WTF @ TFW - 186 - February 9 2012

Discussion in 'WTF @ TFW Transformers Podcast' started by Vangelus, Feb 12, 2012.

  1. Hursticon

    Hursticon Emissary of OZformers.

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    @dbbdp: Mate, you should really take a look at the situation we Aussies have had for the past 15 Years - You really have no idea.

    Those in the US having a song and dance about missing out on 2-5 figures in a line really need to have a look at what others in the world have to deal with as a normality:
    1. No Promotion - causing...
    2. Poor Distribution - combining with...
    3. Major Retail Profiteering - resulting in...
    4. Double U.S. Pricing - Missing Multiple Entire Waves ending in Stagnating/Shelf-Warming on a National Scale.

    We in Australia have just had to put up with it and have flocked to online resources, as in almost every instance it is far more cost effective to purchase a figure internationally and have it shipped directly to us because that's the only way we we'll ever get a lot of figures and still end up saving a good amount of money.

    The problem is a combination of Retailer and Distributor; be thankful you even saw the FE figures, we have been told by Hasbro AU we'll never receive them and that we wont get TF: Prime mainline figures until late March at which point we'll be paying (Current Exchange Rate = $1AU = $1.07USD):
    • $12USD for Cyberverse Legions
    • $17USD for Cyberverse Commanders
    • $30USD for Deluxes
    • $56USD for Voyagers
    • $89USD for Leaders
    • $120USD for anything larger

    Our retailers have been bitterly burnt by horribly shelf-warming DOTM figures at every size level, to the point we only saw a staggered release of Wave 3 and only 1 chain receive minimal stock of Wave 4 figures, so we are very likely to to see a similar response with Prime and even the possibility of not getting Generations figures (Though this less likely to occur).

    For those interested on the TF release history of Australia, check here, when you guys have to deal with this sort of thing then you'll have a reason to complain, however AU & Euro areas will continue to be a little more adult about it in the mean time.
     
  2. Vangelus

    Vangelus Long Live the New Flesh Moderator Content Contributor

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    I'm really uninterested in continuing this conversation from my end if you're going to mischaracterize us as footshuffling and sheepish to try and make your point look stronger.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2012
  3. jordy

    jordy Banned

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    Thank you hursticon! See guys I have said this many times over on other threads, while others whine and bitch about missing a few figures us in Australia he jack shit at all. Hell while you guys get all those new figures we get jack shit all, we are still flooded with old very old DOTM figures hell we never got the target special release, we missed out on some PCC figures we didn't get the last wave of human alliance figures, hell we didn't get the toys. Us special release animated figures, and we haven't received the last generations figures hell we didn't even get ratchet! So please every one who is bitching about FE prime figures think about us in Australia who get barely anything from hasbro.

    Hey hursticon I forgot what was our last released figure? Wasn't it like 60 to 80 days ago?
     
  4. Orodruin

    Orodruin @deathformer TFW2005 Supporter

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    This one is for TJ.

    [​IMG]

    :D 
     
  5. Wingnut

    Wingnut Stayin' Alive!

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    Good news on the Botcon 2011 voice presentation. Not having gone I hope it's going to be released. I'm a big fan of Ernie Hudson too so that's double-cool for me.
     
  6. Mechafire

    Mechafire Shadow Broker Moderator News Staff

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    I'm always serious. Super serious, even.

    But in this case, I wasn't.
     
  7. Sludge

    Sludge Well-Known Member

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    LMAO!!
     
  8. dbbdp

    dbbdp New Member

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    I'm sorry you feel that way. I just thought it was disappointing that you guys had such a weak stance. What I've been seeing has been happening with a number of their brands. Top tier brands at that. So you can't pass all the blame to the retailers (who are not a single-minded entity either) when Hasbro's management could be better too.

    I'm well aware of situation in Europe, and it's a shame those markets are treated like a red-headed stepchild. That's why I think all territories should be better utilizing online retailers and their own site. Customers shouldn't have to always resort to the secondary market. If you're fine paying $60-$100 plus shipping for $12-$20 toys, that's great. I'm not!

    Hope you guys at least had fun trashing me on Twitter!
     
  9. Ceerad

    Ceerad Well-Known Member

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    Perfect!
     
  10. GogDog

    GogDog Logic's wayward son Veteran

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    Ah, more hyperbole.

    Glad you enjoy the show, though! Hope you keep listening.

    Baaaaah.
     
  11. KnightHawkke

    KnightHawkke Flynn Lives

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    Funny part is, that actually looks pretty good, :lol  (Never had many g1 combiners so never got to see them all mixed around)
     
  12. excelhedge

    excelhedge Overseer of Weird

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    So Vangelus Now that your Herc is complete How much longer till you do some Video Reviews on Him???
     
  13. Chykin

    Chykin Well-Known Member

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    Thank you so much, Hursticon. I do not live in Australia, but I do live in a place that suffers as much from this. Costa Rica never gets beyond wave 2 or 3 of a line. If it gets that line. And I still have to pay double. Also, shelfwarmers behave similarly here as the States, with one difference: whereas collectors in the States complain about a toy sticking around for months, toys can shelfwarm for YEARS here. One shelf of my WalMart consists of ROTF movie replicas with Movie 1 Robot replicas stacked behind them. It still has the jigsaw puzzle that came with a Robot Heroes Prime. This is why I get so fired up hearing Vangelus complain about missing waves. I miss LINES. I had to pay $27 for my Generations Wheeljack. Among international markets, Canada rides it easy. I'm probably not even going to get PRID. TF Prime just premiered on CN here. The next Line coming will probably be TF4. I refuse to hear Americans complain until they've lived here a few years.
     
  14. GogDog

    GogDog Logic's wayward son Veteran

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    And a kid in the Congo would roll his eyes at the Austrailians.
     
  15. MechanovaKing

    MechanovaKing Well-Known Member

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    Vangelus mentioned that someone is making fore-arm extensions for TFC Hercules?

    I tried searching for it but can't find it.

    Anyone have any pictures?
     
  16. Vangelus

    Vangelus Long Live the New Flesh Moderator Content Contributor

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    I will always defer to Europe and other continents as being far worse-off for collecting toys locally than Canada.

    Ever since that time I went to Germany, and found exactly one Transformer in the entire country while staying there for nearly a month.

    It was this guy.

    He was like 90 euro.
     
  17. GogDog

    GogDog Logic's wayward son Veteran

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    I don't think that I, as an American, have to add an asterisk every time I have a complaint or am disappointed in something like this to say "But I know it's not as bad as the Europeans or Australians have it."

    I've never doubted it, I'll never try to say that somehow my petty first world issues are worse than someone else's petty issues. At the same time, it's not all that healthy to turn every complaint someone in America has as some kind of "my problems are worse than yours" pissing contest. Did I want something and it turned out harder to get than was anticipated? Sure did. Guess what? I'm allowed to be disappointed in it. And I'm going to express it. Is it the end of the world? Nope! I'll say my piece and boom, it's over. But like I said before, someone always has it worse. There's probably some kid in Africa or something who can't even get TF toys locally at all and has an awesome parent who imports them. They'd LOVE to live in Australia just to even have the chance to see them in stores.

    Cheap toys in America means cheap toys for anywhere if you have friends. I send toys to friends in other countries all the time. I don't see how not getting them in America benefits anyone. (Not claiming anyone here said that, just making the point.)

    But yeah, I'm super sad not everyone has what I have local access to. I'll never try to understate that issue. But saying no one has a right to express any complaints because they live in America? That's a tad overboard. There's always going to be people that have it better off and worse off than you do.
     
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2012
  18. Cybermnky

    Cybermnky Well-Known Member

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  19. Aaron

    Aaron Master of Crystalocution Moderator Content Contributor

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    I don't see what there is to have a hard stance on, and even then what good it would do. Yes, the last waves often get a limited release, or no release at all. That sucks. Foreign peeps have even more of a bummer situation in trying to get any toys. That sucks. There is no tower high enough that we could stand on to yell at Hasbro, or retailers, or fans, or anyone to get anything done about it. The best we can do is explain the situation with what knowledge we have and hope that everyone that downloads our free talky program either learn something or get a laugh out of it.
     
  20. I AM MEGATRON

    I AM MEGATRON pleasure model

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    Ha..I used to live in Miami, now I dont live in the US at all...TF's are basically nonexistent locally...so my only options are really only BBTS, evilbay, or any other online store..along with their online store prices...

    But I knew that would happen in any case..so prepared for it by using a re-shipping service..

    It sucks..but really there's nothing to complain about...If I dont have to complain living outside the US..people in the US have the same option to complain...