Movie figures garnering little action at toy stores

[mAk]

From the New York Post:

http://nypost.com/2014/06/02/movie-f...at-toy-stores/

[canprime]

Originally Posted by mAk

From the New York Post:

http://nypost.com/2014/06/02/movie-f...at-toy-stores/

Very interesting read.

It really shouldn't be a surprise though. There is only so many times you can go to the well (looking at you Bumblebee) before collectors, AND parents especially, say no thanks.

Star Wars went through this in the past few years, where it was clear that the 500th Clone trooper release was too many. The same had to eventually happen to TFs.

Now TFs are slightly better off with new designs that don't scream "hey I already bought this guy...twice before!!". However you eventually will start to get crushed under the weight of sheer numbers.

Sales will still be better than a non-movie year, but maybe Hasbro will take stock of their plans going forward. However that said, they could easily come to the conclusion that they need to stick with the traditional choices to try and draw people in again.

[MULTIPLEX]

The movie isn't even out yet. They put the cart before the horse.

[RNSrobot]

I imagine they will sell better when the movie hits. Kids have no connection to most of the characters. I'm sure the dinobots will sell well. It's been a few years. Hopefully they don't include bumblebee in every wave. The marvel movies... The toys aren't anything special and most kids just need one captain america.

I wish there was a way to research how the confusion of so many sublines for tf affects sales among parents. What toy to get the kids? They all look the same. The marvel aisle is similar. Too many different lines and and toys. It's a mess.

You can't just buy a transformer from the transformer aisle and know that is is a 'normal' transformer. You used to be able to do that with few exceptions. Go buy beast wars, armada, energon, Cybertron... Basically every toy in the display was a 'transformer'.

[RNSrobot]

Addition: Also, I mean, the AoE toys JUST came out, even in the US. They haven't exactly been languishing on shelves for months now.

I think the line sucks and I'm not strictly trying to defend it, but it's a bit rash to declare the accompanying toyline for TF as doing poorly when it's been out for like, a month --- and BEFORE the actual movie comes out.

Three months after the movie they'll be shelf-warming, but who knows. Maybe they'll just do all dinobots, all the time.

[canprime]

Guys remember what the article says. Sales for AOE toys are approximately 50% less than what they were for DOTM toys in the same time frame (pre-movie release).

That is not a good sign. Yes the movie could be amazing and kids may go running for toys after it releases. However when you start off 50% worse than last time, it becomes an even bigger hole to dig out of, especially with retailers already willing to discount.

[CobraCommander]

I'm sure that strong competition for play time from the likes of iPads, PCs, consoles doesn't help matters. Also, aside from TRU none of the other big box stores have much on display for sale.

[justprime]

I think the big thing here is cost the toys are smaller and the cost has gone up quite a bit,... parents are not going to shell out for a smaller toy when there are other lines that will amuse a child cars,planes construction toys for that impulse buy the move toys most parents are not going to reconise good .bad or indifferent however they will see a simple toy with a costly price attached,... by theyway... don't seem to be moving off the shelves here fast either.

[Johnstewling]

Originally Posted by MULTIPLEX

The movie isn't even out yet. They put the cart before the horse.

No they didn't, the movie won't change anything.

[Undrave]

Originally Posted by MULTIPLEX

The movie isn't even out yet. They put the cart before the horse.

Originally Posted by canprime

Guys remember what the article says. Sales for AOE toys are approximately 50% less than what they were for DOTM toys in the same time frame (pre-movie release).

That is not a good sign. Yes the movie could be amazing and kids may go running for toys after it releases. However when you start off 50% worse than last time, it becomes an even bigger hole to dig out of, especially with retailers already willing to discount.

the article speaks of SHELFSPACE. It doesn't matter how much it sells to the public, it's how much ot sells to the retailers that's important. It's clear to me the folks at big box stores and Toys 'R' Us got burned BAD on the DOTM and subsequent wall of Bee fiasco.

If you go to Toys 'R' Us you can STILL find Iron Man 3 toys on the pegs! You know retailers are oging to be less inclined to go all out crazy next time.