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TOPIC: Saberforge's new ''marketing concept''

Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5574

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*THIS IS NOT FROM SABERFORGE, I'M GIVING INFORMATIONS I KNOW!

For those like me who've been around for a while, you know that in the past, Saberforge used to add their new sabers to their website, making it available for everyone! But now, Time is up!

This is something Phil answered tonight when I asked him what he was planning to do with the sabers that were supposed to be released this week:

"We will be doing preorders for many of our upcoming sabers, including the Sorcerer. We will determine whether to continue carrying a new design depending on how well the pre-release does. If a certain saber model does not prove popular, we may discontinue it. New designs that prove popular will have additional runs later this year. ''

Wait...WHAT? Let me explain!

In order to save money on parts (and probably to make more profits), Saberforge now wants to test the market, to see if a certain design is worth selling, before making them available at all time (through their website, the Etsy store, etc.) Let's give an example!

A week ago, SF started selling in a pre-release deal two new sabers: The Fallen and the Reborn! Why do a pre-release? Why not releasing them for good? BECAUSE, what if nobody wants those designs? WHAT if they bought enough parts to do, let's say, 300 sabers, and they only sell, let's say, 100! They're not making profit. In fact, they're losing money, something a company like Saberforge can't afford!

Because of that possibility, they need to make sure a certain design will find buyers before selling this design on a larger scale! That's why they're only selling around 100 sabers of a certain design at the time. That way, some hilts may become available at all times on their website, while some others might pass and never come back!

In other words, if you're interested in a new design, get ready for its ''pre-release''!!! It might never come back!
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Last Edit: 1 year 5 months ago by Darth Revan.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5582

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I guess that makes good business sense, but for those of us on a budget and missing our window kinda blows! I might be alright as i like the movie hilts so I'm sure they will sell. I will be forced to wait till net year anyway so cross my fingers that the vanguard sells!
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5586

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I totally get what they are doing, and it's a good idea! I just hope I can afford the hilts when they come out then.

How are they gonna determine a successful run? If the initial run of 100 sells in 3 weeks, they got a hit. If it takes 3 months to sell that 100, is it considered successful and another run of the saber will come later? That would be my question.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5590

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Good business strategy...How many times does a restaurant have a new menu item "For a Limited Time"? Then they take it away only to bring it back if customer response warrants it?

I know some people, yeah I'm looking at you Revan, that were excited about the Fallen and Reborn but kinda disappointed once the final pictures came out. If they're not going to be a seller, it's better to find out with limited investment than expect every saber to be a best seller.

Market testing sounds like a great option because if they start loosing money on every design they release they'll have to recover their money elsewhere. I personally don't want to see the price of any of their sabers go up because of blind business decisions.

Thanks for the insight Revan, sounds like Phil and company are making a intelligent business move.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5608

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ModernJedi wrote:
I totally get what they are doing, and it's a good idea! I just hope I can afford the hilts when they come out then.

How are they gonna determine a successful run? If the initial run of 100 sells in 3 weeks, they got a hit. If it takes 3 months to sell that 100, is it considered successful and another run of the saber will come later? That would be my question.

Good question my friend! It's simple! They have a deadline for their "sample test"! For example, the Juggernaut and the Silverknight are shipping March 15, which means they have until then to sell their 100 sabers and make them! If it sells, 100 sabers of each will leave the shop around that date, and they're gonna consider this run as a good one, a run they will repeat later (more likely this summer)! However, if they only sell, lets say 56 out lf 100, that means the market for this saber is not high enough to sell only 100 hilts! Think about it: they lost enough money on parts for 44 full hilts nobody bought! That sure hurst!

The faster the runs are going away, the better it will be for them to make another one!
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5609

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I know some people, yeah I'm looking at you Revan, that were excited about the Fallen and Reborn but kinda disappointed once the final pictures came out.

Excellent example you're bringing up here! I'm an eternal Revan fan, and I was expecting a lot from those 2 hilts... Maybe too much! Those sabers were my first deception from saberforge! Now I'm afraid the sorcerer might not come out the way i'm expecting it to! My credit card is ready, my etsy account on fire! I've waited for this saber for so long! I don't want to be disappointed again! If the design sells, they can already count me in for 2 of those haha!
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5650

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I see what they are trying to do with the preorder concept, but with such a specialty product, it could hurt business. Let me explain my thoughts. These sabers are expensive and the market is very small. Throw in competition, such as Ultrasaber or FX loyal customers, that takes away part of the market, a good portion undoubtedly. Some people can't afford a $150 saber so they may be left with the cheaper sabers as their only options. So, while selling to a very small, select market with a very limited consumer base, throwing out a handful of starting price $150 ($250 when blade, electronics, and shipping is thrown in) sabers for a limited time can hurt sales. Some people may want to buy a more expensive saber but need to save a couple paychecks to get to that point, while others may have a choice to make when purchasing.

Take me for example. I want the Juggernaut and Fallen. I want them both as warrior edition sabers. I also have to pay for shipping to my house. Add that up. $500. If these preorders only last a couple weeks or months, I may not have the opportunity to purchase either of these sabers. Thrown in the fact that I want a warrior Epoch before the current design is retired. another $200 added to the mess. That means, for me to get what I want, I have to spend $700 within the next month or two (estimating time frame) on sabers. I don't know about you all, but I certainly don't have that kind of money sitting around, while I am paying for school, food, and rent. I have to choose between those three sabers (and all other preorder designs).

In my opinion, I might only release one saber at a time. You have to understand that the majority of people buying these sabers probably only buy one at any given time. That means that they have to choose between the Juggernaut, Fallen, Current Epoch, Reborn, Exile, Silver Knight, Sorcerer, whatever other current designs are given a limited time run at any given time. Now I don't know the preorder time situation, but it was said that the Reborn and Fallen would ship in April. That is just over a month of gathering preorders for those designs before they, potentially, could be sentenced to death. Without a solid 4-8 month preorder window (which SF may have), I can't see many of these designs making it very far. The Revan designs will be instant hits, but, as for the simpler designs like the Silver Knight, it may barely see the light of day before it is forever lost because the interest was minimal. When it is put up for sale at the same price and same time as far more desirable sabers, it is most likely doomed to fail.

So there is that logic. Now I am sure SF has thought that all through and understand the costs/benefits of every business model they have considered! They have made it this far without my advice so I'm sure they can continue the same way :) In the end, I suppose I'll just get my one saber.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5651

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ModernJedi wrote:
If the initial run of 100 sells in 3 weeks, they got a hit. If it takes 3 months to sell that 100, is it considered successful and another run of the saber will come later?

I really don't think that you could determine a successful run within a couple months in this niche market. However, I don't have saberforge sales numbers in front of me so I don't know. It would be interesting to see exactly how many of each saber they sell per month, though...
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5657

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Jedi Knight wrote:
ModernJedi wrote:
If the initial run of 100 sells in 3 weeks, they got a hit. If it takes 3 months to sell that 100, is it considered successful and another run of the saber will come later?

I really don't think that you could determine a successful run within a couple months in this niche market. However, I don't have saberforge sales numbers in front of me so I don't know. It would be interesting to see exactly how many of each saber they sell per month, though...

Yeah, im going all in on a Reborn......and see that juggernaut........sigh. Hopefully it will be around when i have extra cash.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5658

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You, my good sir, are on fire!

I agree with you on everything you just said (WAY too long to repeat)! That's exactly why I saved for so long in order to buy my staff: Because I knew it was coming soon!

Just like you said, this situation is forcing people to choose, since the majority of us can't buy three of them at the time haha! That's the downside to this ''marketing concept''! You sell sabers fast, but you also lose opportunities to sell more!
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5698

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Yeah, I'm very curious to see how this new marketing strategy plays out. At the end of the day, I think SF will proceed with plans that appeal both to them and to the greatest number of their customers.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5835

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I think that in the off chance that the Juggernaut doesn't sell well (which is highly unlikely) SF should keep it, purely because US seems to be the only other company that makes a duel ready Malgus saber (which doesn't look nearly as nice and is way too big IMO). That way they can snag some customers who's search for a Malgus saber would have ended with US.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5873

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I snagged the weathered quick ship Juggernaut on Sunday night, and I should have it in my hands tomorrow, at which point I'll be taking tons of pictures obviously. This will be my first saber with a box, so I'll see how it feels. I do like that the Juggernaut is much more accurate to the overall design than the Malice, both in scale and details. So hopefully there'll be a nice new Juggernaut review section on the forums this weekend, and I'll get to help drive pre-orders in the meantime. :D

Actually, thinking about it more, any pre-release quick ships like the ones for the Juggernaut suddenly became a lot more important from a marketing standpoint, as those few models for the official site images will be out in the wild during pre-order periods. There's a lot of potential for driving pre-order sales with a few early models getting consumer use. Guess I better make this look really good. O_O
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Last Edit: 1 year 5 months ago by Hake Felflame.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5963

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Hake Felflame wrote:
Actually, thinking about it more, any pre-release quick ships like the ones for the Juggernaut suddenly became a lot more important from a marketing standpoint, as those few models for the official site images will be out in the wild during pre-order periods. There's a lot of potential for driving pre-order sales with a few early models getting consumer use. Guess I better make this look really good. O_O

While this could be true, it doesn't change the limited time/money available to purchase one (or more) of these sabers. No matter how good of a review you (or anyone else) gives on any one of these sabers, it still doesn't Change the fact that the average customer may not be able to afford one (let alone more than one) saber within this month. The chances of them selling all 100 of the more desired type of saber are great, but that isn't enough time or quantity to decided whether or not the saber will be successful. If you create a great, desired design like the Reborn or Juggernaut, then limit the preorder time to a month, you'll probably sell out. But That doesn't mean the saber will sell in the long run. It just means you manipulated the market, possibly killing off less desirable designs like the Exile or Silver Knight (not saying that I desire them less, just saying that The Revan sabers are probably a higher priority to most).

I just want all five of the sabers because I like the designs, but that isn't a possibility since I only have a month to order them and I can't afford one right now. Then there will be some process used to decided whether or not the design is worth keeping. If they sell out of all designs, does that mean they should keep them all? Without the short-term demand, some of these sabers may not sell. Some of them may sell due to the unavailability of the other preorders. In the end, some sabers may be "successful" and some may "fail," though the sample size and time was so small, the data was skewed. But maybe they are just trying to boost temporary sales. Maybe they are just trying to hype up certain sabers.

All I know is that I literally can't wait for your review! :)
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Last Edit: 1 year 5 months ago by Jedi Knight.
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Saberforge's new ''marketing concept'' 1 year 5 months ago #5964

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That's a good way 2 call it. What u wrote hit on a lot of points.
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