Mummy PF SSE Limited to 50: SS Lottery

[JSA]

Wow! What a polarizing issue! Here's my take on it:

I think it is a very good idea, and that it levels out the playing field for
everybody, to be as fair as possible. It definitely isn't perfect, BUT it
is better than having some members buying more than one of these
ultra-rare items (it does happen) which truly isn't fair.

Offering the items to the people who have the other SSE items isn't
fair either, as that is just a way of saying "I've got all the other SSE
items so I deserve preferential treatment because of that" Not true.
Nobody deserves preferential treatment, and that is what the lottery
method attempts to do - level out the playing field and make it fair.

As to the people who are throwing up their hands and saying "if I don't
get one I'm just going to quit collecting" c'mon. If you don't get chosen
to purchase one of the 50 directly from Sideshow, you know what you
can do? You can pay the inflated price and purchase it off of Ebay or
from a trusted boardmember just like I had to do when I missed out on
the Grey Hulk vs. Spidey, AND the #$% Neg. Zone Spidey that I missed
even though I was setting right at my computer trying to place my order.
NONE of these statues are "rare" as in they never show up for sale.
They're only "rare" as in "CRAP! Now they cost more money than I choose
to spend!"

VERY few items are truly "rare" in the sense that they don't come up
for sale often. Gandalf Bronze would be considered rare, but I see the
Grey Hulk vs. Spidey on a regular basis for sale on Ebay. It is there IF
somebody is willing to spend the amount of money being asked for it.

My point is that if you miss the item from Sideshow, just buck up
and pay the money to get the item you want, if you want it. I chose to,
and I didn't gripe about it at all. Nobody was holding a gun to my head.
If I want something bad enough, I choose to pay the price to get it.
If you do collect statues and busts, you know that they run hundreds of
dollars at least, and can run in the thousands as well once sold out. If that
is too much for you, then there are many other items available that are
less expensive to collect that may be less stressful or aggrivating.

Sideshow is doing all they can to be as fair as possible to the most people,
and I applaud them for that. As one who has had to pay the high prices
for things I missed out on, I think that the lottery will at least give everybody
a reasonably fair shot at the item being offered.

If anybody here has the "fairest of the fair" ways to offer a very exclusive
item, please post it. I'd love to know what is best, and I'm sure Sideshow
would too.

Happy Holidays everybody!

JS

 

[DannieDarKo]

I can't wait til Sideshow starts an online Bingo Tournament for their exclsuives! I'd have a huge advantage since my Grandma is a professional Bingo player.

 

[Kookie]

JS...I understand and apprieciate your feedback but I have one big concern. Will this lottery system become a norm where many or the truly dedicated people on this board, who sit sometimes for hours on Thursday night, not be able to collect the pieces they truly want. The lottery system almost makes the newsletter irrelevant because the of time window. I know to be at my computer every Thursday night at 9:30pm, it's like a ritual now. It sickens me that some casual fan, who really doesn't care that much about the item but may have a lot of cash, bids in a lottery system and wins last minute.

I really feel bad for Sideshow because I know the lottery has been created with best intentions to help the fans. They are in a tough spot. Maybe Dusty can chime in on this issue. Since we don't work for Sideshow we don't know if the call for a lottery is greater than our voice of no lottery. I think we are taking this news extra hard because of our dedication to collecting a combination of licenses and want to keep our collections complete. Since I only collect Star Wars, LOTR, and Marvel the Mummy will not effect me but I would go nuts if a lottery was used on an item from one of those lines.

 

[Kookie]

JS...I have a couple idea's for offering limited items.

1. Mention in the newsletter that a rare or special item is going up for order the following week. Don't put the edition size because scalpers/flippers would certainly jump all over it. The Classic Spiderman vs the Negative Spiderman was a good example. Even though they both were 75 I think more true collectors got the Classic because the fans were waiting for the newsletter, like they always did, and got first chance. The Negative Spiderman was announced at 75 a week early so it gave a week for the scalpers/flippers to be ready for the order.

2. Maybe create a Collectors Club. There would be an annual fee but it gave those members first chance at items such as the Mummy, Classic Spiderman, or anything under 150 pieces. Also with the Collectors Club we could buy Sideshow related clothing, mugs, key chains, whatever. Maybe we could get a cool membership card that could be used at Conventions, Sideshow hosted parties to earn products, reward points. For example...bringing your card to Comic Con and visiting the Sideshow booth would earn you 5 or 10 reward points. You get the idea. I would love to boast I belong to Sideshow's Collector Club, it kinda would make me feel like I'm part of an elite collecting society.

 

[JSA]

JS...I understand and apprieciate your feedback but I have one big concern. Will this lottery system become a norm where many or the truly dedicated people on this board, who sit sometimes for hours on Thursday night, not be able to collect the pieces they truly want. The lottery system almost makes the newsletter irrelevant because the of time window. I know to be at my computer every Thursday night at 9:30pm, it's like a ritual now. It sickens me that some casual fan, who really doesn't care that much about the item but may have a lot of cash, bids in a lottery system and wins last minute.

I really feel bad for Sideshow because I know the lottery has been created with best intentions to help the fans. They are in a tough spot. Maybe Dusty can chime in on this issue. Since we don't work for Sideshow we don't know if the call for a lottery is greater than our voice of no lottery. I think we are taking this news extra hard because of our dedication to collecting a combination of licenses and want to keep our collections complete. Since I only collect Star Wars, LOTR, and Marvel the Mummy will not effect me but I would go nuts if a lottery was used on an item from one of those lines.

Regarding the bolded items above - I sat there for hours on the date that
the B&W Spidey was announced, and I STILL got hosed on it. BUT hopefully
the lottery system will take the pressure off the fellow with the 56k dialup
in Timbuktu, who doesn't have a "fair" shot against the guy with 4 Sideshow
accounts, a T1 connection, and 3 friends all logged in to try and get the low
ES items being offered.

There is no difference between the die-hard collector, and the casual fan,
with regard to how either can order at this point. The lottery system won't
be any less fair than the system is now, where people who have no interest
in the item still order it. It just may even things out a bit, and not allow some
to get 2+ of the items being offered.

JS

 

[JSA]

JS...I have a couple idea's for offering limited items.

1. Mention in the newsletter that a rare or special item is going up for order the following week. Don't put the edition size because scalpers/flippers would certainly jump all over it. The Classic Spiderman vs the Negative Spiderman was a good example. Even though they both were 75 I think more true collectors got the Classic because the fans were waiting for the newsletter, like they always did, and got first chance. The Negative Spiderman was announced at 75 a week early so it gave a week for the scalpers/flippers to be ready for the order.

2. Maybe create a Collectors Club. There would be an annual fee but it gave those members first chance at items such as the Mummy, Classic Spiderman, or anything under 150 pieces. Also with the Collectors Club we could buy Sideshow related clothing, mugs, key chains, whatever. Maybe we could get a cool membership card that could be used at Conventions, Sideshow hosted parties to earn products, reward points. For example...bringing your card to Comic Con and visiting the Sideshow booth would earn you 5 or 10 reward points. You get the idea. I would love to boast I belong to Sideshow's Collector Club, it kinda would make me feel like I'm part of an elite collecting society.

I do like the idea of not announcing the ES on something, and just letting it
stand on it's on merit - looks and character. Some people may just order one
of every new item out though, wait until the ES is announced, and then cancel
it as Sideshow has no order cancellation penalty.

I do like the idea though overall.

Anybody could sign up for a collector's club though - collector or flipper or
trader or scalper or whatever. No real way to weed out the intentions of
anybody, but the lottery system at least makes it random.

JS

 

[Kookie]

JS...I understand your point but even so Sideshow is still a business and should sell it's products like a business. Life isn't fair, you win some lose some. I won the Classic Spiderman but lost the Negative and I have a broadband connection and was sitting there just like you. This may be a bad example but look at the PS3, people waiting outside in the rain for days to get one. I didn't have that dedication like they did so they earned it. I did however wait at 5am to get a new TV after Thanksgiving, I did earn that. The TV sold out in minutes after I got one, that's the way it is. If Sideshow adopts this lottery system as a norm I can honestly say I may reconsider collecting from Sideshow. Not from a standpoint that I don't like their products but from a standpoint I may not be able to complete a collection in a certain line.

 

[Kookie]

JS...I just think the Collector Club would be cool just by itself

 

[DannieDarKo]

Fellas........I understand your points but peanut butter just mixes very well with jelly. Especially when spread on wheat bread and topped with a large glass of cold milk.

 

[DannieDarKo]

Dannie....I understand and appreciate your insight on that. I truly feel a Gordita taco is really a small taco inside a large taco except the small taco inside is a crispy one while the larger outer one is soft.

 

[wofford29]

That's what I don't understand to those in support that are arguing they always lose stuff. Oh well! Such is life! You can't win everything. I've only been able to get through on one ultra exclusive since I've been doing this. The huge difference is though, I WAS IN CONTROL! I'd rather lose everytime by my own hands than surrender that control and leave it up to someone else. This thread is starting to look like a debate between capitialism vs. socialism.

 

[DannieDarKo]

Dannie....I understand and appreciate your insight on that. I truly feel a Gordita taco is really a small taco inside a large taco except the small taco inside is a crispy one while the larger outer one is soft.

Dannie...I see your point but with this lottery system, your typical scalper would auction that Gordita on ebay.

 

[RoboDad]

Wow! What a polarizing issue! Here's my take on it:

I think it is a very good idea, and that it levels out the playing field for
everybody, to be as fair as possible. It definitely isn't perfect, BUT it
is better than having some members buying more than one of these
ultra-rare items (it does happen) which truly isn't fair.

Offering the items to the people who have the other SSE items isn't
fair either, as that is just a way of saying "I've got all the other SSE
items so I deserve preferential treatment because of that" Not true.
Nobody deserves preferential treatment, and that is what the lottery
method attempts to do - level out the playing field and make it fair.

As to the people who are throwing up their hands and saying "if I don't
get one I'm just going to quit collecting" c'mon. If you don't get chosen
to purchase one of the 50 directly from Sideshow, you know what you
can do? You can pay the inflated price and purchase it off of Ebay or
from a trusted boardmember just like I had to do when I missed out on
the Grey Hulk vs. Spidey, AND the #$% Neg. Zone Spidey that I missed
even though I was setting right at my computer trying to place my order.
NONE of these statues are "rare" as in they never show up for sale.
They're only "rare" as in "CRAP! Now they cost more money than I choose
to spend!"

VERY few items are truly "rare" in the sense that they don't come up
for sale often. Gandalf Bronze would be considered rare, but I see the
Grey Hulk vs. Spidey on a regular basis for sale on Ebay. It is there IF
somebody is willing to spend the amount of money being asked for it.

My point is that if you miss the item from Sideshow, just buck up
and pay the money to get the item you want, if you want it. I chose to,
and I didn't gripe about it at all. Nobody was holding a gun to my head.
If I want something bad enough, I choose to pay the price to get it.
If you do collect statues and busts, you know that they run hundreds of
dollars at least, and can run in the thousands as well once sold out. If that
is too much for you, then there are many other items available that are
less expensive to collect that may be less stressful or aggrivating.

Sideshow is doing all they can to be as fair as possible to the most people,
and I applaud them for that. As one who has had to pay the high prices
for things I missed out on, I think that the lottery will at least give everybody
a reasonably fair shot at the item being offered.

If anybody here has the "fairest of the fair" ways to offer a very exclusive
item, please post it. I'd love to know what is best, and I'm sure Sideshow
would too.

Happy Holidays everybody!

JS

Sorry, JS, but I couldn't disagree more. Life isn't fair. If I am able to be online at the time an ultra-rare item goes up for sale, I should be able to score it. Period. If I lose out with that way of doing things, so be it. As I said before, that's happened to me more than once, and I can live with that. But creating some politically correct lottery system to "level the playing field" really sucks.

If I don't get one of the 50 pieces, I will be absolutely furious. Not because I missed out, but because this skewed version of "fairness" will have robbed me of it.



Oh, and Merry Christmas!

 

[DannieDarKo]

Oh, and Merry Christmas!

I see where your coming from Robodad and I understand your point. Although I was very bad this year and Santa crossed me off his list.

 

[DannieDarKo]

I see where your coming from Robodad and I understand your point. Although I was very bad this year and Santa crossed me off his list.

Dannie......I agree to disagree. You were never on Santa's list to begin with ever since you scalped 2 of his reindeer on ebay and openly posted a thread about it. Sorry man but you will burn in hell.

 

[RoboDad]

I think somebody needs a new prescription for his meds...

 

[SolidLiquidFox]

I really feel bad for Sideshow because I know the lottery has been created with best intentions to help the fans...

I believe this too and that's why I can't understand the obvious flaw on the execution. Let's say SS goes with this lottery idea for good. It's ultimately their decision to make. If that's how it is then make it a 3 hour window lottery. That's plenty of time for the fans you are trying to help to put their name in the hat. Don't make it so easy for regular people that would not normally support Sideshow. Your core Sideshow customers will be there like they always are on Thursday nights. Give them a few hours to get their act together if they have computer issues, life problems, school, they live somewhere not in the US, etc. but that should be enough.

When you open it up for 3 days the odds go bad for your strong supporters. The inclusion of a no cancellation policy (replacement for damaged items only) would be the icing on the cake to minimize people that put their names on the lotto hat with no intention of keeping their orders or know they don't have the funds and still want to "play" and mess things up for others.

 

[DannieDarKo]

I think somebody needs a new prescription for his meds...

Robodad..... I agree for Dannie's dose of Adderall is just not cutting it.

 

[RoboDad]

I've only been able to get through on one ultra exclusive since I've been doing this. The huge difference is though, I WAS IN CONTROL! I'd rather lose every time by my own hands than surrender that control and leave it up to someone else. This thread is starting to look like a debate between capitalism vs. socialism.

My thoughts EXACTLY.

 

[El Roranous]

I think it is so funny that some people here say that life just isn't fair and that people should deal with it but then complain and ***** that this lottery idea isn't fair. Isn't it ironic. Now that you are on the "losing" side of "fair" all you do is cry. In all honesty, the lottery isn't "fair" so all you "life just isn't fair" people, should be happy and stop *****ing.

The lottery is a perfect real world example of life not being fair! I LOVE IT! I love that the usual scalpers have to leave it to fate to do their business.

And for the people that really want to add this piece to their collection, I am sorry. My words may seem hurtful to you but I am sure you will get one if you really want one.