Did Anyone Ask About The Single Packs?

[T.A.P.]

Did anyone ask about the single packs at the convention? Or why they were so poorly distributed and why they were given to such a crappy store like CVS?

[Ccav]

it was a Market test...and it failed..

 

 

they said no chains wanted it ( Walmart, TRU, target)

so a small amoutn made it too the small stores.

 

they have no further plans to release them now.

[Draven79]

I think most of us knew it was doomed from the start. Good idea done crappy doesn't make a winner.

Draven #US1#

[King James]

Geez, really glad I got mine then.

 

[Admiral Hunter]

Geez, really glad I got mine then.

 

I hate you...

 

Armageddon Toys had 3 complete sets of the Single packs, going for $60 each. I figured $6 per single pack was a good deal since the closest CVS to me is down in LA, and I'm near S.F.

 

-Kevin

[Three Storms]

I never had the chance to get them since I never saw them.

[ScrapIron1977]

Well, I for one wasn't too excited about the next wave based on the reported lineup. They were apparently supposed to go on sale in mid-late July for 3.00 each and the assortment would include:

Cobra Commander (wave 8), Storm Shadow (wave 1/04), Cobra Viper (wave 1/04), Tunnel Rat (wave 5), Sand Scorpion, Razor Claw, Snake Eyes (wave 1/04), Heavy Duty (wave 8), Hi Tech, Ace (Tigerhawk)

 

Let's see, that's a bunch or repackages of figures everyone probably has and 3 army builders that most people don't want. Besides this, the Storm Shadow was still probably AA since the O-ring is coming later on anyway.

At least last years single packs were desirable for the most part since you could get a CLAWS, Iron Grenadier and some other troop builders in straight reissues rather than awful repaints. I was really hoping we'd get to see the popular Tele Viper and Ripcord/Airborne figures that nobody was able to purchase last year, along with some of the wave 7.5 that most people I know are still looking for. I'd be more than happy to pay 3.00 for each Viper, Sand Viper Desert CLAW, etc. It sure beats driving around on wild goose chases and only bringing home one tele-viper or 7.5 Troop Builder pack!

 

Jus

[AVAC]

Even living near a CVS didn't give me the opportunity to get what I wanted. The CVS's near me only got three figures at a time. Alot of the time it ws the Cobra Commander and Snake Eyes packs.

[King James]

The really hard to find one, at least for me, was the Iron Grenadier.

 

I found all of my single packs at a store called Gordman's--one of the oddest places I've ever found Joes next to my JvC wave 7.75 score from Advance Auto parts (The guy at the counter of the auto parts store looked at me kind of funny when I asked for the display).

 

Anyhow, the IG only seemed to be one per case out of the single packs, and he wasn't even in every case. Too bad--I always liked the black version of him and never found but one at the normal stores.

[revsears]

all i snagged was an ig but sense that would be an uneven number of troops it's not doing me any good

[Tazzzman]

I never had the chance to get them since I never saw them.

Same here never saw them

[Dragonrider1227]

I never even knew about these until I saw them on yojoe.com. Geez, I thought Hasbro were the smart ones.

[cmderinchief]

I think I snagged my set from the GI Joe CC website. The CVS around the corner from me never got them.

[Outsiders]

I picked up the single packs but I picked them up in February and still waiting for Viper Hunter to send me them...

[flint069]

Got mine at Downtown Disney.

 

they had tons of them, and as we found out at the con, they were sold out.

 

I got 2 of each and 4 Ig's and 4 CLAWS

[flint069]

I think the plan for these were to get them into smaller stores like Walgreens and CVS's. Since they were single packs the price would be nicer to look at than $10.00 for a 2 pack. Oh Well

 

Wave 2 single packs sounded sweeter than wave 1 (which I liked).

now cancelled.

 

They finally figure out how to do the mission discs right and they cancel that too!

[pesatyel]

it was a Market test...and it failed..

 

 

they said no chains wanted it ( Walmart, TRU, target)

so a small amoutn made it too the small stores.

 

they have no further plans to release them now.

Seemed like a pretty half-assed test.

 

What WAS the test? To see if we want them as single packs? To see if the single packs would sell?

 

If only 5 stores in the entire country actually GET them, how did they intend to find any of that out?

[T.A.P.]

That really sucks. They never showed up near me. And now it sounds like I'll never get that CLAWS. @grumpy@

[robot_sonic]

What WAS the test? To see if we want them as single packs? To see if the single packs would sell?

 

If only 5 stores in the entire country actually GET them, how did they intend to find any of that out?

To a certain extent, Hasbro doesn't care if consumers want the item. They only care if retailers want it. Retailers care if consumers want it. So, if retailers don't order a product from Hasbro, then they don't produce it.

 

That being said, were the single carded figures released in a wider manner, they would have ended up being HUGE pegwarmers. In my area, all the CVS stores are now backed up with Cobra Commanders, Dukes and Cross Hairs. Had the Wal Marts of the world gotten these, the problem would have been exacerbated by the increased volume. In the end, the product would have ended up cancelled, too as WM's would have had too may pegwarmers left over to every move them.

 

I really liked the single packs. It was nice to be able to stop and pick up two or three figures I wanted with no extras every few days. But, I think the larger issue of distribution made these items poor retail choices. Hopefully, at some point, Hasbro will just bag repaint/reissue figs like this and make them available either via mail-order or specific online dealers. I think that would sate collectors without hurting Hasbro's retail partners.

[pesatyel]

What WAS the test? To see if we want them as single packs? To see if the single packs would sell?

 

If only 5 stores in the entire country actually GET them, how did they intend to find any of that out?

To a certain extent, Hasbro doesn't care if consumers want the item. They only care if retailers want it. Retailers care if consumers want it. So, if retailers don't order a product from Hasbro, then they don't produce it.

 

That being said, were the single carded figures released in a wider manner, they would have ended up being HUGE pegwarmers. In my area, all the CVS stores are now backed up with Cobra Commanders, Dukes and Cross Hairs. Had the Wal Marts of the world gotten these, the problem would have been exacerbated by the increased volume. In the end, the product would have ended up cancelled, too as WM's would have had too may pegwarmers left over to every move them.

 

I really liked the single packs. It was nice to be able to stop and pick up two or three figures I wanted with no extras every few days. But, I think the larger issue of distribution made these items poor retail choices. Hopefully, at some point, Hasbro will just bag repaint/reissue figs like this and make them available either via mail-order or specific online dealers. I think that would sate collectors without hurting Hasbro's retail partners.

Good point, but there are plenty of OTHER stores to which they could have been sent besides the big 3 (Walmart, Target and TRU). I had never even HEARD of CVS before these discussions. Walgreens never got them. I've even seen Joes at Albertsons and someone said they were selling at an auto parts store.

 

It just doesn't seem this was a very well planned out run. I don't think even all CVS got them, for example.

[robot_sonic]

Truth be told, I would expect more of the first wave of single carded figures to appear in more outlets near the holidays. CVS's toy distribution is handled by KB. Aside from their own outlets, they handle Sears and a few others. As such, I would anticipate these figures being available again before the end of the year at other retailers.