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Hasbro's Supply Chain Disaster

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 8:55 am
by DevastaTTor
I’m really pissed at Hasbro. Not because I’m just dying to get my hands on the latest wave of figures (which are finally coming out now) but because it’s taken so many weeks for us to get to this point where they’re releasing products and replenishing shelves. As a stockholder in the company, I really think Hasbro has totally blown this toy release and that their supply chain is in need of a complete overhaul. Here we are, in what will probably be the last two weeks of the movie’s wide release in the states, with school in many portions of the US heading back now, and they’re finally releasing the next wave of products. However, for the better part of 5 weeks now, there’s been next to nothing in the stores, with the exception of some Real Gear and Cyber Slammers, while the movie’s been going strong at the box office. I just don’t understand the logic in that. They have missed weeks of sales at the point of highest overall demand in the peak time of the movie, probably 10s of thousands of dollars worth a day, because they didn’t have products on the shelves. God only knows what kind of impact this lack of supply could have on their second and third quarter numbers. I would think that, since they’ve been supporting the marketing for movies for years now, that they would have been able to coordinate this a lot better and have wave after wave of products hitting the shelves during the entire release of the film-ESPECIALLY SINCE THEIR NAME IS PLASTERED ALL OVER IT. If I were a Hasbro exec, I’d be looking to fire someone for this miscalculation.

Am I crazy for thinking this???

Edit: one other thought, this release reminded me of when Star Wars first came out and there were no toys anywhere to be found. You'd literally have to get there right when they unloaded the truck to get anything. Understandable for Kenner in 1977-78. No excuse for Hasbro in 2007!

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:00 am
by Jazz Reborn
no i am pissed too :MAD: .hasbro is stupid.i been looking too damn long for bonecrusher and jazz redeco.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:01 am
by Jazz Reborn
i mean they should have known the toys would be hot cuz of the movie

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:15 am
by megatroptimus
Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:19 am
by upther
I don't understand everybody being so pissed off about not being able to get the toy they want when they want it. Maybe it's just me but I can find a lot of more important stuff to be pissed about. Like gas prices or my property taxes doubling.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:19 am
by DevastaTTor
megatroptimus wrote:Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.


I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that. You're telling me that if they had the product, they just assume keep in stored in the back versus fill empty shelves? I'm not necessarily taking about new products all the time, just back filling more of the first release.

Since I've never worked retail, I don't speak from experience. But blaming the stores-Target, Walmart, TRU, Kmart, Kohls, etc. for not having them in stock versus Hasbro for not maintaining a steady supply seems illogical.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:22 am
by DevastaTTor
upther wrote:I don't understand everybody being so pissed off about not being able to get the toy they want when they want it. Maybe it's just me but I can find a lot of more important stuff to be pissed about. Like gas prices or my property taxes doubling.


A, try reading the initial post. This has nothing to do with getting toys. It's about profit and disappointment in Hasbro. B, if you're interested in posts about Gas and Taxes, try a different forum or speak with your Congressman.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:27 am
by megatroptimus
DevastaTTor wrote:
megatroptimus wrote:Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.


I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that. You're telling me that if they had the product, they just assume keep in stored in the back versus fill empty shelves? I'm not necessarily taking about new products all the time, just back filling more of the first release.

Since I've never worked retail, I don't speak from experience. But blaming the stores-Target, Walmart, TRU, Kmart, Kohls, etc. for not having them in stock versus Hasbro for not maintaining a steady supply seems illogical.


Illogicial because you can't get your new deluxe the minute you decide you want it? C'mon. Stores order, they get a shitload of boxes, once they sold all they had, they place another order if they feel doing so... because Transformers are not always priority for them, you know? If anything, you should be grateful because we're getting most of the new figures well ahead of initial schedule.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:32 am
by DevastaTTor
megatroptimus wrote:
DevastaTTor wrote:
megatroptimus wrote:Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.


I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that. You're telling me that if they had the product, they just assume keep in stored in the back versus fill empty shelves? I'm not necessarily taking about new products all the time, just back filling more of the first release.

Since I've never worked retail, I don't speak from experience. But blaming the stores-Target, Walmart, TRU, Kmart, Kohls, etc. for not having them in stock versus Hasbro for not maintaining a steady supply seems illogical.


Illogicial because you can't get your new deluxe the minute you decide you want it? C'mon. Stores order, they get a shitload of boxes, once they sold all they had, they place another order if they feel doing so... because Transformers are not always priority for them, you know?


Again, this post has NOTHING to do with me buying any deluxe figures. You know how many I have: ZERO. And that's not because I haven't seen them in stores. The point here is that I find it impossible to believe that every store has just sat around with empty shelves not even attempting to get restocked items from Hasbro. How many toy releases have we seen in the past 10 years where the shelves are constantly empty? Seriously-tell me one Star Wars release where there was this issue. Sure, the stores might have not had as much on hand during the intial release as they would for a Star Wars movie or for a Spiderman film. That indeed is up to the stores. However, the ability to respond to stores who are out of stock falls squarely on Hasbro's shoulders. That, my friend, is where I see the biggest issue.

People, this post isn't me whining about not being able to get my figures when and where I want them. I'm not that big of a collector to care that much. This post was simply an observation that Hasbro, and perhaps the stores (yes, I may need to add them too), have missed a huge opportunity to capitalize on this movie by having plenty of stock on hand. And that is what upsets someone like me who is a shareholder in the business. Zero supply=zero sales.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:39 am
by megatroptimus
I think you're not aware that they're already releasing wave 5 right now. You made it sound as if they were just releasing wave 2. The new stuff is coming, and is coming FAST. And as far as I know, stores here always have TFs in stock. Because Athens prefers R.E.M. to Transformers doesn't mean it's the case everywhere.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 9:45 am
by DevastaTTor
megatroptimus wrote:I think you're not aware that they're already releasing wave 5 right now. You made it sound as if they were just releasing wave 2. The new stuff is coming, and is coming FAST. And as far as I know, stores here always have TFs in stock. Because Athens prefers R.E.M. to Transformers doesn't mean it's the case everywhere.


Check the first line of my post and check the sightings page. I know what's being released, when and where. Just because I don't buy doesn't mean I don't tell others what's out there and I'm in the dark about releases. Quite the opposite, because I have a monetary stake in Hasbro, I spend more time than the average collector seeing what's available and when and how many people on this forum are frustrated but products not being available. And working in Atlanta gives me a great opportunity to check stock all over the metro area. In Atlanta, the stocks in every store have been next to zero ever since about the second week of the movie's release.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:06 am
by Barricade
well down here it's hasbro's fault cause i keep askingdepartment managers of store and they say they order the stuff but the warehouses dont have them to ship out....... i asked my toy's dm and he said that it's irritating him cause we are loosing THOUSANDS of dollars cause they arent getting stock in......

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:13 am
by upther
Edit: Nevermind. Not worth arguing about.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:14 am
by Insurgent
megatroptimus wrote:I think you're not aware that they're already releasing wave 5 right now. You made it sound as if they were just releasing wave 2. The new stuff is coming, and is coming FAST. And as far as I know, stores here always have TFs in stock. Because Athens prefers R.E.M. to Transformers doesn't mean it's the case everywhere.


Here in the 'sunny' UK, we have only got the wave with Brawl, 78 BB and Jazz in the past few weeks. Hell, the commerative Soundwave from TRU has only just appeared, and even that is not everywhere. So they have just released wave 2. Or is it wave 1? I don't know, but I do know it aint FAST. I bet that hurts the shareholders for Hasbro UK, being so far behind the states.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:14 am
by Born Yesterday
The only thing I find really annoying is that I cant just buy 09 bumblebee from hasbrotoyshop.com. kinda lame. I only am collecting the 5 autobots who actually appeared in the movie and I cant find Bumblebee anywhere.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:17 am
by Counterpunch
I have to be honest...I'm not really upset at all that you can't find the toys. :grin:

I'm glad people are having to enjoy the same kind of drought that Energon Wave 2 brought.

Weee!

(If you're upset or annoyed, please refer to my sig.)

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:18 am
by megatroptimus
DevastaTTor wrote:Quite the opposite, because I have a monetary stake in Hasbro.


You're only a small rock in Hasbro's desert man. Don't take offense, but don't try to make yourself sound more important than you actually are in the scheme of things.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 10:32 am
by decepticonjon
megatroptimus wrote:
DevastaTTor wrote:Quite the opposite, because I have a monetary stake in Hasbro.


You're only a small rock in Hasbro's desert man. Don't try to make yourself sound more important than you actually are.


rock?? try grain of sand.
no offense, but if you held little more than a few stocks, you could go to some stockholder meetings and ask the questions you want answered.
or really bitch to the people that matter instead of people on a forum that can do nothing for you.
sorry, but that's the tough titty of it.
i found my toys.
granted i had to do some looking and follow a few leads, but i got them.. from a local store.
as well as many other people.
it sucks.. but honestly, it's been alot worse than this for tf collectors.
do you think every line had this problem?
hell, some alternators never even saw shelf time
and don't get me started about g1 ultra mag 6" tit.
use your nugget.. buy or preorder online.
it's still comming from hasbro and going to a store, an online one or a wally world or whatever..
regardless, as a stock holder, you're shares have ot be going up somewhat due to the tf hysteria.
like i said, go bitch to the people that can do something about it stockholder man!!

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:17 am
by Ironhide Texas
Man this thread is intense!!!!!

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:27 am
by Chosen
Didn't you know? Transformers are SERIOUS BUSINESS!

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:30 am
by Ploptimus Prime
megatroptimus wrote:Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.


Not true. Retail stores like Target have been attempting to re-order for over month now, with all orders denied or frozen. They can't get a thing. Do you think the retailers LIKE having empty shelves?

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:36 am
by Counterpunch
Ploptimus Prime wrote:
megatroptimus wrote:Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.


Not true. Retail stores like Target have been attempting to re-order for over month now, with all orders denied or frozen. They can't get a thing. Do you think the retailers LIKE having empty shelves?


Actually, in all seriousness, there is a lot of truth to this.

Hasbro has obviously miscalculated the demand for these toys.

Leader Class Primes, no matter the series, have always been a clearance item, sooner or later. They're always on the shelves.

From the lacking abundance of even Prime on the shelves, something is wrong on the supply side.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:43 am
by TheMuffin
megatroptimus wrote:
DevastaTTor wrote:
megatroptimus wrote:Hasbro has nothing to do with it, it's your stores that don't bother restocking. Huge difference.


I may be wrong but I seriously doubt that. You're telling me that if they had the product, they just assume keep in stored in the back versus fill empty shelves? I'm not necessarily taking about new products all the time, just back filling more of the first release.

Since I've never worked retail, I don't speak from experience. But blaming the stores-Target, Walmart, TRU, Kmart, Kohls, etc. for not having them in stock versus Hasbro for not maintaining a steady supply seems illogical.


Illogicial because you can't get your new deluxe the minute you decide you want it? C'mon. Stores order, they get a shitload of boxes, once they sold all they had, they place another order if they feel doing so... because Transformers are not always priority for them, you know? If anything, you should be grateful because we're getting most of the new figures well ahead of initial schedule.

Wow. You are so wrong it's hilarious. 4 weeks in a row of unloading the truck at TRU has given me a slight better insight than your baseless comments. Stores around here have gotten nothing in the last month when it comes to Deluxe figures. NOTHING. We only now got in 5 cases of Voyagers yesterday. So before you go attacking someone, at least make sure that you're not coming off like an ignorant ass.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:51 am
by DevastaTTor
decepticonjon wrote:
megatroptimus wrote:
DevastaTTor wrote:Quite the opposite, because I have a monetary stake in Hasbro.


You're only a small rock in Hasbro's desert man. Don't try to make yourself sound more important than you actually are.


rock?? try grain of sand.
no offense, but if you held little more than a few stocks, you could go to some stockholder meetings and ask the questions you want answered.
or really bitch to the people that matter instead of people on a forum that can do nothing for you.
sorry, but that's the tough titty of it.
i found my toys.
granted i had to do some looking and follow a few leads, but i got them.. from a local store.
as well as many other people.
it sucks.. but honestly, it's been alot worse than this for tf collectors.
do you think every line had this problem?
hell, some alternators never even saw shelf time
and don't get me started about g1 ultra mag 6" tit.
use your nugget.. buy or preorder online.
it's still comming from hasbro and going to a store, an online one or a wally world or whatever..
regardless, as a stock holder, you're shares have ot be going up somewhat due to the tf hysteria.
like i said, go bitch to the people that can do something about it stockholder man!!


Believe me, I'm perfectly aware that the average investor is nothing to most major corporations. But even small investors feel the sting when their shares decline 5-10%. So if I see a problem, I'll point it out. And your right, nothing anyone on the forum can do about it. But let's be clear, I didn't post the comment to get results. I posted it to see if I was the only one who felt this way about Hasbro's release of the movie line. For me, it'a about casual collecting and about the stock price and seeing Hasbro being more proactive. For the more serious collectors, it's just about getting or not getting something you've spent a lot of time waiting for.

And about your closing, nice attitude. Glad to see when you don't agree, you tell people to piss off. No need to be a total douche bag.

PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2007 11:54 am
by Counterpunch
DevastaTTor wrote:And about your closing, nice attitude. Glad to see when you don't agree, you tell people to piss off. No need to be a total douche bag.


Please allow me that distinction.

And Sir? The only Flame baiting around here will be done by me and will further be directed towards, me (or Punch, he's a dick).

Clear?

(Now smile for the cameras, er, mods. :D )