JediDefender.com Forums
Collectibles => The Vintage Collection => Topic started by: McMetal on June 29, 2010, 10:38 PM
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I was talking to a friend of mine who works at TRU at lunchtime and he said they actually got cases of the new vintage stuff on the truck today. He checked it out but they could not put them out until August 6th like the box indicates. Looks like they mean business with this street date stuff.
Still, at least it's shipping to the brick and mortars...I wonder when Target and K-Mart are due for theirs?
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I had no luck when I went in to TRU last night and tried to get these. They said they had them, but wouldn't let me buy them because of the street date. :(
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Guys- do not take an employee's comment as final; go in with the six digit code, ask them to look it up (they have them in their stockrooms, promise), and when they say the figures can't be sold until August, tell them TRU got a memo allowing them to sell. They can ring the figures up to check for sure. Don't leave the store without trying!
Edit: code for TRU's computers: 435881
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Well - this morning at one store I was told by the guy who "manages" the action figure section at a TRU that he was scolded that product made it to the floor on Thursday.
He told me that he had locked down all other Clone Wars, Legends and Vintage product in a holding area for August 6th and he absolutely refused to sell them to me since they already could be sanctioned for selling me on Thursday the stuff early.
At this point, I almost want to call up to Pawtucket, RI and force the issue and see if I can get Toys R Us sanctioned. They are selling the product online, the product has shown up in stores around the country and yet some stores are still adhering to a date printed on a sticker that's slapped on the side of the box.
It would be great if Hasbro just came out and openly said "hey everyone ignore the street date" and then that way we could print out that notice from their website and take it with us to a store.
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RIGHT ON, PETE!
You took the words right out of my mouth. This "street date" nonsense wasn't TRU's idea to begin with, and they certainly don't stand to profit from waiting to unload this stuff until Target and Walmart are both in the game to compete.
The only reason they would hold back is some kind of threat from Hasbro, which could easily be cleared up with mass email or 30 second press release.
Having a street date that is only applied selectively only antagonizes the fanbase. It's time to "release the hounds". :)
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The selective releasing of stuff isn't Hasbro's fault however. That's TRU's and their employees. Hasbro probably has a release date on this stuff as someone mentioned previously, so that the retailers have a fair "launch" day between them all, which Hasbro has to work with all of them on some level.
Perhaps TRU got the first allotment from overseas, and Hasbro wasn't able to get the rest at the exact same time to Target/Wal-Mart, and so not to annoy their partners there they're setting this date so it's "fair", rather than playing favorites with who they distribute to first.
That's a balancing act rarely seen by the collectors, but it's one going on all the time between Hasbro and the retailers as well.
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Perhaps TRU got the first allotment from overseas, and Hasbro wasn't able to get the rest at the exact same time to Target/Wal-Mart, and so not to annoy their partners there they're setting this date so it's "fair", rather than playing favorites with who they distribute to first.
That's a balancing act rarely seen by the collectors, but it's one going on all the time between Hasbro and the retailers as well.
And I totally understand that.
However, if Toys R Us really cared about it - why is the product being shipped out of the distribution hubs to the stores? Why does ToysRUs.com have the items for sale?
The fact is that Toys R Us WANTS to sell the product and they should be able to.
The only other wrinkle to all of this that there was supposedly a memo sent out to the Toys R Us stores that it was okay to sell the product. Is this just a rumor or has someone actually SEEN this memo? Is the memo available electronically so we can print it and bring it with us?
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The manager of the TRU pulled up his email right in front of me and, while I didn't see it with my own eyes what was written, after reading what was on the screen he said - "yup, we can sell them now".
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The idea of a street date is ridiculous to begin with. TRU bought that stuff from Hasbro; it's theirs to do with as they wish. That said, I wish my local TRU had received more than one case of Vintage this week. It's Target and WM that are missing out waiting until August. You know if TRU has them, then those others do.
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I used to work at a TRU back in the mid late 80s; video games and hot toys would have Hold the Date stickers on them and the Mgrs were very adament about not selling anything prior to that date so that when the sale ads hit, we'd have the merchandise on hand to sell. So I can understand the retail side of it as well as the consumer side as I want to buy stuff.
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The manager of the TRU pulled up his email right in front of me and, while I didn't see it with my own eyes what was written, after reading what was on the screen he said - "yup, we can sell them now".
Yeah, is there any way we can get more details about this alleged email? (I only say alleged because I've yet to see it reported officially online, not that I am skeptical of the possibility) Was it sent out to all store managers? Was it from Hasbro directly or from TRU management?
I'm ready to roll up to my nearest TRU tomorrow and lay this out for them, but if this is just some made-up internet folklore I am going to feel like a total arse. (moreso than usual)
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The manager of the TRU pulled up his email right in front of me and, while I didn't see it with my own eyes what was written, after reading what was on the screen he said - "yup, we can sell them now".
Yeah, is there any way we can get more details about this alleged email? (I only say alleged because I've yet to see it reported officially online, not that I am skeptical of the possibility) Was it sent out to all store managers? Was it from Hasbro directly or from TRU management?
I'm ready to roll up to my nearest TRU tomorrow and lay this out for them, but if this is just some made-up internet folklore I am going to feel like a total arse. (moreso than usual)
Precisely. That e-mail could merely have been between that store's manager and the district manager for that region. The district manager could have looked and saw that the same items were being sold online and he is assuming that it's okay to sell the stuff early. I'm not doubting that the incident took place, but I am doubting that a chain-wide memo was sent around saying it was "okay to sell the product".
The biggest problem is that it all depends on who you speak to. One manager will take the stuff being available for purchase online as a sign that it's okay, another employee will give some b.s. excuse that it was purposely put online "early" to gauge interest in the product (seriously - I was told that on Saturday morning) and another employee will tell you that ToysRUs.com and Toys R Us stores aren't even the same company - like they're living in some sort of timewarp back from when Amazon was running online fulfillment for the Toys R Us brand.
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@ McMetal and Pete
Here is what I experienced - maybe it will help you out.
I called in the store giving them the numbers so they can look them up - girl on the other end said there were 24 on the floor. Went to the store, there weren't. Girl Looked on the online website, while she was doing this I explained the supposed email that people were talking about. she then went in the computer and pulled up what appeared to be an update plannogram and after looking it over called someone in the back to grab me some.
Enter ******* supervisor. He was a jerk and came up with a very curt tone and just kept saying "we can't sell them" to everything I had to say. Eventually I accepted that he was not going to do anything about it - I glanced at his name tag so I would remember his name and was going to file a complaint about his attitude with me - after that I left the store. When I went out to my car I thought to myself that this was BS, they said they had them on the floor specifically - I am going back in for another round. I went back in and the supervisor was ringing people out and it was busy upfront.
Enter store manager who just clocked in for work. I explained EVERYTHING to him, even about the supervisor. The manager looked up the email like I told you and went to the back to get them and brought them out to me. After I grabbed the ones I wanted I asked if I could speak with the manager aside from the supervisor, he did. We talked. I explained to him how I wasn't too thrilled with the supervisors lack of addressing my questions - and not be willing himself to look up the email. The manager said nothing in regards to me about how the supervisor would not have received the email. From a retail standpoint I know he would, the supervisor was the opening manager of the morning until the store manager got there - so it would have been the supervisors duty to assign coworkers to do things that morning - ie set planno's. So he has to pull them up from the same system.
So I went in the next morning (saturday) and guess what? everythin was set up per the new plannogram.
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Smash - thanks for the additional info - much appreciated.
So here's my story from earlier today:
I went into the local TRU, they had nothing new on the pegs, so I went to the Customer Service desk and basically explained the whole schpeil about the Vintage line, the supposed email authorizing them to sell these, etc. Woman at the desk seems sympathetic enough, but asks a Floor Manager to come over for help. I repeat the whole Schpeil for him, we look the items up on the computer, he finds them in stock, he even tries ringing it up by the item # on the register to see if it allows the sale to go through - it does. He can't find the email though, or any kind of memo indicating it is ok to sell these. He sort of seems on the fence at this point, but suddenly enter Stock Dude. This is a younger guy who looks like he just got out of a Limp Bizkit show, knows all about the stock room and no way he is putting these out he says. He goes on to say they are waiting for the Hasbro rep to call them back since last Thursday to let them know whether it is ok to put these out or not.
At this point, it's clear I'm not going to make any headway. So I got the name of the store manager, who was out today but back tomorrow, and I told them I would check back again Tuesday. At the very least, I figure I can ask her to call the Hasbro rep back and see what the deal is. I also know one of the employees there who is very knowledgeable about the SW stuff, so I am hoping I will see him and he can help me out somehow.
What a frigging pain in the butt! Part of me just wants to forget about it and wait til August, but the rebellious, stubborn side of me feels like pressing the issue just because the situation seems so absurd on some level.
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At this point, it's clear I'm not going to make any headway. So I got the name of the store manager, who was out today but back tomorrow, and I told them I would check back again Tuesday. At the very least, I figure I can ask her to call the Hasbro rep back and see what the deal is. I also know one of the employees there who is very knowledgeable about the SW stuff, so I am hoping I will see him and he can help me out somehow.
What a frigging pain in the butt! Part of me just wants to forget about it and wait til August, but the rebellious, stubborn side of me feels like pressing the issue just because the situation seems so absurd on some level.
I know I've been giving you **** for some of your posts, but for this I think you should totally talk to the store's manager. Even if you don't get the figures, let the manager (and hopefully the rep, too) know that the street date is ridiculous. I can sort of understand a street date for the movie lines, to build hype or something like that, but not when there is no big Star Wars event happening. You, as the customer, have money and want the products. Hasbro is essentially costing TRU sales by putting these street dates on their lines. It's even worse when there is nothing currently on the shelves. So not only is Hasbro costing stores business from collectors, but also the business from casual buyers, such as kids and parents.
Anyway, keep us posted if you choose to pursue this. I'm interested to hear what the manager and/or Hasbro rep has to say.
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Well my TRU that told me 5 times that they will not be put out tell August decided to pick the first day I didnt go early, because i went this afternoon and low and behold they were there nice and picked through. But i didnt pick any up because they are still 9.99 and no more BOGO 50% off. I can wait tell HTS.com send me my order.
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No change at the TRUs where stuff has been brought out but now they seem to be adhering to the street date.
I was expecting to see all of the Clone Wars stuff on the pegs when I went into one of the stores this morning, but no.
I appreciate the additional details you provided, shmash, but unfortunately, I think you may have just lucked out to be in a region where the level of "not caring" about the street date goes all the way up to a regional/district manager, as opposed to just employees at a store not giving a $h!t.
I actually tried to call Hasbro today and report a street date violation on the part of Toys R Us and got bounced from the Corporate Offices to Consumer Affairs to the Inside Sales group and that was a deadend where all I could do was leave a message.
So for me, the net-net is what I've been saying for years, Hasbro isn't going to bite the "hand that feeds it" and is certainly not going to fine Toys R Us thousands of dollars for selling toys early. Hasbro has too much product across numerous brands and lines, flowing through the Toys R Us chain, and the last thing they're gonna want to do is piss off Toys R Us execs over 3.75" Star Wars figures.
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Yeah, I had no luck again today. Nothing on the pegs, and I found out the employee guy I know is off all week. I just didn't have the energy to hash it all out with the store manager. Maybe after work I will give it a shot.
Hasbro just needs to put a blanket release on their website we can actually show the store managers. Even then, I'm not sure they'd budge around here. It's really an interesting sociological phenomenon...where "following the rules" trumps all known logic.
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I stopped in to one more of the TRUs where I was denied new product last week to see if I could find out any information regarding the e-mail/memo sent around. There is a dept. manager at this store who is VERY helpful to the collectors so I knew he would give me the straight scoop.
Here's what I found out...
This store received an e-mail on Friday. In the e-mail they were told that TRU was permitted to sell the new Star Wars products as they arrived in-store and they could ignore the street date notifications that were printed on the box.
On Monday, the regional Hasbro rep who comes to all of the stores came by this TRU and told the employees that they had to pack up all of the new SW product and get it back into the stockroom. They proceeded to show the Hasbro rep the e-mail, the Hasbro rep then made some calls and verified that Toys R Us could indeed sell the new Star Wars products.
So if you can get the employees to listen to you, I would definitely see if you could get them to find that memo/e-mail.
I'm gonna bring it up at the TRU near where I work when they open tomorrow morning.
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Oh man, did anyone else catch that blurb on JTA this morning about the whole street date snafu?
Apparently someone talked to a Hasbro rep and they confirmed that this is in fact a HARD street date and TRU is not supposed to be putting these out now. They somehow mis-coded these wrong in their system and did not put a hold on them, allowing them to be sold "early". The writer seems to think any remaining Vintage product will be yanked soon.
I don't even know what to believe anymore. Does TRU over-ride Hasbro? Pete's post below seems to indicate this, if the rep backed down after reading the TRU email.
What a mess. I don't know whether we have any true leverage to request these anymore or not.
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Don't worry about it until the street date hits. You will get the figures at some point so no need in anyone getting worked up over these when they'll be aplenty in a month or so. I guess the retailers should be the one complaining to the big H about having product sitting in the back and not being able to sell it. I'm not sure the logic behind such a long wait, but maybe retailers have tons of movie toys (PoP, TS3) that they'd like to get through first.
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Oh man, did anyone else catch that blurb on JTA this morning about the whole street date snafu?
Apparently someone talked to a Hasbro rep and they confirmed that this is in fact a HARD street date and TRU is not supposed to be putting these out now. They somehow mis-coded these wrong in their system and did not put a hold on them, allowing them to be sold "early". The writer seems to think any remaining Vintage product will be yanked soon.
I don't even know what to believe anymore. Does TRU over-ride Hasbro? Pete's post below seems to indicate this, if the rep backed down after reading the TRU email.
What a mess. I don't know whether we have any true leverage to request these anymore or not.
It's a cluster**** at the moment.
At any rate, TRU is the only place putting them out now, and you have to pay $10+tax each for a figure, so we all might as well wait for Target and Walmart.
Hasbro didn't exactly reinvent the wheel with wave 1 anyhow, it's fairly uninteresting to me on the whole with a couple exceptions.
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I stopped in to one more of the TRUs where I was denied new product last week to see if I could find out any information regarding the e-mail/memo sent around. There is a dept. manager at this store who is VERY helpful to the collectors so I knew he would give me the straight scoop.
Here's what I found out...
This store received an e-mail on Friday. In the e-mail they were told that TRU was permitted to sell the new Star Wars products as they arrived in-store and they could ignore the street date notifications that were printed on the box.
On Monday, the regional Hasbro rep who comes to all of the stores came by this TRU and told the employees that they had to pack up all of the new SW product and get it back into the stockroom. They proceeded to show the Hasbro rep the e-mail, the Hasbro rep then made some calls and verified that Toys R Us could indeed sell the new Star Wars products.
So if you can get the employees to listen to you, I would definitely see if you could get them to find that memo/e-mail.
I'm gonna bring it up at the TRU near where I work when they open tomorrow morning.
I have not had any luck.
I think some went out at the one store but they have not filled them since.
The other store put them out twice but I missed them and each time I was there i asked if they had any in stock and was told no.
cb
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JTA has an interesting report (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6523) from a run-in with a Hasbro rep and discussion about the broken street date.
Hasbro's being dumb.
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Oh man, did anyone else catch that blurb on JTA this morning about the whole street date snafu?
Apparently someone talked to a Hasbro rep and they confirmed that this is in fact a HARD street date and TRU is not supposed to be putting these out now. They somehow mis-coded these wrong in their system and did not put a hold on them, allowing them to be sold "early". The writer seems to think any remaining Vintage product will be yanked soon.
I don't even know what to believe anymore. Does TRU over-ride Hasbro? Pete's post below seems to indicate this, if the rep backed down after reading the TRU email.
What a mess. I don't know whether we have any true leverage to request these anymore or not.
Interesting.
I actually got another store this morning to sell me a Snowspeeder, Cloud Car and Cloud Car pilot by calling the store I was talking about in my earlier post.
From the Toys R Us perspective, I can totally understand why they would want the new product to be put out on the shelves and sold NOW if the demand is there.
Toys R Us as a chain has already paid Hasbro for this stuff and Hasbro is expecting a company, in this economy, to just hold product in the back and not let them recoup any of the captial expenditure of buying the product in the first place? To me that's just absurd and probably the root of the reason why it seems like TRU is essentially telling Hasbro "Tough s**t we're selling this stuff anyway."
Hasbro's being dumb.
I think the Hasbro rep was indeed playing "dumb" in this instance. Again, going back to my story, the local rep in the New Jersey Shore area also was freaked out when she entered into the Toys R Us and saw new stuff on the pegs. It was only after she made some calls to her own management that she found out that it was okay.
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JTA has an interesting report (http://jeditemplearchives.com/content/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=6523) from a run-in with a Hasbro rep and discussion about the broken street date.
Hasbro's being dumb.
Thanks for the info.
Makes me feel like I will find the ones I want at some point.
A buddy got mewanting the Cloud Car now after describing it!
cb
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The couple of TRU around me are practically bare of SW figures. They must actually be waiting for that street date?
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The TRU stores around here sure don't seem to have a problem with putting the stuff out after getting the email (well, one store apparently refuses to put them out still per the manager).
Anways, I hope this leads to Hasbro ending the whole street date thing. I understand the intent, but if a company has the stuff and people want to buy it, then sell it.
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Anways, I hope this leads to Hasbro ending the whole street date thing. I understand the intent, but if a company has the stuff and people want to buy it, then sell it.
A street date for this product go around is really pointless. Shelves are bare and it's not a movie release where the marketing is crucial. My local TRU has the AT-ATs in stock but they will not put them out along with the vehicles. They had no problem putting out all of the new figure lines and TF. When I asked they said they cannot break the street date but when I pointed out that they already did by putting out he new CW, Legends and Vintage figures all I got was a shrug. I was so pissed, if you are going to hold the street date so be it but do not half follow it and not allow me to spend my money. I wanted to take advantage of the sale but my guess is that's exactly why they did not put them out.
At least I have one on the way as we speak, the only problem is I will be on vacation when it arrives.
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Just a head's up...Entertainment Earth is also breaking street date since my wave 1 case showed up yesterday. The assortment has two Darth Vaders instead of 2 C-3PO's as was advertised on the EE website. Sadly, the bubble redesign on the figures prevents them from fitting into the clamshells that came with the previous waves of vintage figures.
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Did anyone else see the story over at Yakface about Hasbro reps planning on fining stores for putting stuff out early and trying to make them take it down with a week left before it can even be put out? This is just getting sad if true.
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No, but given Hasbro set a street date I'm not surprised and if that's in some contract between the retailer and the manufacturer, I'm sure it's quite enforceable.
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I just don't see much point in enforcing it now, with like a week left till August. Just seems like a waste of resources to send reps around to see if people broke street date and bother pulling stuff now.
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Hard to say if they haven't been cracking down since the initial leaks though... *shrugs*
I just don't understand what the street date's point is... There's no movie or anything. ???
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Never gonna happen.
They can't fine the online retailers. Fining an online retailer would put them out of business.
They aren't going to fine the online dedicated toy store in the country (Toys R Us).
And they certainly aren't going to fine WalMart because they're selling stuff early on their website.
If anything they are merely talking smack about fines to appease Target who (so far) has been the only retailer that I'm aware of that hasn't violated the street date in some form or fashion.
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With the economy being what it is, Hasbro should be happy we're buying their **** at all, and shut up.
Especially after their distribution garbage for the last year.
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Anyone in such a ridiculous hurry to get action figures from the toy store that they'll get into arguments with store employees should have their head examined.
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Never gonna happen.
They can't fine the online retailers. Fining an online retailer would put them out of business.
Not that this matters, but so what if Hasbro put them out of business? If the online retailer broke a (suposed) contract, they should pay the price like any other retailer. I'm so sick of people acting like internet companies are above the law because they don't make a lot of money. It's like when peopel were defending that comapny in the UK that was making Stormtrooper armor, and Lucasfilm shut them down. People were moaning and saying "Lucas has enough money..."
This really gets my goat because I make my living off copyrighted material. Rant over.
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Did anyone else see the story over at Yakface about Hasbro reps planning on fining stores for putting stuff out early and trying to make them take it down with a week left before it can even be put out? This is just getting sad if true.
The story, ala Yakface:
i decide to to Target at lunch and I found the entire wave of new Star Wars including vehicles and Clone Wars, and I noticed a lady that had a Hasbro name tag looking and scanning the figures. So I kinda hung around deciding if I need a couple of doubles like the AT-AT commander and cloud car pilot. I overhear her on her phone calling someone and then she gives the zip code of the store and store number and starts talking about a fine of $200 saying this stuff should not be out tell August 3rd. She then says that the manager is not there but she has already informed the supervisor and they are aware.
She also said that the new Transformers were out so they could be dinged on that as well. So I quickly grabed the figures I wanted and head to the front because I could hear talking about having someone from electronic come over and pull these off the shelf.
Target's putting stuff out. :D
Hasbro's getting pissed.
Learn you lesson, Hasbro, dammit!
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See, for me it's not about wanting to get stuff early. I had no problem waiting, I'm just looking at this from the stores perspective and how ridiculous it seems to have to follow this senseless street date at all. These stores have paid for these products, why shouldn't they be able to sell them? Are they really expected to keep all that shelf space open for something they aren't even allowed to put out? My local Wal Mart had empty pegs for a good 2 months at least I'd say. If I was a store owner and I got some ridiculous fines from Hasbro for selling product that I paid for in full I'd be pretty pissed. I'd probably say screw it and just stop carrying their product altogether just based on the principle alone. The whole thing just seems like a slippery slope that's only going to anger the people who actually sell the products. I don't really see the comparison with the stormtrooper armor guys. They were making money off of someone elses design that they didn't pay for. The stores putting product out doesn't hurt anyone as Hasbro already has their cash.
On another note, is there an actual contract I wonder or is everyone just getting boxes from Hasbro with "do not put out" labels on them?
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The only thing is, Retail and Manufacturer routinely refer to themselves as "partners" rather than customer/supplier... There are contracts and things worked out between companies. I don't know what the deal is with this street date of course, it makes no sense to me either for the reasons I mentioned, BUT if there's agreed upon terms between Hasbro and their retail buyers, then one breaking the dates is pretty negative to whatever they had agreed upon with (assuming here) all parties involved.
None of it makes any real sense... It's like sales figures and stuff... You never see the details, so you never know the whole story.
It's so unimportant to me I guess I just don't care. I've been happy to wait I guess. I made 2 trips to TRU's only because I was in the area anyway, but otherwise I've largely just waited for stuff to hit everywhere when it's more convenient for me... I have done some financial catching up lately, some planning for the future. Honestly I don't mind the 3-month-breaks... Some are complaining, some are I guess saying this is enough for them to totally lose interest in the hobby. Maybe my attention span isn't that easily killed by a lull? I don't know. This just has been a financial downtime for me where I put money into other things like home improvements here and at my gf's, car stuff... Even student loans are ahead of the game a little more right now. Good times. :)
Hasbro can do what they want, and retail can do what they want, and if there's consequences for what they did then that's their deal.
I did like picking up Jodo Kast and the deluxe Cad Bane though. Nice figs. Saw the AT-AT today too at K-Mart, and it's really nice as well, and normal price ($99.99).
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It's all very complicated, especially with these big box retailers, since all the deals would be done with the big gods of the chains, which is what makes it even more confusing as most of these stores that broke the street date might not have known the full extent of severity of the agreement or realized it was even that big of a deal. I mean they could just be stocking one night, notice some empty pegs, and the manager says, "oh, those are empty, there's a box in the back somewhere, put those out." without so much as a thought. Hope no one gets fired for it, cuz if there's money loss involved someone is bound to pay for it. That would suck, getting canned because you stocked the shelves. Ouch.
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Instead of TL;DR I did read all of this thread before posting and can say firstly Australia has not had this issue with street dates on TVC.
Here's a docket for the first TVC figures I purchased from a local K-Mart (price match there from a variety store,normal price is $15.75 AUD).
(http://i33.servimg.com/u/f33/15/13/73/31/img_1521.jpg) (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=160&u=15137331)
Said figures:
(http://i33.servimg.com/u/f33/15/13/73/31/img_1522.jpg) (http://www.servimg.com/image_preview.php?i=161&u=15137331)
TRU in Australia now does have TVC figures for sale and at a 'sale price' of $9.98 AUD for the moment so it's totally odd and perhaps a lot of power-tripping freaks in their little pond they call Hasbro or TRU talking smack cause if Hasbro AU can get it sorted then how Hasbro USA cannot is whacked to say the least.
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If anything they are merely talking smack about fines to appease Target who (so far) has been the only retailer that I'm aware of that hasn't violated the street date in some form or fashion.
A couple Targets in STL reportedly put vintage figures out over a week ago (and they rang up fine at the registers).
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I just don't understand what the street date's point is... There's no movie or anything. ???
Australia has not had this issue with street dates on TVC.
Hasbro confirmed in the Q&A that there is/was no street date outside the USA. The same answer also covered why it is there for the USA. Here's the response, taken from Q&A @ JN.UK (http://www.jedinews.co.uk/news/news.aspx?newsID=3741):
"There was no shelf date at all for retailers outside of North America; this was changed earlier this year and all marking were taken off of our master cartons. The reason for this is that there was no entertainment event that set up the new line launch in other countries; in the U.S. and Canada it is part of the lead-up to the launch of Clone Wars Season 3 and all licensees were held to the August date to create an event-feel to the launch."
So, Hasbro is officially passing the buck on the 8/6 street date and effectively saying, "blame LFL not us". :P
Of course, that doesn't explain why they let TRU sell stuff early... but that probably has something to do with TRU taking Legacy Waves 13 (EU) and 14 (TFU) after Target and Walmart said "no thanks" to more movie product last Fall. ;)
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Went by a Target in STL today, they had set up the aisle and had the mid size vehicles out, $24.99 each. No problems scanning.
Also of note - there was 12 feet of shelf space for new figuers, including a lot of pegs:
12 Vintage
8 Legends
4 Clone Wars
Interesting that just 1/6 of the pegs were for Clone Wars, considering how successful Hasbro claims that line is... with only three new figures in the first wave, it seems to me that Target could have some major pegwarmers right off the bat causing a bottleneck if they stick to this layout.
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That is interesting, and seems contrary to Habsro's talk about how huge the line is. On the other hand, it's not like he retailers will keep the figures divided on the pegs. SW is SW as far as most of them are concerned.
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It could be an indicator of what Target is ordering too. Maybe they are seeing their market is more collectors than kids...
Anyways, as far as I'm concerned, if it makes more room for vintage, that's a good thing (provided that line doesn't have problems getting the ROTJ wave and othes out).
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Maybe Hasbro is seeing TVC as a god-send way to reboot the entire realistic figure line. Maybe that's why they only made 3 new figures for the TCW line when it hits with TVC. And it can also testify to the more limited TCW shelf space.
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Went by a Target in STL today, they had set up the aisle and had the mid size vehicles out, $24.99 each. No problems scanning.
I don't think there has ever been problems during checkout at Target when buying early toys. Going back to 2005, Wal-Mart has been the only store that has the "Do Not Sell" message for toys that were put out early. I got the ROTS Droid Fighter and 2008 Clone Wars wave 1 prior to their respective release dates at Target, and I didn't have any problems.
My local store had the action figure aisle reset, but with a sign over the empty Star Wars pegs saying "New SW Toys Coming August 6th." I didn't take any time to examine the pegs, but Star Wars looks to be getting a lot of space. I was, however, very disappointed to see that GI Joe is only getting 4 pegs... those figures will probably be a bitch to find.
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You're right Greg... If it's a number you can look up in Target's system throughout the store, you can checkout with it as well, as it's in their system.
And Jabba, you're right as well I believe... Hasbro's really promoting the Vintage Collection this year. They're striving for that collector market that's fallen behind Clone Wars in the past. Thus Vintage gets a bigger reboot than Clone Wars is seeming to at their intended launch date. I think they're still trying to sell kids on the movie line too though of course, thus the Cloud Car has launching stuff, the AT-AT has lots of play value, the Snowspeeder comes with the extra set of "kid" weapons and so on... The same basic trends still going along.
Hasbro's been pretty vehement at everything from Toy Fair till now that Vintage is their way of starting things over, and recapturing lost sales. It seems to be working too, judging by reactions to the vintage line's look. Lots of collectors who ditched this stuff are now rethinking collecting. Guys I know personally that I never thought would consider buying stuff in any quantity are looking at buying stuff again. Some of it seems to just be packaging changes, and seeing the line drift away from EU and more to movies... I'm surprised at that really. I like the EU, but I know lots of guys who were in it from day one who hate it too.
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"There was no shelf date at all for retailers outside of North America; this was changed earlier this year and all marking were taken off of our master cartons. The reason for this is that there was no entertainment event that set up the new line launch in other countries; in the U.S. and Canada it is part of the lead-up to the launch of Clone Wars Season 3 and all licensees were held to the August date to create an event-feel to the launch."
Well Jeff,that does explain it and I do not follow Q&A religiously hence not read that before.
I agree with the buckpassing comment you made and I also think it's bollocks to say that TVC product coincides with CW season III.
They are not even the same action figure line-up. ::)
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I agree with the buckpassing comment you made and I also think it's bollocks to say that TVC product coincides with CW season III.
They are not even the same action figure line-up. ::)
I disagree with that some... To Hasbro, they're separate, but part of the same whole, and so while the new Vintage Collection doesn't necessarilly relate to the Clone Wars directly, they pretty much view the Star Wars push as being all one big effort... The RC Millenium Falcon isn't part of the Clone Wars obvioiusly, but it's considered part of that push for instance.
The Vintage Collection's packaging is the only real thing setting it apart, but Hasbro likes to keep Star Wars "all together", for lack of a better term I guess. It's all under the same umbrella to them, so to speak, so they try to launch it all at the same time as such. At least that's the impression I've always gotten from them about Star Wars. The Clone Wars is really sort of new territory too though. It's not the same as the movie years. It's got similarities, but there seems to be some pretty big differences as well.
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Did anyone else see the story over at Yakface about Hasbro reps planning on fining stores for putting stuff out early and trying to make them take it down with a week left before it can even be put out? This is just getting sad if true.
The story, ala Yakface:
i decide to to Target at lunch and I found the entire wave of new Star Wars including vehicles and Clone Wars, and I noticed a lady that had a Hasbro name tag looking and scanning the figures. So I kinda hung around deciding if I need a couple of doubles like the AT-AT commander and cloud car pilot. I overhear her on her phone calling someone and then she gives the zip code of the store and store number and starts talking about a fine of $200 saying this stuff should not be out tell August 3rd. She then says that the manager is not there but she has already informed the supervisor and they are aware.
She also said that the new Transformers were out so they could be dinged on that as well. So I quickly grabed the figures I wanted and head to the front because I could hear talking about having someone from electronic come over and pull these off the shelf.
Target's putting stuff out. :D
Hasbro's getting pissed.
Learn you lesson, Hasbro, dammit!
The lesson is to stop listening to the man on the street for intel on how Hasbro deals with its customers. This is bogus. Not to mention a $200 fine is a waste of time to collect on for BILLION DOLLAR corporations with multi-million dollar accounts.
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Hard to tell who is in the wrong without knowing all the details (contracts) but I will say that if Hasbro doesn't want stores to sell these things before a certain date, they shouldn't be shipping them out three months in advance. ::)
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HTS.com was selling these things weeks ago. So why would hasbro be mad about others selling them?
And what is even the point of a street date for this line anyhow?
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Hard to tell who is in the wrong without knowing all the details (contracts) but I will say that if Hasbro doesn't want stores to sell these things before a certain date, they shouldn't be shipping them out three months in advance. ::)
It's not hard to tell in the slightest. Nobody is paying fines. This is my business, and business is a-booming.
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Went by a Target in STL today, they had set up the aisle and had the mid size vehicles out, $24.99 each. No problems scanning.
Also of note - there was 12 feet of shelf space for new figuers, including a lot of pegs:
12 Vintage
8 Legends
4 Clone Wars
My Target near Albany, NY had 8 pegs for Vintage, 8 for Legends, 4 for Clone wars. I think they actually had 6 pegs for Galactic Heroes. Not that it necessarily equates to the total volume that the lines are selling, but it sure seems to be a strange mix.
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And what is even the point of a street date for this line anyhow?
Hasbro's perception and not the reality that it'll fuel greater interest and thus greater dollars with the "massive anticipation" factor they think is going to occur.
Believing in the tooth fairy is about the same as the street date making a positive difference to sales.
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meh, I could see Hasbro's mindset as this:
Mad rush of collectors enter store on street date. Mad rush of collectors see plethora of product. People start grabbing stuff like crazy, maybe even more than they anticipated because they don't want other collectors to grab the item, leaving none left. Wishy-washy collectors unsure have 2 choices - grab stuff or walk out empty handed. They impulse buy - thinking if they change their mind they will return it They forget.
Hasbro and stores make out like a bandit.
maybe?
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meh, I could see Hasbro's mindset as this:
Mad rush of collectors enter store on street date. Mad rush of collectors see plethora of product. People start grabbing stuff like crazy, maybe even more than they anticipated because they don't want other collectors to grab the item, leaving none left.
I wouldn't be surprised if this is what Hasbro is aiming for (think of how much $$ Hasbro made in 2008's MM alone). The problem is they ship out new figures 3 months out in advance, and expect the stores to just let them sit back in the storerooms and collect dust. Now, if Hasbro perhaps shipped out the figures only a month or 2-3 weeks in advance, then there wouldn't be as many problems.
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With the economy being what it is, Hasbro should be happy we're buying their **** at all, and shut up.
Especially after their distribution garbage for the last year.
Amen to that bro!
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I'm siding with what Jesse wrote back on page 3 ... a street date is a street date, and misguided in this case or not, it's really no different from putting out CDs, DVDs, etc before they're supposed to be sold. That **** would never fly in the electronics department, although I realize toys are much further down the priority list for store managers. But just because some stores have broken the street date (probably unintentionally on the part of lower-level employees) is no reason for Hasbro to just say "Screw it" and let them keep it all out on the pegs.
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I don't really think the CD DVD comparison works on this one as it's a different animal altogether. With DVD and CD releases, the release dates are hyped up, like an event. You see them advertised all over the place, to the point where each store has a specific exclusive version of the item to entice you to buy from them. You know weeks to months in advance when that movie you're waiting for comes out. Most stores even have charts and posters advertising the dates. If the movie gets put out early, even a low level stock boy would probably notice pretty quickly. And at no time during the wait for these new films are there empty shelves being held back for these new items to be placed, they'll fill them with some other movie in the mean time. And even if that argument doesn't hold up, well, I'm pretty sure that CD's and DVD's aren't shipped to the stores months ahead of time to collect dust in the back room. Hasbro shipping these boxes to retailers so early is just asking for the street date to be broken. How many store managers just saw that there were empty pegs and told the stock boys to fill them, they might not have noticed the "do not put out" sign, they probably didn't even think of it, because since when do toys have release dates like movies? Although I agree that Hasbro doesn't have to say screw it, it's well within their right to make them take it down, I just don't think it's right to penalize stores that just might not have known any better. But who knows if they're even doing that, at this point it's just speculation and rumor. I like to think they have better things to do with their time.
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I don't really think the CD DVD comparison works on this one as it's a different animal altogether. With DVD and CD releases, the release dates are hyped up, like an event. You see them advertised all over the place, to the point where each store has a specific exclusive version of the item to entice you to buy from them. You know weeks to months in advance when that movie you're waiting for comes out. Most stores even have charts and posters advertising the dates. If the movie gets put out early, even a low level stock boy would probably notice pretty quickly. And at no time during the wait for these new films are there empty shelves being held back for these new items to be placed, they'll fill them with some other movie in the mean time. And even if that argument doesn't hold up, well, I'm pretty sure that CD's and DVD's aren't shipped to the stores months ahead of time to collect dust in the back room. Hasbro shipping these boxes to retailers so early is just asking for the street date to be broken. How many store managers just saw that there were empty pegs and told the stock boys to fill them, they might not have noticed the "do not put out" sign, they probably didn't even think of it, because since when do toys have release dates like movies? Although I agree that Hasbro doesn't have to say screw it, it's well within their right to make them take it down, I just don't think it's right to penalize stores that just might not have known any better. But who knows if they're even doing that, at this point it's just speculation and rumor. I like to think they have better things to do with their time.
I could not agree more.
In this economy, with people losing jobs all over the place, if you have something that somebody wants to buy, SELL it.
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not sure if it has been said or not - but, to me, you can't compare CD/DVD's to toys imo (I worked 3 years at Best Buy in that dept.). If not for many other reasons, the main reason imo, is that it is a standard for that product. Every CD/DVD has a release date and very rarely are they broken (Though I recall people were going insane when "The Fast and the Furious" brok street date).
Toys - barely ever from what I know.
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This debate is redundant for me now that Target's put them out. ;D
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Street dates are street dates... If there's a contractual agreement between manufacturer and retailer not to put things out by a certain date, that's not arguable.
I don't know that's the case of course... FOr all I know it's just slapped on the box and hoped that nothing's put out early. But assuming there is some agreement, it's to be adhered to, and any punishment agreed to in the contract is applicable. DVD's, CD's, new cars, deoderant, toys... That's all the same if there's an agreement made between the two entities. :)
Want toys all you want, say the economy is bad and so everyone should sell sell sell, harass the stockers at the store, but at the end of the day IF there was some agreement made, it was broken. *shrugs* That's just all there is to it guys.
I don't know if that's the case... Perhaps TRU broke it and Hasbro decided to open the flood gates for the other retailers that adhered to it? No clue really.
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This debate is redundant for me now that Target's put them out. ;D
Not so fast. Ridgedale put them out, but the Target store 5 miles up the road refuses to bring out any of their four cases from the back and told me they won't bring them out for yet another week even though all the star wars pegs are set. Ridiculous. I drove another 10 miles up the road to Maple Grove and found at least 3 cases already out on the pegs...nice move Target. ::) I think Jeff hit 5 stores already and got shot down as well - pretty ridiculous.
I could not agree more.
In this economy, with people losing jobs all over the place, if you have something that somebody wants to buy, SELL it.
EXACTLY. Nuff said.
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This debate is redundant for me now that Target's put them out. ;D
Not so fast. Ridgedale put them out, but the Target store 5 miles up the road refuses to bring out any of their four cases from the back and told me they won't bring them out for yet another week even though all the star wars pegs are set. Ridiculous. I drove another 10 miles up the road to Maple Grove and found at least 3 cases already out on the pegs...nice move Target. ::) I think Jeff hit 5 stores already and got shot down as well - pretty ridiculous.
That's why I said, "for me". I was surprised to see them on the pegs. Nice to see the new packaging.
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Are certian WM's just putting out Jabba's or have they done their reset with everything?? Visited 2 in the past few days and their toy sections are complete ghost towns. I even heard a cricket or two.
Was nice to see all the new Hasbro stuff at Target this morning. About damned time already.
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Are certian WM's just putting out Jabba's or have they done their reset with everything?? Visited 2 in the past few days and their toy sections are complete ghost towns. I even heard a cricket or two.
Dem's was roaches, not crickets.. :P
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Our TRU must have just completely ignored the street date now (or got the go ahead, I'm never clear from all this e-mail/fine/etc. stuff), as they had everything out this morning. Two pegs full of vintage figures, the CW figures, the Legends (including the assortment with Hoth Han, Chewie, and Snowspeeder Luke), the figure/vehicle deluxe sets (wave 1 and 2), the Fett Helmet, the AT-AT, the starfighter vehicles, and the newer Galactic Heroes.
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You can read the fuller experience in my purchase post, but to sum it up here, over the weekend, all of my 8 Targets started putting out the vintage figures. I really didn't hit any in the morning and never got a full set until today. However, the last Target to officially stock them took them out of my hand this morning when I found my first full case. They wanted to wait until the 6th. >:(
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If anyone tries to take any toys out of my hand, they better be very strong and very fast. ;D
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Funny that most people on here have at least some Vintage already, but a few Target stores are holding out until the 6th.
Does anyone have a good explanation for the street dates on toys? I get doing this with media where you have big events around the launch and potential for leaking tracks/copying etc. But I would seriously like to hear a sound arguement on Hasbro's behalf of using street dates on their figures. Seems to just cause confusion and make people mad in my opinion.
The only rational idea I've been able to think of is if they somehow "sold" an earlier release date to Toys R Us. Maybe it was part of the package deal with the exclusives, but if they use it as a bargaining chip with a lone retailer, then I can see where it would make sense. If other retailers don't honor that date, then the benefit to TRU would go away. Outside of that, is there any real reason to do this other than trying to control that which you don't need to control?
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Funny that most people on here have at least some Vintage already, but a few Target stores are holding out until the 6th.
Does anyone have a good explanation for the street dates on toys? I get doing this with media where you have big events around the launch and potential for leaking tracks/copying etc. But I would seriously like to hear a sound arguement on Hasbro's behalf of using street dates on their figures. Seems to just cause confusion and make people mad in my opinion.
The only rational idea I've been able to think of is if they somehow "sold" an earlier release date to Toys R Us. Maybe it was part of the package deal with the exclusives, but if they use it as a bargaining chip with a lone retailer, then I can see where it would make sense. If other retailers don't honor that date, then the benefit to TRU would go away. Outside of that, is there any real reason to do this other than trying to control that which you don't need to control?
Hasbro claims the street date was to create an "event" feel around the Season 3 Premiere of The Clone Wars. ::)
There are so many problems with that idea I don't even know where to begin. Like the fact that the actual show won't air until September or October. Or the fact that Legends and the Vintage Collection have virtually no connection to the animated program. Or the fact that foreign territories were exempted. (The show airs roughly the same schedule abroad as it does here)
It's almost like they wanted to create some kind of massive clusterf**k on August 6th. Luckily stuff started leaking out early or people would have had a had time finding everything on that day. (IMHO)
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I find this topic hilarious as I have everything that is going to be released for the launch including the exclusives. I have had the entire ESB wave for a month, the AT-ATs for almost 3 weeks, Jodo and Jabba already in hand...
I agree, if they wanted to create an event feel for season three their timing is a few months off. Many stores are empty, the longer they prolong this the more it appears the line is dead to casual consumers. I do not blame them for breaking the street dates. Many stores have these empty gaps in their aisles for weeks producing no revenue for the store. It's an ass backwards business strategy. Just put it out when the stock is low and move on already.
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...Many stores have these empty gaps in their aisles for weeks producing no revenue for the store. It's an ass backwards business strategy. Just put it out when the stock is low and move on already.
Agreed!
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I tried to use the Jedi Mind Trick on some Target employees this morning.
The funny thing is that the boxes don't read "Do Not Put Out Until August 6th"
They actually say "Do Not Put Out Until The Week of August 6th"
Technically, this is the week of August 6th. From a certain point of view. ;D
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I tried to use the Jedi Mind Trick on some Target employees this morning.
The funny thing is that the boxes don't read "Do Not Put Out Until August 6th"
They actually say "Do Not Put Out Until The Week of August 6th"
Technically, this is the week of August 6th. From a certain point of view. ;D
Unless the week starts on the 6th, which means they might not want to put them out until the 13th... ::)
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So I went to Target today, and it was pretty strange. A "Star Wars" sign hung over Spider-Man and Bat-Man toys, and there were brand-new Star Wars figures hanging like in every section of the toy aisle. The biggest group of figures was with the Iron Man toys.
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I went to Wal-Mart today and looked for some of the new figures and they don't even have a Star Wars section anymore!
What was the street date anyway?
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I went to Target today. They only had one "vintage" figure there and a few clone wars. For some reason they made the vintage figure $8.99 while the clone wars/legends where $7.99. Why is vintage a dollar more? For a crappy made up card with no accessories or pack in?
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Must only be in certain stores... they were $7.99 here.
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Oh how I miss the days of $4.99 SW figs.
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I saw WM's plan-o-grams tonight out on a toy run, and they had 2 Vintage rows, 1 Legends row, and 2 Clone Wars rows... There was a large empty space on the POG, so I'm guessing that was for exclusives/Jabba. There was space for the AT-AT, and so on.
No new product out, just 4 or 5 Legends 2009 figures.
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Oh how I miss the days of $4.99 SW figs.
When SW figures were originally on these style of cards they were $2.50.
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I thought they were only $1.99 back then! Holy crap how did we get to $9.99?!
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Well, comics used to be $.25 and now they're $3.99, so I guess that's inflation for you. :-\
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Well, comics used to be $.25 and now they're $3.99, so I guess that's inflation for you. :-\
My parents gave out original vintage figures for my fourth birthday party as favors. They were that cheap.
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If it was truely inflation, the 25cents comic book in 1977 should cost 87cents now but for some reason they are $3.99.
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Well, comics used to be $.25 and now they're $3.99, so I guess that's inflation for you. :-\
Some of the good ones are $2.99
Thunderbolts is the best title, and one of the cheapest.
And let's not forget the sweet $1.00 Marvel Direct reissues of milestone stories. There's some good ones out this month.
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So is today the "street date"? Was at my local Wally today and they had a spot for the new Vintage, SL and CW, but nada. They did have three versions of Walmart management discussing the arrangement of the toy isles (really, don't they get a print out that shows them where to put everything?).
So "should" they have had them on the shelf today?
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So is today the "street date"? Was at my local Wally today and they had a spot for the new Vintage, SL and CW, but nada. They did have three versions of Walmart management discussing the arrangement of the toy isles (really, don't they get a print out that shows them where to put everything?).
So "should" they have had them on the shelf today?
Technically it's "the week of 8/6/10". So I guess they haven't messed up until the end of Saturday.
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So is today the "street date"? Was at my local Wally today and they had a spot for the new Vintage, SL and CW, but nada. They did have three versions of Walmart management discussing the arrangement of the toy isles (really, don't they get a print out that shows them where to put everything?).
So "should" they have had them on the shelf today?
Technically it's "the week of 8/6/10". So I guess they haven't messed up until the end of Saturday.
"Week of" is pretty subjective. Most stores should have stuff out by now, but I found a Target yesterday that doesn't even have any pegs dedicated to SW yet - absolutely no sign that Star Wars is even carried in that store. Technically, they could wait until 8/12 to get stuff out and still be within the "week of" 8/6 depending on when you start your week. Lame.
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So is today the "street date"? Was at my local Wally today and they had a spot for the new Vintage, SL and CW, but nada. They did have three versions of Walmart management discussing the arrangement of the toy isles (really, don't they get a print out that shows them where to put everything?).
So "should" they have had them on the shelf today?
Technically it's "the week of 8/6/10". So I guess they haven't messed up until the end of Saturday.
"Week of" is pretty subjective. Most stores should have stuff out by now, but I found a Target yesterday that doesn't even have any pegs dedicated to SW yet - absolutely no sign that Star Wars is even carried in that store. Technically, they could wait until 8/12 to get stuff out and still be within the "week of" 8/6 depending on when you start your week. Lame.
I dunno, as far as I'm concerned a retail week goes Sunday through Saturday. That's how all the sales work anyhow.
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Well based on what I found today - five WalMarts with NOTHING, two Targets with moderate stock (i.e. the reset was done, but not everything was filled) and one Target still not reset, I would have to classify this wonderful "launch" as an EPIC FAIL.
Meanwhile in Pawtucket, RI - Daryl DeRetard is popping corks off bottles of Champagne, patting himself on the pack for a successful launch.... ::)
I will say it again and every time in the future that "street dates" are enforced - they don't work, they cause frustration and they cause huge gaps in the flow of product to the stores.
There was no huge new media "event" this year - it's season 3 of the cartoon and that's about it. Heck - there's even a story on the front page of this site that the live-action series is "on hold" - well isn't that fantastic. Maybe now that the new media is restricted to the cartoon and video games, perhaps Hasbro could just focus on having a steady stream of product year-round instead of the fire-hose delivery system we have had to endure for the last three years.
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I think there's a lot of valid thoughts in this thread. My two cents:
We may not like it, and I don't, but I think the Q/A with DePriest over at SSG's recently spoke a lot to Hasbro's thinking on this. Retail has 'requirements' (demands?) and Hasbro has an incentive to match launches to media (minor as it may be) which results in what we see. Can we complain? Sure. Is there a lot for us to complain about after 15 years of ever increasing quality and selection? I say no. They can give it to me when they got it, and I'll buy it if I want it. If it becomes a chore, or not fun, or work, then I'll stop knowing I got more than I ever wanted or needed. I'd be ok with that somedays. I look at these new vintage figures with equal parts joy and dread. Do I want to? Really? The past is the future now, and maybe the future needs to be something new.
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Retail has 'requirements' (demands?)
More the latter quite often. :) I've had first-hand experiences with WM's "requests"... When you're the #1 toy seller in the US, you become a bit brazen in what you expect, and they're really not alone either.
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I stopped by WM checking for Jabba yesterday, and they still hadn't done any sort of reset. No Star Wars to be found in the aisle at all really, and - at least at our store - a pretty boring toy section overall. Mainly just movie stuff (Iron Man 2, Toy Story, How to Train Your Dragon, etc.) and not a whole lot else. No DC stuff at all (Classics, Batman, etc.) and no Marvel stuff really outside of the Spider-Man line.
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3 Wal-Marts within 20 minutes of me. One had a few new vehicles. That was it. One had no figures at all (its the worst of the three for finding anything). One had two Clone Wars Anakin versions. The other had lingering BAD leftovers and 2 IG assassin droids (the smallest and most "ghetto" of the three, best for finding figures).
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I checked our three WMs this weekend, and it was sort of varying what they had out. Our local store, which I visit most often, still hasn't reset at all. One had pretty much everything out (and a shelf space for Jabba - but no Jabbas), and one just had the figures out and not really space for much else. I'd say they are definitely lagging behind Target and TRU as far as getting the new stuff out there. All of our Targets are reset, and well stocked.
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3 Wal-Marts within a 5 mile radius of my house, and all of them are pretty much empty when it comes to toys. What little merchandise they do have is all over the floor. Doesn't help that they're going through pointless remodels either. The only new product I've seen at any WM in town was Jabba a few days ago, and this was at a WM in the ghetto part of town.
TRU is picked over, as they've had stuff out for a few weeks. My local TRU doesn't like restocking though, so I doubt I'll see anything there for quite some time.
Target is the winner so far. They're resets have definitely been half-assed but they're slowly stocking every toy line. They've gotten multiple cases of Vintage at each store, it's selling out fast and they're pretty quick to restock the shelves.
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Target is the winner so far. They're resets have definitely been half-assed but they're slowly stocking every toy line. They've gotten multiple cases of Vintage at each store, it's selling out fast and they're pretty quick to restock the shelves.
Same here for me in my part of NY. 2 Targets, both stocked to the rafters with all the new figures, vehicles, and AT-ATs. $7.99 for Vintage and $6.99 Clone Wars is okay with me. Vehicles on sale today for $19.99 so I caved and got the snowspeeder even though I don't find it all that different from the older mold.
Walmarts? 3 of 'em around here, all of them looked like a bomb went off there today. 1 of them had a few Vintage figures laying all over the shelves with some Yarnas. No vehicles, no jabba, no AT-AT.
My lone TRU nearby had been pretty good. Stocked vintage twice but for $9.99 who cares. I only bought 1 figure there 3 weeks ago just because. Left everything else because I'm not going to be ripped off. I did buy the AT-AT at TRU because the price was fair. If it was 20% higher than everywhere else, like the figures, I wouldn't have bought that either.
So Target got all of my business.
I really wonder why Walmart is always trashed and Target is always relatively neat. Not just the toys section, but the general condition of all the merchandise in the whole store.
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I really wonder why Walmart is always trashed and Target is always relatively neat. Not just the toys section, but the general condition of all the merchandise in the whole store.
You really wonder?
The clientele and employees give a **** at Target. That's the difference.
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WM is really failing in their toy section. My local WM had put out one case of vintage and one case of clone wars and then they just stopped. When I saw a store associate I swear they ran from me. I was going to asked her when they would finish putting the figures out.
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I went to my local WM tonight right before closing hoping to see a case of Jabba on one of the pallets in the Toy Dept.
There were cases of the Vintage Wave, Clone Wars Wave 1, Vehicles and Transformers and that was it.
While I was looking through the pallets, two WM employees were looking at me wondering what I was up to. I kept hoping that they would ask me what I was up to so I could point at one of the boxes with the August 6th street date and just say "I think you're running late".
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If it was truely inflation, the 25cents comic book in 1977 should cost 87cents now but for some reason they are $3.99.
Production values and cost of materials, I think. Comics today are on glossy paper instead of the pulpy newsprint they used in the 70s, the ink is higher quality and much more detailed, etc.
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If it was truely inflation, the 25cents comic book in 1977 should cost 87cents now but for some reason they are $3.99.
Production values and cost of materials, I think. Comics today are on glossy paper instead of the pulpy newsprint they used in the 70s, the ink is higher quality and much more detailed, etc.
So glossy paper and ink is 78% of the cost increase? I don't think so.
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I think there is obviously some cost increase due to material costs. You have to figure that artist salaries have increased, so that also factors in. I couldn't find the article, but I remember reading a while back that circulation per issue is also just a fraction of what it was in the late 80's and 90's when comics were booming. If they are selling considerably less then Econ 101 says you have to drive up the price to maintain profit levels and offset overhead costs.
All that said, I'm sure that the profit margin per comic book has increased over time. Most successful manufacturers have internal stated goals to grow profit margins. Not just the penny profit, but the actual percentage of the item price. If Marvel and DC were making 20% margin a few decades ago, it wouldn't surprise me to find that margins have doubled or tripled since then. 20% of $.25 is just $.05 an issue, whereas 50% of a $3 book is $1.50. That's a huge difference.
Things like better coloring, more durable materials, etc. do add something to the comics, but that tactic seems very similar to the pack-ins for Hasbro figures. Hasbro throws in a droid part or a figure stand or a coin as something of a bonus or improvement versus just selling the figure, then increases the cost by $1 as partial justification. They would have raised the price somewhat anyway, but by adding something of minimal value, consumers feel like they're actually getting something for the added cost. I'd bet improved comic materials are a relatively small increase in cost, but work the same way in helping consumers feel like they're getting something extra to justify cost increases.
Personally, I was buying comics back when they were $.45 to $.50 and remember my frustration when they increased to $.75 and $1.00. Decades later, $2.99 doesn't feel too bad to me, but I have a lot more disposable income now than I used to.
I will say that I've dropped a few titles that recently moved to $3.99. When the cost is starting to approach the price of a novel or a DVD then I really have to question the value of something I'm typically done with in ten minutes.