Post by: Mastermind on December 27, 2004, 11:52:27 PM
These days I walk into Toys R Us and find a few leftover Corps sets which have sat in the same spot for two years and no new Joes. Actually that's not entirely true. The manager of the Toys R Us closest to me said they go in one case of the figures with Venomous Maximus for Christmas. hooray.
For some reason we are being left out of the army builder sets, the Toys R Us repaints such as the Cobra Ninjas and other six packs, almost all of the vehicles and there isn't much out there to replace it. Walmart gets a lot of Transformers and Batman figures but not much else.
After thirty-some years of collecting Joes I think I'm finally getting tired of looking anymore. Just curious if anyone else is in the same boat.
Post by: Redmao on December 28, 2004, 09:28:21 AM
The problem is the packaging, I think. Up here the packaging must at least be bilingual while in the states, they won't even touch a product whose packaging isn't just in english...that crazy detail might be the stick in our wheel...If Hasbro only had to do one packaging than they might distribute a larger quantity of figures...maybe
Post by: BHMike on December 28, 2004, 11:26:39 AM
I did more in sales this year on Joe than any other.
I think it lies in promotional items.
So much is exclusive and only available in the U.S. - that us Canucks get fed up and pissed off.
That, and we're cheap. No one wants to pay more than retail for something, and sadly, the major chains (TRU, Walmart, etc) don't carry most of the line. Therefore everyone is left with buying from a shop like mine or Legends or such.
When we have to get them from the U.S., we have to pay shipping, duty, and taxes on it. Then folks balk at having to pay nearly double the U.S. price.
This is the main reason I don't bother carrying alot of new items period.
Wrestling saw it's BIGGEST year here in the store, and I attribute it to the fact that I can now buy directly from Jakks (the company that makes it).
Hasbro will not allow me to buy directly from them UNLESS I buy from Hasbro Canada - which means I will only get items that are already up here - and what good is that?
I prefer to help out the collector and carry items that we don't / can't get up here. But if no one buys it as soon as I get it, I don't want to carry it.
I can't run a business selling at 'cost', or worse yet - at a loss.
:shock:
Ok... apparently I went on a rant there - sorry.
Mike
Post by: Pete The Greek on December 28, 2004, 12:37:27 PM
I know the feeling of finding a ton of Joes on the pegs. You can't beat it. At least Miko and Samko bought up a ton of the Hasbro Canada leftovers for sale this year. It was cool to go toy hunting their, even though 95% of the packs I bought I didn't keep.
Post by: Spillspleen on December 28, 2004, 07:21:59 PM
But I do see the U.S. market growing...and the two packs are showing up everywhere....even super markets out here....so maybe we will see something new in the next year or two. :thumbsup:
Post by: Pete The Greek on December 28, 2004, 08:33:53 PM
Post by: Colonel Abernathy on December 29, 2004, 08:47:51 AM
regarding packaging...hasbro started putting tri-lingual packaging on their TFs in 2001 with the RiD line (english, french, spanish). I wonder what the reason is for not ddoing this with Joes?
also, Canadian TRU has carried english-only TFs since at least 2002 with the TRU-exclusive G1 reissues (although I did see a few "Euro" packages of the 1st wave {OP, Magnus, Rodimus} about a year later) so I wonder why we can't get english-only TRU-exclusive VvV 6-packs
anyway the whole situation is odd...it seems Canadian distribution could be way better and is crappy for no real reason, but who knows how these toy companies really work. Maybe they've had numerous board meetings and determined it would be in the company's best interest to not get our money 8)
Post by: BHMike on December 29, 2004, 09:33:37 AM
Quote from: ""Spillspleen""
Yup...Joes in Canada are dead...at least when you look at the whole picture. There is one store that sells older vintage and new joes...and they would say the same as BHT...."Joe sales are up....record season"...but thats nothing compared to the 80's when every store carried G.I.Joe if they carried any toys at all...!
Actually, I was talking mainly about the NEWER stuff.
Back in March/May I bought a HUGE collection of mainly newer items.
They're ALL gone.
Everytime I buy 'new' items, they sell immediately.
Heck, I'm the guy that helped Pete by taking all those 'extras' off his hands.
Most of them are gone now. That wasn't even a month ago! (and there was ALOT!)
New Joe product WILL sell and DOES sell in Canada - it's not dead. It just hasn't been given a fair chance. Hasbro doesn't push the Joe line as well as they do Star Wars. The funny thing is, they don't HAVE to push Star Wars, buy they should push Joe more.
The Canadian Toy Fair is coming up in January. I'll start a thread for it in another post, if anyone has any questions for me to ask them, I will.
Every year however it's the same thing. I don't know how many of these threads I've seen.
Bottom line, the new Joes DO/WILL sell, it's Hasbro to blame for not giving a crap about the collector (the ones buying the line), and catering to the 'big chains' wallets. :-)
mike
Post by: AlleyViper on December 29, 2004, 11:18:31 AM
So I think Joe's did pretty good for Christmas, which may convince retailers to bring more in, in terms of variety and bulk.
But it is kind of depressing to be a Joe collector in Canada. Without internet shops or people who sell stuff to us Canucks for cost plus shipping, we'd be out of luck. And we are buying it, but it would be so much easier if you and I could walk into a local Walmart, TRU or Zellers and pick up all the new Joe stuff.
Post by: Spillspleen on December 29, 2004, 01:38:32 PM
Joes are dead and will ever be in Canada. The only way Joes will sell in Canada is if kids want them...and that means parents going out to buy them for birthdays and so on. Most kids can buy a few items here and there?but parents buy the lions share?and women now account for 80% of the purchase decisions made within the Canadian home. So if kids want them they ask mom?and she goes and gets them?.with or without the kid Also with the toy market diluted to the point of insanity no one toy stands out...and besides toys there is now the age of 'mass media', if you will, including computers, cell phones, game systems and so on?.so what chance does ?Americas? greatest heroes have in Canada?not much?as an example the reason why Joe two packs (priced at $12.99) sit on pegs in Toys R Us?right besides the Star Wars single packs (priced at $11.97) which fly off the shelf is because people want one and not the other. I hate this idea of Joes not coming to Canada?being a Joe collector it hurts?o?well mail order from the states if the safest way! :thumbsup:
Post by: AlleyViper on December 29, 2004, 06:52:54 PM
But I don't think its fair to say that Joe stuff doesn't sell in Canada. Sure, it hurt us when TRU only carried the non-oring stuff way back in the day, and didn't sell. But at one point TRU was carrying VvV wave 2 and 3, but nothing since. And when they did, they ordered way too much of it. You can effectively sell 10 cases of one wave, at least not weak waves like VvV 2 and 3. How many touque wearing Zartan's do you need?
I think if retailers carried the full Joe line, with up to date stock, that the Joe stuff would sell really well. Unfortunately, we get scraps from each wave, with an occasional vehicle, which isn't enough to keep it from moving quickly off the shelves.
Post by: custo on December 29, 2004, 10:36:59 PM
When I was a little kid the toys that I wanted were ones related to my favorite TV shoes, GIJOE no longer has this advantage. I'm sure that if Hasbro got off their asses and finally put out a decent cartoon, instead of these DVDs (which I like but really :roll: ), that GIJOE would GROW in Canada.
Post by: BHMike on December 30, 2004, 10:22:22 AM
I personally took your post as a direct rebuttal to my post saying they DO sell. Just because YOUR local store says they don't, then it 'must' be true?
As Alley Viper said, Joe in the 80's had a cartoon. It was a COMPLETELY different marketplace at that time.
There weren't 'exclusives' like there are now. Maybe ONE Sears one a year - if that.
The new Joe items without a shadow of a doubt are selling, and do sell.
Why don't they sell in Canada? We get leftover U.S. stock.
Big Ben / White Out anyone?
Just from reading the posts on this board, product has been showing up pretty regular (basic waves). And, they've been selling out as well.
You can't pin the lack of Joe products in Canada on the fact that they don't sell - they do! Hasbro Canada just needs to know that it IS collectors buying these items mainly - then kids second. Actually..... I don't know if that's true anymore. I have ALOT of kids that buy newer (some older) Joes from me here in the store. Pete, Loop, Ed, and others have seen it and were all equally amazed and happy.
So Kids do buy them.
Star Wars sells out more than Joe for one reason - It's STAR WARS.
Without a doubt THE best selling line of products PERIOD. Hasbro OWNS the rights to Joe, therefore there is no need to push a product they own as much as one that they need to 'pay out' for.
You're all forgetting one thing as well. It's not just JOE that (as Spill put it) 'doesn't sell', it's ALL lines of toys from Hasbro. Hasbro doesn't release all items from Star Wars up here, or Joe, or Transformers. Bascially, the only finger to be pointing blame at is Hasbro Canada here.
I've TRIED to get Joe product that isn't at retail up here - I'm told EACH and EVERY time that:
1. That's not being solicited to us (Hasbro Canada)
2. You must order a minimum of 1000 units
Those two reasons there is why you don't see 'all' product in Canada.
Joe is one of Hasbros best lines.
Hasbro Canada however still thinks people don't want them because they 'don't sell'..... But they sell out whenever we get new waves.
Nice tricky circle huh?
Bottom line, New Joe items sell - without a shadow of a doubt they do.
The collectors that buy it tend to think they don't because we don't get ALL of it up here. Which sucks, but you can Blame Hasbro Canada for that.
Heck, send them a letter (NOT EMAIL) a real one - snail mail. See if you get a reply.
They'll tell you to contact TRU, Walmart, or your favorite toy shop and the pure reason why is that if enought people pester the 'big chains' in Canada, then THEY will want more product from Hasbro. It's a bottom line money thing for them, so they're more than willing to sell it, people need to start buying it UP HERE instead of the U.S.
I can't get guarantees that people will buy the waves from me, so I have no urge to get them. My wrestling customers gave me the guarantees - and now Jakks sells directly to me.
Yet 1 year ago wrestling fans were saying that wrestling toys don't sell in Canada. :-)
Mike
Post by: morgardee on December 30, 2004, 10:23:30 AM
Post by: Tattoo Shane on January 01, 2005, 05:19:22 PM
As far as Joe being dead in Canada, i don't know if i'd go that far but i'd definately go so far as to say it's nowhere near as popular a collectible line (vintage and new) compared to many of the other toys people collect. I don't think it's dwindled, i just don't think there are that many people into it. I've been involved in the collecting community here in town for over 10 years now and in that time have met VERY FEW people who collect any 3 3/4" Joes. Sure, there are a couple (David Hrushka notwithstanding) but they are few and far between. I think that this overall lack of collectors (compared to SW, HW, TFs) definately impacts the sales of modern stuff.
Now, i'll certainly agree that Hasbro can be partially blamed for the lack of overall product but after having worked at TRU for 6 years dealing with the boys world buyer on a weekly basis, i can assure you that the people who make the purchasing decisions for that company are out and out morons. I have friends in Wal-Mart managment as well and from what i gather, their buyers are no better.
Would or does GI Joe do well here. Certainly. It has line recognition to 3 generations but one also has to remember that the entire toy industry is taking a monster hit. Profits for tradtional toys are decreasing 3 or 4 % every season as video and interactive games take the forefront with the kiddy trends. Like it or not, these trends impact what stores carry and if the kiddies aren't buying into figure lines (let alone ones that are trying to rely on a collector/name recognition push like GI Joe with no TV or affordable comic tie-in) then the major chains aren't going to be apt to carry them...and for good business reason - no matter how loud a handful of upset collectors yell. We may buy a lot but we make up a small minoirty of sales for these companies.
Regardless, i'm just glad i only collect vintage toys. ;)
Post by: Spillspleen on January 01, 2005, 07:20:46 PM
When the largest toy store in Canada can not sell the item it is dead...when Wal-Mart does not carry the these items they are dead...now they do keep trying as with the one wave 4 case each Wal-Mart got...but you guys make it sound like Wal-Mart is ordering millions of cases and they fly of the shelf...???...anyways it is my point of view...Joes are competing against a lot of other stuff so it is not like the 80's...but they are dead...as in not selling in any amount worth noting...!!!When we see these guys sold in regular waves and a lot of the vehicles showing up then they will be alive and well?like in the U.S.!!!
:thumbsup: :yojoe: :thumbsup: :yojoe: :thumbsup: :yojoe: :thumbsup:
Post by: morgardee on January 01, 2005, 07:33:38 PM
There might be times when we do get some of the left overs but that is not the case all the time.
I wish we knew who was in charge of Hasbro Canada so we could fill that persons mail box with letters letting them know that "Hey, we're here waiting for you to bring us more".
Man, I feel like Oliver Twist, "Please sir, may I have some more?".
Post by: Spillspleen on January 01, 2005, 08:08:21 PM
...my kids love Joes...but would play with anything on the market today...!!!
Post by: akpayne on January 01, 2005, 08:24:40 PM
They had 1 selection of Lord of the ring toys - and currently the pegs are covered in Frodo's
They have a zillion Batman two packs- again that aren't selling.
They have a small selection of Teen Titan toys
Wave 3 of Marvel Legends
A few Star Wars figures - not a complete assortment just row after row of peg warmers.
They do however carry a really good selection of Tranformers.
I should take my camera next time I am in WalMart just to show how crappy it really is.
Post by: Spillspleen on January 02, 2005, 12:46:10 AM
!!!
Post by: Redmao on January 02, 2005, 09:12:50 AM
With joe vs cobra they ordered too much and the lquidated them. When Spytroops came they didn't change the code bar so they sold the spytroops at the same low price as the leftover J v C. No other store were able to compete that price since it was a brand new product so they stop ordering joes thus killing joe in canada until VvV which result in the low 1 case per store... :evil:
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to order a ninja 6 pack...
Post by: Spillspleen on January 02, 2005, 07:12:18 PM
Post by: AlleyViper on January 04, 2005, 04:14:01 AM
Quote from: ""Spillspleen""
Thats how I got half my spy troops army builders...at what 2.97 a two pack...lol...that was the best!
Sure, it was cheap then, but we didn't really get much Joe stuff at Walmart until recently. Why would have they brought in more stuff if what they did bring in, they sold for less than cost. I sure would have liked for them to have picked up some of those Alpha and Bravo vehicles.
Post by: Jon S. on January 07, 2005, 12:03:20 AM
Post by: Pete The Greek on January 07, 2005, 12:20:29 AM