The End of Master Replicas?

[James Kenobi 1138]

I don't care either way..... I purchased every Saber I wanted but couldn't make myself from MR and they rock.

But, if SW prop's continue and prices fall but not quality, then I'm happy.

 

[SithLord]

<div class='quotetop'></div>

The company, which will retain the Corgi name, will produce a wide variety of product categories, and will feature collectible products from licenses, on a combined basis, for nine of the ten highest grossing film franchises of all time, including Batman, James Bond, Disney Classics, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Trek, Star Wars, and Spiderman.[/b]

It's a merger and they will continue to produce product under the same licenses.

I don't mind them being in Hong Kong...I have a "home" base there as well .

 

[phase pistol]

So am I getting my Enterprise or not. :angry

 

[GKvfx]

Well, given MR's problem with QC in the Chinese factory with the helmets, teaming up with a manufacturer that has a long established presence there might actually help. That is, if they let the creative team at MR alone. Because that's the one area that isn't broken by any means.

GK

 

[Commander Max]

I assume this has been in the works for some time.
I'll say one thing for MR, they know how to run a business. (Unlike others).
This merger does follow the model(build a business and sell it).
I'm sure there will be another company to fill the void.
Will the next guys be as professional, we can only hope.

Lets hope we will get our starships.

With that said,

Thanks MR for offering neat stuff.

Max

 

[Howard]

<div class='quotetop'>(phase pistol @ Oct 5 2006, 05:13 AM) [snapback]1332292[/snapback]</div>

So am I getting my Enterprise or not. :angry
[/b]

Agreed.
How will this (if at all?) affect current orders I have placed?
Perhaps it's time for Barry to post and put our collective (no pun intended) minds at rest.

On another note - I'm close to cancelling my Enterprise - as with the $100 discount code I can buy it over here in the U.K. for only $180 extra. I'm sure U.K. customs will charge me BIG (much more than $180) for getting this into the country, import tax plus all the other associated taxes Mr Brown imposes on imports.

Howard.

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

I think the replica prop market has changed significantly over the last couple of years, the key issue being a slump in interest in SW. The resulting fall in demand, combined with some bad moves over the last year or so means it was always going to be very difficult for them to meet their growth aspirations.

18 months ago the hype over SW was so high that almost everything they did sold "bucket" loads. Now theyÂ’ve got a much tougher market to crack and I think this has shown itself in the Corgi deal. SW is the bestselling replica prop brand and when it sneezes, the whole market catches a cold

Following on from the other big players in this market, Icons and Don Post, I wonder whether we may see cut-backs at MR, especially its helmet plans. I sincerely hope not since I would have liked to see them really go at this market

Cheers

Jez

 

[Noeland]

Guess we can kiss the licensed pulse rifle goodbye . . . .

 

[ralphee]

So there is no one who can take up the SW studio scale line? It would be a shame to see the models never happen that may have been in the pipeline.

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

<div class='quotetop'>(ralphee @ Oct 5 2006, 08:31 AM) [snapback]1332383[/snapback]</div>

So there is no one who can take up the SW studio scale line? It would be a shame to see the models never happen that may have been in the pipeline.
[/b]

I think its actually a very difficult business to make money in, especially in the current climate. You only have to look at Icons, Don Post and now possibly MR.

Cheers

Jez

 

[ralphee]

<div class='quotetop'>(BingoBongo275 @ Oct 5 2006, 09:37 AM) [snapback]1332384[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>(ralphee @ Oct 5 2006, 08:31 AM) [snapback]1332383[/snapback]

So there is no one who can take up the SW studio scale line? It would be a shame to see the models never happen that may have been in the pipeline.
[/b]

I think its actually a very difficult business to make money in, especially in the current climate. You only have to look at Icons, Don Post and now possibly MR.

Cheers

Jez
[/b][/quote]
Yeah i see your point Jez, maybe itll work out in the form of more garage kits being offered due to no deals to be had by MR? Too late for the falcon (dangit) but i remember the recent talk of slave one, well i can dream.

lee

 

[Howard]

We're talking like the company is dead and buried.
Perhaps we should wait for an official comment?

 

[LastODJedi]

Well... I'm sorry to hear all of this. I do love MR's work and I've been a fan of theirs for a long time. I have all of their LE and EE lightsabers plus a few FX ones as well. I'm just glad they got all of the LE lightsabers out before any of this happens. As soon as I get My DV Ep.6 my collection will be complete.

 

[Star Wars Helmets]

<div class='quotetop'>(Howard @ Oct 5 2006, 08:43 AM) [snapback]1332386[/snapback]</div>

We're talking like the company is dead and buried.
Perhaps we should wait for an official comment?
[/b]

Hi Howard,
I dont think they're dead and buried by a long way.

I just think that there will be cut backs and maybe some of the things we were hoping would happen, wont

Cheers

Jez

 

[Howard]

Hi Jez,

Yes - I agree - perhaps I should have said 'the product lines we're expecting will be dead and buried.'
You know, finding out like this is annoying and I blame lack of communication.
Last week I altered an order at MR, but didn't receive a confirmation email - perhaps the reps were busy, perhaps the rep forgot - the order has been altered but it would have been polite to inform me via email over a plus $1000 order.

I'm waiting on confirmation of the merger / takeover situation, the longer this confirmation takes the less professional they look IMHO - also confirmation of the product lines. I was looking forward to the Trooper stunt helmet.
Even if they post a 'We're aware of our customer concerns over this matter - as soon as we can let you know we'll pass the information along,' message, at least it would be something.

Cheers.

Howard.

 

[rad1701]

Interesting news. But these things take a long time to finalize so I don't see any real changes in the short term. I'm sure we will still see our big Enterprises and Falcons. In the long run this might be a positive. Corgi has a lot of experience and is much more capable on the international level. How it will all play out - who knows. Honestly, MR has made so many of the major Star Wars, Star Trek and other items already it's maybe not that big a deal.

 

[Lucasberg]

Interesting. When MR announced that their production was being moved to China, those years ago, I was chastized by several people for stating that I would not be purchasing anything from them due to the lack of quality that can be expected by moving production to China. I also gave Chinese cultural explanations as to why this would be. Well, I never did buy anything from MR and I've read so many statements about lack of quality.

I don't know anything about Corgi, this is the first I've heard of them. I hope that the MR quality issues do not have a negative affect on that company. Do they have American production facilities?

Steve

 

[Apollo]

<div class='quotetop'>(Bryancd @ Oct 4 2006, 10:28 PM) [snapback]1332239[/snapback]</div>

Guy's, this is the end of MR as we know it. MR was founded by fanboys like us who loved the stuff. Corgi is hardly the kind of boutique operation MR is. Any aatempt to spin this is a positive in terms of the quality of product MR has produced is a fantasy. There is no profit in this high end sci fi movie prop biz and the guys at MR have been given the Golden Ticket.
[/b]

Well put and sadly very true.

Just got in from a 20 mile ride mulling things over in my head thinking about all the cool things that could have still been brought to Market.

Hopefully QMX can carefully pick up the ball and run awhile with it.

Thanks MR for one helluva run.. It was great....

 

[obi1kenny]

I wonder if I will ever get my Clone helmet?

 

[Westies14]

Merging does not mean the end of Master Replicas - The company could still operate under that name, by the same staff. At a corporate level, there would be budgeting, planning, and decision making made by others, perhaps, but Master Replicas doesn't have to go away or give up any licenses or planned products, necessarily. ABC and Miramax aren't called Disney, and they don't just produce cartoons about animals.