Sideshows Anti-Fan Policy

[rileyfan]

Sideshow Toys will no longer sell to web only retailers. They will sell to you only if you have a store or do conventions/shows.

They listed this info on their site:

"Effective January 1, 2004, Sideshow Collectibles will be self distributed in the United States. What this means is that we will no longer utilize the services of Diamond or Marz Distribution. Wholesale pricing is available to those who meet the criteria. Sideshow is no longer taking on web-only accounts.

First they cut out Diamond Dist and Marx and now they want to cut out their web competition. I think they saw the figures being offered for less than their high retail cost.

They only want to sell to us retail at the highest cost possible. This is the most BACKWARD move I've ever seen and very anti fan. It really cuts out our choices.

This policy means that they could not sell to amazon.com as they are a web only site with no stores.

This is soooo stupid.

Marz has already responded to this on their site.

www.marzdistribution.com/11_11_03_sideshow_FORCED_TO_CANCEL.cfm

I like where Marz states:

"We see no value to our company, nor ultimately to our customer base, to accept further shipment of "current product" which is already months late, has already been shipped by Sideshow to its "direct" customers, and is quite frankly "soft" to begin with."

They really attack this policy.

I'm gonna e-mail some web only stores like toydepot and next gen to see what they say. I'll let you know.

If they can't get the product I'm not gonna buy it from anywhere.

This stinks.

[buffyssolace]

SO TS&T ISNT GONNA GET THEM. f*ck.

[rileyfan]

I know. it's pissing me off. Alot of different sites had them listed for less than the high retail cost.
(some at just $31!)

I was told the figures come 6 per case at a cost of just $17 wholesale each figure.

I don't want to pay $40 for what is a stock body figure with some synthentic clothing made for it.

I hoping to get some replies from some web only sites soon.

[Alyrenee]

Hey guys...I am pretty sure my comic book store ordered a case of the buffy spike and angel and thus far only two from each case are sold (me and my friend)...so if you want, send me a pm and I will put you in contact with the store owner and see if you can work out something with them. I don't know what the price would be though...

or just go to their website...

www.dreamland-comics.com/

send them an email or call 'em...they are awesome folks...you can tell them that Aly sent you...but they would probably be rude to you (he he just kidding).

[Raven]

Well I guess that solves my problem of where I will order Buffy from.

[buffyssolace]

Ill end up getting mine from the comic book store i frequant. Oh well i was hoping to get them cheaper but "NOBODY CARES ABOUT CHRIS." I cant wait till december 27th the comic book sore is having a sale! 20 dollars for the regular 12 inch freddy kruger and 15 dollars for a 12 inch gentlemen! 2 dollas for comic back issues!

[DanMan]

Any news on online stores canceling preorders? Most seem to have them still listed, although I noticed several sites don't offer Good Witch, Dark Witch, or Vampire Willow for preorder now.

[rileyfan]

Some sites have replied that Sideshow was getting beef from some of their older creakier retail customers.

They felt some of the web stores were offering the figures at prices that they can't compete with so asked sideshow for some help there.

This was for the Lord of the Rings things and they feared it would happen with the Buffy figures too, they wanted to be sure the prices would remain close to the $40 retail to get the most out of the market right out of the gate.

I also think ebay will suck alot of life out of the figures. (The old sideshow buffy figures are pretty cheap on ebay, anywhere from $20-$25)

You'll note places like time and space are selling it for $35 which is not much off compared to some sites that had it for about $30-$32. Even toy depot has upped it to $40 retail. This is price control to keep the cost artificially high.

Sideshow of course has every right to control what their item sells for, I think, but again, at this time with the economy so crappy it seems really stupid and anti-fan.