Author Topic: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive  (Read 21047 times)

speck

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Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« on: 06 January 2016, 22:01:34 »
See the announcement for more information. I will add new post when I have more information to post.

I will do my best to answer questions. If I don't know the answer I will compile a list to send to Mike.
« Last Edit: 06 January 2016, 23:13:50 by speck »

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #1 on: 06 January 2016, 23:10:11 »
So if I understand this correctly, prices on everything are going up slightly, the archive fee is going away, and the archives are being removed from the web store completely, but this is a temporary thing while you do the nuts and bolts of removing the fee?
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speck

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #2 on: 06 January 2016, 23:17:11 »
So if I understand this correctly, prices on everything are going up slightly, the archive fee is going away
Yes
Quote
, and the archives are being removed from the web store completely, but this is a temporary thing while you do the nuts and bolts of removing the fee?
Yes, will be available tomorrow evening with out archive fee.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #3 on: 06 January 2016, 23:19:44 »
I think this is a net good!
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speck

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #4 on: 07 January 2016, 09:27:25 »
Next week I will have some other details as well for how certain Archive SKU will be handled.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #5 on: 07 January 2016, 10:32:40 »
So once everything is settled into place, what will be the difference between archive items and non-archive items?
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speck

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #6 on: 07 January 2016, 10:36:17 »
So once everything is settled into place, what will be the difference between archive items and non-archive items?

Archive are not in distribution anymore and are considered equivalent to the Online Exclusive BT/FT items.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #7 on: 07 January 2016, 10:37:36 »
No one likes price increases, but really its the reality of buisness.  The removal of the archive fee is a welcome event, and will probably spur me to whip up a new order.   ;)
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #8 on: 07 January 2016, 12:32:37 »
So what I am reading here, is that I should get my order in before the end of the month if I want to avoid the price increase?

Sorry budget, we hardly knew ye.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #9 on: 07 January 2016, 12:40:34 »
Price increase... I get that. Doing away with the archive fee? Outstanding! Been waiting for this for months!
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #10 on: 07 January 2016, 14:09:37 »
You know I'm personally seeing it as the price increase helps the removal of the archive fee.
For that, I'm okay with this change.
Now the math for my minis purchases will go a little easier when I resume my shopping in the future.
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #11 on: 07 January 2016, 14:10:18 »
Archive are not in distribution anymore and are considered equivalent to the Online Exclusive BT/FT items.
That's kind of what I was thinking, thanks. For those of us that order online, not much of a difference between archived and non-archived items.
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #12 on: 07 January 2016, 18:35:14 »
That's kind of what I was thinking, thanks. For those of us that order online, not much of a difference between archived and non-archived items.

From my experience only thing is you get it in the standard package or a baggie. And if you are not reselling it, at least to me makes no difference.

speck

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #13 on: 07 January 2016, 22:13:00 »
Just a FYI, the Archive category is now available on the webstore with out the Archive fee now.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #14 on: 07 January 2016, 23:09:48 »
Nice to see the archive fee vanish.

Price increases are a concern since we are reaching Forge World pricing per mini :p  Just 1 more reason why metal minis need to die. 
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #15 on: 08 January 2016, 13:06:47 »
Excuse the ignorance but I'm new to the game. What does this mean? What are the archives?

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #16 on: 08 January 2016, 13:17:15 »
Excuse the ignorance but I'm new to the game. What does this mean? What are the archives?

When a miniature started selling poorly, they would pull it from distribution (meaning, going out to game stores) and put it in the archive.  Archived minis required an $8 fee to purchase your first one, and then each subsequent mini had no additional fees.  This put a bit of a barrier to purchasing any old minis, due to that $8 archive fee.  To make up for this, IWM would put about 6 minis on "Archive Special Return" once a month where you could get those 6 minis from the archive without paying the archive fee.  IWM also has online exclusive minis available, but these sell for normal prices and never required any archive fee.

The change is that archive minis are essentially going to become online exclusive minis, and the fee is going away.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #17 on: 08 January 2016, 16:13:40 »
Nice to see the archive fee vanish.

Price increases are a concern since we are reaching Forge World pricing per mini :p  Just 1 more reason why metal minis need to die.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #18 on: 08 January 2016, 22:42:30 »
@Speck

So, personal interest question; does this mean we may soon see an expansion of the scrapyard as well to include parts from archived models?

That would be thrilling to me. I love this feature and I only wish more parts (like ASF parts) were more widely represented...And I have this sick attraction to Ontos 3058 hulls, but really that's my own mania.
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speck

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #19 on: 08 January 2016, 23:32:03 »
@Speck

So, personal interest question; does this mean we may soon see an expansion of the scrapyard as well to include parts from archived models?

That would be thrilling to me. I love this feature and I only wish more parts (like ASF parts) were more widely represented...And I have this sick attraction to Ontos 3058 hulls, but really that's my own mania.

Short answer is yes.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #20 on: 09 January 2016, 20:02:02 »
Sounds like a win
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #21 on: 09 January 2016, 22:04:21 »

Speck and IWM,

Although I'm pleased the Archive is going away I am genuinely concerned about the price increase.  It may be totally justified from IWM's perspective but I'm already grumbling about a range of new releases that approach the $17 mark for a single mini.  We're soon to be close to $18 dollars for certain minis.  Price was the reason why I stepped away from Games Workshop minis and games. 

I love IWM's metal Battletech minis but no one should be surprised if we hear a rising call for more plastic minis.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #22 on: 10 January 2016, 09:17:22 »
@Speck

Will you include name changes to make it more clear which are original or resculpts?
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #23 on: 11 January 2016, 09:22:11 »
Speck and IWM,

Although I'm pleased the Archive is going away I am genuinely concerned about the price increase.  It may be totally justified from IWM's perspective but I'm already grumbling about a range of new releases that approach the $17 mark for a single mini.  We're soon to be close to $18 dollars for certain minis.  Price was the reason why I stepped away from Games Workshop minis and games. 

I love IWM's metal Battletech minis but no one should be surprised if we hear a rising call for more plastic minis.

Mike

$17.95 is $18 a mini. Setting a price just below a whole number is a well established, and effective means of making a price appear smaller then it really is. A nickle more or less then $18.00 is not going to effect the pocket of someone paying $18 a mini, give or take a nickle, but it may make it easier for you to say "yes" to the price.

IWM is a company that is out to make a profit, and there is nothing wrong with that. The question is how will the price increases affect IWM in the long run? How will the price increases affect the game shops that are looking to stock the game? How will it affect those of us that need to special order stuff because the game shop is unwilling to stock the game unless it sees x number of people playing it in the shops? How many people will opt not to buy from a shop that will charge them more, or cost them something such as time, and instead purchase minis from those willing to give the buyer a discount?

I have not ordered from IWM directly for years because of the shipping charges. This was reinforced by the archive fees of the minis that I wanted. The local shop's distributor does not carry the full line of minis and is heavy on the darkages stuff and light on the Jihad era and earlier, except for 3025 which I have enough of. At the same time I am dealing with the potential of new and returning players. The DA era mechs are going to be out of the reach of these players. Returning players sometimes come with the problem of having dropped out because the increasing level of tech shook things up to much for them at the time. Increased prices are unlikely to help the situation especially if the distributors that are unwilling to get heavily invested in the game see a need for greater investment while seeing reduced returns as players walk away from $18 minis.

I personally have not purchased either of those minis as I believed that the prices had already starting hitting a high that was offsetting. I have instead starting putting more into the secondary market such as ebay because
1) I can rarely get what I want off of the shop's distributor though I do make a heck of an effort to sell the minis to myself
2) Of those on the distributor's list I have a hard time accepting $15 per mini and having enough assault causes me to look for smaller mechs that are fortunately smaller in price
3) If I can get free shipping and slightly better prices then IWM on mechs that the shop's distributor does not offer then I go with that route instead of the high IWM shipping prices
4) While I am known for long term planning with people in every aspect of my life, regardless if I like it or not, I can be an impulse buyer when it comes to minis. This means that I have problems creating $100 orders with the local shop to order through IWM the minis not on the distributor's list.

I am working on becoming a psychologist, not an ecconomist, so I can only review the likely outcome of price increases on the buying habits of individuals such as myself. I am not a heavy buyer when compared to others, but I do try to buy a mini at least every other week the past 2 years. I can only see additional restraints on purchasing as prices increase since I can spend some time kicking around purchases already. Others like me will also do the same and if purchases are made it will likely be on the lower priced minis which removes some level of profitability on the higher priced minis.

Sure, anyone can read this as a complaint and dismiss it. I don't really care if someone does, but those that have an interest in how IWM is percieved and how it may be negatively affecting it's established customers who are attempting to either generate new customers or revive lapsed customers should consider what has been said. It comes down to the IP's fanbase size and purchasing power versus the production cost and desired level of profit of IWM. While IWM took one step forward they also took at least 1 step back with the archive fee going away but increasing prices that some of us are having a hard time taking before the increase. Hopefully there is a happier medium to be found.

I believe that there has been a lot of untapped profit by locking up the minis that did not sell as well with the archive fee. With the archive fee in place the sales of those minis were only made worse.

IWM shipping fees are pretty damn high. Again this locks up the minis that people want as some of us are unwilling to place $100 orders. Someone once posted some sanctimonious comments that insulted people for not wanting to save $100 to make a lump purchase of minis, which completely ignored the buying habits, wants, and budgets of individuals among many other factors that can leave an individual unable or unwilling to drop $100 at a time.

The $100 limit also affects my orders through the local game shop. The only reason to do so is to help throw a few bucks into the coffers of the shop instead of just having the order sent to my house.

If the shipping costs were reduced and coupled with the death of the archive fees that would unlock several purchases from just me. I could then purchase Baboons, Duan Gungs, Enfields, Lineholders and many more to my fusion reactor's content as the prices would be easier to take and the access would be there. It would help the local game shop see additional BT sales, which they would not really know that it was a lack of access to designs that I want. Other players will see those purchases being made which will help generate additional interest in the game on top of our group's pressence. That may get some of those players off of the fence and into the game, thus increasing sales as they wish to build up their forces.

As I  see it, there is no way for me to affect the distributor, therefore I am posting my thoughts here.

speck

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #24 on: 11 January 2016, 09:29:50 »
@Speck

Will you include name changes to make it more clear which are original or resculpts?

I am going to look at this as well. Right now it's marked on the product info page.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #25 on: 11 January 2016, 11:40:37 »
IWM is a company that is out to make a profit, and there is nothing wrong with that. The question is how will the price increases affect IWM in the long run? How will the price increases affect the game shops that are looking to stock the game? How will it affect those of us that need to special order stuff because the game shop is unwilling to stock the game unless it sees x number of people playing it in the shops?

Honestly, I do see your response as mostly a knee-jerk reaction to the announced increase, and the reason is because even at your rate of purchasing a couple minis a month, we're talking a difference of $2. Or about $30 over the course of a year. That's what? Two minis? One trip to the movies for you and your significant other (not including concessions)? A dinner out for one? What's the real bottom line cost to you? Don't get me wrong, you're completely justified in checking out where you can get the best deal, waiting for sales, etc. That's free-market economics and somewhat foolish not to do as a consumer. I do think that your questions quoted above do not play into your own situation. IWM isn't increasing their prices because they think BT players are cash cows that they can just squeeze more money out of. The long run picture is that they can increase prices a little bit to ensure that they can buy the materials they need to continue production, pay their employees, and continue paying for that work space that has allowed them to drop the archive fee... or they can not do those things. The price changes won't affect the shops. If anything, they'll see a marginally higher profit. If your true concern is your shop not stocking BT because they don't see enough players, then that's not due to the price of the minis. That's due to not having players playing in the shop.

I believe that there has been a lot of untapped profit by locking up the minis that did not sell as well with the archive fee. With the archive fee in place the sales of those minis were only made worse.

Please understand that IWM was in no way throwing away sales. Minis were archived because they sold less than six (6!) in a year. Before being archived. Do you believe that IWM was really missing out by not giving time and space to those sculpts? In total, one or two new releases would make up more sales than the total archived sales they missed out on, even assuming that none of the archived minis sold at all. And I know some of them did, because I bought some to fulfill commissions.

IWM shipping fees are pretty damn high. Again this locks up the minis that people want as some of us are unwilling to place $100 orders. Someone once posted some sanctimonious comments that insulted people for not wanting to save $100 to make a lump purchase of minis, which completely ignored the buying habits, wants, and budgets of individuals among many other factors that can leave an individual unable or unwilling to drop $100 at a time.

If shipping charges keep you from buying somewhere, then buy elsewhere. You've already said that's what you're doing. That's part of the free-market economics already mentioned. And that's cool. If you really want to get your point across to IWM though, consider writing them a polite letter explaining that you would be quite willing to purchase more directly from them if they made other shipping options available.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #26 on: 11 January 2016, 12:23:27 »
$17.95 is the cost of the most expensive minis, it is the upper bound that will not be broken by any non-Superheavy units.  $17.95 is the cost of a Malice or an Atlas III.  It is not the cost of a Blade, Uziel, Cougar, Warhammer, Gunsmith, Anubis, or any one of a hundred other 'Mechs, many of which are now available for $8 cheaper thanks to the lack of archive fee.
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #27 on: 11 January 2016, 17:52:50 »
This is still better than what I have been paying up here for my FLGS recently.

Thanks Speck!
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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #28 on: 11 January 2016, 20:33:23 »
Just speaking for myself, I don't mind the price increases. Enabling the removal of the archive fee is worth it to me. When I was a kid, I always though any metal minis were pricey. These days I have a better appreciation of how difficult low-volume manufacturing is, and the advantages that spun-cast metal has. Honestly, I'm amazed IWM has been able to keep prices as low as they have. I don't expect to see 10% increases every year, but given where prices are now, I don't find it unreasonable.

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Re: Upcoming Price Increase & Changes to Archive
« Reply #29 on: 12 January 2016, 01:03:41 »
Just speaking for myself, I don't mind the price increases. Enabling the removal of the archive fee is worth it to me. When I was a kid, I always though any metal minis were pricey. These days I have a better appreciation of how difficult low-volume manufacturing is, and the advantages that spun-cast metal has. Honestly, I'm amazed IWM has been able to keep prices as low as they have. I don't expect to see 10% increases every year, but given where prices are now, I don't find it unreasonable.

+1 this.