Future of Toys.

[Blaster'spunchingbagg]

So, I've been watching the news lately, and obviously there is a topic that is more commonly discussed lately, but in the post-headlines they have been reporting about how glum the holiday shopping season will be. Toy prices go up and we're left with much of the same. How many of you have been to the stores lately as in the past few months and found hardly anything? Toy companies particularly the two big ones need to realize one thing, we are all suffering it's time to take a pay cut. Fat cats at Hasbro and Mattel have been living high on the hog a little too long for my taste. Maybe, they should reconsider that porsche buy this christmas? Maybe if they want to move more product Target/Walmart/TRU/ and even that laughing stock KB, they need to clearance their stuff sooner. Ex: Those planes have been out for what two months now, and they ain't movin. If the 50% off them, yes I'll buy two more. But I'm just like the majority of people on here, I find I'm making a little bit less money, I work in the industry and there just isn't a demand as much for my services, so I'm taking a pay cut, not much but enough for me to reconsider my throwing away of money on a piece of plastic. Do I like my hobby yes, but with the increase of scarcity, lack of quality, and lack of thought put into some products, I find it not worth my time and money. Has gas got cheaper? sure. But even if it gets to .99 cents a gallon I still got to get up at ass crack of dawn, (I'm not a day person) and find a whole bunch of over priced nothing. Am I happy Target price cut joes to 4.99, yes I am. But I can't take advantage of it because they refuse to stock desirable product. I love DCU classics, and JLU but nary have I found anything, just sub-par DCIH line. Transformers? Just the same animated crap, and the price cut is over too. TRU, no senior packs heavily stocked, very few singles and the same 10.99 comic packs. It's frustrating and disheartening. Rant over. Happy shopping. What are your thoughts?

[shockblast]

I could not agree more, collecting in what should be the best hobby in the world has become grim. Toys should be fun, with this economy as it is I guess very little is fun anymore.

[QBERT]

It's not just the economy....read what he's saying. It's HASBRO giving us no motivation to even want to spend our hard-earned (well, at least some of us) dollars on their product.

[Agent-GHQ]

Sure, there are things that I dislike about Hasbro. But we should be grateful that we are getting our childhood toys up to wave 13 and vehicles too.

If you're unhappy, you can always write a letter to corporate and addressed your concerns to Hasbro's public relations.

[CG76]

Inflation should ease within the next year. So prices should be relatively more stable. Plus, there could be a price war this Christmas with Target already slashing their prices for GI Joes ($4.99). Just buy less toys if you can't afford.

[MeLikeJinx]

IMO as long as there is a China... there will be toys. LOL.

Originally Posted by shockblast

I could not agree more, collecting in what should be the best hobby in the world has become grim. Toys should be fun, with this economy as it is I guess very little is fun anymore.

Originally Posted by QBERT

It's not just the economy....read what he's saying. It's HASBRO giving us no motivation to even want to spend our hard-earned (well, at least some of us) dollars on their product.

IMO this "economy crisis" is a bigger cop-out then the "oil crisis".

everyone keeps saying the economy is horrible right now. OK so stock market is down a bit, so? Sales are up everywhere, the roads are packed with people, stores a packed with people, nothing has slowed down and changed. Gas is $2.15 where i am, and every store i go to is jam packed with people. And for those of you who say "they are christmas shoppers" its never changed around here.

The only thing thats going on now is companys are "price gauging" and using this "crisis" bull shit to justify it. And ofcourse there is those of you that say "prove it" and ofcourse i cant, but just take a look around you at not just toys but everything thats sold to the public.

Are some people affected by the gauging? sure. The people who have 3 kids and make minimum wage. but what key demographic are these toys for? gauging yes, crisis no.


Heres the thing, most of these toys they are popping out arent that great. Giant millenium falcons, giant walkers, conquests, rattlers, air chariot and so on. Its all stuff that has been shoved down out throat so much the last 12 years, And now they are re-packed and come with a heftier price tag.

You cant win people over with constant re-packs and re-releases. Sure there are those people who will buy anything, but with every 1 guy that does that there are 10 more who say "screw that crap" so they just sit, clog the sheleves, and never move. Thats whats bugs about this stuff, and thats what makes it hard. Very poor random distribution, putting too many garbage fillers in a case, and the random ass price fluctuations make it not worth going out anymore.

[botticus]

Originally Posted by HissCommander

IMO this "economy crisis" is a bigger cop-out then the "oil crisis".

everyone keeps saying the economy is horrible right now. OK so stock market is down a bit, so? Sales are up everywhere, the roads are packed with people, stores a packed with people, nothing has slowed down and changed. Gas is $2.15 where i am, and every store i go to is jam packed with people. And for those of you who say "they are christmas shoppers" its never changed around here.

Not that I'm one to really defend any of this, but really?

After October drop, stores face grimmer holidays: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance

--SAME-STORE SALES: Sales at stores open at least a year declined 0.9 percent in October, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers-Goldman Sachs retail index of about 40 retailers. That marks the weakest October since at least 1969 when the index began. The October figure is well below the 1.8 percent average gain seen this past fiscal year. Excluding discounter Wal-Mart Stores Inc., same-store sales dropped 4.6 percent.

I don't have any long-term worries about the economy, but to say there isn't a real problem right now is just naive or ignorant.

Originally Posted by botticus

Not that I'm one to really defend any of this, but really?

After October drop, stores face grimmer holidays: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance


I don't have any long-term worries about the economy, but to say there isn't a real problem right now is just naive or ignorant.

i said there are people affected by this gauging, .9 percent at 40 retailers apparently. and lastly i never said there wasnt a problem. I said companys use this "crisis" bullshit to justify their price hikes.

debating this is just garbage though and a waste of time. Everyone has their own opinions and feels they know more about the subject than others and will pick apart everything anyone says and start a riot. Who cares! go buy action figures (what little you can find) have fun, and stop worrying about t his crap.

[Dealer Destro]

I agree. It seems Hasbro is following suit via Exxon mobile.....Hasbro:"Hey cost production has gone up on these cheap ass plastic molds! That's why the price is up!" But we all remember when this line first dropped....hmmmm $4.86 cents anyone? Now $6.86? They want to see just how much they squuuuueeeeeeeze out of their consumers, which in my humble opinion is a slap in the face to your fans. They use the same tactics as anyone else but I for one, am not buying the fact that China's already dirt cheap lobor and production costs have skyrockected so much that these price hikes are warranted. Just my two cents.