In the latest Issue of Playset Magazine it was stated a playset maker was saying privately that they were not going to produce any playsets for OTS due to poor sales. Playset Magazine went on to comment that this maker’s previous playset were climbing in value.
We have to chided Playset Magazine for bringing this matter up at this time for several reasons. First, the playset maker wanted to keep it private as they may change their mind after gauging the market. Second, people might get the wrong impression of the company’s finical state and could start rumors about the company. Third because we have two least companies doing playsets, people will be wondering if the other companies will be doing a playset.
We have to commend these makers for doing playsets. Most collectors never thought they would see new playsets.
I was shocked at the post as well. The magazine has never been one to publish rumors.
The blurb says that the company is “scaling back” until “sales pick up” and will not release a new set at OTSN this year. Far from sounding desperate, this just sounds like them letting people know not to expect anything new for now. They seem to be saying they think this is a slump and things will bounce back.
I do agree that it is a rumor at this stage and not identifying the company leads to confusion and speculation.
I think we can all figure out who it is, at least we have a 50/50 chance on a WAG. Maybe he passed this information on to the magazine to publish, I don’t think he’d do it on his own based on his history.
The grapevine and the rumor mill are recession-proof!
Ron Barzso told several collectors at Indy that he was leaning against releasing a new playset at OTSN this year. Rusty Kern has a strong relationship with Barzso, and I’m pretty sure he would not have repeated the “private comments” without checking with Ron first.
Don
The answer to the question is Rusty did not. I saw Ron on Saturday at PW and he had asked to keep it private.
Yeah he told me too at Indy, he didn’t sound definite though, plus he wasn’t feeling well so I passed it off as he was having a rough time. It does figure though the outlay on the last set had to be quite large especially with the plastic injected figures. With the large amount of figures that are produced with plastic injection it seems to take quite a while to sell them all. I believe he still has Robin Hood figures and that was a number of years ago now.
Once you make “private comments” to a dozen or more persons in the hobby you can’t realistically expect them to remain private or confidential for very long.
Don
I agree once you start telling people something it will get out. The problem is certain people such as myself have an obligation not to say things that are told to us in confidence due to the weight we carry in the hobby. So if someone else talks about it fine. I have kept my obligation. That is where Playset Magazine is wrong as I could see that they betrayed an obligation, which I have verify.
I would buy more new play-sets if “certain sellers” would stop using Playsets as DUMPING GROUNDS for and badly matching figures and inconsistent scaled accessories. The variety of different figures should always be well thought out, to blend nicely together.
Christian
The put together sets as I call them have never excited me either. To do a playset right is a big undertaking both in time and money. I have long decide to do a set my way buy the parts. I will get the Austin figures and mix it with figures I have.