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New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases

Posted by william-james88 May 21, 2021 at 9:16pm CDT 42,971 views
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We wrote an article a few days ago about the price increases in the Canadian market. It gave us an idea of how high the increases would be for the US market, which is about $1-$5 increase depending the class, but it didn't give us the exact price. Well, now we know.

Preorders for Transformers figures coming out in the second half of 2021 are now up at Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth and other places, showing the new prices ($USD).

Deluxes, like Gnaw, remain at the same $22.99 we already saw earlier this year.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... movie-gnaw

Voyagers, like Wreck-Gar, will now be $31.49.
https://hasbropulse.com/products/transf ... -wreck-gar

Leaders, like Dinobot Slug, will now be $52.99.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... l-witwicky

Moving onto exclusive lines, they come at a premium price too.

The Pulse exclusive Shattered Glass Starscream is $38.99. It is the same as Voyager Class Shattered Glass Megatron.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... iant-cover

Premium Finish Bumblebee, a redeco of a deluxe SS Bee, is $34.99.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... -bumblebee

Premium Finish Optimus Prime, a redeco of Siege Optimus Prime, is $53.99.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... imus-prime

Transformers News: New Transformers Preorders Show US Price Increases
New Transformers Preorders Show US Price Increases
New Transformers Preorders Show US Price Increases

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Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Bounti76 May 21, 2021
I preordered Slag, Wreck-Gar, and Gnaw at Target, and they're still $49.99, $29.99, and $19.99. Hopefully Walmart will follow suit. The Walmart closest to me actually sells SS Voyagers for $26.86.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Sowndwave76 May 21, 2021
I have those 3 preordered through Amazon & Gnaw is $22.99.
Slag is still $49.99, & Wreck-gar is still $29.99.
It’s going to be interesting to see if those last 2 stay at those prices.
Also, what the prices are in-store if they arrive at all early.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Solrac333 May 21, 2021
Hasbro is nuts.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by william-james88 May 21, 2021
Solrac333 wrote:Hasbro is nuts.


For raising voyagers by $1.49 ?
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by -Kanrabat- May 21, 2021
william-james88 wrote:
Solrac333 wrote:Hasbro is nuts.


For raising voyagers by $1.49 ?


Maybe he started collecting only after TLK hit with their 10$CAN price hike for every class.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Omegatron. May 22, 2021
I wish transformers cost that much over here. Even after the price rises they're still cheaper for you.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Emerje May 22, 2021
Bounti76 wrote:I preordered Slag, Wreck-Gar, and Gnaw at Target, and they're still $49.99, $29.99, and $19.99. Hopefully Walmart will follow suit. The Walmart closest to me actually sells SS Voyagers for $26.86.

This is why I'm not too concerned. Retailers have been undercutting prices for a while now so prices probably wont change that much right away. In store Target and Walmart sells SS figures for under $19, they'll continue to do whatever they feel like with prices. Eventually Amazon will lower their prices on these new pre-orders to match Target as they have been for a while now.

And yeah, I went with Target for the three as well.

Emerje
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Sowndwave76 May 22, 2021
The rising costs are understandable.

For me, the worst part about this is that the deluxe class is increasing the most, when these figures are the ones that usually lack the most, a lot of times, not just size.
Sure, the engineering is better, the overall sculpting is improved as well...
But I can't really think of a deluxe that I have that should more than $15. Even ER Ironhide has enough issues that I don't put him being worth $20.
I guess the one exception would be SS86 Hot Rod... With the accessories, $20 is probably fair.

As others, I think osupreme included, have said, this simply means I'll be spending less and less in the upcoming years. Which I'm definitely okay with. Just last night I added up what I've spent in the last year (well, over a year including what's preordered and will arrive late summer/early fall) and it doesn't sit well with me. And this is considering I've been selective, skipped a lot, and missed out on a few like Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker (I'm just not spending $30 on either of these guys).

Moving forward, I'm ready to start phasing out of collecting all together...
Dinobots, Galvatron, Sweeps, Insecticons, Blitzwing, and Astrotrain are my main wants.
Wreck-gar, Perceptor, Blaster, Gnaw... I'm in for those as well, but even those are almost "icing".

But in terms of prices going up, it's going to happen no matter what; outside of the costs of the materials, inflation kicks-in either way...
I'm not going to be surprised at all if prices don't ever go back down, and only increase.
In fact, I don't think materials costs are going to decrease either...
So I'm ready for the price of a deluxe to go up to $24.99 by the end of 2022.
Which again, will be the beginning of the end of my collecting.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by ZeroWolf May 22, 2021
Sowndwave76 wrote:The rising costs are understandable.

For me, the worst part about this is that the deluxe class is increasing the most, when these figures are the ones that usually lack the most, a lot of times, not just size.
Sure, the engineering is better, the overall sculpting is improved as well...
But I can't really think of a deluxe that I have that should more than $15. Even ER Ironhide has enough issues that I don't put him being worth $20.
I guess the one exception would be SS86 Hot Rod... With the accessories, $20 is probably fair.

As others, I think osupreme included, have said, this simply means I'll be spending less and less in the upcoming years. Which I'm definitely okay with. Just last night I added up what I've spent in the last year (well, over a year including what's preordered and will arrive late summer/early fall) and it doesn't sit well with me. And this is considering I've been selective, skipped a lot, and missed out on a few like Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker (I'm just not spending $30 on either of these guys).

Moving forward, I'm ready to start phasing out of collecting all together...
Dinobots, Galvatron, Sweeps, Insecticons, Blitzwing, and Astrotrain are my main wants.
Wreck-gar, Perceptor, Blaster, Gnaw... I'm in for those as well, but even those are almost "icing".

But in terms of prices going up, it's going to happen no matter what; outside of the costs of the materials, inflation kicks-in either way...
I'm not going to be surprised at all if prices don't ever go back down, and only increase.
In fact, I don't think materials costs are going to decrease either...
So I'm ready for the price of a deluxe to go up to $24.99 by the end of 2022.
Which again, will be the beginning of the end of my collecting.

Hot Rod was a Voyager though :-? Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by MeGrimlock78 May 22, 2021
Man, those are ugly prices. I'm not talking about the amount of the price, I just mean those are ugly numbers.

While I'm glad Leaders aren't $2 more, $54.99 is a more appealing price to see on a shelf.

If I was still a buyer for retail, I'd be getting in trouble for oddball retails like those.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Sowndwave76 May 22, 2021
ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though :-? Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.


Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by william-james88 May 22, 2021
Sowndwave76 wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though :-? Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.


Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.


Size maybe but not build. Calling him a deluxe is like calling MP Primal a Voyager.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Sowndwave76 May 22, 2021
william-james88 wrote:
Sowndwave76 wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though :-? Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.


Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.


Size maybe but not build. Calling him a deluxe is like calling MP Primal a Voyager.


Okay. Fair enough... He's more than a deluxe... But minus the accessories he's come with, he's still not a voyager imo.
If he were, then with those accessories Hastak would've sold him as a leader class figure.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by william-james88 May 22, 2021
Sowndwave76 wrote:
william-james88 wrote:
Sowndwave76 wrote:
ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though :-? Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.


Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.


Size maybe but not build. Calling him a deluxe is like calling MP Primal a Voyager.


Okay. Fair enough... He's more than a deluxe... But minus the accessories he's come with, he's still not a voyager imo.
If he were, then with those accessories Hastak would've sold him as a leader class figure.


The accessories dont figure much into the final price, they require no assembly. They are just there to appease those that only look at size and think they are getting ripped off.
His voyager price point is due entirely to his parts count and the higher cost that brings.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Jelze Bunnycat May 22, 2021
william-james88 wrote:The accessories dont figure much into the final price, they require no assembly. They are just there to appease those that only look at size and think they are getting ripped off.
His voyager price point is due entirely to his parts count and the higher cost that brings.


In short, the amount and size of the molds needing to be cut in order to make the figure. That's where most of the budget goes.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Sowndwave76 May 22, 2021
I get it. I really do.

But you're telling me that just the figure itself fit the voyager scale budget, and the 7 accessories were basically thrown-in for free???

I'm genuinely saying this...
I wish someone with the facts could educate us on how this really plays out.
As of right now, I don't believe that Hastak charges $29.99 for a voyager figure, and only makes $2-$5 off of each in profit. *I'm not inferring anyone claimed this.
Even for a company as huge as they are, I would think they'd still have to make at least 200-300% (if not more) of the manufacturing costs in profits.
Think about it... If ER Cliffjumper costs $10 all said and done per figure... They charged $20... And not all of that remaining $10 is actually pure profit. I'd be shocked if this is the relative formula for figures of any class size.
Seems to me, a figure like Cliffjumper would cost $5, and that's why they have to charge $20...
All said and done close to 3x the amount of the production costs come in as profit.

But maybe it's lower since they're putting out x number of figures per wave.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by william-james88 May 22, 2021
Sowndwave76 wrote:I get it. I really do.

But you're telling me that just the figure itself fit the voyager scale budget, and the 7 accessories were basically thrown-in for free???


It's not 0$ but it ain't much to make the figure jump from deluxe to Voyager. It couldn't have been sold as a deluxe even if it came with no accessories, that's what I mean. The bulk of costs come from extra assembly due to more parts. And there have been times when accessories wee literally thrown in for free, like with RID warrior angel supermodel prime.

As for your question, on a 30$ figure, Hasbro sells it to Walmart for around half (so 15$). So for the toy to be profitable, it has to cost Hasbro less than 10$. And making Transforners is more expensive than every other Hasbro action figure due to the human labour in assembly (nothing is automated).

There was a wonderful and eye opening article from Bandai about the cost of production lines and how an incremental detail (like sanding speue marks) could make all the difference in cost (and thus price). Can't find it though.
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by william-james88 Jan 30, 2022
Do you remember that preorder for the Black Ironhide from generations Selects? MSRP on that figure was $24.99. Now, it could have meant two things. One, that while this toy was labelled as a deluxe, the higher price accounted for the extra accessory that didn't come with the Siege Ironhide mold, which was also sold as a deluxe. Two, that the MSRP for deluxes going forward would be 24.99. Well now we have more evidence for the latter. Firstly, we have confirmation from Canadian retailer Toysnowman that Hasbro has announced a price increase to retailers. You can check out their video below, but here are the Canadian prices going forward:

Deluxes 33.99 to 35.99
Voyagers 44.99 to 47.99
Leader 72.99-76.99
Titan 249.99-264.99

Secondly, Marvelous News has reported that Marvel Legends 6" figures will be going up to $24.99. Those toys are usually offered at the same price as deluxe Transformers figures and 6" Black Series Star Wars figures. And that $24.99 is indeed the same price as that Generations Selects deluxe Guard.

We do not have the specifics as to the US price increase for voyager, core class, leader, commander, and titan class Transformers but we are sure to find out soon.

Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by -Kanrabat- Jan 30, 2022
Meanwhile, Toys R Us are boosting their prices even further.

16$CAN for core.
43$CAN for a deluxe.
50$CAN for voyager.
85$CAN for leader.
140$CAN for commander.
115$CAN for the shelfwarmer Ectotron (who started at 80$CAN when it came out)


Like, come on. #-o
Re: New Transformers Preorders Show US$ Price Increases (view post)
Comment by Solrac333 Jan 30, 2022
That does it. I'm done collecting.
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