How SideShow could do it next

[Chicky]

How Sideshow Can do it next?

Thank you all for your constructive ideas. We do appreciate them and try to implement them whenever possible.

This year we did increase the non-attendee allotment, however these are still con excluisives so allowing increased percentage of an allotment seems to defeat the purposes of the Con exclusive.

We offered these items beginning early EST to help accommodate some of our international collectors' time zones. Due to the modest size of our web team, later or earlier postings are not possible. These products were also posted during the work week to utilize our customer service team who were available answer questions via e-mail and phone as well as book orders for our collector base who DO NOT have online access. Our server team was also available to make sure there were no technical issues with our site during this process.

Our ordering system was also revamped this year from the lottery system to a first come, first serve system. Non-attendees placed their orders directly without having to wait for the product to be distributed by lottery. As a courtesy we took wait list reservations for non-attendees, which will only be filled if non-attendees cancel their orders.

Outside of a few technical issues that some collectors had, which seemed to be caused more by their web connections and browsers, many collectors had a positive experience this year with our improved Ordering process.

We will continue to read your ideas for how we can improve our system even more for next year!

Best,
Chicky
Sideshow Collectibles

 

[Buttmunch]

How Sideshow Can do it next?

Is the Patient Zero pic fuzzy for anyone else (attendee page)? Some of the words are faded out too. Is it supposed to like this - a very cool effect if it is- or is it just a technical error from either Sideshow's site or my computer?

 

[ironman1188]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I don't know if its intentional or not , but, it was the same for me.

 

[Bonehead15]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I for am very pleased with the new format.

Moving it to the weekend would of been murder for me. I work every weekend so I would of missed out. I think everyone, I'd say 80% or more, are pretty pleased with the new format.

I can see where the overseas fans can be upset but really what was SS to do? To help out the overseas fans maybe SS could do what they did last year by setting aside some of the edition for direct purchase through overseas affiliates. Like they did for the Ultimate Hellboy this year.

I do though think that cetain websites posting the links was wrong. SS should of told them not to post the times and links until the day after. Newsletter subscribers should of got the exclusive first crack at the exclusives. Let's face we're SS's "bread and butter."


:skull

 

[screamingmetal]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

"Is the Patient Zero pic fuzzy for anyone else (attendee page)? Some of the words are faded out too. Is it supposed to like this - a very cool effect if it is- or is it just a technical error from either Sideshow's site or my computer?"

I went back to the Patient Zero page and it looks really screwed up, it wasn't like that for me yesterday. So it's not your computer doing that.

 

[Michael Crawford MWC]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Sorry, but I couldn't possibly disagree with you more on affiliates posting links.

First, understand this - the affilliates are SS's LIFEBLOOD. They have managed to get around retailers largely because of their excellent affilliate relationships, and their support of their affilliates. In turn, the success of the on-line store is directly due to the hard work by their affilliates.

Therefore, upsetting affilliates is NOT in SS's best interest. At all. If Sideshow is selling something on their site, then Sideshow's affilliate have the right to sell it. Anything else would simply be bad business.

Now, I can see them asking affilliates not to post links to the non-attending perhaps, or to not post times, if they want to try to keep it 'newsletter' only. But to reserve all sales on the site to their own links for the first day would have alienated a lot of affilliates, and that's not what SS is all about. Like I said, their savvy when it comes to this program has helped made them the success they are.

Michael
MWC

 

[Bonehead15]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Michael,

No offense but I couldn't disagree with you more on affiliates posting links.>:

The CUSTOMERS are SS's LIFEBLOOD not the affiliates.

 

[Oxbeard]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

As a courtesy we took wait list reservations for non-attendees, which will only be filled if non-attendees cancel their orders.

Okay my heart just sank. So the waitlist will only be filled if non-attendee orders are cancelled? I had anticipated that it would also be filled with any orders not sold or picked up at SDCC as well. Did I just misunderstand, or is there another plan for any leftovers from the actual con?

 

[dstephan]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I had anticipated that it would also be filled with any orders not sold or picked up at SDCC as well.

I think that's what she meant. Right now only the Lawgiver is sold out for attendees. As we get closer there are bound to be other sell-outs, but I wouldn't give up on those wait lists yet.

 

[Michael Crawford MWC]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I realize that people believe that it's only the customer that counts...and lots of companies will tell you that's true. It's not though - sorry to say it.

Customers are critical, obviously. And yes, they pay the bills - me included. But there's a little more to it than that.

If a company is publicly held, the stockholders are as critical to them as the customers. They would never do anything for their customers that would alienate their stockholders. Bad business.

In SS's case, their handling of their affilliate relationship is the only reason they were able to make the switch from bricks and mortar retailers like TRU to their own online distribution. That was a HUGE change, no one had successfully done it before (with the action figure market), and yet they did. No one has successfully done it since, either. How they manage the affilliate relationship is the major contributor to that.

So while SS never wants to alienate customers, the certainly don't want to alienate the main way customers get to their product, get information about their product, and get hyped about their product.

Of course, customers are critical. But without the affilliates, Sideshow wouldn't have any customers, because their move to online only would have failed.

Sorry if you felt I was underestimating the value of a customer - I was simply trying to impress on everyone the importance of the affilliates for SS.

Michael
MWC

 

[dstephan]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I agree that sites shouldn't post the times a day early so that non-newsletter subscribers could easily get the exclusives. But once they go on sale there is no reason that affiliates shouldn't post the links. After all, if you don't know the times the links don't do you any good anyway.

 

[jlcmsu]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Not sure if I am understand part of this correctly. I know with my site I put up links to the items with their banners on my site early. That way people click could go to those items. I dont see anything wrong with that. Now, I didn't post any times on my site just the banners to the items. If its being said its wrong for affiliates to post banners of these items that doesnt make any sense to me at all.

 

[screamingmetal]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

"After all, if you don't know the times the links don't do you any good anyway."

In most the cases, the news sites put up both the times and the links.
If it was just the links I could live with that, people who didn't know the time would be sitting by their computer refreshing all day.

 

[dstephan]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Thinking about all these comments, most people that can't go to the con would rather see exclusives like Luke and Lawgiver. Very basic variant of commonly available product. But looking around at the other companies that are doing exclusives, I see a lot of dissatisfaction with these types of exclusives and they aren't creating the buzz that Sideshow's are.

Why do a lackluster exclusive that is just there for the completeist, but most people could care less about?

 

[B Electronic]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I can see where the overseas fans can be upset but really what was SS to do? To help out the overseas fans maybe SS could do what they did last year by setting aside some of the edition for direct purchase through overseas affiliates. Like they did for the Ultimate Hellboy this year.

Well I still think it would be a solution to let an item pass by twice on the same day. I had to wait till midnight before I could order Hellboy. Would have been even more painful if I'd waited till 2 am to get the LOTR bust.

Why do a lackluster exclusive that is just there for the completeist, but most people could care less about?

Cant agree more there. I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of having a tiny variant as an SDCC exclusive. It would be like buying the new Hellboy dvd when it comes out, only to find out 2 months later that there's going to be a special 3 disc version. an exclusive should be just that, an exclsuive. Not a variant.

 

[MiskatonicNick]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Why do a lackluster exclusive that is just there for the completeist, but most people could care less about?

That's my kinda exclusive Let the completeists have their repaints and let the hordes of consumerdom have the cool new figures.

Nick

 

[creecher]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Well I for one am most pleased to see Michael posting so abundantly. Your valued and respected views, as well as your insights into the affiliate connection, is well received.

I look at the Frankenstein Revnant, and recall it being rejected by affiliates as would not having much demand, when in my view, this figure would be in high demand. I thought this initial rejection was the reason why this figure had not yet seen the light of day.

I would say that the collector is the life blood of Sideshow, and that the affiliate is the life line, to that blood. I love the circular ring analogy, none without the other.

Has Sideshow started its push into the financial market, by providing a lay by type alternative? Answer; yes they have. To further progress along that line, could Sideshow provide a saver system, whereby funds from the collector could be amassed, pending purchase of one of their items? Such as a Con exclusive. Thereby, having fluidity and opening up for pre-paid pre-orders. Money in the bank. Profit being realised before the fact. Having that sort of financial back up might make for more confident production, and allow for more radical progress.

I would prefer not to see the exclusive available in any shape or form. Can you tell I'm not living in America? If I was I would buy nothing else. By having Sideshow regular figures, we have still seen a huge number of figures that would otherwise have never seen the drawing board. Exclusives do fulfill a purpose, however. One is that they have a direct feed to the profit available per unit. I had a second too, but I have lost track of my train of thought.
In another thread I said that new Sideshow product creates a 'buzz' no matter what they reveal. They shouldn't pander to market pressure. Someone said it was part of the deal if they were to attend the SDCC. If they made prototypes of unveiled figures available for Con attendees, would that not be a Con 'gift' to those that attend?

As Sideshow expands, I think it would be fair to have Con exclusives available to the European market through their European warehouse. Not fair to the rest of the world but a substantial step toward breaching the gap. In the future I would hope for an Australsian warehouse, and this idea could then be reapplied and further satisfy disgruntled collectors. The future holds much promise, and it's looking brighter all the time.

 

[dstephan]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Creech, affiliates have nothing to do with why Revenant wash't released. If there was any outside influence on the decision not to produce it, it would be from dealers who didn't want to stock it. Affiliates are just websites like me and Michael who have direct links to Sideshow product (as above).

 

[screamingmetal]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

I'm sure Creecher was referring to large retailers like Sun Coast that weren't interested in carrying the Revenant figure. I wouldn't know if dealers where so much against it at the time, just the large retailers

 

[dstephan]

Re: How Sideshow Can do it next?

Right, retailers - that's what I meant.

Ever have one of those brain farts where you can't remember a word? It's right there on the tip of your brain....but still inaccessible...