Topic: Star Wars unpainted customizable figures .....something hasbro should consider

[dax415]

So I'm suppose to lay out a FREE comprehensive plan because you don't get it?  If you're not on board....dude, that's cool, but saying Hasbro wouldn't be on board either or understand.... is a bit presumptuous.   And your theory is correct because...... your collecting needs aren't on the shelf at your local Walmart when its good timing for you?  So it's somehow Hasbro's fault and NOT another enthusiast who beat you to it, NOT the buyer for Walmart who might have not ordered enough merch, NOT a scalper, and most certainly not a Walmart employ who had something else to stock, or part of said merchandise set aside for Walmart online, etc, etc, etc. And further more, because you were inconvenienced a month for items you were still able to procure.... is why distribution is failing?  Distribution is failing because one avenue of acquistion.... pre orders, doesn't work for you?  All because you don't understand the concept of accumulative effect?  Please say I read wrong or am misunderstanding this.

What you described isn't distribution.... what you described is being on the ball with effective availability.  I flat out don't understand how Hasbro has deep rooted control over that when you are dealing with a system that has a middle man involved.  I can see your point if Hasbro had a direct sale model/approach currently that is in place.  But like I said earlier, I'm butchering it, they create and deal with the manufacturing end in bulk..... then on to the distributors.... which eventually gets to us.  They simply don't have alot of say what happens inbetween.  Some of that...it's just part of life,... it happens.  Other times.... I'll use my preorder experience with a online comic store as example.  I preordered some autographed and special edition comics.... some of it was filled, some of it not so much.  Later on by complete accident, I found the owner of the company selling some of what I preordered for a much higher market price because it was popular and speculative demand popped..... that wasn't distribution, that was a dirt bag move.   By that same token, demand increased so much on several items, the company simply sent over what it had to online store owner because it underestimated product demand.  It happens.... flat out part of the deal.  As for 5POA being half of TVC, what's your point?  At one point SA figures were 6.99 then repacks got upped in price..... 5POA started at 5.99 .... then increased as well.  Everything you've said, other than the underlining "it's not my thing" doesn't hold alot of weight.  Also nothing I mentioned excludes wanting them from cranking new figures either.  That's your take on things, not mine.  If they like the idea and it helps the 3 3/4 back into healthy production... great!  If not..... oh well.

[Tamer]

I am glad folks are agruing their points here and not getting flamy. I think all the thoughts here are valid.

Do we need to be careful what we wish for with th 3.75" super articulated line? Although, if I had to choose between 5POA or the spotty vintage line we have now I don't know which way I would go. I know customizers can add arty to a 5POA Figure, but man with the technology at Hasbro's disposal I don't know why their figures don't moon walk in this day and age.

And yes, the Blank market is a niche market for sure. Still, we have seen some folks create some that are fantastic. H.A.C.K.S. anyone? I would love to see them try this rather than some new 3.75" statue line. And no I don't think its wrong for folks to buy parts from folks that will make them, but it sure is sad they have too.

So lets keep this going, and hopefully we can all talk out our utter frustration with what is still one of our favorite toy companies. And we all have to remember they as a business are never gonna totally see our point and we are never gonna totally see theirs either. Its not wrong to have passion about this as an art. Thats one of the reasons ISY was created, and look at the projects that have been shown here over the years. The artists here continually blow my mind with how cool and awesome and imaginative their stuff is. Hasbro is never gonna be able to compete at that level either just so we don't start down that road.

[dax415]

Again, butchering things, my idea only adds another available option without taking anything away from what goes into production normally.  Low risk, ...with the possibility of high reward.  And again, no... I'm not purely advocating it as a parts ordering service either.  Most of us love pizza, let's say your favorite place adds a take and bake option for a slightly lower price point.  Nothing gets replaced, no reinvention of the wheel, same quality ingredients, same creation process but with a cut off point.... don't like take and bake?  No big deal, go in and order as normal.  In no way shape or form am I advocating they prioritize repacking and reselling old SA figures as option #1 .   I was specific, if that's what they are going to do anyway, why not let us have more of a voice in the matter till new figures/improved figures come down the pipeline?  At that point.... add the additional option (my idea) to the mix?  That part was clearly explained in the beginning with simultaneous release. 

[dax415]

Tamer- I’m afraid those DePriest days are long gone. 🤔

Dax- Yes, I’ve made a figure or two lately.😉 I agree with just about everything you said. I agree that the market for these parts, although a niche market, is definitely there. That’s not the issue. Hasbro is the issue. 3.75” is on life support, and Hasbro put it there. Nothing that they’ve done suggests that this idea would be of interest to them; quite to the contrary. They want 3.75” to die. If it wasn’t a legacy line with 40+ years of history, it would already be gone. My question then is this: how do you or anyone else hope to convince them that the scale they want to kill is worth saving (in this case, with blanks & spare parts)? I wonder whether the current push for more NEW TVC will even be enough to sway them.

The size of the market for pieces/blanks is only part of the equation. Think also about all the figures Hasbro have released. How many would be available? How would they decide? Kit bashing is fun, but as you also know, not all keys peg into all sockets. What if the piece you bought didn’t fit? What if it broke during extraction/insertion? Can you imagine the headache returned blanks would cause? Would the company enjoy eating shipping costs for something so small? Hasbro would have to completely overhaul their articulation system if they were to market joints (e.g. arm pegs, knee pegs, ankle pegs) as interchangeable since currently the joint rotor & key are permanently attached to the limb. Is selling blank pieces really as simple and easy as it might seem?

Thanks for chiming in with the real reason you posted in the thread "My question then is this: how do you or anyone else hope to convince them that the scale they want to kill is worth saving"  Would it be that hard to post this as your own topic?  This is exactly why I'm not answering you or fully explaining it to the other guy.  I find your reasoning (NOT your opinion) pointless....  For god's sake... you and other dude are not onboard.... we heard you the first time, lol.  For the last time, you flat out miss the point and then you use it to back up your opinion without tangible numbers as to why it financially would be detrimental.  Your "arguments" are stretching over to the ...omg, what if things are not interchangeable everybody is going to return them ....blah blah blah.  Seriously?  This is your argument/logic?  A bunch of what if's linked together?.... since when did everything in the modern Star Wars line magically become universally interchangeable?  This flat out stretches into something that's a Hasbro design team "should we build this feature(s) into the new line up".... I've already stated I don't need to go into the nitty gritty realm of the how to and what should/shouldn't happen.  It's something that would be paramount to a full fledged project presentation.... I don't work for free bub.  And please stop calling my idea "blanks and parts".... an entire unassembled figure with accessories and no paint is NOT a blank! 

https://www.hlj.com/s-h-figuarts-body-chan-dx-set-2-solid-black-color-ver-bans60722

The link above.... is a blank.

[JDeck]

With 5 POA it didn't have the effect on TVC like everyone thought, it was just independent. It was replaced by those GOA Figures, and we're not seeing 3.75 getting better. HACKS is set up for blanks, the parts are made to be interchangeable. Hasbro would have to start all over and have their parts not only to be interchangeable but easier to disassemble. They would have to reinvent the wheel. Very few parts can be swapped. I did an arm swap yesterday and it was not easy at all. Most heads don't swap easily. I either have to Dremel or use the hot glue technique.   Also I go way out of my way not to have to paint figures, especially elbow joints, because of paint rub. I don't see the advantage of unpainted figures. If you want to repaint a figure you just paint over the existing paint. I don't see the advantage.  3.75 really is on it's last leg. That is why we have to improve the situation by letting Hasbro know 3.75 is worth keeping. Only way to do that is to buy more figures, but they make it nearly impossible. Once 3.75 is robust again, then I can see things like this happen, but right now TVC is on life support. You can't expect someone to run a marathon on life support.  I'm not partial to TVC, the card goes in the trash, but I support it because it's better than the TBS Walmart exclusive. You do have to credit Walmart for saving the line for that brief period, because Hasbro wanted to end it right then and there. If you don't fix the root problem of a situation it'll only get worse. Logistics is the most important part of any business.

[dax415]

With 5 POA it didn't have the effect on TVC like everyone thought, it was just independent. It was replaced by those GOA Figures, and we're not seeing 3.75 getting better. HACKS is set up for blanks, the parts are made to be interchangeable. Hasbro would have to start all over and have their parts not only to be interchangeable but easier to disassemble. They would have to reinvent the wheel. Very few parts can be swapped. I did an arm swap yesterday and it was not easy at all. Most heads don't swap easily. I either have to Dremel or use the hot glue technique.   Also I go way out of my way not to have to paint figures, especially elbow joints, because of paint rub. I don't see the advantage of unpainted figures. If you want to repaint a figure you just paint over the existing paint. I don't see the advantage.  3.75 really is on it's last leg. That is why we have to improve the situation by letting Hasbro know 3.75 is worth keeping. Only way to do that is to buy more figures, but they make it nearly impossible. Once 3.75 is robust again, then I can see things like this happen, but right now TVC is on life support. You can't expect someone to run a marathon on life support.  I'm not partial to TVC, the card goes in the trash, but I support it because it's better than the TBS Walmart exclusive. You do have to credit Walmart for saving the line for that brief period, because Hasbro wanted to end it right then and there. So , it's not looking good for 3.75, but there is hope, if Hasbro fixes their distribution problems they will see just how popular it is.

You do realize you just helped make my point?  And no, they don't have to reinvent the wheel cause people have been hacking, painting, readjusting, making custom parts anyway.  That's not gonna stop.  When G.I. Joes stopped being interchangeable, people started adapting anyway.  Just because you see things that way doesn't make it the only way.  Also.... it's clear you and the other guy were looking for a "How do we save the 3 3/4 line thread"  .....that's an apples and oranges topic.  Go thread jack somebody's else's topic or go do what I suggested.... make your own thread cause one thing is pretty clear.... you say they need to fix distribution... yet you've given NOTHING in the way of showing you even know what that is.  C'mon ... you claimed 7 months for a box of stormtroopers?  And you put up with it?  So therefore it's solely a "distribution" thing?  Not believable, not for one bit.  When Walmart did their exclusive star wars deal with Hasbro's Black Series that included 3 3/4, what evidence do you have that shows Walmart was it's savior?  Do you have evidence of what their deal was?  Do you have an understanding/know why some waves hit store shelves and some don't?  Other than speculation, you've provided nothing concrete as to why that happens.  I think the majority of your points are personal preference and more than a bit of saltiness over a bad experience, which you are entitled to.  But show a little gumption and class, start your OWN thread with your OWN thoughts of how to save 3 3/4.  I wasn't aiming for that road and already explained why.  Don't come up in here with your rants when your true purpose was to target that particular agenda.  If what you wrote was really what you were going for, then why not say "I think you may have something there if they stabilize the 3 3/4 inch line."  Did you do that?  No, instead its just a bunch talking out of both sides of your mouth.  It's not my job to hand hold you through your hobby, and it isn't Hasbro's either.  If you got treated poorly.... there's a multitude of things for you to do and ways to address it. 

[JDeck]

I don't understand why you're so rude to anyone with constructive criticism. Go ahead send Hasbro a letter. Whatever I don't care.  Make a petition, I'll even sign it, but if someone doesn't listen I don't bother speaking.

[Aude]

Do you honestly believe that your proposal that Hasbro sell unpainted, unassembled parts of 3.75” figures and the future existence of the 3.75” toy line are unrelated? That’s baffling.😂 No one came here to hijack your thread, and you are not doing yourself any favors with the tone you’ve assumed toward questions that I and others have raised about the viability of offering stormtrooper thighs. We all want the line to survive, but as history has shown, Hasbro have taken community suggestions like “get rid of five POA” meant to bolster 3.75” SA offerings and used them to decimate available product for the scale. If you can’t even entertain the possibility that focusing some of their energies on kit parts could potentially take valuable resources away from the creation of brand new figures, you’re kidding yourself.

[dax415]

Lobbying/convincing Hasbro alone isn't the only way to generate interest.  Every big company purchasing from Hasbro has it's buyers which at some point do the negotiation/purchasing.... they are the reps who are gonna fork over the capitol over to Hasbro, so they have some pull as to what's created and being sold.  For example, when entertainment earth had the Mandalorian/Omega Squad Republic Commando Packs or when Costco had the Hasbro Transformers Optimus Prime with sword and 2 bonus mini transformers with it.  Making a big push to influence the continuation of the 3 3/4 line and what avenues that can be explored to accomplish that end is a big topic in itself.  That would involve some grassroots campaigning and rallying of the fanbase, some fact checking, letter writing, reasonable examples of product demand, etc.  My suggestion with the unpainted/unassembled figures was never the one all be all savior of the line, nor was it intended to be.  Are they linked like you said?  Yes.  Do I feel it could lend a hand in retaining 3 3/4 figures?  For sure.  Do I agree with you they would take away from development of new figures and justify some sort of automatic minimalization?  No.  Especially if it's well planned, carefully selected, and timed.  Business wise and with how Chinese manufacturers commonly deal with things..... probably something else caused Hasbro to minimalize things as per your example.  My best guest is this, the product wasn't selling fast, like the first two waves sold lackluster in stores which caused the retailer to go.... woa, sorry we just can't commit to more product it's just not moving off the shelves well.  (In my neck of the woods, we never saw the first release of 6" Revan) That in turn has a ripple effect on orders/product planning that can trickle over into waves that may never see the light of day when reaching the masses.  There are things such as market over saturation, over pricing one's product, god knows what going on behind the scenes, and the fact that while they do hit things out of the park.... they also make mistakes.  So overall, the two topics are apples and oranges as to what specifics would be involved in bringing each to fruition.  Not only that, but my suggestions for contributing to a game plan would be very different because of what would be involved.

[Tamer]

I don't want anyone here to get their feelings hurt. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Its ok to not have the same opinion. I am also thinking Dax's frustration is not with the folks posting here, but with Hasbro and getting product on the pegs we all want.

I also remember one Q and A where we did pose the question about making the figures more standard so we could swap things out here and there. They seemed like they were intrigued by the idea. Can you imagine how many figures would sell if they made a Stormtrooper or Mando with parts like this and then perhaps made some parts and accessory packs down the road to fit this line of figures? Now that would be a cool 3.75" line to try; just a blanks line where each figure in it could be torn apart and combined with figures from previous waves!

[Clonehead]

The return of the Micronauts! Whenever interchangeability and 3 3/4 are mentioned together, those guys always pop into my head. Originally marketed in the US by Mego Corp. Doesn’t Hasbro own that property now?, as they were to be featured in a series of movies that Hasbro was to make based on their toy lines. Micronauts/transformers/gijoe/mask/rom/and another I can’t remember was the original list, a couple have been dropped since then, ROM and the other, I think
Were the Micronauts movie to be made and be a blockbuster, it’s corresponding toy line could be a hit. It would be a shame to launch a line of figures for that Movie if they weren’t 3 3/4.

I would prefer that the original Marvel comics storyline be implemented into any Micronauts movie but since Micronauts isn’t owned by Disney, yet, I doubt it would happen

[dax415]

I don't want anyone here to get their feelings hurt. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Its ok to not have the same opinion. I am also thinking Dax's frustration is not with the folks posting here, but with Hasbro and getting product on the pegs we all want.

I also remember one Q and A where we did pose the question about making the figures more standard so we could swap things out here and there. They seemed like they were intrigued by the idea. Can you imagine how many figures would sell if they made a Stormtrooper or Mando with parts like this and then perhaps made some parts and accessory packs down the road to fit this line of figures? Now that would be a cool 3.75" line to try; just a blanks line where each figure in it could be torn apart and combined with figures from previous waves!

I think... we are ALL frustrated, I've gone back and reread the posts.  Not knowing Aude and JDeck, I see now where there was both thinking out loud, passion in wanting to retain the line, and the fact we definately want forward thinking/product to be available to all of us.  I just happen to feel that those legit concerns and opinions about keeping 3 3/4 in the line-up are deserving of a thread of its own.  Cause it's a topic far bigger and inclusive than my one singular suggestion of tagging along customizable figures.  For what it's worth I do apologize.