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11-21-2010, 10:27 AM | #1 |
Bouncing Around the Room
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 1,200
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In general are toys in trouble...
In the last few years the health of the industry as a whole can be measured against Star Wars. The Lucas owned juggernaut has seen licensing agreements that would cause one to speculate that more money has been made off of the toys than the movies and media. Everything seemed strong until Hasbro did something. They brought back the vintage cardback. To me, the vintage cardback seemed as if it were the last gamble that they would make when the line seemed to be dying. When Hasbro lost all hope they would throw the vintage cardbacks out there for the original trilogy and invent classic cardbacks for the prequel trilogy. It seemed natural that this would one day be done and I am not even a toy executive. Hasbro claimed that the Legacy collection with its build a droid concept was one of its more popular gambits that it was not the success that they had hoped for. I raised an eyebrow when they introduced this line. After all, there are many repacks and tweaked molds in this line indicating efforts to save money on tooling and to hope that the packaging drives sales on nostalgia sake alone. GI Joe seems to be floundering. The store shelves are NOT stocked the way they used to be. Blame retailers over ordering for ROC, blame a lackluster movie that did was not the blockbuster that was hoped for. The fact is that if you even HAVE any Pursuit of Cobra figures at retail they are mixed in with Rise of Cobra a movie that came out about a year and a half ago and your are cluttered with Cold Weather Destros and Whirlwind attack Snake Eyes. GI Joe is not impressing retailers enough to warrant prime shelf space. Transformers seems to be "ok" for now but they are doing what they usually do in recent years. As interest dies down from the last movie and as they head into the next Hasbro releases (smartly I may add) Generation 1 driven concepts, characters and repaints of movie characters in the classic colors such as the light green movie Devastator or the less movie like Breecher that is on the shelves. Point is, am I missing something? It seems that GI Joe is in trouble, Star Wars is conceptually skirting the trouble bubble and Transformers may be in for an upset two years after the release of its third movie after Michael Bay is expected to say, "No more." The next two Christmas sales are going to have a lot to say when it comes to aisle space for the "boys toys." |
11-21-2010, 10:42 AM | #2 |
Scarred Cobra Officer
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 4,612
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I wouldn't call them "dead". Hasbro has stated it's strategy is to reinvent these brands over time so kids would continue to buy their products. Maybe for a few collectors, it's "dead". But kids are their main target customers, not the collectors.
For more info see. http://phx.corporate-ir.net/External...xUeXBlPTM=&t=1 |
11-21-2010, 10:46 AM | #3 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 11,379
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I think it has more to do with the economy in general. Toys being a "luxury" that is a primary thing that families cut from the budget. Holidays and birthdays being the exception, but even then I'm sure a family wouldn't spend as much as usual.
In 2012 we will see the 3D re-release of Star Wars and that will probably create a re-newed interest in the movie related toys for the kids that go see it. I know I'm taking my daughter for sure. But, TCW seems to be going along OK, and it could be enough to carry things over until 2012. It's possible that GI-Joe will see a better year next year if Renegades does well. But, kids are fickle and they may or may not take to it. Only time will tell unfortunately. |
11-21-2010, 11:02 AM | #4 |
Gold Plated Goof Off
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Biloxi, MS
Posts: 740
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I hope they release Star Wars figures that are wearing 3D glasses. That would be pretty funny. I'd also like to see some Spaceballs figures in the Star Wars line. I know these things will never happen but I can wish.
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11-21-2010, 11:37 AM | #5 |
Cobra dog trainer
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: NKY
Posts: 736
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It seems like "the big three" are star wars,transformers and marvel/iron man.The iron man 2 moves pretty descent,although it is suffering from over ording of the earlier waves.Between IM2,MU,super squad(?not sure if that's what it is called.The kiddy avengers)They seem to be selling much better than g.i.joe.I would say the old IM2 toys are selling better than g.i.joe.At least in my area g.i.joe just sits.I am not compelled to buy any of the poc line.I bought zartan and a jungle viper,that is it.I may eventually buy the hiss and whiteout,but the line really went south for me.
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11-21-2010, 11:46 AM | #6 |
Crimson Nerd
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Virginia
Posts: 12,580
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By failing to even mention the success of the Clone Wars themed product, you negate your argument before its' made where Star Wars is concerned. The realistic line doesn't sell as well as it used to...Hasbro has flat-out stated this. However the Clone Wars brand is going strong, and is the "prime" segment of the Star Wars license right now (realistic/vintage arguably being in third place behind the Saga Legends repacks). Star Wars has seen no significant drop in shelf space (if anything it's gotten bigger), which indicates no significant drop in retailer orders overall. If realistic/vintage Star Wars sputters out and dies (unlikely to happen completely anytime soon), there will still be Star Wars product on shelves from whatever new media Lucas and Company cook up.
G.I. Joe has been "in trouble" for years, yet still continues to get churned out, which tells us that while the line may be minimized at times, both Hasbro and retailers will keep supporting its existence to a degree that at least warrants mass-retail release. Arguably G.I. Joe isn't even "big 3" material anymore at Hasbro, but more like "distant fourth" behind Star Wars, Transformers, and the various Marvel movie and comic-themed products Hasbro's been producing. If Renegades takes off we may see an upswing, but G.I. Joe has been a "minimal" line since the end of Sigma 6-themed product, with the exception of the hugely overestimated RoC push. If you're expecting/hoping that G.I. Joe will once again run alongside Transformers and Star Wars as "kings of the action figure aisle" well...it's a very long shot at this point. As you say, Transformers is doing "OK" and they have another movie hitting next year to start a new cycle of interest, and the Transformers Prime cartoon on the way to mine for concepts and new toys. So I'd say yes...you're missing something (particularly Clone Wars). Last edited by Jmacq1; 11-21-2010 at 11:49 AM.. |
11-21-2010, 12:17 PM | #7 |
Bouncing Around the Room
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 1,200
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<sigh>
Quote:
By failing to even mention the success of the Clone Wars themed product, you negate your argument before its' made where Star Wars is concerned. The realistic line doesn't sell as well as it used to...Hasbro has flat-out stated this. However the Clone Wars brand is going strong, and is the "prime" segment of the Star Wars license right now (realistic/vintage arguably being in third place behind the Saga Legends repacks). Star Wars has seen no significant drop in shelf space (if anything it's gotten bigger), which indicates no significant drop in retailer orders overall. If realistic/vintage Star Wars sputters out and dies (unlikely to happen completely anytime soon), there will still be Star Wars product on shelves from whatever new media Lucas and Company cook up.
Quote:
G.I. Joe has been "in trouble" for years, yet still continues to get churned out, which tells us that while the line may be minimized at times, both Hasbro and retailers will keep supporting its existence to a degree that at least warrants mass-retail release. Arguably G.I. Joe isn't even "big 3" material anymore at Hasbro, but more like "distant fourth" behind Star Wars, Transformers, and the various Marvel movie and comic-themed products Hasbro's been producing. If Renegades takes off we may see an upswing, but G.I. Joe has been a "minimal" line since the end of Sigma 6-themed product, with the exception of the hugely overestimated RoC push. If you're expecting/hoping that G.I. Joe will once again run alongside Transformers and Star Wars as "kings of the action figure aisle" well...it's a very long shot at this point.
Quote:
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11-21-2010, 01:15 PM | #8 |
VALKYRIE
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Over the rainbow where your mom is at son
Posts: 23,515
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Quote:
Point is, am I missing something? It seems that GI Joe is in trouble, Star Wars is conceptually skirting the trouble bubble and Transformers may be in for an upset two years after the release of its third movie after Michael Bay is expected to say, "No more."
With GI Joe, I agree with what you said. The potential to bring out good product and case assortments is there, but sometimes it isn't used, and sometimes the media tie ins they think will be big, and the kiddified toys they think will sell well, don't. You could clearly see this by what toys didn't make it to 2010, but were released in 2009. The Night Raven in particular, to me was not a victim of pricepoint, but of design and compromised gimmicks. Anyone can say kids love that stuff but that Raven obviously isn't moving even now over 50% clearance. |
11-21-2010, 03:11 PM | #9 |
Im Charming
Join Date: May 2008
Location: The Mitten
Posts: 42,053
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time to invest in zhu zhu pets
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11-21-2010, 04:21 PM | #10 |
Mad Scientist at Large
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 14,793
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Oh Christ, I guess we were due for another "z0mg! d3a7h 0f 73h l!n3!!11!!!!!!!" thread before long. >_<
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