Super 7 "Official Universal Monsters Thread"

[Dr.Terror]

I bought one. (Guess which one.)

That's the only acceptable one in the lot.    The artwork is silly,  but looks like Creech.    The others not so much.     Pint glasses with the Repka art but in the print style/colors of 70s and 80s promo glasses would be cool I think.   

[Mike Scott]

That's the only acceptable one in the lot. 

The others are poor generic cartoon drawings.

[Mike Scott]

The B/W came today.

[fearliath]

I greatly appreciate the email I just got from Plastic Meatball. They are a much smaller company than Super 7 and they also make 3.75" action figures of significantly higher quality than Super 7 for significantly less ($14.99) and they are even having an ironic sale right now of 7% off rather than an 8% surcharge. This is their website:
https://plasticmeatball.com/collections

And this is the email (in part) they sent which includes a 7% off promo code:

"Tariffs have everyone talking and their affect is already being felt across the toy and collectible community. You've no doubt heard about price increases, massive lay-offs and shipping delays as companies large and small try to cope with the impact to their bottom line.

We've even heard of some "boutique" companies with mass and worldwide distribution putting a tariff charge on their in-stock items.

While we can't claim to know (or even understand) the business models of our competition, we're certain they are only doing what's necessary to survive in this tumultuous and uncertain economic climate.

Our position on the matter is this:

We will absorb the impact of the tariffs for as long as we can, maintaining our current pricing structure.

We will NEVER increase prices on in-stock items that arrived before tariff's were levied.

We will be transparent and honest with you regarding the evolving situation and any impact it may have on our business operations.

Unlike some companies, we didn't pro-actively raise prices the last time tariffs were threatened on China in 2018/19. And if we had, we would have returned those prices back to where they were after those tariffs never came to pass.

We will weather the storm with you, and as trade negotiations continue on the world stage we hope that we can all emerge on the other side intact. That goes for all of the other small companies out there too. We love this industry and we love seeing the amazing creativity that our peers continually bring to market.

To that end, to show our support and help out our friends in the industry, we are having a sale through June 1st that's just super.

We're calling it, the -
SUPER 7% OFF Tariff Sale!
Why 7% instead of 8? Well, it just made more sense from a marketing perspective.

Take the savings from your purchase at Plastic Meatball and use it to subsidize your purchase with another small, "boutique" company with distribution at Target and Walmart (and also Ross, Ollies, etc.)

Granted, 7% off our already low price of $14.99 for retro figures won't make up the difference of an 8% increase on $20.

But every little bit helps.

Enter code SUPER7%OFF at checkout to receive 7% off your entire order of in-stock items through June 1st!"

[Mike Scott]

Enter code SUPER7%OFF at checkout

BURN! 

[MonsterBaker666]

SUPER7% OFF SALE...that's a little mean spirited. 

I don't believe Super 7 announced that they are charging a tariff surcharge on current IN-STOCK items, just that they will likely have to increase prices on anything coming in to the USA after the tariffs kicked in.

I can't believe ANY company could just "eat' a 145% tariff cost.  Even 30% would mean a likely loss in any profits expected on items they would sell.   

[fearliath]

SUPER7% OFF SALE...that's a little mean spirited. 

I don't believe Super 7 announced that they are charging a tariff surcharge on current IN-STOCK items, just that they will likely have to increase prices on anything coming in to the USA after the tariffs kicked in.

I can't believe ANY company could just "eat' a 145% tariff cost.  Even 30% would mean a likely loss in any profits expected on items they would sell.   

Super 7 is throwing the surcharge on all items they sell effective last month. The only items Super 7 has sold since they announced the 8% surcharge are items that were IN STOCK prior to tariffs. Super 7 is charging an 8% surcharge on items not subject to the tariff.

They haven't even received ANY items for which tariffs were applicable yet. The first batch of those are on a boat. Super 7 is price gouging, and these guys rightly called them out for it. As a consumer, I'll place the mean spirited tag on the company that sells way over priced subpar figures and was already firing employees BEFORE the tariffs and then tried to blame it on the tariffs and then doubled down and charged the customer an 8% surcharge for items that no tariff was ever placed on.

I'm not seeing any surcharge for in stock items from anyone other than the known price gougers (BBTS, Super 7).

[MonsterBaker666]

Well, I don't think that price gouging is 100% accurate.  what they're looking at is their bottom line, and with these tariffs, their bottom line of making a profit is going to go away when these tariffs kick in, so they're likely trying to off-set that now.  example - if tariffs are 30%, they're likely going to minimally break even, but more likely lose money if they don't raise their prices.  And if they do raise their costs to keep their profit margin the same, they're going to have to raise their costs MORE than the 30% tariff cost.  So to off-set that, they're raising their costs a bit more now (less than 30%). 

Yes, it sucks.  But the reason for this are those tariffs.  And it looks like they change constantly.  China - 145%.  Nah, lets make it 30%  The EU - 50%.  Nah, let's temporarily wait on that.  This isn't a game - out our economy we're talking about.  It's about profit and loss.  And companies don't want to lose profits. 

I live in Florida.  In 2024 we got hit with several hurricanes that caused damage to the power lines and grids.  FPL went to the State and said that the repairs would cut into the PROFITS - so the state allowed them to raise the rates to their customers so that FPL wouldn't lose any profits.  So FPL made their usual profits in 2024, and the customers now have to pay higher rates to offset the cost of the repairs.  Now in most businesses, if unexpected expenses come up, the company has to pay for them out of their profit margin.  But in the long term, the customers pay, because they'll just raise the cost of the products to off-set them.  welcome to the wonder world of businesses.  The consumer will always pay in the end.

Now part of the reason for these tariffs are supposed to try to get US companies to make their products in the good old USA.  But there are 2 reasons people buy foreign goods - cheaper prices, and in some instances, the items made outside the USA are better designed and built. 

Which would you rather buy - a $35 dog harness or a $114 one - same quality.


https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/25/business/video/veteran-pet-business-baydog-tariffs-jake-tapper-digvid

But, with these tariffs, the American people likely won't have much of a choice.  You're gonna have to pay more either way.  Is that really good for our economy??

I'm currently listening to Billy Joel's Allentown, a song about how the American Steel industry went away, and how it hurt the people in that American town.  It's all about profit and loss. 

So try not to be to critical of an American company like Super 7 who is trying to not only make a profit, but stay in business.  And the reason they are increasing prices now is to off-set the tariffs in place.  145% tariff - no company could make a profit at that rate, and they'd lose money on every item.  30% - I doubt any company can even make a profit when that hits them. 

[fearliath]

A significant part of my job is sourcing about $500 million per year in products from other countries including China. I understand how tariffs work and their impact on sourcing and pricing. Tariffs are idiotic. Especially how they are being used. But Super 7 is shamelessly price gouging. NECA is not. Super 7 also has no idea how to run a business profitably. NECA does. I say that as someone who isn't a big fan of NECA. Super 7 will never get a penny from me and a lot of other people until they drop the price gouging.

And just so we're clear, the amount of tariff the current administration has on China is 10% 10% added to the amount that was already in place under the prior administration =30% total. But only 10% is new. So Super 7 and everyone else is currently paying a 10% higher cost than last year. Not 30% higher. It sucks, but it's not nearly as dramatic as social media makes it out to be. Super 7 is making a lot of profit on a $20 action figure because I know what they are selling them to Walmart and Target for. More than 30%. WAY more! But they also have a sincere desire to piss off half their potential customers. That's their prerogative. But a lot of people aren't interested in being gouged by an "American" company that makes nothing in America.

[MonsterBaker666]

10% can be the difference between a profit and a loss.  AND for a time the tariff was a total of 145%.  THAT is just insane.

And should we really be saying that Company A is  price gouging and doesn't know how to run a business while Company B isn't price gouging and does know how to run a business?  none of us knows the inner workings of any company, except ones we run ourselves. 

IF these tariffs continue, or increase, it will hurt us all in the end, because someone has to pay them.  And no company is going to want to cut into their profit margins for long. 

[fearliath]

10% can be the difference between a profit and a loss.  AND for a time the tariff was a total of 145%.  THAT is just insane.

And should we really be saying that Company A is  price gouging and doesn't know how to run a business while Company B isn't price gouging and does know how to run a business?  none of us knows the inner workings of any company, except ones we run ourselves. 

IF these tariffs continue, or increase, it will hurt us all in the end, because someone has to pay them.  And no company is going to want to cut into their profit margins for long. 

Some of us might know the inner workings of both Company A and Company B by virtue of being very well acquainted with current and former employees of both Company A, Company B and even Company C & D.

[MonsterBaker666]

So is it a bad thing to make a profit?  I can tell you from working all my life that companies want to make a profit and big profits.  Sometimes the can and sometimes they can't.  They say publicly they like competition.  Privately they don't, because they really want to be the only game in town, and then they can charge whatever they want.  High internet bills - sorry - we have a monopoly on the area you live in.  Can't go anywhere else.  I used to work for a gas and oil company.  Sometimes cities would add a new 1 cent tax - the gas companies would raise their costs 3 cents a gallon.  Profits, ya know.

[Dr.Terror]

Like The Junkman says,  maybe Super 7 just makes too much stuff,  not the tariffs.

[Monsters For Sale]

The 3-judge Court of International Trade has ruled that ALL of the current President's tariffs (excepting those on steel and aluminum) are illegal and voided.

The President has already filed an appeal.

We'll see where it goes from here - especially with added charges/price hikes already announced.

[Dr.Terror]

I miss the days when a president was allowed to be president and every person on the opposite side wasn't working agaisnt them out of tribal party derangment.       

Same people fighting for the rights of illegals over citizens dont mind the USA getting raped on tariffs.   I remember when blatantly conspiring against the country and the president was called treason.