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07-26-2011, 11:35 PM | #1 |
Domesticated Arms Dealer
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Brownsville, TX (Home of Iceberg!)
Posts: 1,970
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I have been reading multiple threads on how people didn't get their Zaranas and Skyscreamer from Hasbro Toy Shop. There is a lot of hate and pissed off people, which is completely understandable especially if you stayed up all night or missed worked (or stood by at work, like I did). I thought I might make a suggestion to HTS (and Hasbro for that matter) on how to avoid another "Slaughtergate" and "Zaranagate" by looking at their partner - Sideshow Collectibles.
I started collecting the 1/6 Joes and Cobras from Sideshow this year and am absolutely addicted to collecting these (even though they are way too pricey - but the build quality and detail almost make up for it!). HTS should adopt Sideshow's reservation system. For those who have never ordered from Sideshow, here is how their system works: 1. When product is revealed, Sideshow posts a detailed description, photos, backstory and accessories list. On the product page, the limited quantity amount is posted so you know where you stand in getting your chance at one. 500 or less means you better order while you can. 2. Like most retail sites, you have your personal account to store your details and credit card(s), as well as coupons and awards received based on previous purchases. You can save discount codes for later use (imagine being able to save your "Comicon 2011" code on HTS). 3. When the product is posted, you can pre-order the item. Sideshow usually allows you to preorder months in advance. You are not charged at that time, but will be when the product is about to ship. For SDCC, Sideshow offers an "Attendee" version and one for those who simply want to mail order it. I know the SDCC diehards say its not really an exclusive if it is sold for non-attendees, but we really know the fans go anyway. Maybe stagger the release a week later, so the con attendees can have bragging rights for a week. 4. Once the pre-orders sell out, you can Wait-List for that product in case someone cancels or credit card declines. I have been able to score SS exclusive Firefly and Beachhead by wait listing. Imagine scoring a Skyscreamer or a CS Zarana as a wait-lister because someone already got one or credit card declined. Someone else's loss is your gain... 5. Since these are exclusives, maybe limit one per account. This would alleviate scalpers hoarding (although they would probably create alternate accounts). 6. What would it take for Hasbro to do this? Well, first they need to completely overhaul HTS or maybe drop the third party company altogether after two years of this. Plus, they normally are lacking in product so this would make it a more "exclusive" site for Joe product, much like the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club is. This would also prevent days like this from happening - orders would be done months in advance, product would be ordered based on this and everyone would be happy. Giving a window of a couple months then posting "Sold Out" would be far more understandable than the checkout lottery that Zaranagate was today. What do y'all think? Other suggestions...just trying to remedy a bad situation with a company that has awesome customer service and good business model that keeps me coming back for more. BTW - I was able to score a Skyscreamer and pink Zarana. But I feel the pain for those who did not and am trying to provide a solution - hopefully some Hasbro reps read this, as we know they occassionally surf this site.
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07-26-2011, 11:45 PM | #2 |
Crimson Guard
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: New Castle, Delaware
Posts: 4,498
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Hasbro deals in much, much larger quantities than Sideshow does. A pre-ordering system is not feasible for their economies of scale.
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07-26-2011, 11:51 PM | #3 |
Domesticated Arms Dealer
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Brownsville, TX (Home of Iceberg!)
Posts: 1,970
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Quote:
Forgot to mention that if you preorder, then you only have to wait in line to pick up your item (early than the non-attendees). So this would also prevent the long lines to just get a ticket, then waiting again only to find out they are sold out for the day. It's a win-win...but Hasbro simply needs to invest in this. It also could be applied to their other lines like Marvel, Star Wars, etc.
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07-26-2011, 11:59 PM | #4 |
Banned
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: West by God
Posts: 2,212
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Those are all great suggestions, but HTS has zero incentive to alleviate the issues it encounters one day per year. Their purchasing system works 364 days out of the year without a hiccup. They deal with one day of hate mail, bad phone calls, and pissed off customers who vow never to buy from HTS again, just to end up selling all of the exclusive product on the site anyway, that they didn't have to do in the first place.
Having said that, I can't grasp the concept (third party or not) that Hasbro's own toy store doesn't have current stock of regular issue figures. I would also love to see them come up with a pre-order system so if I really wanted to Army build some 30th Vipers or Blue Shirts, I could pre-order X amount and know I'm going to get them at some point, rather than pay double on ebay or try to find them in a store. While the Slaughters last year came and went on the first day in seconds, the previous year had the same issues as today with time-outs, and web-site crashes. At this point, what four years since PDD came out, the HTS purchasing system is part of the experience of purchasing ComicCon items online... And no I didn't get anything today...it all timed out and sold out before I could purchase. Angry - not really, more frustrated and dissapointed, knowing that some folks purchased them just to make a buck on eBay, but I can't do anything to change it so i'm done worrying about it. Maybe I can score a bent Zarana from someone on here to open up... |
07-27-2011, 12:20 AM | #5 |
I love ROSS!!!
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 6,831
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Great ideas and suggestions.
F U Hasblo.
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HTS.com's epic failures survivor: - Slaughtergate 2010 - Zaranagate/StarStrikergate 2011 ROSS - GI Joe retailer of 2010/2011!!! **** - 4 stars!!! For sale: GI Joe Modern Era Dialtone (from JoeCon) MOSC - PM if you are interested. My Feedback Thread |
07-27-2011, 12:37 AM | #6 |
[email protected] 4 BST
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: HELL
Posts: 6,074
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Quote:
Those are all great suggestions, but HTS has zero incentive to alleviate the issues it encounters one day per year. Their purchasing system works 364 days out of the year without a hiccup. They deal with one day of hate mail, bad phone calls, and pissed off customers who vow never to buy from HTS again, just to end up selling all of the exclusive product on the site anyway, that they didn't have to do in the first place.
...
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07-27-2011, 12:51 AM | #7 |
Hisstank.Com General
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 11,379
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Quote:
I believe these issues hurt hasbro more than you may know....We have all seen a dying interest in the GI Joe property. I know and have heard of many people that have the "gotta have 1 of everything" mentality stop collecting because of issues like this. Year after year, convention after convention (SDCC, Joe Con, and Canadian Joe Con), disappointment after dissappointment....finally some peopel give up.....and when they give up.....they lose interest and stop collecting. This is only a small part of the overall problem....but part of the problem none the less.
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07-27-2011, 12:58 AM | #8 |
Laser Rifle Trooper
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Chi-Town
Posts: 3,961
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I agree with alot of you guys. This only hurts the fun of collecting and buying Joe figures. For me I really enjoy joe and other action figure lines so the angst doesn't drive me crazy. Not like the star wars goofs. I keep seeing crap and more crap in the star wars line from the clone wars figures and the vintage line is fun but the price is to high and it is a little too late for collectors with the sw line. I enjoyed it for a time since I was a little kid but as an adult its just plain dull except for a the OTC stuff for me I really am sick of star wars. But hey that's my two cents. Not looking to offend sw fans don't take it the wrong way "fanboys".
But hey yojoe!!!
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07-27-2011, 01:02 AM | #9 |
I love ROSS!!!
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Southern Cali
Posts: 6,831
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Quote:
F U Hasblo!
__________________
HTS.com's epic failures survivor: - Slaughtergate 2010 - Zaranagate/StarStrikergate 2011 ROSS - GI Joe retailer of 2010/2011!!! **** - 4 stars!!! For sale: GI Joe Modern Era Dialtone (from JoeCon) MOSC - PM if you are interested. My Feedback Thread |
07-27-2011, 02:21 AM | #10 |
$25 Cool
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,403
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This is highly ironic, because Sideshow's site used to be TERRIBLE during hot preorders. When they first got the Star Wars license it was just as bad as HTS was today. It was so busy and congested one of their servers literally CAUGHT FIRE(they posted a picture). It was so bad that after years of complaints they finally eventually moved to the system they have today, which I agree is far superior.
However Sideshow is a far more customer service oriented company than Hasbro. They rely on one to one fan interaction(to a degree) and they primarily offer their product online. Hasbro has three main clients: Walmart, Target, and TRU. Then a great deal of smaller chains and stores. Way down the list is their HTS client base. They spend the majority of their time concentrating on pleasing those big chains; while I'm sure our complaining will get through to the Hasbro brass to a degree, it won't have the impact that people complaining to Sideshow did back in the day. The best hope we have of getting the exclusives we want in a reasonably painless(if not cheap) manner is the Collector's Club. If their sub takes off I don't think we'll see nearly as many of these highly desired figures dangled as SDCC exclusives through HTS. |
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