Custom Merchandise - Testing and Results

[d12345]

I saw this question asked a few times on here and never saw an answer beyond "just set it to another option," so I decided to tackle it myself. I found that it's a fun mini-game that helps you further the role-playing element and changes your view on decision making.

 

Things like turning that 95 pop guy heel may not seem like such a good idea anymore when you see their merchandise sales drop from Fantastic to average. I also love Custom Merchandise because you can see in the 'Custom Control' tab in Merchandise how each of your workers are doing.

 

I've only been doing this for 2 months in game time but it's proven highly profitable so far. I will show you comparisons of my settings without Custom Merch and with Custom Merch; then show you the financial results of each.

 

What you need to know:

1. The company that I'm running with is APWF (American Pro Wrestling Federation) brought back from the ashes of dead promotions in a new C-Verse 2014 game.

 

2. The starting pop was high 40s and 50s with 70s in Tri State and New England.

 

3. Started with no workers. Just avatar with no pop and Crippler Ray Kingman as owner. Shane Sneer tookover for Ray in year 2 of the game after Ray's retirement.

 

4. Product: Key Feature Traditional, Mainstream medium, low Realism-Hardcore-Pure, and Very Low Cult. Women's division

 

5. Overpaid a lot of old guys in order to steal them from the big USA competition. Most didn't work out, a few did.

 

OK now the popularity levels to test: (All pop in U.S.)

Huge Star: Jack Marlowe (Jungle Lord) - 87-90 pop - Face

Star: Kevin Christopher (KC Glenn) - 76-80 pop - Heel

Star: Dirty Rotten Giedroyc (Rogue) - 83-86 pop - Heel

Draw: Iron Mikey James - 74-76 pop - Face

Draw: Sam Keith - 70-71 pop - Face (push road agent)

Draw: Ernie Turner - 72-74 pop - Face (push Color)

Draw: The Angel of Death - 75-76 pop - Heel

Well-Known: Benny Benson (Elmo Benson) - 63-66 pop - Face

Well-Known: Edward Cornell - 62-66 pop - Face

Well-Known: Marc Speed - 61-65 pop (70 in Southwest/Hawaii) - Heel

Well-Known: Big Time Prime - 66-70 pop - Heel

Well-Known: Shane Sneer - 68-69 pop - Heel (push Authority Figure)

Regional Star: Nadia Snow - 54-57 pop (60 in midwest) - Women's Div. Heel

Regional Star: Alicia Strong - 53-54 pop - Women's Div. Face

 

So I will use these as our subjects to test different effects of Custom Merchandise values on different types of workers. In the next post I will give you results and income/expenses of the different combinations in this Pop>Perf company.

[d12345]

RESULTS pre Month 1:

 

In the pre month I had my Production System set to "Just In Time" with "above-average" quality. Under this system my financials were as follows:

December - Cult Level promotion - pop 71-72

Expenditure Merchandise: 33,058

Income Merchandise: 94,452

Most Over Worker: Jack Marlowe pop = 87-88

 

Now I fast-forward a few months later as I went Custom Merching and upped the quality to "Excellent."

 

February:

Expenditure Merchandise: 45,586

Income Merchandise: 121,888

 

March - Cult Level promotion - pop 73-74

Expenditure Merchandise: 57,476

Income Merchandise: 114,608

Most Over Worker: Jack Marlowe pop = 88-90

 

So big changes as you can see. What happened in March is I signed Tyson Baine and over produced his merch, which I now learned was stupid seeing as he is heel and doesn't sell well. Now here's my breakdown as to my individual custom settings for each of my test subjects.

 

First Value is Level of Merchandising and Second Value is how they sold in March.

 

Huge Star: Jack Marlowe - Very High/Fantastic

Star: Kevin Christopher - High/Average

Star: Dirty Rotten Giedroyc - Medium/Average

Draw: Iron Mikey James - Very High/Fantastic

Draw: Sam Keith - None (was Medium/Awful so I removed his merch)

Draw: Ernie Turner - See above

Draw: The Angel of Death - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Benny Benson - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Edward Cornell - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Marc Speed - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Big Time Prime - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Shane Sneer - Very Low just posters/awful

Regional Star: Nadia Snow - Medium/Average

Regional Star: Alicia Strong - Medium/Average

 

So what I've come to find is that a mid-card Face sells about as well as a Main Event Hell when it comes to merch. I'm going to try different combinations and will post if I notice any other trends.

[Newman]

RESULTS pre Month 1:

 

In the pre month I had my Production System set to "Just In Time" with "above-average" quality. Under this system my financials were as follows:

December - Cult Level promotion - pop 71-72

Expenditure Merchandise: 33,058

Income Merchandise: 94,452

Most Over Worker: Jack Marlowe pop = 87-88

 

Now I fast-forward a few months later as I went Custom Merching and upped the quality to "Excellent."

 

February:

Expenditure Merchandise: 45,586

Income Merchandise: 121,888

 

March - Cult Level promotion - pop 73-74

Expenditure Merchandise: 57,476

Income Merchandise: 114,608

Most Over Worker: Jack Marlowe pop = 88-90

 

So big changes as you can see. What happened in March is I signed Tyson Baine and over produced his merch, which I now learned was stupid seeing as he is heel and doesn't sell well. Now here's my breakdown as to my individual custom settings for each of my test subjects.

 

First Value is Level of Merchandising and Second Value is how they sold in March.

 

Huge Star: Jack Marlowe - Very High/Fantastic

Star: Kevin Christopher - High/Average

Star: Dirty Rotten Giedroyc - Medium/Average

Draw: Iron Mikey James - Very High/Fantastic

Draw: Sam Keith - None (was Medium/Awful so I removed his merch)

Draw: Ernie Turner - See above

Draw: The Angel of Death - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Benny Benson - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Edward Cornell - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Marc Speed - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Big Time Prime - Medium/Average

Well-Known: Shane Sneer - Very Low just posters/awful

Regional Star: Nadia Snow - Medium/Average

Regional Star: Alicia Strong - Medium/Average

 

So what I've come to find is that a mid-card Face sells about as well as a Main Event Hell when it comes to merch. I'm going to try different combinations and will post if I notice any other trends.

 

Fair play, I have thought about doing this, as I have persuaded myself that Andre the Giant and Bob Bradley must have the same setting on default, but when I asked, I was told that it wasn't worth the time, you seem to have spent around an extra 10 to make around 15, so is it really worth the time??

[Remianen]

Fair play, I have thought about doing this, as I have persuaded myself that Andre the Giant and Bob Bradley must have the same setting on default, but when I asked, I was told that it wasn't worth the time, you seem to have spent around an extra 10 to make around 15, so is it really worth the time??

 

It is for those workers who are (or will always) be hugely over. In my Queens of Chaos game (converted to TEW13), I did custom merch for all of my top stars/lifetime main eventers. Those people who I could slot into a match and it would automatically be main event quality heat. As you might expect, there aren't very many of those workers, which made it easy for me. Saving Grace (Harper), J.Ro, Cherry Bomb, Alicia Strong, Tayla Martin, Brooke Tyler, etc. It typically doesn't produce enough profit to make it "worth it" unless you're a micromanager.

[Newman]

It is for those workers who are (or will always) be hugely over. In my Queens of Chaos game (converted to TEW13), I did custom merch for all of my top stars/lifetime main eventers. Those people who I could slot into a match and it would automatically be main event quality heat. As you might expect, there aren't very many of those workers, which made it easy for me. Saving Grace (Harper), J.Ro, Cherry Bomb, Alicia Strong, Tayla Martin, Brooke Tyler, etc. It typically doesn't produce enough profit to make it "worth it" unless you're a micromanager.

 

Yeh, I kinda get that, but on default, is my main event guy on the same setting as my opener, or even average midcarder? If so, then I must be throwing money away..

[d12345]

Yeh, I kinda get that, but on default, is my main event guy on the same setting as my opener, or even average midcarder? If so, then I must be throwing money away..

 

I think I will find out if it's worth it for sure after a few months but for me it is fun at least.

 

I think it's interesting when for example Bayley in real WWE got her first action figure a few months ago. You can simulate that kind of moment in your TEW fed by making a worker's Toy available after they hit 50 pop.

 

Same with debuting a worker's new t-shirt.

 

For me it adds another wrinkle of immersion in my save.

 

As far as financially I'm still testing but it seems to be similar to booking bigger venues. Is it worth it to book that 30,000 seater for a 17,000 fan card? or should you save some bread and sell-out the 15,000 seater?

 

Similarly what I'm testing is whether it is worth it to produce high or very high level of merch for a main event heel in hopes that they have a good month...

[Beejus]

I like this idea. I've always been interested in the idea of the custom setting, but never had a game where I tested the waters in it much (TEWADD and all). One thing that bothers me is the idea that a main event heel doesn't sell as much merchandise. Perhaps momentum is tied into sales? If it isn't, then it probably should be; after all, look at CM Punk. As a heel with high momentum, he was probably the biggest seller in the WWE for at least that year bar only Cena. Or look at the nWo or early "Austin 3:16" age Stone Cold. Heels CAN sell huge amounts of merchandise, it just needs to be something that it's obvious the fans are buying into.

 

But regardless, your progress definitely makes me want to try this out further in-depth in the future.

[d12345]

I like this idea. I've always been interested in the idea of the custom setting, but never had a game where I tested the waters in it much (TEWADD and all). One thing that bothers me is the idea that a main event heel doesn't sell as much merchandise. Perhaps momentum is tied into sales? If it isn't, then it probably should be; after all, look at CM Punk. As a heel with high momentum, he was probably the biggest seller in the WWE for at least that year bar only Cena. Or look at the nWo or early "Austin 3:16" age Stone Cold. Heels CAN sell huge amounts of merchandise, it just needs to be something that it's obvious the fans are buying into.

 

But regardless, your progress definitely makes me want to try this out further in-depth in the future.

 

I think I need to try it out with a company that has different product settings. I would say my key feature being traditional would make sense for it to work as it is.

 

Example: Koko B. Ware selling as much merch as Sgt. Slaughter is believable in that era of WWF.

 

Dirty Rotten Giedroyc (aka Rogue) was my APWF World Champ with 99 momentum and 2nd most popular guy on the roster. But heel. Average merch sales.

[shawn michaels]

I think I need to try it out with a company that has different product settings. I would say my key feature being traditional would make sense for it to work as it is.

 

Example: Koko B. Ware selling as much merch as Sgt. Slaughter is believable in that era of WWF.

 

Dirty Rotten Giedroyc (aka Rogue) was my APWF World Champ with 99 momentum and 2nd most popular guy on the roster. But heel. Average merch sales.

 

Yeah, he should sell more, so it means the system is not tied to momentum, or so it looks like it's not. I'd love to see this feature expanded in TEW 2016, but i fear it might be removed just like others were, instead of working on them to make them relevant. I'll have a try at this when i stop being lazy. For now I need to decide on a new game to start. Undecided between RW January 2016 and Montreal Aftermath.

[d12345]

Here is an update after finishing the month of April, which was an amazingly good month merchandise wise.

 

We made 118,560 on Merchandise

We spent 40,310 on Merchandise

 

Verdict: Definitely worth it once you figure out the right mix.

 

One thing I did was turn Kevin Christopher (KC Glenn) babyface, which as I figured popped his merch sales from average to fantastic. Everyone else stayed at the same level.

 

Now that KC is a face I'm going to give him Very High level of merch and make big paper while spending little paper by not producing as much for my main event heels.

 

Top Pop guys:

Huge Star: Jack Marlowe - Very High/Fantastic

Star: Kevin Christopher - High/Fantastic

Star: Dirty Rotten Giedroyc - Medium/Average

Draw: Iron Mikey James - Very High/Fantastic

[RingRider]

This is a great experiment and thanks for sharing for your results. I have tampered with this in the past myself and I haven't been able to figure out the risk/reward regarding the different types of merch.

 

For your top guys, are you producing everything from toys to tshirts and posters? Are lesser guys just getting shirts? etc.

[d12345]

This is a great experiment and thanks for sharing for your results. I have tampered with this in the past myself and I haven't been able to figure out the risk/reward regarding the different types of merch.

 

For your top guys, are you producing everything from toys to tshirts and posters? Are lesser guys just getting shirts? etc.

 

Yea, main event and upper mid-carders get everything. My popular women's division wrestlers sell well also (regardless of heel/face) so they get everything with Medium production as well.

 

Openers, Enhancement talent, and the like get no production. I think of it as Jeff Hardy in 1994-1996. WWE wasn't making him any toys or posters for being a jobber.

 

So really I start production of toys with midcarders and up (just for the fun of saying they have toys). I do posters for midcarders and up.

For Fox Mask and American Cougar, who are in my midcard as faces, I just do toys-posters-misc-hats. I figure either misc or hats would represent making their high prestige mask available for sale.

 

Announcers, Authority Figures, and Managers don't sell very well either fyi

[lr10540]

Yea, main event and upper mid-carders get everything. My popular women's division wrestlers sell well also (regardless of heel/face) so they get everything with Medium production as well.

 

Openers, Enhancement talent, and the like get no production. I think of it as Jeff Hardy in 1994-1996. WWE wasn't making him any toys or posters for being a jobber.

 

So really I start production of toys with midcarders and up (just for the fun of saying they have toys). I do posters for midcarders and up.

For Fox Mask and American Cougar, who are in my midcard as faces, I just do toys-posters-misc-hats. I figure either misc or hats would represent making their high prestige mask available for sale.

 

Announcers, Authority Figures, and Managers don't sell very well either fyi

 

What about heels of varying pushes?

[d12345]

What about heels of varying pushes?

 

All the same. Medium Average and down.

59 pop woman heel nadia snow

67 pop Upper Midcard Findlay O'Farraday

 

The first dip in heel merch sales I found was with Danny Fonzarelli.

He's an Upper Mid-Card heel with pop between 51 and 55 in the U.S. His low level merch sold 'weak.'

 

Any heel under 50 pop wasn't worth making merch for as it was selling at an awful rate and not worth the cost of my excellent quality production.

[Newman]

All the same. Medium Average and down.

59 pop woman heel nadia snow

67 pop Upper Midcard Findlay O'Farraday

 

The first dip in heel merch sales I found was with Danny Fonzarelli.

He's an Upper Mid-Card heel with pop between 51 and 55 in the U.S. His low level merch sold 'weak.'

 

Any heel under 50 pop wasn't worth making merch for as it was selling at an awful rate and not worth the cost of my excellent quality production.

 

So, when you find a heal that sells, say average, you should turn them, and they should make more, would you agree..

[Newman]

Yea, main event and upper mid-carders get everything. My popular women's division wrestlers sell well also (regardless of heel/face) so they get everything with Medium production as well.

 

Openers, Enhancement talent, and the like get no production. I think of it as Jeff Hardy in 1994-1996. WWE wasn't making him any toys or posters for being a jobber.

 

So really I start production of toys with midcarders and up (just for the fun of saying they have toys). I do posters for midcarders and up.

For Fox Mask and American Cougar, who are in my midcard as faces, I just do toys-posters-misc-hats. I figure either misc or hats would represent making their high prestige mask available for sale.

 

Announcers, Authority Figures, and Managers don't sell very well either fyi

 

I think, if you can find one that sells less than awful, and get him up the card, then he will rise accordingly, to maybe average as a midcarder. Seems to me, star quality will affect it, and charisma..

[d12345]

So, when you find a heal that sells, say average, you should turn them, and they should make more, would you agree..

 

Yea it's what I did with KC Glenn. It worked like a charm. Interestingly enough I didn't complete his turn until the last day of the month at the PPV, and he still got the effects as if he had been a Face all month.

 

I think, if you can find one that sells less than awful, and get him up the card, then he will rise accordingly, to maybe average as a midcarder. Seems to me, star quality will affect it, and charisma..

 

Well, anyone sells awful. Awful is the worst possible value. An opener who sells weak would be anomalous, but I'm not sure it's possible.

 

I have to also try this again with different product styles when I get a chance to see if that affects it. I'm just too deep into my APWF game to even do that right now though

[Newman]

Yea it's what I did with KC Glenn. It worked like a charm. Interestingly enough I didn't complete his turn until the last day of the month at the PPV, and he still got the effects as if he had been a Face all month.

 

 

 

Well, anyone sells awful. Awful is the worst possible value. An opener who sells weak would be anomalous, but I'm not sure it's possible.

 

I have to also try this again with different product styles when I get a chance to see if that affects it. I'm just too deep into my APWF game to even do that right now though

 

So, it stands to reason that a poor selling face should be a heel then, I would say.. It is something I will look into I reckon, just because I haven't tried it.. I am just waiting for a month or so, it's nearly my end of year show, so that month will be the first month.. I am just moving my charismatic star quality guys up the roster in anticipation..

[Newman]

Yea it's what I did with KC Glenn. It worked like a charm. Interestingly enough I didn't complete his turn until the last day of the month at the PPV, and he still got the effects as if he had been a Face all month.

 

 

 

Well, anyone sells awful. Awful is the worst possible value. An opener who sells weak would be anomalous, but I'm not sure it's possible.

 

I have to also try this again with different product styles when I get a chance to see if that affects it. I'm just too deep into my APWF game to even do that right now though

 

Yeh, maybe a lower midcarder may shift a few units, but thinking about it, openers maybe asking a bit too much.. I will try and get my younger openers up to lower midcarder, and start trying from there I reckon..

[d12345]

Yeh, maybe a lower midcarder may shift a few units, but thinking about it, openers maybe asking a bit too much.. I will try and get my younger openers up to lower midcarder, and start trying from there I reckon..

 

Yup exactly. When you have a heel who could sell a lot. It's worth it to turn him face.

 

It interestingly creates a WWF vs WCW theory of what you prefer. Company carried by a heel (nWo - Hogan, Nash, Hall) which is interesting, or company carried by a heroic babyface (Cena, Hogan, Austin) which sells better to mainstream audiences.

[Newman]

Yup exactly. When you have a heel who could sell a lot. It's worth it to turn him face.

 

It interestingly creates a WWF vs WCW theory of what you prefer. Company carried by a heel (nWo - Hogan, Nash, Hall) which is interesting, or company carried by a heroic babyface (Cena, Hogan, Austin) which sells better to mainstream audiences.

 

I am hoping that the faces won't need to win to sell, if I book them to lose against higher pop guys, then I can still be flexible regarding who wins or not, but yeah, I am bound to find a guy that sells more than where I want him on the card, at least I expect to..

[K-Nection]

You know I was always scared to tinker with the custom merchandising...but seeing your results I think I might give this a shot.

[SirMichaelJordan]

Huge bump but did anyone notice if holding a championship help boost sells? I would imagine that a main event heel that currently holds a ME belt would sell more than a mid card babyface.