How much more would you be willing to spend for nicer ponies?

[Sparkle Pony]

So we all know that the price of basic brushables has stayed more or less the same since the 80s, inflation had no effect.  But there's no denying that the current materials are a bit lacking.  So assuming they stayed the same size but were higher quality, how much more would you be willing to spend on a G4 brushable?  If the next generation was larger (G1-G3.5 size, take your pick) how much would you be willing to spend on that?

I would be willing to shell out an extra 2 dollars for a nicer G4, and maybe 3-4 for something G3 or G1 sized.

[buttonso]

I think I'd be willing to pay about $7-10 for a nice, G1 sized brushable.. (If we are talking a hypothetical G5 pony). Provided the design of the pony wasn't off putting. With G4s, I think their designs suit their smaller sizes. ::shrugs::

[lovesbabysquirmy]

If they brought G1s back - same size, same quality, same symbols on both sides, same high-quality art on the packaging....  if they actually made the effort to RE-ISSUE?

Knowing how the last experiment went, I'd say I would pay up to $20 apiece.  That's what I would consider a fair price for an Art Pony - these would not be any different as I would be buying them to display MIB.  And that is still less than most of the vintage G1 boxed and carded ponies' selling price these days, so I wouldn't struggle with paying a similar (and un-inflated) price. 

If they charged the price point any lower than $10, we'll still get cheap, bottom of the line quality and it will be at another inflated price that we all complain about. 

[Big_Brother_Bufftusk]

If they brought G1s back - same size, same quality, same symbols on both sides, same high-quality art on the packaging....  if they actually made the effort to RE-ISSUE?

Knowing how the last experiment went, I'd say I would pay up to $20 apiece.  That's what I would consider a fair price for an Art Pony - these would not be any different as I would be buying them to display MIB.  And that is still less than most of the vintage G1 boxed and carded ponies' selling price these days, so I wouldn't struggle with paying a similar (and un-inflated) price. 

If they charged the price point any lower than $10, we'll still get cheap, bottom of the line quality and it will be at another inflated price that we all complain about. 

At this point I'd probably be the same, I'd happily pay $20 for any G1-ish reproduction...heck I'd be happy just to see the G3's come back, I stopped collecting new product after they were finally discontinued. I'm thinking store availability here though, which would never happen, but it's nice to think about!

[LadyMoondancer]

$7 to $10.  Or even more, to be honest.  I mean, I did happily spend $10 on Tiny Glory.  So if they had new G1 ponies who had good quality and good designs, I'd be all over that.

I wonder if Hasbro has any more old designs that never got made, like those Celestial Ponies we saw artwork of.  I'd love it if they'd make those.

[hathorcat]

I actually dont have a problem with G4s as they are. I am happy with the £5 I have to spend on the singles. I wouldnt pay more because...well...I dont know what else I would want from them

My complaint on G4 is not the general quality...is the variety of characters. G1 to G3 spoiled me a little with the concept of multiple characters to collect. Thats what G4 lacks for me.

Due to inflation the price of ponies now is actually dramatically lower than that from the 80s. A $4 pony in the 80s would actually be almost $9 now. Toys nowadays are fast moving and disposable...not so the toys when we were in the 80s. So unless we are willing to spend $10+ we are not actually going to get anything the size and quality expected. A couple of extra $ is still not as much as we would pay for a pony of G1 variety. 

[scarletjul]

For a reproduced g1 or g4 to g1?  I'd probably be willing to pay $15 to $20, especially if they included decent artwork.

If they could just release bigger g4s with more characters (especially boys) as brushables, I'd probably be willing to spend about $10.  My problem with the g4s is that I'm bored with the poses, with the Mane 6 and I never liked the blind bags.  The fashion styles are bigger but I couldn't get into them either.     

[lovesbabysquirmy]

Considering I paid $12.50 for Tiny Glory and the itsy-bitsy art book it came with....  and the artbook was the final piece in convincing myself of the value....

[PinkieShyPony]

I actually dont have a problem with G4s as they are. I am happy with the £5 I have to spend on the singles. I wouldnt pay more because...well...I dont know what else I would want from them

My complaint on G4 is not the general quality...is the variety of characters. G1 to G3 spoiled me a little with the concept of multiple characters to collect. Thats what G4 lacks for me.

Due to inflation the price of ponies now is actually dramatically lower than that from the 80s. A $4 pony in the 80s would actually be almost $9 now. Toys nowadays are fast moving and disposable...not so the toys when we were in the 80s. So unless we are willing to spend $10+ we are not actually going to get anything the size and quality expected. A couple of extra $ is still not as much as we would pay for a pony of G1 variety.

I completely agree! I wish they were a little bigger, but I would be willing to actually buy G4 ponies more often if they would just have a little more variety. There are so many side characters that they could make and they just keep making the same six over and over.

[Juliepants]

If it was a G1 size/quality pony I would pay £15, so about $20ish. I would spend about that amount on toys for my niece or my friends children if they were about that size/in a box about that size, so I think it's quite a reasonable price.

Jules x

[Sunset]

What I'd like to see would be G1 or G4 fashion style size with minimum accessories but more poses for $10-12 apiece.  Really that's where G4 fashion styles are now when you consider that your buying about $5 worth of accessories.  But I don't like being forced to buy $5 worth of accessories that I don't usually want.

[Sparkle Pony]

Usually my big issue with G4s is the hair being bad and frizzy or just the head body mismatch.  Honestly I would be fine if just that was fixed!

[Sugarberry]

I think the price range now is right, but there are some difficulties that are a problem when it comes to selecting the small $5.00 brushables. 
From a market standpoint, $5-6 is a perfect price for impulse buy.  That's the actual name for the stuff hanging by the registers, on endcaps or around that price point.  It's less than 1 hour worth of work at minimum wage, but still turns a profit.  I don't think they're going to adjust quality because it'd require different materials, and different production methods, meaning more expense.  They tried to do a collector-style DJ and it wasn't well-received.  Parents aren't likely going to pay more than $6 for an impulse, even if collectors would.    

The trouble ponies are having is more related to the stagnation of variety.  Hasbro finally understood this in some perspective, because they've (finally) come out with the positional ones at a slightly higher price.  They have a packaging fail though.  Small- is good!  It means more product in the same space.  More visibility = more sales.  What is not working for collectors and is also hard on stores is the open hang tab.  Try to look through a hangar of small brushables and they fall all over the place.  The cards get bent, meaning collectors don't want them (unless it's shortpacked like Holly Dash) and stores get stuck with them.  Zoning is a nightmare- most of our local Walmarts have taken to tossing overflow in wire baskets now.  Unseen at best, rummaged through and damaged more often than not.  Displaying in a collection is a nightmare.  What they need are plastic bubbles underneath the pony to allow it to stand upright on its card on a shelf, and also an open tab with a bit more plastic on one side that flexes to keep the carded figure secure on its hang peg.  Either would make the figures more visible, displayable, and easier for employees to maintain too.     

Now for design of the actual ponies:
No matter how many garish designs they plaster across the same core group of ponies, there are only so many Pinkie Pies or Rainbow Dashes that any parent or collector will buy without a significant change.  All these years and the brushables are still in the exact same pose.  Molds/ moulds are extremely expensive to make for casting.  (I know because my dad has been in casting for over 40 years.)  Even so, this line has one stock pose for the $5.00 range.  Every other line had variety of pose.  It adds to imagination and play value.  Yes, willing to pay a few dollars more for the shine brights, the tiny breezies, the posables, etc, but the line would really benefit from 1) a few new 4" brushable poses, or 2) for money-saving value on molds, reuse and development of more male brushable characters off of the shining armor mold.  Better believe THAT would get all sorts of fan interest in a hurry.

Lastly, separate pony accessories.  Not meaning that the ponies themselves couldn't be sold with their standard comb, but rather if they want to sell a lot of product, a $30.00-$75.00 playset is not going to do it.  Small play packs- kind of like ponywear used to be- but more like what would be seen in the cartoon should be made available.  G3 had a great idea with the plastic ones because they held up well and didn't need live people to sew them.
$10.00-$15.00 would be a good price point for these.  By way of idea, Pinkie Pie's candy shop would be a start.  How about a little play pack with a gumball machine, lollipops, cakes, a tiny cart to attach to the pony?  For Applejack, it's been ages since the barn set was released, and I still wish it had been a full barn instead of just the front. 
How about a small pack with some jumping fences, barrels for barrel racing, a lasso, curry brush, Big Mac?  They were on the right track with the carriages and cars, but there really is so much more they could do to add variety to the line without it becoming gimmicky.  Remote controlled cars?- yes fun, but expensive and molds need to be used a couple times or more to be worth tooling.  Massive, huge, talking Twilight Sparkle that didn't really look like her toon self?  It didn't sell well here.  Big, expensive... not really attractive exactly.  Storytellers were neat and affordable.  Good choice there for variety imo.

Anyway, different characters and more small play material would be of more interest and turn a better profit for their investment.  Hasbro really should look at the line more from a play-oriented perspective.  Even $6.00 would be manageable, but less flooding stores with the core group.  Last year was like 3.5 all over again.       

[Katika]

I agree with the "more poses, more characters" thought and along the lines of the head/body mismatch, I think I'd be willing to pay a little more even for G4s if Hasbro would up their quality control. Remember how bad some of the G3s were with glue smeared all over their sides and in their hair?

I think I can sum this all up to "I miss G1s. A *lot*"    Of course, I am rather biased on that fact...

[appleponygal]

I think I don't like  it when they have like gaps on neck joint and stuff but to be honest I kinda just pick the bestpony out & try to get them when they are on sale a bit to make up for the little flaws on them.