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.