I have zero to do with anything regarding Topps when it comes to their websites and sales. Totally agree that if you have a $40 credit you should get that. I don't know if writing a nice letter first or a scolding one is the answer. I guess you will find out soon!
I'm assuming there is no category for WP because they don't have anything permanent ever to put in it. A few one week sets a year is all we have right now.
There is an anger over WP lately that, to me, seems misguided. There is no retail set because the sets were not selling enough to make more. The only option for continuation of the brand is online. Online will only attract a very focused specific group so the costs will be higher. The set this time is exactly the same price as the last two sets so it should not be a surprise. And the set is only overpriced from a specific viewpoint. Consider:
An OLDS box at $75 got you a full set, some duplicates, some of the Luds and alternate backs and one sketch card plus a display box.
This set (and the previous 2) at $150 gets you a full set, no dupes, some of the Luds and alternate backs, half the rough cards and 3 sketch cards plus a pack card (for this set going forward).
The $150 price is scarier than the $75 to anyone that simply wants a base set. For people that want sketch cards the $150 set is the better value as you get one more sketch card at equal the price of two boxes.
So for sketch collectors and dealers the better value in the long run is this set. For the base collector and people on a tighter budget the old pricing was better.
There are two ways to collect this set. If you want a base and don't want the bells and whistles you just wait it out and pick up the base on Ebay or from another collector/ dealer that bought multiples. You'll get a set at a solid fair price comparable to most any other trading card set. Problem solved. If you want the bells and whistles or are into sketches you get the better deal with this anyway. If you are a dealer you get three sketch cards which, if you get good ones, may pay off the entire cost and you may even make more money than you paid. I bought 5 sets last year myself and sold off the sketch cards and my dupes and made money and got the base sets I wanted for free that way. And last years set had some questionable sketch cards. This set has WAY better sketch cards and artists. And sketch cards a a HUGE key to any of these online sets (and even to retail). I pushed for stringer artists this time around and will continue to request and push for the best ones as I know they are important to selling the sets. At worst you'd break even on buying a set and get your money back. I see the pricing as extremely fair BUT I see how anyone on a tight budget would not like, or be able to afford the initial price offering. Unfortunately, online is the only Wacky option at this time and this is the structure. Trust me, when they first decided to continue without the packs and boxes and showed me the selling plan and prices it was insanely worse. It made no sense and would have cost people hundreds and into the thousands to collect it. Made no sense. I protested, made suggestions and this was the best option for what they wanted to include.
Again, same scenario as last year and the year before that. As always, hopefully it will sell enough to keep it going. I have a lot of fun making it and I think everyone at least seems to like the cards if not the presentation and pricing. There have been a lot of positive changes to the GPK brand over the past year and I know we are going to try to get Wackys back up on their feet as well but expect that to only be online. I'll push for some more changes for the next set, will try to get boxes or packs or binders if at all possible. Hopefully we will get to do more this year.
On a side note, I also saw people complaining about GPK getting all the licensing. The fact is that brand has characters that lend themselves to licensing better. They don't have to worry about pissing off the company they are spoofing. Taking the Wacky character off the packing for a license just makes it a goofy character without context. And none of them without their packaging are as iconic as Adam Bomb. remember with GPK the character is the main thing and WP it's the gag.