GTP sent out an update via email today:
Let me bring you up to speed with what’s been going on this year.
It started with Covid (of course) and working with a new factory that is Disney approved.
This new factory wasn’t nearly as good as my other factories that I had been working with for the past decade and where I made the original spacewalls at. Being disney approved does not in any way mean the factory is better. So to work with an unknown/new factory and not be able to travel and check up on progress was a huge time killer. The factory was closed down 3 times for several months. Because of the huge amounts of money I spent on the Star was license, and the super low sales numbers, I have been stuck doing the best I can with the sales coming in. I really thought that having the Star Wars license would help with sales...... instead, it greatly limited me to what I could post, what information I could share, what I could say and how the sets were made.
On top of all these problems that were honestly out of my hands, there have been mistakes and problems of my own doing. Losing John took a lot of the wind from my sails, and I found the project overwhelming on my own. He did all the IG posting and responded to messages and emails. I hate it and I’m terrible at it, but that’s not an excuse for not doing what should have been done. There has also been no money to get any help. The investors we found that got the project rolling backed out part way thru and we found ourselves out of money overnight.
GTP sold about 4,500 original spacewalls sets worldwide, so of course I thought if I had the official license…. I could at least double that - wouldn’t you? ........ The TANITIVE IV sold about 490 sets.
I needed a minimum of 2500 sets to start production. All the money from sales has gone into tooling. I have taken a new job to stay afloat and GTP is being run out of my garage. It’s not a happy story I know. Disney was good enough to extend my contract because everyone is behind in manufacturing right now.
But that ended September 30th.
This is why I can now tell you what’s going on now.
I loved making toys and being part of the toy community. The very last thing I would ever want is for anyone to lose out. I have never had a project that didn’t make it to the hands of a customer.
Delays are hard and frustrating. I have been on both sides of it. As a customer you get scared and worried, and you really want to have the item you paid for.
As the “company” the stress of people wanting information that you can’t share and the stress of being behind schedule is nearly unbearable at times.
On top of the normal and even justified complaints, I have had Internet trolls who got the GTP facebook page shutdown twice, website hacked and got the site briefly shut down. The stress of these kind of attacks are soul crushing.
Even with all that, I am doing everything I can to salvage this project.
So, what does it mean for everyone now that GTP no longer has the star wars license…...It means GTP TOYS will no longer be able to produce or sell the TANITIVE IV licensed sets and that we had to file for bankruptcy.
Now what? Do I accept the failure and loss, accept the embarrassment with my peers and just fade into obscurity…… OR do I find some people to help and with a new LLC to bring back the original SPACEWALLS line (that I have been prohibited in making under contract or even mention) and raise the money and sales needed to finish the Tantive sets ( 2000 sets )?
GTP has over $100k invested in just the tooling for the Tantive set. Only the big doorway and floor is unfinished. I have sacrificed too much and We have all come too far not to have the sets. Most of the tooling for parts are already built. It would be tragic to have gotten this far and not finish.
MOST importantly: What this means to all of you with an outstanding order with GTP ?
It means that you will receive (in time) a “Spacewalls Princess edition set” from a new company.
Its the TANITIVE set without licensing BUT the added benefit of being modular again (the biggest complaint I’ve had and something I was prohibited in making)
The downside is obviously that It's going to take more time.
To sum it all up quick - you have NOT lost your money on this set
you will need to wait another 6 months or so to get it
and no I cant offer you a refund at this time
The unlicensed sets will be modular
I know I have let you guys down, and from the IG comments some are very frustrated with the lack of communications and updates and some of you of you hate me.
I am sorry, all I ever wanted to do was to make awesome display sets for our Star Wars figures. I really tried to make something great for us.
I will be looking for someone to take over spacewalls to hopefully keep those available for you all.
May the force be with you always,
Michael
GTPTOYS
