Hasbro's Response to Poor Distribution

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:23 pm

I am not sure if this is news but hey, it's a good read.

I decided to write Hasbro about the wonderful lack of availablity of most of their new figures. I cited examples *I've seen on Mirage and maybe 3 arcees but close to a hundred Hot Shots and G1 reissues and such*. This was the response I got. Good to see Hasbro knows who sells their toys.

Hi Josh,

Thank you for contacting Hasbro, Inc. We appreciate your interest.

Please keep in mind that depending on time of year, retailer distribution systems, store inventory and sales patterns, it may take from several weeks up to several months after the availability dates given for some products to show up on store shelves!

We apologize but we do not have the product available for direct sales.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee product availability at any one store.

All current Hasbro products are carried by Toys R Us http://www.toysrus.com. Most or all Hasbro products can be found at your local Wal-Mart [url]http://www.wal-mart.com,[/url]
Kmart [url]http://www.kmart.com,[/url]
Target [url]http://www.target.com,[/url]
Kay-Bee http://www.kbtoys.com
and other toy and mass merchandise retailers.

Some of our products can also be found online at
http://www.entertainmentearth.com
http://www.boardgames.com/, [url]http://www.iwanttoplay.com,[/url] http://www.zanybrainy.com , [url]http://www.candywarehouse.com,[/url] or http://www.areyougame.com

Again, thank you for your interest.

Nevermore · Post by **Nevermore** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:50 pm

I like those corporate answers which totally miss the point.

Post by **Denyer** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:48 pm

They aren't missing the point, but they are semi-passing the buck. As much of a problem are stores which over-order initially and then can't clear stock in sufficient quantity to get further waves in.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:33 pm

Hasbro don't dictate what chains order what assortment in what quantity.

Hasbro pick the items that go in the assortment. They pack it. They ship it where/when their customers ask them to.

If an item is available in one shop/city, it's because Hasbro have made it available. It's not their fault that the store you go to hasn't ordered it yet.

Peace out, dawg. =-o

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:44 pm

Well then there are an awful lot of stores that have not ordered anything then.

Sir Auros · Post by **Sir Auros** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:44 pm

Hmm, not so satifying, but it's nice to see some sort of answer at least. Thanks for thinking to ask them Rav.

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:48 pm

No prob, as I said, I was not sure it was news but I figured everyone would find it intersting.

BTW, maybe we should put together some way of fellow TFAer's if they find a stock of figures people need buy them and trade? Well wait trading is not allowed but you all get what I mean.

The Wild One · Post by **The Wild One** » Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:41 pm

I used to work a Wal-Mart. Any and all Sam's Club and Wal-Marts receiving of items, is completly controled by there distribution center. They probably have the items, its just the amount of time it takes to clear space for it. It sucks, and makes me wanna kill the distribution center, because in the end, they usually have room for it. But that is my take on it.

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 4:08 am

To be honest, when I first read the title, I half expected their response would be '**** off'...

Anyway, I could understand that to a certain extent. However, I have checked every store I could think to along a 180 mile stretch of highway. Not a single one has had anything past EMirage. I'm sorry, but I find 'well, not everybody orders the same amount of stuff' to be a little too convenient an excuse...

But that's just me. I'm grouchy.

Grimlock2983 · Post by **Grimlock2983** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:34 am

While searching the various stores, has anyone asked if the store ordered new Hasbro products? Some companies have large minimum orders so some stores may only order once in a while. Thus, if the stores have ordered product and haven't received it then I think that's a legitimate gripe with Hasbro; if a store hasn't ordered, because they overstocked a previous shipment or for whatever reason, then I don't think that it's Hasbro's fault.

That's my 2 cents anyway.

Sir Auros · Post by **Sir Auros** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 6:53 am

The only thing about that answer that doesn't sit well with me is that the three stores in my area that do carry Transformers (Walmart, Kmart, and Target) all currently have somewhat small selections of figures.

Walmart has some Universe on clearance and then the bulk of their pickings are Wave 1 figures with the odd Wave 2 thrown in, but it's almost exclusively Wave 1 and there aren't nearly as many TF figures on the shelves as there should be.

Target has mostly Wave 1 along with King Atlas, but they have maybe two, three dozen figures total.

Kmart has the smallest selection out of the three with fewer total figures than Target. Does have some Wave 2 Snowcats though.

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 12:12 pm

Nah, if Hasbro told me **** off, I really would have posted that letter here.

But case in point the only "new" figures I have seen are 1 EMirage and 2 Alt Silverstreaks. And considering how long Wave 1 has been out it really makes you wonder how they could have overpurchased that much?

RID Scourge · Post by **RID Scourge** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:12 pm

Well, I had a nice little reply to this, and had MSN not cut out on me as I was sending it, you guys would've been able to read it. So, when you read as much as I can mentally salvage of my rant, you can add a "**** you, too, Bill Gates" at the end.

Anyway, as I was trying to say, this whole distribution thing is bull. Hasbro shortpacks figures, and those figures are the ones that everyone looks for. The stores have to order more in order to get those shortpacked ones, until they really can't afford to get anymore because the shelves are clogged with stuff everyone has.

Speaking of stuff that got shortpacked:

[i[from the otfcc topic[/i]
They made Energon Ultra Magnus as a fillin, underestimated his demand and also for unknown reasons he was just underproduced.

That's the biggest amount of bull. They knew exactly what they were doing. When the overload proto leaked, almost everyone thought it was Magnus, and wanted one. Now, there's no way that Hasbro could've missed this, give the fact that they asked for the pics of the proto to be removed.

Really, if they didn't expect a high demand for a figure, named Ultra Magnus, who looks like a lot like a homage to the original Magnus (especially after the hype that came from the overload proto), then they're a hell of a lot dumber than they look.

Also, it's pretty damn funny that Tracks was made blue because the yellow plastic was too transparent. How is it that I can't see through the thin pieces of Energon Hot Shot, namely his hood, his roof, and his doors? Maybe they were hoping that no one would think about that . . .

Really, I don't absolutely hate Hasbro, but I wish they'd stop insulting my intelligence by lying to me.

The Wild One · Post by **The Wild One** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:19 pm

Originally posted by PaladinPrime
Really, I don't absolutely hate Hasbro, but I wish they'd stop insulting my intelligence by lying to me.

Too true on that one. I shall send Marvel's Onslaught to decimate them all!:D

Pun-3X · Post by **Pun-3X** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 11:27 pm

Originally posted by PaladinPrime
That's the biggest amount of bull. They knew exactly what they were doing. When the overload proto leaked, almost everyone thought it was Magnus, and wanted one. Now, there's no way that Hasbro could've missed this, give the fact that they asked for the pics of the proto to be removed.

It's also something to note, that at OTFCON 2003, The E. Magnus was in the display case. However, I don't recall the yellow Sideways repaint, nor Treadbolt (Scavenger repaint). Both of which were in abundance for the while there.

Well, I guess we can't say that Hasbro doesn't understand exactly who their selling audience is.

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 5:06 am

I wonder how quickly we could piss off Hasbro if we got a petition or had many other transformers fans email and write them?

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 5:14 am

Originally posted by Ravage
I wonder how quickly we could piss off Hasbro

I hardly think that would be the best idea, given that they've bent over backward to accomodate fans on several occassions.

Ravage · Post by **Ravage** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 1:49 pm

I can see your point Fort Max. But where does 2-4 repaints of every figure in the last few lines really help any of us?

I am not saying they haven't done some cool things *Altenators, Piranaking, Nemesis Prime, Shockblast and if any of these figures really exist cough cough.*.

But this crappy job of releasing figures, shortpacking, store exclusives of the ass and the like really doesn't seem like it helps out.

I think Hasbro is pulling the dangle a carrot in from the rabbit trick, they will continue to bite if we entice them enough.

And allow me to edit myself and not say piss off but I think the fans need to let Hasbro they are upset too.

Dead Man Wade · Post by **Dead Man Wade** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:24 pm

Okay, the changing of wording does make a difference.

As for your point about repaints, yeah, repaints get really annoying after about the tenth iteration. But, Hasbro has done alot for collectors that other companies wouldn't bother with.

-They have a very strong presence in the fandom.

-They put out reissues of twenty year old toys that don't really fit with their main demographic.

-They constantly try to make fans happy (whether it be caving in on the blue Tracks, or releasing Meister in G1 colors rather than in red) despite the fact that the vocal minority insist on pissing and moaning about every single move they make.

I definitely agree about the shortpacking, etc., though I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

As I said, I have checked every store I can think to check between Kansas City and Joplin, and every single store has had essentially the same stock. E Inferno, Hot Shot, Starscream, OP, and Battle Ravage are all warming shelves, as are Alt Smokescreen and Side Swipe. The only difference I've seen between any two stores is the occassional Universe toy.

I'm sorry, but I find it a little too convenient for Hasbro to say that every single store for 180-200 miles has the exact same sales pattern.

But I am going to give them the befenfit of the doubt, for now.

RID Scourge · Post by **RID Scourge** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:47 pm

IMO, all they've done for fans is naught if said fans are unable to buy their merchandise . . .

It benefits neither side for them to play these games.