Monday, June 25, 2012

Is This KISS Monster Book Worth $3500?

Since music sales are waning and will continue to do so as music subscription takes hold, artists are increasingly turning to merchandise to make up the difference. Indeed, it seems like there's no limit to what a true fan will cough up when it comes to pricing.

Take a look at this KISS Monster Book, which is priced at $3499 pre-launch and $4299 afterwards. There will only be 1000 made, they're signed by members of the band, and you can choose from one of 10 covers featuring country flags. But it's only a picture book! Granted it is 3 foot tall and 2 foot wide, but is it worth that kind of money?




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6 comments:

efandy said...

The question is a pretty rhetorical one :)

Jef Knight said...

The unholy nexus of a dead genre and a dead format conceived by marketing zombies and sold time travellers from the 70s.

Also; where would you even put that thing? If it came with legs it would be an actual coffee table book.

Cheers

al hilgendorf said...

I'll wait until it's in the Barnes & Noble bargain bin for $39.95.

Craig said...

We'll all scoff at it for being ridiculous and then they'll sell out.

I'm sure there's 1000 KISS fan(atics) out there who will buy it.

Totally not me, but the percentages of fans to purchasers worldwide are in their favor I think.

Dale Sherman said...

Well, as a long-time KISS fan who has written about them a lot over the past couple of decades, I know the general feelings amongst KISS fans is that ... "it's pretty #$&@#$@ stupid."

Then again, we as fans said the same thing back in 1995 when KISS did a few acoustic concerts for fans for $100 a ticket. But other fans said it was "worth it." And we said the same when they charged (and still charge) over $1,000 to meet them for a quick photo and autograph before a show, but some fans say it's "worth it." And some thought charging $2,000 to be on a ship with them for a cruise was insane, but some fans said it's "worth it." So, you have the majority saying it's stupid, but there's bound to be a handful that'll go for it anyway.

But the cost is all that matters to KISS. It probably costs less than $200 to print each book. They sell 50, then they've made a profit. Will they ever sell a 1,000? I bet we'll see them in Half-Price Books eventually for around $200. They may find a few fans willing to buy it, but not THAT many.

Michael Brandvold said...

First, hi Dale!

Second... worth it? Pretty sure it is no. Will it sell out of the 1000 copies? Pretty sure it is yes.

Will they then release a cheaper version for everyone else? Pretty sure it is yes.

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