From: lucas23@webtv.net (Greg Lucchesi)
Subject: A Talk With the Fan Club President
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 1998 11:50:34 -0500 (CDT)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.starwars.collecting.misc
I just got off the phone with Dan Madsen, SW Insider publisher and
president, who was nice enough to return my phone call.
He seemed truly sorry that this situation has developed, and somewhat
astonished at the backlash. He saw these figures as an opportunity to
get them out to collectors rather than have them simply cancelled.
Unlike other exclusives, this was not planned from the beginning stages
but rather a last minute deal.
The cost of the figures was apparently determined by Hasbro and
Lucasfilm. Economy of scale with such a small production run was also a
factor. Bottom line--The price is set and the order has been placed.
There is no room to lower it.
I mentioned Hasbro's pledge of 'no more limited exclusives.' Dan said
that the "limited to 25,000" is the number that the club ordered. He was
not even sure that they would sell that many at that price. He did leave
open the possiblity of more being available at a later date if they did
sell, therefore they are not truly limited.
I told him that I would not be ordering them at that price and that I
was seriously considering cancelling my membership. His response was
that it was unfair to punish the fan club for this one-time situation.
He promised that he would do whatever was in his power to insure that
future fan club exclusives (and he said there are several in the works)
offer a better value to collectors. He would work with Hasbro to keep
the price down. He asked that we bear with him on this one and greater
things will follow.
I am still undecided on whether I will cancel my membership, We talked
for several minutes and he made the comment that it seemed like I had
been unhappy with Hasbro for some time. And of course he's right about
that! Hasbro deserves much of the blame. I'm not certain that the fan
club is completely off the hook, but guess who I'm calling next.
I still encourage everyone to call 1-800-TRUE-FAN (ask for Dan Madsen's
voice mail) and continue to express their feelings. Give Hasbro a call
at 1-800-327-8264 as well (ask for the moron in charge :)
If anyone has a contact # or email for Lucasfilm I would like to contact
them as well. Please post or email me.
Anyway I am leaving on vacation in a few hours and I won't be back until
Sunday. I doubt that much will have changed by then, but we must be
heard! Let them know!
take care all
--greg
(
geocities.com/timessquare)