No it was up past 500 then after it didn't get backed the tracker started coming down... dunno to whether it was orders being canceled or whatnot, but the number went backwards after it reached the deadline

 

It is simply not possible that so many people cancelled after the conclusion (and evidence shows that the number didn't drop until then). This is a Hasbro website thing, somehow, but it strikes me as bizarre. Surely if Hasbro's going to continue to have the failed HasLab posted alongside the successfully completed one, and if they're going to show the percentage funded, it's not in their best interests to make Cookie Monster look like it failed even worse than it did!

I'm thinking "glitch," most likely, but it really should get fixed in favor of accurate numbers.

 

Unicron down to 1500 backers?

 

it's a display glitch - it looks like they tried to add the 1500 affiliate orders, and somehow wiped out the 3100+ original backers, haha!  

however, the bar graph seems to still take it into account (notice it's past the halfway mark on Unicron's page) - here's what the number & graph look like on the main HasLab page vs Unicron's actual page:

 

Yeah, I just came back here to mention the graph. Good catcj.

 

Definitely a glitch, although I disagree that attempting to add those affiliates has anything to do with it.

 

Just ordered the floating head Unicron shirt. If he doesn't get funded, at least I will have a souvenir of the Great Mis-Managed Marketing Debacle of the Unicron Crowdfund.  

 

Just a Reminder Tomorrow is supposed to be the last day You can Pre-order Selects Turtler and Gulf through Pulse (edit also MP Lio Convoy). Those who want a order in through pulse and haven't done it yet, I suggest you get it in before they close them just like star convoy and Smokescreen.

Takara Tomy Transformers Generations Selects Gulf – Hasbro Pulse

Takara Tomy Transformers Generations Selects Turtler – Hasbro Pulse

Takara Tomy Transformers Masterpiece MP-48 Lioconvoy – Hasbro Pulse

 

Why is it a debacle?

 

what's your theory then?

 

It's evolving more to reflect the consensus all the time, as more information is brought to light (the correspondence between the graph and the numbers added together, for example, wasn't yet in place when I first left that comment on a different thread).

Mostly, I just think people are too quick to jump to a conclusion that matches some of the facts, but may not reflect all of them.

I still don't have an explanation, for example, of why the Cookie Monster count went haywire just after that project's time ran out. To have that happen with this right on its heels strikes me as likely not coincidental.

So, long story short, I have no competing theory at present, nor do I think I am required to have one to challenge others not to jump to conclusions. But, yes, I'm more and more inclined to agree with the idea of "HasLab + Affiliates + Entered Manually = Unicron Glitch" all the time.

 

regardless, both glitches appear to be fixed now.

so Unicron's total # really did jump up by 1500 - so either it's the 1500 orders from affiliates that Hasbro previousy mentioned (Occam's razor would point to this), or some other large retailer just put in a direct order for 1500 units. either way, it's progress towards the final goal... =)

(Cookie Monsters glitched numbers actually started last night, and continued to change today - so it's entirely possible that it's not directly related to Unicron's glitch, other than the fact that the coding for their website sux, haha!)

 

Their marketing for this has been abysmal at best. If not for this site, I never even had known about the crowdfund.

 

Wow. Lol. If you don’t know about it, clearly it’s not important or it’s a ‘fail.’ Ha. Yeah.

Plenty of big sites that never (or rarely) cover TFs covered this. It got lots of YouTube coverage. Hasbro has regularly been putting out new content marketing this.

I mean, it didn’t show up on Fisherman’s Weekly or Needlepoint Monthly but it got covered by lots of pop culture sites.

 

I don't feel their marketing failed in this project. I feel their timing failed this project. You announced 3 days before SDCC. You only gave like a month to come up with $600. Right after announcing like 12 siege exclusives, MP 44 Prime v3.0 comes out like less than a month later, announced MP Leo Convoy with limited pre-order window. You aren't offering a payment plan which 3 $200 payments, or 6 $100 payments could have lured in fans who feel this is out of their price range. You waited 2 weeks into the funding before allowing e-tailer stores like robotkingdom, tf express, bbts, tfsource, etc to get involved cutting the international window by a 1/3. If you ask me, that is going to be why the project fails. If this had been announced at ToyFair and had the same window for funding, I think would have hit their mark. Now, I say they end 2000 short.

 

I strongly disagree. This had to be unveiled at SDCC because of the foot traffic that the convention receives. It's estimated that 130,000 people attend SDCC. This is a type of project that needs to be seen in person to really grasp how big, detailed and inspiring the figure is.

I also don't think a campaign like this should run for more than 45 days because of several reasons. 1. No one can keep heavily marketing the same product into the fandom for months. You'll burnout your fans and get them to resent you. 2. If you keep the campaign running for 60 or 90 days, you'll really look like a loser if you can't get the funding for it. It hurts more to your reputation. 3. Fans want to know if it'll get funded or not, they don't want to wait 60 or 90+ days for this to be resolved. 4. If you drag it out, people will keep putting off backing it and then eventually forget about the campaign and not back it at all.

It's best to just give it your best shot all at once. One big marketing push and give it 30-45 days. Get as many eyeballs to see your pitch and then cross your fingers you get enough backers. Long campaigns only serve the purpose of making you look bad if it fails or just stringing people along until the campaign is forgotten.

I get the argument about this costing a lot and fans wanting to get other exclusives but when is this not a problem? Fans will always be looking to get exclusives and will always have budgeting considerations. The only time it would really have been bad to push this would be in Oct/Nov/Dec when folks are super strapped for cash because they are buying gifts.

Hasbro had to put this up for display at SDCC and then launch the campaign. There is no other event they'd get as many casual and hardcore fans to see it in person.

 

I wasn't saying not to display it at SDCC. I was saying let fans know it was coming at toyfair. Give a hint. Say there is a big crowdfunding project coming near SDCC and the prototype will be on display there. And still do the crowdfunding the same time frame. Toyfair was what? 4 months before SDCC. I think they could have got fans to withhold enough in 4 months to back it who normally wouldn't like now. I have the cash, I just won't justify spending $600. The most I ever spent on a single figure was $160. Thats for Omega. I just don't see him making it to Ollies or discount shops. $600 is more than my mortgage. A payment plan I'd have considered it. I did payment options for the TFCC subscription sets. But I feel bad for collector buddies who really want it and have spent all their money on all the siege lines and had no way of knowing this was coming. They said had they known they'd have not ordered Omega and Jetfire. My point was there were better ways to get this actually funded. And the way they did it, I just don't see it hitting the mark.

 

What happens if Unicron doesn't reach 8000?

 

Rodimus detonates the prototype using the matrix as “You’ve got the Touch!” blares in the background!

 

Decided to pass on these. I want to, but I just can't do it.

And the preorder on Smokescreen being closed sucks. I was hoping to grab him close to release. Hopefully, they make him available after his release date.