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Has three a hit critical mass

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Post by Musahi13 Thu Sep 10, 2015 4:17 am

Last few months maybe years has been kinda rough for die hard fans. Very late shipments being pushed back farther and farther. Quality control issues messed up bam baland sales and very little 3aa perks if any at all. This last venture sale list feels like a slap in the face. Are we seeing the beginning of the end . My actually 3a expensives have dropped year after year. Is three a only concerned with snagging new sales and old flippers What happened to three a?
I welcome any type of discussion that may bring back some of that old three a magic.
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Post by ozz Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:40 am

With you musahi... Feels like it's dieing.... And not a slow death death but rather quick. No magic anymore :-/

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Post by BPP Thu Sep 10, 2015 5:54 am

The experience on these boards is pretty bad. But you can't help feel we're very much a minority. Stuff sells out super quick, money making licenses have expanded, threea staff love their global tours to an ever increasing roster of locations.

I think the main problem is bambaland - it can't cope with special events, people who are annoyed about not getting a list of convention exclusives get furious when they can't get bambaland stuff on top of it. If they could get either the festival exclusives (as advertised, not that orange storm trooper shit) then they would be more chill about delays. The answer - make everything a 'convention & 3AA exclusive'. It's easy to do, it rewards the loyal, it nullifies flippers etc.

The other thing that strikes me - surely with 6 plus years of sales data 3A can predict sales levels on a majority of their lines.. If so move those lines to premade. There is nothing particularly unique about the 3a process that demands presale. It made sense when a young company but less so when you've grown to a point you can't meet your shipping estimates.

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Post by geisT Thu Sep 10, 2015 7:14 am

H3aTe DepT. New Power!!!

A new ghosT!
Full album on YT... Art for free._starvimng kunsTler transgending_gression im quanTen square style._.
(primus frizzle frei and my newest  buddy dp( harold....or herr harvey?... Mr.KnowiTTall? tongue )._._too many puppies..
.__as Toys go winding down .. and its pudding time, while Harold saves us all... This hmpTTidmpde .._.- elephant
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Post by Guest Thu Sep 10, 2015 8:37 am

I just came up with 3A's new catchphrase: IT'S BETTER TO BE UNBORN THAN TO LIVE WITHOUT 3A TOYS!

Guest
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Post by IronChap Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:02 am

geisT wrote:H3aTe DepT. New Power!!!

A new ghosT!
Full album on YT... Art for free._starvimng kunsTler transgending_gression im quanTen square style._.
(primus frizzle frei and my newest  buddy dp( harold....or herr harvey?... Mr.KnowiTTall? tongue )._._too many puppies..
.__as Toys go winding down .. and its pudding time, while Harold saves us all... This hmpTTidmpde .._.- elephant

I... what? Suspect

Exactly how drunk are you, geisT? drunken

lmao Laughing
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Post by Chivo Thu Sep 10, 2015 9:18 am

All good things must come to an end.  The magic that we experienced in the early years only comes with new and fresh experiences.  So no we won't see that kind of magic again.  That is not to say that 3A can't recreate some magic and excite and invigorate its fans.  They must though not only be willing to create new and exciting characters/figures/designs, but they also must be willing to change the way they do business in regards to servicing their customers.

And +1 to BPP's idea of make everything a 'convention & 3AA exclusive'... it rewards the loyal, it nullifies flippers etc.
Conventions/events really don't need exclusives.  If you're trying to attract new customers to your business at a convention, all you really need is some of your product for sale or to give away to advertise your company to these new customers.  It is only the flippers that go to these conventions to buy these exclusives to later sell at high prices.  But if these exclusives were items that either were for sale previously through other means or would be for sale down the line, then that would nullify the flippers and yet still advertise your company's brand at the convention.

What selling exclusives to only convention goers really does is throw gasoline to an uncontrolable fire -- angering/disenchanting part of your customer base.  And anyone that knows business knows that an angry customer talks more about their bad experience than a happy one.  So although a company may get bad "word of mouth" advertising through this disgruntled customer, it's still bad word of mouth.   And you're really building a false customer base if your building your customers through this bad word of mouth of customers who will only buy your product one time to  see what the hub bub is all about.  Hopefully I made some sense. Wink
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Post by IronChap Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:00 am

Chivo wrote:They must though not only be willing to create new and exciting characters/figures/designs, but they also must be willing to change the way they do business in regards to servicing their customers.

Well said Chivo - And I especially agree on this point. Looking at this years releases there has been very little this year that was truly fresh. Its been a year of lots of recolours, rescales and rehashes, or licensed goods (and while there are regular overlaps of interest, most people are here primarily for AW's creations). Combine this with unprecedented levels of widespread delays and a staggering number of convention and show premades announced, the warehouse sale failure then all the old stock appearing on a list for a show instead and it's not hard to see why people are getting pissed off. The fans who've paid up and shown good faith to the company have been left behind - Fuck 'em yo, bash out another half dozen premade 24" Paschas for Japan and those other chumps will get their preorders when the hatchery can be bothered.

The forum is a tiny, English-speaking echo chamber that accounts for bugger all sales - We've already been told this, but wherever else I look, facebook, other forums, 4chan, I notice a pattern. People are throwing their hands in the air and going "fuck it".
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Post by Dar Wolfram Thu Sep 10, 2015 10:21 am

BPP wrote:... The answer - make everything a 'convention & 3AA exclusive'. ...

Could not agree more! If they want to distinguish the convention from the 3AA they can slap a damn sticker on the box/card or make a slight or subtle change to the shirt the same as was done for the premade and preorder Charkins. I'd even be cool with the 3AA version being sold after the convention/event so that the people attending the event get the perk of having theirs first.

So many of us want cool 3A toys and something this simple would make it easier and less stressful to get them and send a long overdue fuck you to the flippers by essentially making them only useful to the completists who would want both versions.
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Post by ghostmouse Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:04 am

As everyone knows, the forum and facebook are a very very small portion of the 3A customer base. Although we may appear to be the most vocal and expect 3A to listen, they don't have to. Who knows how many emails CS gets in a day or when there's a QC issue, that number may make the active online community look like ants. So I think we really need to buckle down and just realize this.

Before that, I think we all need to realize that 3A is a company, a business, and they are here to make money, not appease the few voices on a forum or on facebook. 3A will go where the most money is to be made. ESeffinga said it in another post, taking the back stock to Japan is probably far better for the company than dealing with it online. There is no way to stop flippers, there isn't. I imagine most flippers are 3AA already so having 3AA exclusives does nothing to stop them in my opinion. And does 3A care about their products going in the hands of flippers? Probably not, they're still getting their money. I'd hope they would prefer to get their products into their fans hands first and foremost, and they've said this, but, they can only do and care so much.

3A a few years back was great, it did seem like those on the forum were heard and 3A did what they could to accommodate the fans. 3A was also a company just starting off so it made sense to do so. Now that 3A is bigger, they don't need to listen any more. Their customer base is big enough to where they can make whatever they like and be fine.

I've said it before Ashley Wood (or who ever he consults with) is a great salesman, the Pascha line is a prime example of this. A new line with the first few figures being released as very limited online sales and in-person exclusives drove up demand big time. I don't know if I ever saw such demand for a line than with IP. And clearly it worked with IP being one of the most dominating lines since it came about. The profit margin on those, I can only assume, was bigger than any other line. People were paying $100-120 for basically an outfit on a body they already had. Not to mention the 24in bodies were said to have been made with purchasable outfits made available, I haven't seen that and yet people I'm sure are shelling out $250-350 for every variation they can get.

I can only assume that 3A is a money maker for those at the top now. Or maybe it's not and that's why 3A pushed out so many sales these past 2 years, to fund show exclusives and get those made while the online figures were pushed back and delayed. Either way, 3A hasn't shown the best care to their online purchasers and vocal members. Never (or very seldom) speaking up about delays or QC issues, addressing concerns or specifications, nothing really.

3A was the only toy company I ever bought from because it was another form of art by Ashley. Through the years though I feel like it went from an art to a company. As said by IronChap, this year has been a ton of recolors, rescales, and rehashes and that's being kind I believe.

My buying has slowed down a lot in the past two years, thankfully just as the QC was just starting to happen so I haven't had to deal with much of that at all (Cornelius is the only one that comes to mind). But, my pull away from 3A was for no other reason than I had to reevaluate my spending habits and 3A really was a luxury that I didn't need so much any more. Now I'm mostly paying attention for the books and that odd figure that actually stands out and appeals to me. I know it's no point in saying I don't want to offend 3A or Ash if I'm still going to say it in his house, but, I feel 3A has gotten lazy with its creativity and output.

Then again, 3A is just a company trying to make money.
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Post by Wooly Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:07 am

This year is going to be different.
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Post by Chivo Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:24 am

Ha!

Soon, right? Soon...
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Post by x43x Thu Sep 10, 2015 11:49 am

Year 1 = 300 3AA members

Year 7 = 5000+ 3AA members

It's never going to be like Year 1 because you can't cater a business to 300 the same as you do 5000+. Too many mouths to feed. A limited drop of 100 figs would satisfy 33% of us in 2008, but only 2% today. It sucks, but thems the breaks.

I've actually had a great buying year in 2015. Picked up a few new items and several in the 2nd hand market place. I've never been a buy-all member so I'm fine with what's been on offer this year.

Looking forward to 2016!
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Post by Matrix Thu Sep 10, 2015 2:13 pm

Ghostmouse........... and ash has said he doesn't do these sales the way they do for money Rolling Eyes
you give the best reason to pack up and leave thank you. I'm going to stop wasting my time coming around here wasting my money
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Post by ghostmouse Thu Sep 10, 2015 2:45 pm

By no means am I trying to talk anyone away from 3A.  Rather, I'm trying to say what I believe, and that's that 3A isn't here for us like we are here for it.  Every year we on the board rehash the same grievances: delays, QC, lack of 3AA exclusives, too many con exclusives, lots of talk but no action (or the opposite action), the list goes on.  It took me a while and I hope many others grasp it but 3A is just a company that makes figures you like, it's nothing more, not now anyways.  If there is a figure or line you enjoy, give it some consideration, give the company some consideration, and make your purchase based off what you know (this goes for anything you buy).  Not how you feel about the people on the board or those behind the design.  We have to drop the feeling of connection we once had with 3A and not get upset for the umpteenth time when they go against our wishes, or what they've said.  It's just like any other toy company (with my limited knowledge of other companies), you buy what you like and move on.  Ignore the fanfare and try to stay on top of their releases, though I know this is very hard with 3A.  When 3A does a figure right, it's a pretty awesome figure, I don't think there's argument there, we just don't see those figures very often, I don't anyways.  Ash seems like a cool artist, he doesn't seem like a cool business operator.  So I'll continue following his art, but I won't follow 3A like I once did.

*basically, we know 3A has flaws, we as buyers and fans have to deal with these the best we can knowing that this is how things are now. Someone has to make changes and I don't see 3A being the one to do it. We've argued, emailed, given suggestions, offered help, etc., and we do this continually. Now we have to lookout for ourselves and not 3A.
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Post by BlackBellamy Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:00 am

I understand that we as forum dwellers probably only comprise the tip of the customer iceberg, but I have a hard time believing 3A isn't hurting a little in 2015, at least versus projections.
I think the most telling aspect is the resale of 3A figures, which prices have plummeted. Can someone explain to me, if 3A is so strong, and with the customer base growing exponentially, why is it that 2nd market prices on older figures have radically decreased? You'd think with all these new collectors, that prices would have jumped for sold-out classics.
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Post by Skipper11x Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:20 am

It seems to me like it used to be "help us become big" and then a few years later when they did become big they thought "now we are big we don't need you plebs" but even with all that said I'm still hanging in there, I still love this shit.
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Post by papamadoo Fri Sep 11, 2015 3:46 am

BlackBellamy wrote:I understand that we as forum dwellers probably only comprise the tip of the customer iceberg, but I have a hard time believing 3A isn't hurting a little in 2015, at least versus projections.
I think the most telling aspect is the resale of 3A figures, which prices have plummeted. Can someone explain to me, if 3A is so strong, and with the customer base growing exponentially, why is it that 2nd market prices on older figures have radically decreased? You'd think with all these new collectors, that prices would have jumped for sold-out classics.

yes that something you can see, alot of old Threea Figure are becoming more present on the market old one. even pretty.

You can judge the healthiness of a product by how fast it happear and go. A secondary market filled with 3A is not a good sign. people are selling there collection not just one or 2 figure.
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Post by Kedao Fri Sep 11, 2015 2:17 pm

ghostmouse wrote:By no means am I trying to talk anyone away from 3A.  Rather, I'm trying to say what I believe, and that's that 3A isn't here for us like we are here for it.  Every year we on the board rehash the same grievances: delays, QC, lack of 3AA exclusives, too many con exclusives, lots of talk but no action (or the opposite action), the list goes on.  It took me a while and I hope many others grasp it but 3A is just a company that makes figures you like, it's nothing more, not now anyways.  If there is a figure or line you enjoy, give it some consideration, give the company some consideration, and make your purchase based off what you know (this goes for anything you buy).  Not how you feel about the people on the board or those behind the design.  We have to drop the feeling of connection we once had with 3A and not get upset for the umpteenth time when they go against our wishes, or what they've said.  It's just like any other toy company (with my limited knowledge of other companies), you buy what you like and move on.  Ignore the fanfare and try to stay on top of their releases, though I know this is very hard with 3A.  When 3A does a figure right, it's a pretty awesome figure, I don't think there's argument there, we just don't see those figures very often, I don't anyways.  Ash seems like a cool artist, he doesn't seem like a cool business operator.  So I'll continue following his art, but I won't follow 3A like I once did.

*basically, we know 3A has flaws, we as buyers and fans have to deal with these the best we can knowing that this is how things are now. Someone has to make changes and I don't see 3A being the one to do it. We've argued, emailed, given suggestions, offered help, etc., and we do this continually. Now we have to lookout for ourselves and not 3A.

This might be okay if I don't have to pay 3AA membership.
I didn't join 3AA for 3AGO NOM figures and bertie. I don't need them at all.
They promised us so many things, and failed to deliver.
I barely buy anything from them this year.

And even till now I'm still waiting for replacement boot for my 3AGO NOM Commander.
HOW THE FUCK is it possible that they don't even have a single spare 3AGO NOM BOOT lying around somewhere?????
Didn't they also released so many 3AGO NOMs??? aren't they pretty much have the same boots??? why can't they just give me one of those?
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Post by Musahi13 Fri Sep 11, 2015 10:58 pm

papamadoo wrote:
BlackBellamy wrote:I understand that we as forum dwellers probably only comprise the tip of the customer iceberg, but I have a hard time believing 3A isn't hurting a little in 2015, at least versus projections.
I think the most telling aspect is the resale of 3A figures, which prices have plummeted. Can someone explain to me, if 3A is so strong, and with the customer base growing exponentially, why is it that 2nd market prices on older figures have radically decreased? You'd think with all these new collectors, that prices would have jumped for sold-out classics.

yes that something you can see, alot of old Threea Figure are becoming more present on the market old one. even pretty.

You can judge the healthiness of a product by how fast it happear and go. A secondary market filled with 3A is not a good sign. people are selling there collection not just one or 2 figure.

I think a lot of disgruntled 3a fans are pulling out and getting rid of the majority of their collections. I am pretty close to pulling the pin myself. The damn dirty deeds berties sucked me back in or I would be gone by now.
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Post by zbrushman Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:57 am

So sad to see the community interest diminishing Sad Still a fan though, and nowadays I'm interested in the occasional masterpiece when it comes along, or just hunt for some of the oldies.
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Post by ghostmouse Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:14 am

zbrushman wrote:So sad to see the community interest diminishing Sad Still a fan though, and nowadays I'm interested in the occasional masterpiece when it comes along, or just hunt for some of the oldies.

I think we can agree those Zombkins are masterpieces. Just grabbed the 3AGO set on the after market after foolishly watching them pass before me on bambaland. One of my favorite figures.
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Post by papamadoo Sun Sep 13, 2015 7:45 am

I got the sting from a friend at work He just received POPBOT 1/6 and open it to see.
After
I started collecting only 1/12 every release was bougth on bamba .... WWrp AK Popbot .. still they stopped supporting it. And goes to retail AK 14 was such a head nigthmare that, it was my last.

I started to resell all my 1/12 because of the no continuation of possible squad no Rothchild till today is pretty insulting. I kept only jea, emgy, medic, N&D The AK familly the mission and some zombie. I started just this year to collect 1/6 ... And I already think of stopping.

what come on bamba on the JApan Venture will make my choice
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Post by Chivo Sun Sep 13, 2015 9:26 am

What ever happened to the 3A for lifers? For me I'll continue to buy what I like 'til I don't or 'til I can't one way or another. I won't let the "issues" of collecting get to me to the point that I end up angry and turning what was once fun into something that I look back at with disgust. That just doesn't make sense to me.
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Post by 666ways2love Sun Sep 13, 2015 1:53 pm

geisT wrote:H3aTe DepT. New Power!!!

A new ghosT!
Full album on YT... Art for free._starvimng kunsTler transgending_gression im quanTen square style._.
(primus frizzle frei and my newest  buddy dp( harold....or herr harvey?... Mr.KnowiTTall? tongue )._._too many puppies..
.__as Toys go winding down .. and its pudding time, while Harold saves us all... This hmpTTidmpde .._.- elephant

geisT, I think you've had a little too much pork soda
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