[Loose Cannon]

Sorry Smokebellew, but I will have to respectfully disagree with you on how versed we all were. Perhaps you were fully entrenched into online shopping but I was not. Sure I had an eBay account, but I only bought old ARAH stuff. I did not have my first BBTS purchase until the modern era. I didn't even realize there was a DTC wave until I got my club magazine and I barely paid attention, because the stores all carried a lot up until that point.

Then they didn't maintain it, and then they switched articulation. Not how I would launch and online brand. But it was all new to us. I mean we're talking about a time when Hisstank just started. It sounds like ancient times.

Now most of us are fully versed in online shopping, and accept the middle-man markup of the third party vendors as the cost of maintaining the hobby. But with everything online these days, and stores never having product I am just like "Can't I just give my money directly to you Hasbro?"

But you're right we are small in number and dwindling. Within 10 years the line is dead, without a significant new fan injection.

[Mainframe77]

Skinny brings up a good point that I'm not sure everyone is aware off, HTS is not Hasbro. They are simply an online retailer that licenses the name and right to sell Hasbro merchandise online. They aren't going to want to Joe either if they don't sell. I'm sure they haven't forgot DTC either.

[Mainframe77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokeBellew

I still don't buy that. You telling me toy collectors could figure out how to work ebay, build SmallJoes into a going concern and turn Brian's Toys into scalper central, but couldn't figure out how to order off of HTS?

My point is that collectors couldn't float the line then (for whatever reason...blame it on them not knowing how to buy shit online) and we still can't (see the TRU exclusive line). There's just not that many of us. Hell, and a lot of those collectors are guys like me, who don't feel the need to buy everything. Plus, don't forget that HTS had to clearance 25th, RoC and Retaliation stuff too...did collectors still not know how to work online shopping then too?



Good point. Kid's might care if they knew. Until they have something kids will care about, I suppose there's no point in advertising it.

People sure figured out how to buy online from HTS when those Rhinos and ROC's hit 70% off. Lol

[SmokeBellew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon

Sorry Smokebellew, but I will have to respectfully disagree with you on how versed we all were. Perhaps you were fully entrenched into online shopping but I was not. Sure I had an eBay account, but I only bought old ARAH stuff. I did not have my first BBTS purchase until the modern era. I didn't even realize there was a DTC wave until I got my club magazine and I barely paid attention, because the stores all carried a lot up until that point.

Then they didn't maintain it, and then they switched articulation. Not how I would launch and online brand. But it was all new to us. I mean we're talking about a time when Hisstank just started.

Now most of us are fully versed in online shopping, and accept the middle-man markup of the third party vendors as the cost of maintaining the hobby. But with everything online these days, and stores never having product I am just like "Can't I just give my money directly to you Hasbro?"

But you're right we are small in number and dwindling. Within 10 years the line is dead, without a significant new fan injection.

See, what you maybe don't get is that a lot of tankers are actually late-comers. Here's a boring history lesson on lame shit:

Before this forum there were other forums and mailing lists and a collector base that was about as big as it is now. It was made up of die-hards who never quit and johnny-come-latelies like me, who got in with the ARAHC line in 2000. Those collectors quickly caught onto online buying and discussed it openly on "The Pit" mailing list, Sgt. Savage's board (currently Joebattlelines) and the Devil's Due forum. Matter of fact, I remember buying the Desert Striker off of Entertainment Earth back then and feeling lucky to get it because I couldn't find it in stores.

The end of the short-lived Joe reboot (ARAHC, GvsC, Spytroops, VvsV) was a big deal and that's where "Deth of teh line!!!" comes from. People were freaking out and complaining about how we'll never see "Robot Rebellion." Later, there was a ton of hate directed at Sigma 6. Hell, GeneralsJoes' General Hawk hisself was allover Christ spreading the news about the DTC line when it was announced. That too was a big deal. In the end, there wasn't enough of us to keep it going and Hasbro has cited that DTC experience as a reason why they won't do a "Hasbro Direct" type deal again for G.I. Joe.

Then, of course, 2007 came with the 25th and an influx of collectors. Now though, the collector's base definitely isn't what it was and just may be smaller than what it was in the early 2000's. There isn't enough of us to carry a retailer exclusive line that isn't under-produced... I seriously doubt giving us an exclusive direct line of army-builders is going to set sales charts alight.

Even if HTS were to do a pre-order, there may not be enough of us to make that viable. See, retail cost depends heavily on production run, so Hasbro/HTS couldn't just say, "These figures will cost $9.99!" until they know the production numbers will justify that price. Instead, they'd have to say something like, "The price will be $10.00/figure if you all order and pre-pay for 30,000 figures, but if you only order 15,000 figures, the price will be $16.00 per unit." Point is, running a pre-order service isn't easy for a major corporation who has to schedule production runs in factories because they have a helluva lot of other stuff (often more profitable stuff) to produce. Hasbro can't take on that sort of risk and headache unless they feel there are enough of us to make it viable.

[Loose Cannon]

The one thing that probably keeps the line going is the fact that Hasbro owns GIJOE. Unlike Marvel Universe and Star Wars.

No matter what we try to speculate though, there aren't enough of us to sustain the line. Maybe Renegades, Resolute, ROC and Retaliation will develop a cult following in a generation when all the Milennials have their babies. Even when the cartoons came out did we pick up that many new fans? There are so many other brands vying for kids attention.

Retaliation brought in $375 million at the box office. ROC pulled in $320 million. I wonder how much sales the ROC toys generated? They pumped those out to every peg they could find. I don't know how they could do it differently (other than make the movie better).

We may only have the movies to generate the excitement, which is what Star wars was.

[SmokeBellew]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Loose Cannon

The one thing that probably keeps the line going is the fact that Hasbro owns GIJOE. Unlike Marvel Universe and Star Wars.

No matter what we try to speculate though, there aren't enough of us to sustain the line. Maybe Renegades, Resolute, ROC and Retaliation will develop a cult following in a generation when all the Milennials have their babies. Even when the cartoons came out did we pick up that many new fans? There are so many other brands vying for kids attention.

Retaliation brought in $375 million at the box office. ROC pulled in $320 million. I wonder how much sales the ROC toys generated? They pumped those out to every peg they could find. I don't know how they could do it differently (other than make the movie better).

We may only have the movies to generate the excitement, which is what Star wars was.

I agree completely.

Hasbro's also faced with shifting demographics too. The age range that used to buy action figures has shifted both downwards and jumped upwards. Basically kids get out of action figures (for both girls and boys), and toys in general, at a far earlier age than they used to. Meanwhile, Gen Xers in their 40s have been picking up the slack, but we're now apparently getting out too. There was a nostalgia boom, but that appears to be over as far as Joe is concerned. Me personally, I've had a good 16 years(!) of a second childhood of sorts, but my interest ain't what it was and it's time to just enjoy what I have. I'm not alone in that. There will always be adult toy collectors, but it's a niche market--the "boom" was an anomaly--and pinning the success of a mass produced brand on them is not sustainable.

So, realistically, if Hasbro needs G.I. Joe to be a mainstream success, they're going to have to keep tailoring it to that increasingly younger and younger demographic.

[Shipshape1983]

Adventure Team needs to make a return.

A new cartoon starring the specialists, as they fight poachers, and other eco terrorists while utilizing their official AT equipment.

Kids can learn about the environment, different animals, and the people trying to destroy it for profit. Once in a while we can have a guest star.

Here come survival expert Outback! He's been on the trail of some bad men who have been hunting endangered species illegally. Or Scarlet, the martial arts expert and her partner Snake eyes who own the gym the Team frequents to keep in shape...

[Loose Cannon]

That would probably work, and maintain the brand for a good many years. It wouldn't be my Gijoe, but switch to 6in and then I could happily call it quits, and let it evolve into something new. I was never a 12 in collector, I just missed it, but I bet those guys may have a good perspective on this.

I think they could go straight kiddies 4-8 year Olds, but then keep an adult collector line going. Like the Star Wars Black series. I doubt we would grow as a percentage of their total sales, but we must still have some economic viability as target audience for toymakers. Mauraders, and Eagle Force are all making a go at us as the adult 4in collector market.

Still for argument sakes they want to recapture that appeal from the eighties.. RESOLUTE. Too bad they couldn't keep that going. Of all the attempts they made that was the best produced and most visually amazing.

[Loose Cannon]

One thing I wished they could attempt, and I may be way off, is a Real American Military Heroes line.
Make figures of real Medal of Honor, Navy Cross, Silver Star, Bronze Star recipients. I know this may promote Death in a way, but in the 15 years of the Global War on Terror every American has been affected. I am sure there are plenty of SJW who would denounce the line and concerned mothers, but I don't give a Shit. I love Gijoe. I love our military, and so do many Americans. I for one think of all toy brands Gijoe is the one who should honor them.

Donate a portion of the proceeds to veteran charities and support groups. I suppose they could fill out the line with Generic "Ranger", ODA team Captain or Navy EOD. Not sure how you promote that line, but I would make a push to the US military directly. Turn a new generation of young men into Joe fans while promoting the military as a career choice. Start a "buy a Joe for a G.I." program. And send a figure as a lucky charm to any Soldier, sailor, airman, Marine that wanted one. I know it sounds hokey, but who knows what affects people.

[Still Wind]

Just adapt the IDW stuff but for kids. Make the toon.