DS Collector Plates by MPI

[Mysterious Benefactor]

The silence from anyone defending the plates is deafening.

The representative from MPI's marketing department hasn't logged in in over a year, so who knows if anyone at MPI is even aware of this topic. Though just because no one has logged into that account, it doesn't necessarily mean that no one from marketing has been visiting as a guest. Perhaps someone from MPI will eventually speak up. Or perhaps not if they are indeed embarrassed by the way the plates turned out...

[borgosi]

Why would they be embarrassed. They nearly sold out of them at the fest and spent very little on producing them. I'd say their profits couldn't have been any better.

They should have been embarrassed other selling but they bottom line looks great I'm sure.

[jimbo]

Borgosi the bottom line for me is the quality of the finished product. Yes they probably did make a big profit on the plates. But who suffers? It's the fans. I can't speak for others here so all I am saying is that I expected a higher quality collector plates. It seems MPI did not put too much thought in its design and quality. I only purchased them because I am a DS collector. I am also disturbed with the fact that there was no apparent oversight by DCP. I don't know if DCP is proud of these "collector plates".

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Keep in mind that for most intents and purposes DCP doesn't really exist. So, what you should probably be wondering is if Jim Pierson is proud of them.

[jimbo]

OK good point. I will rephrase my question. I wonder what JP thinks of these DS collector plates being sold by MPI?

[Gothick]

Apart from the DVDs, I'm not a collector, so my interest in all of it is purely academic.

If fans purchase the merchandise, even when the quality is crap, there is no incentive for MPI to strive to improve the product. 

G.

[borgosi]

I'm gonna have to go with Gothick on this one.

When I heard about the "Collector Plates" my first thought was "I want those" I even took enough cash with me to buy them. I collect almost everything Dark Shadows. I'm one of the few with the Christmas Ornament, I come close to buying the boxer shorts, but even I have to draw the line someplace.

It's plain to me that those "Collector Plates" were made to cash in and only to cash in. They think we fans will buy anything. Truth is if they had put some quality into them I would have. Truth is if they put some quality into them I gladly hand over alot more than they were asking for. I'd gladly pay $300.00 for a REAL music box or maybe $500.00 for a REAL ring or cape. There lots of high end collectables they could put out that I would buy but I about finished buying low quality junk.

[jimbo]

If fans purchase the merchandise, even when the quality is crap, there is no incentive for MPI to strive to improve the product.

Gothic that is also a good point. When I purchased the plates I was not thinking of the bigger picture. On the other hand if the plates sold poorly don't you think history teaches us that MPI would have messed up another significant future project? It's a no win scenario. But what should have prevented me from purchasing them was a response that one of MPI's representatives gave me. I had kindly requested that I could look at other plates to obtain a lower number in the respective limited edition assigned numbers which collectors often do. The seller responded something like we don't have all day to have people go shopping for the lower numbers. I did realize that there was a line in back of me but I think they could have shown a bit more patience and understanding especially in light of the fact that I was purchasing the entire set. After a few moments she unwillingly relented and allowed me to look at only one other plate per character. They just seemed money crazed and did not seem to think that they were actually selling "collector plates" worthy of further scrutiny and not just boxer shorts. I guess this concept is foreign to them. The bottom line is that they have no business selling something that true collectors would normally buy.

[borgosi]

If they knew what they were doing they would have had the lowest numbers grouped together so if you buying #27 of one plate you would have gotten # 27 of each plate if you were buying all of them. It would have been very easy to do. You stack the plates starting with # 1 of each plate on top and anyone that isn't getting the whole set gets plates off the bottom.

You're right, they don't care about collectors. If they did each new release of the music box would be dated. Each new ring would be dated. Each fest would have it's own collectables that would be numbered and dated. I wouldn't be at all susprised if we see another release of these some plates with the same numbers in a year or two.

That seems to be the way MPI works.

[jimbo]

You are right. They had the plates completely out of order for all of the characters. You make way to much sense. j/k

Perhaps they should stick to what they do decently. I think several cousins has also said the same. We all can't be wrong. lol

[borgosi]

Let's hope the new movie brings us some good quality collectables. Maybe some like they have for the Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter movies. Wouldn't it be cool to have a two foot sq. 3-D Collinwood kinda like the Hogwarts castle display they have for the Harry Potter? Maybe a set of Blue Whale shot glasses? Maybe a Collin's Brandy decanter and snifter. I'd love to have that on my bar. Even if I wouldn't use it as much as Quentin or Roger did.

[Miss_Winthrop]

Wow, some nice ideas for collectibles. I would definitely be interested in the shot glasses.  Also, I'd like to have a Blue Whale plaque for my wall.  I saw one up for bidding on eBay several years ago.  I do have a dark plastic coffee mug with a picture of Barnabas on it. 

[borgosi]

I have the coffee mug, it would have nice if it was little better quality.

I was going to try and make a Blue Whale plaque and life preserver. I still make make a life preserver to hang behind my bar. I'm thinking of just getting a styrefoam ring, wrap it with white tape and buy blue letters to put The Blue Whale on it. I could always go here and get a real one made at Brookstone.com, they charge $90 for a real custom Coast Guard appoved Life Ring.

[Brandon Collins]

When I first heard about these, I was also interested in them. But at this point my DS collecting is winding down majorly, and I'm glad that I didn't shell out the money for them. From what it sounds, I would have returned them promptly after looking at them. This is also why I never bought the later model music box that MPI released with the wedding picture on the four sides of the box. When I looked it over at the fest, it looked like I could've dropped it from 5 inches off the ground and it would've broken, and it was so tiny that I could've flushed it down the toliet!

Nothing against those who have bought it, more power to you, I just wouldn't have paid what they were asking for it.  I would've countered with $5.

[arashi]

Dear God does MPI need to rethink their merchandising! There HAS to be better stuff they can come up with than collector's plates and bobble heads.