Hasbro wants our Questions:

[Mithel]

  If you can tell us, does it look like the VOTC Stormtrooper is or looks like to make it to the final saga legends wave in 08?  Just so you know if he does, I plan to buy 9 of them.

 

[Darth Ravenous]

Hasbro,

Are there any plans in the near future to make the McQuarrie Luke, Obi-Wan, Yoda, & Concept Grievous figures more available, or perhaps repack them sometime down the road?  The scalpers are making a killing on the auction sites with these rare figures.  It's the law of supply and demand: One would think Hasbro might like to collect every possible profit from these figures.  It would drive the illicit prices for these figures down, plus give Average Joe Collector a better chance at scoring these for his collection.

[lordabell]

I'd also like to know from hasbro is there any reason WHY the western states ex:cali, get the new waves first and then some states on the east coast get some and then fineally after many months the southern states get it.Why does this happen and is the market bigger over in the western states then the eastern states.

They will say that since the shipments come in from the Orient by ship to the west coast, there is a lot less lag time getting the cases to warehouses and then to the stores. 

[Darth Ravenous]

Since the Stormtrooper sculpts keep getting better and better, does Hasbro have any plans to re-release or update the Trash Compactor cinema scene?

[jedibrian77]

Since the Stormtrooper sculpts keep getting better and better, does Hasbro have any plans to re-release or update the Trash Compactor cinema scene?

They said they wont be making Luke or Han in stormtrooper disguise anytime soon so I would be this is a no

[Darth Ravenous]

They said they wont be making Luke or Han in stormtrooper disguise anytime soon so I would be this is a no

Projected for January 08: Comic 2 packs Luke & Han without the red paint and blue highlights.  Didn't you get the memo?

[jedibrian77]

I guess I missed it 

[sithmasterc]

I know this question has come up but the Mcquarrie signature seites has becmoe on of the popular(if not the most difficult)figures in the 2007 line up especaily with the Snowtrooper coming out.I have been very frustrated with Hasbro Toy Shop.Everytime they but new figures up they sell out in the blink of an eye and once that happens the hot figures stay out of stock.I was told by a rep from HTS that the Mcquarrie figures are Limited Edition).What up with that?

[jokabofe]

I know this question has come up but the Mcquarrie signature seites has becmoe on of the popular(if not the most difficult)figures in the 2007 line up especaily with the Snowtrooper coming out.I have been very frustrated with Hasbro Toy Shop.Everytime they but new figures up they sell out in the blink of an eye and once that happens the hot figures stay out of stock.I was told by a rep from HTS that the Mcquarrie figures are Limited Edition).I think to myself yeah,no wonder I can't find them at retail.

But what's your question?

[Master Frank]

Dear Hasbo,

Question pertaining to your website Hasbro.com

Generally when does your site usually update Star Wars inventory and update the status of items that are listed as Out Of Stock or Coming Soon, to Add To Cart? It seems as if item status changes are made at random times. Is there a method to the madness, do items more often than not list at certain times in the day? When should I be checking?
Also, pertaining to the shopping cart feature on your site. I have twice now in the last year had items in my cart for less than 1 minute, only for the item status of the items to change to Out Of Stock Remove From Cart. I don't think this is very customer friendly, and is actually upsetting. Can you change this so another buyer can't buy it from you once you have items in your cart? Maybe have the cart time out, but allow the customer to coninue shopping for a couple minutes before they lose an item?
Thanks in advance.

[lordabell]

They said they wont be making Luke or Han in stormtrooper disguise anytime soon so I would be this is a no

Projected for January 08: Comic 2 packs Luke & Han without the red paint and blue highlights.  Didn't you get the memo?

According to the case preorders at EE they are repacking the Marvel comic packs with the stomie, Han stormie, and Luke stormie without the comic paint jobs.  I hate them for making me buy another set of these...

[darthdan]

yeah I wish they had just packed them non comic bookish looking to began with too.

[Mithel]

I would like to withdraw my VOTC Stormie/Saga Legends question since we're gonna find out the results this friday.  I instead would like to ask:

Can u give us anymore info on the rumored playsets?  How big will they be, what locations will they have, and how much?

[lordabell]

yeah I wish they had just packed them non comic bookish looking to began with too.

They would made mad cash by just doing the repaints and then single carding them.  I am thinking about skipping these repaint versions in later waves because you know Hasbro is not going to shy away from making more money off of it by putting them out there as single carded figures.

[Lt. Starfox]

hopefully we will be getting answers back this week on some questions

[Darth Ravenous]

yeah I wish they had just packed them non comic bookish looking to began with too.

They would made mad cash by just doing the repaints and then single carding them.  I am thinking about skipping these repaint versions in later waves because you know Hasbro is not going to shy away from making more money off of it by putting them out there as single carded figures.

Hmmm, this makes perfect sense and that scares me. 

[Darth Spice]

THE latest:

1) I love what you've done with Clone Troopers and Stormtroopers. All the articulation you can ask for (well, except for Commander Baccura/Commander Cody). I have several shelves in my home dedicated to Clones and their Jedi Generals. As well as Stormtroopers snapped at attention for Darth Vader and the Emperor. So don't you think it's time you start putting a little more attention on our rebel freinds? I'd love to have a squad of Rebel Commandos that could stand at attention for General Madine or crouch behind fallen logs. I'd love to have Hoth Soldiers who could toss a grenade, crawl on their belly in a sniper position, or look through a pair of macrobinoculars. For years now we've been able to put our Clones/Storms in most any position we'd like.....so please give us the same option for our beloved Rebels.....please!
We won't be neglecting our Rebel friends, but it will be gradually over time, similar to the way we introduced the Yavin Sentry earlier this year, and will be coming out with Tycho as A-Wing Pilot that also makes an excellent troop builder a little later.  We have some cool figures planned for the next couple of years as well that we will reveal over time.  Hang in there....your patience will be rewarded.

2) Hasbro, you've consistantly said that playsets and accessories are not profitable for you.  I'd like your thoughts on your production on the bar pieces.  In recent Q&A's you've stated you see that the dispencer won't fit with the way the curved pieces were made.  You also stated that you wouldn't revisit either the curved pieces or straight pieces to correct the multiple inconsistancies.  I've noticed several discrepencies between the straight pieces of the bar issued years ago and the curved pieces. Beside the sharp angle of the curve, which won't allow for the center piece with the dispencer, the barstool base and coloring of the seat don't match between the straight pieces and curved. Also, the shading/shadowing at the bottom of the bar, close to the floor the trim along the edge of the bar counter doesn't match between the straight and curved pieces and the flooring is different.   And finally, the straight pieces don't even fit well together. What I'd like to know is, are people looking at these things before they are released?  Now that the pieces have been sculpted, released and sold, it won't be profitable to resculpt.  But, why isn't the whole thing looked at as one piece before it is developed and sold as pieces?  I think this is exactly why playsets and some accessory sets have not been successful. I believe even if sales of these pieces, which will primarily be based on the figures, are successful, the execution on the Cantina bar, which could have been so cool, was a failure.  So, we would like your comment on this.
Your question has severeal layers.

First, we didn't design a whole caninta bar at once and then decide to release it in sections - it was created organically, a piece at a time. We did consider the straight second when we created the curved section, but due to a different Asian design and engineering teams and the nuances of production windows, it's not a guarantee that all of the details we intend will have be able to be produced in the way we wanted.  We try to do the best we can on each toy as it comes up.

Regarding your second point. Playsets and accessories have not had success because of the aesthetic nuances you mention, but because the market on the whole (kids and collectors) do not show an appreciation for playsets on near the same level as in past years.  You may think they are important, and most collectors would agree in principal, but we've seen the votes (in terms of sales) and collectors focus on figures and vehicles, skipping things like  accessory packs and the Geonosis Arena set.  Figures and vehicles remain the heart of the line, and other, less iconic and universally recognized accessories, don't fare as well.

[Darth Ravenous]

You may think they are important, and most collectors would agree in principal, but we've seen the votes (in terms of sales) and collectors focus on figures and vehicles, skipping things like  accessory packs and the Geonosis Arena set. [/b]

I may be the minority here, but that Geonosis Arena was actually one of the better playsets in recent memory!  But the original price was steep; I think i scored it on clearance.

[CHEWIE34]

Well, I thought the Arena was great if aimed at kids, but for adult collectors... yikes.  I do have one though.

Now here's a Geonosis Playset... of course we'll never see something like this made though.



 

[Lt. Starfox]

what, only 2 questions answered?

[Mithel]

Dear Hasbro,

      It would seem that with the results of the fan choice poll heavily favoring EU troops such as the shadow stormtrooper, and utapau shadow trooper, will you give more leeway to ideas for more EU army builders, such as the Nova Stormtrooper from SWG, the Rebel Marines from My Brother My Enemy, and Xandel Carivus' Red Guard (which I think will sell well because they look like Master Chief)?

[lordabell]

what, only 2 questions answered?

And to make it worse, the first question was asked and answered on a bunch of other site's Q&As.  In reality we only had 1 question answered and the other hosed a bunch of other potential questions from other sites.  I saw it on 4 or 5 of the Q&As I have looked at this morning.

[jokabofe]

And to make it worse, the first question was asked and answered on a bunch of other site's Q&As.  In reality we only had 1 question answered and the other hosed a bunch of other potential questions from other sites.  I saw it on 4 or 5 of the Q&As I have looked at this morning.

That's because people get impatient and ask the same question at every site online. And if it's a decent question, several sites send it in.

[Darth Spice]

Wouldn't you guys say it's on the Q n A team or are we supposed to have Curto set up a confrence call between all of us every week! 

[darthdan]

I'm glad my question about the ewoks was asked, but was curious as to why it was asked on the jawa site,  are we covering for them till they are back up.... don't get me wrong I'm not complaining just curious what's going on....

[Mithel]

Yeah I'm glad my Imp Officer's question was asked also.

[obidad]

Well I was thrilled to see my question asked and answered.  I don't totally buy their answer, but I do understand that playsets in general have not been successful.  As a collector focused buyer (non-kid)  I can't imagine that a well executed playset, even if completed in smaller sections (for example for the Cantina: the whole bar as one piece (center piece included), individual booths, the entry with droid dector, etc) ... if they were done accurately to scale and design, and in affordable sections, then I naively believe they would sell well.  As someone that grew up with the OT, I believe OT sets are more iconic and would sell better.   

Not that I expected an answer I would agree with, but I'm glad they answered it.  The other part of their answer that bothers me is

First, we didn't design a whole caninta bar at once and then decide to release it in sections - it was created organically, a piece at a time.  We did consider the straight second when we created the curved section, but due to a different Asian design and engineering teams and the nuances of production windows, it's not a guarantee that all of the details we intend will have be able to be produced in the way we wanted.  We try to do the best we can on each toy as it comes up.

  Even though the curve pieces were designed second, the straight pieces did already exist and there is no excuse for not making them match.  That's just either laziness or sloppy quality controll.  As Yoda said, "Try, not, do."  ... and they may think they "tried to do the best they could," but that definitely was not the best they could do.  If it was, then they definitely have an entirely different team working on figures than they do for playsets/accessories.  They can make some sweet figures, but really drop the ball on most of their playsets and accessories.   Maybe it is a good thing that they refuse to make addtional playsets.

[VadersFist]

So when I receive the 2 figures with the end round corners of the bar. I will be stuck with nothing in between if and when I buy seconds so hasbro says. I guess there is no other options that I will be given from hasbro that I can think of to render this issue to make it more pleaseable. Other then just buy 1 of each and go on and create my own bar scene, but it won't be movie accurate.

[darthdan]

well this bar isn't movie accurate anyway as there were no bar stools along the bar in the movie......

[VadersFist]

Thanks for the information darthdan, so I don't feel so bad if and when I do a bar scene it don't look werid.