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Post by actionawesome on Jul 3, 2013 1:01:25 GMT -5
I have started treating stuff from HLPro the same way I plan to with Miracle Productions. Until the product is actually released and you are able to buy it I won't hold my breath.
Not trying to bash on them. But echoing what TMZ said. I really don't understand their slowness compared to other companies.
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 3, 2013 9:42:10 GMT -5
Well I cant speak directly about HLPROs business but I can speak about mine. I have a large online reselling operation and market forces are something to consider. Some of my competition does what you guys are asking and they don't last long. If you put out a bunch of products at really low prices all at once, you sell in large volumes at tiny profit margins then go into a "race to the bottom" and disappear all the while maxing out your credit line, making only pennies on the dollar. I have found that its better to keep your prices kind of high and keep the sales steady but within a 50% profit margin letting the "lowballers" rack up debt without making any profit... a few months later they are out of business.
Rumor has it, a few of these "big" robot companies are in real trouble because they put out too much. too quickly without a healthy profit margin and are sliding into serious debt. Im NOT talking about Bandai either.. Im not going to name any names. The moral of the story is that collectors want one thing and the market forces want another..HLPRO in my opinion is running the business the way I would run it..run it nice and stable..that way the company lasts OVER TIME and is able to release the promised products when its the "right" time.
Metaltechs seem to come out about one a year right now.. in the meantime HLpro makes vinyls, action figures and Jumbos.. along with coinbanks, mugs and all kinds of other stuff.. they sell a lot of that stuff in Europe and the Middle East so the Metaltech line is not the only thing they are working on.
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Post by ryomakabuto on Jul 3, 2013 9:55:01 GMT -5
Why not say the names of the companies supposedly in trouble? Because they are rumors most likely just to justify HLPRO dumb practice to only make what they want to make and whenever they want to make it. That is basically what exmember hl pro posted on this forum long ago. Im goint to call it doubtful information unless names of these companies in trouble are posted so I can verufy the information myself. Hl Pro business practice may be good for europe and middle east, but it doesn't seem to be very good for the rest of the world. They are like the Matty of europe, and everyone LOVES Matty. NOT!
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 3, 2013 10:13:30 GMT -5
I cant verify it so why would I continue a rumor that I cant verify? I don't put private info about anyone in a public forum.. and how could YOU verify it anyway? You know people in the industry? Also do not assume that all of my info comes from HLpro ... I talk to them but they are pretty tight lipped about stuff.
As for this "Not good for the rest of the World" idea.. uh. These Japanese characters aren't really known outside of certain markets. Trying to sell huge numbers of Grendizer or Mazinger outside of a few countries is going to be a losing battle, there just aren't enough customers. HLpro is being sold retail out of ACME comics here in the Orlando area and the only people who know what it is or buy it are customers from the Middle East and Europe. Americans look at it and go "cool what is that"..then they keep on walking. That's why they are such collectors items here... in other markets these characters are much better known and sell in much higher numbers.
But the Robot market is just like any other market, its the same rules. "The Law of diminishing returns" also applies.. and when a company puts out too many models of anything, even cars, your own products start competing against each other.. Ford Motor company made this same mistake back in the 1970s ... The Global economy is bad right now MOST companies in all sectors of the economy are having trouble. The best thing to do right now is hunker down and run things slow and steady.
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Post by ryomakabuto on Jul 3, 2013 10:52:25 GMT -5
You assume the USA is the rest of the world? Then you need to expand your horizons. Latin America is huge into the super robots and the likes of Grendizer and Mazinger are huge over there. And if you dont want to or cant put names to your assertions, then dont even bring them up. No need to stir us up in this toy collecting community with unjustified and unverified rumors.
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Post by actionawesome on Jul 3, 2013 10:58:10 GMT -5
Well I cant speak directly about HLPROs business but I can speak about mine. I have a large online reselling operation and market forces are something to consider. Some of my competition does what you guys are asking and they don't last long. If you put out a bunch of products at really low prices all at once, you sell in large volumes at tiny profit margins then go into a "race to the bottom" and disappear all the while maxing out your credit line, making only pennies on the dollar. I have found that its better to keep your prices kind of high and keep the sales steady but within a 50% profit margin letting the "lowballers" rack up debt without making any profit... a few months later they are out of business. Rumor has it, a few of these "big" robot companies are in real trouble because they put out too much. too quickly without a healthy profit margin and are sliding into serious debt. Im NOT talking about Bandai either.. Im not going to name any names. The moral of the story is that collectors want one thing and the market forces want another..HLPRO in my opinion is running the business the way I would run it..run it nice and stable..that way the company lasts OVER TIME and is able to release the promised products when its the "right" time. Metaltechs seem to come out about one a year right now.. in the meantime HLpro makes vinyls, action figures and Jumbos.. along with coinbanks, mugs and all kinds of other stuff.. they sell a lot of that stuff in Europe and the Middle East so the Metaltech line is not the only thing they are working on. I need to get their vinyls. Have not been able to find them decently priced but I hear they are articulated and they look awesome. Someday perhaps |
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Jul 3, 2013 14:11:13 GMT -5
Are you talking about their 12" Mazinger Z, Great Mazinger, and Grendizer figures? Or are you referring the 60CM Jumbos? I have all and they are pretty nice indeed.  On the subject about rumors, yeah, I have to agree that if the actual company name is going to be withheld, then it is better not to post anything about it. At least in my case, it makes me a little uneasy when I read stuff like that. I rather enjoy ignorance, than to read half truths or unconfirmed rumors. }D |
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Post by actionawesome on Jul 3, 2013 14:47:26 GMT -5
I am referring to their 12" figures
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 3, 2013 15:07:00 GMT -5
Its not a big deal, just some companies have a better profit margin than others. That is with any group of businesses.
As for HLpro, Hlpro is a manufacturer, they don't sell them, they don't even really market them. The only thing Hlpro sells to the public in factory direct mode is their special color limited items. The regular items are ordered by Distributors (wholesalers) who then sell them to retailers. Whoever in the world ORDERS a production run becomes the wholesaler.. they then sell them to retailers. The product goes to who orders it. South America and North America ORDERS very little compared to other markets bc there is less demand. Its simple economics.
Now, if a company goes out of business bc it goes bankrupt, all that happens is that the company is liquidated and declared a tax write-off and then the same guys turn around and reform another company.. this is part of the business landscape.
I am in the "toy business" also, but I don't deal with Japanese Robots or any other product mentioned here on robot japan. So, I live with these systems of productions and sales when I manage my own businesses. I don't really get emotional over this stuff, my main thing is motorcycles and night clubs but I do love the Japanese Robots too its just more of a side interest to me.
Now I didn't come here to get anyone upset or anything like that. So, Ill just say this.. Bandai and HLpro are running pretty strong... word has it that some of the smaller companies are having trouble but it doesn't really matter bc people aren't really buying from them anyway. You can do the research yourself just by looking around and talking to people who retail this stuff.
You guys know whats REALLY SELLING right now? Those damn little naked girl statues that otaku buy.. that's whats really making money right now.. the profits are huge!.. and in some cases they are being made by companies that make Japanese robots but they make them under another company name with slightly different company members involved. In a way, most of all those little companies are like rock groups that get together and then break up..
edit ok ok.. Ill give you my impression based on just my analysis of the robot market.. this is just ME talking and its nothing coming from HLpro.. so these are MY PREDICTIONS! Based on my sales, marketing and re-sales experience.
Based on what Im seeing, Karisma Toy, SD and maybe CM... just by looking at the products themselves, the product lines, feedback from retailers and todays Market forces...Id say they were in trouble or getting into trouble in the present market... just sayin'
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Post by Chen on Jul 3, 2013 15:30:23 GMT -5
Just look at Yamato, they had one of the premier licenses with Macross (minus Macross Frontier) and had a load of other licenses too. But they couldn't stay afloat even with some of the most rabid and diehard fans out there. They made as many as people wanted with huge prices unlike Bandai with their Macross items which always seem to be limited and sold out but still have many fans wanting them. Fans may complain but in the end making product just below demand is how you stay healthy as a company. Of course they also sell a ton of other stuff with more then enough out there and have had lines die. For HLPRO I see a company that has other lines be their main source of income while the Metaltech line is their premier line to basically show off what they can do. The line does add to their bottom line and does give them notoriety but if it sank it wouldn't take the company with them because they have diversified their product portfolio.
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 3, 2013 15:51:06 GMT -5
thank you Chen, you explained it better than I could..
You don't want to oversaturate .. you want the customer hungry for more .. too much all at once and its more than they can buy and they lose interest.. the whole line collapses in just a few years. You don't want to actually meet demand.. you want to keep it right under the demand so the product value stays high.
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 3, 2013 16:36:37 GMT -5
actionawesome.. here is my review of a HLPro 12" Great Mazinger Action figure
when Jin Jin arrives. PBM will also have a new shipment of Great Mazinger, Mazinger Z and Grendizer. Plus, Gredizer Jumbos and I think Mazinger Z Jumbos.. I am going to get at least one Jumbo and review it. I saw a Grendizer Jumbo at my local comic shop and its friggin amazing.. real heavy vinyl and even waist rotation.. best nu-Jumbo Ive seen yet.
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Post by TheMazingerZ on Jul 3, 2013 17:39:02 GMT -5
Since you brought up "nu-Jumbo", as much as I dislike the Shin Mazinger design, the Bandai Neo-Jumbo IS the best there is in the Jumbo world. Absolutely awesome. Would've been better if they had put a Koji Kabuto figure inside the Pileder, but it is still number 1 as far as Jumbos are concerned. Yeah, I hate SHin Mazinger but I have the Neo-Jumbo... go figure.  }D |
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 3, 2013 18:34:38 GMT -5
yeah they are pretty sweet. thing is, Im not sure its a "Jumbo" that's why I didn't include it.. to me it seems more like a giant "action figure".. know what I mean? When I think of a "Jumbo" I think of something made out of soft vinyl without any articulation..j ust rotation and wheels on the feet are a bonus.. to me, THATS a "Jumbo" I love the Neo-Jumbos though.. Bandai did a great job on those..
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Post by greengetterguy on Jul 4, 2013 13:41:09 GMT -5
"You guys know whats REALLY SELLING right now? Those damn little naked girl statues that otaku buy.. that's whats really making money right now.. the profits are huge!.. and in some cases they are being made by companies that make Japanese robots but they make them under another company name with slightly different company members involved."
Those horn dog Otakus. Why can't they just have some corn dogs instead
And stop messing with Japanese gokin robot market!!
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Post by B- on Jul 4, 2013 16:47:07 GMT -5
Those horn dog Otakus. Why can't they just have some corn dogs instead And stop messing with Japanese gokin robot market!! HAHHAHAHAHA love you bro!! |
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Post by greengetterguy on Jul 4, 2013 17:06:34 GMT -5
Right back at you man.
It IS the freedom day for us Yanks, so enjoy your freedom you otakus bros.
Again, have some corn dogs instead and leave our robots alone.
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 5, 2013 11:13:13 GMT -5
Greengetter and Baron, I hope you guys aren't the ones taking those pictures and posting them up on those porn sites with those little statues! They got dudes out there "putting a hurting" on those little plastic girls, I cant understand it!...ha ha
EDIT. Baron went with a real photo of himself so I going to follow his trend... good Idea Baron!
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Post by greengetterguy on Jul 5, 2013 13:49:32 GMT -5
No way GS! I know I'm not one of them. I'm a happily married with a beautiful gal, a REAL gal.
"UGrngrgrg" on the guys with "plastic girl statues" who's doing weird stuff. Perverts!!
There, I SAID it!!!
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Post by Gettershadow on Jul 5, 2013 14:57:22 GMT -5
They are SELLING LIKE CRAZY!!
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