Answering questions you might have.

[Jason R]

no bonus or lunchbox. otherwise, the DVDs are identical.

Jason - What does "stripped-down" mean?

[brainysmurf]

Is there any idea how many copies of the set BMG produced (or is scheduled to produce) for Ventura Distribution?

Personally, I'm glad that other retailers have stepped up and are offering the set at a discouted rate. Yes, it does suck that AU has had my money since February and that if it wasn't for our orders this set would have never been produced. But I disagree that we should be angry with BMG for any of this as they would have had our discs a long time ago if they hadn't fought to keep all of the music included. I'm not mad that Amazon.com is selling the discs for cheap, I'm mad that AU is charging so much. I'm not mad that they're being released on other sites so soon, I'm mad that its taken me so long to get mine.

I guess I'm just grateful that these discs are being made, that they are successful, and that with Amazon.com and other etailers this project has been opened up to the people that love MSCL but couldn't afford the collectors package that AU was putting forth.

I think the question is, Why was AU marking this up so they could get $65 profit on each set?

[Jason R]

Ventura ordered 3,000 units.

[pgh kenny]

Ventura ordered 3,000 units.

Jason you've pretty much already said this, but wow, these other retailers buying from ventura have to be losing money on MSCL with a number as low as 3,000 units and a wholesale cost around $55.

And you know it's not like walmart where a below cost item might draw you into the store and you leave with a cart full of high profit margin stuff you didn't intend to buy, like printer ink jet cartidges. i usually buy one thing at a time online, like the laser printer I bought for $180 and free shipping.

I have to say that none of the retailers selling the discs seem be acting wisely. Aren't profits a good thing?

And Jason, I think it is really cool how you remind everyone to act in their own best interest and not worry about you (seems like you repeated this a lot in the past few days). You've got my respect for whatever project you may undertake in the future.

[Jason R]

That's why I proposed the model, which was bastardized in the debacle we now are experiencing.

$100 bucks is a reasonable price for a true collectible. Charge what you need to make a fair profit and to make it worthwhile to mine your deep catalog.

The rule of the internet is this: People buy strictly on price. Period. Anytime there are multiple vendors for a product, there is always a price war (or collusion). Nobody charges enough to make a profit.

Create exclusives and there is no downward pricing pressure. You can charge the fair retail price. $100 was a perfectly acceptable price... until a price war ensued. Now, the price sucks compared to $53 or $67. Nobody would have complained about $100 if there was no cheaper alternative.

It forces retailers into a situation where nobody is making money on the set now. I would also argue that people who preordered are less happy as well. Who would have thought that lower prices and competition could create unhappiness?

That's why I say that for there to be future super-niche DVDs, the sales channels must be limited. However, unlike this scenario, for future projects, the exclusive retailer must give good service, responsiveness and respect to customers and vendors.

In other words, the retailer must do everything that Another Universe has not done.

[LetsBolt]

Jason, I am one of the people who have placed an order with AU not too long ago. SO basically I dont get a lunchbox, because i wasn't a pre-orderer, but weren't we all under the impression that this was going to be exclussivly at AU? maybe i was just looking at something wrong? in any reason i have ordered at AU - but this means im only getting the bonus disc, and ONE dvd is not even matched near the price of 45-60 bucks or however much more we're buying our sets for.
When should we cancel our orders if we are going to before its too late and the dvds are being shipped to us?
Sould i cancel my order or is AU really thinking of cutting our prices reasonably?
Are they negotiating anything other then the shipping fees [which means absolutely dick to me]?
thanks jason.

[hollis27]

Well apparently I was also looking at something wrong - because I thought only pre-orders got the bonus disk?
Although, it has been bloody months since I actually read the thing.

[inertia7]

Whenever you mention the lunchboxes, you always imply that there is some ridiculous reason - which I get the impression is AU's fault - that they are still in an incomplete state in Hong Kong. You tell us to ask Another Universe about it, but you know full well what the odds of getting a response are. Even if they did respond, they would certainly put a positive spin on the issue so that they didn't look at fault.

I just want to know the good gossip. So, what's the deal with the lunchboxes? Why aren't they finished and what is it AU needs to do to finish them?

Thanks,
Brandon

[fnordboy]

Well apparently I was also looking at something wrong - because I thought only pre-orders got the bonus disk?
Although, it has been bloody months since I actually read the thing.

I remember some confusion about that back a few months ago too. But that was clarified by Jason way back before i even ordered it (back in June).

My guess is when the original pre orders were taken there was talk of that, but it was shot down.

Before i didnt really care for the lunchbox it wasn't important to me, hence why i waited to order (besides past AU f*** ups), but now it pisses me off that i am not getting one. Because I am now paying 60 dollars for a f***ing bonus disc that for all we know is going to suck it.

With every passing hour i get more and more pissed.... someone is going to pay for this...

[Jason R]

Actually, AU realized that the set was going to be available elsewhere, so they decided to give the lunchbox to everyone who ordered from them. THey were going to put different handles on the first 2,500 and the remaining 2,000-2,500 to differentiate the pre-orders from later orders.

This is actually a good thing, however the lunchboxes are still not done. They are printed but not stamped out and I feel that AU.com is to blame for this status.

Jason, I am one of the people who have placed an order with AU not too long ago. SO basically I dont get a lunchbox, because i wasn't a pre-orderer, but weren't we all under the impression that this was going to be exclussivly at AU? maybe i was just looking at something wrong? in any reason i have ordered at AU - but this means im only getting the bonus disc, and ONE dvd is not even matched near the price of 45-60 bucks or however much more we're buying our sets for.
When should we cancel our orders if we are going to before its too late and the dvds are being shipped to us?
Sould i cancel my order or is AU really thinking of cutting our prices reasonably?
Are they negotiating anything other then the shipping fees [which means absolutely dick to me]?
thanks jason.

[Jason R]

AU is saying that everyone will get the bonus disc and lunchbox at a later date. They will not ship with the product. Neither the lunchbox nor the bonus disc are completed at this time.

I was concerned that AU was going to do the DVD authoring in-house, as I don't believe that they have anybody qualified to do it. I was somewhat relieved (relatively?) to receive this response:

"Not doing the authoring in-house. The only thing I am doing is prepping the video and working on the menu screens in Photoshop. I am using Premiere, After Effects, and a few other little cleaner tools on the video.

Justin"

Well apparently I was also looking at something wrong - because I thought only pre-orders got the bonus disk?
Although, it has been bloody months since I actually read the thing.

[Jason R]

I'm not doing this to create negative gossip. I am posting here to tell the facts. It is unfortunate that the facts may show AU in a negative light.

To address this, I will only say that it is not only customers who have been unhappy with communication from AU. The lunchbox manufacturer has also been entirely anatagonized. (Don't worry, I get s**t on for posting here too, but at least I can feel better knowing that somebody, at least, is confronting the unpleasant questions).

Whenever you mention the lunchboxes, you always imply that there is some ridiculous reason - which I get the impression is AU's fault - that they are still in an incomplete state in Hong Kong. You tell us to ask Another Universe about it, but you know full well what the odds of getting a response are. Even if they did respond, they would certainly put a positive spin on the issue so that they didn't look at fault.

I just want to know the good gossip. So, what's the deal with the lunchboxes? Why aren't they finished and what is it AU needs to do to finish them?

Thanks,
Brandon

[Jason R]

My previous posts confirm that AU would owe you a bonus disc and lunchbox.

Before i didnt really care for the lunchbox it wasn't important to me, hence why i waited to order (besides past AU f*** ups), but now it pisses me off that i am not getting one. Because I am now paying 60 dollars for a f***ing bonus disc that for all we know is going to suck it.

With every passing hour i get more and more pissed.... someone is going to pay for this...

[pgh kenny]

i think you already covertly answered this question in this thread, but i just want to explicitly ask...

has anotheruniverse made payments to the vendor for the lunchboxes? are there others anotheruniverse owes money to?. nonpayment is the only thing I could imagine would hold up production. if printing is done, it is too late to change specifications so it can't be that. since we all prepaid, Jason please put our mind to rest that to the best of your knowledge, anotheruniverse is meeting it's obligations on this project. feel free to answer cryptically.

do you think a protracted strike at the west coast ports would affect delivery of the lunchboxes assuming production was completed soon?

[pgh kenny]

(the rights expire in under a year, and there is only one Xmas season in which to sell the set, before it disappears).

Does this mean that the set will never be released again after the rights expire?