I't a combination of characterization and repaints I don't mind repaints per se...I underatand why they are done. But I'm having a hard time shelling out $20/per mold when the repaints are characters that mean jack squat in the mythos. I'm just burned out on Alts right now...I'll probably be happier once Mirage shows up and we see some new molds.
why would a military sub-line of alts have to be in 1:24 scale??? I mean, as long as all the miltary vehicles were the same scale, I'd be down with that completely. I want more 'cons firstly, and secondly would love to see a wider expanse of vehicles, especially miltary ones... that would help the first issue. otherwise, I'm cool with it all, I love alts, and the repaints are a necessary evil. Andy PS: RW I wasn't surprised by the poll results at all, kinda surprised you were
My main gripe with the line is the obvious lack of Decepticons. Repaints I can stand if it comes with Decept logo. I passed on Swerve and Rollbar because they are NOT evil bots and got Ricochet because he should have been Decepticon (with the black paint and all). I am sure Alt will sell a lot better if the ratio of Bots and Cons are a lot more even. I just think that older TF fans prefer both good and bad bots and since Alt is designed more for collectors and more mature TF fans (with complex transformation being the key) more Cons would definitely translate to more sales imo.
Combination of things. My interest shifted away from them quite some time ago... if I had to narrow it down to just one thing thats turned me off the most... probably distribution. I'm tired of the size though, tired of the figures always being cars, of them being overwhelmingly Autobots, lack of extras doesn't help... distribution is a big one: it took forever for new ones to get released, and then its a bitch to find certain ones unless you're willing to pay extra online. Then again, even if distribution was great, I'd probably still be tired of them due to overall lack of variety (in regards to size, faction, all of them being cars, repaints of cars already used, etc).
For anyone who doesn't live Ravage being a car, think of it kinda like BW Ravage. Cat head, humanoid body. Plus he's got some of the best trim paint of any alt. Neither of the other vettes had the missile tips painted.
First and foremost: terrible, TERRIBLE distribution. Almost random, really ... which is not surprising when you know about the whole case/assortment thing. Beyond that, the molds and repaints have been a mixed bag. I love the hard top and spoiler on Decepticharge, but it's one of the worst repaints (more like re-stickering) in the line. The new molds are a mixed bag; Skids is brilliant, but Prowl's mediocre, and Prime needs to be dropped in a mulcher. The Viper mold could've been so much better with a bit of tweaking for extra articulation. Loved both RX-8 molds; Tracks was OK, but Ravage was a big "Whaaaaa?!?" The Subaru molds were a good first try; most of the issues with it were ironed out in the RX-8 mold. I still support the line, but I can't help but think that the whole "must be MUCH easier to transform" requirement has really hurt its aesthetics and quality -- all of the compromises in Prowl's design can be traced straight back to that (and for all that effort, you ended up with parts falling up). I suspect something similar for Prime. Mirage looks solid, but he's a ways off. The kids already have a kid-friendly line; Alts. should stay more "collector friendly". -XCN-
Another question I thought of... Is it possible for the other lines to cover the costs of ALTs so that there wouldn't have to be any repaints in the ALT line??? So far we've had so many CYB repaints and multi-releases of Minicons... Of course a lot of those end up as shelfwarmers themselves, but I'm wondering if there is a way to create more repaints in say, a main line, to cover the costs of the ALT line??? Or is each line of TF on their own as far as covering costs???
I voted for poor distribution. I can understand why folks want more Deceps, but personally I'd rather see an all-Autobot line than one where the Decepticons are just there for the sake of it (Swindle and Decepticharge being the only ones I like unconditionally)
Oh god. I do not like that idea at all. I'd rather they made just one repaint of each mold, or even a second repaint, if it keeps the new assortments coming. Some stores don't seem to order a new case after a certain point until the next assortment comes out, so if there were no repaints and they didn't seriously step up the production of new molds, that'd result in stores getting something like 4 cases of alts per year. Enough to make Swerve seem like a shelfwarmer.
The funny thing for me is despite the fact that Alts are great toys and an update of G1 characters and so forth; my biggest complaint is I find the novelty and excitement of them dies off soon after I get them. I find I get myself all worked up about getting the latest ones, then I go all out to get them but the excitement of anticipation, acquisition, and playing with them wares off after a couple of weeks after actually getting the toy. Now most of my Alts sit in a closet and I have barley touched any of my Alts since I got Skids and Sunstreaker back in December. Today even though I’m all hyper again over Prime and upcoming Mirage my enthusiasm and excitement over Alts has died off considerably almost to the point were I’m not even interested in them anymore. Its funny too because I’ve been going back and really playing around with a lot of BW stuff lately as well as with my Galaxy Force which has held my interest much stronger and longer then Alts. I just find the Alts just don’t have the staying power with me compared to other TF lines. Anyway that’s just my thing right now anyway. Am defiantly going to keep buying new Alts, but for the time being and foreseeable future there going in storage as my passion for them has just disappeared for the most part. But I voted for bad distribution as for the most part Alts just take forever to get out on shelves and I’ve had to buy a good 75% of my Alts from eBay or the internet in general. EDIT: Acually after thinking about it I voted not enough Decepticons because that's another thing that's really missing in the alt line as I wish it was just more then a string of Autobot Cars, this also tends to get boring after a wile.
Never saw a Swerve, seldom saw a Tracks or Jazz the first time around. The fact that I never have seen a Swerve, however, is what irks me the most.
I don't understand how certain areas can almost be completely passed over as far as ALT distribution goes... Is Hasbro aware of this at all???
Distribution isn't exactly Hasbros fault. It falls on the stores. Target (for example since I used to work there) has all their ordering automated. Shelves have a shelf cap, for Alts this was generally four. When the stores first set the aisle they're generally only given the enough of the new product to fill the shelf cap or even less based on the amount per case, if the aisle is just being reset and the product is carried forward from before then they usually won't get anything at all in unless they were out to begin with. When one sells another is set to come out in whats called auto pulls that are calculated by the computers (although its not always 1:1 if the shelf cap is higher) and pulled by the backroom team. Once a week the Team Lead (head of that department) goes around and scans any out of stock items and places little grey or red dots on the price tag. If said item is in the back then it will put in a research batch that the br team pulls and the TL puts out (Toys was on Wednesday or Thursday when I worked there and should be pretty universal for all stores). If theres none in the back and the counts were already zero then nothing happens, if the counts one or more then they get updated to zero. If theres none in the DC and only that single store needs some then generally they won't get ordered. If theres even a single one on the shelf then generally it won't get scanned unless the TL notices hes only had a single one for a while, but this usually doesn't happen since everyone is rushed to complete other things and scans whats obvious. You can also fake counts like I did to get more in as we had been setting on Wave 2 for a while but this is considered abusing the system and can get people fired as well as it alters the inventory. Stores generally don't order by the case assortment either. They'll just order X amount of cases based on the instocks at all the stores so its very easy for them to miss wave x at all the area stores.
Ahhh... Thanks for clearing that up... But I still wonder though... According to this system, doesn't it prevent Hasbro from sending more to the distributors who in turn send them to the retail stores??? It just seems highly inefficient...
Razerwire: That would seem like bad business. Convenience stores can afford to break even on gasoline because many of their customers stop in for a rather profitable pack of cigarettes or a highly profitable 32 ounce fountain pop. Grocery stores can do that too, because they know the $1.99 half gallons of ice cream in their ad will draw in customers to buy their $80 of weekly groceries at the same time. The way Alts are sold, though, doesn't really help the main line in the same way. Usually you or I (though I don't collect Alts) will go in, look at everything, and buy whatever we have been looking for. If we're looking for Alt. Tracks we buy that, but won't likely go and pick up 3 Overhauls just for good measure. I would think the line does promote Hastak's products just by being amazingly engineered and very high quality, which would reflect well on everything else they make. I would guess, because of this, that a lower profit margin than the main line might be tolerated. I couldn't see them letting it be a parasite, though. Am I making any sense here?
The Alt line will die once it has become unprofitable. Hasbro would be foolish to kill it even if the Movie/Neo-G1 line overlaps with it. Aside from being a VERY SUCCESSFUL line, here are the reasons why the Alt line will continue to get support from Hasbro: -It is a successful toyline that Hasbro doesn't have to actively support with a cartoon or other media. -It is a toyline that taps into the adult toy buying market. This market is not nearly as saturated as the boys toys market. Hasbro doesn't really compete here but there's nothing wrong with expanding into a new market. -It is a toyline that taps into the collectors market. For all the nay sayers, here are two things to think about-- Alternators are always hard to find. New molds are always hard to find. They quickly sell out. And the toyline gets almost ZILCH advertising/attention. This is insano for a toyline in the US. Distribution is the line's real only enemy. That and the lack of new molds too of course. The distribution problem is never going to go away. The only real solution for collectors and fans is online pre-orders. The new mold/remold problem is a tricky problem. It takes a lot of time and money to make a new mold. We're getting at least three new molds this year-- that's not enough. What Hasbro needs to do is FORCE retailers to put new case assortment on the shelves even if they have old molds on the shelf. Sounds crazy but the rationale is... "you do this or your customers will buy it online." End of story. But what Hasbro also needs to do is have definite timetables of when the new mold toys will be sent to retailers. Like a new mold every two months. And then just have case assortments of 4 of the same new mold. Crazy idea right? Why should Hasbro do this when folks are just buying the toys online anyway? Because by not forcing retailers to put new alts on shelves they are missing on a lot of casual buyers. That's who Hasbro really ought to gun for. The Alt/BT line has problems. Most of the complaints mentioned here are pretty valid. But the thing is-- this line is so damn successful despite its problems and despite its 'non-existence' in the mind of consumers. Its truly amazing. I personally now think that Hasbro/Takara held off on issuing a military alt/bt line because of the movie. Its also why the Alt line isn't getting as many new molds this year. Hasbro has a good reason to fear flooding the market and having two TF lines competing with each other. I personally think an ALT line and Movie/Neo G1 line can peacefully co-exist. But I don't run things... Lastly, the Alt line will die once consumers and fans get sick of it. But I don't see that happening any time soon. Every time a new mold appears people's jaws fall on the floor and pre-orders start flying. Initial shipments arrive to online or brick and mortar stores and they instantly sell out. The line, the precariousness of the toy business and the fickleness of consumers are the worst enemies. But the line is seemingly holding up a cult following IMO, so Hasbro don't &@%! it up!
I don't think Alts are as successful as people think. Sure we all think theyre flying off the shelves but if they were then they would be restocked just as fast and the newest waves would be easier to find. In my Area Alts barely move any more (although I seem to be the only hunter in my general area from the boards). Almost all of the stores around here still have their original stock of the new boxes. A big problem with me is cost when a new wave hits with 2 or 3 new alts, I generally don't want to spend much money all at once. For RW question, yes that does prevent Hasbro from sending new stock. Target does have options to return things to manufactuers but Toys generally aren't part of that function (a problem with all Alts sharing a common DPCI instead of being listed seperatley per figure) and is generally used for items taht won't be clearenced out (movies, and some electronic items, high priced home needs like the violently expensive electric toothebrushes). Wal mart on the other hand is different. I've heard that the Department managers do all the ordering but my local Wal Marts like to violently over stock as one had atleast four cases of the new boxed wave of Alts. Or they like to not restock at all as the one 2 minutes from my house has been setting on the same four deluxe Armada remolds in Cybertron for close to two months now. The only way I could see it improving at Wal Mart is if a fan was head of Toys Another way to improve distribution would be to buy from a single store in your area, but then theres the big possibility that they'll just restock with the same wave that you just bought. Also, almost everyone who is working on the salesfloor should know how to atleast find out if something is in the backroom, but target does have a rule that "collectibles" are not allowed to be manually pulled as its not fair for everyone and some people take this as gospel and refuse to pull a lot of things. There is a way to check if anything is coming on a truck as well. This requires the truck to generally be 12 hours or less from the time that it will be unloaded and requires the use of a specific computer in the recieving area. Most people don't know how to do this (out of 115 employees only six of us knew how and I didn't learn until being there for six of my seven years) and opposite of popular belief the people working in the departments, especially in the evenings, generally don't have much of a clue as to how the store works/runs and are as clueless as they seem. They might work in that department for one night a week and there is no such thing as product training any more.
Target isn't the only one, TRU has the same policy; and it drives me nuts seeing the shelves and pegs half emty and they won't re-fill saying, "Oh it's up to the night crews. If this or that department needs refilling, then they'll restock the shelves." In other words, unless it's a holiday and product is flying off the shelves, then the day staff will restock it themselves. Only today did my TRU finally put out the most recent waves for Cybertron. But they had the same damn two Alt Tracks for the bloody longest time, down to the last one as of today. Ummm, do you think that they would fill the shelf with more Alts? Nope.
