Bummed one of your most desired Star Wars or Power Rangers action figures won’t be getting the green light any time soon? Well, now there’s a place to get your voice heard, as Hasbro has announced HasLab, a platform for crowdfunding collectible action figures and models.
HasLab works similarly to Kickstarter, though the two aren’t identical in how they function. Much like Kickstarter, users pledge money to a project they wish to purchase. If a minimum number of pre-orders is met, then the item will be produced and shipped. Where HasLab differs from Kickstarter is the initial pricing.
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Kickstarter typically allows users to pledge small amounts of money to show their support, but the first round of fundraising on HasLab requires an initial $500 buy-in. The item you’re effectively pre-ordering? A Vintage Collection Jabba’s Sail Barge, a model of a Star Wars ship typically known as the Khetanna.
The model itself is fairly large, measuring 49.35 inches long, 14.64 inches wide and 17.01 inches high. The Vintage Collection Jabba’s Sail Barge weighs 13.89 pounds and includes removable side panels so that the ship can be viewed as a cross-section.
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The model will only be produced and shipped if the goal of 5,000 pre-orders is met. If the goal is not met by 11:59 EST on April 3 then pre-orders will be cancelled, and prospective customers will not be charged. If the goal is met, though, the model will likely ship on Feb. 28, 2019.
New crowdfunding platforms are always tenuous things. Until fan interest and manufacturer fulfillment can be gauged, there’s really no telling how reliable the process will be. HasLab could serve as a useful tool for both collectors and Hasbro, though, as the platform will allow eager buyers to secure a collectible item without too much worry about it selling out quickly.
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Similarly, HasLab will allow Hasbro to gauge interest in an item and determine if moving to the production phase is worthwhile. After all, there’s no point in going through a lengthy and expensive production if there are only 28 people in the world who want a replica of Jabba’s main ride (the inaugural campaign has currently amassed over 1,300 pre-orders).
Hasbro’s Vintage Collection Jabba’s Sail Barge is just the first item available on HasLab. The company has not released any information about upcoming items that might be made available in the future. Pre-orders for the model will be open until April, at which point it is reasonable to assume that a new item (or items) will be put up for funding.
(via IGN)