Why are plastics more expensive?

[Phototoxin]

This is from Wyrd's Chronicles (vol 5):


The initial Puppet Wars was a neat little game. It never exploded in popularity, but the people who played it tended to really like it. However, there were a few issues. The game contained all metal pieces, and metal is expensive, driving the base game up to $90. Also, the packaging was rather poor. The box was flimsy and there was very little information about the game on it. Once people opened the $90 mystery box, they tended to like the game, but this was a hard sell.
.....
When we were told that Puppet Wars would be re-released in plastic, we knew it was the perfect opportunity to fix these issues. Because the puppets would be in plastic, we were able to drop the price point to $75 and include 44 high quality miniatures in the core box. Additionally, we changed the packaging. The box is now 18.5” X 9.5” and is sturdy enough to hold all of the components long after you have purchased the game.


So if Wyrd, a minor 2 bit operation (by comparison to GW, not a reflection on the actual company) can drop prices while going to plastics, why can't GW?

[Roy Gibson]

Since i started collecting close to 6 years now i remember prices far lower than what they are now for all GW products. I remember when you could get a codex for £18 but now its £35+ but i guess it is because GW know they can get away with the prices. I mean sure people grudge paying a lot for their favorite hobby but we still get it dont we?

[lobster-overlord]

GW doesn't price based on materials content, but on a lot of factors, including usability of unit, volume of sales of unittype -they sll more troops than elites etc, and so on.

[eldargal]

Island of Blood includes 70 plastic miniatures for 99USD or 1.4USD per model. Wyrds box includes 44 for 75 or 1.7USD per model. #context.

Edit: Dark Vengeance includes 48 plastic miniatures for 99 or 2.05USD per model

Wyrd also produce some expensive plastic kits, 30USD for one character I believe?

[Phototoxin]

Island of Blood includes 70 plastic miniatures for 99USD or 1.4USD per model. Wyrds box includes 44 for 75 or 1.7USD per model. #context.

Edit: Dark Vengeance includes 48 plastic miniatures for 99 or 2.05USD per model

Wyrd also produce some expensive plastic kits, 30USD for one character I believe?

Each of those sculpts is different whereas IOB has a lot of repetition.

[eldargal]

Irrelevant, sculpting costs are a minor part of creating the steel moulds for plastic moulds. It is the size, number and complexity of moulds which adds to the cost.

[Phototoxin]

Irrelevant, sculpting costs are a minor part of creating the steel moulds for plastic moulds. It is the size, number and complexity of moulds which adds to the cost.

Not if they are digitally sculpted, meaning it only needs precision machining rather than pantographing and all the other other more costly methods. Also more parts per sprue = less number of required screws = cheaper overall cost.

[eldargal]

Like I said, sculpting costs are the cheapest bit. Precision machining is the expensive bit. Tens of thousands per mould up to hundreds of thousands depending on the complexity. Also a quick google of some pictured of Wyrd plastic sprues show they are less densely packed than most GW sprues.

[Phototoxin]

Like I said, sculpting costs are the cheapest bit. Precision machining is the expensive bit. Tens of thousands per mould up to hundreds of thousands depending on the complexity. Also a quick google of some pictured of Wyrd plastic sprues show they are less densely packed than most GW sprues.

Then why spend ££££ on making sprues for things like Space Hulk and Dreadfleet only to never use them again? Doesn't make any economic sense.

[DarkLink]

Most likely, they determined it was a product that would produce diminishing returns over time. They could make a handy profit in the short run, but the molds aren't the only​ cost, and it wasn't profitable enough to continue production for whatever reason.

[Phototoxin]

Most likely, they determined it was a product that would produce diminishing returns over time. They could make a handy profit in the short run, but the molds aren't the only​ cost, and it wasn't profitable enough to continue production for whatever reason.

Just seems highly contradictory given the projected high cost of tooling coupled with cheap designing and materials. Though I suppose the large amount of card components probably cost them a bomb.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

Scarcity is an economy all of its own. If something is Limited Edition, you're going to sell out in a quick burst. Pays for itself all in one go, and then you don't have to worry about warehouse storage and so on. Dreadfleet didn't manage this, but that's because it wasn't as strong a property as Space Hulk (certainly was as strong a product).

[Kaptain Badrukk]

People also seem to be forgetting that AS A RULE (not always) the GW plastics are cheaper than their old metal equivalents when held up to the current GW pricing scheme.
"Why is GW stuff so expensive?" is a different question, but generally speaking when a GW plastic comes out it does drop the price compared to the metal of finecast mini.
Sternguard are a notable exception, and IMO about £5 too expensive, but they also got a buttload more stuff than the previous box so at least there's an argument for value increase.

[Mr Mystery]

The Good Kaptain has the right of it.

Yes, plastic prices continue to rise. But overall, the price of an army hasn't gone up that much.

Let's look at Chaos Warriors for Fantasy shall we? Prior to 1997, and the first multipart kit of 12, they were in metal, and around £2.50 each. So, for 12 of them, that would be...£30. Fast forward 16 years...second incarnation of the multipart plastics, and they're £20.00...... Yes the multipart plastics have doubled in price in 16 years, but they remain cheaper than the metal ones they replaced.

Ogryn and Troll sized models. Were in the £15-18 each price bracket. Post plastics? £28.50ish for 3. Which is of course cheaper.

Steam Tank? I remember people freaking right out when that went to plastic. £50 for the metal one, £36 for the plastic one. Yep. Cheaper again.

And now to 40k....

Necrons. I'm familiar with Necrons. Warriors have had a price rise. BOO! EVIL GW! But...hold on....Wraiths....those were at least £12 a pop in metal, but now in plastic...£28.50. Well paint me green and call me Kenneth! That's a price drop on that unit! Ditto Immortals, Lychguard/Pariahs (same role in army, massive saving) And given Immorals are now a Troop choice, that's a significant saving when building up your army.

Yes, prices do go up overall. But far too few people take into account the drops that occur when a metal/finecast kit makes the jump to plastic. Indeed, all you get is whining that the price drop wasn't enough.

Someone on Dakka once compared me to a beaten wife, happily taking it from GW time and time again. Which is entirely inaccurate, as having a decent job, I'm not at all fussed about the price. I can either afford it, or I can't. But those who constantly go on about prices, and then make dodgy comments when a price goes down? Nothing is ever good enough for them, and they lash out. Like the abusive spouse GW were compared to....

[Kaptain Badrukk]

Word MR M.
The analogy that was used is not wholly incorrect, we justify because despite what we put up with from them we feel we're getting more good than bad.
Much like the abused partner without the self esteem to escape.
The difference of course being that we have dalliances with other miniature companies, and lo and behold they really don't ask for much less.

[Mr Mystery]

Another example...

2nd Ed....Assault Marines with Jump Packs. £25 for 5....now? £20.50.......

Average armies of course have enlarged, but there is precisely nothing preventing anyone playing smaller point games, so that argument has to be weighed accordingly.

[Phototoxin]

Another example...

2nd Ed....Assault Marines with Jump Packs. £25 for 5....now? £20.50.......

Average armies of course have enlarged, but there is precisely nothing preventing anyone playing smaller point games, so that argument has to be weighed accordingly.

I don't ever recall them being that expensive. I can recall 2 metal marines for £4. And GW can charge £30 for 5.

Anyway it seems that it's largely a matter of affordability and opinion. I guess the fun:£ ratio isn't good enough with GW for me to get any more stuff.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

The other thing is that with plastic kits like Sternguard, the price isn't just based on the five figures, but on all of the pieces on those crammed sprues. You can think of it as £4-5 per figure and the rest is made up by shoulderpads, heads and guns you can seed throughout the rest of your army.

[Phototoxin]

That is quite true. In the same vein as the death company box. It's really more of a 'blood angel upgrade' box.

[Cap'nSmurfs]

I think it's a deliberate strategy with those boxes, yes. Like the Dark Angels Veterans, also, possibly Patient Zero of this. :)

[Mr Mystery]

I think it's a deliberate strategy with those boxes, yes. Like the Dark Angels Veterans, also, possibly Patient Zero of this. :)

That would be the Black Templars #Pedantry.

But yeah. Assault Marines, 2nd Edition, £25 for 5 with jump packs in metal. I remember. I have 20 of them!

[Wolfshade]

I remember those lead prices, also let us not forget that the cost of crude has increased subsantially.
http://www.economywatch.com/userfiles/aolr-figure4.png
This has a huge knock on from direct plastic costs, fuel costs, transportation costs, this also influences the cost of food and drink for the employees which means wages need to increase to cover inflation which is also pushed into the cost of the miniature.