It would appear that all is not well at MFX Replicas. Ever since I pointed out how shit and inaccurate the MFX sonic screwdriver was, it seems that sales have been less than vigourous. Combine this with the frantic phone calls Gorton has been making to every Doctor Who merchandise retailer in the land to try and offload these sonics and the fact that Gorton has now resorted to giving them away as prizes on the RPF, it doesn't take a genius level IQ to figure out that something has kaiboshed MFX sonic sales.
The above email, spin it how you like, is the last gasp of a desperate man trying to offload a job lot of crap sonics. This is sad news for two reasons:
First, it devalues the product. If Gorton is standing by the product and insists it is so good, you wouldn't need to go to such desperate lengths to shift inventory. Giving them away is even worse. If something is worth selling, it's worth selling for money and if it's good, then it's worth selling for lots of money. Giving it away just makes you look desperate and tells the entire world exactly what you think of your product. If this ploy doesn't work, I wouldn't be surprised if we see Gorton flypitching them out of a suitcase down Portobello Market:
Secondly, this is a surefire way to seriously piss off his loyal customers - customers who have paid a premium to get hold of one of his sonics on the back of misleading and false advertising claims and whose money, paid upfront as pre-orders, has funded their production. If he's going to seriously cut the price after 5 months, the least he could do is give those who ordered either a refund of the difference or a credit note equivalent to the differences in the two prices. Dropping the price like this is a cuntish thing to do, however you look at it.
To be honest, I wasn't really surprised by this. There have been murmurings from inside MFX for a while that things have not been rosy in regards the state of their licence. I won't let the cat out of the bag just yet but do not be surprised if MFX's laser screwdriver and master's ring never see the light of day. I've always maintained that licences should be awarded to those that produce the best product. That opinion still remains. I am more than happy to pay a licence fee and go legit but sadly the BBC licencing department are a bunch of feckless cunts who refuse to engage me in any kind of meaningful dialogue so what can I do?
Anyway, just to prove I'm not a total dickhead, I urge those cheapskates out there for whom accuracy and quality are unimportant, swan along to http://www.mfxwarehouse.com/ on Monday and pick up a cheap sonic :-)
Today, I shall be attending a small, but bijou, SciFi convention on the dark side of our homeworld, Iota Geminorum IV. No costumes thankfully but there will be lots of books.
ReplyDeleteThere is to be a section called "The Destruction Of Dodgy Merchandise" typically using liquid nitrogen and an enormous hammer.
I wonder if MFX have anything they'd like to contribute??
CT, any suggestions?? ;-)
CT, the question must be asked: Now that you've completed your version of the Sonic Screwdriver (and my compliments to you on producing such a high quality prop replica) what's next for you? You've already made the Master's Signet Ring (which is now going to retain its status as the only HIGH QUALITY replica worthy of being added to a Doctor Who collection) so is it too much to hope that we might some day see you focus your attention on producing a replica of the Master's Laser Screwdriver?
ReplyDeleteI Do actually find this rather unfortunate. I mean your sonic is clearly a better piece and maybe if they had taken you up on your offer but...well, the way I see it it doesn't matter since if you had gotten the BBC license they would have ordered you to water your sonics down as well...I just think even watered down your piece would still be superior to this.
ReplyDelete@ Jack T. Chance: The Laser Screwdriver is definitely on the cards. I've got the funtional Sonic universal remote control due out at the end of the year first so don't expect anything before 2011.
ReplyDelete@Straker: Yes, it is very unfortunate. MFX are great at what they do best and atrocious when they stray from their field of expertise. Hand props are just not their bag. Neill's story regarding quality is just silly. I have seen their Cyberman heads. I can bring them in at HALF the price and make then to IDENTICAL spec whilst still turning a profit. For him to say otherwise is just plain stupid.
The BBC took their licence away from them, plain and simple. If this was something they had planned for why not announce it last year and plan a final build window for one last final pay day? Even as late as Decemeber they were still planning on a build window this spring. I don't think the BBC requested the watered down design. I think Gorton plain fucked up.