Star Action Figures

[The Doctor]

Apr 9, 2021 19:00:36 GMT Pinwig said:

Yes, something like five waves of various lines at once. Obviously customer service is important but they're a small operation and repeatedly say that the more 'where's my order' emails they have to answer, the longer it takes to send everything out. I don't think you need to worry.

Yeah, they're a good bunch. I was really impressed to get a reply to my query within an hour.

-Ralph

[The Doctor]

Origins Buzzworthy Bumblebee:

www.staractionfigures.co.uk/f1623

-Ralph

[Slack]

Thank you

[Philip Ayres]

Road Rage in stock at Star Action Figures

www.staractionfigures.co.uk/f0924

They also have the second wave of SS86

www.staractionfigures.co.uk/pre-order-transformers-studio-series-86-deluxe-action-figure---gnaw
www.staractionfigures.co.uk/pre-order-transformers-studio-series-leader-action-figure---slag-n-dani
www.staractionfigures.co.uk/pre-order-transformers-studio-series-voyager-86-class-action-figure---wreck-car

[The Doctor]

They also have Draculus for a pound less than ID.

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

Ooh hey, my preorder for SS86 wave two is with them. That's another big box arriving next week then...

[The Doctor]

I had hoped my wave 2 SS86 pre-order with them would ship today. Hopefully Monday!

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

Cannot wait for Wreck-Gar.

[Philip Ayres]

Star have Legacy Arcee & Blitzwing

www.staractionfigures.co.uk/f3062
www.staractionfigures.co.uk/f3028

[Pinwig]

Blitzwing! Yes!

Wait...

Does he have furry pants or a sword of power?

[Philip Ayres]

He has a powerful sword!

[Pinwig]

Does it... Split in half?

[The Doctor]

Why would Blitzwing have furry pants??

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

I only buy toys with furry pants these days.

If he's got furry pants, he's in.

[The Doctor]

You could put furry pants on him.

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

I could!

Hmm...

[Pinwig]

Blitzwingor!

[The Doctor]

ARSEOR!

-Ralph

[Pinwig]

Star had a meeting with Hasbro. Primarily SW focussed of course, but interesting.

www.facebook.com/8042490975761763

Wednesday's (28/6/22) meeting with Hasbro was a very positive one.

Firstly thank you for all the comments left at the weekend on our post about this meeting. Most of these have been seen by Hasbro and were commented upon. But I believe we are on the edge of a very challenging period where pricing and other issues are effecting us all in the UK, just like it did pre-2018, which is why I requested this meeting.

We discussed a number of issues that I think are detrimental to the hobby. A lot of things are global issues, so although Hasbro UK/Europe cannot do anything directly, they can certainly make their views known to the powers that be. As I said earlier, I cannot share everything, and some things that effect SAF directly I am not prepared to share, but here is the overview.

Pre-ordering, and in particular long dated pre-orders, and how offering pre-orders for January next year and then delivering them in April is only driving collectors away from the hobby. In times of rising living costs, I cannot think of a worse way to offer pre-orders, and they listened with interest. I am hopeful this feedback will reach the right people. Again for the record, my ideal way would be to announce preorders two or three months before the stock is released, so we can look forward to new figures arriving, without forgetting about them. As soon as you forget you have ordered something, then surely the excitement of receiving it goes away as well. It was also not lost on them, that if you offer a wave of figures over 4 or 5 pre-order dates, you increase the amount of packaging retailers use 4 or 5 times, thus increasing everyone's carbon footprint. I am not really sure how they can justify removing plastic packaging, only to increase the amount of plastic used (paper and cardboard is just as bad) by unnecessarily increasing the amount of packaging materials.

The issue of pricing in the UK was brought up and examples of how out of touch things are with pricing in the States were discussed. Again examples were shown and I think we will see changes here. This is something I think we will see improvements on first, as it is something that Hasbro UK can act on directly themselves.

Things are improving slowly on how stock is delivered, but this was discussed along with exclusives in the UK, which I think is a major issue in holding back the growth of the collection. I am a firm believer in allowing every retailer to have access to all exclusives in the UK. My view is if they have to give the huge chains (including themselves) exclusives, then at least do not give highly niche and highly collectable and numbered carded figures, to companies who are known for folding things in half to fit in envelopes. I think they should allow the dedicated fan sites to handle the "real fan collectables" like vintage multiple packs, or at least allow us all access to them. If fans come first, then give fans the choice, and see where they shop. They will shop where they are happiest to shop, and happy shoppers buy more things!!! Also I don't need to say here, the price of repainted exclusives over new figures is just illogical, and only "encourages" people to stop being "completists".

One of the major talking points was the condition of the product, vintage and retro card backs in particular. They have now seen a number of the issues close up, what most collectors (rightly) want to reject as damaged. Marvel Retro figures helped our cause here with the excellent quality of their card backs, so it is shocking just how weak, thin and prone to damage the damage Star Wars cards have been, and continue to be. I think this is one of the largest issues right now, and is costing more sales and collectors walking away from the hobby than Hasbro will ever know.

Yeah, yeah, yeah Wayne, I hear you say, what about plastic bubbles on vintage figures. Contrary to what you may have read, the final decision has not been made and it is still under discussion. All I will say is Hasbro are fully aware of fans views. There is nothing more I can share on that issue.

The best example I can use on what could happen if they ditch the bubble, is that in 2013 we ordered 700 cases of wave 16 (the final vintage phase 1 wave) and the next 3.75 inch wave after this, we sold less than 10 sets. Whilst I do not think it would be that drastic now, I do firmly believe if vintage packaging is changed, sales will drop far far far below what is needed to maintain this line. Surely it is time to use "green plastic". If you have a 3d printer you likely use PLA plant based "plastic" already. Windowless packaging on collectables will slowly kill all lines in my humble opinion, not just Star Wars, so we need to use this new type of plastic now. I can't really see any reason why we are even still having this discussion.

Overall I was my normal blunt, to the point self, but felt it was a very positive meeting and felt Hasbro listened and took the concerns seriously. As I said earlier, this was a meeting with senior management from Hasbro UK and Europe, and they have said they will pass things that they have no direct control over to the relevant teams in the US, and follow up the concerns with them. "Fan" product is a now a very large part of Hasbro, and overall I came away from the meeting with positive vibes, and firmly believe Hasbro are listening. But I feel the future of all fan collectables will have a heavy shadow hanging over it, all the time collectors cannot see what they are buying, when all their figures are hid in closed, sealed cardboard boxes. After all, these days what MIB/MOC collector doesn't have a colour printer and a roll of sellotape at home!!
- Wayne

[Llama God]

Interesting notes there. The most interesting one being to do with pricing, really. And also availability of exclusives. Although I hope that Hasbro UK don't take a more historic approach to exclusives and go "well in that case every retailer in the UK shall have the same access to exclusives... none!".

I'd disagree with him over closed-box toys killing Transformers, though. Plenty of figures have historically been sold in Japan with closed boxes, and that didn't kill the line there. I think Transformers will be okay. Star Wars though would certainly be something of a shift...

[The Doctor]

Closed boxes may be ok, but the UK market is very different to the Japanese market. I do wonder if not being able to see the product combined with jumps in toy prices at the same time as inflation at 9.1% and NI hikes could have a detrimental effect. The likes of us know what is in the boxes, but given the above I can see some parents and casual fans buying less. If you can't see what is inside something now very expensive, would the same number of customers still buy it? Unknown!

Plant-based 'plastic' bubbles could help, but the distinction between that and regular plastic may be too nuanced for many customers to notice at this time.

-Ralph

[Philip Ayres]

Jul 1, 2022 7:40:58 GMT Llama God said:

Star Wars though would certainly be something of a shift...

Especially when one of the big sellers for SW relies on retro packaging design with the bubbles.

[Jim]

Very interesting!

I like closed boxes, personally, especially if they're relatively sturdy and reusable for storage. I've loved the Generations Selects boxes from the beginning, especially the earlier, minimalistic ones which weren't much more than plain cardboard with a label to seal them. They looked like something you could buy in MUJI. They have lost some of the reusability with the loss of the plastic inserts though...

The Marvel Retro Collection cardbacks are indeed very sturdy, I think I commented the other day on how starkly they contrast with the GI Joe Retro Collection cards, but honestly I'm not interested in keeping them carded or even keeping the cards, though clearly that's the appeal for some collectors. I wonder if Hasbro could offer via Pulse (and collector-targeted retailers) a sort of hybrid model, a bit like the BotCon sets, where you could pay more for a fully packaged toy but otherwise get it in fairly plain cardboard?

One other reason I'd be happy to see closed boxes is that lately the box art has often looked really beautiful, but it's not in a state you can make the most of when it has a window cut into it, is printed around a corner, etc. Get that art on the flat front of a box!

[Benn]

Still no word from Star on sending out Junkheap and Sludge. Posting this in the hopes that it will wake up my emails.

[Pinwig]

Another surprisingly open FB post from the owner of Star on Hasbro's current problems. It's one thing us making comments like this, based largely on assumption, but this is a specialist shop owner seeing stock coming in and out saying the same thing:

www.facebook.com/staractionfigures/posts/pfbid0XvsfKJXBhMorhXZvn2jDQMkVK2UNz4B22VTrqpvpMxkPCx8W1ZgwTezDvMYJEYQYl

1) Ill thought out random and ever increasing massively inflation busting prices at a time of a global cost of living crisis.

2) Removing windows so you ask people to buy unseen figures at a time quality control is at rock bottom, and having Hasbro tell fans we only kept the windows on collector based products, as if to insult every Black Series, Marvel. GI Joe, Transformers etc collector

3) Having a pre-order system what was thought up by someone (and this as polite as I can make it) living in Cloud Cuckoo Land (Cloud cuckoo land is a state of absurdly, over-optimistic fantasy or an unrealistically idealistic state of mind where everything appears to be perfect.(to them)) Again, I cannot stress it enough at a time of global cost of living crisis, some bright spark thinks it "enhances the fans pre-order experience", by ordering hundreds of pounds worth of figures in June 2022 with a April 2023 release date, and then releasing those figures in July 2022. THIS NOT A ONE OFF HASBRO, ITS ON EVERY ****ING LINE, EVERY FIGURE. PEOPLE CANNOT AFFORD OR BUDGET WITH THIS SYSTEM. Who thought this up? It is beyond ridiculous boarding on pathetic how out of touch they are. You don't hear the back lash as Hasbro Pulse is so disliked by fans, they only buy what you refuse to let the fan stores stock, because they have no other choice.

TWO HUGE AND EMBARRASSING Black Series failures on Hasb Lab. Every other line manages to fill their Has Labs projects in short time. Why is it Star Wars manages to fail so often. Could it be they are so out of touch with what "their fans" want? Or do they find it fun or funny to make these products that are doomed to failure. It is a surprise to no one expect the brand team no doubt, when these offerings tank. And they do tank. Badly. What else can it be? What will it take for Hasbro INC to notice something is very very wrong with Star Wars and in particular Black Series at the moment.

Judging by the comments on this Facebook group and elsewhere, I would estimate around 80-90% of Black Series fans have had enough and called time on their collections. That is not an exaggeration. I stand by and have data to back that up.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE AT HASBRO INC TO SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE.

It's not to late, but its mightily close to the the Event Horizon and the point of no return.

They killed the 5 POA line in 2019. IMO Black Series is almost to the point of no return, what's next, vintage. The condition of the cards and the inability to listen for THREE YEARS has done that line no end of damage, more than they will ever know, (and for what, to save a few grand on cardboard over the year), and we are now starting to see the same lazy character selections and lazy repaints in that line as well.

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE AT HASBRO INC TO SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE.

STAR WARS SHOULD BE DOUBLING IN SALES after the new Disney shows breathed fresh life into it. Instead we have a offering of repaint, rehashes, all at much much higher and random prices, and fans deserting the hobby in their droves.

I mean look at tonight. K2S0 with a back pack, and a repainted Battle Droid. £20 repaints at best £33 each! At a time the same figures released last year are in clearance bins everywhere.

Surprise surprise, people have had enough of these lazy offerings. You got away with it for a couple of years, but now its gone crash with a bang.

You can't make it up.

It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.

[Benn]

Wow. I mean, WOW.

[The Doctor]

Not a happy shop owner.

-Ralph

[Llama God]

I imagine this is hurting their sales. But yeah, Hasbro's approach to Star Wars is... something of a confusion.

[The Doctor]

Yup. It's mad that Retro can manage themed waves, but not VC or Black Series.

-Ralph

[browny87]

i used to collect the black series and spoke to Wayne a few times, its borne out of complete frustration, he has had meetings with them where they promised it would get better. They are one of the leading stockers and dealers of star wars in uk and hes just had enough i think