Reaper to produce pre-painted Plastic minis - Non-random

[rgard]

You've answered your own question. You told me they produce cloakers and umber hulks, something I didn't know because they don't advertise them as such. Sure, you can "plainly see" if you're digging through blister packs and happen to stumble across one, but as someone who doesn't dig through blister packs I can tell you I've never stumbled across one. Calling them what they're intended to be is certainly advantageous from a marketing standpoint.

All you have to do is go through their site and look at the individual minis pics. It'll take you an hour or so to start, but after that initial run through, you'll only need to look at pics of the new releases.

One of my customers was lamenting the rarity and cost of the D&D Mind Flayers and I promptly showed him the Reaper version. Sold several to him. So I did the Reaper marketing thing for them and myself.

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Kheti sa-Menik]

See, this is what I was talking about at the start of this thread. Why do people speak as if the secondary market isn't worth consideration?

Because it isn't. This so called "secondary market" dpesn't really exist - it isn't economical, practical, or even viable. I went on some of these secondary sites...no one was selling a horde of orcs or a group of zombies, or large lots of kobolds or zombies.

The secondary market doesn't really exist.

 

[Agamon]

I have to admit, digging through blister packs is quite annoying and time-consuming. My latest PC is a trident-weilding, lightly armored favored soul in a STAP game. After spending more than a half an hour searching through my FLGS's Reaper collection, then humming and hawing on what sort of modding I'd need to do with multiple minis, then realizing I hate modding metal minis, I just went home and modded and repainted a DDM Jozan with a suhagin's trident.

The other thing I'm not fond of with metal minis (larger ones, anyway) is their tendancy to explode when dropped. I'm too clumsy to use those. My metal dragon, demons and giants are just for show.

 

[Agamon]

The secondary market doesn't really exist.

As you describe it, it doesn't. And it likely never will, primary or secondary.

 

[Sammael]

Because it isn't. This so called "secondary market" dpesn't really exist - it isn't economical, practical, or even viable. I went on some of these secondary sites...no one was selling a horde of orcs or a group of zombies, or large lots of kobolds or zombies.

The secondary market doesn't really exist.

I suppose the 1400+ minis sitting next to me appeared out of thin air, then? I'd estimate that maybe 1/3 of those have come out of sealed boosters, AT MOST. The rest are all from the secondary market.

Note that my points below presume that you are NOT buying rares, just commons and uncommons.

It's economical. If a booster goes for $15, and I can get 7 out of 8 minis from that booster for $7 or less (plus shipping), that's $1 per mini. That's DAMN economical.

It's practical. There are tons of mini lots being sold on eBay right now, mostly containing of minis in batches of 3, 4, 5, 6, and so on... up to 12 in a batch. Sure, there may not be any kobolds at the moment (I haven't checked), but when Unhallowed releases next week, you're sure as hell going to have batches of 12 Strahd Zombies going for $6 AT MOST. Furthermore, if you find a well-stocked shop with a decent flat-rate shippinh policy, you can get literally HUNDREDS of minis at a time for a price that is very hard to beat.

Viable? For whom? WotC doesn't recognize the market officially. The number of stores selling single minis on eBay has grown exponentially over the past several years, and the prices for current minis (not those long out-of-print) have remained more or less the same. Thus, it's viable for sellers. That leaves us with buyers, and I think my above two points show why this is quite viable for a lot of buyers. Not all, mind you, and certainly not those who can't bother devoting something like 2-3 hours to searching for stuff they need and waiting a week to get it.

 

[Kheti sa-Menik]

I suppose the 1400+ minis sitting next to me appeared out of thin air, then? I'd estimate that maybe 1/3 of those have come out of sealed boosters, AT MOST. The rest are all from the secondary market.

Note that my points below presume that you are NOT buying rares, just commons and uncommons.

It's economical. If a booster goes for $15, and I can get 7 out of 8 minis from that booster for $7 or less (plus shipping), that's $1 per mini. That's DAMN economical.

It's practical. There are tons of mini lots being sold on eBay right now, mostly containing of minis in batches of 3, 4, 5, 6, and so on... up to 12 in a batch. Sure, there may not be any kobolds at the moment (I haven't checked), but when Unhallowed releases next week, you're sure as hell going to have batches of 12 Strahd Zombies going for $6 AT MOST. Furthermore, if you find a well-stocked shop with a decent flat-rate shippinh policy, you can get literally HUNDREDS of minis at a time for a price that is very hard to beat.

Viable? For whom? WotC doesn't recognize the market officially. The number of stores selling single minis on eBay has grown exponentially over the past several years, and the prices for current minis (not those long out-of-print) have remained more or less the same. Thus, it's viable for sellers. That leaves us with buyers, and I think my above two points show why this is quite viable for a lot of buyers. Not all, mind you, and certainly not those who can't bother devoting something like 2-3 hours to searching for stuff they need and waiting a week to get it.

Where?

Give me a link where I can buy a large number of zombies, orcs, goblins/hobgoblins, kobolds, or the like.

There isn't one.

 

[crazy_cat]

Where?

Give me a link where I can buy a large number of zombies, orcs, goblins/hobgoblins, kobolds, or the like.

There isn't one.

How about this one?
Here be Orcs
I've dealt with Tritex before, and traded with him as well via the UK DDM Trading site . He is UK based, which is good for me, and provides a good deal - and I could get up to 18 Orcs from him for 80p each plus P&P at the moment (and P&P is on a sliding scale depending on the volume of minis I buy)

Given the stock he carries I can also get a few other potentially harder to find minis as well at the same time to keep the costs down per unit.

This would actually be cheaper for me than gettiing in my car and driving (paying UK petrol prices) to my nearest FLGS - but I wont bother doing that since they don't actually sell DDM singles or in fact any Reaper minis at all.

The secondary market is alive and well, denying that it allows people to get the minis they want, pretending it doesn't exist, or refusing to use it because its not official just makes people look silly IMHO

Each to their own however, if those secondary market Orcs aren't good enough I'm sure lucky UK based consumers will enjoy buying some metal unpainted ones for £2+ each from their FLGS - assuming that is that they A) have a FLGS and B) assuming it stocks minis.

 

[Sammael]

Hobgoblin Archer lot of 3: http://tinyurl.com/ypp579 (seller has 3 lots at $2 per lot, with $2 shipping to the US for those three lots of three; that's roughly $8 for 9 hobgoblin archers)

Kobold Soldier: http://tinyurl.com/ywnxqm (seller has 10 at $.5 per mini, with flat $3.5 shipping to the US; that's roughly $8.5 for 10 kobold soldiers)

Strahd Zombie: http://tinyurl.com/2fywrr (seller has 129 at $.4 a mini; if you buy those Kobold Soldiers from him, the shipping is free; if not, $3.50 flat rate)

Orc Mauler: http://tinyurl.com/37y96e (seller has 19 at $0.75; shipping is $2 for first mini and $.25 per mini afterwards; if you want all 19, that'll be $20.75)

These queries were free of charge. If you want me to waste more of my time proving obvious points to you, you'll have to compensate me. Minis will do nicely.

 

[rgard]

Where?

Give me a link where I can buy a large number of zombies, orcs, goblins/hobgoblins, kobolds, or the like.

There isn't one.

I'd provide several links, but would be enabling your title here on En World.

 

[molonel]

Yes, I just feel like such a fool now for suggesting that this might work. I should have realized, like anyone with real world experience, that this would never work and only a great idiot would suggest otherwise.

[/deadpan]

We'll see. There are valid concerns with stocking prepainted minis, but I'm glad someone is trying it. I have my credit card ready and itching to go.

I understand, on one sidenote, that some people really enjoy painting minis. Even though I've been roleplaying for 24-some years now, I have never been bitten by the painting bug. I hate painting minis. I hate it with a passion.