Next Batch of Miniatures?

[DaveMage]

Same here. I won't order from gameoutfitter again.

Oh, I don't blame gameoutfitter, although it's a bit annoying to see FRP games (who I also like) having cases available for order right now.

Still, I like gameoutfitter's prices so I'll stick with them for now.

 

[Creamsteak]

I'll do some math real quick for the lazy (cause I'm curious too):

[b]Prices with Shipping[/b]

		Amazon		Gameoutfitter

2 Boxes		$27.98		$34.95
6 Boxes		$84.94		$85.90
12 Boxes	$168.88		$161.90
18 Boxes	$252.82		$238.60
24 Boxes	$336.76		$307.40

 

[KnowTheToe]

I don't like Gameoutfitters communication, or lack of. They don't send emails when things ship or updates and are not easy to contact. I would rather pay an buck and get high quality service.

 

[Creamsteak]

If you prefer Amazon, they have comparable prices as I listed. My experience with Gameoutfitter is that they sent me my merchandice almost instantaneously.

 

[Taelorn76]

Popular collections is also very good. I ordered my case in late February and recieved them Monday after WotC released them. A case ran me about $120.

 

[Aristotle]

How about "wave" shipping? This way those of us who pre-ordered minis do not get them if did not pre-order early enough.

WOTC does not give a rat's tail for their customers, or they would fill the orders of the people who want the minis.

I understand your point of view as a role player. I even sympathize with you. But (you knew there was going to be a but) the minis are part of a "collectable miniatures game". That means certain things are going to apply. For instance the random distribution and the fact that they only produce a certain number of the miniatures (to increase the collectable value of the product).

As for "wave" shipping... That is a business standard for games of this sort. So your issue isn't with WotC, but the entire industry. Wizkids, pretty much the king of collectable mini games at this time, does the wave shipping too. I can't speak for collectable card games, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were also shipped in waves.

This isn't an issue of greed or not caring about the customer. It is them following the current template for how to sustain a collectable minis game. Contrary to the way these posts may make me sound I am not a fanboy. But the only thing I see that WotC has done wrong (this time) is that they tried to combine a collectable minis game with standard gaming minis. The distribution, availability, and random nature of the collectable game doesn't seem to fit what the role players need or want.

I just personally started collecting the minis a week and a half ago. I waited to make sure that expansions would be forthcoming and the product would be supported. With the first few expansions ending their print runs I realized I had to get in now. I don't plan to play the skirmish game at all, and thus far have been very happy with my random miniature selection for role playing purposes.

*shrug* YMMV.

 

[Creamsteak]

I ordered a book off amazon for reading purposes, and ordered a pack of dragonseye for the purpose of getting free shipping, and I just got a red dragon. Sorry, I needed to share that.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

I ordered a book off amazon for reading purposes, and ordered a pack of dragonseye for the purpose of getting free shipping, and I just got a red dragon. Sorry, I needed to share that.

Heh. When I ordered a Dragoneye pack from Amazon a while back to get that free shipping thing, I also nailed a Red Dragon. Was my first Dragoneye too.

 

[MerricB]

As for "wave" shipping... That is a business standard for games of this sort. So your issue isn't with WotC, but the entire industry. Wizkids, pretty much the king of collectable mini games at this time, does the wave shipping too. I can't speak for collectable card games, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were also shipped in waves.

This isn't an issue of greed or not caring about the customer. It is them following the current template for how to sustain a collectable minis game.

The scheme is there because of storage and production time. It takes quite a deal of time to produce these miniatures (they all have to be painted, after all). To do it all in one wave, Wizards would have to put back the release date by a month or two.

So why don't they do that? Storage costs. Quite simply, the miniatures have to be warehoused somewhere - and that costs money, adding to the production cost of the miniature. (That's very significant - it might be increased by fourfold by the time it reaches the shelves of your FLGS).

Cheers!