Random Vintage Collection Thought:  Is The MSRP Too Low?

I know this article will be about as popular as a prostate exam, but it needs to be brought up. It might be time to acknowledge that the relatively low MSRP of the Vintage Collection might be holding it back from bigger and better things. This notion struck me while staring at pegs full of Masters of the Universe Origins figures.

Brick and mortar clearly has minimal interest in stocking The Vintage Collection despite the fact that the product flies off the shelves. This is an anathema to the basics of retail unless that product does not generate meaningful profit. This is further exacerbated by the death of 3.75" scale Star Wars vehicles at brick and mortar. If you watch the G.I. Joe episode of The Toys that Made Us, Larry Hama mentions that the unknown secret of the 4" scale is that the figures are not profitable. They are merely props to sell the larger items which generate the profit. In the new vehicle-less 3.75" scale Star Wars world, that would mean the figures have to become their own profit center, and it's clear that can't be done at $13.

I mentioned the MOTU Origins line. That sells for $15 and both remaining brick and mortar chains gleefully stock that product. I argue that it's because that product offers much more profit. I would bet heavily that MOTU Origins figures cost less to produce than a Vintage Collection figure. The why's:

• Star Wars is really 4" scaled and MOTU is 5.5" scaled. There is not going to be a significant production cost difference due to the slightly larger size.
• MOTU figures have far less paint applications, and we as a community truly do not appreciate how expensive paint applications are.
• Masters of the Universe is a proprietary line for Mattel and thus incurs no licensing fee.

This means the cost to retailers would be less for MOTU figures and the sale price is higher. Is it any wonder why one product is so freely stocked and another is treated like it's radio active.

I firmly believe that the deep pockets of brick and mortar are the key to getting The Vintage Collection back on a representative playing field. Would increasing the MSRP to $15 to draw even with MOTU Origins entice them to buy more? If they buy more, Hasbro can make more, and the situation snowballs from there.

I know the subject of a price increase is a sensitive and emotional one. No one wants to think about it, but I ask you to put emotions aside for a moment and think about this logically. How many TVC figures do you buy in a year? I would argue 100 TVC figures per year would place you in the 90th percentile of collectors. That would only amount to $200 more per year. To put it in charity informercial terms, that's $0.55 a day. We already spend a lot of discretionary income on these products. That doesn't feel like a lot more money in the grand scheme of things, but what if it opens up more of what we want in The Vintage Collection?

One last thing, while completely unconfirmed, there are constant rumors that Black Series figures cost essentially the same to make as TVC figures. If true and we want Hasbro to "balance the scales", we're going to need to step up.

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