With HoT, venues were able to split up prize kits for sale on eBay, and make at least $300-$400 for their $20 something investment. Black Lanterns are already for sale at $8 locally; frankly I haven't checked eBay in the last two or three weeks, but assume things are probably already out there. But I know that some retailers are waiting this time with BATB to see what the kits will be worth. When they can make more profit on a prize kit than from selling several cases of Clix, the players will lose. Even when a judge offers to pay for the kit himself, you're not really just looking at the $30 something cost, but several times that. You're competing with the market, not just covering the kit cost.

I hate to see it, but since the "money bar" was set so high with HoT, I think prizes are going to be issue for a while. The funny thing is, HoT had so many great figures, you don't really see the LEs as being dominant. Its not like they are actually worth the outrageous prices people were paying. I mean $100 for a partial prize kit? I'd trade all five LEs easily for a Lampost Batman or an E2 supes, and feel like I stole the chase. That $100 went down the drain in any case.

Many, MANY times...

Things aren't going to change. You either have to find another store to play at or run tournys with the bottom half of a prize kit. Either way, good luck.

I just checked eBay and see I was wrong. People are actually paying mostly $30 for Black Lanterns, a couple of forties, and $45 for a BIBTB Catwoman/Batman. I think we are going so wrong.

If everything is exactly as described, then it seems to me the South Side manager should just ask for the appropriate percentage of the kits, and if they aren't forthcoming then they need to talk to the owners. That's what managers get paid for, how they get product for "thier" customers, how they cover thier backsides, and how a multi-store operation would need to run.

If you guys (south) can't build up clientelle because of internal politics, then the owners need to be involved. If East has a ton of customers and can argue that they need the support there, then advertise different prizes. You don't need full kits to run tournaments. Start with 12 items, have the manager argue for the best 12 you can get, run 4 weeks of games, see what happens.

Good Luck!

Well, in case you haven't figured this out already, this is a problem at your stores.
Specifically with how they're doing their ordering.
Proof? North does their own ordering & is fine. You guys who "share"? Either place your orders seperately or learn to work it out amonst yourselves as to who gets what/how much.
One solution could be to alternate sets. One store hosts for all the Marvel prizes, the other hosts for all the DC prizes.

the prize kits were one kit for 3 cases, two kits for 7 cases and three kits for 12 cases.

also, let's hope that wk/ neca will do as they stated and punish venues caught selling prize support. report anyone you personally see doing this, or even ebay stores... who are not supposed to be receiving the support in the first place anymore.

Rob

i was just going to point this out, you can get more than 1 OP kit, i tried talking my store into getting another one, he ordered 6 cases and i was showing how grabbing one more case would be worth it for the second OP kit.

Hmm, maybe I should explain a bit more of the internal politics involved..

First, as far as I recall, all the comic carnivals are owned by one guy. However, the North side store has a co-owner, and works sort of separately from the other three stores.

Secondly, and heres the funny thing, only the North side store and OUR store, the South side, runs Heroclix. The east side store used to, but does not any longer, and I don't think west ever ran any events.

The manager of our store does everything he can. The internal working are each store has it's own manager, then there is a manager that "Oversees" all the stores, and then the actual owner himself. Really, the problem is with the manager that oversees all the stores. I swear, and so does everyone else who works at south, that he is intentionally trying to sabotage the store. The owner, whom I've talked to and actually really seems to want to support all our gaming activities, tells the overseeing manager to get things done, which, of course, he doesn't.

It's annoying, and I really am coming to the conclusion we're screwed no matter what. Seems the only thing I can do at this point is to keep at it with the owner of the stores until he finally puts his foot up the overseeing managers arse...

Even though I dont live near Indianapolis now, I've been been a customer with your "North" store since 1976, I started with them right after they moved into Broad Ripple on Carrollton Ave. I know Mark who owns the stores and his nephew Mike who was running the BR store back then. He may not be as "hands on" as he was back in the beginning, but hes still the same man.

I'm sure talking to Tim up at the North store will help, but probably not that much. He might have some extra prizes to give you since only the two of you run clix. The East store doesnt need it since they dont run heroclix anymore and is probably only keeping it to put up on ebay or sell at the store itself. Either that or there giving it to someone else to sell for them. You and the manager both need to talk to Mark and ask him to look into it personally.

But as far as the Oversees Manager goes. Maybe he just has a grudge against your store or your manager. I would say talk to him about it, but it sounds like you or your manager already has.

Double check this with the dist. but I thought they were aloowinh 2 or 3 kits for purchase per account (with the case/ kit restriction in place)

I would check with the store's Alliance or Diamond rep ASAP!