Why the R.E.D action figures are the worst thing to happen to transformers since energon.

Discussion in 'Transformers Toy Discussion' started by Too qik, Sep 24, 2021.

  1. artiepants

    artiepants Transformers '84!!!

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    Yep, I can see the appeal of the line in theory (although making it a Walmart exclusive thing seems to cut down on your “rando potential”) but the soft sculpting and no scale feels like a huge miss to me, when theoretically you have mainline figures that look better for about the same money sitting next door.
     
  2. Seanprime

    Seanprime Well-Known Member

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    I’m never of fan of going out of my way to say how something is the worst thing ever or hating something. But hey you’re choice to make a whole post about it. But at the end it comes across as immature talking about the person behind it making a public apology and so on. You sound personally offended by a line of toys which is a little weird to me if that’s the case. Sounded like you wanted to recruit people to your R.E.D hate party
     
  3. 2fabdad

    2fabdad Well-Known Member

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    Correct. Drop Red and put the time and money into the Main lines. More product with less QC
     
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  4. PlanckEpoch

    PlanckEpoch Red and black red and black

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    I think Hasbro does amazing work at the 6" size factor. Marvel Legends and especially GI Joe Classified.

    From everything I've seen though, RED isn't their best work. Conceptually, I like it. Unlike SOMEONE in this thread, I'm intellectually and emotionally mature to accept that this isn't for me and even a flawed product without having to resort to being a mewling fanbaby.

    Anyways. Figures with gummy limbs, accessories lacking paint when they desperately need them(Looking at you, Arcee blade effects) and articulation issues just turn me off. Oh, and Arcee shipped with single hinged elbow joints. Irritating that the one thing Hasbro continues to fuck up female figures with.
     
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  5. iacon45

    iacon45 Missing: One Custom Title

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    Oh definitely! I wouldn't mind seeing one or two in the line as well like Dr. Acheville and Old Snake. A friend of mine would also like to see Circuit Breaker and the Neo Knights but because of Marvel, they might have a better chance under the ML banner. Also someone mentioned a few posts ago Botanica and Rung. Those would be great additions to R.E.D. as well.
     
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  6. Venixion

    Venixion Its always the middle of the night in Moonside

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    Why do we want less Quality Control?
     
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  7. AutobotJazz1

    AutobotJazz1 Well-Known Member

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    When I was in Walmart I saw a whole entire shelf filled with Red figures. In my opinion I think the lines somewhat of of failure based on seeing that alone.
     
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  8. iacon45

    iacon45 Missing: One Custom Title

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    Four days ago, my Wal-Mart got in 3 cases of R.E.D. wave 3 figures with King Starscream and BB. Their primary section on the pegs are full and the rest are on the top shelf. Checked today and it looks like they are all still there untouched. If it was wave 4, I would have at least picked up a Reformatting Megatron. But I can see these going on rollback or clearance before long.
     
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  9. AutobotJazz1

    AutobotJazz1 Well-Known Member

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    That's a damn shame. Now why the fuck can't regular figures be filling the shelves like that?
     
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  10. fschuler

    fschuler Post Count Inflated With Hot Air TFW2005 Supporter

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    I mean, right off the bat, they have a bunch of character choices from G1 alone. Throw in everything that’s come out since and there’s enough to fill out this line for at least a couple or few years, depending on how quickly they want to release them. I have to believe the market for Spike and Sparkplug in their brown shirts/blue jeans/yellow hats would be pretty large (relatively speaking). I’d be down for the TFP kids as well. Not to mention some of the Bayverse stuff. And, every time I see a blonde-haired female Marvel figure in a skin tight suit, the first thought to come to mind is “how can I turn her into Circuit Breaker” lol…
     
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  11. iacon45

    iacon45 Missing: One Custom Title

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    Those would be good choices but if they were to release a Spike in Exo-Suit in the R.E.D. line, I would buy it immediately
     
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  12. Racer_J

    Racer_J Permanently logged out . . .

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    Lines like RED exist because there was room and/or need for an additional product line which varies from the core product, not because resources were diverted (they don't take away resources from other lines). If RED didn't exist, those resources wouldn't go into the mainline (which would be whatever will replace "Rescue Bots Academy"/Cyberverse) nor Generations (or any of its sub-lines). If there wasn't room for a supplemental line like RED under the Transformers IP (or another IP had a better pitch), the resources for it would go to another IP's supplementary line.

    This is similar to when die-cast model/vehicle companies put out a sub-line involving crossovers or something unusual. Those die-cast sub-lines don't reduce the product line size of the other lines from that company (e.g. there wouldn't be additional 1:64, 1:24, 1:18 products available in larger nor additional waves) and, those resources wouldn't go to the other existing lines.

    My understanding is that budget increases for toys only happen if that bump will increase the profit margins and if that bump is higher than it would be from a reduction in budget (because that's how P&L works across the board regardless of the industry).


    That's confirmation bias. That can just as easily be a case of having adequate supply vs not having adequate supply and, no one can determine what's going on by just looking at an aisle. Retail isn't always a "Cabbage Patch Kids" nor "Elmo" situation where the empty shelves reflect a hot selling item. An empty shelf can absolutely reflect an item that is selling well but, so can a fully stocked item. It's impossible to genuinely tell the two apart without internal sales numbers which will show the volume as well as dips/raises in the trend line. The high volume and increasing/steady trends of some items that look like they aren't selling would make a lot of people question their own reality. It's possible that RED isn't selling well, all I'm saying is that looking at a shelf/peg can't determine that.


    This is also confirmation bias as a lot can happen in 4 days (as well as 24 hours or less). There are multiple replenishment shipments that happen within that time frame (store transfers to level out inventory are also a possibility though I'm not sure how common that is anymore). It might be the same shipment that you saw 4 days ago and, it might not be. There is no way to tell though without access to internal data. They were definitely selling at one point though if auto-replenishment (or some type of transfer) sent out 3 cases to a single location. For those that don't know, cases sent are based on the OH (on hand) counts vs what the planogram says fits and additional product may be added if there is backroom storage and sales/fulfillment require it (Walmart pushes everything to the floor AFIAK). It's possible that RED isn't selling well, all I'm saying is that looking at a shelf/peg can't determine that.


    Logistics chains were terrible long before 2020 so, even if/when things get back to that point, people will still see stuff like this. Product gets there when it gets there even under the most ideal situation. That has probably been exacerbated by finally being able to set the current planogram because the "new" product (in this case RED) finally arrived. Stores can delay (including setting it after the due date if the vendor/contractor are fine with it) if they don't have the "new" product and it makes more sense (fiscally and product wise) to keep the old planogram. Stores can not delay a planogram if they have the merchandise on hand because, it's both a situation of lost sales (and foot traffic) as well as a breach of contract. All of that is further complicated by Kingdom and SS86 currently including products that are "must-haves" (that are essentially sold-out everywhere) which multitudes of people want and a plethora of people trying to exploit it (I can't call this a false shortage because, the companies involved aren't causing it).

    (Logistics + popularity) - exploitation = the current state of retail (any type of epidemic or pandemic or economic/societal issue amplifies this considerably)


    Exo-suits have to transform. Why are you trying to get G1 Bumblebee and Spike killed?
     
    Last edited: Sep 25, 2021
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  13. WolverineDragon

    WolverineDragon Banned

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    I personally have no love for R.E.D. for the simple fact they do not transform at all, and apparently QC is very questionable with these figures. However, I do not personally think they are the worst thing to happen to this franchise.
     
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  14. Zentropy

    Zentropy Toys > Fiction

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    I find the line completely unappealing, but I just ignore them the same way I ignore TF movie figures, Cyberverse toys, and Barbie dolls. Someone must like them— just not me.

    Not sure I’d compare these to Energon— closer match is Action Masters.
     
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  15. artiepants

    artiepants Transformers '84!!!

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    Yeah, Energon had some absolutely amazing figures outside of the powerlinxing ones.
    (Landmine, quick strike, Starscream, Slugslinger, Mirage, Divebomb just to name a few…)
     
  16. AutobotJazz1

    AutobotJazz1 Well-Known Member

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    @Racer_J it's kinda hard for me to agree with that, especially since I've been to multiple Walmarts, Targets and other toys. Mostly all of them have the same results unfortunately.
     
  17. PlanckEpoch

    PlanckEpoch Red and black red and black

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    Your local area will only ever reflect your own area, and not trends as a whole.

    For instance here in Portland? Walmarts tend to be sold out of everying EXCEPT for Cyberverse stuff. So if I were to make a (bad) claim, then I could say that Cyberverse must be selling poorly because in all of my Walmarts I only ever see that stuff but nothing else, including RED.
     
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  18. AutobotJazz1

    AutobotJazz1 Well-Known Member

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    So maybe shit I'd just selling out fast asf?
     
  19. DanC

    DanC Delightful person

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    In this country, Earthrise Quintessons are clearanced in multiple stores.
     
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  20. fschuler

    fschuler Post Count Inflated With Hot Air TFW2005 Supporter

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    I have never seen one of those on a store shelf!
     
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