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"New" Universe Scouts: Cybertron repacks

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 7:56 am
by Nevermore

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 8:23 am
by bowspearer
That would have to be record time for the reissue of a figure.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:17 pm
by ganon578
Yawn. I'd be excited if it were something different, but as these were already at Dollar Stores, I'll pass.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:33 pm
by bowspearer
ganon578 wrote:Yawn. I'd be excited if it were something different, but as these were already at Dollar Stores, I'll pass.
That's actually what makes this interesting in a way- I mean we're basically talking about reissues coming out 3 years after the initial run of figures- it's pretty much unheard of with anything.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:33 pm
by Jaynz
bowspearer wrote:That's actually what makes this interesting in a way- I mean we're basically talking about reissues coming out 3 years after the initial run of figures- it's pretty much unheard of with anything.
Eh, I dunno. They're not exciting, really, but it really HAS been a bit since Cybertron went off the air, and it shows that Hasbro is going to keep the 'Universe' name alive during the movie run, which lends credence to it returning afterwards as promised.

Besides, they're scouts at a Dollar Store. Can't complain too much. They're far from 'must have' toys, but they're also hardly going to set someone back much anyway.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:04 pm
by Starfield
They can really have a scout-class production run for dollar stores?

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 3:27 pm
by secretcode
Who says they are new production runs?

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:28 pm
by Nevermore
secretcode wrote:Who says they are new production runs?
I doubt Habsro have unpackaged excess productions runs of those toys in their warehouses in numbers considerable enough to warrant a new packaging product run...

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 4:31 pm
by Jaynz
Nevermore wrote:I doubt Habsro have unpackaged excess productions runs of those toys in their warehouses in numbers considerable enough to warrant a new packaging product run...
While they could have excess toys, I have to agree that tens of thousands of them seen extremely unlikely, particularly when they would have to now twice-over repackaging them (making entirely new packaging in each case). If it was just overstock, you would see them in their ORIGINAL packaging with an appropriate sticker.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:13 pm
by Cliffjumper
Presumably they're cheap moulds to manufacture... I made the foolish mistake of reading the link to Big Board in the opening post, and love the fanboy overreaction... it's not like they have to buy them or anything, what actual harm is it doing reissuing these again? Weren't the Minibots (or was it just Bumblebee?) perpetually out for three years in the 1980s anyway?

I agree that it's an encouraging sign that Universe could well be kept ticking over in low profile alongside the film.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:28 pm
by Jaynz
Cliffjumper wrote:Presumably they're cheap moulds to manufacture... I made the foolish mistake of reading the link to Big Board in the opening post, and love the fanboy overreaction... it's not like they have to buy them or anything, what actual harm is it doing reissuing these again?
I admit, I'm not actually sure what the fanbois were expecting. It's not like Hasbro's going to throw new trademarks, decos, etc, to dollar and overstock stores... These guys are MEANT to be second-tier sales...

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 5:36 pm
by Vin Ghostal
I love when people get upset about releases like this. How...does....it....hurt...you?!? The only reason I could understand for someone getting upset is if, for example, Hasbro explicitly decided NOT to (re-)release something you were actually hoping for and instead graced us with the umpteenth Backstop release.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:14 pm
by bowspearer
I honestly find the whole thing weird. For starters they're going to discount stores meaning that the profit margins are heavily reduced, if they're anything like discount stores here. Second of all, Cybertron hasn't been gone that long- not long enough to prompt reissues of it just yet. Third and finally the figures are still floating around it seems from what's been said.

Forget about fans complaining- this doesn't even make decent marketting sense. They'd have been better off reissuing the likes of the Spychangers or Minicon Teams.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:20 pm
by Jaynz
bowspearer wrote:I honestly find the whole thing weird. For starters they're going to discount stores meaning that the profit margins are heavily reduced, if they're anything like discount stores here.
You're forgetting that quite a bit of the actual cost of producing these figures have long since been paid. Besides, for Hasbro, it keeps names, trademarks, etc, in circulation without it impacting a major line.
Second of all, Cybertron hasn't been gone that long- not long enough to prompt reissues of it just yet.
Three, closing in on four, years. That's a frickin' eternity for toylines.
Third and finally the figures are still floating around it seems from what's been said.
As the previous printing of the figures in the same stores. This is just replenishing stock that is selling in new packaging. They're not meant to be huge-draw items for collectors or middle-to-high income families. These just discount stuff for people who are buying discount stuff and want to get some decent toys on the cheap for their kids.
Forget about fans complaining- this doesn't even make decent marketting sense. They'd have been better off reissuing the likes of the Spychangers or Minicon Teams.
Yeah, 'cause neither the Spychangers or Minicons have been released many many times and quite recently.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:27 pm
by Starfield
bowspearer wrote:I honestly find the whole thing weird. For starters they're going to discount stores meaning that the profit margins are heavily reduced, if they're anything like discount stores here. Second of all, Cybertron hasn't been gone that long- not long enough to prompt reissues of it just yet. Third and finally the figures are still floating around it seems from what's been said.

Forget about fans complaining- this doesn't even make decent marketting sense. They'd have been better off reissuing the likes of the Spychangers or Minicon Teams.
If they take requests, I'd like the Minicon Dinobots and/or Predacon Attack Team. (Re-released or repainted).

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:28 pm
by Cliffjumper
This is surely exactly the same thing as the Spychanger/Minicon reissues anyway... It sounds more like a run of toys that have gone alright (just because the first version can still be found doesn't mean it's a bad seller) and Hasbro have simply taken five minutes to update the cards to the current line?

These aren't reissues as in reissuing an out-of-production figure for fans, this is simply a way of keeping a certain market area (dollar store pocket money toys) ticking over with minimal expenditure.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:44 pm
by Jaynz
Starfield wrote:If they take requests, I'd like the Minicon Dinobots and/or Predacon Attack Team. (Re-released or repainted).
I wouldn't rule out more store-exclusives for Universe during the toy run, and these seem like naturals. (Along with the other new minicons for Classics). But, really hard to say.. I wouldn't have expected Hasbro to throw everything into the movie like they are, either.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:45 pm
by ganon578
I don't have a problem with them re-releasing them, it's nice to have that variety to choose from, especially at a good price. I'm just not particularly excited about them since they've been out for a while. It would be nice, however, to see some of the other Cybertron scouts come back out too...

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:51 pm
by Jaynz
ganon578 wrote:I don't have a problem with them re-releasing them, it's nice to have that variety to choose from, especially at a good price. I'm just not particularly excited about them since they've been out for a while. It would be nice, however, to see some of the other Cybertron scouts come back out too...
You know, when I picked up the three I did, only one that I grabbed had the new packaging (same exact toys, so I didn't really care). There were some Lugnutz, Hightails, Scattorshots and a couple of other scouts there as well, but I couldn't say if they were in the new packaging or not. I would hazard a guess that the other scouts will show up that way too.

Posted: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:55 pm
by secretcode
There better be some Shortrounds, that's all I'm saying.