21 replies to this topic

[FON]

I know some have complained about the prices at this show and I for one am not one as they could be higher. SM mentioned people could buy for future investments, trade etc. But what's the chances of maybe buy 2 get one free per guest. I know many have a few posters they want signed but maybe this could please many.

Jason
(Fon)

[Skylover]

well, I wouldnt be against that

[Dom]

FON, on Jan 22 2006, 07:26 PM, said:

SM mentioned people could buy for future investments, trade etc.

To be honest if you are buying for future investment, then these are not the guys for you. Main Characters are always good, but these guys are not going to be worth more than £10. Just buy for yourself, its far better, because if you go to ebay you will not even cover the price of the auto.

[Too Tall]

FON, on Jan 22 2006, 06:26 PM, said:

I know some have complained about the prices at this show and I for one am not one as they could be higher. SM mentioned people could buy for future investments, trade etc. But what's the chances of maybe buy 2 get one free per guest. I know many have a few posters they want signed but maybe this could please many.

Jason
(Fon)

TBH I can never see this happening. I was talking about this with a friend last week (in the terms of it happening at a CM or LFCC event). SM would just loss money hand over fist.

You can just see it. £15 an auto. 3 people go up together, one pays for all 3 and so gets one free. They all pay £10 each rather than £15. OK some people aren't going to be that devious but it would be too easy to do. I'd say SM would loss about 25% of it's takings (which is probably a lot of it's profits) if they did it.

[Bohan]

Quote

You can just see it. £15 an auto. 3 people go up together, one pays for all 3 and so gets one free. They all pay £10 each rather than £15. OK some people aren't going to be that devious but it would be too easy to do. I'd say SM would loss about 25% of it's takings (which is probably a lot of it's profits) if they did it.

Big deal!!  Come on £10 for a scribble is enough money anyway.  I think that the 3 for 2 idea is very good and more fair, £45 for three signatures is a lot of money £30 for 3 is still a lot but....less than £45 anyway

Edited by Bohan, 23 January 2006 - 01:12 PM.

[jamie1138]

three for two...???
profit margins...???
do showmasters get to make a profit on these events?
i thought it was something to do with star wars being the intellectual property of lucasfilm that stopped people making money from it.
what about scrapping the silly entrance fee...

[jamie1138]

and what happened to the 'by the fans,for the fans' credo?

[jamie1138]

ooh,i'm full of beans tonight!

[FON]

Anyone else have any views on this? SM?

Jason

[Bounty Hunter]

Too Tall is right.  SM would lose quite a bit of money, so why would they want to do that?
On the other hand, what if the actor wants to do it?  I've seen some people doing it, when they were offering several images.

I saw Matt Wood offering four photos of General Grievous.  You had to pay 15 EUR a piece (was a show in Holland).  But if you bought three for 45 EUR, you would get the fourth free to complete your set.  Obviously, this works in Wood's favour as the character is popular and some people would want two.  All they had to do is buy 3 to get 4.  Strategy that works (at least on me!)  

[DavidB]

jamie1138, on Jan 26 2006, 10:57 PM, said:

and what happened to the 'by the fans,for the fans' credo?

It's still a business, not a charity. They've worked to get some good rare guests for collectors this event, and just because they're making money from it, it doesn't mean it's not "by the fans, for the fans".

It's not in a shopping centre like Collectormania, so of course they'll have an entrance fee. The way some people talk it's like they don't want to pay anything.

If you believe that these guests aren't worth £10 then don't get their autographs. You get people complaining about every event - how can they be £20?! how can they be £15?! Each person has their own separate circumstances - they want multiple items, they want personal items etc etc.

There'll never be an event where everyone is totally happy :) you just have to budget, and maybe not get everything you want if it's too expensive. Or don't go to events and start going to premiers, theatres, and writing to actors as they may be cheaper methods.

However there are those who have the money and are more than happy to pay out to meet the guests and get all the autographs they want. And as long as there are those people around, I can't see anything changing.

[Bounty Hunter]

Never a more true word, DavidB!

[lee_c00per]

Apparently alot of the guests spelt things wrong including their names, i would expect it to be cheaper in that case

[Mazzic]

I know what you mean Lee, but that would totally mess things up. Then you would first have to check on the signature before paying the actor. Empire Day would start to look like a Tunesian marketplace if you ask me... too much of a hassle!

[Mazzic]

We'll have to figure something else out to please the crowd!  

[Bounty Hunter]

True enough.  Jerry Baker wrote Imperal Scanning Crew (missing the 'i' in ImperIal) and Stephen Fitzalan wrote Stromtrooper on my poster.  Argh...
I recently did a signing with Sigbjorn Henanger from Norway (he was a Hoth trooper during the Norwegian shoot in 1979 in Finse - where I'll be going next year) and he wrote Rebel Troper on the poster.

It happens all the time and you learn to live with it... After the initial recoiling...

[FON]

I did hear a bit of a horror story once where someone was getting a multisigned poster signed by someone as as they signed their name, the tip of the pen broke and silver ink shot out over the poster.

What would you prefer the odd letter missing or a silver puddle?????

Jason

[Mazzic]

The actor that would pull off such a puddle-thing on my poster wouldn't live to see the next day...  ...so I would prefer the occasional spelling-error! That's much healthier for me and the actor too.

Edited by Mazzic, 03 March 2006 - 01:33 PM.

[lee_c00per]

Personalisation is was bugs me the most and guests who write 'best wishes' before their signature  

[Bounty Hunter]

That is indeed a horror story :-)