Author Topic: Big Items of the Future!  (Read 211215 times)

Offline JACKOFTRADZE

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #375 on: November 17, 2009, 12:07 AM »
While I like the Twilight I do not think it's that safe of an investment for the Big Vehicle slot. I think the AT-AT is a safer bet of the two. It's as aggressive as a AT-TE to appeal to kids and has major collector appeal. (I would buy two!) Not to mention it is one of the most memorable OT vehicles.

Between the TT slow sales and the Joe Command center I can see Hasbro shelving the big boys until 2013 when the economy picks up.
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #376 on: November 17, 2009, 09:24 AM »
I think Hasbro was evasive in the latest At-At question. When something is not in the works, like the Taun Taun, the are pretty adamant about it. With items in the works, they tend to be coy.
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Offline Brian

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #377 on: December 17, 2009, 12:32 PM »
I've been thinking about this topic again lately.  What do you think the future will hold for "big items" in the Star Wars line?  We're about a week out from Christmas now, and I can't say that I'm seeing those Turbo Tanks move off the shelves any quicker.  Either that, or they are stocking them like crazy.  The AT-TEs and Falcons seem to have done very well at TRU here, although a lot of that may have been due to the half off sales.

We've had rumors of both an AT-AT or a Slave 1 for next year, but recent rumblings make it sound like these might be less likely (depending on how the Turbo Tank does).  I'm one who loves seeing these re-dos of the OT ships, and hope we get lots more (can't wait for the Snowspeeder and Cloud Car), but I'm wondering how well they will do at retail.  Like it has been discussed before, even the Falcon sat (and hit big clearances in some areas), and I don't know that there is a more recognizable "big" ship in all of Star Wars.

Any OT offerings would likely have to have big sales from us - the collectors - because (aside from kids of collectors/fans) I sort of doubt how many kids have an interest in OT stuff anymore.  I hate to even say it, but maybe the exclusive route (as the AT-ST and Dewback got this year) might be the way to go.  I know we all hate exclusives, but I'm just wondering if there are many other solid options for retail-wide big, $100 (or more) vehicles.  Like I said, I hope we see more (I'm up for about anything OT), but I don't want the next offering to kill the whole range and opportunity to get more big vehicles.  Unless something new is introduced in the Clone Wars, I'm not sure anything there is too solid aside from possibly the Twilight (which has been discussed here as well).  Sure, there are a few droid/seperatist options, but I just don't see those selling well with the kiddos in particular.

I've said it before, I wasn't collecting at the very beginning of the POTF2 lines - but it sure seems like many to possibly most collectors were buying up all the OT ships then when they were essentially just the vintage ships spiffed up a bit and repackaged.  Now when we're getting all-new versions of these ships, I don't know that even half of us are biting.  It may be a sign of some of us getting older, running out of room, or even just being pickier...but something has changed in that aspect of things.

Offline Mister Skeezler

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #378 on: December 17, 2009, 01:47 PM »
I think the Turbo Tank was a foolish move on Hasbro's part anyways. That thing was seen for about 2 seconds in ROTS, and no one even interacted with it.

The AT-AT would have a better chance because several minutes of Empire Stikes Back were spent with the rebels acting like "holy ****! Here come some Imperial Walkers! Our weapons can't take those things down! We're royally ****** now! Holy ****! It stepped on Luke's speeder! Oh man! Luke's climbing up underneath one to take it out!" The direct interaction makes a big difference. Think about it, the AT-ATs probably had just slightly less screen time than Boba Fett.

Jesse, I agree with you about the AT-AT not necessarily being iconic, but on the other hand, it is highly recognizable by the general public. Even my mom knows the AT-AT by name. I don't think she would be able to name many more OT vehicles than that, or even a single thing in the prequel trilogy.

I think in a retail showdown, the AT-AT would far outsell the Turbo Tank. I never even considered buying a Tubo Tank, but I would gladly buy 2 larger AT-ATs.
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #379 on: December 17, 2009, 01:53 PM »
In my area, the big vehicles seem to be selling pretty well and that includes the Turbo Tank... trying to find one at TRU or Target on any given day is a task, and that's by looking at 5-6 stores until you find one.  At Wal-Mart, you do see more of them, but that was the case with the Falcon and AT-TE as well.  Those 2009 offerings apparently did well enough to warrant the Turbo Tank; and I can't see a trend that the 2009 big offering is going to be a bottleneck for this format. 

So from my view, I think we'll see another big vehicle of some sort in 2010, and my personal opinion is that a "big one" should not be an exclusive.  If it is, you can chalk up maybe an additional 25%-50% price tag on it.  Not something I think anyone wants to see.  And I think Hasbro has made it clear they're not interested in making the Twilight, so if they make that, whatever.  I'd get it just because I like larger vehicles for display, but I wouldn't be all bonkers over it like I would some other items. 

As for collector habits changing, sure some people have.  Look at the market of 10 years ago - seems like most collectors that I associated with were in our early 20s... now most I know are in their 30s, and there have been some major life changes for most (such as having kids, much less room for our own toys, changes in priorities, etc.)  I know it's affected me a lot, but I'm not going to pass up something like a new AT-AT,  Sail Barge or Death Star because of that.  I'm in this for the long haul (at least as long as Hasbro continues to make collector oriented items - if they were to abandon us, then I'll happily abandon them).

Offline shmashwitdaclub

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #380 on: December 17, 2009, 02:28 PM »
I don't know if this can realistically be used as any sort of "measuring stick" but not only are the Millenium Falcon or the AT-TE NOT available on HTS, but also, as of writing this, they are out of stock on both the Turbo Tank and the G.I. Joe PIT MOBILE HEADQUARTERS. 

The first 2 missing from HTS isn't a shocker to me, but the last 2 being sold out is hopefully a prett good sign.  Granted these items were both 20% off and had free shipping going for them, but hey - they are selling.

If they were sitting around collecting dust in a warehouse I would like to think that HTS would have them up for sale.

Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #381 on: December 17, 2009, 02:30 PM »
...As for collector habits changing, sure some people have.  Look at the market of 10 years ago - seems like most collectors that I associated with were in our early 20s... now most I know are in their 30s, and there have been some major life changes for most (such as having kids, much less room for our own toys, changes in priorities, etc.)  I know it's affected me a lot, but I'm not going to pass up something like a new AT-AT,  Sail Barge or Death Star because of that.  I'm in this for the long haul (at least as long as Hasbro continues to make collector oriented items - if they were to abandon us, then I'll happily abandon them).

Man, you hit things right on the mark there. I just bought and moved into a new home last month. I'm already running out of room. However, I'd happily buy a "reasonably" priced NEW AT-AT.  

As for the Sail Barge and Death Star, those are tops on my list. More so the Death Star as I see that as a scalable, modular playset. Well, playsetS really. I don't want an all-in-one DS playset. I'd rather have several from the different major scenes.
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Offline Scott

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #382 on: December 17, 2009, 02:32 PM »
As I said in the rumor thread though, I really do not think the AT TE and BMF have been in production this year at all.  So stock being sold at TRU and the like is over 2 years old.  That right there should be a red flag...the second being that it takes 50% off sales to even move those items.

Offline shmashwitdaclub

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #383 on: December 17, 2009, 02:46 PM »
As I said in the rumor thread though, I really do not think the AT TE and BMF have been in production this year at all.  So stock being sold at TRU and the like is over 2 years old.  That right there should be a red flag...the second being that it takes 50% off sales to even move those items.

Yeah, I agree they haven't been made recently and you are right, they probably are two years old - but even so with that being the case the sales that did go through did warrant Hasbro to go ahead and make future large items ie Turbo Tank and the Pit - and, just saying, by looking at a small sample (HTS's supply) perhaps they are selling well enough again.

Offline Jeff

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #384 on: December 17, 2009, 02:56 PM »
I think the Turbo Tank was a foolish move on Hasbro's part anyways.

I think LFL shares the blame too - at Toy Fair, Hasbro kept saying how they were told by LFL that the new Clone Turbo Tank (which again, was always intended to be based on the size in the animated series and not the massively sized Juggernaut from the movies) would be a "major player" in the animated series, which is what prompted them to give it a try (not the seconds of screen time in the movie).

I don't know if plans changed at LFL for Season 2 or if the wires got crossed, but the Tubro Tank was hardly a "major player".  Yeah it got used a few times in the first few episodes or here or there, but not anywhere near as much as it was hyped it would be...  so is that Hasbro's fault for believing LFL when they said it'd be prominently featured or is it Hasbro's fault alone for choosing that tank in the first place?
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #385 on: December 17, 2009, 03:02 PM »
Personally, I love the Turbo Tank and from what I can tell, it's not doing bad at retail whatsoever.  To each his own, I guess. 

Offline Jesse James

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #386 on: December 17, 2009, 04:19 PM »
I agree with Jeff...  I've heard there is more Turbo Tank focus in episodes that haven't aired yet and things, so if that's the case, and those got pushed back for some reason, that threw a big fat grenade into the plans Hasbro had.

Hasbro said a while back leading into Christmas that the Turbo Tank wasn't selling as well as they had expected.  So that's pretty much fact at that point...  I wonder if it's changed?  The TT's went from front endcaps at my local WM's to back ones earlier in December and that was a little disturbing I thought.  You'd think you would want them out front.

Target's TT's are just chlling where they always have...  TRU I see the same basic number each time I'm in the store but I'm not in TRU as much as the others.  I can't say they're selling here then, but I'm curious if Hasbro has any update on it themselves.

I don't see AT-TE's anywhere but TJ Maxx now though.  Those have been gone here for a bit.
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Offline Darth Broem

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #387 on: December 17, 2009, 05:54 PM »
Obviously the problem with big ships is the price themselves.  I think the interest was there for both the AT-TE and Falcon but they were both released at the same time during a bad economy.  I thought they sold pretty well despite those conditions.  But I am sure many would not pull the trigger on a $175 Falcon.  Yeah, even $100 is a sticker shock for the AT-TE.  But many of us bit the bullet because we really wanted those two items.  I would probably be inclined to do the same with an all new AT-AT.  I might cringe at whatever price it is but still buy it at the regular price. 

Here is the problem with the Turbo Tank.  It just does not have near the demand as those other three items would have.  Naturally you were going to get the interest from OT collectors for a new Falcon with all the bells and whistles after 30 years of the vintage mold.  It was time for an update.  Overdue in fact.  Of course there was a huge demand for the AT-TE built up since AOTC came out.  Then it got the push it needed with the Clone Wars series coming out.   I just don't feel the NEED to rush out and plunk down $100 on the Turbo Tank.  Although I admit I want one and I am glad they made it. 

However, after hearing people get an AT-TE for $15 or the more likely $50 just simply by waiting a few months well that's what I'm going to do with the Turbo Tank.  Hell the Falcon is over 50% off to.  So, why would I run out and buy the TT for $100?  We all know it will get clearanced for half off and people like me know it and are just going to wait it out  I know I should not because supposedly Hasbro will not make more big ships in the future.  Well the hell with that because they act like they are not going to make them anyway.  The only other big item I would really want is the either the Jabba's Sail Barge or Death Star Playset/Dioramas.  Secondary would be the Blockade Runner and Droid Transport MTT.  But they always act like it's impossible to bring those items out.  So, where is my incentive to rush out and pay $100 for the TT?  Geez, they won't even make a Death Star Playset/Dioramas.  If they won't come out with basically THE most iconic vehicle/playset of the entire saga why would they make a Sail Barge or anything else regardless? 


 

Offline Brian

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #388 on: December 17, 2009, 08:49 PM »
That's a good point.  It has been discussed here before, but releasing the Falcon and AT-TE at the same time probably didn't help them any - and the economic situation couldn't have been much worse.  Everyone was tightening their belts (collectors included), and they put out $250 worth of ships at the same time.  If the "BMF" had come out during the big OTC push with the release of the DVDs, it might have done very well (not that it did terrible last year either necessarily).

The Turbo Tank, as has been mentioned, just didn't have the demand for it either.  I'll admit, it does look like a fun toy, and I'm one of those waiting to see if it will hit $50 or lower next year and I might grab it - but if not, I won't feel like I missed out.  Now if we see an AT-AT or something like that, I'll be saving up as soon as we hear about it.  Same with anything else OT.  Also, I want to make clear from my earlier post, I don't want to see all these things - especially large items - go the exclusive route either.  They are a pain, and particularly at WM really hit and miss around here (still no Dewback locally, after no A-Wing last year) - but I'm just wondering if that is what will have to happen for a lot of Original Trilogy items from here on out - at least ones that don't "fit" into a regular assortment.

Offline Greedo The Green Menace

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Re: Big Items of the Future!
« Reply #389 on: December 17, 2009, 09:28 PM »
The turbo tank seems to be doing quite well in my area (Canada) I've seen several being bought up by parents and theres only a couple left at most of my local stores. Our Toys R Us was sold out for a good little while there.
As for the AT-AT, that's probably something I'd buy right off, wouldn't even wait for a sale.