Mark, does TMP use focus groups or do market research?

[AndyMatz]

Mark,
Personally I dont HATE the colored plastic, but it is an obvious downward turn.
I ask this question respectfully to you and Todd. Does TMP ever do any sort of market research when it comes to things like price point, paint applications, what collectors want in a figure, stuff like that. I know years ago, at a SLU convention, I signed a confidentiality agreement, then was invited to participate in a focus group. I was shown figures from things like Cooperstown figures (I almost passed out when I saw the prototype :)) tennis figures, even volleyball. Why cant TMP do stuff like this,while at all the conventions you attend? How do you KNOW for sure what the maximum, price wise is, that the hardcore & causal collectors won't surpass for a quality figure? How could you know that the plastic vs painted would be an issue? Maybe collectors from all ends of the spectrum would come to a happy medium as far as price goes? Again, I ask respectfully... do you guys do focus groups, or do a bunch of you sit in a room, and project what might be acceptable quality and price wise, for example? Wouldnt it have been a good idea to show some collectors at past events (since they are there anyway) what you had in mind for the packaging and figure?
Where does the feedback come from? I can't imagine 5,10,15 TMP employees sit around a table with Todd and "guess" what might work? Thank you for your time.
Andy

[Peter Hoffman]

Why cant TMP do stuff like this,while at all the conventions you attend?

Collectors who attend conventions would be a horrible market sample.

[CLARKtoys.com]

I did a Kenner/Hasbro focus group in Cinci - first saw the Freeze Frames there. Oops I think I signed a NDA also but I think its safe now.

I think the board is good, yet overly negative feedback - but obviously after the fact in most cases.

[Mats_44]

It doesn't matter what us the collectors and buyers want. TMPs customer is the retailers that order the product. Chances are it's the retailers like Wal Mart and TRU that are putting the pressure on TMP to not raise the prices. I suspect that they are telling TMP that if they raise the price of their product they will stop ordering them.

Perhaps it's the retail outlets that should be conducting the market research to find out what us consumers want out of this product??

[MojoNJ]

It doesn't matter what us the collectors and buyers want. TMPs customer is the retailers that order the product. Chances are it's the retailers like Wal Mart and TRU that are putting the pressure on TMP to not raise the prices. I suspect that they are telling TMP that if they raise the price of their product they will stop ordering them.




I think you're right on the money.

[Chewdeezy]

I thought Mark said that the colored plastic was utilized to eliminate the number of brush strokes and is still waiting for an answer from the factory to why it wasn't painted?

[Spawnomite]

I don't think it would really matter.

[EDBSIP]

bottom line is we (the buyers) are the lifeline of TMP. if we didnt buy these figs at TRU or WM, they (TMP) would have no one to seel the figs to.

so it is time to listen to US!

[UFCFan]

bottom line is we (the buyers) are the lifeline of TMP. if we didnt buy these figs at TRU or WM, they (TMP) would have no one to seel the figs to.

so it is time to listen to US!

The buyers are the lifeline, but the type of buyers that are on here are different than the ones who casually by a figure here and there. Just for a second, though, let's pretend all buyers are the same. Where is the real incentive for TMP to listen just yet? People on here can complain until they are blue in the face, but the simple truth is that at least 85% of the more vocal complainants will continue to purchase a good amount of figures, even with the new "paint" style. If you really want McFarlane to stand up and take notice, then a lot of people need to stop buying their product.

[EDBSIP]

if a majority of thier sales are from casual buyers, they will never hear any negative feedback. as those people do not frequent the message boards. not unless the actually write a letter to TMP. which I doubt they will do

[Flieler]

if a majority of thier sales are from casual buyers, they will never hear any negative feedback. as those people do not frequent the message boards. not unless the actually write a letter to TMP. which I doubt they will do

i was a casual buyer at one point, lol. i was pissed about the figs having re-used sculpts. looked on the back of the package for someone to yell at. i found mark weber through the site, and ended up in this god-forsaken black hole...
i became a completist... i have everything until now. The new ones look like crap. unless it's changed, i'll never buy another fig

[julio1867]

Another consideration is that I think of us as the secondary market for TMP. They really make their sales to the stores primarily that sell the figures. The money is already made (except for the new stores in AZ) when the figures leave the company. They make the money off of selling to companies, not to us. True, if we discontinue to buying the product it may have an effect eventually.

Although sports figures are cool to us, I doubt that TMP counts on them to keep afloat. It seems that if someone is as successful as Mr. McFarlane is, this is kind of like a hobby, not really a business plan that is necessary. I could be wrong though.

The push to get these figures into stores is slow. Besides Kmart (who is done selling them after NFL Legends 4 in my area) and Walgreens I can't get a figure within a 100 mile radius. Yet, replays sit on shelves forever and seem to be everywhere. Sadly, most of my figures come from other board members and I end of spending more on shipping than I do figures!

[The Trove]

Andy, here's TMP's focus group and market research:
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc274/Gamalielrdz/wal-mart-image.jpg

[petenfld]

this is your market reaserch/focus group
although the market pressures do play a lot on the recent decisions

[sibelius]

I think TMP is in a lousy position - they face rising costs but their primary customers, TRU, won't let them raise their prices. It's really unfair too because TRU will be selling the Upper Deck figures for $15 - $20 MSRP, but won't let TMP raise their prices for comparable products above $10.99 MSRP. I dislike the changes they've made (colored plastic, cheaper pegs, etc.) but I really can't blame them. At some point TMP is going to have to nut up and tell TRU that the costs to produce their product leave them no alternative but to raise the price. It's just unavoidable.

Tying this in to Andy's thought, the only purpose of the focus group that I can see would be to give them ammunition to use when talking to TRU; e.g., "if we can't raise prices we have to reduce production costs by cheapening the product, and here's the feedback we've received from collectors (a.k.a. YOUR customers) on the effects of cost cutting."

[dom85]

great idea would love to hear a response to this.

[MapleLeafs20]

Sibelius speaks the truth.

[Mark Weber]

A lot of the general discussion often associated with focus groups is now available via our message boards. Most of the changes to the Sports Picks brand in recent years have been cost-driven and not really choices in the classic sense (Goalies losing nets, packaging incorporating cardboard, paint alterations etc.) but rather hard decisions made internally or at the strong request of a major retailer.

Todd has arranged conference calls with a dozen or so of the larger specialty retailers to gauge their opinions in the past.

[mfan]

A lot of the general discussion often associated with focus groups is now available via our message boards. Most of the changes to the Sports Picks brand in recent years have been cost-driven and not really choices in the classic sense (Goalies losing nets, packaging incorporating cardboard, paint alterations etc.) but rather hard decisions made internally or at the strong request of a major retailer.

Todd has arranged conference calls with a dozen or so of the larger specialty retailers to gauge their opinions in the past.

Why does the Board have to push these issues to finally get at the truth, rather than being told the truth right up front?

[Mats_44]

Why does the Board have to push these issues to finally get at the truth, rather than being told the truth right up front?

I'm not sure it really matters since the truth of the matter was fairly obvious??

[mfan]

I'm not sure it really matters since the truth of the matter was fairly obvious??

You're right Tim, it's more a matter of principle than substance.

[Mats_44]

Ya I hear ya. But TMP is a business, not a service. 'Tis the way of the world........

[ogrjmj]

im still amazed that retailers have as much say as they do. you would think the consumer is more important. you would think there would be a better way to market these since they really aren't toys in the true sense of the word.maybe put them in the sports dept. instead of the toy department,have any of the corporate geniuses thought of that?

[Mats_44]

Ya but when you really think about it, once TMP has sold their product to the retailer, they are done with it and have already been paid in full for their product. What happens after that is up to the retailer to make sure the product sells through.

[Mats_44]

I agree that putting them in the toy department makes little to no sense. How many men who are sports nuts frequent the toy sections of Wal Marts or make a trip out to Toys R Us for that matter??

Here in Canada there is one sports retailer that sells SportsPicks and to me it makes perfect sense for TMP to be in business with places like that rather than toy stores and major stores that have toy sections.

Here in Canada the store I speak of is Sport Chek, which is one of Canada's biggest retail outlets for purchasing sporting goods. To me it's the perfect place for Sports Picks to be marketed and sold.

But the only problem is that the idiots at Sport Chek have been charging $19.99 per figure since day one and they refuse to change their price point. So they've never sold well there and sit on their pegs for months and years and they don't order very much product, basically one case per series and sometimes they skip series.

But that to me is the better idea, try to get retailers who sell sporting goods on board with this product and make sure they understand what the price point per figure should be. Toy stores and toy departments just don't make sense to me..........

[ogrjmj]

Ya but when you really think about it, once TMP has sold their product to the retailer, they are done with it and have already been paid in full for their product. What happens after that is up to the retailer to make sure the product sells through.

and that was always the problem with wal mart,they have that stupid automated ordering system that dosen't allow them to rotate in new stock,so by the time they put out the new series of fgiures,tru would of had them out already for a month so they would just sit there and the problem would keep compounding.

[Mats_44]

In the US they have a similar retailer that does the same thing as Sport Chek, called BC Sports right? That is a store that sells sporting goods? And I think it's the same problem there, they charge way too much money for the figures there?

[Mats_44]

and that was always the problem with wal mart,they have that stupid automated ordering system that dosen't allow them to rotate in new stock,so by the time they put out the new series of fgiures,tru would of had them out already for a month so they would just sit there and the problem would keep compounding.

And what I find so curious about that is that it is not like that at all for the Wal Marts up here in Canada. Wal Marts in Canada get tonnes of SportsPicks products and we get every series with lots of cases each series, AND they also make sure they discount and clearance the stale product that doesn't sell well after a few months.

I know Wal Mart Canada is likely run by different people than Wal Mart USA, but it's still the Wal Mart brand name so you would think somewhere at the top there would be some suits making sure that Wal Mart in the USA was being run with the same good standards that Wal Marts in Canada use.......

[SDhalcon]

In the US they have a similar retailer that does the same thing as Sport Chek, called BC Sports right? That is a store that sells sporting goods? And I think it's the same problem there, they charge way too much money for the figures there?

I had never heard of BC Sports until I joined this forum. But from what I've seen, they are not a sporting goods store, rather a sports memorabilia dealer. They are located exclusively in the northeast US, with a store in Florida as the exception. So not at all a viable alternative. And yes, they charge entirely too much for SP's.

[Poochiesdead]

I had never heard of BC Sports until I joined this forum. But from what I've seen, they are not a sporting goods store, rather a sports memorabilia dealer. They are located exclusively in the northeast US, with a store in Florida as the exception. So not at all a viable alternative. And yes, they charge entirely too much for SP's.For the most part they charge $12.99 for regs, and $22.99 for chases. I don't think the prices are that bad. I mean I can go around to different TRU and Walmarts and check if they have new series out, or go right to BC and know they have it out and more than likely have every figure in the series. I'll gladly pay the extra 2 bucks for the convienience of knowing they have the figure I'm looking for rather than have to chase it down.

[Mats_44]

Ok so it's a sports collectbles chain, but still right on line with what I am suggesting. People who loves sports are the people most likely to be interested in SportsPicks, so why not focus on selling the product in sports driven stores rather than trying to put them into the toy sections of stores where kids belong??

[AndyMatz]

Well maybe TMP's packaging change, at the insistence of TRU was somehow as a result of consumer feedback... I HATED assembling SportsPicks, and my complaints were never addressed, but thankfully TRU has a stronger voice then I do... AS far as "sports driven stores", I've seen SportsPicks at Modells sporting goods stores, and if this makes any sense, being in a "sports driven store" can go both ways. Yes, people who love sports are in a sporting goods store, yet they could also get "lost" when mixed in a place that is all sports... Unless Modells plans on really doing a nice display for SportsPicks, I can tell you, SP's sort of get lost amongst all the sports stuff, if that makes sense.

[Mats_44]

I feel the same way about SportsPicks in a toy department. I find they get lost in there amongst all the kiddy toys........

[SDhalcon]

It's no surprise that stores like BC Sports and Modells would align themselves with McFarlane. Both stores are located exclusively in the Northeast. It makes good business sense for them because TMP, as evidenced by the 2009 lineups, seems to only care about making players from the Northeast. Why would a store in the south or the west coast carry those figures when they would just sit on the shelf all year? That's the reason all the stores around me have drastically reduced their orders, or stopped selling them altogether. Now with quality going down the toilet, I know I'll be leaving them behind.

I was really looking forward to the upcoming Tomlinson's, but if they are the same unpainted garbage that's been released lately, I'm done with them.

[julio1867]

Why does the Board have to push these issues to finally get at the truth, rather than being told the truth right up front?

That is one of my main issues as well, just tell me that you're cutting costs and that's why the package is changing. Also, just tell me that you're not painting figures any longer, it's cheaper. I may not like it, but at least I won't feel like I'm being lied to with each change.

[Hardcore Legend]

Wait, so the board (who hears about player decisions and see sculpts usually 2-4 months after they are decided) is the 'focus group'? Wouldn't it be wiser to ask the 'focus group' what it thinks before mass producing something?

For example: When they made Ken Griffey Jr. 2, if the board had been shown the sculpt before it was put into production...I'm pretty sure we all would have agreed that it should have been in the followthrough pose instead.

[Hardcore Legend]

For the most part they charge $12.99 for regs, and $22.99 for chases. I don't think the prices are that bad. I mean I can go around to different TRU and Walmarts and check if they have new series out, or go right to BC and know they have it out and more than likely have every figure in the series. I'll gladly pay the extra 2 bucks for the convienience of knowing they have the figure I'm looking for rather than have to chase it down.

I pay $15.99 sometimes at Champs Sports for figures and don't feel the quality has improved at all. I'll have a hard time paying that same price for a hard to find figure with cardboard backing, no front sticker, molded plastic instead of paint, a base with half the letters missing on it and no hockey net.

[UFCFan]

Wait, so the board (who hears about player decisions and see sculpts usually 2-4 months after they are decided) is the 'focus group'? Wouldn't it be wiser to ask the 'focus group' what it thinks before mass producing something?

For example: When they made Ken Griffey Jr. 2, if the board had been shown the sculpt before it was put into production...I'm pretty sure we all would have agreed that it should have been in the followthrough pose instead.

I have to agree here. I think it would be a bit ludicrous to expect TMP to poll us on each figure they make, but I think in many cases it would be wise to expand on the "Call Your Shot" type polls and maybe do some "Which pose would you like to see for ________?" type stuff once in a while. Besides, while the CYS polls are nice, they are seriously flawed. They are subject to unabashed homerism and "flavor of the week" syndrome.

[almostimpos]

For the most part they charge $12.99 for regs, and $22.99 for chases. I don't think the prices are that bad. I mean I can go around to different TRU and Walmarts and check if they have new series out, or go right to BC and know they have it out and more than likely have every figure in the series. I'll gladly pay the extra 2 bucks for the convienience of knowing they have the figure I'm looking for rather than have to chase it down.

KB charges $12.99 in their stores. That seems on the high side but with all their mall location you have to figure that they would be charging at least a dollar or two more than other stores such as walmart or tru. They do sell older assortments at a discount so if you pay $12.99 for a new release and then $5.98 for an old release it averages out to around $10 a figure so it isn't really too bad if you look at it that way. The problem is they have been closing stores so stores in some areas aren't too plentiful.

[eggwhite]

xxx