Hasbro appreciation thread.

[IrishJedi]

I know the usual excuses (costs of goods rising, USD dollar value in China, yadda yadda) but there is no way anyone can convince me that Hasbro has more than $1 - $2 TOPS invested in each individual figure, including R&D, tooling, production, packaging, distribution, etc.

Yes, even in 2010 $9 for a 3.75" figure is highway robbery.

Star Wars is the license that allows companies to recover their losses from other lines. The profit margin on these things is so padded it's ridiculous.

 

[MaulFan]

The 3 3/4" figures are going for $9 each now? I haven't really bought Hasbro figures in quite some time, 1 or 2 here and there so I never really paid much attention. If that's the cost of one figure, then Jabba's price seems like a bargain.

 

[IrishJedi]

The 3 3/4" figures are going for $9 each now? I haven't really bought Hasbro figures in quite some time, 1 or 2 here and there so I never really paid much attention. If that's the cost of one figure, then Jabba's price seems like a bargain.

Yep... the average price of the standard figures is now in the $7 - $9 range. You can sometimes find them for around $5... on CLEARANCE.

And yes... the price for the Jabba set is pretty fair. Also, considering these 3.75" figure prices the new large AT-AT is almost a steal at 100 bucks.

 

[jedibear]

And add to that the fact that one line is nothing but repacks/reissues (Legends) and the other is repacks, retools and an occasional new figure (CW) and the robbery is even more obvious.

For the last several years, I've found myself picking up just a few "Legacy" figures of background characters or new versions of classic characters.

Guess it might be the same with this "vintage" (still an odd name for this line...since it's not vinatge except for the card design...more like "classic")

It's too bad...the Hasbro team is doing some of their best work they've ever done on some of these figures, but with the price rise, the awful distribution and the bad case assortments weighted towards the same group of figures over and over again, well, it's killing this collector's interest in their stuff and makng me take my limited bucks somewhere else to get my "figure fix"...

 

[IrishJedi]

And add to that the fact that one line is nothing but repacks/reissues (Legends) and the other is repacks, retools and an occasional new figure (CW) and the robbery is even more obvious.

For the last several years, I've found myself picking up just a few "Legacy" figures of background characters or new versions of classic characters.

Guess it might be the same with this "vintage" (still an odd name for this line...since it's not vinatge except for the card design...more like "classic")

It's too bad...the Hasbro team is doing some of their best work they've ever done on some of these figures, but with the price rise, the awful distribution and the bad case assortments weighted towards the same group of figures over and over again, well, it's killing this collector's interest in their stuff and makng me take my limited bucks somewhere else to get my "figure fix"...

All good points. Which is why I'm glad I all but stopped collecting the Hasbro stuff years ago, with a few exceptions (New Millennium Falcon, Vintage figures, McQuarrie figures). I'll get the new AT-AT and try for the new Vintage Collection, but I honestly still have zero interest in anything else.

 

[MaulFan]

For me, at this point, I just don't feel the need to buy up anymore, thanks to all the other licenses that have been covered with Sideshow and Hot Toys, I'm able to enjoy collecting beyond Star Wars, my Hasbro prime was when Star Wars was the only thing out there that I had interest in. I still have all my old figures for nostalgia sake, lots of memories behind a lot of them, but moving forward, it's just not worth it to me anymore, too hard to find everything if you wanted to, getting pricier than I care to spend, and ultimately, I'll never really display the stuff, except like something along the lines of a Jabba's palace display where it ammounts to a diorama more than just little figures on display.

 

[kl241]

Yeah, the price of standard 3.75" figures is insane now.

Not nearly as insane as the price of standard 1:6 figures is now.

 

[icruise]

In what parts of the country are figures $9 now? They're normally about $7.50 at TRU and Target here in Illinois, although both places are doing sales now to get rid of inventory so they're cheaper.

 

[IrishJedi]

All parts of the country. The new figures for 2010-2011 (The Vintage Collection) are showing up from between $8.47 to $9.49 ea so far. I'm sure someone will sell them a little cheaper... but no 3.75" figure produced in the hundreds of thousands or millions in QTY should ever be more than $5 at retail.

 

[jediknight120]

The new figures for 2010-2011 (The Vintage Collection) are showing up from between $8.47 to $9.49 ea so far.

 

[icruise]

So if I'm understanding you correctly, the new VC figures have jumped in price by $1-2 compared to the old ones? That's insane. They were too expensive to begin with.

 

[IrishJedi]

Yeah, they've reportedly gone UP a $1 or so, per figure. I believe the previous waves were $7.49/ea at Toys R Us, which is still crazy.

 

[Amanaman]

I snapped out of the Hasbro spell. With all the good stuff Sideshow is doing with their license, I can't fool myself to spare another dollar for a lesser experience. I always get a deeper sense of satisfaction from my Sideshow purchases. That's what it comes down to. I was throwing my money away out of a misguided sense of duty to the past.

One thing that irks me about Hasbro in general, is the absolute necessity to cherry-pick the best versions of each character. They have nailed some characters in the past, that for some reason they decide to remake, and it turns out much worse than its predecessor. It creates confusion. Good thing we have sites like Rebelscum that dissect each figure and identify what parts are new or recycled. I also don't care for soft goods and muddy paint washes that uglify a good sculpt.

I sold off like 90% of my collection, and I don't miss it. It felt like clutter. I kept a few nostalgic favorites; my few Kenner vintage, the McQuarrie set, and random favorites from each modern line. No more than 30 figures.

 

[Khev]

I'm in Target right now and all the empty Saga pegs say $6.04. So if the vintage figs are a dollar more that won't be too bad.

 

[icruise]

Yeah, but they're only that price because they're clearing them out.

 

[BlueLeader]

And the original Vintage release came in a case as well but the new line doesn't and still costs more money.

 

[kl241]

How much you want to bet Hasbro with offer a solution by selling "vintage" clamshell cases on Hasbro Toy Shop?

 

[Memnoch]

I'll tell you guys, the new Cloud Car is in my possession and it's freaking amazing. Luke is great, and the CCP isn't all that bad either.

But Irish.. if your friend wants to get rid of that Jabba, I'm always buying!

 

[Khev]

I'm thinking it'd be really cool to get Jeremy Bulloch to sign the card for the new VC Rocket Firing Fett. Did they say whether or not they'd be shipped out before August 15th?

 

[BHD2]

Wow, I'd love to get the At At Commander (is it Veers?), Dak and the Cloud Car Pilot, but $9 bucks? Really?!?!? Is it me or should I start using my money to wipe with? Cos I think I'd get better use out of it.