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That Bot wrote:I'll grant that the name "Generations" is rather strange. However, since Air Raid and the Wreckers all seem to be non-game characters...
That Bot wrote:While it's true that Beast Hunters has not introduced much in the way of new characters yet, this is generally consistent with past lines such as Cybertron and Beast Wars upgrading certain characters into new bodies (toys).
That Bot wrote:Wave 2 gives us 4 ENTIRELY new molds (even for our returning characters)...
That Bot wrote:Also, Thundertron and Predaking do NOT follow the generic quad-to-biped pattern, as Thundertron's forearms are in fact only half of his beast's forelegs, his upper arms filling in the chest cavity left by the lion head. Predaking's robot legs form his beast body and his rear beast legs fold up inside of them in robot mode.
That Bot wrote:Vehicle transformers are guilty of the exact same trappings as everybody criticizes beast bots for. How many transformations boil down to "stand car on end, unfold legs from back of car, pull out arms from side of car, fold car hood down to form robot chest"?
That Bot wrote:...Even though Lazerback and Ripclaw have very basic transformations, they still manage to have cool tidbits in them, like how Lazerback's body splits open to store the beast head, and how Ripclaw's beast neck forms shoulder armor. I find that much more desirable than having beast legs just hanging off the back or sides of the robot (unless it's Big Convoy where you can pretend the mammoth rear legs are giant laser cannons in bot mode).
That Bot wrote:I agree with you here. I'd be willing to pay more money for a better quality toy. I've got a preorder in for a third party Predacon right that's roughly voyager size right now for $75 and I'm okay with that because it looks cool as hell. I think the problem stems from non-fan parents who just see the pricetag and the size of the toy and compare it to the price of similarly-sized action figures.
That Bot wrote:Indeed, while I think these are a cool idea that I have no interest in, and think they'll do fine, I could be totally off the mark. Who knows.
RAcast wrote:That statistic has got to be as bad as the "collectors account for only about 10% of the market," bit.I'd guess it's probably somewhere in the middle though, maybe closer to 25-30%?
JOP wrote:RAcast wrote:That statistic has got to be as bad as the "collectors account for only about 10% of the market," bit.I'd guess it's probably somewhere in the middle though, maybe closer to 25-30%?
The problem is quite simply this:
The majority of Transformers products in the United States are purchased for children by parents, guardians and similar acquaintances. Ergo, such products are designed, manufactured, distributed and sold with children in mind.
A small proportion of Transformers products in the United States are purchased by adult collectors. It is frequently noted that such collectors represent a very small portion of the overall purchasing population. However, it should be noted that they generally purchase more products per person, and are willing to spend far more per product.
Conventional wisdom suggests that given the relative sizes of the child consumer and collector segments, that the former take complete and utter priority over the latter. However, the rapid growth of the third party market strongly suggests that collectors may in fact represent a far more lucrative segment than currently recognized; in particular, the wide acceptance of the six hundred dollar price tag attached to TFC's Project Hercules could be regarded as quite the eyeopener.
The entire situation gains an additional degree of absurdity when one considers that Hasbro is perfectly comfortable with assigning the GI Joe license to Sideshow Collectables, and allowing them to produce collector-grade figures with one hundred and thirty dollar price tags; and similarly, assigning the otherwise defunct Jem license to Integrity Toys, and allowing them to produce collector-grade fashion dollars with one hundred and thirty dollar price tags. When it comes to what is arguably Hasbro's biggest brand however, the idea of selling anything more than an occasional, fifty dollar Masterpiece figure appears positively antithetical.
RAcast wrote:Of course, it's worth mentioning that MP10 Optimus sold like hotcakes, so much so that TRU bumped prices not once but twice.
JOP wrote:RAcast wrote:Of course, it's worth mentioning that MP10 Optimus sold like hotcakes, so much so that TRU bumped prices not once but twice.
I wasn't aware that Toys'R'Us raised their prices on MP-10 Optimus Prime, although I can certainly believe such a thing. I don't suppose you happen to know when they raised said prices, and by how much?
I'll also take this opportunity to note, at least in my experience, that traditional distribution via brick and mortar stores results in a lower prices, but a poor or even non-existent selection of products. Adult collectors, by definition, tend to prioritize selection and ease of purchase over pricing, and are willing to pay a premium accordingly.
It is thus quite fascinating that Hasbro sought to distribute their version of MP-10 via Toys'R'Us at a basement bargain price, but with the distribution issues inherent in such a venture; and that Toys'R'Us in turn discerned that collectors were willing to shoulder not one, but two price hikes. It rather makes one wonder why Hasbro didn't simply seek to sell the figure exclusively via HasbroToyShop.com at an appropriately premium price point (e.g. one hundred dollars).
JOP wrote:RAcast wrote:Of course, it's worth mentioning that MP10 Optimus sold like hotcakes, so much so that TRU bumped prices not once but twice.
I wasn't aware that Toys'R'Us raised their prices on MP-10 Optimus Prime, although I can certainly believe such a thing. I don't suppose you happen to know when they raised said prices, and by how much?
I'll also take this opportunity to note, at least in my experience, that traditional distribution via brick and mortar stores results in a lower prices, but a poor or even non-existent selection of products. Adult collectors, by definition, tend to prioritize selection and ease of purchase over pricing, and are willing to pay a premium accordingly.
It is thus quite fascinating that Hasbro sought to distribute their version of MP-10 via Toys'R'Us at a basement bargain price, but with the distribution issues inherent in such a venture; and that Toys'R'Us in turn discerned that collectors were willing to shoulder not one, but two price hikes. It rather makes one wonder why Hasbro didn't simply seek to sell the figure exclusively via HasbroToyShop.com at an appropriately premium price point (e.g. one hundred dollars).
RAcast wrote:I said TRU bumped prices, NOT Hasbro.
RAcast wrote:TRU bumped prices because they were selling out of MP Primes faster than they were getting in, if I know anything about basic Supply and Demand. They were initially sold at MSRP ($100) but subsequently went up to $110 - 120 and as high as (I think) $130?
RAcast wrote:It's all too common a mistake to blame every price hike on Hasbro's end. Retailers are just as likely to up prices if they see fit, and they can do so on a whim. Of course, pushing the MSRP to $15 on MUCH smaller figures probably didn't do much for anybody. It's certainly kept me away from Shockwave and FRumble, despite the fact that I REALLY like both molds; I just can't justify the price.
Janus Prime wrote:What was this topic about anyway? it´s not a retoric question, I don´t want to look at the tittle because I think it´s hilarious how reading the last two pages made me forget all about it.
That Bot wrote:Janus Prime wrote:What was this topic about anyway? it´s not a retoric question, I don´t want to look at the tittle because I think it´s hilarious how reading the last two pages made me forget all about it.
It's about Hasbro's new line of constructible action figures, which are pretty obviously a "me too" on Bionicle and Hero Factory and whatnot.
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