Looking for a Set of Weather Goblins.

[thechosengobbo]

I agree with Magictobe. Despite the fact that I am not a collector, I got one of the goblin sets 'just to have' (and am only just now painting the thing). Having four fifths of it re-released manages to rob the set of a little something for those of us who already had it.

I doubt anyone would return the set for the money as offered (though I didn't see how much those ebay auctions went for ), I know I certainly wouldn't as it wasn't why I bought the set originally. But that doesn't detract from the feeling of unfairness a lot of people will have when they find more than half of their limited set is now available again.

[ZanzerTem]

I am OK with this for two reasons:

1) If you ever decide to sell your original weather goblins, now you can sell the perfect goblin for what you would have gotten for the whole set!

2) Tom has offered to buy back the miniatures you purchased if you feel they are no longer collectible.

Like someone else said above, I would rather see these miniatures available to everyone instead of a few lucky individuals who managed to buy them when they were available. If this can, in turn, keep businesses like Impact open, then even better.

[bouncergriim]

I can see the "collectors" points of feeling unfair. But I also really want to see impact succeed. And it is frustrating to look for the right mini to only find that it is limited and therefore really expensive second hand.

I think in retrospect a better solution would have been modifying all of the gobbos slightly and then selling the weather set #2.

But that would involve making new orginal moulds and thus defeat impacts attempt to find a way to make profit more quickly.

Impact was founded for gamers by gamers, and Tom has acknowledged that some might feel wronged, but I am not sure were I stand. I do know that if I had the money I would love this figures, but they are not high on my must purchase list. Yet I want to see impact be able to hang in there financially and produce new minis.

I never want impact to sacrifice gamers for money, but I do see the orginal set as having something unique to it, and they do have precidence modifying and rereleasing (frog=toad, and pedeler with less heads). So this is not unprecidented or dishonest, it is just that to some it doesn't feel right and it boils down to what people think limited edition means and that really can't be fully settled because it boils down to opinions and various personal premises.

Having seen the bad taste this leaves with some, I believe impact should look for other ways in the future to make money than rereleasing unmodified limited minis. But this has been done and the cost need to be recouped and man those are good looking minis.

[Deathwing]

I guess the question is whether Impact! would have gone down this road had it been a healthy or normal sales month? The inference is that they wouldn't, it's a natural and understandable decision based on business. So the line between what's 'limited' and what isn't becomes a little blurred in the face of harsh financial reality. Your opinion of that depends which side of the fence you sit on.
As hobbyists and/or consumers, we've never had it so good in terms of choice and quality of what's available. Whether that will last is open to debate, it's a very niche market and I can't help but feel it's a little over saturated at present. Sad, but true.

[Gaixo]

I think that artificially-created 'limited edition' merchandise is a pernicious, cynical and self-defeating marketing ploy, since it discourages newcomers from participation. I applaud Impact!'s decision to make these figures available and will order them when I can afford it.

I agree with every part of this.

Also very sad to hear that Impact will or might stop producing tournament figures.

[Podfrey]

I have this set (painted) and love them. Can I send them back for a refund? Practically speaking, no. Do I like "limited edition" stuff? Yes. Am I happy with Impacts move? No. Do I understand that finances are tight and Tom needed some quick money? Yes. But I think that Impact should have thought more about plucking the golden goose before doing it - I for one will have second and third thoughts about buying "limited edition" impact merchandise in future, instead waiting for the non-limited version with different rivets on the helmet, etc.

To me, the idea of "limited" is that the company wont sell either the original or a close facsimile of it. Small changes that need to be pointed out to casual observers isnt enough of a difference to me either. I bought unique because I want unique.

[/2p]

[Xtreme]

Count me amongst the disappointed.
These minis selling as fast as they did initially was influenced by them being limited, and everyone had to buy them now rather then wait around. With moves like this I fear that next time you release a limited model no one will trust that they have to buy it now, and they will all just wait for the rerelease as podfrey said. So making quick money now, may hurt you when you want to release a limited model to make quick money in the future.

I don't think this is the most horrible thing in the world and would even expect it from other companies, but at the same time I don't think Impact would want their business practices to be put in the same group as those companies.

I'm sorry that Impact had a bad sales month, and really hope things turn around. But there had to be better ways to turn a quick dollar.

Maybe the best thing to do is not have limited models any more.

[inkpwn]

This sort of things happens all the time, my dad is a record collector and he could tell you a lot of storys of limited edition releases following the same path. Over and over throughout history. But its best to remeber its the fans and private auctions that put the value on these things. If you bought the mini on the pretext that it was limited edition then your silly, if you bought it because you like them, that the best thing to do, and the sensible thing.
Just think how much YU-GI-OH fans have been suckered by the collector industy, one example is a card call 'mirror force' it went for upwards of £50 very popular and everyone had to have one, then it was relesed as a common card in a pre-made starter deck. Or gold sarcophages, £3000+ and then released in a £20 box, of course as with these cards its the market that sets these prices. Personally I am happy to see the miniature reprinted, can't wait to get my hands on them.

[Virral]

I know it would cost more and therefore likely defeat the purpose, but I wish instead of re-releasing the Goblins Impact had instead made a new set of Weather figures.

Weather Babes anyone?

[GalakStarscraper]

Maybe the best thing to do is not have limited models any more.

We don't plan on it except for a few special events that have worked with us for several years.

Tom

[GalakStarscraper]

I for one will have second and third thoughts about buying "limited edition" impact merchandise in future, instead waiting for the non-limited version with different rivets on the helmet, etc.

Going forward the only limited figures you'll see us produce will be for special tournaments that we long term relationships with.

We have never and would never modify and release a tournament figure that was done for someone's elses tournament.

Just a footnote that if you wait to see the non-limited versions of say any of the ARBBL or Zlurpee figures ... you'll need to pass doing so onto your grandchildren in your will.

Tom

[GalakStarscraper]

I know it would cost more and therefore likely defeat the purpose, but I wish instead of re-releasing the Goblins Impact had instead made a new set of Weather figures.

Weather Babes anyone?

Not a bad idea (really those look fun) ... but the $2900 price tag and 6 to 7 month production window was not quite what was needed.

To everyone who is disappointed ... look guys I'm sorry. The original set is still unique in its total and always will be. You didn't pay more than anyone else.

Honest truth that either Chris or Ramsay can confirm. I haven't had a paycheck from Impact! for the last 3 1/2 months. My family has been living off savings since October 1st. If we do not turn a corner here with the new year ... you won't have to worry about not buying limited figures from Impact! because there won't be an Impact!

The figures were only sold as sets and the set is still different than the current set. Since producing limited figures has lost Impact! a lot of money over the years ... by the end of the week the current agreement on how we'll do tournament figures is going to be deleted and replaced with an offer to help make figures for a tournament but they either need to be fully paid for by the tournament organizer if they want to be limited or they won't be limited at all. IE we are out of the limited edition figure business except for probably helping the ARBBL out with their figures as we have a long term relationship with that event.

When Xtreme wrote I'm sure there was another way ... trust me ... I'd love for him to tell me what it was as I'm currently one month away from quitting running Impact! and rejoining the cubicle work force. I have no desire to do that at all.

So I did everything I can think to do on this issue:
1) The original figure set is still limited
2) The original figure set sold for less than the current set
3) Anyone who only purchased the set because it was an investment collectible can return the set for a full refund
4) Anyone who purchased the set from us on Ebay was offered a full refund
5) Agreed to just drop doing limited edition figures in the future so this is never an issue again except for special long term events which are figures we've never modified for re-release anyway.

We are looking at generating at least $500 in sales from the Weather Goblins for this month alone easily which is a blessing to me looking at the bills to pay for the bills of my personal household.

To me "selling out" would be re-releasing the whole set at $20 and the individual figures for $5 each and saying screw the collectors in the interest of the quick buck. I appreciate that for some of you that you'll have your own take on this and you are definitely entitled to that opinion. To the extent we've done a "bad thing" to stay open ... you have my apologies ... seriously ... I spend a lot of time and effort trying to make sure Impact! is a force of good for the community. It bugs me to have folks think we 'failed' but I feel like we did the best we could with the situation at hand.

EDIT: We have updated our terms for tournament figures on our site as stated. We did the limited edition figures as a way to help the community. It was killing our business so we'll still help as we can and have offered a plan that would allow folks to have a special figure made for them and in the end get it for free. That's the best I can do to fix something to still try to help the community without damaging the business for doing so.

Tom

[bouncergriim]

Thanks Tom for that candid response. I hope we all can and will support you in the future. Hopefully this summer I can buy some more minis for myself. Right now finances aren't great for me, and I know alot of others are hurting as well.

Here is to a prosperous new year to Impact and all of the Fantasy Sports gaming community.

[Magictobe]

Well, I am glad that you cleared that all up. Maybe you could have explained this in the first place. Now it looked sneaky because there was an anouncement by someone who was not you. It seemed that impact was trying to sneek the goblin set in without someone noticing.

Still regret the step taken but now we have a total picture and we can place the discission that has been taken.

I prefer Impact to stay in bussiness so I hope that the finance can keep your heads above water.

Good discission about the wording limited.

Thanks for explanation!!!

[Jani74]

I am quite suspicious about everything that is announced limited. Basically it means: "Get it now or you're screwed." It is a way to attract fans and seemingly it works. But then it might cause trouble, as in this case.

Everything should be sold as much as it is demanded; that is how the system works. The items that do not become popular are sold less and more popular sell more.

Bob Dylan records were not produced limited, still people collect them. Same goes about anything. The natural way of something becoming valued is to let the time do it's work. Stuff gets lost, broken and locked up in collector's shelfs and that way less and less items are on the market.

Especially I do not understand products that are exclusively aimed to collectors. What's the point in that? Collectors do not want to sell or exchange their priced stuff and that way the things are very hard to actually collect.

I think companies should just sell the products ordinary and after a while, some of them become more valued than others. The beauty here is that at first, one cannot really tell which ones become hits. It's the market (we, the customers) who "decide" that.

So, I recommend not to announce stuff limited beforehand, but just see what happens and nobody's feelings get hurt.