Figure News

[stu]

Hi All

Just wondering ,,,,,is news exciting anymore !!!!

Are new releases just ho Hum !!!!!

What makes somebody comment ?????? and others Not !!!!!!!

As a person who releases said News I look at the Like and comments to gauge interest,,,,if I did this totally I would sell 5 to 15 pieces.

The news section is bizzy but seams "dead" . Maybe those in the PF Top Brass could do something to change this,,,,Gordy always did !!!! and throughout the whole site.

Not a criticism,,,,,just a feeling.

Stuart

 

[housecarl]

Spoilt for choice I think Stu.
Don't take it personally.

 

[Bailey]

I tend to check the front page every so often to see what shows up in the 'Latest Figure News' section. I look at that part of the site more like advertising space rather than a creator showing their work. As a result I'm less likely to 'like' or comment there. But if the picture and subject are interesting I'm likely to click on the thread for a closer look, so you can also track the number of times that thread is viewed. Just because I didn't hit like or leave a comment doesn't mean I won't be adding a figure to my must have list.

 

[Tecumsea]

Only sales matter Stu..............as you realise threads don't count for much..............the Jamaica figure is great and a nice departure from the norm.

Keith

 

[Blind Pew]

Still can't be denied PF is a great shop window. Good feedback on here has to have a value.

 

[stu]

Keith its not sales !!!!! its service that matters. I don't like to let people down !!!

From the responses I get an idea as to how many I may need,,,moulds to make etc etc. I have a full time job and cant just magic up a few kits at a moments notice,,,I need to be ready.

I always thought news was a discussion point for news releases !!

Thanks for your comment and time to respond

Stuart

 

[stu]

Hi Mike

Thank you for your reply.

I had never seen Figure News as just cold advertising,,,,more a discussion point for new releases.

If it is just advertising ,,,,,, bumping may become popular !!!

Does everybody else see it as just advertising or a point to talk/discuss about whats new.

Many thanks

Stuart

 

[tonydawe]

Hi Stu,

For me its genuine news about New releases, not advertising. I usually only post a comment or Like a thread in this section when I clearly intend to purchase the figure, but as a guide to measure what of any interest you may get from customers, I don't think its particularly helpful. I agree that we are spoilt for choice. It's never been a better time to be a figure modeller.

 

[Nap]

Stu ,

It's good to see that you feel service is important , it does make a difference and promotes sales IMO

I don't think the Figure news us advertising just bringing new stuff to light , there is of course social media as well.

Modellers know the quality companies that have quality products and services.

For me I like to see the posts in Figure News

Nap

 

[stu]

Many thanks Nap !!!!

Cheers Tony,,,your comments are greatly appreciated. I think news is advertising now and I suppose like anything there is a lot of choice. I just always thought a forum was about discussion so news was a place to discuss,,,, news .

PF is an ever changing place ,,, the best without a doubt !!

Stuart

 

[swralph]

I love to see new releases and always try to make a comment.I'm not the most talkative bloke,and I have a limited budget.

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Stu,
I find myself in a moral dilemma and being guilty of passing over subjects purely because of scale! I know that, 54/75/and now 90mm are beyond my capability, so I rarely give them a second glance! despite the work that's gone into the sculpt. So I don't comment.

The second aspect is subject matter. Again I am guilty off passing these over, if I have little interest in the given visual. In my case ACW. Native Americans, (south and north). Italian and Russian etc. again I do not comment.

However, maybe I should as any feedback has value! ........ Just off to check my 'Moral Compass'.

Although I also must admit that service and reputation and quality also plays a significant role.

Regards,

Mark

 

[stu]

Ralph and Mark , many thanks !!!

I don't think people need to say a lot or even comment,,,the like button is there.

I like many have a facebook page,,,, I get 10 fold the number of likes, are these sales ,,, no. They do give me an idea I'm doing something right though.

I use the like button a lot, comments are not always needed nor in my case can I give one due to my vested business interests.

As manufacturers we always ask for comments though, so clearly they do matter !!

Should the news section just be reduced to a like button ,,, no comments needed,,,killed off by the great choice and diversity that this hobby brings us.

I hope not, what you write matters !!!! it certainly helps me and can shape what I do and no doubt others reading it.

Stuart

 

[Tubby-Nuts2]

Stu. That maybe the point! I may like something I see, but I cannot physically do it! .. what do I do? press the like button? which may depict a false sale! or ignore it??? giving an idea of the subject being less than popular, this is the dilemma. So! therefore I suppose this is where comments are very useful which can verify intentions. Sometimes I feel the 'Like button', is a lazy and non descriptive tool, but it is useful in the correct context of communication.

Regards,

Mark

 

[FigureLover]

To me the news section is advertising, and that's the way I like it. Its to let the figure community know of something new on the market. We here in Australia don't see many products in the flesh until we or someone we know purchases one. There are no retail outlets that sell figures here, so sites like Planetfigure are a god send to us.
I see lots of new items on here that I really like and if I bought them all, I would have to sell the house, car and dog!!!!!!! If I see something I think is special in one way or the other, (or has an issue that needs to be brought up) I will comment (sometimes "like" but not always). If I'm interested, I will follow the links to see what the purchase price is as well as postage (to send stuff here to Australia can add quite a bit to the cost). Its after that I will concider purchasing.
So I guess to answer your question, the amount of comments or likes has nothing to do with the actual sales expected. Comments will show the amount of interest in the subject, the more good comments you get shows that you have something that people like but whether a potential customer actually puts his hand in his pocket, that's another thing.
Also the internet is quite impersonal, so a lot of people will bypass either commenting or "liking"because its not face to face. They wouldn't do that if you were selling at a show (I hope)
Hope this helps answer your query
Ben

 

[Tecumsea]

Stu, most of your releases are previewed by Carl so don't you already have a fair level of comment on which to plan? People are hardly going to comment twice unless like me they have a poor memory

Keith

 

[kagemusha]

Figure News is probably the first section I visit...on the majority of occasions....as said...it is a shop window onto what is coming/released.
I think you have asked a good question.....just maybe...at the wrong time....with Euro just around the corner.
I for one, am guilty of not always liking/commenting on pieces...unless they are of particular interest to me....even though I may not intend to buy them.
Now that you have asked...I may well view the need to like/comment in a different light...following your explanation of how it helps you plan your business strategy.

Regards

Ron

 

[stu]

Many thanks again.

I started this not for me,,,, I watch a lot. I look at News first ,,,then browse, most times I am not signed in,,,, so no likes no comments. So yes I am lazy !!! and I must change this !!!

I never considered news as pure advertising ,,, an advert doesn't need a response openly,,,it just tempts you to like it and possibly buy it. I like all Ferrari's but drive a van !!! but I like Ferrari's.

I feel rightly or wrongly News just seams ,,, oh not another,,,,don't we have enough,,, true on all accounts, but news does seam a tad yadda yadda. Its rare to see a rave on here about something new and yet there are so many equal contenders for that attention for that personal verification that the piece is good,,,because you can show it without buying it.

Euro is around the corner !!!!! I personally by now should have killed your wallets with news,,,,, where is it !!!!

Keith I get carl to preview to get a feel for a piece but also to let carl show what he does,,,and does well!!!!

This is not just about stormtroopers its about the PF community doing what it does well,,,,appreciate each others efforts,,,,News is no different

Many thanks

Stuart

 

[Carl Edward Sambrook]

Stu I look through PF to see what people have been making and painting. I also look to see whats new on the figure front, and if something grabs my attention I look further, as was the case with the NUTS PLANET figures that I have received (Thank you for the first class service they arrived on Tuesday but I've not had the chance to email you) I also have Carl Reid as a friend on FB and he comes on and shows what figure he has just sculpted which is another way of getting people to see his work and where they can obtain it from. In the years before the Internet us modellers had to rely on magazines or word of mouth to see what was being released which in my opinion was alright but you had to rely on ones persons view on the figure, with the Internet you now get more than just the one's persons view, and the views of all standard of modellers so you know what to expect when opening up the box. I prefer going onto PF rather than Military Modelling as it gives a more in depth look at the figure world, I also looked through Putty and Paint yesterday but was put off as it seemed to cater for the elite modellers and painters and you could only join by invitation only. I also like the feedback from other modellers. When I have posted some of my work, especially when I think I should not post them as they would be ripped apart, the comments made encouraged me to continue with the hobby, I may be wrong but I don't think that I have ever seen anyones work really slatted, and advice has been given by members of PF for the modeller to improve. I think I may have gone off track from the original thread, so I apologise. One other thing before I sign off, when looking through the New Releases forum I do tend to only look at what I'm interested in which is 200mm figures or busts, I think most people only look at the subjects that they are into and skip the rest.

 

[Colin_Fraser]

I agree that the number if likes does not signal sales. I sculpt my own and rarely purchase a figure any more. But I still press like on pieces I enjoy, so don't count every like as a sale. I think the phenomenon you identify is wider across this and other sites. I have no idea what traffic is like vs say 2 years ago but I have heard that private conversations on social media have started to threaten some hobby boards. I have seen some evidence of slowing participation on many boards I frequent including autograph collecting, historical, and modelling. PF still seems to do reasonably well but I don't know what the trend is.

I think the story is the same here as elsewhere. Use it or lose it. But one should remember there is value in being seen to use it. At any time you can see the numbers of current users and logged in members are sometimes a very small percentage. So the others are either members who have been too lazy to log in, those who actively don't want to for some reason, or folk who have stumbled onto the page and who probably move on. When you look at the list of logged in members you often see a very small group of the usual suspects. Not sure what this all means but that is my take on it.

Colin