The PITT

[matt74]

It has been a while since I posted here regularly but this thing has me very disappointed. Why have most of the large Joe playsets been dogs? It started with the 2nd headquaters (that we saw again for Street Fighters and in the RAH Collection era), the Cobra Mountain (lame SW remold), and now this strange item that Hasbro is calling the PITT. Star Wars collector are getting the Turbo Tank and last year got the 6 legged walker (AT-TE?) and this is the best they can come up with for Joe? In the past the justification has been a lack of interest and/or marketing (movie). Well last I checked we are getting a movie and interest is certantly on the rise. I expect more and better! Hasbro needs to stop cutting corners with Joe. The only way this one will make its way to my collection is when it reaches at least 75% retail on the clearance shelf, if even then.

 

Hasbro we deserve and expect better!

[ARROW]

How does one design a headquarters set, make it interesting, marketable, and both "large" enough to to be a worthwhile playset, and yet with a small enough foot-print to allow enough units to be sold on a store shelf.

Oh, and not cost a mint either?

Frankly, large sets tank because no-one wants to spend the money for them on a marginal interest property like GIJOE.

Star Wars is at a whole different level in terms of marketing, because its appeal reaches far, far more people.......most of them with $$ in their pockets. That means when they field a Millennium Falcon or a Turbo Tank......they can sell some because the interest is there.

A lot of the recent GIJOE playsets from Hasbro have been re-issued or repurposed items from earlier in the line, or from other toy lines.

Its clear that there is NO faith in the GIJOE brand being able to carry a large ticket item, without ancillary support--re: a movie or tv show.

The response to the PITT playset on the forums has been lukewarm at best, and disinterested at the most. Its probably a reasonably unscientific polling of how the rest of the public will respond to the toy.

I think its a safe prediction that, even if the movie is stunningly successful, that the PITT playset will not be a sales winner. There's no consumer incentive to buy large toys like this en masse--certainly not in dour economic times.

Items like the USS FLAGG, or a Terrordrome re-issue are not going to happen. There's not enough interest in the brand to warrant the risk.

 

Hasbro is going to cut corners on the PITT because they know its a risk to sell it.

Even if each of collectors turned to , say, 10 kids each and got them so stoked about GIJOE that their heads spun--it still wouldn't be enough.

The GIJOE movie will literally have to set the world set the world on fire for the toy product to sell in the numbers that will justify bigger toys. As it is, its looking like just an "okay" movie, and that's not enough.

Hasbro is going to play it safe, as they always have--and that is why we get what we get.

[hoganvibe]

I agree with Arrow on this. Hasbro will play it safe on this. As a matter of fact, I was really surprised to see so many new toys for this movie. And I definitely did not expect to see the PITT.

[xhairs]

the pitt is a fail. at least it saves me a 100bucks as most of the movie figs.

[JohnnyRebelV2]

I don't think the new pitt is all that great. It could be a hell of a lot better. I will still probably buy it once I see it at retail. I guess I'm just happy to be getting a Joe base this big period. I thought the days of large playsets were long gone.

[Ares6009]

I'd have been happy as hell if they'd just put out the original ('pre-fab' comic style) again. They wouldn't have even needed to update it or add to it!

[Neo Mikomi]

The big Millennium Falcon was a risk but as a playset it rocks, right?

 

The PITT is a plastic tackle box with a cardboard ping pong table. Lame.

[pesatyel]

How does one design a headquarters set, make it interesting, marketable, and both "large" enough to to be a worthwhile playset, and yet with a small enough foot-print to allow enough units to be sold on a store shelf.

Oh, and not cost a mint either?

Frankly, large sets tank because no-one wants to spend the money for them on a marginal interest property like GIJOE.

Star Wars is at a whole different level in terms of marketing, because its appeal reaches far, far more people.......most of them with $$ in their pockets. That means when they field a Millennium Falcon or a Turbo Tank......they can sell some because the interest is there.

A lot of the recent GIJOE playsets from Hasbro have been re-issued or repurposed items from earlier in the line, or from other toy lines.

Its clear that there is NO faith in the GIJOE brand being able to carry a large ticket item, without ancillary support--re: a movie or tv show.

The response to the PITT playset on the forums has been lukewarm at best, and disinterested at the most. Its probably a reasonably unscientific polling of how the rest of the public will respond to the toy.

I think its a safe prediction that, even if the movie is stunningly successful, that the PITT playset will not be a sales winner. There's no consumer incentive to buy large toys like this en masse--certainly not in dour economic times.

Items like the USS FLAGG, or a Terrordrome re-issue are not going to happen. There's not enough interest in the brand to warrant the risk.

 

Hasbro is going to cut corners on the PITT because they know its a risk to sell it.

Even if each of collectors turned to , say, 10 kids each and got them so stoked about GIJOE that their heads spun--it still wouldn't be enough.

The GIJOE movie will literally have to set the world set the world on fire for the toy product to sell in the numbers that will justify bigger toys. As it is, its looking like just an "okay" movie, and that's not enough.

Hasbro is going to play it safe, as they always have--and that is why we get what we get.

 

That is a bit of a Catch-22. A lot of us are mad BECAUSE of the crappy accessories. Hasbro thinks we won't like/want "bigger" items so they include crappy accessories to defray costs.

 

Other big ticket items, like the Terror Drome would sell for the same reason large Star Wars stuff sells because G.I. Joe fans also have $$$ in their pockets. We army build just as much (maybe more considering there are more varieties of Cobra trooper types then clones, IMO) as the Star Wars fans.

 

Your right, of course, about them trying to play it safe though.

 

The big Millennium Falcon was a risk but as a playset it rocks, right?

 

The PITT is a plastic tackle box with a cardboard ping pong table. Lame.

 

Well a "playset that rocks" isn't the entire question, the question is how WELL did they sell? $150 is pretty steep.

[GPM in ICT]

I still don't see why everyone try's to compare Star Wars to JOe. Now when both were in their Hayday during the 80's I could understand, but now ou just can't. Look at how much shelf space SW has compared to Joe, or the fact that stores will have a "midnight opening" for SW. Do you think they'll do that for Joe toys? Sure the Pitt isn't the greatest thing ever broduced for Joe but right now it's about as good as we'll get. I've seen a lot of people complain and say they'd rather it have been an MCC reissued but how long did they sit at TRU before being clearenced out? they I see a whole lot of other people say they'll pick it up when it's clearenced, well that doesn't send Hasbro the message that we want something bigger either. What it does is show whatever store is carrying it that they don't sell and they have to clearence them to get rid of them and the next time Hasbro offers something similar the store doesn't order it.

 

Now I'm not saying that we should buy crap toys or accept whatever Hasbro throws our way. But these aren't aimed at us. I know you can say whatever you want and like, but the movie stuff isn't for collectors like the 25thA stuff was. I'm sure Hasbro hopes we'll continue to buy the stuff or pick up stuff (heck sometimes I think that people that buy figs just for customizing could keep this line afloat) and I'm sure a lot of us will when we actually see the stuff in store.

[CLAM]

they would have been better off reuissuing a RAH playset...

 

the original HQ would have been a safe bet.... the Terrordrome a sure WIN!

 

 

Hell, the General, Rolling Thunder, or Mobile Command Center would have been decent too.

 

 

all would have been better than the this pitt

[ARROW]

Other big ticket items, like the Terror Drome would sell for the same reason large Star Wars stuff sells because G.I. Joe fans also have $$$ in their pockets. We army build just as much (maybe more considering there are more varieties of Cobra trooper types then clones, IMO) as the Star Wars fans.

 

Your right, of course, about them trying to play it safe though.

 

Think about it.

 

A Terrordrome set would cost about $80 in today's market, perhaps even $100 regardless if its a new or re-used/revived mold. A show of hands please who wants to buy a set with one structure, one vehicle and one figure, for $100?

The Ultimate Battle set had two vehicles and about 7 or so figures and sold for $50........and many posters here reported buying the items on discount, for well under $50. The preference was to get the set for about $15.

Collectors are cheap AND fickle..........its a well known, but reluctantly accepted fact.

 

And there's about.......say, 5% of us compared to the numbers of Star Wars fans out there.

Hasbro looks at those sales figures when an item goes on discount, and they note how fast it sells at what price. They and the retailers also note how much it cost them to make that now-discounted item and then have to weigh the cost of making it versus what they can sell it for.

Pretty easy to see that there's no incentive for a smaller audience toy-line like GIJOE to have larger items most of the time. The movie is giving us the PITT because there's hope that the appeal of the movie will drive sales. Outside of that, the interest in GIJOE isn't enough to warrant any other sets.

[Jmacq1]

Think about it.

 

A Terrordrome set would cost about $80 in today's market, perhaps even $100 regardless if its a new or re-used/revived mold. A show of hands please who wants to buy a set with one structure, one vehicle and one figure, for $100?

The Ultimate Battle set had two vehicles and about 7 or so figures and sold for $50........and many posters here reported buying the items on discount, for well under $50. The preference was to get the set for about $15.

Collectors are cheap AND fickle..........its a well known, but reluctantly accepted fact.

 

And there's about.......say, 5% of us compared to the numbers of Star Wars fans out there.

Hasbro looks at those sales figures when an item goes on discount, and they note how fast it sells at what price. They and the retailers also note how much it cost them to make that now-discounted item and then have to weigh the cost of making it versus what they can sell it for.

Pretty easy to see that there's no incentive for a smaller audience toy-line like GIJOE to have larger items most of the time. The movie is giving us the PITT because there's hope that the appeal of the movie will drive sales. Outside of that, the interest in GIJOE isn't enough to warrant any other sets.

 

Yeah, I think there's a lot of hope that this movie will push G.I. Joe to "Transformers after the movie" levels, but Transformers was a far stronger brand even prior to the movie.

 

Personally, I'd be happy if this movie could push Joe to "Transformers before the movie" levels, in which case we could at least look forward to more shelf space/product on shelves and some nice somewhat larger vehicles in the $40-$50 dollar price range on a semi-regular (yearly) basis. Things like a WHALE or new Skystriker and whatnot. Maybe. Basically the Joe equivalent of Transformers "Leader" or "Supreme" class toys.

[CLAM]

Other big ticket items, like the Terror Drome would sell for the same reason large Star Wars stuff sells because G.I. Joe fans also have $$$ in their pockets. We army build just as much (maybe more considering there are more varieties of Cobra trooper types then clones, IMO) as the Star Wars fans.

 

Your right, of course, about them trying to play it safe though.

 

Think about it.

 

A Terrordrome set would cost about $80 in today's market, perhaps even $100 regardless if its a new or re-used/revived mold. A show of hands please who wants to buy a set with one structure, one vehicle and one figure, for $100?

The Ultimate Battle set had two vehicles and about 7 or so figures and sold for $50........and many posters here reported buying the items on discount, for well under $50. The preference was to get the set for about $15.

Collectors are cheap AND fickle..........its a well known, but reluctantly accepted fact.

 

 

 

HELL YES, I would buy it... tons of us would buy it. 100 bucks is nothing for a new Terrordrome.

 

I would love to buy a new one for 100.. I would pay even more. The only reason I don't have one now is because I haven't run across a nice, clean, complete one for a reasonable price. If somebody offered me one for 100 bucks, brand new in the package, even a reissue, I would jump.

 

 

and don't compare the Ultimate Battle Pack. It was 62.99, came with some awful repainted figures, a red Hisstank (which nobody seemed to want, and which was just reiussed a few years ago), and one of the crappiest vehicles ever (the MOBAT).

 

the only good thing it had was the blue Trouble Bubble.

 

 

So don't compare something like that, which nobody really was very excited about, to one of the most beloved Joe items ever.

[ARROW]

HELL YES, I would buy it... tons of us would buy it. 100 bucks is nothing for a new Terrordrome.

 

I would love to buy a new one for 100.. I would pay even more. The only reason I don't have one now is because I haven't run across a nice, clean, complete one for a reasonable price. If somebody offered me one for 100 bucks, brand new in the package, even a reissue, I would jump.

 

 

and don't compare the Ultimate Battle Pack. It was 62.99, came with some awful repainted figures, a red Hisstank (which nobody seemed to want, and which was just reiussed a few years ago), and one of the crappiest vehicles ever (the MOBAT).

 

the only good thing it had was the blue Trouble Bubble.

 

 

So don't compare something like that, which nobody really was very excited about, to one of the most beloved Joe items ever.

 

You are assuming some things: one being that people would actually be willing to pay for such an "expensive" item, and two: that the toy would be as you want it to be.

The hue and cry in many toys forums when toys come out with price tags higher than $90 is "I'll wait for it to drop down in price on discount, or clearance".

How many people are enjoying their Ultimate Battle packs that they bought at $62? How many who bought them at $30, or lower? I'll bet the numbers of folks are a lot greater, who bought at the lower price. How many of them are now happy to have a MOBAT, or a Red HISS? I dunno, seems like a lot more willing buyers at the discount price, but they were willing.

I mean, c'mon.......if people thought the set was junk, why were so many interested in buying "junk" once the price dropped?

The PITT is going to be the last big chance for large playset in the JOE line--in any way shape or form, if it flops, forget about anything larger than the Conquest or Rattler.

[pesatyel]

I still don't see why everyone try's to compare Star Wars to JOe. Now when both were in their Hayday during the 80's I could understand, but now ou just can't. Look at how much shelf space SW has compared to Joe, or the fact that stores will have a "midnight opening" for SW. Do you think they'll do that for Joe toys? Sure the Pitt isn't the greatest thing ever broduced for Joe but right now it's about as good as we'll get. I've seen a lot of people complain and say they'd rather it have been an MCC reissued but how long did they sit at TRU before being clearenced out? they I see a whole lot of other people say they'll pick it up when it's clearenced, well that doesn't send Hasbro the message that we want something bigger either. What it does is show whatever store is carrying it that they don't sell and they have to clearence them to get rid of them and the next time Hasbro offers something similar the store doesn't order it.

 

Now I'm not saying that we should buy crap toys or accept whatever Hasbro throws our way. But these aren't aimed at us. I know you can say whatever you want and like, but the movie stuff isn't for collectors like the 25thA stuff was. I'm sure Hasbro hopes we'll continue to buy the stuff or pick up stuff (heck sometimes I think that people that buy figs just for customizing could keep this line afloat) and I'm sure a lot of us will when we actually see the stuff in store.

 

The comparison doesn't really have anything to do with shelfspace comparisons. Its more about the fact that Joe fans have just as much money to spend on their chosen line as Star Wars fans (Hell, probably more if you actually DO consider shelf space @firedevil@ ).

 

When I "make the rounds" I see LOTS of Star Wars figures and its always the same stuff (I like to look through them) but I hardly see ANY Joes. Is that entirely because Joes have less shelf space so it SEEMS like less by comparison?

 

I'm having a hard time finding wave 12 and 13 (and I've NEVER seen Trakker). I see sporadic pegwarmers from it (Python Guardsman, for example). That has nothing to do with shelf space.

 

 

Other big ticket items, like the Terror Drome would sell for the same reason large Star Wars stuff sells because G.I. Joe fans also have $$$ in their pockets. We army build just as much (maybe more considering there are more varieties of Cobra trooper types then clones, IMO) as the Star Wars fans.

 

Your right, of course, about them trying to play it safe though.

 

Think about it.

 

A Terrordrome set would cost about $80 in today's market, perhaps even $100 regardless if its a new or re-used/revived mold. A show of hands please who wants to buy a set with one structure, one vehicle and one figure, for $100?

The Ultimate Battle set had two vehicles and about 7 or so figures and sold for $50........and many posters here reported buying the items on discount, for well under $50. The preference was to get the set for about $15.

Collectors are cheap AND fickle..........its a well known, but reluctantly accepted fact.

 

And there's about.......say, 5% of us compared to the numbers of Star Wars fans out there.

Hasbro looks at those sales figures when an item goes on discount, and they note how fast it sells at what price. They and the retailers also note how much it cost them to make that now-discounted item and then have to weigh the cost of making it versus what they can sell it for.

Pretty easy to see that there's no incentive for a smaller audience toy-line like GIJOE to have larger items most of the time. The movie is giving us the PITT because there's hope that the appeal of the movie will drive sales. Outside of that, the interest in GIJOE isn't enough to warrant any other sets.

 

 

I dont think the Ultimate Battle Pack is a valid comparison. Most everything in there was of the "I already have it (probably multiple)" variety. The only "new" things IN the set were Short-Fuze, Steeler (with better arms) and the "Cobra Gunner" (at least as far as a new character goes. A lot of what was in there was already available at the same time, like the Flight Pod. Then throw in the fact that it originally was set to be at $50, then wound up being $62 when it finally came out.