Author Topic: Toy Fair 2010!  (Read 35173 times)

Offline Jesse James

  • Staff Member
  • Grand Master
  • *
  • Posts: 35448
  • Slippery When Poopy
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender.com
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #105 on: February 17, 2010, 02:35 AM »
I agree, differentiating the lines is a great thing.  It will definitely help.

I'm not purist with the cards, though.  I'm a Star Wars nerd since 1977 at the Starlight Drive In, and I have no issues whatsoever seeing PT or CW figures on these cards.  Kind of like I mentioned before, these cards are Star Wars - and good or bad, it's all Star Wars.

I agree on this...  To me, good or bad, it's Star Wars...  So I don't mind seeing things on it.  It seems Expanded Universe things happening on these cards are going to happen, and they're not sure what to do about it, so good or bad it's going to happen regardless I guess.

I'm of the opinion that packaging is garbage, so I don't care what they put on vintage cardbacks...  It's all getting ripped open by me unless it's that odd rare one I keep carded (A new Tarkin would win a spot, so would a Fleet Trooper).

I'll enjoy the cards though.  I like the new Clone Wars look too though. 
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
Jedi Defender.com Contributing Editor, Twitter @JediDefender & @Jesse_James77

Offline jono

  • Jedi Initiate
  • *
  • Posts: 148
  • I'm a llama!
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #106 on: February 17, 2010, 05:27 AM »
Genrally i'm pleased with what was shown. But i'm disapointed by some short cuts taken on vintage redo cards like C-3po -we could have had a new picture here - and Vader!- imagine that admittedly solid vader figure on a card back depicting him on the bespin gantry arm raised in a fist -C'mon  Hasbro!

Also it seems were in for a redo heavy year were iconic characters from across the six films get their time in the vintage sunshine. The lack of new backgrounders may not be to every collectors taste.

Hopefully they can hit a balance that prevents collector fatigue from setting in.

Offline ruiner

  • Jedi Master
  • *
  • Posts: 5023
  • raised to be lowered
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #107 on: February 17, 2010, 09:48 AM »
Am I the only one who find the pricing strategy weird?  They're trying to bring collectors back so they LOWER the pricing on the CW line?  

The only line that's actually performing?!

Don't give me the investment excuse as the rationale behind keeping the vintage line at $7.99 because the CW line is nothing BUT new tooling.

Bite the bullet and take everything down to $6.99.

It accomplishes two things - 1.) excites the collector base and 2.) avoids confusion at retail.  Without the clamshell, the two different price points are going to drive people crazy - both the shelf stockers and casual consumer.

« Last Edit: February 17, 2010, 09:50 AM by ruiner »

Offline Brian

  • Jedi Sentinel
  • *
  • Posts: 11749
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #108 on: February 17, 2010, 10:11 AM »
Yeah, I thought the different price points was a little bit odd too - and I'll be curious to see how retail handles it.  Sure, it might be labeled seperately, but so are the three lines now - and we all see how that works.  I can see a number of people (parents) getting to checkout and say "the peg said $6.99", and getting a surprise there.

As far as the packaging, I'd also like to see this cardback just stay for the rest of the line - however long it lasts.  I'm glad that we'll at least be getting it for two years, but as others have said, I think the cardback just says Star Wars - particularly to anyone 20 and older.  I'm fine with keeping the CW seperate with their own cardback, but the "movie" stuff should continue in this style.  I too saw a lot of guys stopping to look at the 25th Joes when those first hit, and the packaging is what drew them in there as well.  I'm really looking forward to this line, and hope that it lasts awhile.  I'm still debating whether to get a carded set or not.  I usually don't do that (can't afford, nor do I really care to for the most part) - but I did with the VOTC/VTSC and I'm glad that I did that.  With these, we'll see.  I'll definitely keep the cardbacks regardless....but I'm starting to think I should be throwing away more of the other lines' cardbacks than I have.  It does seem silly to keep a lot of it.

Offline Jeff

  • Administrator
  • Jedi Elder
  • *
  • Posts: 26320
  • Leave me where I lie
    • View Profile
    • www.JediDefender.com
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #109 on: February 17, 2010, 10:37 AM »
...Don't give me the investment excuse as the rationale behind keeping the vintage line at $7.99 because the CW line is nothing BUT new tooling.

But CW isn't all new tooling.  Many of the clones and droids have been re-used/repainted.  Many of the main characters have shipped for 2 years and some (Rex, Ahsoka, Anakin, etc) will continue to ship in year 3.  That's a lot of reuse.  And it's helped them drop the price, which is something that they've heard from a number of sources - moms, collectors, retailers - they all want cheaper figures. 

Hasbro can swing lower prices on CW now, so they are dropping the price.  Legends goes along for the ride because the cardback looks the same.  That makes the majority of Hasbro Star Wars customers happy (retail/kids).

Like I said earlier in the thread.  Vintage gets to stay at $7.99 because of "tooling", or like everyone knows - because we've proven over the past two years that we'll pay it.  :P

The vintage look is about tempting those who've left to come back and tempting former carded collectors to go back to buying 2x each again.  That's how they are going to generate more sales.  Would lowering the price help?  Absolutely. 

But lets face it - if you were the big company, wouldn't you try to lure them back at $8 each and get that extra $1?  If that doesn't work, THEN you lower the vintage price to $6.99 right before the hoilday season to match CW/Legends.

Yeah, I thought the different price points was a little bit odd too - and I'll be curious to see how retail handles it.  Sure, it might be labeled seperately, but so are the three lines now - and we all see how that works.  I can see a number of people (parents) getting to checkout and say "the peg said $6.99", and getting a surprise there.

I think ultimately the fact that the lines have very different looks (cardback style, cardback size, bubble design), plus the fact that retailers now have a vested interest in keeping them segregated (different price point) means hopefully the pegging situation will improve.

It also sounded like Hasbro wants  "vintage" to be a bit more isolated - for example, pegs would be arranged like so --> CW - Legends - deluxe - vintage.  That requires Target/TRU buy in though, but it would help break things up a bit, which would help keep them separate.

I know, I know, retail's dumb, they suck and won't keep them straight, blah blah blah.  That may ultimately be true, but at least they are trying a few things to keep them isolated this year, which is more than can be said for the past two years.
Editor-in-Chief  - www.JediDefender.com
On Twitter?  Follow JediDefender -> @jedidefender

Offline Brian

  • Jedi Sentinel
  • *
  • Posts: 11749
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #110 on: February 17, 2010, 10:47 AM »
Yeah, good points Jeff.  I do understand why Hasbro would do something like this, and the issue of being able to repack/repaint figures in CW being a way to help that too.  Heck, if the "movie" line keeps getting scaled back, I don't even mind seeing that approach there as well.  Having a wave with some new figures/resculpts and padding it out with things from the previous "vintage" lines and other greats from the past few years of collecting.  We've discussed it before, but there are certain figures (for example VOTC Han, VOTC Fett, all the Imperial troops, EB Chewie, TLC Obi-Wan, evolution figures, etc.) that are pretty much "perfect" and could just be re-released/recarded until the end of the line.  Like I said, another nice example of how the CW line is like this generation's "vintage" line.  Lots of main characters just recarded, and padding it out with appropriate secondary characters for the life of the line.  It works pretty well I'm guessing, and helps CW to be the success that it is.

Offline jedi_master_sal

  • Jedi Apprentice
  • *
  • Posts: 2162
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #111 on: February 17, 2010, 11:42 AM »
Honestly I will probably be more interested in getting a PT figure on a vintage cardback than before.  Especially for the major characters like Darth Maul, Kenobi, Jinn, Jango Fett, some clonetroopers/commanders, etc. 

Yeah, I'm definitely in this camp as well. I'll get the major characters for sure, even if just for the card. I'm still planning on not collecting to keep these carded, but well, you can never say never.
I'm just a humble collector trying to make his way through the universe...of toy aisles.
"We are strong. We are resilient. We are American." - President Barack Obama, State of the Union Address 2010

Offline Darth_Anton

  • Jedi Sentinel
  • *
  • Posts: 10672
  • Whatever
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #112 on: February 17, 2010, 01:22 PM »

- Still no home for Imp Scanning Dude #2.  They really want to get him out, but they don't have aplace for him in 2010.  Maybe 2011...

 :'(
Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel - The Imperial Communique -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyEfCtMv1lWhxSH-B1Scr4g
"Snark is the idiot's version of wit."

Offline Darth Broem

  • Jedi Knight
  • *
  • Posts: 3001
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #113 on: February 17, 2010, 01:51 PM »
But wait I thought the price was up to the retailer instead of Hasbro?  LOL!  Guess not. 

Offline Morgbug

  • Old
  • Jedi Guardian
  • *
  • Posts: 16232
  • mmm. pemmican.
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #114 on: February 17, 2010, 02:16 PM »
Honestly I will probably be more interested in getting a PT figure on a vintage cardback than before.  Especially for the major characters like Darth Maul, Kenobi, Jinn, Jango Fett, some clonetroopers/commanders, etc. 

I remain firmly in the other camp, but I can see the appeal for folks.  I think Darby's point about it being the cardback for the rest of the line would make it more acceptable to me.  But I can also see Hasbro's desire to separate off the other lines, CW in particular, to make it more appealing to the kidlins.  I sure see that "collectors" are drawn to the old style cardback but it is meaningless to the Clone Wars fans, predominantly kids.

To be absolutely truthful I don't really give a crap much about Hasbro at this point.  I'm continuing to downsize like crazy and the only thing I may be interested in having carded these days is a vintage carded figure, so whatever Hasbro chooses to put on a modern cardback is a moot point for me.  I'm at the point where I'm taking what I have and keeping what I want and dissolving the rest of it for cash. 

I still hope they put out the Death Squad Commander and the Jawa on these cardbacks or at least as really high quality sculpts to round out the original 12.  Otherwise I'm just interested in new and better sculpts of older figures that I can own in my loose collection.  If you guys want a Jar Jar Binks on an old school Star Wars card then more power to ya, but I'll be laughing at you.  ;)
Minivans: a sign of the apocalypse.

Offline speedermike

  • Jedi Apprentice
  • *
  • Posts: 1816
  • He doesn't like you...
    • View Profile
    • MichaelRex.com
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #115 on: February 17, 2010, 02:25 PM »
I wonder how long Hasbro has been sitting on this idea, just waiting to bring it out once collector interest had died a little...
Children's Book Author and Illustrator   mikerexbooks.blogspot.com

Offline Scott

  • Staff Member
  • Jedi Guardian
  • *
  • Posts: 18704
  • Get Some
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #116 on: February 17, 2010, 02:26 PM »
I think the pretty rampant success of the 25th Joe line had a lot to do with it...

Offline Jesse James

  • Staff Member
  • Grand Master
  • *
  • Posts: 35448
  • Slippery When Poopy
    • View Profile
    • JediDefender.com
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #117 on: February 17, 2010, 03:21 PM »
I agree Scott, I think that helped, and they really seem to feel this is a solid way to go with saying this is the look for a fairly significant ammount of time.

I'm in the camp that I really obviously want a price decrease, and I hope it comes at some point...  Jeff's right though, why sell lower when you can sell higher?  What I'm hoping Hasbro sees is the trend that a lot of people aren't buying as much because of the price.  $6.99 at this point would be a godsend to army building, and any extras.  Every little bit helps.  So I remain hopeful for a change in the future...  Like I've said before, the price has seriously curtailed the totals I spend.  Few figures get the insane army building from me anymore, and really nothing from the PT does.
2011 Rebel Fleet Trooper Gets My Seal Of Approval!  But Where's The Friggin' Holster On Him!?
Jedi Defender.com Contributing Editor, Twitter @JediDefender & @Jesse_James77

Offline Darth_Anton

  • Jedi Sentinel
  • *
  • Posts: 10672
  • Whatever
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #118 on: February 18, 2010, 02:19 PM »
I wish the backs were like the 25th anniversary line with the homage to the old SW backs. I get the little history lesson, but that could go on the bottom where the ships and accessories went.
Please subscribe to my YouTube Channel - The Imperial Communique -https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyEfCtMv1lWhxSH-B1Scr4g
"Snark is the idiot's version of wit."

Offline efranks

  • Jedi Knight
  • *
  • Posts: 2932
  • Eric Franks
    • View Profile
Re: Toy Fair 2010!
« Reply #119 on: February 20, 2010, 03:59 PM »
I've read through most of the threads but may have still missed this, and no other websites seem to be answering the question for me.  The upcoming EU wave was basically confirmed as a TRU exclusive this May.  Any more word on that a Toy Fair, as to yes, it definitely is or why?

Hasbro showed off the TFU multi-packs in the slideshow but I haven't seen or read about a single mention on the EU wave.

   E...
"I sell the drugs that keep you people from seeing dragons at night." - Gus "Psych"