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[serrate]

Herb's said in a couple recent posts: http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,4690.msg104182.html#msg104182

Hello,

One thing at a time. We have to figure out how to keep a production run from selling out in 10 days as it is....

Thank you,

And http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,4696.msg104659.html#msg104659:

Hello,

As it happens, I honestly don't know what happens on the printing end of things, and I tend to make it a point not to know, since I'm happy with just getting product written, edited, and handed into layout so that we never run out of content *to* publish. To me, what happens after it leaves my hands may as well fall into the realm of elves and Tetetae laborers trained in the finest traditions of Conrad Toyama....

I'm just tickled (and awed) when we sell out of a print run in the smallest percentage of the time it took us to actually get it to sale....

Thank you,

Alright, I'm not gonna claim the sky is falling or anything... but this seems like exactly what we hoped wouldn't happen.  Sadly, I'm not sure I can even pick up my box in a couple weeks as funds have gotten tight. 

I realize that selling out by CGL doesn't mean the box is unavailable... yet. But sometimes I wonder if TPTB have as much faith in this game as we players do, if they so severely underestimated demand for this.  Personally, I've always thought of this box set as a slam dunk.  To me, it seems like something so well put together and such an excellent value for $50 that even casual gamers are likely to pick it up as an impulse buy.  Hopefully, this discussion is pointless because they've already got another print-run started and on the way.  At least I hope so; I hope we're not once again wondering why they can't keep box sets in-print a year from now.

I know criticism of CGL isn't looked at kindly around here, so please keep in perspective how much I enjoy this game and all that goes with it.  It just seems to me that selling out of your premier product in 10 days isn't a "wow, how awesome!!" moment, it falls a lot closer to "wow, what critically bad sales forecasting."  If one of the Acquisitions Editors where I work did that, they'd be fired.

I'm wondering if one of you guys (demo agents) can share any additional info with us.  I'm sure this is being discussed on the behind-the-scenes boards at CBT.  It may be that NDA's prevent any sort of details, but can you let us know the general reaction to this?  Is it pure elation at the huge sales and confidence that more can be printed post-haste?

[phlop]

For me personally, I never had any intention of getting this set. Same mechs as before. Would like the 2 clan mechs, but not for $50.
As for other gamers that might be looking for that set as a base to go from, it would be frustrating to see it sell out so quickly. I do see lots of them on ebay going for a lot less than what can be gotten from a FLGS. Online stores have less overhead and must have pre-ordered lots. We will have to wait and see how long it takes to maybe get another run.

[agustaaquila]

Well, serrate, if any discussion is happening behind the scenes with the demo agents they could not tell us anything.  NDA.  Just a plain stupid idea to air behind the scenes discussion in public. Don't believe me, go look at the shit happening on the Shadowrun side of CGL to see how shitty things can get.

Now as to CGL not having any faith in the product, that is complete nonsense.  Just look at how many problems In Res Media has gone through.  Not only did they have a founder comingle funds, but they had several staff members quit and take data with them.  They also had a major product line, SR, implode on itself with several of the major freelancers withholding license to print product.  This has all happened while Herb has steered the BT side of things to release new product, start new product lines that are proving popular such as the XTRO series, and getting a box set together.  So things have continued to chug along, and now they need to get another printing of the box sets done.  We should be celebrating that the product has sold, and this shows that the player base wants them.

So while it might have been better to produce more, its not the end of the world.  We should expect the next set to come out whenever the boat gets across the ocean, and then sits in customs for gods know how long.  And also look forward to all the other product that is sitting in the pipe continuing to come to us.  (Final Reckoning, I'm looking at you.)

[ItsTehPope]

Alright, time to put some fears to rest.

Yes, the box set is sold out.  What matters is how people are determining at what point it is sold out at.  In this case, the determination point is at the distribution level, so there are stores that have it in stock still, but they currently cannot replenish their stock at the distribution level.

I cannot say what the run was, because I honestly don't know, regardless of it violating my NDA, but from what I was getting from talking to people, it was in the vicinity of five integers from what I understand.  A new production run that is larger has already been ordered and is in process now.

There's a difference between selling books and selling a game where the margins are at best, grocery store thin.  It is also significantly easier for a company of Cengage's size to absorb a bad sell.  Your company has a large building in Mason.  CGL is headquartered in Randall's house basically.  Economies of scale is a massive difference here.

What would you rather have: the company over produce and have things sitting on the shelf and not getting any sales, which results to no income, or have them fly off the shelf much faster than they ever expected and start a restocking run early?

[serrate]

Well, serrate, if any discussion is happening behind the scenes with the demo agents they could not tell us anything.  NDA. 

No argument there really.  Guess I'd just like to hear that behind the scenes, everyone's popping champagne bottles and high-fiving.  I wish I knew the general feeling within the company right now. 

Now as to CGL not having any faith in the product....

Whoa, hold up, I never said they didn't have any faith.  I said perhaps they didn't have as much as the fan base.  But then again, the fan base was pretty pessimistic about whether or not this box set would ever come out, so perhaps we're partly to blame here. 

I cannot say what the run was, because I honestly don't know, regardless of it violating my NDA, but from what I was getting from talking to people, it was in the vicinity of five integers from what I understand.  A new production run that is larger has already been ordered and is in process now.

That's good news.  Printing 10k of these sets and selling them out in 10 days (and I understand the distinction we're making here in what it means to be sold out) is a significant win.

There's a difference between selling books and selling a game where the margins are at best, grocery store thin.  It is also significantly easier for a company of Cengage's size to absorb a bad sell.  Your company has a large building in Mason.  CGL is headquartered in Randall's house basically.  Economies of scale is a massive difference here.

What would you rather have: the company over produce and have things sitting on the shelf and not getting any sales, which results to no income, or have them fly off the shelf much faster than they ever expected and start a restocking run early?

You're absolutely right, and we've got a warehouse in Independence that looks like the one at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark and there's definitely some dead product in there.  If those are the only two choices, I'll take option b.  But seriously, tell Randall to get a bigger garage.

[Maddog3025]

I probably missed further discussion but thewarstore.com seems to have these in stock (accord ing to the web site). They did run out a short time ago but I got an email saying they had more in stock. It's not like I needed an intro set but I did get one. Very nicely put together product though the standard minis aren't the greatest. . A few of them aren't too bad though my Panther is missing an arm. But still a nice set for the price. I also like the simplified rule book and the nice boards.

[phlop]

Hey Nate, we are gaming this Sat. and could use an OPFOR player. Starts @ 1045.

[Maddog3025]

Phil, thanks for the notice.  I've had some family obligations taking up a lot of time recently but if things work out, I will try to make it.  I did get to play some with my long-time BT buddies a couple of weeks ago and it was nice.  One of our group is being deployed again and he usually likes to have a game day before he goes.  We played a homemade Capture The Flag scenario that worked out pretty well, and we even got one of my long-time work colleagues to try the game.

[Ghost0402]

There's a difference between selling books and selling a game where the margins are at best, grocery store thin.  It is also significantly easier for a company of Cengage's size to absorb a bad sell.  Your company has a large building in Mason.  CGL is headquartered in Randall's house basically.  Economies of scale is a massive difference here.

And that is my main guess as to why it has sold out so quickly.  I would imagine the profit margin is much thinner with these, and the outlay of cash for a run would be much higher.  With the previous years money issues, CGL might be a bit thin still and decided on a lower production run in case the product didn't do as well as forcasted.  But, who knows, I'm a nuke, not a business guru.

[ItsTehPope]

There's a difference between selling books and selling a game where the margins are at best, grocery store thin.  It is also significantly easier for a company of Cengage's size to absorb a bad sell.  Your company has a large building in Mason.  CGL is headquartered in Randall's house basically.  Economies of scale is a massive difference here.

And that is my main guess as to why it has sold out so quickly.  I would imagine the profit margin is much thinner with these, and the outlay of cash for a run would be much higher.  With the previous years money issues, CGL might be a bit thin still and decided on a lower production run in case the product didn't do as well as forcasted.  But, who knows, I'm a nuke, not a business guru.

This was a larger run that the first IBS.  Profit?  Heh.  I believe CGL has stated what they make on these a few times.  Grocery stores have better margins