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Author Topic: Is the Canadian Joe community dying?  (Read 7953 times)

BHMike

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #12 on: December 30, 2004, 10:22:22 AM »

It's not really fair for anyone to claim they don't sell.... period.

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? :lol:

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
« Last Edit: December 30, 2004, 10:24:16 AM by Guest »
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morgardee

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #13 on: December 30, 2004, 10:23:30 AM »

Exactly what I was thinking. If G.I.Joe had a new cartoon we would be fighting with the kiddies over them. Then we would have more people buying up all the Duke's, Gung Ho's and Tunnel Rats that we've had our fill of so they wouldn't fill the shelves.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Tattoo Shane

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #14 on: January 01, 2005, 05:19:22 PM »

As it's been mentioned, trying to compare GI Joe sales from the 70s, 80s and now is pretty much like comparing apples, oranges and kiwis. There are an endless supply of reasons why products succeed and fail in every given decade and trying to mimick or capitalize off previous trends is pretty much a sure fire way to not succeed.

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. ;)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Spillspleen

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #15 on: January 01, 2005, 07:20:46 PM »

Canada gets left over U.S. stuff???  :lol: ...so what they repackage this stuff in bi-lingual packaging and send them up here...?????

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:
« Last Edit: January 01, 2005, 08:10:09 PM by Guest »
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morgardee

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #16 on: January 01, 2005, 07:33:38 PM »

I don't think it's fair to say Canada gets the leftover stuff from the U.S. when we had waves 1 & 2 of VvV before the U.S. did as well as the new Hummer and black jet (I'm hung over people and can't remember names right now  :oops: ). I also don't remember if we got wave 3 first or not.

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?".
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Spillspleen

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #17 on: January 01, 2005, 08:08:21 PM »

Well one thing is for sure...I do really wish I could go to one of the local department stores and buy Joes...on a regular basis...I do not know why it is so hard for adults to buy toys in Canada...maybe it has something to do with not being a kid anymore... :lol: ...my kids love Joes...but would play with anything on the market today...!!!
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akpayne

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #18 on: January 01, 2005, 08:24:40 PM »

Sadly all the walmarts near me have crappy toy sections - sure If I was looking for 50 spiderman figures from about 5 waves ago, they got them, but the really don't carry anything else.

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.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Spillspleen

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #19 on: January 02, 2005, 12:46:10 AM »

Now compare that to the 80's...everything seemed different...I wanted or needed everything in the toy isle for boys...and was there such a thing as a peg warrmer...?...Maybe Crystar or Huminoids... :lol: !!!
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Redmao

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #20 on: January 02, 2005, 09:12:50 AM »

the problem is indeed big Wally! If they bothered to buy more than a case per store the line might rise! Sure kids love Spiderman...but is it worth buying a whole warehouse of Spiderman figure per store??? Huh? Is it?!


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...
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Spillspleen

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #21 on: January 02, 2005, 07:12:18 PM »

Thats how I got half my spy troops army builders...at what 2.97 a two pack...lol...that was the best!
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AlleyViper

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #22 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.
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Jon S.

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Is the Canadian Joe community dying?
« Reply #23 on: January 07, 2005, 12:03:20 AM »

The stuff I got from Samko (Spy Troops waves) all had bilingual packaging.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
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