35 Cent Variant Confusion 2 2

[Conacon]

I'm sure someone can help clear this up:

I was hunting yesterday now that some stores are open. I found the 35 cent Amethyst #1 from 1983 for $2. It was NM, so I was happy to find a deal. 

Riddle me this: the 35 cent cover was the test price and the regular price was 60 cents? I was under the impression that the test price was to see if buyers were willing to buy it at a higher price. For example: Star Wars #1 was 30 cents except for the test price of 35 cents, and the 35 cent variants are the rare ones. 

Anyone?

[BlowUpTheMoon]

@RockMyAmadeus

[BlowUpTheMoon]

Just now, Bax77 said:

9 minutes ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

@RockMyAmadeus

He hasn't posted for 2 months.

[comicginger1789]

Its like a reverse test price variant...

I shall stay tuned for someone who has the answer 

[Get Marwood & I]

Odd isn't it. Issues 1 and 2 had the variant treatment and I can find references all over the web as to their existence, almost always with the 'test market' tag, but none which explain the apparent pricing reversal scenario. Here's one site's reference:

http://www.recalledcomics.com/Amethyst35centVariants.php

No explanation. They're mentioned in Overstreet too. If they were 'test market' copies, as you say @Conacon, what exactly was the test? Maybe it has something to do with the residents of Austin and St Louis. 

Paging @cosmic-spider-man and @FlyingDonut who I've seen post intelligently about such things  

[Get Marwood & I]

28 minutes ago, comicginger1789 said:

Its like a reverse test price variant...

I shall stay tuned for someone who has the answer 

Yes. Speculating, the standard price of a regular size DC was 60c in February 1983. Comics dated prior were also 60c so the public were used to paying that price. The only test I can think of would be to see if lowering the price would increase sales, i.e. the average title sold x copies at 60c but lowered to 35c and the sales increased. But you wouldn't do that on a new unproven titles first issue, surely? You'd do it on an existing title - lowering the price can increase sales, and if, say, Batman's sales rocketed or the sell through percentage increased significantly with a lower price you could see the logic of the test. First issues can have spikes in sales too before settling so it would be a poor choice for a pricing test I think. Perhaps the price difference isn't about testing profit somehow. 

[comicginger1789]

Perhaps it is a production error? Printed with the wrong price entirely and distributed as such in error. That seems more logical than some weird testing scenario on such a random, likely undersired book at the time. 

[Get Marwood & I]

1 minute ago, comicginger1789 said:

Perhaps it is a production error? Printed with the wrong price entirely and distributed as such in error. That seems more logical than some weird testing scenario on such a random, likely undersired book at the time. 

I don't think so Eric. The style of the price - a great big stand out 35 - is out of kilter with the 60c standard newsstand layout approach. That indicates a conscious effort. Also, it has known geographical distribution areas which is in keeping with test market exercises. 

[comicginger1789]

Good point. Is there sales data available for these issues anywhere? Maybe that could shed some light on what they were doing?

[Get Marwood & I]

4 minutes ago, comicginger1789 said:

Good point. Is there sales data available for these issues anywhere? Maybe that could shed some light on what they were doing?

I haven't seen any. DC was never my area of expertise really. Hopefully someone will pop along soon who is clued up. 

[BlowUpTheMoon]

It's a cool book to own.

[BlowUpTheMoon]

4 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

4 hours ago, comicginger1789 said:

Perhaps it is a production error? Printed with the wrong price entirely and distributed as such in error. That seems more logical than some weird testing scenario on such a random, likely undersired book at the time. 

I don't think so Eric. The style of the price - a great big stand out 35 - is out of kilter with the 60c standard newsstand layout approach. That indicates a conscious effort. Also, it has known geographical distribution areas which is in keeping with test market exercises. 

I also doubt it was a production error as Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #2 also has 35 cent price variant. 

Edited May 3, 2020 by BlowUpTheMoon

[JollyComics]

I own several of them but it's not hot or high demand because of this peculiar title - I like the story for some reasons.

Hottest 35 cent variants copies are Iron Man #14, Star Wars #1, 2001 Space Odyssey #8, Amazing Spider-man #171, Captain America #212 Error 35 cent variants (rarest) and much more.

Check it out - https://www.sellmycomicbooks.com/marvel-35-cent-price-variants.html

[Get Marwood & I]

8 hours ago, BlowUpTheMoon said:

I also doubt it was a production error as Amethyst, Princess of Gemworld #2 also has 35 cent price variant. 

Indeed - that does seem to reduce further the likelihood of a production mistake. It's unusual not to be able to find a single scrap of information online and I've had a good look. There are lots of references to the geographical area, like this one here:

"This is the 35-cent cover-priced edition which was test marketed only in St. Louis, Missouri and Austin, Texas."

But no commentary that I can find regarding the fact that it bucks the trend of every other known market test by being priced lower than its regular priced issue. Odd. Speculating further, if the intention was to see if more kids would buy it at a lower price, wouldn't they have made more of it and have a 'Special low price' blurb on the cover? 

In my own variant research I've found scenarios which don't add up or make sense. The choice of issue is not always prudent, so maybe this was just a poorly judged attempt at gathering market data. I hope someone knowledgeable does chip in at some point as I find this stuff fascinating 

[buttock]

As a limited series it might have been done to get people to buy the first issues in the hope that they would stay for the whole series. 

[theCapraAegagrus]

23 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

Odd isn't it. Issues 1 and 2 had the variant treatment and I can find references all over the web as to their existence, almost always with the 'test market' tag, but none which explain the apparent pricing reversal scenario. Here's one site's reference:

http://www.recalledcomics.com/Amethyst35centVariants.php

No explanation. They're mentioned in Overstreet too. If they were 'test market' copies, as you say @Conacon, what exactly was the test? Maybe it has something to do with the residents of Austin and St Louis. 

Paging @cosmic-spider-man and @FlyingDonut who I've seen post intelligently about such things  

If only you followed their lead.

[Conacon]

23 hours ago, Get Marwood & I said:

Odd isn't it. Issues 1 and 2 had the variant treatment and I can find references all over the web as to their existence, almost always with the 'test market' tag, but none which explain the apparent pricing reversal scenario. Here's one site's reference:

http://www.recalledcomics.com/Amethyst35centVariants.php

No explanation. They're mentioned in Overstreet too. If they were 'test market' copies, as you say @Conacon, what exactly was the test? Maybe it has something to do with the residents of Austin and St Louis. 

Paging @cosmic-spider-man and @FlyingDonut who I've seen post intelligently about such things  

So in this instance the direct market issue would be more scarce than the newsstand? Or would the tried-and-true "newsstands are harder to find in high grade" scenario still hold up? 

[Get Marwood & I]

2 hours ago, theCapraAegagrus said:

If only you followed their lead.

You, you... you rotter!

2 hours ago, Conacon said:

So in this instance the direct market issue would be more scarce than the newsstand? Or would the tried-and-true "newsstands are harder to find in high grade" scenario still hold up? 

I don't know - depends on the size of each distribution channel in the designated test areas I guess. From this thread alone, I know there's at least one 9.2 newsstand copy so we know one newsstand seller in either Austin or St Louis was careful 

[valiantman]

Two speculations mentioned could easily be combined.  "It was a test price in certain geographic markets"  and "It was a lower price to get people to buy the full series"

If you want to know if more people will buy a 12-issue story for a brand new character if the introductory issues are cheaper, you would pick some geographies and lower the price... then track sales on the full 12 issues and see if you "make up the difference" by the end of the run.

[valiantman]

5 minutes ago, valiantman said:

Two speculations mentioned could easily be combined.  "It was a test price in certain geographic markets"  and "It was a lower price to get people to buy the full series"

If you want to know if more people will buy a 12-issue story for a brand new character if the introductory issues are cheaper, you would pick some geographies and lower the price... then track sales on the full 12 issues and see if you "make up the difference" by the end of the run.

Doing the math, just for fun...

60cents times 12 is $7.20.  Two issues with a 25cent discount would mean you make $6.70 for the whole run.

In order to be (minimally) profitable on the "introductory price of 35 cents" model, you'd need to sell 8% more full series in the test geography markets. 

If you sold 10% more, it would definitely be a profitable model.

(This is ignoring production costs, just looking at "cash register sales receipts" - newsstands were returnable for refunds, so production costs are already eaten up every month by unsold issues - you'd want to increase sales at the register.)

Edited May 4, 2020 by valiantman