And thanks to Matt's hard work we have the following tally:
Playset Questions: 4
Specific Figures Questions: 4
But at least they weren't all the same question.....
And this weeks proof that Hasbro is WAY out of touch with what is happening at retail....this Q and A...
...Nearly every Target, Toys R Us, and Wal-mart is stuffed with those figures which move much slower and have no room to put out the newest TSC wave, Endor 2/The Phantom Menace. Now Hasbro is saying this "greatest hits" style of assortment will be continuing next year. Why are new-product case assortments still such a problem, what is Hasbro doing to deal with the problems beyond simple case revisions, and - understanding that there is some need for older figures to keep a continued presence on shelves - how will the current problems of the "greatest hits" assortment be addressed? (SSG, 10/22/06)
Just as Collections 1 and 2 in prior years had dediciated space on the pegs, so too will the two basic figure assortments next year (and they also do now, by the way, sit side by side with separate assigned space in the planogram). Retailers replenish figures based on the sell through rate of the assortment, so when stores sell down on 85770 (TSC), they will reorder more. The 87181 (Greatest Hits) have no effect whatsoever on this replenishment. Inventory is managed to keep ample stock on both assortments, independent of how you see them put back on the pegs at the end of the day. One more thing, too - you couldn't be further off regarding the sales of the Greatest Hits figures. They have been a runaway hit and the reason why we are creating a new assortment for next year to keep this going.
Maybe I'll go take a picture of Every Wal Mart and Target in town and let them see that "Bob Minimum Wage" doesn't give a rat's ass about assortment numbers, he puts stuff on the Star Wars pegs from the Star Wars box...I worked at retail in college, I know they want the stuff to be on the right shelf, but managers hate empty pegs more than incorrect assortment sorting...
If the TSC peg is clogged with the Peg Melting H&V wave then it won't scan as empty will it?