What kind of PO system do you prefer?

[loricstone]

Originally Posted by Luminous

You think someone should commit to purchasing every product one particular company produces in order to continue purchasing their future products? If you can't see what's wrong with that then I don't know what else there is to discuss. I am sure you and XM will continue to make each other very happy.

No I don't think people have to do anything they don't want to personally and furthermore, what I said was in relation to should ST and other companies have a loyalty program or just free for all.

I am specifically stating that people that HAVE BOUGHT all or MOST XM product should have FIRST dibs on any future XM product.

Does that make sense to you? These are people you can just about pencil in as definite purchasers of product you get in your store. I would definitely want to deal with familiarity over new blood because of the trust built up between the two said parties. This does not mean no one new can come to the game (buy XM product so to speak), it just means that familiarity and trust should count for something. Take care of your regulars first. Not everyone is going to want all XM product and Marvel characters. I am one of a select few that do buy all 1/4 XM Marvel product and maybe any future licenses XM acquires.

[loricstone]

Originally Posted by Demona

I've been on XM from damn near the beginning. But I don't want, nor can I afford, everything they make. I support them and comments on any and all pieces, regardless if I'm getting them.

My love is XMen which is on hold.

Are you telling me that if that lines opens up again I should be screwed over in having a chance bc I don't spend over $10K in statutes I didn't have true love for?!

Ridiculous.

Why are you guys trying to put words in my posts. I never said you should not have a chance...I said loyalists should come first then everyone else.

[built2shred]

This is just one company (Simple Toys) there are lots of other dealers and 3rd party people like Mark and Scoots who help out, I think the issue people are having is they want to see the final product before they buy, problem is most people are willing to take a leap of faith and get on a pre-order list before the final product is finished which makes it impossible for people on the fence to buy if they choose so.

Also XM only has a limited number of statues to sell, so even if Simple Toys didn't have their elite system in place there would still be lots of people who won't get one. It's just a numbers game... As for flippers, I don't see that many statues being flipped, maybe around 10% tops... Sure it sucks but some of you act like the flippers are securing all 999 statues and selling them on Ebay...

Bottom Line: To many Customers not enough Statues to go around...

[gomur]

[Luminous]

Originally Posted by loricstone

Why are you guys trying to put words in my posts. I never said you should not have a chance...I said loyalists should come first then everyone else.

Yes, because the "loyalists" are going to leave some available for everyone else.

Originally Posted by built2shred

This is just one company (Simple Toys) there are lots of other dealers and 3rd party people like Mark and Scoots who help out, I think the issue people are having is they want to see the final product before they buy, problem is most people are willing to take a leap of faith and get on a pre-order list before the final product is finished which makes it impossible for people on the fence to buy if they choose so.

Also XM only has a limited number of statues to sell, so even if Simple Toys didn't have their elite system in place there would still be lots of people who won't get one. It's just a numbers game... As for flippers, I don't see that many statues being flipped, maybe around 10% tops... Sure it sucks but some of you act like the flippers are securing all 999 statues and selling them on Ebay...

Bottom Line: To many Customers not enough Statues to go around...

This is actually a good point. My feelings towards this flawed and elitist pre-ordering system was initially being directed towards XM, but I am glad you reminded me we're actually talking about Simply Toys. I am not sure I can take "leaps of faith" when I consider how much money we're talking about for just one statue. I know XM delivers quality stuff, but art direction can make or break a purchase for me.

[Viper245]

On a related note, I am pretty sure that all US retailers were getting their XM statues from Singapore supppilers. Well once Thor went up for PO those Singapore retailers gave the US retailers the cold shoulder and they were forced to go to other higher priced suppliers outside of Singapore to get their XM orders fulfilled.

While there is nothing obligating these Singapore suppliers to continue doing business with US retailers, to me it speaks to their ethics that they would just drop them with no response and no explanation. That's just bad business practices period. Now anyone who has been buying through a US retailers is being forced to pay scalper prices in order to preorder new XM releases. I refuse to do that so I am essentially shut out from buying any future XM pieces. It really sours the experience.

[felixckf]

how about elite member get coins as a gift ?

[ozboy]

I've been buying XM off Simply Toys from the Captain America release and have ordered nearly every xm statue off them since. For me their system works and we have a mutual agreement with orders and I see no reason to change that because people who want to be their customer want what I have but arrived after me. They are just one store, if you don't like their way buy somewhere else.

[yeek]

The reason I had to use Simply Toys as an example is because they are a legitimate worldwide retailer that are allocated a substantial amount of XM product to sell to everybody. I can't count "independent" distributors because they are just individuals who are selling product on a per person basis.

Originally Posted by Viper245

On a related note, I am pretty sure that all US retailers were getting their XM statues from Singapore supppilers. Well once Thor went up for PO those Singapore retailers gave the US retailers the cold shoulder and they were forced to go to other higher priced suppliers outside of Singapore to get their XM orders fulfilled.

While there is nothing obligating these Singapore suppliers to continue doing business with US retailers, to me it speaks to their ethics that they would just drop them with no response and no explanation. That's just bad business practices period. Now anyone who has been buying through a US retailers is being forced to pay scalper prices in order to preorder new XM releases. I refuse to do that so I am essentially shut out from buying any future XM pieces. It really sours the experience.

Yes, what Viper said is unfortunate. In my own personal experience I was able to PO Magneto very early on, over a month before actual PO, and was actively involved in the communication and updates. I was told that I could order any future XM statues whenever I wanted and to just let the person know which ones I was interested in. Then bam, all of a sudden XM blows up and everyone and their mom wants their statues. I can't even get a response from my Magneto seller anymore except for the payment instructions as to when it was to ship. Don't get me wrong, I understand the demand and I'll be forever grateful to have been able to at least obtain one masterpiece.

But yes, the scalping has gotten pretty ludicrous. The US retailers are basically selling their allocation at high markup prices now, effectively almost double the price. That's pretty crazy.

I guess in the end my whole point of this discussion was to see what people thought about the process. For me I'd rather have a chance than no chance at all. Even with PCS's fiasco with Akuma, Sub, etc when I didn't get one I was disappointed for sure, but I also didn't feel as bad because I had an opportunity like the next guy but just missed out.

[Matches Malone]

Originally Posted by FROBAY

Equal fair chance for all on PO Day.

The only thing is with free for all systems there will always be those who circumvent it ala Mondo's as we can both attest brother Fro.......