I think the Build a Figure concept needs to go

[Biff Slamkovich™]

I wanted to share my thoughts and see how the community feels about this. It's a bit of a rant so apologies in advance.

As a collector of the WWE Mattel line since day one, and someone who currently owns 714 Elite figures, originally I felt that when BAF's were first introduced they were a great idea. It was early enough in the line where you could roll out a concept to not only score 1-4 figures that you needed but also get a bonus 5th figure for your trouble.

Over the last few years though, when I look at a BAF that I need, the only way to obtain it is by purchasing figures that I already own -- often times featuring attires that I don't need or want. The days of BAF lines including figures that I actually need for my collection are seemingly gone. If you're a new collector however BAF lines look a lot better.

It sort of feels like as an early collector I'm being completely ignored and that sort of sucks. The latest example being The Disciple in the MNW line. I have 3 RVD's already, the original Harlem Heat releases and The Rock from the Faarooq/Rock 2-pack. I've been waiting for a Disciple for years and years and now it's essentially locked behind a pay wall. (Yes I realize I can try hunting down the entire line, then selling off everything but that BAF parts but that defeats the point of my topic).

My point is, does anyone else feel that the BAF execution has run its course? I worry that with guys like The Disciple being locked behind the purchase of four other figures doesn't bode well for other first time in the line talent that we need. Maybe it's time to just incorporate those figures into the main lines instead.

I encourage anyone wanting to reply to this to speak from their own personal experience and don't use phrases like "well of course Mattel wants to do things this way, their goal is to make money after all!". You're not an employee of Mattel and you don't benefit from their sales, so stop using those arguments.

[ImJoeGrizzlyBitch]

Mar 13, 2024 20:00:21 GMT -5 Biff Slamkovich™ said:

I wanted to share my thoughts and see how the community feels about this. It's a bit of a rant so apologies in advance.

As a collector of the WWE Mattel line since day one, and someone who currently owns 714 Elite figures, originally I felt that when BAF's were first introduced they were a great idea. It was early enough in the line where you could roll out a concept to not only score 1-4 figures that you needed but also get a bonus 5th figure for your trouble.

Over the last few years though, when I look at a BAF that I need, the only way to obtain it is by purchasing figures that I already own -- often times featuring attires that I don't need or want. The days of BAF lines including figures that I actually need for my collection are seemingly gone. If you're a new collector however BAF lines look a lot better.

It sort of feels like as an early collector I'm being completely ignored and that sort of sucks. The latest example being The Disciple in the MNW line. I have 3 RVD's already, the original Harlem Heat releases and The Rock from the Faarooq/Rock 2-pack. I've been waiting for a Disciple for years and years and now it's essentially locked behind a pay wall. (Yes I realize I can try hunting down the entire line, then selling off everything but that BAF parts but that defeats the point of my topic).

My point is, does anyone else feel that the BAF execution has run its course? I worry that with guys like The Disciple being locked behind the purchase of four other figures doesn't bode well for other first time in the line talent that we need. Maybe it's time to just incorporate those figures into the main lines instead.

I encourage anyone wanting to reply to this to speak from their own personal experience and don't use phrases like "well of course Mattel wants to do things this way, their goal is to make money after all!". You're not an employee of Mattel and you don't benefit from their sales, so stop using those arguments.

Well technically you don’t already own the figures because the attires are different. I could understand if the BAF was a figure that was already made like attire wise and all, but it’s not. The BAF should be used for figures that wouldn’t likely sell well at retail which is what I thought they said originally that’s what the BAFs were for.

[crush]

I don’t mean this in a patronizing way, but the reasons you cite about not liking BAF figures are honestly why the concept (across all lines) exists. The goal is to try and entice people into buying figures they otherwise wouldn’t to on order to get the parts. I’m kind of agnostic on the concept (don’t love it, don’t hate it) but that’s what it exists.

[kirk815]

The BAF sets are selling out anyways so I look at it as a bonus. The only set that seems to linger is the WM set and I assuming that is because it is produced in bigger quantities/all of the retailers want the WM set for name recognition alone.

I would prefer the BAF sets to be all Legends tho or a 3 Legends/1 Current ratio (and let it be someone that doesn't get a lot of figures released).

I'm much more open to buying repaints of the same Legends vs. repaints of the current roster.

When Mattel stopped them, people bugged them to add them back (which they did). When they were only doing BAF suited figures, people bugged them to add non-suited figures (which they did).

I don't think it has run its course - I think things are just heating up (although John Cone and his son were a bit underwhelming back to back after getting Virgil and Bulldog).

If people don't like/want them, they don't have to buy them. I'd rather have a company offer too much than not enough.

[voicesinmyhead]

I like the BAF concept. You get 5 figures for the price of 4. And it is better executed than say the DC McFarlane figures because a DC figure with a BAF piece costs more than a DC figure without the BAF piece. For WWE Mattel's, all elites (BAF or no BAF piece) are $22.99.

I understand what you are saying about being forced to buy figures you don't want, but that's the strategy. I know you said I am not allowed to say that, but it's the truth. It's a great business model. That's why many companies do it. Marvel Legends is worse in that you need to buy more than 4 to complete the figure. At least we only need to buy 4 for the Disciple.

And this phrase of "locked behind a pay wall" has to go. Technically, every figure is locked behind a pay wall. Would you rather the Disciple be sold separately for say $50 if that was the only way to get him out? Was Jinder Mahal locked behind a pay wall because you had to buy the ring with him? Is Peter Maivia locked behind a pay wall because I need to buy a 3-pack with two other figures I may not be interested in?

[IceDragon]

The only thing that annoys me about BAFs is when the BAF figure is from a completely different era than most of the figures you have to buy to complete it. I only collect figures from Attitude era and older so I hate it when I have to buy current figures just to get someone I really want like Virgil, for example. Does it encourage us buy figures we wouldn't normally buy? I guess so, but I also would have bought a figure from the same era without resentment if it was something I actually wanted. I'm sure a much more business minded individual than myself would understand it all better than I do. I'm just a simple humble collector. I just don't understand how making "Collector A" feel annoyed that his figure of Becky Lynch came with a torso of Mr. Fuji that he didn't want and "Collector B" feel annoyed that he had to buy a Becky Lynch figure in order to source out the Mr. Fuji torso benefits anyone. I think it would make more sense if the Legends figures came with parts to make another Legend wrestler or Legend manager/referee/wrestler and modern wrestlers in the Elite line and PPV sublines came with parts to make a modern superstar and/or announcer/commentator/referee/suited wrestler. I think most people who want a BAF of Johnny Valiant would not mind having to buy a wave consisting of Tony Atlas, Haku, Bad News Brown and Ted Dibiase (white trunks) but someone who wants a BAF of say Samantha Irvin would resent having to buy those same wrestlers in order to assemble her. Of course, the opposite is usually true in that someone who wants to assemble Dr. Harvey Wippleman needs to buy Rhea Ripley, Logan Paul, Seth Rollins and Jey Uso. I would rather buy an entire wave of Honky Tonk Man repaints over modern wrestler waves to assemble a legend character any day.

[Mongo Bears]

I’m fine with it the way it is.
You can still acquire individual parts on the secondary market if you don’t want to pay full price for the set to finish the baf.

I have skipped completing bafs because the added cost of buying the other figures was not worthwhile in those cases. That’s my choice and I’m ok with making a choice each time there is a baf set.

I want the Disciple too. I would only buy Harlem heat if not for the baf. I don’t have an RVD, and I wouldn’t buy one otherwise but I’m ok having one. The Rock is the one I don’t want really but I’ll get it to complete the Disciple and I’ll live with it

[Scotty Flamingo]

The Build A Figure has had its flaws over the last few years. First it always seems like the best figures shown a lot of times end up being the build a figure. Second they always make them store exclusive and many times they never make it to retail. Lastly sometimes you will have trouble finding all the parts because they stopped packing the set equally in the case.

Has anybody even found the British Bulldog BAF wave yet in stores yet?

[czw4life]

I'd rather have the BAF figures as an exclusive line, have like 6 figures that would of been BAF in a series and just sell them for $25/$30 a piece as a ringside exclusive.

[drifter]

Mar 13, 2024 21:29:44 GMT -5 Scotty Flamingo said:

The Build A Figure has had its flaws over the last few years. First it always seems like the best figures shown a lot of times end up being the build a figure. Second they always make them store exclusive and many times they never make it to retail. Lastly sometimes you will have trouble finding all the parts because they stopped packing the set equally in the case.

Has anybody even found the British Bulldog BAF wave yet in stores yet?

It really is just stupid how they'll pack the cases for BAF waves.
Never saw the Bulldog wave in regular retail. Luckily there's a small collector's store in the same mall as my nearest Target, and he ended up getting the wave, and luckily he doesn't over charge like some places. I can't remember, if he was over regular retain, but if he was it was 1, maybe 2 dollars more, which I don't mind paying.

[rkmo: Autonomous Meat Shield]

Probably in the minority but adding the concept to the PPV lines killed my interest in them altogether. Was all in on those too, collecting two MOC and whatever I wanted/could loose. 4 sets spread across the cosmos, shaky unreliable retail, uneven packouts, rocketed secondary pricings. Too much.

[Next Manufactured’s Sweater]

All wrestling figures are “lOcKeD bEhInD a PaY wAlL” unless you’re a shoplifter.

[rkmo: Autonomous Meat Shield]

Mar 13, 2024 21:57:42 GMT -5 Next Manufactured’s Sweater said:

All wrestling figures are “lOcKeD bEhInD a PaY wAlL” unless you’re a shoplifter.

We do live in a society here.

[Biff Slamkovich™]

Mar 13, 2024 20:35:57 GMT -5 kirk815 said:

If people don't like/want them, they don't have to buy them. I'd rather have a company offer too much than not enough.

This does nothing to solve my main issue I raised though that the most sought after figure is made as a BAF and locked behind the purchase of four other figures, usually of which are repaints, or attires of Superstars that have been released numerous times before.

I'm just coming from the perspective of someone who usually buys one of each Superstar (exceptions exist obviously in the case of people like Undertaker, Macho, Warrior, and other big names with notable gimmick changes or iconic attires), but I find that it's getting harder to justify buying my 3rd Charlotte, 3rd Lawler, 5th Kevin Owens or 8th Shawn Michaels in order to get the one British Bulldog figure that I've wanted in elite form (not Basic) for years.

Not trying to crap on anyone and how they collect, it's just frustrating as a seasoned collector.

[kinnikuman]

I mean, they do BAF to make you buy all of them. They don't care how many figures you own. Do a comparison, the entire set price versus the BAF price for the single figure online and go with the cheaper one.

[Flair Forever]

My main gripe with the BAF lines is that I CAN NEVER FIND ANY OF THEM. My area never seems to carry these - at all.

So forget the issue of not being able to find 1 or 2 of the figures to complete the set - I can't ever find any of them. Never saw whatever set Virgil came with. Never saw the set that British Bulldog came with. Never saw the Dok Hendrix set..... I can go on and on, we never see these sets at retail in my area.

Monday Night Wars is the first one I've actually completed in several years.

I bought the Vince McMahon BAF from an eBay seller for a good deal like 2 years ago. Like 40 bucks I think? Glad I did, now.

[drblazelj]

I think this would lead to another issue, but i wouldn’t mind them turning the BAF into a “chase” like the collectors edition they were doing in the elite line for awhile.
I don’t really need the Lex BAF from the MNW set but had to complete the set because i wanted Stone Cold and Scott Hall, and don’t want the extra BAF parts.
My main issue with it is you have to be all in. Distribution can also be an issue.
I have a Jimmy Uso from the VERY plentiful top picks line and was not able to find the matching Jey from the harder to find SummerSlam line.
Putting a figure from a tag team in a top picks set and his partner in matching gear in a ppv set just seems like bad business to me.

[Deleted]

Nah

[ImJoeGrizzlyBitch]

Mar 13, 2024 22:01:13 GMT -5 Biff Slamkovich™ said:

Mar 13, 2024 20:35:57 GMT -5 kirk815 said:

If people don't like/want them, they don't have to buy them. I'd rather have a company offer too much than not enough.

This does nothing to solve my main issue I raised though that the most sought after figure is made as a BAF and locked behind the purchase of four other figures, usually of which are repaints, or attires of Superstars that have been released numerous times before.

I'm just coming from the perspective of someone who usually buys one of each Superstar (exceptions exist obviously in the case of people like Undertaker, Macho, Warrior, and other big names with notable gimmick changes or iconic attires), but I find that it's getting harder to justify buying my 3rd Charlotte, 3rd Lawler, 5th Kevin Owens or 8th Shawn Michaels in order to get the one British Bulldog figure that I've wanted in elite form (not Basic) for years.

Not trying to crap on anyone and how they collect, it's just frustrating as a seasoned collector.

All you have to do is buy the 4 build the one you want sell/trade the ones you don’t need. And some websites sell just the BAF separately for $50 or so.

[mcfclee]

Im on the fence.

Pros
Get stuff I might not otherwise.
Extra legend often per set.

Cons
Don’t want mixed eras.
Too many repaints/slight upgrades in the sets.

Torn here.