Why Hasbro Star Wars Should Call it Quits!

[grayhank]

2) No one liked my song. Is it because "GUILTY" is a "TOP 40 relic" no one remembers anymore...or did no one mention liking it just because it stunk?

It's Barry & Barbra...of course it stunk!

[grayhank]

Hey, if the thread was called "WHY HASBRO SHOULD CUT BACK ON REISSUES!!!"
THEN a lot of this "back & forth" woulda been much less...um....."over-the-top"

When you ramble on as much as I do you don't always know what you should call it. The original intent of my title was meant to be sarcasm not literal.

[grayhank]

If you say so I have no reason to doubt you but when specifically asked (in one of the ealriest question sessions for the SW collector sites) if the battle packs were repackaged returned figures the hasbro reps claimed the battle packs were not repacked but new production runs on old molds. I would assume that the take backs were the movie promo kits which were marketed separately, as my TRU was blowing out ROTS figs of the senators and such in mid 07 becasue they were still warming shelves. Hasbro has made no denial they are reusing mold and kitbashing molds from as far back as POTJ and th elast Potf2 (when they stopped being overmuscled)

Here's an article from late 1999 which mentions what I said about Hasbro having to take on the responsibility of inventory levels (in this particular case it's Walmart). This was one of the key factors for Hasbro to assign reps to go into the retail stores and pack up the leftovers. The following paragraphs are excerpts from the article but you can read it entirely at the link. Those who are familiar with my posts know that I often like to back up what I'm saying so other articles are sure to follow

Hasbro hopes to increase sales by expanding its offerings of electronic toys and CD-ROM games and its popular Pokemon line. But analysts said retail sales of Hasbro's ''Star Wars'' line were sluggish as the latest movie failed to meet the hype-induced expectations at the box office. The company, based in Pawtucket, R.I., hopes to compensate with Pokemon trading cards, one of this year's sensations.

''The force is with Pokemon, not 'Star Wars,' '' said Tony Gikas, an industry analyst at U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray in Minneapolis.

Erik Gustafson, a senior portfolio manager in Chicago with Stein Roe & Farnham, which owns Hasbro shares, said yesterday's announcements were ''an admission that Hasbro has to change the way it does business in order to adjust to the changing environment for toy companies.''

He said that big customers like Wal-Mart Stores were insisting on delivery on demand for hot products, pushing the costs of maintaining inventories back on the toymakers. ''As a result, Hasbro has to cut its cost structure to absorb that inventory expense,'' he said.

Hasbro to Cut 20% of Its Jobs and Take $97 Million Charge - New York Times

[huedell]

This is going to be real over-the-top now But it's almost as if Hasbro is telling us you can't have any new figures until you guys buy up all the stuff that didn't sell the first time. A "you can't have dessert until you eat all of your liver" mentality. But just in case we're going to make a few new things here and there in vastly smaller numbers just to give you a taste.

The only thing I ever thought was over-the-top was implying that if things weren't
going exactly the route you saw fit to be (even though "business is business")
--- then HASBRO should halt the whole line at the cost of any cool new product.

Which you pretty much acknowledged wasn't "entirely" the case with the following:

The bottom line to this entire thread is this. Do I love Star Wars? Yes I am very passionately thankful that the line has gone as long as it has. Do I want Hasbro to continue making Star Wars? You betcha! BUT...Please, please, please...cut back on reissues. I'm not saying don't make them. Just cutback on them. Turn that ratio around or even it out because at the rate they are going...it's like a snake eating it's own tail.

Hey, if the thread was called "WHY HASBRO SHOULD CUT BACK ON REISSUES!!!"
THEN a lot of this "back & forth" woulda been much less...um....."over-the-top"

[huedell]

1) re: going on the messageboard board threads to "vent" vs. going on them to "debate"
and/or just "interact" with others----well, I can't really understand the logic in purely
having "venting" as your goal---but if that's the case, I WILL apologize if it seems to any
that I'm attacking them, merely by addressing their opinions with my own....we obviously
would have different ideas of message board ettiquette

2) No one liked my song. Is it because "GUILTY" is a "TOP 40 relic" no one remembers
anymore...or did no one mention liking it just because it stunk?

[grayhank]

What I don't understand is why now with the backlash? Battle Packs have been around since Revenge of the Sith came out. How many of the same figure or vehicle has Hasbro done more than once? It's not like it's anything new.

One of the reasons I started this thread right there. The majority of what I find sitting on the shelves is repackaged stuff. The backlash (at least coming from me) at this time is because that's all Hasbro really seems to be focusing on. Those Battle packs, while some are very cool and every once in a while Hasbro throws us a bone by sticking 1 new figure or accessory into it, are basically rotting on the shelves. That Tantive IV Battle Pack is still everywhere here in my area. The Battle Pack pic that I posted contains 3 figures from that same Tantive IV pack.

When stores aren't moving old product because most people already have it, it starts sitting on the shelves, and new product doesn't get put out. If Hasbro continues to make items filled with old product, it too is going to sit on the shelves. The "Legends" figures take up three quarters of the allotted space for Star Wars. It's great that Hasbro has made some of these second chance figures for people who might have missed out on them the first time around. But at the same time it prevents retail stores from ordering cases of "new" product because their shelves are full and they have many more cases to put out of the same case assortments that are sitting.

This is going to be real over-the-top now But it's almost as if Hasbro is telling us you can't have any new figures until you guys buy up all the stuff that didn't sell the first time. A "you can't have dessert until you eat all of your liver" mentality. But just in case we're going to make a few new things here and there in vastly smaller numbers just to give you a taste.

The ratio seems to be 3 cases of reissues to 1 case of new product. That's how it "appears" to me.

The bottom line to this entire thread is this. Do I love Star Wars? Yes I am very passionately thankful that the line has gone as long as it has. Do I want Hasbro to continue making Star Wars? You betcha! BUT...Please, please, please...cut back on reissues. I'm not saying don't make them. Just cutback on them. Turn that ratio around or even it out because at the rate they are going...it's like a snake eating it's own tail.

[jds1911a1]

That is not entirely accurate. When it's movie product overload, retailers can in fact return the product to Hasbro. I have seen and physically talked to Hasbro reps at places like TRU, Target and Walmart packing up stuff like Episode II and III to return to their own distribution centers (not the store's distribution centers, but Hasbro's.) This all came about because there was so much leftover stock from Episode I that retailers didn't want to order mass quantities and be stuck with it again. So Hasbro's solution was "we'll take back what you can't sell". There were quite a few press releases regarding this. It's also interesting to note that hardly any of the Episode I stuff has been repacked - because it wasn't returned to Hasbro. And if you open some of those figures from those battlepacks you will see date stamps on their legs from 95, 96, 97 etc. So perhaps they are using the molds from the Power of the Force line to some extent.

Now for places like KB, the items get sent to the Outlet division, along with any excess warehouse stock from other retail stores that they have way too much of. The everyday stuff...not so much the mass produced movie stuff. That is why if you've ever been inside a KB Outlet (one of the divisions I also worked within) you will often find exclusives original to the other stores with their store logos on them. The KB Outlet division has been enormously successful which is why very few of them closed when KB was closing down hundreds of their mall stores.

Most "HOT" exclusives don't get sent back because they are made in smaller quantities. Target will clearance these down to almost nothing (usually after Christmas) and the stuff goes very quickly at that point.

If you say so I have no reason to doubt you but when specifically asked (in one of the ealriest question sessions for the SW collector sites) if the battle packs were repackaged returned figures the hasbro reps claimed the battle packs were not repacked but new production runs on old molds. I would assume that the take backs were the movie promo kits which were marketed separately, as my TRU was blowing out ROTS figs of the senators and such in mid 07 becasue they were still warming shelves. Hasbro has made no denial they are reusing mold and kitbashing molds from as far back as POTJ and th elast Potf2 (when they stopped being overmuscled)

[BlackKnight]

Prime,..
Allow Me to explain. My Opionions were mine, & I did dissagree with Hank on certain points he made. However Most of your "Attack" was directed at this ,. towards Me..

" .. & If you are going to Targets at 9:00 in the morning with your buddy's, on a Tuesday,.. Every week,.. or twice a week.. & the 1st thing you do is look at the Toys, with no children present, & then ask where something is,.. or a #ed Hotwheel... why wouldn't they think your a Toy Scalper ? .. I've worked in retail before,.. & my OldLady works at Target now..., & Generally, thats Who it is. It's been that way since Ebay. Most parents don't buy a toy for thier kids at that time. & Most grown men don't collect action figures. They stock the shelves,.. they know what has 1 per case,.. they know what is an Exclusive, they know what dissapears in the 1st 5 minutes when a bunch of guys run into Target when they 1st open at 9am. "

You say it's Descrimination,.. It could be,.. BUT like it OR not this is what people think outside of the Toy Hobby of collecting. This is where I was not trying to Dissagree,.. trying to offer the "otherside" & THIS is where you Attacked me.

[grayhank]

What a lot of you guys apparently don't seem to understand is we're just venting our frustrations with Hasbro. We ARE entitled to do so as Americans. And if it bugs you that much to read someone else's B*tching, then maybe you should read something else! I'm not complaining on here about Hasbro to find people to argue with who disagree & tell me I'm wrong. I'm complaining to find other people that agree and feel the same way. There IS NO wrong or write. ONLY opinion. And MYYY Opinion is such as previously stated.

Very nice point J, but tone it down some. You do alot better when you're calm! Anger leads to the dark side!

[BlackKnight]

^^^ You didn't bud. & It was in NO way my intention of Offending you either.
Good luck with your collecting Future, in where it takes you.

[grayhank]

Everyone "Sues" for EVERYTHING now adays,.. if Anyone has a Case of this "Discrimination" .. why not Take it to court then.. & do something about it, rather than B-tch on a Mego Board about a Toy Line that has a Label of 4+ on it,.. & is NOT Mego.

I said it was a form of discrimination (i.e. prejudice - which means to pre-judge). I certainly have better things to do with my time than take a few sales associates to court for being rude. I think I have tried to be very cival and talk very politely about all that I've said here. As a Minister, it is not my nature to offend. If I have offended you in any way I am truly sorry. Peace be with you.

[Prime316]

Everyone "Sues" for EVERYTHING now adays,.. if Anyone has a Case of this "Discrimination" .. why not Take it to court then.. & do something about it

I won't take it to court because the American Judicial System is a sham and favors the criminals now. So it would only favor the Discriminators and be a waste of the victims & tax payers time. And the only reason everyone sues for everything nowadays is because Americans are too fraggin lazy to make serious money another way. Everyone just wants to sue someone to get a lot of money rather than earn it.

This all,.. for the MOST part, was an interesting conversation. When I was reading GrayHanks points, I thought that he had Valued issues about collecting, & thought I would offer perhaps a bit of the "other side of the spectrum of veiws" if you will. I NEVER diagreed with him,.. I just pointed out perhaps different peoples thoughts on the Matter...,

So wait, Blacknight your not even arguing your own opinion!? Wow, imo that's lame. Why not voice your own opinion? why talk for people that should be here talking for themselves if they feel that way? Are you the spokes person for people who aren't here to disagree with us on this matter?
I find it funny yet stupid when someone comes on here and argues points of opinions they don't even see themselves, but rather argue just to argue with someone. Probably in hopes of making someone else feel bad like the way they feel about themselves. I'm not on here trying to tell people they're wrong, I'm here stating my opinion on this matter for my own sake and to connect with others who feel the same way. You have as much right to voice your opinions (as you have) as well. But really should voice the opinions you have, not the opinions you think others might have yet aren't here actually stating for themselves. Speak for your own opinion please, not those you think others have.

We know to buy what we want and not buy what we don't want, we've heard it a million times, so that doesn't need bear repeating AGAIN.

What a lot of you guys apparently don't seem to understand is we're just venting our frustrations with Hasbro. We ARE entitled to do so as Americans. And if it bugs you that much to read someone else's B*tching, then maybe you should read something else! I'm not complaining on here about Hasbro to find people to argue with who disagree & tell me I'm wrong. I'm complaining to find other people that agree and feel the same way. There IS NO wrong or write. ONLY opinion. And MYYY Opinion is such as previously stated.

Anyways, I have better things to do for now, like read a good book!

And Blacknight, incase you haven't noticed, this is the Modern Toys section of the Megoboards. A section for toys NOT mego.

[grayhank]

because kids age out every few years. actaully it isn't leftovers/returns at all they produce the stuff for battle packs new (often using existing molds to maximise profit). as far as hasbro is concerned once a retailer buys the stuff it's their problem to sell it or resell to a store like big lots and KB (hence why TRU walmarts and targets sometimes have figures from prior years still on the shelves 18 months later.

That is not entirely accurate. When it's movie product overload, retailers can in fact return the product to Hasbro. I have seen and physically talked to Hasbro reps at places like TRU, Target and Walmart packing up stuff like Episode II and III to return to their own distribution centers (not the store's distribution centers, but Hasbro's.) This all came about because there was so much leftover stock from Episode I that retailers didn't want to order mass quantities and be stuck with it again. So Hasbro's solution was "we'll take back what you can't sell". There were quite a few press releases regarding this. It's also interesting to note that hardly any of the Episode I stuff has been repacked - because it wasn't returned to Hasbro. And if you open some of those figures from those battlepacks you will see date stamps on their legs from 95, 96, 97 etc. So perhaps they are using the molds from the Power of the Force line to some extent.

Now for places like KB, the items get sent to the Outlet division, along with any excess warehouse stock from other retail stores that they have way too much of. The everyday stuff...not so much the mass produced movie stuff. That is why if you've ever been inside a KB Outlet (one of the divisions I also worked within) you will often find exclusives original to the other stores with their store logos on them. The KB Outlet division has been enormously successful which is why very few of them closed when KB was closing down hundreds of their mall stores.

Most "HOT" exclusives don't get sent back because they are made in smaller quantities. Target will clearance these down to almost nothing (usually after Christmas) and the stuff goes very quickly at that point.

[huedell]

I have been collecting Star Wars 3 3/4 inch figures since 1995 and i am guilty of trying to get them all ...

PARODY SUNG TO THE TUNE OF "GUILTY"
BY BARBRA STREISAND AND BARRY GIBB
-------------------------------------------------

Shadows falling , baby , we stand alone
in toy aisles anybody you meet got a heartache of their own
(It oughta be illegal)
Make it a crime to need a Battle Pack
(It oughta be illegal)
You got a reason for livin'
You battle on with the figures you're jonesin' on
They gotta be mine
We take it away
Even if it's an eighth repaint
We are spendin' our dime
And we got nothing to be guilty of
Our love... will fight our accountants... we'll even deal, with no meals
HASBRO will never let it end
We are devotion
And we got nothing to be sorry for
Our love makes Lucas millions
Eyes can see that we got an addiction to the line
And I don't wanna say goodbye
Oh!

Pulse's racing , darling
How grand we are
Little by little we meet in the aisle
There's danger in the store
(It oughta be illegal)
Make it a crime to treatin' these like gold
(Well, scalping is illegal)
You got a reason for livin'
You battle on with the Expanded Universe
Forever
They all gotta be mine
We take it away
Where's the Sarlacc-soaked Weequay?
Just a matter of time
And we got nothing to be guilty of
Our love will scour any TARGET near or far , our cars
We'll drive 'em to their treads
We are devotion
And we got nothing to be sorry for
Don't mind spendin' a million
Eyes can see that we think "love/hate" with this line...

[Iron_fox85]

IESB.net - Movie News, Reviews, Interviews and More! - First Star Wars: The Clone Wars Poster Art Revealed! new poster's out for the CGI clonewars movie thats coming to theaters. (after that in the fall it'll be a tv show) toyfair already showed theyre new toyline Rebelscum.com; Star Wars Toy News Archive i'm excited to buy more clone troopers since i'm a clone trooper junkie! 0w0