Many Mithril Pages @ Faerylands

ESTEL wrote:

I think they (Mithril) have become mad!
They will loose more and more customers with that politics and what then? Mithril dead. (Yes zombies are popular, but dead Mithril company means no more miniatures).

Didn't they learn from the last price increase?? Is Mithril GW??

well, maybe they think it's enough after close to 600 miniatures.

mithril is not gw -- gw is a boy scout club compared to the way they (do not) handle their business ...

Milo wrote:

I feel Lars is seeing his customers as what we call here in France: "Vache à lait"
Milk cows if you see what I mean.

hahaha, that was exactly what i told theobald even before this happened ...

Gildor Inglorion wrote:

I think I have some theories about this price increases bit these are only my theories....

making the Gold Fellowship figurines reach higher prices may be the solution Lars has found to be able to "afford" the production of REGULAR releases without a loss of profit in the long run...

the plan is probably to retire the mithril line and just focus on the regular prince august range -- by steadily increasing prices and alienating their customer base, they hope it won't be necessary to officially announce that production will stop. and as long as the customers pay, it will be a welcome additional asset with a minimum of effort.

MADNESS is selling products for less than it costs to make them (unless you are China and want to control major industries)! In this case we are talking about a small company that is struggling in a bad economy. It is the same as complaining that Lars doesn't lose money just for the privilege of selling us something we want. Is that reasonable?

If Lars wanted to end Mithril, he would do it without playing games. He keeps it alive, even though he has many other interests and profitable businesses because of his friendship with Chris. And Mithril is a small part of Chris's business. They have been working together in some fashion for 34 years. Yes, I know, longer than some here have been alive.

I have spoken with Chris on more than one occassion about the situation at Mithril and PA in general. He confided that it would not take much stress for Mithril to cease, which I know he has told a few others as well, and that price increases had to come or we would see the last of these figures. Some may say, "fine, let Chris make his own fantasy line." It is not that easy, there are licensing issues and such. But perhaps more important is that Chris and Lars are good friends . . . remember that when you hear complaints about Lars and suggestions that Chris could just continue without using Tolkien or MERP names. I don't think Chris would do that unless Lars gave him his blessing. And how would those figures cost any less to produce? Should Chris take a loss to sell them? And anyway, I suspect that he would use the extra time if Mithril was shut down to pursue more profitable business.

I know that it is hard for many to afford these figures. I just hope we keep things in perspective.

Last edited by twrich (Fri, Feb11 2011 8:10am)

Cameosis wrote:

the plan is probably to retire the mithril line and just focus on the regular prince august range -- by steadily increasing prices and alienating their customer base, they hope it won't be necessary to officially announce that production will stop. and as long as the customers pay, it will be a welcome additional asset with a minimum of effort.

This , I can assure you, is not true...

Why? because I have been in contact not so long ago with Lars about what he plans for Mithril... and what could be done... I think it's time for me to write again to Chris but mainly Lars to ask for some explanation and alert them about the very bad feedback on such unannounced change in pricings...

this is all economical and financial strategies.... Lars has businesses in a lot of domains of activities (not only Prince August) and he does not lack money (I won't enter into details)  but Mithril is to survive ONLY if this business can be self-dependant on a regular basis... On THIS point, Mithril is on the edge and as I was clearly explained, any boycott of the MS or any mass stop of MS being regularly bought by Mithril collectors would result... on Mithril disparition altogether...

we are in a crisis.... and the rules of offer and demand, as some of you may know don't work the same for hobbies & luxury products as they do for useful and day to day items... the lowest the demand, the higher the offer costs... for hobbies... why? because the lowest the demand = lack of "mass production" = increase of production prices = increase on final prices

I won't boycot anything this time but I'll urge Lars to answer me and reconsider all the suggestions I made to him which are still on "standby"...
Hopefully, if Lars does not answer soon enough, Chris will probably personnaly urge him to contact me as they are both perfectly aware that I am somehow the "middle-man" of the mithril collector community that is well.... "paying them to stay alive"

Huooommmm ... well, I think it has been touch and go whether Mithril might be continued ...hom ... or not ... for many years by now ... rhuoommm ... BUT ... what now gets on my poor nerves is all this re-discussing and new-discussing and always-discussing about individual suggestions made by people who know all about how to run a company perfectly .... rhhuuooommmm ....
Master Gildor, "we are in a crisis", as you correctly put it .... huoomm ...
no, you are not in a position to put a boycott on any Mithril-matters or not, as you might know ...huom .... rhuooommmmmmm .... then, I would rather like to have this "I know him"-"I know her"- talk from this place, as it might turn out to become a bit too private .... rhuoommmmmmmmm ... huom ... I'm sure you understand what I'm talking about ... hom ... you once mentioned yourself that this is a very public place .... huoomm ... isn't it.

huuuooommmm ... as for this place ....rhuom ... "Pony" that is ... err, Master Barliman would you please be so kind and stop turning your eyes to the low ceiling all the time and sell me a nice bowl of that clear-clean-non-sparkeling-non-smelly-honey-coloured-watery-liquid ... huoomm?......... huom? .... please? ....

So long as she doesn't say "You can't but those sill things any more" you're safe. Also, I quite agree with your previous observations. And of course you can have a drink - though if you could contribute a little donation to my cash-register I'd be grateful for the contribution - I've just bought the latest MS releases, so I'm not feeling very rich right now.

Bit I do need coiny things now and then - I have to buy the ingredients, you realise! They don't all grow on trees. Er, well, that's not quite true, when I think about it. Rather a lot of them do grow on trees...

Hmm, what a shame you're not an apple tree. It would make the scrumpy a lot cheaper than it already is.

Yes, Master Tree and Gildor, I also tend to forget that the Pony is public. But it is hard when I read posts that I feel need to be addressed. I should perhaps have said "As for the comment about  . . . . . please see my post in Angrenost or Tharbad." This is what I will try to remember in the future. But hopefully everyone understands these matters, and the reality of our situation.

Master Elf, please move my post above to anywhere you think would be better, as long as the other releated posts are moved with it so that a reader can understand the context. And everything I said above has been approved in advance.

Last edited by twrich (Fri, Feb11 2011 6:17pm)

oh and by the way.. I had forgotten

due to recent orcish activities... I was wrong, as you were master Ent....the Poney is no more a public place more than the Angrenost section is...
it has been flagged "customers only" now....

which helps the work of master Barliman in getting sure every bill is paid in due time

Master Barliman, please bring me 2 of your pints.
1 bitter from Yorkshire & 1 dark from Ireland one would be perfect.

Fine by me. And though I'm not sure, Master Milo, why you'd ever want to "log out" in the first place, I wouldn't recommend that you talk too loudly about logs when the Ent is around. He might take offence....Sorry, sorry, slip of the tongue, I didn't mention fences at all. No, no, no. Nasty things. Stone walls are much better.

definitly I'm tired....

you are right, you can SEE it logged out... but you can't post anything... so let's be careful

Certainly cats always know best. At least, ours thinks it does.