G4 Why Do Big Talking Princess Prices Vary SO Much?

[WingsOfMasquerade]

As everyone's seen there's a sale on at TRU this week / BOGO ponies etc...so of course I go.
And when I go I see

Celestia 10.59
Nightmare Moon 19.99 (on markdown from 29.99)
Cadence 26.99

What's even going on here?
Celestia is a THIRD of the price and she's NOT on sale! Are they ripping people off with Nightmare Moons? Are they losing money with Celestias? What is the REAL price these princesses should be at?

14.99 or something is reasonable.
It's a giant pony, uses more plastic, more hair, battery, talks, flaps wings, wings take time to make, lights up, is heavier to ship to stores, uses more cardboard for their box, comes with barrette, etc etc. Compared to a normal single-card pony like an Applejack, that's SO much more stuff. So of course, these princesses should cost more, it's reasonable and it makes sense that they do. Companies should be able to make money normally.

But I was looking and saw regular price big white celestia standing there next to Shadowbolt Dash and they were the same price.
That value for the dollar there just doesn't match up. Sure Shadowbolt had a fancy box & styled goop hair with all over paint, but she still has to be less costly to make than one who lights , talks & flaps.

What was pink giant Celestia originally at? 19.99 I think?
It's not like rarity is driving the prices since they're pretty much only at Toys R US/Walmart and none of them is super special or limited edition or something. It just makes me want to ask 'what's really going on'?

[prancingstag]

Perhaps older releases of ponies get their prices dropped to try and move stock out of the store/warehouse ASAP? Nightmare Moon is the newest release, Cadence was well over a year ago at the wedding, and talking Pinklestia was up to three years ago. The regular prices (30 -> 27 -> 11) seem to scale down accordingly with their age.

Taking prices from Australian shelves, when first released the talking Pinklestia was about $40. As time went by they would be put on sale for $30-35, and eventually their normal price would be set at that level. Then, when the store wanted to move all of the stock of Pinklestia out quickly to make way for Cadence, they dropped her normal price to $20 and cleaned out. Then as Cadence aged she followed the same basic pricedrop pattern to eventually make way for Crystal Empire sets.

[hathorcat]

Perhaps older releases of ponies get their prices dropped to try and move stock out of the store/warehouse ASAP?

Its pretty much this. The price scale you mention is basically that the ponies which have been on shelves for years and are clogging them up are reduced and the more recent version of the pony is at full price. In theory NMM would probably be full price too but she is clearly on offer [or she is not moving as well as they would like].

Unfortunately manufacturers and retailers dont always consider like for like when it comes to product especially when products cant be directly compared. For all we know it may in fact cost the same to produce ShadowDash - the big Celestia is a repeat mould which they just run out in different colours each year. ShadowDash has different hair, glow in the dark elements and a more complex paint finish. Hasbro and TRU price at what the market says and cost margin - clearly this equates to about the same for them with these 2 releases.

[honestjonstoys]

The Celestia is cheap because it is on clearance.  And it IS part of the sale, I bought 4 of them

[Sapphire-Light]

Night Mare moon is an exclusive right? so she's more expensive 

I saw a few days ago I saw in a store here in Honduras the big Princess Twilight Sparkle,  they sell her at $125  I almost fainted when I saw the ridiculus price.