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Post by mazfan on Feb 14, 2005 15:34:29 GMT -5
There is a chain of stores--about 20 total--in New England that started to carry the SOC line (just the new ones: Evangelions, the Mazinger Angles and the bad guys). This is a big change I think. I used to just see SOC's on speciality stores (non-chain) and online. Does this mean they are making more of them in the hopes of becoming more mainstream? Are you guys cool with this? Would we eventually see our beloved die-cast toys at Toy R' Us in the U.S.?
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Post by ronin777 on Feb 14, 2005 15:42:31 GMT -5
For me that would be good news and bad news. The good news - no more waiting for the stuff to get shipped to me, I can just walk to the store pick the one I like (if it's available) and I'm happy. The bad news, my wife will get a better idea on how much the stuff really costs.
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Post by jwm on Feb 14, 2005 15:48:47 GMT -5
What goes around comes around. In the late '70s here in So. Cal there were several "high-end" toy stores like Toys International that carried Popy and Bullmark toys. Shortly afterward the Shogun Warriors came on the market. The high-end stores went under. Popy never caught on, and the Shogun Warriors had a short shelf run. JWM
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Post by Kidchuckle on Feb 15, 2005 9:42:46 GMT -5
Well hopefully history won't repeat itself.... what I hope is a healthy competitive market.. that helps out the consumers. But a lot the specialty stores.. seem to carry more of a variety of stuff I find.
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Post by Omni Existence on Feb 15, 2005 10:08:36 GMT -5
I agree. I think the SOC line is starting to go mainstream. I used to see SOC's and similar Japanese collectibles in specialty shops here in PI, never at any Mall Toy Department, but now it's been popping up here and there, though not in large quantities (usually about 2-3 each). Initially, I was happy to see them, but the bad thing is, Specialy Stores still sell the fool things for a much cheaper price. The prices in these Toy Departments are usually US$15-20 higher than what Specialty Shops are offering them (at least here in PI). BTW, I don't think it's just SOC's. I see Yamato 1/60 Macross Valks (for now), high end figures like SIC's, AMG, GITS, etc. The problem is, being 'collectibles' parents won't really buy them for their kids, and collectors still prefer to get them from their suppliers as they are cheaper. One advantage is, when they're gathering dust, and a collector missed out, buying them from these Toy Departments can be an alternative .
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Post by andrewdsz on Feb 15, 2005 10:56:22 GMT -5
The price of SOCs on our local toy store is indeed not cheap, it is always 15~20$ higher than the highest price you can find in ebay.
However those toys still sold out pretty quick here. I guess it is because there're some ppl never used ebay who purchased them.
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Post by Kidchuckle on Feb 15, 2005 12:53:47 GMT -5
well I do usually see stuff over at ebay... a bit cheaper.. but when you include shipping.. I usually find it about the same price... and I rather put in another $10- $20 in so that I don't have to worry if it shipped ok.. or it has been damaged... plus if theres anything wrong.. you can go directly to the dealer.
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Post by 00silvergt on Feb 15, 2005 14:25:41 GMT -5
I don't think it will ever get to the point of mainstream that Power Rangers...it is still a niche' item. Prices may actually increase since mainstream stores will be sold by Bandai that these are collector's items...Chaching ChaChing $$$ Keep in mind that mainstream stores TRU and Walmart, etc. sell toys aimed mostly at children under 14, so many collector's items over stock and end up as clearance. I bought Hasbro Optimus Prime for $49.99 at Walmart and Energon Unicron for $19.99 at Target.
If these do not pick up(sell)...they will be green tagged/reg tag and will sell for pennies on the dollar...i.e. Zoids etc.
ComiX and ComiX (Chain store) sold the reissue Valks for $39.99 each way under eBay and specialty stores, they also sold out in a day with a stock of 5 of each...and never restocked.
My point? Well, it is very unpredictable what may happen with mainstreaming. Mervyn's had Godaikin's in 1986 for $30 each, Daltanias, Voltes V, God Sigma, etc. They ended up shipping their stock to some clearance store i.e. Big Lots Pic and Save, etc. since it never sold.
The same with TRU and the Shogun Warriors...
Mainstreaming may have a great benefit/liability for us collectors that no one has yet mentioned. If US buyers for mainstream toystores start buying these items in great numbers, pallets...then Bandai will no longer have the attitude that these are Japan-Only items and candidate selection may take a slant? Good and Bad...Robbie the Robot SOC...;D
This would also open up the possibilty and I highly expect it , "Japan-Only" versions or items that will keep eBay and HK sellers happy.
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Post by Chen on Feb 15, 2005 14:39:30 GMT -5
I don't mind being able to buy SOC's in more mainstream stores. But what I don't want is them becoming so mass produced that they become to dependant on the buying publics whims. Right now there is a healthy demand for SOC's partly because of their unavailibilty in most North American stores but also of the limited quantities there produced in. If they become like Transformers then Bandai will have a higher stake in selling them and if they start to lose money, fold the line. Right now Bandai can get away with making a SOC that doesn't meet sales expectations (Zambot) but have it not affect the line to much, there is still a larger demand for SOC's than they can supply. Just don't flood the market!
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Post by admin1 aka Ed on Feb 15, 2005 15:40:49 GMT -5
The line is just too expensive and delicate to be mainstream. The main retailers want a 300% markup plus. Right now SOC wholesales for too much for normal stores.
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Post by JoshB on Feb 15, 2005 15:50:43 GMT -5
There is a chain of stores--about 20 total--in New England that started to carry the SOC line (just the new ones: Evangelions, the Mazinger Angles and the bad guys). This is a big change I think. I used to just see SOC's on speciality stores (non-chain) and online. Does this mean they are making more of them in the hopes of becoming more mainstream? Are you guys cool with this? Would we eventually see our beloved die-cast toys at Toy R' Us in the U.S.? Do you mean newbury Comics? I went to one friday and they had none. Newbury Comics has always carried products offered through Diamond Comics Distributors, but I am suprised that they are carrying these. Let me know, i'd love to go check them out.
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Post by andrewdsz on Feb 15, 2005 15:57:15 GMT -5
SOCs will never become main stream OK?
First of all it is made of chogokin IRON, not those iron cars for playing purpose. You dont think you gonna buy a display piece for your children under 14 years old right? It is too heavy and too exquisite for kids. Second, the price is generally too high to be a toy. Like dancouga and Zambot, you will rarely find any toys with that monstous price in toysRus.
Main Stream will only work if the toy is playable and cheap, or, it is been popular for long. (Such as power rangers or transformers)
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Post by mazingox on Feb 15, 2005 16:04:22 GMT -5
I am mixed about this. I just recently saw the Mazinger Angels and Garada in a recent Toyfare magazine. I am wondering if a lot of people who frequent comic/hobby stores know much about them. I have not seen any DVD/anime/manga tie-in (e.g. Gundam, Power Rangers, Godzilla) to develop "SOC" interest. I may be kinda skeptical since it's Mazinger Angels and villians instead of "old school" Shogun Warrior/Popy resemblances being "introductory" SOCs.
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Post by mazfan on Feb 15, 2005 16:07:57 GMT -5
Hey JoshB. Yes, it is Newbury Comics. They have the SOC's at the Harvard Sq. and Newbury St. branches.
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Post by zetaking on Feb 15, 2005 16:53:45 GMT -5
mainstream has its benefits. The bigger the seller, usually the bigger the discounts later on. The reason being that most of the stores selling the stuff now gets maybe a dozen items at a time and if toysrus gets in on the game, the volume generated will subsequently push the price downward. Evenmore so if these toy giants dont move the stuff, then bigger discounts for everyone. Sure, you lose that person to person interaction. But, you sure save a bundle at the end. Plus, some of the guys out there just arent exactly friendly. I bought some soc before from stores that were nothing short of rude. But being that they had the item in stock, I had to bite the bullet. Instead of kissing their butts on getting a toy, why not go to big chain store that makes it a painless, easy, and fast shopping experience? After all, the customer is always right and I for one see this new competitor in the retailers market has good pressure to be placed on those guys that regularly shafts us simply because they know they could.
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Post by jwm on Feb 15, 2005 19:51:25 GMT -5
Zetaking: I've had the same experience with a comic/toy dealer here in So. Cal. Creepy vibe. I can imagine some of those guys sitting around all goth'ed out having erotic fantasies over their McFarlane Hideous Mangled Corpses of Death toys. But back on topic- A series of semi-connected thoughts on the matter. SOC issues, like their Popy and Bullmark predecessors, seem to have the potential to catch on as trend or fad items. I always think the same thing about Miyazaki's movies. But in a market that will rave for months over "Shrek II", "Spirited Away" won an academy award and quietly disappeared. Pokemon hit the stratosphere of pop culture here in the US. I'm sure you all remember the overwhelming number of Poke-toys on the market. Would it be desirable to see that kind of saturation marketing of Gundam, Mazinger, and the Getters? Pick up an FIX or GX issue at your local supermarket? I don't like to make inane generalizations, but most Americans simply don't get it when it comes to Japanese science fiction. Whether it's Godzilla, or giant robots, some few see the magic in it; most find it unbearably corny. I almost dread the day when some teen-idol Hollywood brat, or pop star discovers Japanese toys, and the media decide to make a story out of it. I'm not sure if I'm ready for toy geekery to become mainstream cool. (But if it did I'd survive) JWM
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Post by 00silvergt on Feb 15, 2005 21:03:53 GMT -5
Would it be desirable to see that kind of saturation marketing of Gundam, Mazinger, and the Getters? JWM For the most part thanks to the Cartoon Network importing Gundam and placing it at a teen-idol time slot, Gundam has been lost and has an ever so present feel of mainstream, "I don't really get it feel to it." I don't know if you guys ever gone to Target or Walmart or TRU and stood next to some kid looking at Gundam and pretending that the Gundam talked like Transformers do, most irritating thing to ever see! That's what my fear about this mainstreaming... It is not real cool because majority of the market movers (US or us) don't get it...capish? As Americans we spend more than 50% of our hard earned cash on entertainment, I don't think there is any doubt that we move the market...That is way more than most other consumer group in the world. I remember in the eighties, my friends and I were getting fan subs, etc. but never got a dub of Gundam...that was "sacred" territory...I remember, in college a Japanese exchange student was surprised that I knew about Gundam and shared unmolested VHS versions of F-91 and the original series with me... ;D ;D In a word...Initial D by Tokyo Pop...gotta love rap music with Anime...because it is only cool with rap music....
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Post by zetaking on Feb 18, 2005 4:15:55 GMT -5
But, if you noticed at a local border store, manga is showing up and it has experienced tremendous growth. Considering that, will japanese anime and their characters, robot and people alike still be a fad? I think japanese characters are really becoming mainstream and into the youth culture. I really think it is here to stay. As to whether chogokin mainstream, I dont really care. So long as I get my fix the cheapest and most economical way. Not that it is going to be anytime soon.....
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