there was always a plan to sell more at a higher price to protect the MTO model. It defeats the purpose if fence-sitters can just wait it out.

 

[yojoebro82]

Red logo.

Matching hand sets beyond grips.

Alt head.

Finish the job they started with the SW sticks being wireable.

Charge more money.

I don't see how you don't see.

Oh I put nothing past Hasbro, for sure. But would a hypothetical "Maximum" DD be an all-new sculpt or the same buck we just got? If it's the same buck with different deco and more accessories, I can see people getting upset......and then buying it anyway.

 

[TFitz]

I suspect, but have no way to verify, that lights and sounds are sold as a way to make it premium, but doesn't cost Hasbro as much as they upcharge for it.

Lights are CHEAP to add to things. The labor involved obviously will vary.

As for MTO, I see no reason for them to back off on those. You typically have over a year to save for one and if you change your mind during that time, you can always cancel the order.

 

[JakeEkiss]

But on the subject, and I know it's been covered here before - which Marvel vehicles would make sense for a HasLab that are iconic enough to warrant interest and higher cost?

Sincerely I think it's basically Fantasticar in first place easily. Then Quinjet specifically this one (though even it would be hard in ML scale):

And then everything else is either a distant third or is simply too large (Blackbird) to be viable. I sincerely think Fantasticar and Quinjet are the only Marvel vehicles larger than bikes that would ever have a chance to sell, and of the two the Fantasticar is the only one I'd bet production time on if I ran Hasbro.

 

[Schizm]

I feel like every day that goes by makes the EoV less relevant. Is Robbie Reyes even featured heavily in the comics anymore? He was one of those niche, “let’s make a character involved with Popular Stuff Happening Now (the F&F franchise” characters that seems incredibly dated after the “Popular Stuff” isn’t exactly “Happening Now” anymore.

I can't speak to the comics, but as a figure collector I don't think I'd buy the EoV on its own - the figure was the draw. I wanted/needed an Avenger - he was the hostage in that set. As were the tier characters. I still want that Goblin Queen headsculpt - that's the best Phoenix headsculpt they've yet to make.

And I backed five hoping to make the cut!

 

[Gothneo]

The issue with anything like the EoV for me is space. Where to put it. I just dont have the shelf space, and back when I worked in. a cube farm it might have been a cool thing to have on my desk, But you really need to build a diorama around something like that, which if thats your setup it'd be a buy. I'd have a similar issue with a fantasti-car or a quintet... though I guess I could figure out some way to hang them from the ceiling. The only Haslab I've gotten thus far is Galactus because he can stand on the floor and flows into the display nicely.

 

[AceofKnaves]

don't think I'd buy the EoV on its own - the figure was the draw

I only backed one, and yes it was the figure(s) that drew me in.

Still missing the Maddy and Robbie heads, but honestly the way way waaaaaaaaay better Mephisto we are getting almost makes me grateful the thing fizzled, although I feel bad for those who really wanted that car. AND I GET IT!!: if it was Johnny’s bike and that felt like it was our only shot and we missed it, I would be pretty crushed.