On a side note regarding TF: Prime products:
Actually, the ''rumor'' stating that the first wave will be some kind of exclusives
does not emanate from BBTS: I received the same statement directly from our US supplier. We will also advertised those as Limited Releases.
Based on what we know: logic would suggest that those ''first editions''
might be TRU exclusives, since they
may not be found elsewhere. But it's all speculation at this time. From that standpoint, this special first wave can be considered as special collectibles.
About the quantity available for some figures: Hasbro does not give us, smaller retailers, any gifts. On the contrary. The breakdown of their cases assortments is more and more atrocious with time passing. Hasbro is generally targeting mainstream large surface stores (TRU, WalMart, etc) with their products, not the smaller indenpendent retailers.
In order to offer their products to our customers, we must buy the solid cases they offer as
they are. We cannot ''hand-pick'' and make our own assortment or order more of a particular figure over another.
As a businessman, I'm not willing to buy dozens and dozens of Bumblebees or Primes(that will collect dust) in order to have about the third (or fourth!) in quantity of highly sought after figures. (Ex. 4 BBs per case of 8, and 1X, 2Y, 1Z figure).
Basically, it's a way for Hasbro to create chase figures. With retailers supporting the duplicated figures in the process.
Probably not such a huge issue for giants like Walmart , Zellers or TRU...but to us? You got the picture.
Because of the eventual dozens of BB or Prime that will collecting dust on our shelves, we must cut down our quantities ordered. Otherwise, forget about Hasbro products at Automaton. 80 BBs for 20 Arcees?
Well...
That's exactly what happened back in the day with RTS Jazz and RTS Tracks: those 2 came within solid cases with Mindset (repaint/major shelfwarmer) and Fallback (idem). Hard to respond to the
real demand from the customers with such an assortment.
So, oddly enough, stocking Hasbro products can be a true challenge sometimes.
We will upload preorders this evening or tomorrow morning at the latest.
