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Collecting => Customs => Customs Community and Group Projects => Topic started by: Darth_Ennis on June 7, 2006, 06:05 PM

Title: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Darth_Ennis on June 7, 2006, 06:05 PM
This morning out of the blue I decided to stop at Walmart on my way to work. As I was rummaging through the shelves amd mumbling something about peg warming Vaders being a damn shame, a woman walked up to me. She had an unopened box of SW figs in her hand, and introduced herself as a Hasbro rep.
Asking what type of collector I was and what particular figures I was looking for.

When I told her I was a customiser, she looked at me like I had 2 heads. After explaining to her what it is a customiser does, she seemed intrigued. She had never heard of such a thing. She then asked me what it is a customiser actually looks for in toys. I really didn't have an answer for this question.

I basicly told her what I would want.  Namely a VOTC style Jango, and some EU characters ( of which she had also never heard of :() She actually seemed interested in what I had to say. I gave her some info namely the JD web addressand my handle, and dropped a few names ( Chewie, Phruby, Glassman, etc.) and she said that she would definately be looking into this. SHe also hinted that she would be takling to her boss about this. We talked for so long, that I was actually a couple of minutes late for work.

I don't beleive that anything will actually come of this, but it is something nice to think about. Can you just imagine how cool it would be for us if Hasbro actually made a line of figures with us in mind.

Hey, it could happen.

Has this ever happened to anyone else?
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Nirvana on June 7, 2006, 08:51 PM
Hmm...that's interesting, DE. Did she give you that unopened box of figs?  :)

That would be pretty sweet if they introduced a subline for customizers.

This hasn't really happened to me before. I wonder if this has happened to some before.
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: CloneCommander1 on June 7, 2006, 09:23 PM
If we get a VOTC style Jango, everyone thank Ennis ;).  Nice, how lucky you are to get to talk to a Hasbro rep, I've never had this happen to me, I wonder about anybody else.  It would be great if Hasbro actually looked at this site and(SHOCK!)gave us more of what we want in figures ;).  And yeah, a subline for customizers would be sweet.
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Phrubruh on June 7, 2006, 09:37 PM
Watch them make a Rykrof Enloe. Wouldn't that be a trip.

Thanks for dropping my name. My name and five dollars will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks. 8)
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: CHEWIE on June 7, 2006, 10:04 PM
Thanks for dropping my name too... pretty cool to get to talk to a rep like that... I wonder if they're hiring reps in St. Louis, I'd love to try and do some sort of job like that.

If we get a Rykrof figure (yeah right!) I'd faint.

 :)
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Roton7 on June 7, 2006, 10:32 PM
Man, I wish I could've ran into one of those Hasbro rep's. I would go on and on about how they should make an SA Mace Windu! ;D
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Phrubruh on June 7, 2006, 10:43 PM
A Rykrof figure would be right up Hasbro's alley. They already have the head. They could recycle the body too. Maybe we need somekind of Hasbro petition or nominate him on one of Hasbro's stupid polls.
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: The_Tin_Man on June 7, 2006, 10:49 PM
This actually happened to me before. I just suggested to her what figures would be good to make. And she gave me a Scorch :D
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: findswoman on June 7, 2006, 11:20 PM
What a neat encounter, Ennis!  It's great that she took an interest the way she did, even if her company ends up not being able to do anything about it.  It would be interesting to see her post here, if she chose to do so.  Could mean some good press for our forums.

I've never had this experience before.  In fact, I hardly ever see anyone else in the SW aisle when I'm toy shopping.  Once or twice, maybe, but I've yet to have an actual conversation with them.  :(

Oh, and thanks for dropping my name, too!...  :D  oh wait... ;) ;)

... the Findswoman
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Smartypants1635 on June 7, 2006, 11:48 PM

Oh, and thanks for dropping my name, too!...  :D  oh wait... ;) ;)

... the Findswoman

He doesnt love us any more Finds :'(. Thats cool Ennis, If we Get a Rykrof Figure that would be so cool. Or even better a line meant specificaly for us
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Famine on June 8, 2006, 12:00 AM
We will not be getting a line of figures especialy tooled towards customizers. For every customizer, there are at LEAST 200 "casual" collectors.

And if they made a "Rykrof Enloe" figure, Justin would be owed a whole lot of money, I think.

Kevin
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Fritzkrieg on June 8, 2006, 12:08 AM
I've run into Hasbro Reps a couple of times. They never seemed to have any interest in the Star Wars products they were selling and knew little about the line. They could not even tell me what figures were in the latest assortments  that were shipping. If I was so uninformed about my job I certainly would not have it for long. I am so amazed at how little feedback the collecting community gets from Hasbro. You would think in the information age that we live in, Hasbro Design and Marketing represenatives would be swarming these sites, comming up with great new product for us to buy. Has anyone ever seen a Hasbro Employee post on a Star Wars Collecting Site?
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: CHEWIE on June 8, 2006, 12:24 AM
If anything, I'd like to tell Hasbro to start making more Deluxe sets. 

(http://www.yakface.com/toyguide/dioramas/chewie/aj34.jpg)

#1 on everyone's list - Rykrof's bedroom set, with Rykrof, Yoda, his bed, pillows, a framed picture of Naboo and two end tables.   :P

 :)
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: roron corobb on June 8, 2006, 01:22 AM
I've run into Hasbro Reps a couple of times. They never seemed to have any interest in the Star Wars products they were selling and knew little about the line. They could not even tell me what figures were in the latest assortments  that were shipping. If I was so uninformed about my job I certainly would not have it for long. I am so amazed at how little feedback the collecting community gets from Hasbro. You would think in the information age that we live in, Hasbro Design and Marketing represenatives would be swarming these sites, comming up with great new product for us to buy. Has anyone ever seen a Hasbro Employee post on a Star Wars Collecting Site?

That would be the smart thing to do and you think the obvious way to get what the collector want and their money. Really in most cases I don't think Hasbro gives a hoot, but I think there would be at least one Hasbro R&D person reading posts, or I'm I giving Hasbro too much cedit? ::)

Chewie,
Love that idea, I would buy one or two ;D.

roron corobb
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: In Rem on June 8, 2006, 09:45 AM
Take a look at the ROTS and Saga2 Collection and tell me Hasbro doesn't know at least some people like to customize.

1. Removable bandoliers (more expensive than molded on parts.
2. Ball-joint heads (better for play value, but also lends itself to the ultimate in easy head-swaps).
3. Hands and feet that can be swapped among some figures (easier than ever to vary up your armies).

I know there are other reasons to make these improvements, but when you see military figures hitting the market with extrea arms, hands, heads, coats, helmets, etc., you have to believe Hasbro sees that.

As for the rep, that's a great story. For the record, when I worked at TRU we had a rep come through a couple of times. She had to prepare a report on ALL Hasbro product in our store, which was obviously a heck of a lot more stuff than Star Wars. Remember that these people aren't Hasbro-Star Wars reps. For the most part they are retail overseers who only care about what's not selling right this minute.

When I worked at TRU it was during the famous Han Hoth/Luke Dagobah glut, and our rep came through and filled a cart with those guys and left. She wasn't there to give us what DID sell, she was identifying what was failing. I know it seems like the same thing, but it's very different.

Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Artoo on June 8, 2006, 01:54 PM
...& next year we get a SA Jango,the Republic Commandos from Triple Zero & an SA Mara Jade. :P It would be cool if her boss actually considered the Jango.I think Hasbro is starting an EU mini-line,becuase of the Shadow Stormie page hints that.
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Glassman6 on June 8, 2006, 02:12 PM
Removable Helemts and hats for everyone!!!!!!!
ENOUGH VADERS LUKES & HANS and Give me background characters.
I'd rather have more obsucre characters than a million repacks casue the card is cool!!!
Thats from the collector in me.

I've run into a couple reps in my toy hunts, I was too busy asking them if they were dropping off the lastest
wave than to give suggestions.

The collector in me... thats tough. I guess more removable accesories... Helmets, Hats, belts, holsters and definatly more diverse female fodder. More female bodies, and less solid hard gowns that dont come off with legs you cant use.

Thanks for dropping my name though, that would be cool if they checked us out, unless they come after me for copyright infringment... then I take it back!  :-\
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Darth_Ennis on June 8, 2006, 06:59 PM
Unfortunately the only figures I left with were the ones that i purchased. No freebies at that walmart.

Dont worry thought Finds I beleive I mentioned you when I asked for a few more females. ;) 

All in all though I SERIOUSLY doubt that anything will come of this. She wasnt very knowledgeable as far as what was in the case, or when the new assortments would be out. She did ask me lots of questions on customising though. Like what we do and whow and why we do it. She kind of winced when I told her about pulling off arms and legs. ;D

 But who knows. Maybe the right word in the right ear can get something folling. I for one probably wont put much faith in it. It is something nice to think about though.
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: Ruprecht on June 8, 2006, 07:50 PM
These reps have very little sway with the decision makers at Hasbro.  In most cases, their primary focus is supply management and display for the stores/region they're over.  We could dream though.
Title: Re: A funny thing happened to me on my way to the forum.
Post by: findswoman on June 9, 2006, 12:54 PM
Oh, it's perfectly all right, Darth Ennis -- I jwas just joshing with ya!  :)

Even if the poor sales rep has no actual power to influence what Hasbro makes, I still find it really encouraging that she took an interest, on a personal level, in what customizers do.  It gives our hobby at least that much more exposure and publicity. There are plenty of folks out there who misunderstand the whole concept (no, we DON'T pull off limbs just for the sheer joy of pulling off limbs -- I'm sure you clarified that :) ) and others who just don't know such a hobby exists.
Incidentally, did you tell her about FFURG?   

And, as In Rem points out, Hasbro figs have gotten much more customizable as they've generally improved.  It's an encouraging trend.  What's less encouraging, though, is that the Final 2006 Saga Wave (http://www.hasbro.com/starwars/default.cfm?page=news&newsid=B004993D-D56F-E112-43B20BE5AA0320F6) has not a single female in it -- with the exception of Gragra, who's not the most customizable of female figures!   :-\  Anyone know the status of future Hasbro figure lines, incidentally?

... the Findswoman