Invasion VII

[Paul Clement]

It takes place on 17th March 2007 at the Barking Abbey Comprehensiuve School, and the currently announced guests include Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred and Michael Kilgarriff.

Anyone thinking of attending? I may try to go to this one, I haven't been for a few years and they are advertising...

Please note: 2 FREE AUTOGRAPHS PER GUEST ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR TICKET PRICE!

[Rob McCow]

Wait jus-a-cotton-picking-minute! Last time I went, I thought that all the autographs were free once you got in! Despite that, I'm still quite keen on going this time. We haven't been to one since 2003, so I think we're due. It'll be nice to see the old, old faces again

[Si Hunt]

It holds no appeal to me. You pay once to get in... why are they charging you again for ANY of the autographs?

Si.

[Pip Madeley]

I've never been to a convention before, and with that line up, I can't see that changing.

If someone got (likely) Tennant, (unlikely) Piper or (extremely unlikely) Eccleston to do one, then I'd go.

[Anthony Williams]

the fact that they're charging you for autographs (if you want to get more than two) is quite frankly disgusting. It never used to be like that, and it's just greed on the part of Tenth Planet.

I've heard they've started charging for their signings now too?

Ant x

[Jason Thompson]

But why would you want more than two autographs from each guest anyway?

Latest news: Paul McGann is on the guest list. I'll be going.

[Si Hunt]

I've heard they've started charging for their signings now too?

Unbelievably, Ant is right. From the "Tenth Planet" website:

on some occasions when there is no item available to purchase there will be a charge per guest for the autograph.

What this means is that for certain guests, basically as and when they see fit, they can charge you the usual exorbitant cost for a photo, but not actually give you one. You'd pay 10 and still leave with only a personal item signed.

Remember unlike other stores we don't add a premium price to our products when you get them signed!

That's true - Doctor Who DVD's remain at the bargain price of just twice what you pay on the Internet.

Si.

[Anthony Williams]

But why would you want more than two autographs from each guest anyway?

oooh my bad! I misread it, and thought it was saying that you could only get two autographs at the convention for free (not per guest!), and then any more and you have to pay!

anyway, it's still disgusting that you have to pay in-store these days!

Ant x

[Jason Thompson]

I can't see what the fuss is about here. They ask you to buy the thing the guests are there to sign, or else pay for the privilege of getting an autograph. What's wrong with that? They're running a business, not a charity for autograph hunters. Would you expect them to throw open their doors to free autograph hunters and hang the profits?

Doctor Who DVD's remain at the bargain price of just twice what you pay on the Internet.

But isn't that true of most high street stores? Looking through their catalogue online their DVD prices seem to be about right for the RRP of those products. If massively successful internet stores can afford to sell them cheaper then good for them.

[Si Hunt]

For "massively successful" read "all". And yes, they arn't massively more expensive than many other stores, I just find it amusing that they boast about not "inflating prices" when they are charging 100% more than some retailers!

And in an ideal world, I'd have thought you have a shop, you pay a few hundred quid to hire a celeb as a promotional exercise so that lots of people visit your shop, you get to meet the celeb, and spend lots of money there at the shop at the same time. I don't think it's good to make visitors to your shop pay 10 just to meet a celeb, but then I doubt many people buy things from the shop while they are there because it's so hideously expensive.

Also, previously the understanding was kind of that you BUY a glossy photo or a CD, then get it signed free. The signatures were effectively free when the stars were signing CD's for example. So why now when there is no CD or photo, do you still pay for the signature? I bet you still pay the previous cost, or close to it.

Si.

[Jason Thompson]

Hmm, fair points. At the end of the day I guess it's up to the retailer, and if they annoy too many people they'll lose customers.

For "massively successful" read "all"

OK, all online shops sell things cheaper, but that's normal. They don't have to maintain stores and pay staff to man local branches, so they can generate massive profits by effectively being a big warehouse.

I think it's still a valid thing for Tenth Planet to point out that they don't charge more for signed merchandise than the normal price because I know there are places who certainly do.

The signatures were effectively free when the stars were signing CD's for example. So why now when there is no CD or photo, do you still pay for the signature?

I imagine the justification will be that they want to avoid having people walk in and not spend any money in the shop in the process of getting an autograph. But then of course that raises the sticky issue of people who turn up and have the store run out of signing merchandise before they get to the head of the queue, in which case someone who queued thinking they'd be able to buy a signed DVD might feel that a 'consolation prize' autograph would be the least they should be given after queueing for ages.

It's not straightforward, and I'm not sure what the best thing to do is. I only pointed the possibility out because I felt the use of words like 'disgusting' was putting it a bit strongly.

Anyway, I'm going to Invasion VII. Who else will I see there?

[SiHart]

I remember being thoroughly annoyed that the Stamp Centre charged you 5 for each star you met along side having to pay for a particular piece iof merchandise to get into their wretched shop in the first place. It just seemed so wrong after being used to the days when you could go along to the signings and just meet the stars and not have to pay.

Of course, it's understandable that the stars of the show want to make some money from signings, but I think it's just a pity that everything has become about the money these days.

But yes, I'd quite like to go to Invasion.

Si xx

[Paul Clement]

Well, I'm certainly considering going this time, and my friend Steve is thinking of coming along too.

[Paul Clement]

Also, previously the understanding was kind of that you BUY a glossy photo or a CD, then get it signed free. The signatures were effectively free when the stars were signing CD's for example. So why now when there is no CD or photo, do you still pay for the signature? I bet you still pay the previous cost, or close to it.

I agree that this is wrong though.

[Fatso the wombat]

I guess it all depends on what the commodity is, really; is it the autograph, or the thing they are signing?

Usually, the idea behind getting a 'sleb in to a shop to do a signing is to lift the sales of the product (book, CD, whatever) that they are signing. Thus, the commodity is the book, and the signature is merely the icing on the cake, just a little thing to tempt the buyer to part with their cash sooner, rather than later. In this case, you would under no circumstances expect to pay for the autograph.

However, when the autograph itself is the commodity, then realistically you'd expect to have to pay some wonga for it. But how many people are worth spending a tenner on just to get them to squiggle their name...?

[Paul Clement]

Well Roman Abramovich's would be, but only if it was under your own signature on a lucrative contract.

[Larry]

I've never been to a convention before, and with that line up, I can't see that changing.

If someone got (likely) Tennant, (unlikely) Piper or (extremely unlikely) Eccleston to do one, then I'd go.

same here I've often thought about going to a convention but the line up of guest would have to be a hell of a lot more exciting before i'd decide to take the plunge..

[Allllie]

I'm going!