Steelbook Shelf Life and Long Term Value

[timban]

Hi All,

I'm not sure if this has been discussed before but I wondered what your thoughts were on this.

Whilst many collectables tend to increase in value over time I can't see this being case with blu ray steelbooks. With 4k on the horizon and whatever's planned after that there will come a time when blu rays become the next DVD

Personally i don't really buy steelbooks for thier value (I open them all).
I guess will be looking at 3-4 year time windrow before their collectable value starts to fall. What do you think?

Tim

 

[SaberTooth]

New format debate is in the air, seeing how hard the non-product licensing market, aka Streaming/On Demand is being pushed....

Reprints, Re-releases, falling product quality and dumb retail pricing will kill off steelbook resale value b4 another format happens anyway :movie:

 

[blumaster]

I think that as long as the G2 size is standard, blu-ray steelbooks will hold their value. Could someone eventually release a G3, an even smaller version case? Seems kind of ridiculous thinking a smaller case would be cooler, but we've all fallen for it with G2. G3, whatever it may be, is the most likely G2 Steelbook killer.

 

[dv8mad]

Long Term Value - Likely not that much for my collection at least as I open everything I keep. I have almost 400 steelbooks, but I wouldn't exactly consider myself a collector as I don't care about the value. I just like the design and (strange as it may sound) the feel of a steelbook as compared to an amaray case.
It's for this reason that I often end up selling things that end up being "too valuable" for me to open or even trade away for steelbooks of lesser value whenever I am able.
For example, I had to sell of my Frozen lenticular and get a regular version because I felt bad for everyone else by opening up such a limited version. I also traded my original Thor and Cap for the Zavvi re-releases.
So, it's not about monetary value at all for me.

Shelf Life - This is a totally different story. As I said, I value the steelbooks personally, so what I plan to do is continue to hang onto them and place new media inside as it comes along. I have absolutely no problem dropping in a new disk and selling off the blu if it continues to be a form of optical media that will fit on the spindle. If they go with media cards of some type, I will just glue some sort of holder into each case.

 

[Lordpercy]

They've put themselves in a difficult position (which, I assume is why they've done nothing other than offer a weak apology.)

If they were to cancel the existing orders, not only would they face they wrath of paypal (and likely a hefty fee) but imagine the outcry from the 3k people who, after 3 and half hours of trying, finally got the elusive steel(s) only to then have them taken away again.

Even worse for Nova reputationally then if those people then missed out on the re-sell!

My opinion (and I know it won't be popular but I think is a fair compromise) would be to put an addition run into production - we know that a ridiculous amount of people missed out, so the demand is there.

I know some people will cry foul, that it's was a limited edition of x amount, but really, unless you've got copy number 0001, what difference does it make if you have copy 2000 odd or copy 4000 odd. The main thing is that you will have a copy. (Or copies depending on your preferences)

Nova will re earn some of the lost respect from collectors who missed out first time around (through no fault of thier own) with no real impact on those that were successful on the botched first sale and Nova will also make an additional wedge.

Additionally it will put extrs copies into the hands of collectors, saving them from evil bay.

I see that as a win for the community and a win for Nova

 

[Futurhythm]

They've put themselves in a difficult position (which, I assume is why they've done nothing other than offer a weak apology.)

If they were to cancel the existing orders, not only would they face they wrath of paypal (and likely a hefty fee) but imagine the outcry from the 3k people who, after 3 and half hours of trying, finally got the elusive steel(s) only to then have them taken away again.

Even worse for Nova reputationally then if those people then missed out on the re-sell!

My opinion (and I know it won't be popular but I think is a fair compromise) would be to put an addition run into production - we know that a ridiculous amount of people missed out, so the demand is there.

I know some people will cry foul, that it's was a limited edition of x amount, but really, unless you've got copy number 0001, what difference does it make if you have copy 2000 odd or copy 4000 odd. The main thing is that you will have a copy. (Or copies depending on your preferences)

Nova will re earn some of the lost respect from collectors who missed out first time around (through no fault of thier own) with no real impact on those that were successful on the botched first sale and Nova will also make an additional wedge.

Additionally it will put extrs copies into the hands of collectors, saving them from evil bay.

I see that as a win for the community and a win for Nova

I understand that exclusivity, limited numbers, and value are a very important factors for certain collectors. I've never been one of these people so I always think that additional print runs of highly sought after items is a good thing. As you said this ensures more people who actually want it will get it and that the scalpers lose their power. Also, most important of all, the companies make more money

There are also very easy ways for the initial print run to retain its collectors value. New printings can be unnumbered, maybe lose some of the extras like the art cards, or even have an alternate coloured/designed slip to differentiate. Things like comics and toys do this all the time, why can't Steelbooks?

 

[Starling]

If they were to increase the print run two things would happen.

1. A flood of cancellations
2. Demand for future releases would be nonexistent

 

[RickB84]

I wouldn't care less if they increase the print run. If I have the copy I want then whoever else in the world has a copy makes no difference to me at all. I collect steels cause I like them not cause I want something somebody else doesn't have

 

[Futurhythm]

If they were to increase the print run two things would happen.

1. A flood of cancellations
2. Demand for future releases would be nonexistent

I really don't see this being the case, unless the majority of people who buy these things are either scalpers or collectors that only care about rarity/value.

 

[Hooch]

Imo "average Joe" doesn't sit +3 hours hitting F5 for a steelbook and not appreciating the items rarity and/or value in a collection, nor does he/she commit to a GB on a forum for nerds like us. We all collect for different reasons and some folks are happy as pigs in mud when a catalog film is released in a +20 000 run for US 9.99. Good for them! Myself I will quit the same day all retailers does this, imo opinion there has to be some retailers aiming for collectors that appreciates low print runs and fantastic quality products.

 

[Futurhythm]

Imo "average Joe" doesn't sit +3 hours hitting F5 for a steelbook and not appreciating the items rarity and/or value in a collection, nor does he/she commit to a GB on a forum for nerds like us. We all collect for different reasons and some folks are happy as pigs in mud when a catalog film is released in a +20 000 run for US 9.99. Good for them! Myself I will quit the same day all retailers does this, imo opinion there has to be some retailers aiming for collectors that appreciates low print runs and fantastic quality products.

I am not judging collectors who collect for reasons different from my own, and there is no right or wrong way to be a collector. I myself collect movies because I love them and I buy the version with what I think has the nicest packaging for aesthetic reasons (and partially the fact that technically, the packaging is really all we own when we buy movies because of how copyright laws work. Of course I could be wrong, but this is just a side point). I do not appreciate the rarity or the monetary value of anything in my collection because I don't buy things for those reasons. You could make the rarest edition that has an insane resell value of my favourite movie ever, but if it's got shoddy PQ/AQ (and better exists) and crappy packaging and design, I won't even bat an eye. I was happy (not the right word, but you get my point) to hit refresh for three hours trying to buy this edition of Drive until I fell asleep because I love the movie and I think the package for this crazy beautiful. tl;dr I love movies and buy the nicest editions of them because I think they're pretty.

Now, I don't know what the ratio is of movie collectors like (or similar) to myself to those who collect for rarity and value, but I won't deny that it makes me sad if the majority of collectors who jump onto releases like this one do it just because they are rare and can fetch for high prices.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the costs and work involved in making a quality product and that the ultimate goal of business it to make money. However, I don't believe that only a small percentage of products should be of a high quality and that only a small number of people can end up owning them.

 

[paulboland]

The value of what people think a steelbook is worth is of no interest to me and is never a reason I would purchase any release no matter what format it is

I purchase a release because I want it to be in my collection for lots of different reasons and will choose the one that I like the most be it a steelbook or a box set

Even if I have in my collection films that are worth a lot of money in some people eyes as I don't sell any of my collection so its value that's not relevant to me but the enjoyment I get by having it

 

[Real Steel]

For me, the true meaning of collecting is people have time to choose and buy what they like, and the value appreciates with time. If one has to scramble for something and can instantly make a huge profit if lucky to secure one, that's not collecting, that's akin to lottery.

The answer is setting the print run just slightly more than enough to meet the true collectors. Some collectors will want to keep forever and some will eventually part with the item. How great the item is will determine how many will keep and how many will part, which will thus set its collector's value over time.

So the print run limit should be enough to satisfy collectors' demand, not set at an arbitrary low number. That would weed out the sclapers and the hoarders, and make steelbook collecting a much more fun and stress-free hobby.

 

[Hooch]

I am not judging collectors who collect for reasons different from my own, and there is no right or wrong way to be a collector. I myself collect movies because I love them and I buy the version with what I think has the nicest packaging for aesthetic reasons (and partially the fact that technically, the packaging is really all we own when we buy movies because of how copyright laws work. Of course I could be wrong, but this is just a side point). I do not appreciate the rarity or the monetary value of anything in my collection because I don't buy things for those reasons. You could make the rarest edition that has an insane resell value of my favourite movie ever, but if it's got shoddy PQ/AQ (and better exists) and crappy packaging and design, I won't even bat an eye. I was happy (not the right word, but you get my point) to hit refresh for three hours trying to buy this edition of Drive until I fell asleep because I love the movie and I think the package for this crazy beautiful. tl;dr I love movies and buy the nicest editions of them because I think they're pretty.

Now, I don't know what the ratio is of movie collectors like (or similar) to myself to those who collect for rarity and value, but I won't deny that it makes me sad if the majority of collectors who jump onto releases like this one do it just because they are rare and can fetch for high prices.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the costs and work involved in making a quality product and that the ultimate goal of business it to make money. However, I don't believe that only a small percentage of products should be of a high quality and that only a small number of people can end up owning them.

@Futurhythm

Acctually we are not so far apart in our reasoning. Imo you have to have interest/love for the acctual item you are collecting, if your only drive is money then it´s a business you are running and not a collection. Myself I like the part of chasing down a particular item that might be oos/oop. Here is where we differ a bit I think, because if there would be no real limited editions, low print runs with a great package I would loose interest in the whole collection thingy itself. I do like the fact that I can own (or try to...) an item that not so many other collectors have, I don`t have a problem with that. This is ”value” for me, not value in regards to money but value in regards to rarity. I have the exact same feeling for my vintage comics collection.

You said: However, I don't believe that only a small percentage of products should be of a high quality and that only a small number of people can end up owning them.

I do respect your thought here, but I disagree. It is a ”nice” thought but it would ruin my basic idea of why I am collecting and I am guessing a few others too. It would be better to try and make print runs to match the initial surge, like Real Steel is saying. If your were to put that quote in all and everyday life, I am afraid it will not work.

On a side note I didn`t go for this edition. I already own the HMW and looking forward to the Mondo FS one.