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Posted

A) honestly you're dumb to pay a 200% mark up at a currently at retail item.

B) I have a feeling Soundwave will be easy to find.. Kids like jets, and big rigs.

Not too many kids into cassette players.

C) Hasbro MP's are always garbage, loose after a few poses, and just poor paint apps.

After having the MP-10 molds and MP-11 in hand, it's night and day.

If people are paying 300$ for a Hasbro MP that retails for 99$

Then I have lost all hope for humanity.

Posted

A) honestly you're dumb to pay a 200% mark up at a currently at retail item.

eh, depends on the thing.

B) I have a feeling Soundwave will be easy to find.. Kids like jets, and big rigs.

Not too many kids into cassette players.

like kids constitute any percentage of Masterpiece sales.

C) Hasbro MP's are always garbage, loose after a few poses, and just poor paint apps.

After having the MP-10 molds and MP-11 in hand, it's night and day.

If people are paying 300$ for a Hasbro MP that retails for 99$

Then I have lost all hope for humanity.

MP Soundwave is $120 retail, not $99.

Posted

Based on how "surprisingly not cost-cutting"* this release is, my vote is for Hasbro simply "forgetting" to paint those parts. Which is actually worse than intentionally saving money.

*yes that's atrocious grammar, but I can't really think of a better way to get the emphasis across

Posted

MSRP is actually 99$, TRU retail price is 120$

And according to Hasbro, all Transformers are made for 5-10 year olds.

And seriously panic buying something at a 200% mark up before its even had a chance to hit shelves or even e-tailers is just dumb.

I'm guessing those buyers aren't financial planners.

Posted (edited)

Acid storm should be in stock next week.

Skull - I hear what you're saying, but I think you underestimate the power of Transformers popularity, especially fan favorites like Soundwave. Every kid in the 80's either had or wanted this guy, so it's a big deal. It far eclipses any sales of Macross items, that's for sure.

Hasbro releases generally are cheaper than Takara releases, I will agree with that. I know my MP-10 from Hasbro had much looser feet and arms than the Takara I picked up. The only one that I would prefer over Takara, paint wise, is MP-08 Grimlock. The Hasbro version actually looks better in my mind.

Anyway, the cycle of these things is pretty crazy. It's pretty hard to get one at retail unless you're johnny on the spot. Compared to the number of people who really want one, the amount of savvy people who can get them at MSRP is in the minority. It's a lot to pay for a figure that is just out at retail, but some people don't have the time to check Toys R Us every day or stay up late waiting for an online order to pop-up for 20 min. It's not really for kids. Kids buy the cheap transformers that they have in Target every day. These are for older collectors generally.

I think a lot of the problem is that Hasbro doesn't even understand their own market. They price these things too low and it creates too much of an opportunity to flip them. They want to price it so that Dad might buy little Johnny the expensive soundwave, but that's not really the case. They need to realize it's for an adult market and up the quality control and detailing and charge more. If they charge more it's not as easy for scalpers to buy up all the stock, and the flip value is compromised. I think this release should be at least $175 out of the box.

Edited by Gakken85
Posted

I noticed the TRU website was updated to show that Soundwave is not available in stores. Is this because some went out and then sold out or is this because none have been shipped to stores yet?

Posted

None have been shipped to stores.

The 1000 or so that were up last week were kind of a special promotion to coincide with SDCC.

The "real" release won't be until August. I'm thinking mid to the end of next week you might see some in stores or online.

Who knows if their will be a price increase or the quantity.

Posted (edited)

Looks like some have shown up in Cali.

I bet they got into the trucks early and just started selling them.

My local store said they wouldn't have any until the 2nd.

So ebay will be flooded with soundwave listings from california! haha

Edited by Gakken85
Posted

I think a lot of the problem is that Hasbro doesn't even understand their own market. They price these things too low and it creates too much of an opportunity to flip them. They want to price it so that Dad might buy little Johnny the expensive soundwave, but that's not really the case. They need to realize it's for an adult market and up the quality control and detailing and charge more. If they charge more it's not as easy for scalpers to buy up all the stock, and the flip value is compromised. I think this release should be at least $175 out of the box.

It's not that hasbro doesn't understand their market, it's that Hasbro understands retailers better than the average collector. Sure they could have released this for $150~$200 and quadrupled the number produced to destroy any opportunity for scalpers, but then TRU and every other retailer would have looked at it and said, "thanks, but no thanks" and left Hasbro with no reasonable means of distribution.

Posted (edited)

It's not that hasbro doesn't understand their market, it's that Hasbro understands retailers better than the average collector. Sure they could have released this for $150~$200 and quadrupled the number produced to destroy any opportunity for scalpers, but then TRU and every other retailer would have looked at it and said, "thanks, but no thanks" and left Hasbro with no reasonable means of distribution.

I think just raising the price is enough... I see no reason why they would deny Hasbro distribution. They already sell so much of their stuff. They aren't going to turn away a few extra boxes. The stores stock price wouldn't change, they could just charge more and make more.

If it's $200 a pop scalpers wouldn't be able to make any money. I doubt anybody would pay over $300 bucks. You factor in $30 bucks for fees and $15-20 for shipping there isn't enough meat on the bone. Less would be scalped, more would be in stores, and more people who want them would get them.

Hasbro and TRU need to wake up and realize that the Adult toy collecting market is a thing, and if they don't cater to it they're going to just be moving money into smarter peoples hands. $120-140 bucks is not the market value for these toys! It's nice to get it but it's not what the market is demanding.

Edited by Gakken85
Posted

HAI GUYZ!

Went bogo today at lunch...

sw-as-bogo-tru.JPG

Wasn't really planning on getting AS, but the BOGO-deal was a bit too nice to pass up.

:D

I can taste my jealousy.

Posted

HAI GUYZ!

Went bogo today at lunch...

sw-as-bogo-tru.JPG

Wasn't really planning on getting AS, but the BOGO-deal was a bit too nice to pass up.

:D

Which one? The TRU's on the peninsil still dont have em. :(

Posted

$120-140 bucks is not the market value for these toys! It's nice to get it but it's not what the market is demanding.

MSRP should be considered market value. What the market is demanding is more supply. Pricing themselves into hardcore collector territory will only alienate many consumers.

Posted

It was treatment that got them... I'm still hunting. Bogo: buy one get one (free, or at some discount depending on the sale)

Posted

It was treatment that got them... I'm still hunting. Bogo: buy one get one (free, or at some discount depending on the sale)

oh oops,

Congrats Treatment! :D

Sorry Jenius :(

Thanks for the info and hope you score one too.

Posted

That's the best-packed one of all. Seriously. You should see the condition most people's are showing up in. Definitely much better than my MP-10 Prime came in from them.

Posted

With the way things are looking I'll have to just buy the takara variant cause this will be sold out every time I go to TRU.

Posted

My box is mint. I saw some horror stories over on the TF forum. Smashed boxes.

I guess mine was on top of the pallet or something.

Posted

piccies...

DSC_7228_NEF.jpg DSC_7232_NEF.jpg DSC_7235_NEF.jpg

DSC_7240_NEF.jpg DSC_7242_NEF.jpg DSC_7255_NEF.jpg

DSC_7249_NEF.jpg DSC_7248_NEF.jpg

Personally won't have time to play or muck around with him until the weekend, so I'm not unsealing him from his plastic just yet.

Regardless, Go Team Venture Soundwave!

:D

Posted

IDK about you guys... but I would have somebodies ass for this:

The Elusive Hasbro Masterpiece Acid Storm.. CARDBOARD DISGUISE VARIANT!

DSC08653_zps079888cb.jpg

DSC08654_zpsabf3ed71.jpg

DSC08655_zps4ee2fa4f.jpg

Posted

Yeah guy posted it on the formers forum.

Oh, it has to be in their warehouse in Ohio. USPS wouldn't take the time to stuff it full of cardboard.

Posted

ooooh sshhhiiiiiiiiii, hope my soundwave isn't cardboard. Reminds me way back when my dad bought an SNES game for me, and when I opened it up...it was a small paperback book...

Posted

It's people returning them, I used to yell at the Manager when I worked at TRU (so long ago) for all the wrong crap that got returned with wrong figures, or padded with junk. People learned you can use clear 3M tape and it looks sealed. customer service doesn't have a clue either.

Anyway, If I see one at the store, I might buy it.

A lot of the Hasbro Stuff I've bought recently has all been crap.

Generations Springer - legs wont stay together for Heli mode.

Generations Sand Storm - head is so lose it won't look up, stress marks before It was even removed from the box.

Prime Sharkticon Megatron - Floppy mess of crap, he can't stand up or hold a gun, right out of the damn box.

So unless I see people saying wow, SW and AS are just as good as the takara versions, I could pass and not give a crap.

I've got Prowl, Silverstreak, and Smokescreen on PO on HLJ, as far as I'm concerned I'm caught up on good TF's.

Posted

This could be how so many "loose" MPs are showing up in China and Asia.

Maybe they are lifting them in the factories.

Would make more sense.

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