Author Topic: TLC Millenium Falcon  (Read 232097 times)

Offline Nicklab

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #585 on: July 14, 2008, 11:01 PM »
I think it's just a result of how WalMart does business.  They're not paying their employees a lot.  And they almost bully the workers in order to keep them from unionizing.  The end result is employees who really don't care a lot about a job that's barely paying them enough to subsist on.  So if that means putting out some product a week or two early and displeasing us fanboys...so be it. 

As for WalMart's corporate management?  They've succeeded so much in bullying their suppliers that it seems unlikely that any kind of protest from Hasbro about breaking the street date would go nowhere.
« Last Edit: July 14, 2008, 11:19 PM by Nicklab »
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Offline Jayson

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #586 on: July 14, 2008, 11:06 PM »
I think it's just a result of how WalMart does business.  They're not paying their employees a lot.  And they almost bully the workers in order to keep them from unionizing.  The end result is employees who really don't care a lot about a job that's barely paying them enough to subsist on.  So if that means putting out some product a week or two early and displeasing us fanboys...so be it. 

As for WalMart's corporate management?  They've succeeded so much in bullying their suppliers that it seems unlikely that any kind of protest from Hasbro about breaking the street date would go anywhere.

Maybe it's an elaborate plot between Hasbro/Wal-Mart to drive up demand and increase store traffic, then allow the random customer to purchase a morsel of the forbidden fruit thus propagating the cycle.

Or what Nicklab said.
« Last Edit: July 15, 2008, 09:21 AM by Jayson »
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #587 on: July 15, 2008, 09:19 AM »
Regardless, WM lost my $150 sale to Target.
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Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #588 on: July 15, 2008, 03:28 PM »
Regardless, WM lost my $150 sale to Target.

Nearly the same for me.

I found it at WM, but had always planned to buy it at TRU. However had WM let me buy it, I'd have it and they'd have my money...So I go back to the original plan and Wal*Mart loses the sale. Stupid Wal*Mart.

In this case at each store, they should go ahead and sell the one to the customer who first brings it up, then when they realize they aren't supposed to be selling it yet, take the rest back to the stock room. One ship per store isn't going to raise to many flag, and you'd think they'd quickly send a corporate wide e-mail stating to take them back into the stock room after seeing this mistake happen over and over again.

Then again, it IS Wal*Mart...
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #589 on: July 21, 2008, 03:42 PM »
NOt nearly so early as others, but local Walmarts have these (and the lightsabers is CW packaging) out now.  No figs anywhere yet though, at least not locally.  Canadian Walmart retail on the Falcon is $188 at the moment. 
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Offline Jesse James

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #590 on: July 22, 2008, 03:59 PM »
I forgot this and can't believe I did, but it had me laughing...

So there really hasn't been many leaks around Pittsburgh, but I did see the island thing of Falcons at Wal-Mart, and when I was done looking at them, I wandered along but a guy and his kid came up and started looking at them.  So I sorta stopped just to hear the conversation about it.  I thought the kid was pretty excited.

He looked at it real quickly and said to his dad, "That's too much for that", and left...  The dad agreed and walked along.

I still find that funny when I think about it...  Rare you hear the kid actually bitch on price.  He was maybe 8 too, not even very old at all.  Pretty amusing.
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #591 on: July 23, 2008, 09:43 AM »
That definitely stems from parents grilling into their kids that everything is too expensive. I hear that all the time in toy isles. I find it kind of insulting to the kids as it tells them that money is more important than them.
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Offline Darth Broem

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #592 on: July 23, 2008, 12:38 PM »
Well in this case it is justified I think.  But yeah, it depends on how you tell the child about money.  If the kid really, really, really wanted it then I might go into the entire "maybe for Christmas/Birthday" line but not right now and have a little discussion/negotiation about the topic.    They do have to learn you can't just go into the store and buy whatever you want anytime you want it.  Until you "grow up" and get your own job and become an addicted toy collector and just eat noodles.  Then it's fine.  LOL! 

Offline Daigo-Bah

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #593 on: July 23, 2008, 12:51 PM »
That's a funny story, JJ.  You know, I have to admit that I sometimes feel possessive about SW in general and the OT in specific when it comes to kids having an interest in it.  I SHOULD be someone who encourages kids to check out the saga, and thereby help the life of merchandising based on it, but I often don't understand how a kid could be interested in something like the Falcon when it's "mine" (or ours  ;D).  That is, something 30 years old that you can't just watch a dvd of and automatically be interested in it.   Don't they have Ben 10 or some other recent concept to buy toys from?!  :P
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Offline CHEWIE

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #594 on: July 23, 2008, 02:14 PM »
That definitely stems from parents grilling into their kids that everything is too expensive. I hear that all the time in toy isles. I find it kind of insulting to the kids as it tells them that money is more important than them.

I don't know if it's "insulting" that a parent might not buy this for their kid. 

Parents know best in my opinion and understand the spoiling of children factor as well as their money situation a lot better than most children could ever comprehend.  Plus just because a kid "wants" something doesn't mean they should necessarily get it.  As a kid I wanted EVERY SINGLE Star Wars and GI Joe toy.  Never got over half of them.  Doesn't mean in any way whatsoever that parents value their money more than they value their kids. 

When I was a kid, my parents were pretty generous with what I got for toys... but I really didn't get too much outside of my birthday and Christmas.  The Falcon would have been something in their price range as a Christmas present, but not for my birthday.  Not everyone can or should spoil their kids to get them everything they want.


EDIT - I read this again, and realized that I really came off as seeming to attack Anton here - that's not my intention at all.  Just a different perspective, that's all.
« Last Edit: July 23, 2008, 11:20 PM by CHEWIE »

Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #595 on: July 24, 2008, 12:18 AM »
No attack read into it. But I'm not saying that the parent is being insulting by not buying a toy for their kid, I'm saying that the parent is being insulting by saying that it's too expensive to buy. There's a difference.

When I was a kid, I got the "it's too expensive" line all the time. When I hear it in the isles, it's that same dismissive tone. When the tables were turned and my kid started asking me for stuff, I remembered how I felt and how mean all those other parents sounded. Therefor, I never once told my kids that anything is too expensive. We just talk it through - why do you want that? Where are you going to put it? Do you still play with that other toy we bought you? Joking - what are you gonna buy for me? Keeps my kids engaged, not disrespected. Sure, not all parents are being insulting or disrespectful, but I sure hear a lot who are.
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Offline Diddly

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #596 on: July 26, 2008, 03:30 AM »
I have yet to open it, but it's huge, just the boxes/trash alone will take up half my room. More thoughts possibly towards the end of the weekend after work/partying/drowning in my own regret for buying such a huge toy.
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Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #597 on: July 26, 2008, 07:51 PM »
This thing definitely does not disappoint!  I've been pressing all the buttons to hear all the sounds and see the lights...it's like when I was a kid!

My only gripe (and this is really minor) is I wish the lightsaber remote/chess area was a bit larger.  I set up figures in there to have 3-PO, R2 and Chewbacca playing chess, Han sitting in the chair and Obi-Wan training Luke and it's a bit crowded in there.  Also, you cannot get both Chewbacca and C-3PO to sit at the table...so my diorama looks a little awkward.  Still, very cool to play with and I'll be setting up various scenes throughout!
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Offline Dan

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #598 on: July 27, 2008, 10:21 AM »
I picked mine up last night and busted it open. I am very impressed with all the detail, I have to imagine this is the last Hasbro Falcon mode we are ever going to see.

But for all the excitement this thing generated on the boards, I don't think they are selling too many yet. This thread only has a handful of buyers so far, and the Wal Mart I bought mine at seemed to have only sold the 1 all day. I don't think any of the AT-TE's sold. Many Wal Marts and Targets here didn't put them out, so I was thinking the one store with a pallet full would sell them pretty well. I suppose the media blitz that is sure to hit in the next week will make a dent, but myself and another JD'er were the only two collectors at opening for this particular store.

Offline Sprry75

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Re: TLC Millenium Falcon
« Reply #599 on: July 27, 2008, 10:51 AM »
I also think that's a hell of a lot of money for a non-rabid, non-geek consumer to plop down in the middle of summer, especially with fuel and grocery prices hitting records.

I expect these things will start moving like crazy closer to Christmas, though, as it really is a fantastic piece.

The thing about both the BMF and the AT-TE is, they reflect a pretty major investment by Hasbro, so they're not going anywhere for awhile, and should continue to be readily available.  I'm personally waiting until they pull a Costco deal or something where you buy the Falcon or AT-TE and get a set of five extra figures or something.  We all know it's coming....
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