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If they sell for $1000 I will never have one. I can hardly talk my husband into letting me buy an old warrior for $250 let alone spend a grand on one. I could pay my mortgage and still have money left over to spend!
Windstone is pretty fair about trying to keep their prices as low as they can afford, while still making enough of a profit to remain in business. I’m sure everyone understands that it is very expensive to remain in business. But, if they can figure out a hollow core on these, that can reduce their production cost a bit. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to get these huge mommas ready to sell, as those of you that have been to the factory can attest. 🙂
This lady dragon is a pain in the butt to produce from what I understand. They can only cast X number of SKs at a time, they take an eon ( I think Melody said weeks) for the gypsum to dry (another thing the hollow core might help with), and while they dry they must be stored. Storage space is at a premium at the Factory and these girls take up a lot of space! Then they need to be painted, and John told me that most of their paint is over $250/gallon, wholesale. Not that a SK needs anywhere near a gallon of paint, but they are not cheap to paint either. And they take a while to paint due to the size.
So, let’s consider that a SK might take a month or so to complete, causes storage problems, can only be cast a few at a time, and is expensive (relatively) to make. They bring in an average of $900-$2,000 each.
Then consider, let’s take a male dragon- it only takes 15-20 of those to make the same amount of money, and those take a few days at most to make that many. They are easy to make and cast, there are always unpainted ones waiting for their new colors, and the painters are pretty familiar with that shape.
It’s a wonder they are making the SKs at all! A labor of love. 😉 Everyone pray for a hollow core!! (I am!!)However!
I’m confident that Windstone will make these (secret keepers) as inexpensive as they can afford and still remain in business and continue to bring us nice things. Because these are big expensive dragons to make, that might be a high number but I have personal doubts that it’ll be more than $1000 (these are personal feelings and do not reflect the company at all).
Determining a price based on eBay sales (auction style, not BIN) is a little unfair, because in auction sales the buyer determines the price they will pay, not the seller. I know this would never happen, but what if the eBay SKs sold for $50? Well, first off Windstone would know they have a bum product that didn’t sell, but in terms of determining a selling price, it would be silly to continue to offer them at the “average ebay price”. 😉 The same could be said if they were all selling at $20,000 each. Should Windstone set their selling price based upon this? 😉The future of the SK is ultimately uncertain and may remain that way for some time until a better production method is found (i.e. hollow core). So those of you that go after the eBay SKs should be proud- you know you’re getting one (and production SKs are not at all a guarantee!) and as long as you realize that they may release them into production one day for a price that might be less than what you paid, everything is okay. 🙂
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My art: featherdust.compurpledoggy wrote:If they sell for $1000 I will never have one. I can hardly talk my husband into letting me buy an old warrior for $250 let alone spend a grand on one. I could pay my mortgage and still have money left over to spend!
I understand your feelings. I have a tough time paying anything over $300 for a Windstone. And for some, that is too high. I think I would be willing to save up for months to a year for around $750-800 assuming they are still solid core and will cost more for shippping.
skigod377 wrote:Dragon Master wrote:I was hoping they would not sell them for less then $1000 since that seems to be the lowest price that they are selling for on e-bay and most seem to be about $1500 now
They have to be able to sell them, DM, and most people cant afford $1000 for a figurine. 😕 I understand how you feel, but you should be happy right now. You can see that others have now sold for more than yours and there will never be any more white signed ones. Give over a little bit.
More then the price I’m curious on how they would come up with a number if they sell them direct, as I have stated elsewhere
Dragon Master wrote:skigod377 wrote:Dragon Master wrote:I was hoping they would not sell them for less then $1000 since that seems to be the lowest price that they are selling for on e-bay and most seem to be about $1500 now
They have to be able to sell them, DM, and most people cant afford $1000 for a figurine. 😕 I understand how you feel, but you should be happy right now. You can see that others have now sold for more than yours and there will never be any more white signed ones. Give over a little bit.
More then the price I’m curious on how they would come up with a number if they sell them direct, as I have stated elsewhere
I am sure that would depend on demand.
Dragon Master wrote:More then the price I’m curious on how they would come up with a number if they sell them direct, as I have stated elsewhere
Probably the same way they come up with a price on anything else they sell driect. 🙂
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My art: featherdust.comNambroth wrote:Dragon Master wrote:More then the price I’m curious on how they would come up with a number if they sell them direct, as I have stated elsewhere
Probably the same way they come up with a price on anything else they sell driect. 🙂
which is what method. I’m curious about the method not the actual number. They have NEVER explained that method to usDragon Master wrote:Nambroth wrote:Dragon Master wrote:More then the price I’m curious on how they would come up with a number if they sell them direct, as I have stated elsewhere
Probably the same way they come up with a price on anything else they sell driect. 🙂
which is what method. I’m curious about the method not the actual number. They have NEVER explained that method to usCost of materials+cost of time+cost of storage+some%markup = direct sale cost.
I don’t think they should have to explain their pricing method to us. I mean, who are we? The IRS? They’re a business. As long as people are willing to pay it, they should charge it.
I honestly didn’t think it was really that difficult for folks to figure out how a business prices things. I thought it was common sense, but that could just be my father’s teaching.
And emerald is right, there’s no need for them to tell us how they arrive at their prices. They’re not reporting to us for accounting purposes.
All we need to worry about is the next Cool Thing(tm) Melody comes up with.
Rusti wrote:All we need to worry about is the next Cool Thing(tm) Melody comes up with.
I love your trademark name! 😀
OK Sorry I even brought this up. I was just curious since everything else that has a retail price has been set for years and we all know what the prices are and can buy thing if we want to or not, I was asking becasue this is a special case senireo.
Again I’m sorry I brought this up to get crusified over.
I’m outta hereDragon Master wrote:OK Sorry I even brought this up. I was just curious since everything else that has a retail price has been set for years and we all know what the prices are and can buy thing if we want to or not, I was asking becasue this is a special case senireo.
Again I’m sorry I brought this up to get crusified over.
I’m outta hereRetail prices change as costs of production go up and down. Nothing is ever set in stone. You’re not being crucified, Emerald simply asked you why you thought it was really any of your business. It did seem just a tad nosey.
Being a fledgling designer and an artist for a slightly longer period of time, myself, I’ve no desire to question Melody for her pricing decisions. It’s her blood, sweat and tears in the work, and she can ask whatever she wants for it, cuz the rest of us somehow come up with the funds to pay for it, because we just want it that badly.
The rest is just business. You have to cover your costs first, then decide on a markup for profit.
Rusti wrote:Dragon Master wrote:OK Sorry I even brought this up. I was just curious since everything else that has a retail price has been set for years and we all know what the prices are and can buy thing if we want to or not, I was asking becasue this is a special case senireo.
Again I’m sorry I brought this up to get crusified over.
I’m outta hereRetail prices change as costs of production go up and down. Nothing is ever set in stone. You’re not being crucified, Emerald simply asked you why you thought it was really any of your business. It did seem just a tad nosey.
Being a fledgling designer and an artist for a slightly longer period of time, myself, I’ve no desire to question Melody for her pricing decisions. It’s her blood, sweat and tears in the work, and she can ask whatever she wants for it, cuz the rest of us somehow come up with the funds to pay for it, because we just want it that badly.
The rest is just business. You have to cover your costs first, then decide on a markup for profit.
Exactly! No one is upset. 🙂
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