There's other things listed as the focal points of the "loss" too in the article... It's rough all over, but Rob's right they always generally are on a downslope 1st quarter... X-Mas is over, retail cuts back...
It did, at least in part, read like Star Wars was unpopular and they'd have to rely on other licenses like Transformers and Marvel in the near future... That seems comical to me given the state of things at retail, however...
While things have been selling well for most of 2006 it seems, I am noticing some heavy back-up on the pegs in the last month or so. WM is just now catching up, and they are backing up with the same crap Target/TRU had last month... The fact they went from barren to slight pegwarming at WM's in my area is a good indication things aren't FLYING off the shelves like they were in late 2005.
Interest will inevitably diminish for the line... I think it's starting now, but I think it's still lively... A lot of the 1st quarter slowdown seems to be either Hasbro misjudging demand and being unable to supply retailers, or retailers not putting in the proper orders... Or both.
Now though, we're at May and things are starting to back up... Certain figures. Certain others aren't still, for whatever reason, and the line's lively I do believe... I think it slowed though some, so what they say is "true" to an extent, but I also think they're covering up that they didn't gauge demand properly (possibly tied with Retail misjudgment too of course).
Seemed like they really wanted to say that Star Wars just magically fell from under their feet in January though, and that they spent 3 months of dismal performance, and as a collector I find it more true that THEY didn't get the figures to retailers... Because I sure as **** was ready to buy and didn't find a whole lot out there in quantity.