[flaccideagle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

And as I said, Hasbro plans toy lines for the US market, not other countries. Yes, they sell toys all over the world - most successful toy companies do that. But Hasbro's toy lines are always done for the US market first. Then their regional sub-dvisions (Hasbro Canada, Hasbro UK, Hasbro Germany, etc) plan around that based on their own market needs. Which is one of the main reasons why some countries don't get some of the releases in a toy line that the US does.

But they do get others that the US doesn't sometimes. Mattel for example, offers Max Steel, which is huge in South America, just huge. That's just a popular example that you can see for yourself; it's just not sold in the US, at least in any numbers. Neither of us work for Hasbro, and they don't give out information on how exactly they plan toys, so we can't say what they plan for or not.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

Well, of course anyone can buy a toy. My point is Hasbro actually aims for a far younger crowd than adult collectors.

My point is, they aim for both- or else they would have just gone with the 5 POA figures, like the Dollar General ones, across the board. I get what's being said, and I agree: it's not all focused towards collectors, and often we get too fanciful of our actual buying power. But there's been a clear courting of both with Hasbro for many years now, it's only really been the last two years where there's been a split- two lines, one for kids, one for collectors, whereas before they tried to do one product for both audiences.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

I don't doubt your experiences, but as you said mine are different. And the only reason I mentioned it is to counter the "kids don't play with toys anymore - only adults buy them" hyperbole that seems to crop up whenever these discussions arise.

You're absolutely right. It's an annoying statement, but for many people, it's a fair one to make. Perhaps your situation might be unique, especially since you collect toys? Think of it this way for a second: if for the last five years, Hasbro has been pursuing other avenues of making money, from buying TV networks, to funding big-budget summer blockbuster movies. Why would a company that for decades has been pretty much strictly toys, move into media in such a billion dollar way? Surely if kids were buying toys by the boatload, they would be putting the money in that direction? I don't like that it's going in that direction, but hey, it is, whether I like it or not, you know?

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

I guess I was using the term "collect" more loosely than you, but I agree. I wouldn't say an eight-year-old is a collector in the same vein as a twenty-something. I don't expect them to have an MISB collection, set up dioramas, buy multiples of the same toy due to variants. But if they buy toys or get them as gifts, in one sense they're collecting toys. If there's a better term to describe it, I'll be happy to use it instead.

I would use "buying toys" in the cases you mentioned. We've all seen it before: a young collector gets online and makes claims such as "I've been collecting for fifteen years" And they're fifteen years old! Or someone rediscovers their childhood toys in their twenties, and then makes claims that they're "a lifelong collector." There's no definition, to be fair, its just a pet peeve of mine, because it obscures truth, in order to give someone "cred" that they don't necessarily deserve. It destroys honesty and fidelity; it's ok to be a young collector, who isn't sure, or asks questions. It's not ok to try to puff yourself to make yourself bigger. There's plenty of time to grow. I learned this the hard way in my teens as a young collector.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

And I feel that's the only way for them to move forward and continue to be successful. Unfortunately for us, it means prices are going to continue to go up, up, up, while the quality and engineering/articulation may stay relatively the same for quite some time.

Well they've been pretty successful despite that. if it's any indication from Toy Fair this year, articulation will be going down, and prices the same; nothing changes, because we as fans keep buying them. If you keep buying them and you feel you're paying too much, or there's no articulation, you're not really sending the right message with your dollar.

I'm not sure you follow me with why it's called "Black Series"- using the term "Black Series" is taking off of a trend in many luxury goods and services. Many of these services are called "Black"; The Black line Credit Card, the Black section (VIP), etc. Neither of these lines are aimed at kids. If they were, why offer all the other low-articulated product and reissues of other figures? If parents have been complaining about how much the figures cost as to why they're not buying them, why do a line where they're $20 or more a pop?

In 2002, Hasbro was doing toys for Attack of the Clones, and those as you will remember, were little semi-articulated statues, and had action features, magnets, etc.- all things fans asked for over the 1990's at various points, as these were absent from Star Wars toys at the time. Fans complained after the new movie lost its luster, stores overordered the first waves and none of the later ones. There were tons of these things on the pegs. The ones with the best articulation sold far better than the other figures. Some shops were ordering cases for just those, I worked at one - fans spoke up online, and a lot of the figures were just not selling. Hasbro asked retailers and fans: what do you want? And most said "Super articulation!" and behold, in 2004 they came out with just that. And they were very overpriced for the time, and people ate them up and they were sold out everywhere for months. The low sales of the non-articulated figures gradually gave way to the line going (pretty much) super articulated by 2007. This is all armchair quarterbacking, but I doubt VOTC and super-articulation would have happened for Star Wars toys, if people didn't move towards Spider-Man Classics and Marvel Legends at that time, instead of just continuing to buy toys they didn't like. Companies usually only chance when forced to, by legislation, or money Again, I don't think that fan outcry was the main, or the only factor, by any stretch. But it was plain to see, people didn't buy them in the numbers Hasbro wanted to sell, so they changed. Not because of fan outcry alone, but because people didn't buy them. If you do or don't buy something it sends a message. Why else would they do super articulated after that?

Quote:

Originally Posted by trebleshot

I don't see how that's possible, considering Hasbro sells toys by the case (not individually) and most mass-market retailers do not keep track of statistics on individual toys, such as the age of the buyers and why they are buying a particular toy or toys.

Well they do have HTS and you can see what sells more pretty easily on your toy hunts. And they do have reps that check in on larger retailers. I haven't met one personally since the mid 2000s but I would doubt they've changed that much. It's pretty easy to see the pegs and say: "Wow, no Thing figures, but DAMN there's a lot of Falcons." It's also easy to look online and see which ones command a premium. You can also see which case assortments sell more than others.

There's also a clear move to individualize the SKUs on figures. A common complaint from fans and retailers is people buying cases online, and then going to TRU or Target, and buying several figures, then returning the unwanted extras to the retail store. In my area this is so bad, I haven't bought a MU figure at retail for a bit. One day, a full set of 2013 figures, like Professor X, etc. Next day, all Falcons, and other older figures, returned. From what other Arkers say, it's the same for them too. If Star Wars figures are one a case, then you really thought they bought 20 cases at your local TRU and missed them all except Obi Wans and Clone Pilots? Many brought up this well known scam can't be done at retail if the SKUs were individualized, which is a big switch. They've been rumbling about doing it extensively for several years now, and it would make sense to see this if not fully in place this year, then next. Again, if you think Hasbro hasn't thought of all this, or doesn't do ground-level research...

I agree with you, that collectors focus is razor sharp, and we are not the focus of Hasbro's strategies. But it is a focus, and not a small one. Otherwise why go to all these lengths, why not just do the 5 POA figures like the Marvel Dollar General line? Why do SDCC? Why do retailer exclusives? Why make a Longshot figure? Why work for us at all LOL

I think a lot of the "we don't cater to collectors" attitude has more to do with trying to deflect expectations, and crazy-uber-fans, than an actual mantra. Think of how much flack Mattel gets on its collectors lines, versus the actual amount of product sold. Hasbro gets a lot of crap but they don't engage as much anymore and that's a good thing. They have a focus on both collector and kid. It shows in what's offered.