Ancillary, non-main-line stuff. Star Wars TF, Speed Stars, Titanium Series, Robot Heroes, that sort of thing. They're kinda neat, but we all know they're not really that important. Admit it, you know it's true.
Onslaught Six wrote:It's 2012, you'd really think they would have come up with a new way to reliably mould plastic by now than cutting up steel.
They have, just not on a mass-production level. 3D printing is more reliable on a one-off method, but it's not remotely ready for mass production yet. Cutting steel into tooling is the most efficient way to mass-produce something now and again later, since those molds can be stored and used again in the future.
Dominic wrote:This is really a text book example of the moral hazard as applied to licensed products.
It is not unusual to hear complaints that licensed products of franchises, (especially in regards to fiction), are inferior in one way or another. The idea is that the product (including content) is being pitched at people who are buying a brand more than anything else. And, unfortunately, there is evidence to support that this model work.
The problem is that this creates a moral hazard for the companies. They know that they have built in markets. So, they can predict what their base sales are likely to be. In the case of SWTF, where the license combines 2 A-list properties, the base number will be high. They may not have too many long term or repeat buyers. But, because most of the sales are to youngsters, the replacement rate will probably match the attrition rate. Hasbro has no incentive to spend time/resources on improving the toys or the story content.
We even see this problem with the main TF line. Hasbro is cheating on things like QC and distribution because they know that people will buy TFs. Collectors will gripe and complain. But, many of us will still come back and/or self abuse ourselves to buy our figures. Little kids will buy any Bumblebee figure without worrying about movie Wheeljack being cancelled or the Vehicon being short-packed.
Dom
-and that is why focusing exclusively on brand or characters is bad.
Hasbro's thinking regarding TF:Prime makes no sense. It's the first TF brand to have a show supported by a cable channel almost nobody is watching right now, so there's no word-of-mouth to carry it. The product took a year plus from the release of the show to get out there, so the newness has worn off long before the product caught up. Then they raise the price and significantly lower the quality, yet the line is the primary ambassador to new buyers. Honestly, I think Hasbro may have been wise to fire 55 people from Rhode Island if those people were decision-makers above the brand level.
See, that one's a camcorder, that one's a camera, that one's a phone, and they're doing "Speak no evil, See no evil, Hear no evil", get it?
JediTricks wrote:
-and that is why focusing exclusively on brand or characters is bad.
Hasbro's thinking regarding TF:Prime makes no sense. It's the first TF brand to have a show supported by a cable channel almost nobody is watching right now, so there's no word-of-mouth to carry it. The product took a year plus from the release of the show to get out there, so the newness has worn off long before the product caught up. Then they raise the price and significantly lower the quality, yet the line is the primary ambassador to new buyers. Honestly, I think Hasbro may have been wise to fire 55 people from Rhode Island if those people were decision-makers above the brand level.[/quote]
I agree,their is no doubt in my mind. had TF Prime been on CN,Nick,the TF Prime toys would have been bought faster in stores.
hardly anyone knows about or can afford the hub network.
Hasbro needs to fire it's whole store research/Analysis team. as their either lazy or incompetent or faking knowing their jobs. Example: TF Prime Overloading case assortments with bumblebee was a huge mistake that hurt sales for the DOTM toys & the $29.99 HA toys. these hasbro field research/Analysis teams that visit stores are not doing their jobs properly & this is why everything is doing so bad for the TF toy lines in stores.
Dominic wrote:This is really a text book example of the moral hazard as applied to licensed products.
It is not unusual to hear complaints that licensed products of franchises, (especially in regards to fiction), are inferior in one way or another. The idea is that the product (including content) is being pitched at people who are buying a brand more than anything else. And, unfortunately, there is evidence to support that this model work.
The problem is that this creates a moral hazard for the companies. They know that they have built in markets. So, they can predict what their base sales are likely to be. In the case of SWTF, where the license combines 2 A-list properties, the base number will be high. They may not have too many long term or repeat buyers. But, because most of the sales are to youngsters, the replacement rate will probably match the attrition rate. Hasbro has no incentive to spend time/resources on improving the toys or the story content.
So, it's a modest cash cow. I wouldn't mind having one of those. You really make it sound quite lovely, despite your disapproval.
There is something else to consider though -- for a lot of kids, this will be their first introduction to Transformers. Really, really crappy toys. SWTF isn't just a nice isolated revenue stream from 8 molds being perpetually recycled for a new audience, it's poisoning the well for real Transformers.
We even see this problem with the main TF line. Hasbro is cheating on things like QC and distribution because they know that people will buy TFs. Collectors will gripe and complain. But, many of us will still come back and/or self abuse ourselves to buy our figures. Little kids will buy any Bumblebee figure without worrying about movie Wheeljack being cancelled or the Vehicon being short-packed.
Compared to SWTF, even the worst toys in TF:Prime are pretty nice.
I actually bought the SWTF 4 changer vader/anakin toy from Marshalls for $20. it was in a beat up box so it got discounted by $5.
while I think the toy is not that great. due to it being a parts-former. I think it's represents potential as far as Hasbro creating a 4 changer Megatron/Galvatron toy.
My ideal 4 Changer megatron/Galvatron toy would be as follows: Have megatron get his G-2 tank alt mode. Have megatron look like his 1984 Robot megatron design or similar to 1991 battle stars ultra megatron. Have galvatron have his 1986 Toy/cartoon robot design. Have megatron's tank transform into a BW TM1 styled laser canon tank mode. I suspose megatron's robot mode could have galvatron's robot mode on his back & vice versa,with alt mode pieces shifted back & forth to hide some of this. maybe the inner face can stay the same but outer helmet for megatron & galvatron flip up over the same inner robot face.
As far as me ratting the SWTF toys & marvel cross-overs toys. I don't think they hurt the Transformers francise. because most retail stores clearly stock the SWTF toys in the star wars section & the Marvel cross-overs in the marvel section. if they sell or not they don't have a negative impact on Transformers toy sales. these cross-overs toys are not in the Regular transformers stories universe,so they don't get in the way their.
I actually think the SWTF & Marvel cross-overs are great for the transformers brand. because it shows the regular transformers brand is so strong. that various companies want in on the action via cross-overs transformers toys. this Scenario reminds me of that syslvestor stalone movie where he gets frozen then wakes up in the future. to discover that every restaurant is now named "Taco bell".
Since star trek has partnered with hasbro recently to create kreon/kreo styled ships & whatever else. I'd love to see star trek cross-overs transforming ships transform into iconic transformers. but then they'll probably have the classic enterprize transform into captain kirk. the vulcan ship transform into spock,the klingon ship transform into worf. scottie transform into a shuttle craft. the borg robot/queen transform into the borg cube.
In a perfect world the Star trek cross-overs transforming stuff would be as follows: classic enterprize transforms into optimus prime. next generation transforms into rodimus prime. classics klingon ship tramnsforms into megatron. next generation klingon ship transforms into galvatron. romulan classics ship transforms into starscream. romulan next generation ship transforms into cyclonus. the borg ship transforms into unicron. the klingon phasers transform into shockwave. the communicators transform into blaster & soundwave. the shuttle craft transforms into iron hide. the next generation ferengi ship transforms into scourge. the first contact ship transforms into omega supreme. and the list goes on.
So, it's a modest cash cow. I wouldn't mind having one of those. You really make it sound quite lovely, despite your disapproval.
What, how it is that appealling at all? What could possibly be the appeal of having a guaranteed market for a product with two rabid fan-bases....and...oh....
There is something else to consider though -- for a lot of kids, this will be their first introduction to Transformers. Really, really crappy toys. SWTF isn't just a nice isolated revenue stream from 8 molds being perpetually recycled for a new audience, it's poisoning the well for real Transformers
Joking aside, this is kind of where I was coming from. This kind of thing could hobble the market, especially as Hasbro continues to mis-handle it core brand.
Since star trek has partnered with hasbro recently to create kreon/kreo styled ships & whatever else. I'd love to see star trek cross-overs transforming ships transform into iconic transformers. but then they'll probably have the classic enterprize transform into captain kirk. the vulcan ship transform into spock,the klingon ship transform into worf. scottie transform into a shuttle craft. the borg robot/queen transform into the borg cube.
I will leave it to JT to explain why this is so unlikely. But, if it did happen, I would rather have "Star Trek ships turning in to new or established TF characters and packaged with smaller figures of 'Trek characters". Seriously, imagine a Ratchet as a Shuttle Craft, paired with a Doctor Crusher (or as a Runabout packaged with Bashir).
Dom
-still tempted by that awful Vader/Anakin toy....
So, it's a modest cash cow. I wouldn't mind having one of those. You really make it sound quite lovely, despite your disapproval.
What, how it is that appealling at all? What could possibly be the appeal of having a guaranteed market for a product with two rabid fan-bases....and...oh....
There is something else to consider though -- for a lot of kids, this will be their first introduction to Transformers. Really, really crappy toys. SWTF isn't just a nice isolated revenue stream from 8 molds being perpetually recycled for a new audience, it's poisoning the well for real Transformers
Joking aside, this is kind of where I was coming from. This kind of thing could hobble the market, especially as Hasbro continues to mis-handle it core brand.
Since star trek has partnered with hasbro recently to create kreon/kreo styled ships & whatever else. I'd love to see star trek cross-overs transforming ships transform into iconic transformers. but then they'll probably have the classic enterprize transform into captain kirk. the vulcan ship transform into spock,the klingon ship transform into worf. scottie transform into a shuttle craft. the borg robot/queen transform into the borg cube.
I will leave it to JT to explain why this is so unlikely. But, if it did happen, I would rather have "Star Trek ships turning in to new or established TF characters and packaged with smaller figures of 'Trek characters". Seriously, imagine a Ratchet as a Shuttle Craft, paired with a Doctor Crusher (or as a Runabout packaged with Bashir).
Dom
-still tempted by that awful Vader/Anakin toy....
While we all Fantasize about star trek ships transforming into iconic transformers robots. this should remain in pure dream/fantasy land. the star trek owners/family/company will NEVER times 1 billion allow star trek ships to transform into transformers robot characters. this will upset star trek fan boys all over the world. this will make gene rodenbery roll over in his grave. no other company is going to merge universes nor characters in toy selling form.
at best,one day we might get transforming star trek ships that transform into star trek characters. like those awful SWTF toys.
