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<blockquote data-quote="Glyfair" data-source="post: 4387637" data-attributes="member: 53">SavageRobby covers bits well, that's the main advantage to consumers.&nbsp; Also, the method helps keep the prices low.&nbsp; &nbsp; One thing many people aren't aware of is that plastic miniatures have very high set up costs (the prices of the molds are astronomical).&nbsp; You need to produce a lot of each miniature to make them affordable.&nbsp; That means that low selling plastic miniatures don't get made.&nbsp; The random packages mean that each miniature of a given rarity sells the same as the rest (The secondary market isn't a concern of the primary distribution partners).There is another advantage to the retail chain.&nbsp;&nbsp; There is one &quot;SKU&quot;&nbsp; WotC, each distributor and each store only has to deal with a single &quot;product&quot; for stocking purposes for each set.&nbsp; They don't have to track dozens of figures sales, possible interest, stocking and restocking when order time comes.&nbsp; That requires employee time and costs them money. Also, guessing wrong and over-ordering during preorders cost the stores storage space (or in profits if they drastically reduce the costs).&nbsp; Each set is about 60 miniatures.&nbsp; That's a lot for a retailer to have to stock and estimate interest from their customers.&nbsp; You could be cautious, but not having what the customer wants when he is in the store can cost you a sale (especially in this day of &quot;it's cheaper on the internet&quot; thinking).&nbsp; For the retailer only having had handful of products to track (based on the set) is much easier and cheaper.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Glyfair, post: 4387637, member: 53"] SavageRobby covers bits well, that's the main advantage to consumers. Also, the method helps keep the prices low. One thing many people aren't aware of is that plastic miniatures have very high set up costs (the prices of the molds are astronomical). You need to produce a lot of each miniature to make them affordable. That means that low selling plastic miniatures don't get made. The random packages mean that each miniature of a given rarity sells the same as the rest (The secondary market isn't a concern of the primary distribution partners). There is another advantage to the retail chain. There is one "SKU" WotC, each distributor and each store only has to deal with a single "product" for stocking purposes for each set. They don't have to track dozens of figures sales, possible interest, stocking and restocking when order time comes. That requires employee time and costs them money. Also, guessing wrong and over-ordering during preorders cost the stores storage space (or in profits if they drastically reduce the costs). Each set is about 60 miniatures. That's a lot for a retailer to have to stock and estimate interest from their customers. You could be cautious, but not having what the customer wants when he is in the store can cost you a sale (especially in this day of "it's cheaper on the internet" thinking). For the retailer only having had handful of products to track (based on the set) is much easier and cheaper. [/QUOTE]

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