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More Competition for Hasbro in the Transforming Robot Market this year!

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More Competition for Hasbro in the Transforming Robot Market this year!

Postby Bed Bugs » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:36 pm

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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17068324/

It's at the end of the 2nd paragraph.

NEW YORK - When Spin Master Ltd. started peddling its Air Hogs Zero Gravity vehicle two years ago, retailers doubted whether parents would be willing to pay $59.99 for a radio-controlled toy — even if it climbed walls. But the item ended up being a hit and was followed by the equally popular $79.99 Storm Launcher. This year, Spin Master is pushing a $110 Robo Copter that transforms from a robot to a helicopter.

“This just proved to us that if it is a great toy, provides a wow and introduces new functions, consumers are willing to spend the money,” said Harold Chizick, vice president of global promotional marketing for the Toronto-based toy maker. “We just decided to step it up.”

For years, the increasing power of discounters like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. kept the toy industry locked in fierce price wars. But the toy makers are encouraged by parents who last holiday were willing to spend $300 on Hasbro Inc.’s robotic Butterscotch pony and $249 for a Mindstorms NXT robotics kit from Lego Systems Inc. As the annual American International Toy Fair starts Sunday, the toy makers are getting bolder when it comes to pushing pricier, higher-quality toys.

Zizzle LLC., which did well with its $300 pinball machines last year, is adding more lights and sounds, and increased the price to $350, according to CEO Roger Shiffman. MGA Entertainment Inc., the maker of the popular funky Bratz doll, is coming out with toys that break the $150 barrier; last year, the threshold was $100.

Among the items at the fair, which features toys expected in stores later this year: Hasbro’s $69.99 Squawkers McCaw Parrot, which repeats words and responds to touch; Mattel Inc.’s Fisher-Price guitar system, priced at $99.99, that plugs into the TV; VTech Holdings Ltd.’s $99.99 Gadget, which functions as a digital photo and video camera and music player; and Spin Master’s $80 Wheels ’n Whistles foam coach.

“This game is about better quality,” said Ronald D. Boire, president of Toys “R” Us’s U.S. toy business. “It is not about plastic by the pound. We have been playing plastic by the pound for way too long.” He said Toys “R” Us will be making a bigger push to carry higher-grade toys.

Consumers’ willingness to spend on toys is helping to revive the toy industry, after struggling for several years with declining sales as kids opted for digital music players and video games.

Last year marked the first time U.S. traditional toy sales rose in several years, albeit only slightly, according to NPD Group Inc., a research company based in Port Washington, N.Y. Traditional toy sales — excluding game consoles and related items — eked out a 0.34 percent rise to $22.3 billion compared to $22.2 billion in 2005, and $22.7 billion in 2004. Meanwhile, the average ticket price for toys rose 5 percent in 2006 to $7.52, compared to $7.17 in 2005 and $6.97 in 2004, according to NPD, whose figures are based on a consumer survey.

Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Sean McGowan and other toy analysts believe that NPD’s figures understate the improvement. They cite that Toys “R” Us Inc., which is under new ownership and management, had its best holiday season in several years. Privately-held KB Toys, which emerged from bankruptcy in 2005, is also showing signs of improvement.

Business at the nation’s top two toy makers is also strengthening. Mattel Inc. posted a 3 percent profit gain for the fourth quarter, boosted by a turnaround of its iconic Barbie line and strong sales of Fisher-Price toys, including the popular T.M.X. Elmo doll, one of the hottest sellers for the holiday 2006 season. Barbie sales increased 3 percent in the United States, the fourth consecutive quarter of domestic growth. Mattel is unveiling Chat Divas at the fair, Barbie dolls that move and lip sync to music hooked up to Apple Inc.’s iPod digital music player and can also chat on the phone.

Hasbro is expected to announce solid fourth-quarter results Friday.

“Two thousand six was the first year that I think there was definitely a lot of creativity and a lot less reliance on retro, classic toys,” said Gerrick Johnson, a toy analyst at BMO Capital Markets.

Microchips have come down in price, enabling toy companies to make more advanced toys that are still affordable. Zizzle’s Shiffman noted one of last year’s toys — Lucky, a $39.99 interactive dog that obeyed 15 different commands — would have sold for $150 five years ago.

At least 50 percent of the toys that will be sold in stores this year will have some sort of microchip in them, according to Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of Toy Wishes, a trade publication.

But toy analysts say shoppers are still discerning. Playmates Toys Inc., which had a surprise hit with its $100 Amazing Amanda doll in 2005, failed to replicate its success last holiday season with Amazing Allysen because the interactive dolls were too similar, according to Silver.

And the threat of new hot gadgets is not going to go away. The toy industry has to keep coming out with innovative items, said Mattel president Neil Friedman.

“When we have great toys, the consumer comes back to the toy department,” he said. “Can the toy industry and other industries co-exist? Absolutely. Consumers will buy what the child wants.”

© 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Postby TheMuffin » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:48 pm

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$5 says it'll be one of the most generic transforming things ever.
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Postby Bed Bugs » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:50 pm

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Weapon: Black Magic
For $110.00, it better not be. I expect Masterpiece quality, damnit! :lol:
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Postby Liege Evilmus » Fri Feb 09, 2007 10:59 pm

2006 was a year that didn't rely on classic toys and showed alot of creative new inovation :shock:

For the most part all I saw last year from Hasbro were Transformer repaints and Star Wars toys based on either Transformers or the origional trilogy, and thats not to mention all the 80's retro stuff I found in the girl isles for my sisters and niece.

Tell me was I looking in the wrong place :???:
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Postby Lapse Of Reason » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:12 pm

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“Two thousand six was the first year that I think there was definitely a lot of creativity and a lot less reliance on retro, classic toys,” said Gerrick Johnson, a toy analyst at BMO Capital Markets.

hhhmmm, I like retro toys :(
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Postby TheMuffin » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:18 pm

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Fender Bender wrote:For $110.00, it better not be. I expect Masterpiece quality, damnit! :lol:


I would as well. But keep in mind that it's probably going to be a remote control helicopter that just happens to turn into a badly designed robot.
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Postby GetterDragun » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:19 pm

Yay! I'll be there tomorrow!
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Postby TheMuffin » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:22 pm

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GetterDragun wrote:Yay! I'll be there tomorrow!


Mind if I hide in your backpack?
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Postby AbsumZer0 » Fri Feb 09, 2007 11:38 pm

Liege Evilmus wrote:2006 was a year that didn't rely on classic toys and showed alot of creative new inovation :shock:

For the most part all I saw last year from Hasbro were Transformer repaints and Star Wars toys based on either Transformers or the origional trilogy, and thats not to mention all the 80's retro stuff I found in the girl isles for my sisters and niece.

Tell me was I looking in the wrong place :???:


If you were looking in the action figure section, yeah. They're talking about toys as a whole and action figures/transforming toys would be considered "classic". Airhogs planes, TMX Elmo, Furreal Friends, Roboreptile, etc. Basically taking the classics and slapping electronics in them (or combining them like rc plane + transformer)amounts to 'creativity' in the toy industry, as there are only so many play-patterns to work with.
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Postby Nemesis_Apoc » Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:39 am

meh. just a little retarded for my tastes
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Postby Liege Evilmus » Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:45 am

I'm off to the fair tomorrow! This is going to be my first, it sucks that I'm moving right now and pretty much broke for it, but still, these are previews of what I can get later.

As for this Choper, well, as I've said, with a movie there comes products, even HotWheels are releasindg a line of transformable cars(they look like crap).

Still if it shoots and isn't made of styrofoam, it has merit :-?
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Postby Liege Evilmus » Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:56 am

AbsumZer0 wrote:
Liege Evilmus wrote:2006 was a year that didn't rely on classic toys and showed alot of creative new inovation :shock:

For the most part all I saw last year from Hasbro were Transformer repaints and Star Wars toys based on either Transformers or the origional trilogy, and thats not to mention all the 80's retro stuff I found in the girl isles for my sisters and niece.

Tell me was I looking in the wrong place :???:


If you were looking in the action figure section, yeah. They're talking about toys as a whole and action figures/transforming toys would be considered "classic". Airhogs planes, TMX Elmo, Furreal Friends, Roboreptile, etc. Basically taking the classics and slapping electronics in them (or combining them like rc plane + transformer)amounts to 'creativity' in the toy industry, as there are only so many play-patterns to work with.


I've been waiting for an opening to mention this, so thanks. I got Elmo TMX for my sister, and it got anoying quick for everyone. However benieth the fur(don't sue me Deftones) I could feel all types of gear and structure that realy made me think of the TF movie designs.

I know asociating Elmo with Transformers isn't something one would think to do, but if they transfered half that tech into this franchise, we'd be at levels unthought of before.

Armada Prime touched on it with the automated trailer, but since Hasbro has resoted back to ball joints and easy clips :-( and I'd like to see them develope more functional automated bots.

However this still does not change the fact that for the lines that they've been saying are their top sellers, things like creativity and inovation have been sorely lacking!

To add to the previos comment, a new line of GI Joe with flashing lights, does not a new era of creative inginuety make!
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Postby Tigertrack » Sat Feb 10, 2007 5:35 am

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I'll be more interested to see the Automated Movie Bumblebee toy...

It's supposed to rock. I love helicopters, and helicopter TFs and this does not do much for me...
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Postby Down_Shift » Sat Feb 10, 2007 9:14 am

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You know I'm not really sure what to make of this thing. I love the fact that it's a transforming helicopter, but at the same time, it's not of the Transformers brand.

I'll have to be VERY impressed by this for me to pick up something the SpinMaster made.
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Postby Senor Hugo » Sat Feb 10, 2007 10:20 am

For $110 it better transform into a robot automatically, make breakfast, do the dishes, scare the pets, and mow the lawn.
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Postby TheMuffin » Sat Feb 10, 2007 12:45 pm

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Well we now have an image.....lol that thing is horrible looking!
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Postby PrimulArchangel » Sat Feb 10, 2007 1:35 pm

This is really old news to me, i heard about this toy back in december on tv when they were talking about new toys for the holidays.. This was supposed to be out before christmas...
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Postby ArtemusPrime » Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:06 pm

Something tells me there is going to be Transformer product over exposure and inventory over kill. I've seen way too many cheap 5 dollar transforming robots coming out of Asia that don't look bad at all. This helicopter robot transformer better look robot and walk well and look like a helicopter and fly well. And it should automatically transform and not be manual. At least the concept is different ... but to tell you the truth...I am already tired of Transformers. I think if its not unique and have repeated play value it a returning product.
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Postby metalformer » Mon Feb 12, 2007 5:09 pm

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What I am wondering is why stuff like this wasn't done before. there has been plenty of automatic transforming toys, so having a remote-controlled one should be too far of a strech. If I am not mistaken, KB was selling a RC robot/jet some years ago.
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