Purchase direct from Hasbro

**WesleySr** · 04-20-2005

I posted this in the CIII Q&A for Hasbro thread, but I decided to start a new thread about it.

How many of you would be interested in purchasing figures straight from Hasbro?

And what I thought of is a really good idead, I think. How many of you that collect to open would be interested in purchasing your figures from Hasbro packaged in little baggies? I know alot of the army builders would be. Especially if Hasbro was able to sell them for about $4 a figure. They would be saving alot on packaging, so why not pass on some of the savings to us.

They would be able to help out alot of us, escpecially those who army build, and save us from going to the stores constantly trying to find new figures as they are released. Also, this would prevent shortages on the army builders in the stores and would give the opportunity for others who do not have the ability to purchase online the chance to get these figures in store.

Let me know what you all think.

**outwest** · 04-20-2005

at the 4$ price point i would buy direct in a second!

thing is i'll be able to get these figs cheaper than that when they finally go on clearance in a few months.

**ronhudy** · 04-20-2005

It's a good idea, but why sell smaller volume to more customers? (i.e. more orders, more processing, more man-hours) Why not just continue to sell huge volume to retailers? From a business standpoint, it wouldn't make sense for Hasbro to do it.

**JON9000** · 04-20-2005

Originally Posted by ronhudy

It's a good idea, but why sell smaller volume to more customers? (i.e. more orders, more processing, more man-hours) Why not just continue to sell huge volume to retailers? From a business standpoint, it wouldn't make sense for Hasbro to do it.

Not to mention that it would totally p.o. their retail partners.

**megaprime33** · 04-20-2005

The only thing I can see them doing is selling exclusives in little baggies and/or selling certain figures, like the clone troopers, in bulk, like $50 for 20 figures. I think it would be too much of a hassle to sell an entire line of figures that way.

**rust** · 04-20-2005

I'd be up for buying figs in little baggies.

**dindae** · 04-20-2005

I think that eventually this is were more collectables are going to go. Unfortunately I doubt you would see the price drop any if at all. Plus you will have to in shipping. Now something I do think they can do is do more high end stuff through direct purchase or even online stores like EE. It is the only way we will ever get things like Jabba's Sail Barge or a retooled Millenium Falcon. I think that the exclusives that EE/previews have done so far have gone over well and hopefully will show them that there is a market for things other than retail. The biggest problem with retail is shelf space not cost. Wal-mart has no cash flow problems but if that know that item takes x amount of shelf space there is an expectation that it will generate so much profit per square inch so often the bigger sets don't sell fast enough to make that happen. Of course that is a catch 22 because Hasbro has tons of pressure to keep the price cheap and that translates to cheaper products. Online stores can work out of a wharehouse so they are worried about the space but they are small and can't take a big hit from a dud exclusive. And since Hasbro needs to make 30,000 plus to even make something affordable most companies can't afford that kind of investment even if it is something they would like to carry on a smaller scale. Ultimately I think it needs to happen though. It will tick of the retail chains and there will be a backlash but eventually the retail stores will carry what they are carrying now because impulse buys is a big portion of toy sales. How many times have heard parent/told your child "You can pick out one toy today". If it's not in the store its not getting bought. One cool thing if they do get that started is unlimited life for strong figures. If the SA clonetrooper is still selling like hot cakes then run another batch and throw them on the web. If you are going direct you don't need to worry about waves. If a figure goes cold sell the stock and take it off. So to sum up my stream of consciousness writing it would be good to see but I doubt we will anytime soon because retail has toy companys by the balls.

**beckmen** · 04-20-2005

I'd love it, but it won't happen. Oh, well.

**potf2x** · 04-20-2005

Won't happen. Hasbro would be cutting their own throats by bypassing their retail partners. Afterall it's the retailers that keep Hasbro in buisness.

**Joshkj** · 04-20-2005

Originally Posted by megaprime33

The only thing I can see them doing is selling exclusives in little baggies and/or selling certain figures, like the clone troopers, in bulk, like $50 for 20 figures. I think it would be too much of a hassle to sell an entire line of figures that way.

They should honestly do an army building exclusive for them:
$50 20 SA clones
$25 5 Clone commanders
$15 3 Pilots
$18 4 AT-TE tank gunners
$18 4 turbo tank drivers

If I had some controled some of hasbro I would do this and hasbro would make mass bank if they did this.