New Miniatures... Info?

When you produce, say, 42 separate miniatures SKUs in a year, you have to get the numbers right 42 times. (And since the products are distinctly different, getting them right is a real challenge. Guessing which of the Heroes SKUs is going to be insanely popular and which is going to languish in the shelf is virtually impossible on a regular basis.) Every item that doesn't sell through 100% is a tax on those that do sell.

My wife works in retail, and you see this a lot in toy merchandizing... Star Wars Episode I hits the screens and the Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Darth Maul action figures fairly fly off the shelves and sell out in a week and a half. Six months later, all the Amidala, Jar-Jar and Palace Guard #3 action figures are languishing on a clearance rack for 75% off.


It makes me wonder, though... They've already gone sort of half-way, with non-random PC packs, and a single visible Large creature in each monster pack. I wonder if it would be worthwhile for them to take some of the (more or less) guaranteed sellers and make themed packs out of them.

For example, something like a non-random goblin pack with 1 of each non-minion, and a half-dozen of the minions... or something similar.
 

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For example, something like a non-random goblin pack with 1 of each non-minion, and a half-dozen of the minions... or something similar.
If they could do these at a decent price I'd be interested.

Hypothetically, if I played 4e I'd also be interested if they did packs themed on modules as they released them - containing all the rare (non standard, as you'd get the standard ones in the themed packs already suggested) minis necessary to run the module.

As it is I'll have to make do with the minis as they are and just pick up those that interest me, and continue playing Pathfinder/3.5.
 

Apparently that's impossible based on the different lead times. Don't forget the troll king is coming out down the line and that adventure has been out how long now?
 


While sales may have been decreasing, just focusing on the random aspect was a bit odd for me. WotC sort of ignored:
1) the drop in quality
2) the change to DDM2
3) the switch to D&D4e

There were a lot of changes around the same time, and they used sliding sales to justify killing the line while it was still profitable and move to a new model.

The drop in quality almost certainly reduced demand, but it was also a consequence of increased costs. Somewhat of a Catch-22 for WotC.

The rule set changes to DDM2 and D&D4 may or may not have hurt sales, but it is kind of hard to go backwards on that sort of stuff.

WotC probably could have squeezed out two to three more sets on the old model, and actually had at least one set in the pipeline almost ready to go, with a few more in various design stages . . . whether they had kept the old model for a few more sets or made the changes they did, it was a risk either way. They decided to attempt a bold reinvigoration of the line, rather than let it die a slow, agonizing death. Whether their choices will save DDM or not, we can only wait and see.
 

Well... quality would also increase sales efficiency.

Good miniature selection would also increase sales efficiency. (We've got this new core race but you know, let's forget about actually making a few commons of it. We need those slots for dwarves and elves because they're core races...)

Keeping the figures in scale to each other would also increase sales efficiency (halflings, dwarves, hobgoblins, bugbears, ogres, etc... I'm looking at you.)

These are all great bits of advice for making a terrific, top-selling miniatures line. I completely agree with you on all of them!

But they don't change the fact that there will inevitably be one SKU that is wildly more popular than some other SKU, even in a terrific, top-selling miniatures line.

Accurately predicting these popularity differences across dozens of SKUs is virtually impossible, and that's what really affects sales efficiency.

So doing everything right will increase sales volume, make more money for WotC, the distributors, and the retailers, and make the fans happy. But it won't affect the relationship between randomization and cost.
 

I haven't read this thread in detail, but I've been jumping between this and the one at Hordelings, and as a 4E RP DM/Player I'm actually pretty happy with the fixed miniatures.

I'm already prepping the wallet for a case of the monster boosters, and extras with the visible Frost Giant, and Cyclops. I just need 4 of those miniatures, and the extra random content will not hurt me.

As a DM mostly I will probably pass on a lot of the PC miniatures, but I might grab a pack here and there as needed.

Ultimately I guess WotC is gambling that there are a lot more customers out there like me than there are DDM players (which I've never played despite having a couple of hundred DDM minis). It will be interesting to see if that is true.
 

A better faux-quote would be, "Well, we broke down and listened to the loud, squeaky wheels in the audience that in no way represented a majority of our customers . . . ."

And yet... they're changing the model because the old one no longer works.

And with the price increase and semi-randomness, and other quality issues already apparent... well, we'll see if it's true or not. Because me? I am a hell of a customer for WoTC. I have thousands of the things.

And I'd prefer a different model. ;)
 

These are all great bits of advice for making a terrific, top-selling miniatures line. I completely agree with you on all of them!

But they don't change the fact that there will inevitably be one SKU that is wildly more popular than some other SKU, even in a terrific, top-selling miniatures line.

Accurately predicting these popularity differences across dozens of SKUs is virtually impossible, and that's what really affects sales efficiency.

So doing everything right will increase sales volume, make more money for WotC, the distributors, and the retailers, and make the fans happy. But it won't affect the relationship between randomization and cost.


By doing some market research on the secondary market, WoTC could predict what would be great sellers and what wouldn't.

Supposedly, one of the things WotC has that other companies don't, because of scale, is the ability to do market research.

One could tell that giants (outside of hill), are under represented, as are dragons, dragonborn, gith, etc... as opposed to throwing a dart in the dark and hoping to hit something. One could see that often, many of the human rares are, well, worthless in comparission and stop selling them.

There is at least one company now that does minis based on preorders and when they hit a certain level, they release the figs.

In this modern era, where it's very easy to find out what your customers want, this whole, "We have to do it this way" is putting the cart in front of the horse because it's still not listening to the customer.

Now, on the other hand, if you're saying that there are some pet minis that WoTC NEEDS to get out in the hands of poeple regardless of people wanting them, that they NEED to sell every figure on an even level (which is imposible since you'll always sell more commons except on the secondary market) etc..., well, that's a different kettle of fish.

And... well, since they are doing 'semi-random' now, they're going to hit this problem you say anyway. No matter how cool all of the visible monsters are, they're going to hit this problem anyway.
 

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