Thank you for making my comment for me. That is the first thing I thought when I saw it. They dont just let uncolored test shots out either. They even let us see box art. Why doesnt hasbro just update their own site with these images and info? They make me sick with that.

 

I hope Hasbro makes some non-show Giant planet TFs... I like the big 'cons that just smash stuff. Menasor will be sitting on the shelf right next to Tidalwave... where they can eat my basic/scout class TFs

 

I smell a petrorabbit.

 

Did you ever notice, that aside from a few cancelled auctions on eBay...nothing's come of this? No crackdowns, etc?

Here's the thing that really gets me, if Hasbro was truly serious about this issue, and really wanted to press forward on this...they'd get a subpoena to have eBay release the seller and buyer information. They'd ask the buyer to give them the item back (because it's "stolen" according to them) and forget this ever happened (because let's face it, who really wants to incarcerate a collector? Seriously...) and go after the seller for receiving and selling stolen property. Who would then cough up his inside contact.

Sometimes, a company that size doesn't care about the money, they'll do what they need for peace of mind.

I know I would. I'd definitely press for this info.

This so very much makes me believe that Hasbro to some extent has their hand in it. (Like I said, could be wrong.)

That leads me to this... *IF* Hasbro does have a part in this, for whatever reason they deem necessary, couldn't they get in trouble?

Yes, it's their own item and they're legally allowed to sell it.
However, they're claiming it's stolen on print and verbally, and those that buy and sell them are thieves in simple terms. So...if they had a hand in it, couldn't it be considered a fraudulent thing of some sort, or less than on the up and up? Couldn't it be considered libel and defamation of character?

"Nah, they're not involved. They hate it when the KO makers reverse engineer their figures and copy them. They wouldn't take the risk of a market test." One might say... Problem with that is, we have proof that they do actually use these as samples for sales and such and through that, the people most likely could copy them. Still, knowing this...they continue with such acts. I'd have changed my system after the first instance of copying. Immediately.

I know I'm grasping at straws and digging in what's probably a pointless thing, but it's definitely sitting in the back of my mind and gnawing.

 

Well, I have noticed that a lot less test shots show up on eBay these days. One year ago we'd have 500 test shots for each toy in twenty different colors up for auction, so there's certainly a noticeable change. How many eBay sellers even still deal with test shots? I've even heard stories that sellers had more difficulties getting their hands on test shots these days.

http://www.tformers.com/article.php?sid=5044

Hasbro never claimed this. Their wording was always something along the lines of "acquired by unauthorized means". The only ones who insisted that these things were without a doubt stolen and the sellers themselves are thieves were the self-appointed Hasbro Moral Police, who would go on insisting that everytime someone dares even LOOKING at a photo of a test shot, Hasbro would be a step closer to bankruptcy.

Show me one public statement by an official Hasbro spokesperson that would qualify for defamation of character. Hasbro always said that dealing with these things was not authorized by them. That way, they can't be held liable if something bad happened because the test shots did not pass quality control.

The only thing Hasbro could change to prevent bootlegs would be not releasing toys anymore. Sad but true.

 

Nevermore, thank you for that. I do appreciate it. I stand corrected, and there's good points there.

Well then, I guess this will surely continue and if TFAuctions has Hasbro's approval...it's a real nice slap in the face.

 

Besides, its sponsored by Hasbro UK, and those guys... well lets just say that if they had a clue, they might be dangerous.

ACTION MAN FOREVER! WHOOOOO!

 

Don't you all think this could be a marketing ploy? It's like... free samples at the supermarket. They hope you'll like it enough to buy the whole thing, and maybe gradually give you more of a sample each time. So, they show you a test shot to get you salivating, and then maybe a painted proto just to make sure you'll buy it.

 

at best (and this is loosely) he has a breastmaster gimmick, with the minicon riding as a pilot for the external mecha (would have been great if that were the real gimmick for giant planet, large exo suits for minicons, would have a reason to bring back the overload mold too, sort of...). I just think in general it would be cooler if the bot mode required the minicon but whatever

 

I got this when I clicked the link.