Howard Chan Interview

[Hoody999]

So this interview reminded me of the fact Howard mentioned that Padme is in development. Considering they have moved on since this with Anakin, Obi-Wan & Dooku. Padme can't be too far away.

I really wonder which version they would go for ? Personally I don't think they could resist the Phantom Menace outfit. Would certainly look pretty epic on display. However the white outfit would also look pretty cool. Who knows they'll probably do both.

 

[slikkerias]

So this interview reminded me of the fact Howard mentioned that Padme is in development. Considering they have moved on since this with Anakin, Obi-Wan & Dooku. Padme can't be too far away.

I really wonder which version they would go for ? Personally I don't think they could resist the Phantom Menace outfit. Would certainly look pretty epic on display. However the white outfit would also look pretty cool. Who knows they'll probably do both.

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Sort of hope it won’t be one of the the queen outfits as I’d have to get that... [emoji28]

 

[chemicals]

Thanks for pointing out there is a more recent interview, but what he talks about there is irrelevant to my original point (in fact, he might be proving my point). Of course Solo would sell better than ST stuff because it is connected to the OT and I am not commenting on the profitability of Hasbro in general. What I am stating is that OT & PT sells, ST does not.

Saying TLJ sales were low due to an early release is a 1000 truckloads of horse crap - sales are bad because no one cares. To be fair, he is not going to publicly admit TLJ sales are poor because the movie was a divisive dumpster fire that failed to engage audiences, so he has to make up some other phoney baloney excuse. No CEO is going to belittle a licensee or provide the real reasons a brand is declining to the public.

In regards to his comments on Episode 9, I can't wait to hear the pathetic excuses "We released toys too late!" from Lucasfilm, Disney, Hollywood, and toy makers etc. when that movie fails to make more money than Jumanji 2 at the box office and its merchandise joins TLJ/TFA gathering dust on store shelves.

I would not bet on seeing very many Hot Toys figures from Episode 9 other than Rey, BB8, Luke, Kylo, and a trooper; the same tired releases.

Sorry but it’s not horsecrap, the film received an A+ from cinemascore, just cause people complained online doesn’t make that statement true.

 

[Bossk82]

EU figures will sell WAY BETTER than anything from the ST. ST merch is dead in the water.

 

[Bossk82]

Sorry but it’s not horsecrap, the film received an A+ from cinemascore, just cause people complained online doesn’t make that statement true.

I like how he says that no one cares. You know, because apparently he reflects the entirety of fandom.

 

[a-dev]

 

[Getter Dragon]

I didn't realize Hasbro financial statements were comedy. Sorry to tell you this, but Disney Star Wars has killed the profitability of the brand and poor merchandise sales prove it (as reported by companies such as Hasbro).

 

[chemicals]

I didn't realize Hasbro financial statements were comedy. Sorry to tell you this, but Disney Star Wars has killed the profitability of the brand and poor merchandise sales prove it (as reported by companies such as Hasbro).

Lmao The entire toy industry was down as well. A downtick of 2% isn’t exactly “Disney Star Wars killed the profitability of the brand”

 

[Getter Dragon]

Lmao The entire toy industry was down as well. A downtick of 2% isn’t exactly “Disney Star Wars killed the profitability of the brand”

You have no clue what you are talking about. Marvel toys are way up in sales. Hasbro specifically stated Star Wars sales were lower than expected and since most of the current stock is sequel trilogy crap we can conclude ST merch is a retail failure which is no surprise since the movies are trash.

 

[jkno]

He needs to release the darn OT figures HT showed long ago. OT always sells.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

I enjoyed the ST so far but I agree that SW merchandise sales are down. The trooper designs in SOLO are nice but Hot Toys still haven't released them as the movie didn't do well. I think Hot Toys will be conservative with their E9 releases. If E9 does well, SW releases should be back on track for Hot Toys.

 

[user 67922]

Going back to the original interview and his answer to number 6 (gauging interest), they really should do what Hasbro do with the Black Series. That is doing a fan vote once a year on several slightly more obscure figures, and then making the top 1 or 2. Hot Toys have shockingly poor communication with their target buyers. Do they base everything off people commenting under their facebook posts or what?

 

[Hoody999]

Going back to the original interview and his answer to number 6 (gauging interest), they really should do what Hasbro do with the Black Series. That is doing a fan vote once a year on several slightly more obscure figures, and then making the top 1 or 2. Hot Toys have shockingly poor communication with their target buyers. Do they base everything off people commenting under their facebook posts or what?

You my man have almost the same opinion and thoughts as myself on almost everything Star Wars !

This is exactly what I've posted in the past. It's laughable how little Hot Toys do for market research.

I totally agree. They don't need to put every figure out there for fan vote, but a couple a year could be a real event.

 

[user 67922]

You my man have almost the same opinion and thoughts as myself on almost everything Star Wars !

I’m your Tyler Durden haha

 

[Johnny Utah]

Going back to the original interview and his answer to number 6 (gauging interest), they really should do what Hasbro do with the Black Series. That is doing a fan vote once a year on several slightly more obscure figures, and then making the top 1 or 2. Hot Toys have shockingly poor communication with their target buyers. Do they base everything off people commenting under their facebook posts or what?

They don't give enough of a **** to do that anymore. Their customer service is non existent.

 

[matticus]

I read an interview with the CEO of Hasbro where he said Star Wars toy sales were well below expectations this past holiday season. And what SW toys were filling 99% of store shelves at that time? TLJ. Since Dec, I see TLJ/TFA toys on clearance on a regular basis, but good luck finding anything OT during a toyhunt. I've yet to see a vintage Hasbro Hoth Rebel Trooper in the wild, but pegs and pegs full of Rey, Jyn, Ducktrooper, Snoke, Kylo, etc. I truly believe consumers don't care much for Disney Star Wars.

On the other hand, anything OT sells. The PT (as bad as those movies are), has some very cool Star Wars designs and characters that people love and nostalgia is strong with the PT right now. EU fans are a pretty rabid group and I think they will slurp up any EU merch they see, ESPECIALLY now that the Disney ST is such a massive let down. I am not an EU fan, but I will readily admit that the EU provided OT Sequel storylines and characters that are way better than the hot garbage we got from Darth Kennedy and Johnson.

I'm with you Getter. Agree with your following posts as well. Look at the value of Star Wars. It has went down across the board. I know, because I sold off a bunch of Hasbro and other various SW stuff on Ebay. I am a rabid EU fan, and would love to get Hot Toys, heck even Hasbro to dish out more EU stuff. A small Darth Sion SW miniature from the old SW minis game is going for $130 bucks. Crazy.

Honestly, what in the ST is there so visually appealing to want a figure of? Kylo might be it. Might be. Everything else is plain Jane and nothing interesting comes out of the ST period. I could bore anyone of the unique look and personalities of EU characters. But some people just want to love anything Disney pushes out and try to bully people for reasonable critiques of Disney SW.

 

[CrankbaitJon]

If you live in Hong Kong, Hot Toy's home turf, you can't even order the figures online. You have to go to their stores and physically line up for hours if there are a lot of people. I don't think they would bother doing an online poll when they can't even bother setting up online orders lol.

 

[Cagoda]

Is it a cultural thing on why their company is run the way it is? We’ve highlighted multiple things HT could do to increase sales, engage their customers, and get better feedback for future products.....yet they just don’t do it. Leads me to believe it’s more if a cultural shyness rather than refusal to do stuff.

 

[rayeknor]

Part of the veil of exclusivity, they seem keener to sell fewer figures for more then more figures for less, even if that is probably the way to the bank. If you wish to remain in control of product quality staying a smaller company is not always a bad thing.

 

[dukefett]

Is it a cultural thing on why their company is run the way it is? We’ve highlighted multiple things HT could do to increase sales, engage their customers, and get better feedback for future products.....yet they just don’t do it. Leads me to believe it’s more if a cultural shyness rather than refusal to do stuff.

I've read a few times that it's to hinder scalpers, but who knows. I couldn't imagine being a collector there, must be a gigantic pain in the ass.