Universe Basic Assortment wave 1 was released in August 2005, exclusive to Family Dollar and Ocean State Job Lot (possibly also Dollar General).
The wave consisted of: Energon Perceptor (Mini-Con Team), Arcee, Windrazor, Insecticon, Strong Arm (actually the colors of the “Energon Strongarm” repaint, but called simply “Strong Arm” in two words) and Doom-Lock.
Assortment number was 81132, which is the same as on these toys. Which makes it more than likely that these figures will be available from the same stores again.
There was also a Universe Deluxe assortment featuring Energon Sharkticon, Storm Jet, Barricade and Steamhammer. Those were available from Big Lots and Tuesday Morning stores.
Its widely assumed that these toys are factory overstock from the Energon line that have never been packaged and are now simply released on “Universe” cards. The first wave of the Basic repackages sold for about $5.00 per toy.
Thanks to Bendimus Prime, Nevermore and FC Toys for the news.
Autobus Prime
Funko:
Let me introduce you to 'Ghetto Retail Trades'.
There's two kinds of 'dollar stores'.
1. The kind that has scary cheap horrible stuff that all costs a dollar: Dollar Tree, Dollar Factory, Strictly a Dollar, etc. These were a big fad for a few years but have now retrenched somewhat.
2. The kind like Family Dollar and Dollar General that is like the old '5 and 10 cent store' where not everything cost five or ten cents. They have cheapish but still decent merchandise, frequently augmented by semi-clearance stuff like this.
Yeah, it's wrong and evil. I should return Doom-Lock, Windrazor, and my dozen or so $2 Universe Spychangers that were only $2 off as well. The fact is, they sell well at these stores, so we're seeing more,
and they're still decent toys for 30% off. As a frequent DolGenCorp shopper I can attest to their salability. They've restocked the first wave of repacked basics several times, and the fact is I NEVER saw Windrazor at regular retail.
And yes, these may well be new runs, for those who groused about new runs of old stuff. But you've got to make the tooling pay for itself somehow.
Foster
There's lots of stuff in dollar stores that is not exactly a dollar. It's still a good price for those that missed these.
funkatron101
Kind of goes against the appeal of the DOLLAR store, doesn't it?
Unless I am mistaken, I thought those kind of stores offered everything for a buck. $5 is hardly a bargain for a repackaged shelf warmer.
Automorpher
Ahh..I see the light now. Thanks for the additional info, fosterlager. For a moment, I thought that the pieces WERE taken out FORCEFULLY from Energon packaging & then transferred onto Universe packaging. THAT would've hurt! *ouch!*
Foster
These haven't been torn out of Energon packaging and then put onto Universe cards. The old Energon stuff was indeed clearanced out by the retailers. These were made by the same factory but put on different packaging, and in north america, will be released at non-major retailers.
(And debating profit/loss on Hasbro product among outsiders on the internet amounts to nothing. None of us has any solid info, so the discussion goes nowhere. But if you really want to know, go to a con and ask someone who would know!)
Automorpher
1) Isn't NEW REpackaging "Add On" cost(s)??
2) These WILL be put up at clearance prices AFTER repackaging process??
Wow!! I really don't know how Hasbro's gonna justify all these charges..Obviously, you have TONS of these items that ain't selling off fast enough, you try to put in more $$$ to do a REPACKAGE only to have them up for CLEARANCE prices next?? Mm..Does this contribute to their financial losses?
KA
sumbitch, that was YOU?!!!
Foster
At these dollar stores, it will be either real Transformers or cheap KOs. I'd rather the real thing were available. I remember teasing the kids from poor families when they wanted to play TFs with us when they had KOs and we had the real thing.
Don't look at me like that! I was nine!
Nevermore
Five bucks per a basics at a non-mass retail store is similar to clearance, no?
Automorpher
Please put up with what I'm gonna say as these opinions are just my thoughts for two cents worth: IF these are INDEED leftovers, Hasbro probably can either..
1) Melt/recycle them for NEW figures
2) LEARNT not to over produce for what they can't stomach
You want to lose these figures, you don't REPACKAGED & RELAUNCH them AGAIN! (certainly NOT very cost effective in that manner) Putting them up at CLEARANCE prices would be a better alternative, isn't that so?
Moreover by doing this now, it simply gives me the SAME old feeling which I had after collecting Star Wars for a while (yup, had me hooked for almost 5-7 years before I decide to drop 'em all) & I hate that feeling.
Nevertheless, I'm certainly sticking to my "DO WITHOUT" list for these items. Still, good luck to all those whom are keen in collecting 'em!
Nevermore
5 bucks per Basic.
funkatron101
So if they are at the Dollar Store, then they are only a buck? Can't complain about that.
Crossblades
But it's leftover stock from the Hasbro warehouse. They have to get rid of them somehow
Automorpher
EXACTLY!! I would rather see NEW items taking up shelf space than REPAINTS & REPAINTS &..Wait a minute, these AIN't REPAINTS so wrong choice of word. Mm..I'll phrase it again: I would rather see NEW items taking up shelf space than REPAINTS & REPACKAGED bots.
PLEASE Hasbro & Takatom, NEW figures!!!
KA
NM,
that may be true for the US, but these do pop up at major retail here, at least as far as malaysia is concern (we're neighbours with singapore). so yeah, these guys do take up some display space from current stuff.
(still, it is the tail-end of cybertron, prolly just filling in til classics comes out.)
Nevermore
Uhm, why do you complain? No-one forces you to buy them. Especially since you won't see them at the larger chains such as TRU or Wal*Mart.
Automorpher
Greaaaat!!! It's coming TRUE afterall..!!! George Lucas syndrome's FINALLY cutting deep into TFs!!! (Yawn!) We'll soon see the SAME figure(s) being REPACKAGED over & over & over AGAIN so YAY!!!
TSFC
I'm all for these. I'd like to have back ups of the rarer combiner limbs just in case. Especially the Combaticons.
Thundershot
Actually, I didn't see the Energon Saber, but no, there were no others.
Crossblades
Cool. It never hurts to expand my TFU shelf
I already own a Signal Flare, but I need a Wideload, Terradive, and Energon Saber