Canadian Transformers News and Discussion Forum

[QuadESL63]

Only fools will buy it locally at this Canadian retail price. At this day and age just get it directly from Japan. Most probably cheaper even with shipping like MP44. But don’t blame EB though I guess $160 is where Hasbro is setting their Canadian MSRP (the Japan MSRP is around $130~140 anyway but places like Amazon Japan and AmiAmi will most probably go for less as always).

As much as I don’t like this incarnation, there will be people who do. I don’t like the price either, but a lot of companies are adopting the high price, high quality (not saying this Bee is IMHO but generally speaking), high profit margin business model, even for action figures, even for some of the (better) third parties. You sell less (and may piss off some) but you sell to people who actually can afford (or at least justify) it, and you make the targeted profit. Better be a top of the line product than catering to the mass. It sucks to be folks like me but that is how it works, esp. in economic uncertainty time, if TakaraTomy can actually pull it off. Some of us are just not in their target market. And mark my words you will see some of the best third party companies follow this trend. Already some third parties are not cheap by any standard - good quality, great engineering and may be good value, yes, but not really cheap. They all wanted to be the next Arcadia, 3A, Sentinel, etc. This Bee might flop, I think, but the others might not. I think MP44 will sell well enough, so will MP43 BW Megatron and the upcoming Blackarachnia... at least well enough they are happy with their profit. These are not kids toys anymore. Lots of other figures are selling at high price brackets for ages and this works for others so TakaraTomy want their share. That’s all.

Again, I am not saying this Bee is it but people asked for better MP and guess what? They are trying. You think it will be cheap? LOL. Some fanbase have their cake and want to eat it too! Don’t like it than don’t buy it. You won’t like to see what’s in store for the future anyway.

You don’t have to agree and many in the TF fanbase won’t. Like I said I don’t like this either. But that’s how things will be. Vote with your dollars if you may.