Current Case Ratio Trend ~ Is Hasbro Shooting Themselves In The Foot?

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by Galvanitro, Mar 14, 2012.

  1. SPLIT LIP

    SPLIT LIP Be strong enough to be gentle

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    That's what 'so far' means.
     
  2. bellpeppers

    bellpeppers A Meat Popsicle

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    Question for everyone: what figures are available in the Bumblebee section of your local store?
     
  3. Counterpunch?

    Counterpunch? Interior Renovator

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    Hasbro or the retailers learned the wrong lesson in 2007.

    It's like everything that comes out of Hasbro in the past two years has been the result of an axiom that doesn't look at the reality of the shelves. I really think the success of the first movie line of toys taught them the wrong lesson and when the new team came in around Toy Fair 2010, they just ran with "what works" rather than use the opportunity to better their standing in stores.

    Best thing I've read today.
     
  4. Dragonclaw

    Dragonclaw Briefly the owner of KB Toys

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    All too often it isn't Hasbro making the call, but the random toy buyers sitting in their offices well away from the actual stores. They say stupid things like "we need to have Bumblebee and Optimus on the shelf at all times, make sure the case ratios are weighed heavily on these two." I've been part of conference calls like this and it made me want to scream!
     
  5. Transbot90210

    Transbot90210 Banned

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    Yes hasbro is being extremely idiotic releasing so many Bumblebees and Primes. I don't have an issue with the overpack in one wave but 3??? Yes BB is 3 in wave 1, 3 in wave 1.5 (Arcee and Ratchet wave) and TWO count them 2 in wave 2. This is after everyone who has a B has gotten a B you still get a full distrubution of them.

    This will lead to shelves being chalk full of BBs that will not sell and thus lead to a complete slow down in seeing new stuff on shelves. This can potentially lead to a total drop in sales and the line being dropped. This will not happen because the line sucks or is not popular but because they just release too many of the same figure.

    Stupid Hasbro.
     
  6. maximus_73

    maximus_73 Well-Known Member

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    This is taken today at one of my Target. I would never be surprised if wave 3 is cancelled. THANK YOU HASBRO!
     

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  7. Optimus1138

    Optimus1138 Well-Known Member

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    Given that Optimus Primes and Bumblebees seem to shelfwarm more consistently than any other figure, it's not kids' buying trends that are making Hasbro do this. It's just Hasbro being stupid.
     
  8. Counterpunch?

    Counterpunch? Interior Renovator

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    I would content that is still Hasbro's fault. Their marketing department needs to know better and defend their shelf space in a more proactive way.
     
  9. rxlthunder

    rxlthunder Banned

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    One day, Hasbro should just go to Targets that aren't in their area.
     
  10. Ratchets Hatch

    Ratchets Hatch Medic

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    Galvanitro, I agree with everything you're saying, and your case assortments make a hell of a lot more sense than Hasbro's.

    As to why they took the route they did, I imagine that DotM's relatively poor sales prompted Hasbro to reassess their case assortments, but instead of solving the real problems, they fell back on their tried and true method of cramming the shelves full of the flagship characters - OP and BB.

    Part of their reasoning is sound. This is the first time in FIVE YEARS that a movie line has NOT been the primary toy line. Think about that for a minute and it becomes clear why they want to play it safe with this line and stick with what they know.

    Kids who have never seen TF Prime might not be that familiar with Arcee or Bulkhead. However, if they have seen the movies, they will know who Optimus and Bumblebee are. The same goes for Parents or grandparents buying for their kids - they will recognize Optimus and Bumblebee and feel comfortable buying them.

    However, what Hasbro hasn't taken into account is that most kids want to have both good guys AND bad guys. Kids will be disappointed when all the figures on shelves are Autobots - Autobots who they likely already have.
     
  11. Galvanitro

    Galvanitro Vanguardian

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    Yeah totally. The biggest thing that needs to happen is for the Decepticons to get more representation, no question.
     
  12. transfan681

    transfan681 Retired TF Collector

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    if hasbro did like this all of them are in no way shortpackest

    wave 1

    2bumblebees
    2cliffjumper
    2wheeljacks
    2soundwaves

    wave 2

    3arcees
    3ratchets
    1bumblebee
    1soundwave

    wave 3

    2vidacons
    2hotshots
    2knockouts
    1cliffjumpers
    1wheeljacks

    overall
    3bumblebees
    3cliffjumper
    3wheeljacks
    3soundwaves
    3arcees
    3ratchets
    3vidacons
    3hotshots
    3knockouts

    wave 1 voyagers

    2optimus prime
    2megatrons

    wave 2
    2bulkheads
    2starscreams

    wave 2.5
    1optimus prime
    1megatrons
    1bulkheads
    1starscreams

    overall
    3optimus primes
    3megatrons
    3bulkheads
    3starscreams
     
  13. Roufuss

    Roufuss Shots

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    What's crazy is that Hasbro does the opposite with G.I Joe now -- troop builders are two to a case and often, they bleed over into the next wave as well.
     
  14. DecepticonSpike

    DecepticonSpike Member of the Scrappy Doo Fan Club

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    I happened to be at Wal Mart today doing a toy check and there was someone from Hasbro there. She was talking to who i guess was the department manager about a display when I politely said "Excuse me" and when I had her attention I asked about why there are lots of DOTM and TFP Bumblebee's but no TFP Megatron or Starscream. She said that shipments are based on what characters sold well from the previous line. Sounds like a BS answer to me, but, at least I got to voice my concern.
     
  15. Jazz342

    Jazz342 Well-Known Member

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    Since being told by a Hasbro Rep in December that dotm soundwave wheeljack and mirage were coming out around the beginning of this year, I don't believe even they know what's going on. Case assortments are already planned for the next couple waves on a brand new line, so I don't think sales is a determining factor in this case.
     
  16. Optimum1996

    Optimum1996 Insert something here

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    Foot? No, no no no. They are shooting themselves in the sack. :( 
     
  17. Maetel

    Maetel Well-Known Member

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    eventually bumblebee will be the generic terms clueless grandparents use for robot toys like they use 'gameboy' for all video games/consoles.


    "here timmy i brought you a bumblebee for birthday" "this is a transmorphogorbot" "i know, it's the bumblebee you wanted for 9 months right"
     
  18. Ironhide1706

    Ironhide1706 Elessar Telcontar

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    At my Target I found two cases on the shelves of both Deluxes and Voyagers. There were only two Decepticons between both (one of each).
     
  19. Knightdramon

    Knightdramon Hasbro LIES to the US

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    It's not [at least for me] the fact that Decepticons are few, because in the first eight episodes or so we've had all the Autobots, but we had to get to episode 12 or so to get the full cast of Decepticons.

    It's the ridiculous assortments with Bumblebee and Optimus in. Bumblebee does not need that many toys, nor does Megatron need to get phased out by the second wave.
     
  20. Nefud

    Nefud Well-Known Member

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    On the one hand, the OP makes a really good point.

    On the other hand, this is the TFW2005 forums, where the Hasbro Apologist Squad will come down on you like a ton of bricks* if you dare to suggest that Hasbro has done anything poorly/wrong/untruthful. Acts of Hasphemy will not be tolerated here!






    *not like Lego bricks, however, because those are distributed evenly and in a timely manner throughout the US, which is against Hasbro policy.