SSG's Monthly Hasbro Q&A - July 22nd, 2011

Attachment 25255After a hiatus in the program, Q&A is back. Every month, we get to ask Hasbro 2 questions, and back on June 24th, we sent in 2 questions, and Hasbro has just sent us back the answers.

SSG: In several instances now, when asked about the new Slave I getting an ESB release, the response is that it largely depends on how the current Clone Wars version does at retail. If the decision to release it this way is based off sales, why release this as a $100 set with a few re-released figures, and a vehicle repaint that wasn't really hotly requested? If this CW set does sell, does that suggest an ESB release would get a similar Ultimate Battle Pack treatment with the release of some new figures like Bespin Guards and an existing vehicle like the Cloud Car? If that's not likely in store for an ESB Slave I, why predicate that release on this one when it has a different pricepoint, market, and really a different business model altogether? Why release the CW one in this ultimate battle pack format, was this vehicle originally planned for the now-defunct $60 Deluxe Vehicle line and repurposed, was this always the plan for it, or if not, how did this come about this way?

Hasbro: We have a real passion for an Ep V Slave I and good things come to those who wait. Stay tuned…

SSG: When talking about cases including figures from previous waves to lengthen a sought-after figure's run, why is it that figures like the Gamorrean Guard and Wedge Antilles don't get planned to be revisited while the Sandtrooper and Grievous see repeat after repeat in later cases? You've told us that the line is meant to be "collector focused", we're even paying a dollar extra premium for the collector-focused smaller run, yet the figures nearly every collector already has - the ones that often end up pegwarming anyway - see nearly endless reruns in a bid to grab attention of casual consumers while the figures that collectors actually hunger for end up shorted at 1 per case in an extremely brief singular release window. On the Gamorrean's part, it seems doubly dangerous since that's a large investment in new tooling, we'd think Hasbro would want to see as much return as possible on that figure by selling as many as possible. It's not like the market has ever shown issues with the Gamorrean, unlike the Sandtrooper which has pegwarmed repeatedly in the modern line's 16 year run, yet this entire year was planned in advance under the notion that the Gamorrean would somehow be a collecting pariah, relegated to low interest and singular purchases, despite being a significant Jabba's Palace army builder and an incredibly recognizable Star Wars alien (to say nothing of the fact that it's an awesome figure to boot). So, um, why are the cool figures in TVC getting these short release windows and no carry-forward into later cases, and how soon could we expect to see that trend reversed in later cases?

Hasbro: We plan figure selections and case pack ratios based on projected demand, and yes, sometimes this results in over or under shipping certain characters. Unfortunately our crystal ball was eaten by a Borcatu. Beginning in spring 2012 you should start seeing some of the harder to find Vintage figures waved into the line.

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Well, that's it for this round's questions and answers. Thanks to everybody who participated in picking these questions, and to Hasbro for the answers. Feel free to let us know what you think of this round by replying below!