Toy Collecting: Medicom Darth Maul - Proof That Some Times, It's Better To Wait
The whole pop culture collectibles business is built mostly on one single premise. Scarcity. Those who have read Robert Cialdini's excellent Influence will surely know what I am talking about.
The way toy manufacturers get collectors excited about a product is to create a situation whereby the toy in question is perceived to be scarce, and hence, exclusive. This is a tried and tested method and it works. One only need to look at how fast Sideshow exclusives sell out to know that it does.
Therefore, in order to deal with such situations, toy collectors develop what those in academia call mental heuristics, or to put plainly, "short-cut thinking". Toy manufacturers know that most collectors do they have the time and energy to truly evaluate if a product is really scarce and highly demanded or even good enough to warrant a purchase, and so take advantage of that fact and and tell collectors that this and that figure is limited to a run of only 1,000 or this and that figure is a mail-away special. Old tricks really, but you and I still fall for it.
The way toy manufacturers get collectors excited about a product is to create a situation whereby the toy in question is perceived to be scarce, and hence, exclusive. This is a tried and tested method and it works. One only need to look at how fast Sideshow exclusives sell out to know that it does.
Therefore, in order to deal with such situations, toy collectors develop what those in academia call mental heuristics, or to put plainly, "short-cut thinking". Toy manufacturers know that most collectors do they have the time and energy to truly evaluate if a product is really scarce and highly demanded or even good enough to warrant a purchase, and so take advantage of that fact and and tell collectors that this and that figure is limited to a run of only 1,000 or this and that figure is a mail-away special. Old tricks really, but you and I still fall for it.
Which brings me to Medicom's Darth Maul, which I was very excited about when it was first announced. I almost pre-ordered it, for fear that it will sell out when Medicom release it.
Thankfully, I didn't. MWCToys, a highly respected site for toy reviews, posted their review and photos of Darth Maul, and I was brutally disappointed by what I read and saw.
Thankfully, I didn't. MWCToys, a highly respected site for toy reviews, posted their review and photos of Darth Maul, and I was brutally disappointed by what I read and saw.
Comparing the actual product with the prototype photos above, is it hard to fault the head-sculpt, but just look at that neck and body. Has Medicom starved him? Darth Maul is a Zabrak not a giraffe. So for over SGD $200, all you get is fine head sculpt of Darth Maul and a body that is more suited for DJ Qualls kitbash.
Of course, the long neck and stick-thin body isn't all that visible if you put on his cloak and fluff it up a bit, but really, for something that costs so much, you'd expect it to look great right out of the box with or without the cloak.
Therefore, the moral of the story is here is that mental heuristics don't always work and that some times, it is better resist the urge to pre-order and wait.
Update: Here are some photos taken by reader Jun. It seems the problem with the neck and body isn't as great as I expected.
Of course, the long neck and stick-thin body isn't all that visible if you put on his cloak and fluff it up a bit, but really, for something that costs so much, you'd expect it to look great right out of the box with or without the cloak.
Therefore, the moral of the story is here is that mental heuristics don't always work and that some times, it is better resist the urge to pre-order and wait.
Update: Here are some photos taken by reader Jun. It seems the problem with the neck and body isn't as great as I expected.
4 comments:
I beg to differ, I didnt think mwc toys gave a really fair review but well everyone has their own opinion.
heres some of my humble pics http://www.toy-world.com.hk/forum/viewthread.php?tid=1739 not exactly the best, I have both the SS maul n Medi Maul but I still think this Maul wins the SS Maul anytime.
Hey jun, thanks for dropping by, and those are some great pics.
If I had seen your pics instead of those at MWCToys, I would have seriously considered getting Maul.
On the other hand, I can understand where MWCToys are coming from. I think they really wanted to highlight the problem of the neck and perhaps over did it.
In any case, those photos you took really showed that all thing considered, it is all about the angles.
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