Gauging Interest for HDN Group Buys

[samdavies]

Pole to gauge possible Interest in HDN Group Buys for Manta Lab and/or WeET, hosted by myself, if @Wreck is amenable.

I am UK based, but the GBs would be open to HDN members worldwide, as they were with my Astro Creations Annihilation GB. TBD whether shipping would be retailer direct, or via a hub.

My preference would be for international orders at least to be shipped direct, if the retailers are willing. If not, I do potentially have hub contacts in CN/SK and EU, which may be an option for non-UK orders (also TBD, will need to discuss with them).

No guarantees or promises. This is purely to gauge interest so that I know if an allocation would be a worthwhile endeavour.

Thanks

 

[samdavies]

Not really a yes or no answer tbh. If Sam is correct on saying it’s £17.50 profit per one click (I’m sure you get discounts on bulk buys manta used to advertise on their old website as such) if he sells 50 one clicks that’s £875. I think that’s wild lol not including slips either for a couple of days work talking over a grand maybe per GB but of course not every GB is popular and I’m not sure if you have set allocations for every new title. I’ve taken part in GBs but I personally think if there is a website that functions properly to order from direct they shouldn’t exist tbh but that will never happen as it’s easier for the seller to ship a load to one person I get that so I do take part in some but I’d rather not. I still don’t understand how Weet direct prices and GB are very similar either when there is a bigger difference on blu fans and manta lab. Surely VAT applies to those shipments as well

I wasn't necessarily saying that was profit btw. I said that's the extra amount the buyer would pay vs direct (discounting any customs charges). I know I certainly didn't make £17.50 per Annihilation lol as that amount includes fees incurred and p&p.

 

[Felix_ro]

10k for the popular ones!?!

I meant a minor 10-15% increase, small enough to retain it as a "traditional" limited collectable but large enough to accommodate the growing market for physical media and the need within the community. Interest for premiums are clearly continuing to peak each year if not each month.

So you're thinking 10k for something like Manta Pulp Fiction? @Lenny Nero That would be a super popular title I guess.
I dunno, maybe you're right. It'd still sell out faster than a fart in the wind, but when is the number too high that it stops being what that brand has been well known for and why it's so well sort after?
Would it lose status?
Would the quality drop due to the larger production? Would that p*ss off the existing user base?
Lots of questions really on such a large increase.

@sbarker and @Flloydo hit the nail dead centre though. GBs do need their own separate allocation of stock outside of direct orders. It just makes the most sense then. I can't fathom why they don't/didn't instigate that all along. Practical sense from a business and logistical standpoint

Or maybe they do a pre order phase. Timed. Get in your early doors order then shutdown to lock in numbers. Then still re open on the "traditional" order day for everyone who missed the timed order.

Who knows. This current purchase on the day system just seems outdated and unstable to me now. It's no where near robust enough to handle the interest.

I'm sure all of this same stuff has been thrashed out in threads before. Probably just repeating age old discussions

If you put yourself in a „seller” point of view (perspective), having a specific (fixed) „production” to sale, would you rather sell that quickly (to 2-5 buyers that buy „en-gross”, without needing any shop) or slowly (one by one in your own shop).
I think if those sellers could sell ALL of their „production” to those few buyers that purchase „en-gross”, then they would even ditch the web-shop altogether (being another thing that cost time and money to maintain), something that Blufans does from the beginning, right?
Then, what would be the situation then, when all could purchased via a GB exclusively?
I believe Manta Lab (or any other) don't give a dime to which buyer is selling, but just how fast it sell (aka how fast they get they money on their product).

Just my opinion, not trying to deepen the argumentation. Peace!

 

[K1SK1S]

One thing that might help further outside of specific fixed GB allocation, is a loyalty scheme for direct buyers. How that looks would be upto each company. I don't see it nearly often enough in this sphere. Perhaps every 5 individual film releases you manage to gunsling into your basket, you then get a "guaranteed pre-order" token you can choose to designate to a title you really like and know you may struggle to get. Nothing that radical but a nice bonus for direct buyers who take the time to be alert vs those lazy GB'ers

Of course something like this would need to be backdated in retrospect imo. My first Manta was Blade Runner for instance but others have been here since the dawn of time (aka Man of Steel). That should be acknowledged now those OG's have helped propel the demand to what it is today imo.

 

[sbarker]

If you put yourself in a „seller” point of view (perspective), having a specific (fixed) „production” to sale, would you rather sell that quickly (to 2-5 buyers that buy „en-gross”, without needing any shop) or slowly (one by one in your own shop).
I think if those sellers could sell ALL of their „production” to those few buyers that purchase „en-gross”, then they would even ditch the web-shop altogether (being another thing that cost time and money to maintain), something that Blufans does from the beginning, right?
Then, what would be the situation then, when all could purchased via a GB exclusively?
I believe Manta Lab (or any other) don't give a dime to which buyer is selling, but just how fast it sell (aka how fast they get they money on their product).

Just my opinion, not trying to deepen the argumentation. Peace!

If we look at Manta, their products usually sell out within minutes and the hottest stuff within seconds so is how quickly they sell really an issue for them?

If I had to guess, I think they're actually more concerned with rarity, the perception of being a premium brand and maybe the workload of higher production runs. Maybe there's contractual reasons too but the numbers seem so similar across very disimilar releases, Kill Bill and the first two Raimi Spider-man's probably could have doubled their production run and still sold out easily yet they had the same numbers as Joker 2.

 

[Felix_ro]

If we look at Manta, their products usually sell out within minutes and the hottest stuff within seconds so is how quickly they sell really an issue for them?

If I had to guess, I think they're actually more concerned with rarity, the perception of being a premium brand and maybe the workload of higher production runs. Maybe there's contractual reasons too but the numbers seem so similar across very disimilar releases, Kill Bill and the first two Raimi Spider-man's probably could have doubled their production run and still sold out easily yet they had the same numbers as Joker 2.

Sure, they sell fast from website, since the allocated amount is so small...
I would estimate that with all the PayPal restriction, if something sells in seconds, there can't be more than few dozens.

 

[Hereticz]

I’m in for “first come first serve” basis old school GB like with Kevin on the other site.

After many failed tries lately on the date of PO I have enough of that queue check in line s*it.

I’m in @samdavies

 

[Hereticz]

GB here before was always the best and cheapest GB option out there! If only b!tches didn’t cry about @Aniv all the time the GB would be still here and he would never stopped

 

[Flloydo]

GB here before was always the best and cheapest GB option out there! If only b!tches didn’t cry about @Aniv all the time the GB would be still here and he would never stopped

If only b!tches didn’t use and/ or didn’t cry about not having GBs they’d be enough to go up for pre order. Funny how it also works the other way that

The hypocrisy is staggering. A week ago eveyone wanted GBs to stop or lower their totals lol.

Trust @Lutzo to like the comment. The only one with the worst take In this thread

If that means even less copies direct - so be it

And trust @Felix_ro to like that. I was checking to see who liked the message before replying to see who’s an ar$ehole but luckily not many and only disappointed in @djjez83 . No big loss


Hopefully if a GB does happen, it’s totals taken from what normally goes out to GBs and not their website totals. People forget GBs are a privilege. You’re getting a confirmation on something before it goes up for sale and that gets abused. People forget that. That’s a good meet in the middle for me. Don’t touch the website numbers. Simple and fair. Especially considering some hosts get silly numbers

 

[Mr.Pink]

I do use gbs for the odd release as I drive for work and when you’re out in the sticks it’s near impossible when you have a 30 second window direct.