How Exclusive are the Sideshow Exclusives?

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ironman

Just a little freaky
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I had thought that the Sideshow Exclusives like the 12"s Jedi Luke, Anakin and Obiwan are sold only on Sideshow's website. However I just found out that my local distributor here have them for sale. Apparently, they are up for pre-order and judging from their offer, they have many to offer.

Why is it then said as Exclusive?

Why bother ordering from the website when it is available through distributors?
 
I think a lot of the distributors (Or all of them) also get 'first dips' on the exclusive pre-order just like the newsletter subscribers.

That would certainly explain why Anakin, and now Obe Wan sold out as quickly as they did. I suppose you would really have to ask someone at SS for a definitive answer.

I know a shop seller (UK) who obtains SS stock on pre-order through one of their supply companies (AMARANG) and he does not know if the stock is exclusive or not until it arrives at his shop. He seems to think he will be taking delivery of the Predator Ex maquette but does not know for certain.

I think the 'exclusive' part of the equation just relates to the unique extra/s that come with the products. Based on your observations about distributors, maybe SS should increase the edition size slightly? Having said that, if they did this then the item would not be that limited or exclusive if there were 2-3000 units available.:banghead
 
Good point Ironman. The only statement regarding this that can be found with the product specification is this little text:

SIDESHOW EXCLUSIVE EDITION
The Sideshow Exclusive version of the 12-inch Obi-Wan figure includes an additional accessory available nowhere else, the blaster used to defeat General Grievous!

Some time ago, the text said something like this:

SIDESHOW EXCLUSIVE
The first 750 customers who order directly from www.SideshowCollectibles.com receive a bonus accessory available nowhere else!

So, what do you think? I always thought that the exclusives where only available through a direct order with SideShow. Did I misunderstand??

Someone made an interesting point about the "Exclusive" term in the "Whew, What an Obi-Wan day!" thread. I suggest you have a look there too.
 
I'm curious to hear about this as well. I know I have seen some dealers have other exclusives for sale in the past, but they have always been higher than the retail because they supposedly had to purchase them just like any other customer. Meaning no discounted price, and I would imagine they would be under the same quantity limits also (1 per person usually).

I remember also, some exclusives in the past that were exclusive only in the US, and were available through distributors in other countries. Always thought that these were specified as such though.


Come on Dusty, shed some light on this for us :D :D
 
I would almost bet that they are buying them just like we do on the site and then sell them after the fact for higher prices. The exclusive is not supposed to be available from 2and hand retailers. That's what I have read and that why they are called "Exclusive." :naughty
 
First off, welcome IRONMAN. It's good to be a Freak! :welcome

I think what Ironman is looking at are the regular versions of these figures. I have never seen the exclusive versions available for pre-order with other parties. To my understanding, there is no wholesale on these exclusives.
 
Hi All,

Maybe Chicky and speak directly to the distributor and the product in question when she returns on Monday. Ironman, more information on the product and distributor would be appreciated.

We do things called 'Domestic Exclusives' which means that we sell a certain allottment to our International distributors. Our exclusives that are sold like that are listed as such on the website. Two items that come to mind are the Smeagol Comic-Con bust, and the 1:4 Samaritan. There are probably some others.

Products that are listed as solely Sideshow Exclusives are only sold through our website, and retailers have to fight to get one, just like you or I.

I hope that clears some of it up - but I am interested in what product Ironman might be referring to.
 
Yep, I think it's just some confusion - perhaps on the part of the dealer - the only true exclusives that have ever turned up at retailers where the SDCC ones and the type that Chris mentions.
 
Red Planet Toys sells exclusives sometimes, but I'm sure they are purchased the same way as all the other exclusives. The price they charge is a bit more then what you'd pay direct from SSC, but not marked up to insane Ebay prices.
Maybe RPT can explain a bit more about it?
 
Hi y'all. Thanks for the welcome. To clear things up, as below:-

Products in question:- Star Wars 12" Sideshow Exclusives, i.e Jedi Luke, Anakin & Obiwan.

I do not want to name the distributor here. I have seen the Exclusives go to them many many times and I mean they get them at wholesale prices, i.e. they do not buy from the SS's website and sell at a premium but they sell at lower than retail meaning they get them wholesale. So, what's up? I have seen them preordering and selling LOTR Smeagol Comic Con, Minas Morgul, King Elessar Helm and now the SW 12" exclusives. Mind you, the price they're selling are at retail or lower.
 
Ironman, I think you are mistaken. The regular edition of Luke, Anakin, etc is sold at many stores. But never the exclusive version.
 
A 1/4 scale Obi-Wan (Exclusive version) just sold on Ebay for $227.50.

LINK

Why in the world would someone sell their exclusive preorder for fifty bucks below the retail price they haven't even paid yet (not to mention tax and shipping)? This makes no sense- if they didn't want it or couldn't afford it, why wouldn't they just cancel it? If they wanted to make a profit from presale scalping, wouldn't they have at least set the reserve price at the MSRP? I haven't figured this one out yet...
 
My understanding is the exclusives are only available from Sideshow direct. Apart from the exclusives that were sited as domestic. They had an edition size split between the domestic American market, and international distributors. The only ones I can think of are Jaws, Q, and Der Kinderstod.

A couple of the 2004 SDCC exclusives were made available to distributors as well, and they were advertised as such. The only exclusive that departed from these rules, as far as I know, was the recent SDCC exclusive 'The Ultimate Hellboy'. I never heard anything about it being made available to distributors, and some months after the Con, it shows up as being available from my local distributor. I could have saved myself some dollars if I had known that in advance.
 
I always thought the "exclusive" was something that was more limited in edition size...and I suppose in EXACT terms EVERYTHING is available/comes from Sideshow even what distributors order....

So, maybe Sideshow should drop the "ONLY available thru the sideshow site.." spiel...Because (if I am correct..), you can theoretically pick this up at any old store...If that store manages to get a pre-order or 2 in for an exclusive..
 
tomandshell said:
A 1/4 scale Obi-Wan (Exclusive version) just sold on Ebay for $227.50.

..a luke 1/4 exclusive sold the other day for $152..; not a good sign if you buy these and wish it to hold it's value..;
 
I can understand the Luke sale, since they already had it and apparently wanted to get rid of it. It's a shame about the drop in value, though. Doesn't drive me insane, personally. I want to keep the Star Wars PF figures in my collection forever and will not sell unless I need life saving surgery, so I'm not looking for them to make me money.

As far as exclusive Obi-Wan, I was confused by somebody selling off at a loss an item that they had not even purchased yet, which they are now obligated to buy and pass on at a loss of fifty bucks plus tax and shipping. Weird! They must have assumed that being sold out, it would skyrocket in value and they could scalp their preorder and get rich. Looks like they found out otherwise.
 
No big deal for the seller really. When it's time to ship, they can simply say Sideshow didn't fulfill their order and refund the winning bidders money. It'll be too late to leave negative feedback. That's why I would personally never bid on any item that doesn't conform to the 30 day policy.
 
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