Saga Frustrations

[mm74md]

Could someone please explain to me how/why places like Brian's Toys, Alliance Collectibles, etc. get:

A) New figures before they are officially released

B) Access to so called store exclusives before they are released

C) Non retail released items (ie. Troop Builders, Cantina Wave 2)

[Beast]

A. They deal direct with Hasbro Japan, or have contacts in Japan so that they can often get items in before other stores can. Sometimes it's also the fact they are smaller retailers, so the cases of figures don't have to go thru various distrubution warehouses before reaching the store.

B. Same reason as above. Having contacts in Japan that can get the items earlier then it takes to ship by boat here. Anything that's exclusive here in the states, are typically open order items overseas, since they don't have the same stores we do here.

C. The Troop Builder sets, Hasbro shifted to Secondary Retailers that were intrested in them. Since the Fan Club was undergoing reorganization at the time and didn't want them. As for Cantina Wave 2, that's a case where the item was produced, but not picked up by US retailers. So they were dumped on the open order market over there for distrubution.

MTFBWY and HH!!

Jar Jar Binks

[Val Da Car]

Thank you, O Wise One

Master Splinter!!!

[plasticfetish]

Originally posted by JarJarBinks
A. They deal direct with Hasbro Japan

Here's a question ... does the stuff that they get from Hasbro Japan come with the Japanese stickers on the back like some of the POTF2 stuff I've found does?

[JEDIpartner]

Probably... I've gotten a few close-out items from Brian's Toys for cheap and they all had the stickers on the back.

[OC47150]

I bought some DS troopers from Brian's Toys last year and they did have Japanese stickers on them.

When the new stuff shows up on ebay long before they hit the stores here, it's coming directly from Asia -- Japan, Hong Kong.

[mm74md]

I basically started this thread because of issue over the Cantina Sets not being released. I just don't think it's fair to the general public who's KIDS play with these toys can't have an item. Where is the justice in paying $22 + shipping from Brian for an action figure when it can be released to the general public at the retail price of $9.99. It just blows my mind that people are ordering these things for nearly $30 a pop!

[mm74md]

More of a Hasbro frustration is what my point was!

[OC47150]

I understand the frustration, mm74md. I wish Hasbro would say yes, they're coming out or no, they're not and just move on. It's the waffling back and forth on the issue that I don't like but Hasbro has been like that for ever.

I think the original cantina set concept was cool but around my area, the cantina sets are peg warmers. And I haven't came across a single WM that's marked them down.

[plasticfetish]

Ahh, I see ... well, that explains the Japanese carded figure mystery for me. A few years back one of our local shops here in LA came up with tons of Japanese carded POTF2 figures ... I always wondered how that happened.

Originally posted by mm74md
Where is the justice in paying $22 + shipping from Brian for an action figure when it can be released to the general public at the retail price of $9.99.

I agree ... it sucks. Though I think we could probably wait and see how this cantina set thing really turns out. For all we know, they'll turn up at Big Lots or somewhere for $3 next year. In the meantime ... $20 at Brian's isn't the worst possible option. Especially in the case of say Kitik Keed'kak which is a pretty unique figure.