Author Topic: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line  (Read 57431 times)

Offline JediJman

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #30 on: January 10, 2010, 10:58 PM »
Quote
That adds more room for illustration on the card and makes storage a heck of a lot easier as well.

It also means less accessories, smaller accessories, and no larger figures.  ;)

To me, that's not so good...  Not that it's necessarilly bad either since there was no telling if a big figure or accessory was planned anyway for when these cardbacks are out.  But things like tables, chairs, consoles, and other accessories we've gotten in the past that maybe made something more valuable are going to be nixed or difficult to slip in with smaller bubbles.  Same possibly with 2-packs of smaller characters.

No offense meant to the carded collectors still hangin' in there, but if they've got to suffer through some storage issues or their eyes are pained a little bit because their cardback isn't quite as pretty, I think I'd live with their suffering to get 2 smaller figures in a package instead of 1, or a nice large accessory like a Cantina table or something. ;D

No offense taken.   ;)  Just personal preference I guess - I would much rather have vintage style cards with small bubbles and could care less about little pack-in pieces.  We never got those with the VOTC type stuff anyway, so not sure why we would get them now regardless of bubble size.  I think we're far less likely to see 2-packs moving forward for a vintage line as well - if they can sell a lone R2 and Yoda, then there's no reason to start doubling up on figures from their perspective.  As for bigger figures - taller or thicker figures might require a slightly larger bubble - the vintage Gammorean bubble is much bigger than the vintage Jawa bubble.  I'm fine with seeing that.
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Offline JesseVader08

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #31 on: January 11, 2010, 03:55 AM »
I've always hated the idea of seeing prequel figures on vintage-style cards, but I look at it this way now:  I'm willing to tolerate prequel figures on vintage-style cards in order to finally get cards that look good for the original trilogy figures.  The number of figures I keep carded nowadays is pretty limited (just Vaders for my focus or the concept figures from 30AC), so it could be a wise investment for Hasbro if it draws me back into carded collecting (as well as tons of other collectors).  Hmmm... maybe I don't want them to make vintage-style cards...  :-[  ;)

Offline Matt R.

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #32 on: January 12, 2010, 12:14 AM »
I love this idea (if true) I am not a carded collector but I would get a carded set.  I would love to see figures who SHOULD have made the cut back in the vintage days (Tarkin, Stormtrooper Han, Sandtrooper, Wedge, Slave Leia, Removable Helmet Vader) my thoughts in what the break down would be is that legends will have different cardbacks but have a vintage touch to them. the basic line - 6 new, 6 repacks/kitbash with the repack to be heavy sellers.



Offline Jabba the Slug

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #33 on: January 12, 2010, 12:17 AM »
I hope we see an all-new ULTIMATE Darth Vader (w/ THREE, not two, but THREE piece-helmet, and maybe ball-hinged wrists ;)) with an all-new original cardback in the vintage look. That would be cool.
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Offline Nicklab

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #34 on: January 12, 2010, 07:38 AM »
I think the only Darth Vader we're likely to see in the immediate future is an Episode III version with Sith eyes.  At least in the first 6 waves of this line. 
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Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #35 on: January 12, 2010, 12:34 PM »
I'd think Hasbro would be able to go back to the larger sized cards. Less plastic for the bubble should mean more money for the normal sized card.

I certainly think it's about time SW gets back to its roots for card design. It worked for approx 10 years from the late 70s to the mid-late 80s. I really don't see the need to change designs every year.  I know the desire to change, but not the necessity.

If the product is good (and reasonably priced), people are going to buy regardless of card design. SO go back to the vintage style and keep it that way for a long time. I doubt Hasbro would let it run for the next 8 years until the end of the contract, but at least 2-3 years would be nice to see, IMO.
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Offline Morgbug

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #36 on: January 12, 2010, 02:19 PM »


If the product is good (and reasonably priced), people are going to buy regardless of card design.

I don't disagree with you at all, but marketing departments around the world would.  If it doesn't look or seem new, then people won't buy "last year's model" regardless of what it is.  Keep it "fresh", make it seem "new".  This is how we've been trained to respond to merchandise over the years and probably the primary driver of what Hasbro does, based on their own and others' market research. 

I, like you, on the other hand would buy the product based on its merit (oh that I could say that through the Saga years) rather than on a new, fancy card style.  Had Hasbro just stuck all along with the vintage styling I'd not be able to beef about the PT on the vintage cards ;)
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Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #37 on: January 12, 2010, 04:02 PM »
Well we're not talking about automobiles here (as an example). Cardbacks don't need to change every year. I find that a huge waste of time, energy, printing cost, etc. (Oh and from year to year cars can look the same for awhile before a significant upgrade.

Again, I'm not saying the cards shouldn't change, just nowhere near as often. Again, I say 2-3 years of the same design. We had the same basic design for the vintage cards for many more years than that and people still bought. Only major changes were the movie title at the top. (I'm talking major changes folks, so let's please not get nitpicky here.)

Besides, every year becomes a problem with stores being left with "old" product. How many of you are STILL seeing the Clone/Stormtrooper cardback design? If Hasbro would keep the same design for longer they wouldn't hear so many complaints of old card designs, ergo old product. And maybe just maybe slowly change back the way we all (collectors and kids alike) see card designs as being old or not. They kinda shot themselves in the foot here. While trying to keep things fresh and new, they created a frenzy. Now we bitch and moan when we don't see new stuff on the shelves. We can readily tell what's new and what isn't. If we walk into an aisle and all we see is the old cardback design, then we know not to even bother looking. By keeping the same design for longer, it would force us to look every time for a longer period of time, since we couldn't readily tell if the toys were new or not.

I'm all for the vintage style cards, let's just keep the design around for awhile please.

One point to consider is that it makes it easier for carded collectors to get MOC stuff as no doubt Hasbro would rerelease stuff again on the same card.
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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #38 on: January 12, 2010, 04:19 PM »
If Hasbro would keep the same design...

Once again, if you have to blame someone for constantly changing the line's look the last few years (post-RotS), blame LFL and Pilot (the design studio they work with).  It's Lucas Licensing that decided that they want a new look each year to try to keep the brand "fresh". 

Hasbro deserves a lot of critism on certain things, but this is one that that really is outside their control at the moment.
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Offline efranks

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #39 on: January 12, 2010, 06:58 PM »
I'm going to have to disagree with you on some points here, Sal.  One thing about changing the line every year, it allows a store to clearance old product.  Hasbro doesn't always change assortments when the cards change, but they can more easily at that point. 
One of the reasons we see so many blue carded "old" figures on the pegs is because most stores can't clearance them wihout also putting the new product on sale.  Once the assortments change, they can clear the old assortment without worring about screwing up the new stuff.

I do agree with you that I don't like the line changing every year.  Whenever Hasbro has to change it seems to cause a big lag at retail.  Especially when they have a hard reset like they did in 2008.  When they have to draw a line on production to switch, it can catch a wave short and and also cause a lack of new shipments to retail.  From that standpoint, it would make sence to keep packaging and assortments in circulation longer.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather have a break so that retail can clear old product and reset rather than just go on for years with stale product.  Sure, having the same cards for longer periods of time forces collectors to look longer, it doesn't necessarily generate more sales. And stagnant product on the pegs, no matter what the packaging looks like, screws up the computer ordering and just causes frustration for everyone.

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Offline jedi_master_sal

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #40 on: January 13, 2010, 09:19 AM »
I'm going to have to disagree with you on some points here, Sal.  One thing about changing the line every year, it allows a store to clearance old product.  Hasbro doesn't always change assortments when the cards change, but they can more easily at that point. 
One of the reasons we see so many blue carded "old" figures on the pegs is because most stores can't clearance them wihout also putting the new product on sale.  Once the assortments change, they can clear the old assortment without worring about screwing up the new stuff.

I do agree with you that I don't like the line changing every year.  Whenever Hasbro has to change it seems to cause a big lag at retail.  Especially when they have a hard reset like they did in 2008.  When they have to draw a line on production to switch, it can catch a wave short and and also cause a lack of new shipments to retail.  From that standpoint, it would make sence to keep packaging and assortments in circulation longer.

When it comes down to it, I'd rather have a break so that retail can clear old product and reset rather than just go on for years with stale product.  Sure, having the same cards for longer periods of time forces collectors to look longer, it doesn't necessarily generate more sales. And stagnant product on the pegs, no matter what the packaging looks like, screws up the computer ordering and just causes frustration for everyone.

   E...

I understand your points. Let me counterpoint for a moment.

The very fact of stores having to clearance anything tells us something. Either demand for said product (not just SW but anything) is not there OR (and tha'ts a BIG "OR") they ordered too much of said product. Another point can be made to price. With the economy the way it is now, that's become and ever increasing factor.

Personally while it would save me money, I'd rather not see anything go on clearance. I'd rather the retailers order better so that there isn't a plethora of old stuff on the shelves clogging it up so that new stuff can't take it's place. It's a dichotomy. On one hand you want new stuff to be ordered quickly when pegs are running short, on the other hand you also don't want to walk into a store with little to nothing on the pegs. It's a balancing act that I think more and more stores are being force to look at. Again, not just SW but everything.

If stores can figure this out then we wouldn't have to worry about old stuff warming on pegs.

Problem for Hasbro then is that they would either be stuck with inventory or they'd have to decide to produce less. If the latter was the decision then you can bet we'd see a price increase as Hasbro would want (not NEED) to make more profit per piece to counteract the lower production levels.

Again card design shouldn't mean a thing. If stores can get their ordering system in check and not over order at the beginning of a new design then they (and we) would be stuck looking at the older line on pegs for months sometimes a year or more later.

By ordering less it would also force we collectors to be more diligent about going to the stores to check for product and creating even more a culture of "buy it now or you may not see it again." That works well for Hasbro and stores, not so much for us. But I'd venture a guess that most of us are still pretty diligent about our collecting habits that we could easily transition to this mentality. Many of us still buy like that.

You're right E that it's really LFL making the call to change the design every year and I think that's a bad move. I think LFL has a little too MUCH control over this. Yes they should approve the figures, but the design of the packaging changing every year? Seems like their creating more unnecessary work. I understand it's their brand, however Hasbro paid for the licensing. It would be nice if Hasbro could decide a little more for themselves how the packaging should look or change for the toys THEY produce. Yes, LFL should have input and okay the designs, but it really doesn't need to change every year.

You're last line you said "stagnant product on the pegs, no matter what the packaging looks like, screws up the computer ordering and just causes frustration for everyone" rings true be that for new designs every year or staying with the same design for a longer period of time.

Better choices of characters, lower pricepoints, higher quality of product can help all those things regardless of package design.

Anyway, I appreciate this sort of debate. It gets the creative juices flowing.
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Offline Darth_Anton

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #41 on: January 14, 2010, 01:37 PM »
I'm intrigued and apprehensive all at the same time. Not looking forward to the PT treatment, but I'd be nice if the OT's were like the VOTC series. Might do some of these carded.
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Offline Brian

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #42 on: January 15, 2010, 01:52 PM »
I was listening to the recent SWAN podcast a little bit today, and they mentioned that maybe this rumored/confirmed "vintage" line is the "hail mary" for the collector line from Hasbro.  Sort of a "well, if collectors don't buy these...." type of thing.  Do you think that could be the case?  Again, I don't think the realistic line is ending anytime soon...they obviously have (albeit maybe scaled back) plans for the next couple years...but judging from their continuing comments about the collector drop-off, and how they are "pulling out all of the stops" for collectors this year (although they have cancelled/pushed back a lot of stuff it seems), I'm wondering if they are trying one more big push before we possibly see more of a scale back.  Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing what they have to offer at Toy Fair.

Offline CHEWIE

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #43 on: January 15, 2010, 02:48 PM »
I have felt for a while that Hasbro's response about collectors not supporting the line is a load of BS... from my observations they have not handled the realistic line very well the past year or two, and are not willing to admit anything is their fault.  And I also have reason to believe that they're just trying to milk the Clone Wars while they can (not to mention their actual cost per figure in that line and the Legends is probably lower than creating all new realistic figures up to today's standards, so they're probably trying to maximize profits but I doubt they'd ever admit that).

Offline JesseVader08

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Re: 2010 "Vintage" Basic Figure Line
« Reply #44 on: January 16, 2010, 03:12 AM »
... and how they are "pulling out all of the stops" for collectors this year ...

Hasbro is delusional if they think releasing no new product between January and the fall is "pulling out all the stops".