Home › Forums › Windstone Editions › Ask Melody › Grab Bag Young Unicorns – pricing?
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May 1, 2013 at 5:57 pm #896686
🙂 Never mind. I will just say I agree with Kiya and etruscan and falcolf and drag0n and setsunawolf.
My vote for colors would be Natural, Safari, or Supernatural (safari mix natural colors). Thank you so much, Melody! 😀
May 1, 2013 at 8:12 pm #896690What ever you paint will be great!!!! But my preference is real horse colors! I need a red leopard like my real mini stallion!
May 1, 2013 at 10:13 pm #896697Any paint schemes are fine with me.As for the price,I am already saving my change. :)People do what they must. :bigsmile: My worry is not getting one.
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Male Hearth....one day🤞Dream on.May 1, 2013 at 10:56 pm #896698I know the resale value of these guys is crazy, but for me, the higher prices for grab bags can be deterring because it is, while always amazing and fun, still a grab bag item. Buyers are putting down some not inconsiderable sums for a surprise! And that is half the fun, but if the price is going to go much higher, why not wait for a special item or ebay item that catches your fancy instead of a grab bag that might really be “ughh” in the buyer’s opinion? Don’t get me wrong, I love these little grab bag guys, but I also just found my old receipt for the first batch of light-fantasy baby unicorns in August of 2011 and just about crapped myself because they were only $65 each. That was definitely the kind of money I was comfortable spending on a risk and surprise. When it gets to be much more, the fun starts to die.
May 2, 2013 at 12:25 am #896708As I understand it these are still being cast and haven’t even begun to be painted, so we are all being given equal opportunity to save up, no matter how much they will end up costing.
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Dreamscape, Orion, Poison Dart, Fireberry, Spangler + Tigerberry DragonsMay 2, 2013 at 2:29 am #896721I would love to see multi colors…Candy corn. As someone who always misses the grab bags…. it is frustrating to see them for resell almost immediately after they are shipped for twice the price (and these people tend to get multiples somehow). I would much rather pay the artist the added value. Hopefully I get one this time!
May 2, 2013 at 4:58 am #896733I have no problem with a $300 price point, but the type would definitely influence my willingness to buy.
Yes : natural, natural safari (that Quagga for the April raffle was beautiful)
No : Candy corn, supernatural safariBut personal preference helps to cut down on the total demand, I suppose.
May 2, 2013 at 1:50 pm #896745LupasLuane, I think you got a real deal on your early purchase. I understand where you are coming from too, but I think we, the collectors, need to be fair to Windstone. Since they bear all the costs of production, they should be receiving a fair share of market value. If a collector is uncomfortable w/ the price for something they may feel eh? about, then they should not buy and save their money for that eBay piece that catches their fancy.
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Sun Dragon Koi #3May 2, 2013 at 8:13 pm #896769I know the resale value of these guys is crazy, but for me, the higher prices for grab bags can be deterring because it is, while always amazing and fun, still a grab bag item. Buyers are putting down some not inconsiderable sums for a surprise! And that is half the fun, but if the price is going to go much higher, why not wait for a special item or ebay item that catches your fancy instead of a grab bag that might really be “ughh” in the buyer’s opinion? Don’t get me wrong, I love these little grab bag guys, but I also just found my old receipt for the first batch of light-fantasy baby unicorns in August of 2011 and just about crapped myself because they were only $65 each. That was definitely the kind of money I was comfortable spending on a risk and surprise. When it gets to be much more, the fun starts to die.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
The problem with attempting to assess the market value on a grab bag is that they vary WIDELY as far as aftermarket pricing goes. There are always a few unis from each batch that are super popular, and there are always some that are less-than popular. The aftermarket price differences between these can be hundreds of dollars – all of course, depending on who wants them and how deep their pockets go.The question as these prices increase becomes “is the risk worth the reward, or possible disappointment?”, which of course, is an entirely personal decision. I tend to be a gambler so I’ll likely get one unless NONE of them strike my fancy.. but I see and appreciate LupusLunae’s point and do completely agree. Regardless of if I get one or not, there’s definitely more of a “Oh man, should I have spent that much money on something I dont even know if I’ll LIKE or not?” thought after purchasing, especially now with trading seeming to be harder and more cumbersome with every batch. It is something to think about.
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Please visit My Webpage to see my art and PYO's that I've done in the past!May 2, 2013 at 8:22 pm #896770It seems as if most batches of Grab Bags have been more elaborate than the batch before, and thus more time consuming to paint. More time = higher cost, so part of the pricing decision on this batch may be how fancy they are. It could be that “Poad bit” youngs would cost more than natural ones, but this is only speculation on my part.
May 3, 2013 at 12:52 am #896824Paint puke, please! 😀 (I still remember the first time I saw that phrase, used for the first Candy Corn batch. And I still laugh every time I see it in print.)
RE: pricing…just one viewpoint here. The last batch of “natural” unis was the first GB in more than a year that I didn’t participate in.
Why?
–I have 6 GBB’s already,
–including one natural (I prefer fantasy types).
–I knew the Youngs were on our radar.
–I fully expect the Youngs’ price to be somewhere between $250-$350.
–and for me personally, $130 for a natural baby wasn’t worth it.Did my decision to FINALLY skip a GB hurt Windstone? Doesn’t appear to have done so. I know others who skipped that batch too. And yet, the release sold out anyway during the usual amount of time, even without the help of some regular buyers.
Do I want to pay $350 for a GBY? Nope. But I’ve been trying for eighteen months to snag one of a handful of fantasy GBY’s that I like on the resale market, and failed to do so for that price. They’ve all gone for more. I’ve tried offering other things up in trade for one & failed that way too. This is my only shot, and I’m keenly aware of that fact.
I had wondered if the market would bear $130 natural GBB’s…it did. I have ZERO doubt about it handling a 90 uni batch of GBY’s at anywhere from $250-350. They will sell out, even with a one per limit. Even if half of the “regulars” around here skip the batch. It’s too rare a commodity, there’s no prospect of new horns, and you can’t easily procure one in that price range any other way. Too many of us have never been able to get our hands on one. And people will buy on impulse when it happens…even some of those who say they won’t. (Hey, I’ve done it. I’m not proud of it, but it’s easy to cave once they’re available!)
I *hope* they’re less–it’s easier to justify. But I’m planning for $350. And I suggest figure that to anyone who’s trying to budget. If you allocate that much, you increase the odds of having enough on hand when the release happens, and if it goes for less, you’ll have a bit extra to play with.
May 3, 2013 at 2:28 am #896830First: Paint-puke-magic-mushroom-covered in glitter!!
Second: I haven’t looked at the forum in over two months and the day I come back I walk right into the thing that sickened me in the first place.
First of all, IMO when something sells out as fast as GB unicorns do, then the price is TOO LOW. (get your baskets of tomatoes and get ready to throw at me) These are pieces of original art by a world renowned artist, not EVERYone SHOULD be able to afford them, that’s what makes original art so special. Most people have to save for months, even years, and are still never able to afford an artist’s original work. I think we all (MYSELF INCLUDED) have gotten spoiled off the past batches of grab bags. Most of us buy several Windstones a year, and then get irritated when one comes along that we can’t afford. The less you can buy = the more you will appreciate the ones you already have and ARE ABLE to get. And if you do shell out more than you wanted and get one you hate, it’s not hard at all to sell them for what you paid for them. I didn’t buy a baby from the most recent batch because I thought the price was way too high for colors that aren’t my cup o’ tea, did that cause them to not sell out? I think $300-$350+ range is more than a fair raise. Will I have $350 when they are ready? Maybe, maybe not. Will I be p*ssed at Windstone if I can’t afford one? NO. I’m gonna go take a Midol and lay down, I’ll see y’all in another two months.May 3, 2013 at 3:04 am #896831I’d like to say that although we can agree and disagree about pricing, how much is “fair”, how much we can each personally afford, etc.. it is all personal opinion and I believe that, regardless of what opinion each individual customer has, it is beneficial to Windstone to know what we are thinking – even if they can’t cater to all of us!
That said, I don’t think anyone should be angry or rubbed the wrong way if someone else has a difference of opinion than them. Yes, these are collector items that are in no way something that one needs to get to survive. Yes, they are pieces of art that deserve the expense that Windstone deems for them.
I don’t think we should stop giving our opinions, even if they are unpopular, because they inform Windstone of the different views that their customer base has. They may do what they wish with this information, but I firmly believe that knowing is far better than not knowing.
I feel like people are getting a little emotionally charged about these differences of opinion and I really wish it wasn’t so. Yeah, in a perfect world everything Windstone makes will be priced for my pocketbook, but realistically I understand that they will price things the way that they must in order to run their business. It will stink if I can’t afford to get something I want, but that’s life and I will get over it.
I am begging people here to remember that we are all entitled to think different things. You may not like what I have to say, and I may not like what you do – but can’t we just agree to disagree? I hate to see people getting angry about something that is ultimately out of ALL of our hands.
We all got here because we have at least one thing in common – we love Melody’s work!! I got my answer for the original question in this thread and I hope that we can just move on to that thing we have in common, and celebrate her amazing art.
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Please visit My Webpage to see my art and PYO's that I've done in the past!May 3, 2013 at 3:18 am #896833I’d like to say that although we can agree and disagree about pricing, how much is “fair”, how much we can each personally afford, etc.. it is all personal opinion and I believe that, regardless of what opinion each individual customer has, it is beneficial to Windstone to know what we are thinking – even if they can’t cater to all of us!
That said, I don’t think anyone should be angry or rubbed the wrong way if someone else has a difference of opinion than them. Yes, these are collector items that are in no way something that one needs to get to survive. Yes, they are pieces of art that deserve the expense that Windstone deems for them.
I don’t think we should stop giving our opinions, even if they are unpopular, because they inform Windstone of the different views that their customer base has. They may do what they wish with this information, but I firmly believe that knowing is far better than not knowing.
I feel like people are getting a little emotionally charged about these differences of opinion and I really wish it wasn’t so. Yeah, in a perfect world everything Windstone makes will be priced for my pocketbook, but realistically I understand that they will price things the way that they must in order to run their business. It will stink if I can’t afford to get something I want, but that’s life and I will get over it.
I am begging people here to remember that we are all entitled to think different things. You may not like what I have to say, and I may not like what you do – but can’t we just agree to disagree? I hate to see people getting angry about something that is ultimately out of ALL of our hands.
We all got here because we have at least one thing in common – we love Melody’s work!! I got my answer for the original question in this thread and I hope that we can just move on to that thing we have in common, and celebrate her amazing art.
Amen, Hannah.
The inability of people to recognize that others will and do have different opinions, and being ok with it, is the cause of a great amount of strife in the world. Even if we don’t feel the same way, your way is just as valid as mine, and that’s ok. Nobody has to be right, and nobody has to be wrong. We’re just different. 🙂
May 3, 2013 at 3:57 am #896834There’s one thing that I wanted to put out there about Grab Bags. Only Windstone would know of course, but I’ve always assumed they attract new collectors. They did for me! I’m an international collector, none sells them here, I’d never heard of them before but I found them on deviant art and the one thing that interested me the most, was grab bags! ‘How cool is that!’. I saw the first batch on Candycorns come out and honestly $90 (which I think was their price at the time) looked steep to me. I was a little surprised, but I was a newbie too.
They sold out before I decided for or against them, I think that was a record time XD.
Next lot of Grab Bag Poads at $115 (I believe they were), I still thought it was a lot of money, but the concept seemed so fun I caved in and bought one. Loved it and have bought so many more Poads and Windstones since then I ever thought I would, and at prices (for ebay items) that I never thought I would spend.Please note when I say these things appeared very expensive to me, it’s not as if I’m saying Melody’s work isn’t worth it, I had to keep my spending and saving in perspective though.
I get worried that the higher the prices go, the less new collectors will appear. If I noticed them at this point, I’m not sure if I would take the plunge and start buying. And yet, I don’t have a solution to what I just addressed. The demand is so high prices have to go up. Maybe production painters could even do more affordable and simpler grab bags that people with less expendable cash could enjoy? I know people value them much more when they’re painted by Melody, but the concept still seems fun and enticing =)
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