It's been done, Hasbro, why not more?

[sparhawk]

I got to thinking today, about the exclusives, and the more I thought about it, the more I came to the realization Hasbro is missing out on a HUGE opportunity. The exclusives, are for the most part product and labeling. A figure and such in a package, yes? Yes. Well...For those of us who could give a rats pitooty, and who also open their toys to display...Why not sell bagged figures/small vehicles through HTS? The SDCC exclusive will still be sought after, but bagged figures would do wonders to cut down on scalping.
What say you?

[SoCalKid]

Methinks the 'hawk doth have a point. I could give a rip about the packaging, because Iooen and display my figs. I'd be happy to buy exclusives in a bag. Shit, throw in a paper bag, as long as I don't have to get bent over if I can't get to Cons.

[turner]

Now there's an idea.

[Steevy Maximus]

Probably comes down to cost versus reward.

Are there some who would buy bagged figures? Yes, but I strongly suspect not enough for Hasbro to go through the extra effort and energies to do so. A vast majority of openers, I suspect, still want their products to come packaged.

And I really doubt it would deter scalpers that much if the demand was there. If they think they could get $100 for a bagged Jinx, you can be damn sure people will be there to scalp.

[Wylde Weezle]

While they're at it, they could even offer exclusives in a bag by sending in receipts and cardboard UPC inserts from having opened figures + cost of shipping and "handling".
I'd gladly fork over 8 bucks and my receipt copies for 5 figures or whatever AND flag points from the card (or inserted inside the bubble) to get ahold of an exclusive figure.

Take some freakin' notes from Star Wars, they sure take up a lot of Hasbro's attention and resources.

[sparhawk]

Well i'm thinking bagged vs. con exclusives, and hells, make the bagged preorder, give Hasbro a dollar sign amount to put in their glazed eyes. IF JoeBro number 6 can get a 15$ bagged Jinx vs. 40$? Bagged wins every time. It'll probably make the Con set more exclusive as well.

[Kaboomskie]

What exactly is the opportunity that Hasbro will miss? It's not like all exclusive figs are "pegwarming"...heck, all of 'em are sold out just a matter of seconds...or I missed something?

[Jedi_Master_Ben]

While they're at it, they could even offer exclusives in a bag by sending in receipts and cardboard UPC inserts from having opened figures + cost of shipping and "handling".
I'd gladly fork over 8 bucks and my receipt copies for 5 figures or whatever AND flag points from the card (or inserted inside the bubble) to get ahold of an exclusive figure.

Take some freakin' notes from Star Wars, they sure take up a lot of Hasbro's attention and resources.

Lets take this one step further. Back in the old days, "exclusive" figures were offered via mail in of Flag Points. These days, Flag points have been replaced with either a mail in voucher or just UPC off the back of the packaging. Why not make the figures mail in oppertunities like they did with Doc? Back in the old days, you could get vehicle drivers that only came with the vehicles including Admiral Keelhaul. In some cases, that was the only way a kid could get him if his parrents could not afford to get the USS Flagg (I know I was one of them). They have the tooling still, why not run another batch for this mail in promotion like they used to. This way, those who got the SDCC logo sticker on the packaging stay valuable while the loose figures in the promotion fill the void that both kids and loose collectors desire. In a way the Chineese e-bay vendors are filling that need with loose offerings of hard to get loose figures (or in some case supposed to be discontinued). Point in case, a while back, the Temple of Doom figures were supposed to have been lossed or short run. You had a chance to get them from an online vendor at one point carded but you had to buy the case to get them. A short time later, you can find them in droves online via e-bay for cost and maybe even free shipping. At least with the mail in option, anyone stands a chance to get the figure(s) they need, maybe even a duplicate.

[ilzuccone]

yeah id buy bagged joes all day long

[sparhawk]

What exactly is the opportunity that Hasbro will miss? It's not like all exclusive figs are "pegwarming"...heck, all of 'em are sold out just a matter of seconds...or I missed something?

Easy. I don't have a Jinx, I would like a Jinx, I would like to pay HASBRO for that Jinx. Any Jinx bought now, does not the Hasbro coffers fill.

[Uninvited Ghost]

Great idea.

[figureware]

I dont know I like the idea! I think something needs to be done as the con exclusives have grown from one or two per year to well I lost count! They have increasingly become main characters and It seems to be a growing issue amongst Joe collectors...It becomes less about exclusivity amongst collectors as it has become more about ebay sellers with multiples of an item that they are not supposed to have multiples of?

[cardensb]

or just have the factory produce more without Hasbro and sell them on ebay.

[Raw Dog]

I know nothing about how Hasbro runs their business, but I'm guessing there aren't enough of us to make it worth their while to change how they're doing things now.

That said, put me down for both Jinxes, the Shockwave Hiss w/ figures, the Cold Slither Zarana variant and 5 DG Cobra Troopers.

[Shipshape1983]

I like this idea.

[Azzurro21]

Sounds good to me, but I stand by my theory that Hasbro caters to scalpers. Scalp-bro.

[89PILOT]

Great idea.................but.........................p ipe dream!!!

[kneroh]

Would be great but Hasbro uses these items to help drive people to the show and generate interest in their both and upcoming retail products. I don't see how having a cheaper and easier option for everyone to get these is going to accomplish that goal.

[DarkHorse]

I just don't understand why they don't make more of the con exclusives in general.

Hasbro go where the money is, but miss the trick with these? makes no sense.

[Raw Dog]

I mean, the idea sounds good to me too. While they're at it, they should update some of the old figures from the ARAH days they haven't done yet that I've been wanting and offer those bagged too.

[Dunedain]

Can you just poor it in my hand for a quarter?

[sgt.bludhound]

if they sold bagged figures. i think the cost of packaged exclusives might go up. then its mayham...but thats a good idea. i wish it could happen because it would cut cost on packaging but scalpers would be all over this as well.. UNLESS..they do mail aways like they've done in the past! idk...just my 2 cents

[sparhawk]

They could slap a different shade of paint on a figure to keep them seperated.

[Mech-Viper]

Reminds me of the out flag point system, MIBers could go for the packaged ones and we OOBers could get are stuff without all the waste from the packages

[Xerofall]

I just received my bagged Jinxes, it said "Darklon-Sgt Major" on it.

[sparhawk]

Needs to be done, or something similar. Keep toys in collectors and kids hands, out of scalpers.

[Jedi_Master_Ben]

Would be great but Hasbro uses these items to help drive people to the show and generate interest in their both and upcoming retail products. I don't see how having a cheaper and easier option for everyone to get these is going to accomplish that goal.

I understand your point, however, Hasbro has done this before. Case in point, in the Star Wars line, there were the Ralph McQuarie figures that came out in 2007, two figure sets were exclussive the Star Wars Celebration 4 and one set exclussive to SDCC that same year. At the time, no plans were made to bring these to HTS for after con sale and fans waited all hours of the night for a chance to snag one when they did pop up at an e-tailer (they had to agree to sell them at con prices). Later some did show up at HTS for after con sale as well. Fast forward a bit and Hasbro released two box sets to Toys R Us of the figures. Now here we are with the same figures offered in two different packaging, which included the con exclusives. Since there has been history of Hasbro bringing exclusive figures to the masses via box sets or mail order, I can't see why they can't resurrect this program to make these figure avalible (uncarded) to the general public. The only one I can see being a problem would be Sgt. Slaughter, with the complication of who owns the rights to that character and such.

[Steevy Maximus]

Needs to be done, or something similar. Keep toys in collectors and kids hands, out of scalpers.

Kids will not go out of their way for toys. As is, kids aren't exactly rushing the action figure aisle as is. IF the exclusive offering is collector oriented, then kids probably aren't apt to care to begin with.

And if someone thinks they can make a good bit of money reselling something, no hassle will stop them. I remember more than a few reports of Doc vouchers removed from comic packs, and by using UPCs, it basically forces any MIB collectors to buy multiples if they want the figure. With Star Wars, the use of UPCs for the various mail aways seems just as much an attempt to incite sales for existing retail product than anything.

And kneroh hit the nail on to the more limited numbers of con-exclusives: they are just as much marketing tools than a nice gift to collectors. When Jinx sold out, people who don't give a flop about Joe were talking about it, especially with a variant.
Sgt. Slaughter, in particular, was a GREAT example as he was able to bring wrestling fans who maybe didn't know much about Joe, to seek him out and possibly explore the brand.

[Python_Puckman]

Exclusives piss me off mostly because I can't afford/find them. The ones I do have stay in their prisons and in the closet. I'd LOVE to get bagged versions of all of them. Someone get this ball rolling

[CityStrike]

Can you just poor it in my hand for a quarter?

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNQRqAoT-2c">How much for just 1 rib?</a>

[CityStrike]

But to the OP, I think bagged figs available exclusive on HTS is a great idea. I love the idea of using flag points again. I can remember day dreaming all the time at the vehicles in the flag point redemption catalog. I still have a couple of those catalogs and get the same feeling thinking about getting a whole vehicle for the dirty cheap shipping of 1986 and flag points. I have come to terms I will probably never own the SDCC or JoeCon Exclusives because i refuse to pay secondary market prices on these.

[Raw Dog]

Are there really that many of us to make this economically pheasible?

[sparhawk]

Via flag points or a pre order system, I believe this can be done. I have faith in my JoeBros. Hasbro must have faith in US.

[ChaplainAsst]

There are many problems with this. Allow me to elucidate them:
1) Shipping via HTS would likely make figures/vehicles more expensive than retail. The only time this isn't true is when they offer free shipping - and I don't know if Hasbro would go for that.
2) Not enough fans to make it work. MOC collectors will stick with retail. Loose collectors would askew retail to go with HTS if it worked out to be cheaper. Thus, Hasbro would be hurting their retail sales which would tick off retailers in the future.
3) Lower production for packaging means higher prices for packaging. Hasbro gets deals for the high volume for the packages. Who knows what changes might do to that?
4) Remember that HTS isn't really into selling individual figures anymore. Yes, they do it for exclusives but they have moved towards selling cases only for figures. I don't see this changing going forward as it makes their lives simpler and increases revenues.

The FLAGG points would be fun, but if the line is struggling, I'm not sure this would help. Yes, it would help with scalpers - I think - but there must be some reason they dropped this after the Doc promotion.

[sparhawk]

There are many problems with this. Allow me to elucidate them:
1) Shipping via HTS would likely make figures/vehicles more expensive than retail. The only time this isn't true is when they offer free shipping - and I don't know if Hasbro would go for that.
2) Not enough fans to make it work. MOC collectors will stick with retail. Loose collectors would askew retail to go with HTS if it worked out to be cheaper. Thus, Hasbro would be hurting their retail sales which would tick off retailers in the future.
3) Lower production for packaging means higher prices for packaging. Hasbro gets deals for the high volume for the packages. Who knows what changes might do to that?
4) Remember that HTS isn't really into selling individual figures anymore. Yes, they do it for exclusives but they have moved towards selling cases only for figures. I don't see this changing going forward as it makes their lives simpler and increases revenues.

The FLAGG points would be fun, but if the line is struggling, I'm not sure this would help. Yes, it would help with scalpers - I think - but there must be some reason they dropped this after the Doc promotion.

I would argue your retailer section, retailers already don't care about the Joe line. So it really isn't a big factor, I will argue there are enough Joe fans to pull this off. And if there is a market, HTS would surely switch to single figures that sell.

[Steevy Maximus]

I would argue your retailer section, retailers already don't care about the Joe line. So it really isn't a big factor,
Even more reason not to piss them off by splintering the already weak Joe retail sales.
At the end of the day, Hasbro will ALWAYS make more money selling to the big retailers than they ever would selling to collectors.

I will argue there are enough Joe fans to pull this off.
Joe fans always say that...until Hasbro takes that leap of faith and gets screwed. Joe's retail and online history is FULL of products that fans argued "there are enough fans to justify" only to see the end product languish for years.
Fans are saying how they are the only ones buying...which seemingly equates to the lightest retail support (excluding movie pushes) the brand has had since 2001.

And if there is a market, HTS would surely switch to single figures that sell.
The problem isn't the fact single figures sell...it's that HTS has a history of being stuck with THOUSANDS of leftovers when collectors get their fill of whichever figures are hot or troop builders sell out.
There are half a dozen PoC figures still on HTS, and of them 4 haven't been shipped since late 2010.

Unlike big retailers, HTS doesn't have those casual buyers to absorb those figures, and Hasbro just doesn't sell enough to the online venues (be it HTS or not) to alter case ratios to support them.

[Air-tight]

Amen to this.

[Xenos]

The only thing similar to this that I think could work is if HTS or the club sold bagged sets of the most popular troop builders for a slightly discounted rate. Something like five 30th Anniversary Cobra Troopers each with one rifle, their helmet, web gear, and nothing else, in a bag for $30. I think that could do pretty well for them. Then if that does well, do the same with BATs, then Vipers, etc, etc.

Trying to do something like this with SDCC exclusives or regular releases just seems like an unnecessary headache for them. When it all comes down to it, the majority of collectors get the exclusives they are looking for, whether it be at the show, through HTS, or on eBay. There just any reason to go through any extra trouble to capture a small portion of an already small demographic. If they wanted to capture those last few collectors that missed out, they would just increase the order for SDCC.

[kingphilbert]

Lets take this one step further. Back in the old days, "exclusive" figures were offered via mail in of Flag Points. These days, Flag points have been replaced with either a mail in voucher or just UPC off the back of the packaging. Why not make the figures mail in oppertunities like they did with Doc? Back in the old days, you could get vehicle drivers that only came with the vehicles including Admiral Keelhaul. In some cases, that was the only way a kid could get him if his parrents could not afford to get the USS Flagg (I know I was one of them). They have the tooling still, why not run another batch for this mail in promotion like they used to. This way, those who got the SDCC logo sticker on the packaging stay valuable while the loose figures in the promotion fill the void that both kids and loose collectors desire. In a way the Chineese e-bay vendors are filling that need with loose offerings of hard to get loose figures (or in some case supposed to be discontinued). Point in case, a while back, the Temple of Doom figures were supposed to have been lossed or short run. You had a chance to get them from an online vendor at one point carded but you had to buy the case to get them. A short time later, you can find them in droves online via e-bay for cost and maybe even free shipping. At least with the mail in option, anyone stands a chance to get the figure(s) they need, maybe even a duplicate.

I would welcome the return of Flag Points and the opportunity to acquire exclusives or various figures in this manner.

[sithlordsmart]

Remember most of the flag point stuff back in the day was left over stock. I.E. snow wolf, fang, apc etc. If the flag point system went up, would all of us send away for artic destro????

[Ruin]

Are there really that many of us to make this economically pheasible?

I doubt it.

[sparhawk]

Think of it this way. Hasbro nets oh, 15 a figure. How many of those figures make it into our hands for that price? Hasbro would without question in my opinion make more money thus way at the same time keeping scalpers at bay and making sure it takes care of its core buying demographic

[Xenos]

Think of it this way. Hasbro nets oh, 15 a figure. How many of those figures make it into our hands for that price? Hasbro would without question in my opinion make more money thus way at the same time keeping scalpers at bay and making sure it takes care of its core buying demographic

But in doing that, they would lose all of the sales to the scalpers. Hasbro doesn't care if a scalper or a regular customer buys the figure. They just want to sell it. This would give them a boost for one year because they would sell to all the scalpers, and then all the regular people would also get one, but then the next year the scalpers wouldn't bother.

The fact of the matter is that toy companies like it when there is an active secondary market for their product because it increases demand overall, and is basically free advertising. They don't have a good reason to kill that off.

[Zarana]

I end every date with this same question.

[Jedi_Master_Ben]

Remember most of the flag point stuff back in the day was left over stock. I.E. snow wolf, fang, apc etc. If the flag point system went up, would all of us send away for artic destro????

That's not always the case. Remember, they ran a different top cover on the APC mail in, and the parts used for the Vamp mark 2 were different. This indicates that the pomotion product was not left over inventory. As long as the molds are still usable, they can do additional runs of the figures. And lets not forget the point, we are talking about the SDCC exclussives being made avaible as loose bagged figures. If not a bagged, then maybe a box set. Maybe in order to not upset the ballance with the SDCC figures, only put in the core figures and leave out the variants as the true exclussives to the show (although if that was the case, I would want like to see the alt head for jinx packed in like an accessory).

[Steevy Maximus]

That's not always the case. Remember, they ran a different top cover on the APC mail in, and the parts used for the Vamp mark 2 were different. This indicates that the pomotion product was not left over inventory. As long as the molds are still usable, they can do additional runs of the figures.
Remember than those products were made in an entirely different retail climate, with GI Joe seeing a TON more support with sales that supported it.
Hasbro is seemingly barely keeping GI Joe at Walmart, and the other retailers aren't pushing much beyond a very meager section.

That is hardly the environment to push junk like Flag points and mail aways.

Something like five 30th Anniversary Cobra Troopers each with one rifle, their helmet, web gear, and nothing else, in a bag for $30. I think that could do pretty well for them. Then if that does well, do the same with BATs, then Vipers, etc, etc.

Back in 2003, Hasbro tried that with the still substantive classic o-ring GI Joe market with a set of BATs (including the v2 in classic colors). The set would languish on Smalljoes website, until he marked them half off in 2008-ish to clear the inventory.
They did so poorly that the follow up, the widely revered Cobra Troopers 6 pack (featuring Scarface), was shifted to a TRU exclusive.

I don't believe for a minute that the Joe collecting community is as robust today as it was in 2003

[fireflyguy]

If it matters, I'd buy bagged figures. Why not?

[EvilMonkeyPrime]

Con figs bagged is a great idea. I'll go further and say any left overs get opened and put in a bag and sold. "Con exclusive"should have to go to con to get they pretty packaging.

And flag points were sweet. Hasbro should take over joe club and bring back mail order stuff.
I had an idea from pegwarming arctic destro. Send in the UPC of pegwarmers plus a shipping and get some heads to swap. Kitbashing into troop builders. We would clear the pegs retail would order more cases. Everyone is happy. Just look and see what's pegwarming and come up with parts to make a trooper.

[Torgos-Pizza]

I'd be down for bagged mail-in figures!

[gruppenfuhrer88]

Me too, no doubt.

[sithlordsmart]

Con figs bagged is a great idea. I'll go further and say any left overs get opened and put in a bag and sold. "Con exclusive"should have to go to con to get they pretty packaging.

And flag points were sweet. Hasbro should take over joe club and bring back mail order stuff.
I had an idea from pegwarming arctic destro. Send in the UPC of pegwarmers plus a shipping and get some heads to swap. Kitbashing into troop builders. We would clear the pegs retail would order more cases. Everyone is happy. Just look and see what's pegwarming and come up with parts to make a trooper.

Now those are hell of ideas. I say leave the club stuff as is, but everything else is gold!!!

[Darth_Risar]

Why not just use the Dollar General packaging? It seems like it is less material used in the packaging.

[sparhawk]

I don't believe for a minute that the Joe collecting community is as robust today as it was in 2003

Well, not with that attitude, mister!
My thought is, if the retailers aren't supporting you, then sell to those that do. Another thought is, when asked what kids buy, I reply.
Kids don't buy their toys, their parents do, that's us in the 30+ ish age group.
I just want to see affordable toys easily accessible in our hands. My thought is just one idea.

[Xenos]

Back in 2003, Hasbro tried that with the still substantive classic o-ring GI Joe market with a set of BATs (including the v2 in classic colors). The set would languish on Smalljoes website, until he marked them half off in 2008-ish to clear the inventory.
They did so poorly that the follow up, the widely revered Cobra Troopers 6 pack (featuring Scarface), was shifted to a TRU exclusive.

I don't believe for a minute that the Joe collecting community is as robust today as it was in 2003

I didn't know they did that back then. I wasn't collecting Joes at the time, so I missed that. I do think though that nowadays people are more aware and more willing to buy online, so even if there are fewer collectors today then there were 10 years ago, they might do better. Also, I'm not certain that there were more collectors in 2003 then there are now. I feel like there are a lot of people that got pulled in by the 25th Anniversary. I could be wrong though.

At any rate, I wasn't saying that bagged Cobra Soldiers would be a runaway success or anything. I was just saying that bagged army builders would be better then bagged SDCC exclusives.

[Steevy Maximus]

Well, not with that attitude, mister!
My thought is, if the retailers aren't supporting you, then sell to those that do. Another thought is, when asked what kids buy, I reply.
Kids don't buy their toys, their parents do, that's us in the 30+ ish age group.
I just want to see affordable toys easily accessible in our hands. My thought is just one idea.

I respect that, and for the record, I'd have no issue buying bagged figures as I didn't even keep packaging when they DID have worthwhile filecards. But parents tend to buy what their kids want, and if kids aren't clamoring for GI Joe (and it seems not many are), then parents not buy them.

But, the sad fact is that there are just NOT enough Joe collectors for Hasbro to make concessions to in regards to marketing and selling. In all truth, the "selling to those that do" is basically the entire reason the collector's club exists.

I'd also argue how "affordable" these toys are anymore considering I've seen the action figure segment (as a whole) see anywhere from a 25-50% price increase over the past 5 years, with an equal percentage of space REDUCTION over the same period.
I don't know, maybe it's time to not ask Hasbro to change (considering that, because of changes in the market, they themselves have started transitioning into an Entertainment company that makes toys, like how Marvel became an Entertainment company that printed comics), but ask collectors to adapt to the changing market.

[Rainbow Viper]

I don't think this would make any difference at all. It would only reduce the shipping if you got lucky enough to be on at the exact time they went on sale on HTS. They would still sell out and the scalpers would still bank on the collectors wanting them and still jack up the price.

If they're going to do something like they used to do with the older mail in stuff then I can understand but that was a different time then.

[Jim_Beutel]

I doubt Hasbro would ever bag exclusives. It's less effective for them, promotionally (seeing someone carrying around a carded figure with your logo on it attracts more attention than a bagged set, where the logo may be difficult to see regardless of how big it is against the multicolor background of whatever's inside the bag. Also, cost is a factor - it's gonna cost more per unit to package some on cards, and some in bags. Volume brings costs down.

The mail away idea is interesting, but I think Hasbro would shy away from it after Doc. Those ended up at the Club store for about $20 for TWO. They had a mail away RoC Cobra Commander all packaged up, and that ended up never being done, and they all ended up at the Club as well. I would say that Hasbro is shy about another GI Joe mail away, although I'd fully support the idea.

[Slim]

What exactly is the opportunity that Hasbro will miss? It's not like all exclusive figs are "pegwarming"...heck, all of 'em are sold out just a matter of seconds...or I missed something?


You missed something.

If the exclusive is sold for 14.99 but after the con the prices inflate to double and or triple of that price that indicates that the demand is great. Now some of that price hike is artificial but the demand is real, if they increased the supply of say the regular version by making bagged versions of the regular available for purchase at 15-20 bucks they'd sell more.

Instead, the scalpers make all the money and create a resentful situation. Is hasbro really ok with losing all that profit ? Furthering the brand ?

[Jay West]

Im sure Hasbro has 1 million reasons as to why this wouldn't work, but I wish Joes were available at hts.com and I could buy as many as I wanted whenever I wanted. Sure exclusives would be nice, but I would like to be able to log and pick up whatever whenever.

[Cody]

I would like to be able to log and pick up whatever whenever.

What do you think this is, a business?

[cobra22nd]

I got to thinking today, about the exclusives, and the more I thought about it, the more I came to the realization Hasbro is missing out on a HUGE opportunity. The exclusives, are for the most part product and labeling. A figure and such in a package, yes? Yes. Well...For those of us who could give a rats pitooty, and who also open their toys to display...Why not sell bagged figures/small vehicles through HTS? The SDCC exclusive will still be sought after, but bagged figures would do wonders to cut down on scalping.
What say you?

They do it with star wars. Pay a premium for an exclusive that will be at regular retail in 6 months..... Used to hack me off.

[whitefox360]

Im sure the bag idea would save money, but i'd like separate cards, honestly, even though i open all my stuff, i think the only thing that should be exclusive is the card art.

This way everyone can get the figs they want wherever they buy their joes and the people that need the con exclusives will have special card art to show their superiority over the rest if us whilst also having a "common card" of the figure to display loose should they choose to.

Jinx, like slaughter, is too important for 90% of us to be without.

Im fine with repaints, but this con and club crap is getting crazy.