I Miss Boxed Sets

[LGodamus]

I second the notion of snapping up a 3e planescape box.....great times would be had by all.

 

[tleilaxu]

i didn't like box sets b/c it is so easy to lose stuff

 

[ced1106]

Re: Re: Re: well

sorry, i should have made my self more clear..... I meant how much does it cost to make a box set... how much for the box compared with how much for a hardback?

Well, for the latest boxed sets, just look at the cover price and add a dollar. Because, at the time, for every boxed set WotC/TSR sold, a dollar was what they were losing!


Cedric.
aka. Washu! ^O^

 

[John Crichton]

Re: Re: Re: well

sorry, i should have made my self more clear..... I meant how much does it cost to make a box set... how much for the box compared with how much for a hardback?

thanks for the info though

Doh!! That's what I get for posting hastily at work!

The boxes probably cost about 25 cents but it costs more to ship them because of the bulk. The art was usually used on both a cover of an inserted book and the cover of the box so that cost is already taken care of. It's also much harder to keep box-sets on the shelves at a local Waldenbooks or B&N. So while it doesn't actually cost more to make the set it would hurt WotC in terms of shelf space (similar to the old PC game boxes).

Just my obsevations from my 9 years of hell in retail sales.

 

[arwink]

I didn't particularly like boxed sets. They were harder to store if you didn't use the boxes, and it always seemed a little gimmicky unless there was a serious need for the box.

 

[Welverin]

Re: Re: Re: Re: well

Doh!! That's what I get for posting hastily at work!

The boxes probably cost about 25 cents but it costs more to ship them because of the bulk. The art was usually used on both a cover of an inserted book and the cover of the box so that cost is already taken care of. It's also much harder to keep box-sets on the shelves at a local Waldenbooks or B&N. So while it doesn't actually cost more to make the set it would hurt WotC in terms of shelf space (similar to the old PC game boxes).

Just my obsevations from my 9 years of hell in retail sales.

Actually Ryan D. said that they actually cost significantly more to make than a book. I believe the assembly was the biggest extra expense. He brought up the Planescape box set in particular and stated that it should have had a retail cost of about $70, it actually had a msrp of $30. This is the real reason WotC isn't making box sets any more, excluding the introductory sets that are designed for markets other than the standard RPG shop.

 

[John Crichton]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: well

Actually Ryan D. said that they actually cost significantly more to make than a book. I believe the assembly was the biggest extra expense. He brought up the Planescape box set in particular and stated that it should have had a retail cost of about $70, it actually had a msrp of $30. This is the real reason WotC isn't making box sets any more, excluding the introductory sets that are designed for markets other than the standard RPG shop.

That sounds close to what I was thinking but a $70 set would have to have a good amount of material in it. Probably 3-4 books plus multiple maps to get it that high. But if it did (like the 2e FR set) than I could see it getting close to that figure altho it seems a tad high, but only by about $10. The multiple bindings (on the individual books) alone would jack the price up some.

I liked the boxed sets, but I'm cool with my books as they are. I wouldn't mind the maps being more secure but they tend to hold up well.

EDIT: I just looked at my original post about the 25 cent boxes and just wanted to say the just the box would cost that much not the materials inside it.

 

[jgbrowning]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: well

That sounds close to what I was thinking but a $70 set would have to have a good amount of material in it. Probably 3-4 books plus multiple maps to get it that high. But if it did (like the 2e FR set) than I could see it getting close to that figure altho it seems a tad high, but only by about $10. The multiple bindings (on the individual books) alone would jack the price up some.

I liked the boxed sets, but I'm cool with my books as they are. I wouldn't mind the maps being more secure but they tend to hold up well.

I dont know if it would cost 6$ for the production given the volume they were printing. hrm..

basic 96 page saddle-stiched costs around 0.95$ or so, two of them for 1.90 maybe..

maps.. i dont know how much it costs to print a big poster map...

box.. dont know that either.... or collation/shipping/warehousing costs...

ah well, i 'll probably never know

joe b.

 

[John Crichton]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: well

ah well, i 'll probably never know

joe b.

Maybe one of the indy publishers can give us a closer idea of what it would cost. Or Monte, Sean R., etc....

I'm curious myself. I know there are additional costs, but I don't know exactly how much everything is...

 

[jgbrowning]

we'll if someone has the answer i'd like to clairify my question yet again..

just looking for the printing price for a boxed set with two 96 page saddle stitched books with two fold out poster sized maps one sided 4 color. with a box.. with full color..

heh, sounds more like a RFQ than a post..

joe b.

edit: corrected my improper usage for proper spelling..