Movie figures garnering little action at toy stores

[skrilla 88]

Well, the new figures, apart from Evasion mode Prime and the deluxe Dinobots, are complete shit.

[positivelyken]

Originally Posted by RNSrobot

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'.

Never mind the distinction between sublines like Prime, Generations, and AOE occupying shelves at the same time; the AOE toys alone have so many same-looking SKUs that even collectors can get confused. One can only imagine how off-putting this must be for casual customers.

[dancybak]

Originally Posted by skrilla 88

Well, the new figures, apart from Evasion mode Prime and the deluxe Dinobots, are complete shit.

Quoted for truth... aside from the Classics remakes of the grimlock and Prime I have zero interest in the AOE line... the simple transformation is horrible and the figures are so unappealing.

Waiting on the only line that seems to be selling consistently, generations.

[Undrave]

Originally Posted by positivelyken

Never mind the distinction between sublines like Prime, Generations, and AOE occupying shelves at the same time; the AOE toys alone have so many same-looking SKUs that even collectors can get confused. One can only imagine how off-putting this must be for casual customers.

Yeah we have stories of fellow collector getting the Spin Attack Strafe thinking it was the proper deluxe!

How many kids are gonna find themselves with a non-transforming Transformer or Flip and Change Grimlock or those horrible looking Dino Rider figure or even worse, one of those shampoo bottle style Titan figures come next Christmas/birthday because the parent got confused by the similar packaging?

To me that seems highly dishonest. I know they want to have some brand identity going on but there's still a limit to the similarity between packaging!

[Team Jetfire]

I guess I was on to something.

That said, serves Hasbro right. Even the retailers are sick of the shitty dollar store toys not selling.

I hope that heads will roll.

[Knockout]

Hasbro shouldn't of changed anything, should of left the TF's the way they were. Plus, the figures are ugly as heck. Why would I want to display figures that look like someone put their faces to a lighter before they packaged them.

[The 12th Prime]

Originally Posted by dancybak

Quoted for truth...

Waiting on the only line that seems to be selling consistently, generations.

(edited for fun writer embellishment)

Maybe this is a half truth as a wall of Blue is at both of my local Walmart's has formed of about 7 T'Cracker's at each location. I'm thankful though it is not as bad as the wall of yellow we've all been through but still this is a concerning trend.

I wonder where'd we be at if it wasn't for the $9.92 deluxes back in the winter helping to move things ahead a little bit. I also have seen a few Generations Soundwave's and Soundblasters at certain Walmart locations. I can go to a Target and still buy a FOC Ultra Magnus, Sideswipe and Shockwave if I'd like (if I didn't own them already) but I think Target and TF's are a different animal all together.

One thing I think Hasbro is doing well is getting some items out through different channels like Dollarama and the $3 BH Cyberverse and AOE Kreo blind bags being at the Ciniplex Movie theatres for 99 cents! What??? I got 10 of the 12 I want tonight but no scene points or discount on them though. My request for a receipt gave the till a fit when I bought just 5 more Kreons and the girl asked for my scene card, it was provided and then waiting, waiting, waiting, random msg made the girl mumble to her supervisor with puzzled look on her face "loyalty discount not applicable on this item" in which I replied "don't worry about the receipt." I was curious, the first 7 I bought with tickets and food gave no problem with the till but no points or discount there either. Incase anybody had questions like I did about this promotion.

The bottom line is they got to move stuff even if it means taking a lower margin because sometimes it's what the market will bear and that's how capitalism works the other way.

[Knockout]

The wall of thundercrackers might be because that figure, everyone has already because it came out in other stores first.

[joshimus]

Part of the problem could be how similar so many things are.
Take deluxe and those power battlers. Essentially same toys, just one geared down towards younger kids where as standard deluxe for older kids and collectors.
Then you have those action figure statue things TF Prime came out with mixed with the one step large Prime and Grimlock. As a parent, what sounds better. A figure you can transform in one step, making it fun for younger kids or a figure that does nothing? Thing is, WHY did Hasbro even make two options? Isn't one of those enough?!

It seems Hasbro is trying to cater to little kids, which is fine, but you don't need 4-5 lines of the same different toys.
Plus dino sparkers may grab more attention once the movie hits.
Who knows! Could be a lot more factors. Could be economy, could be anything.
Either way, as a collector, at least 3/4 of the lineup does not interest me, but we are the smaller market so, I dunno.

[RNSrobot]

True. It's not just movie toys. Rhinos and sandstorm are clogging shelves in Edmonton - shame as both are great toys. Waspinator and skids are gone, but dreadwing and goldfire are camping. Data discs are still pegwarming. BH deluxes... Yikes. Even at five bucks. To say nothing of the leader BH toys getting deep discounts and still hanging around.

Maybe there is simply TOO MUCH product. Or Hasbro needs better distro. Or gf is in a downswing in popularity. Who knows... But movie crap is not helping the cause.