With all of the restructuring going on w/ TRU, what do you think will happen w/ the reissue line? I read an article that said while they won't be closing any stores in the near future, they plan to slash prices on everything to raise quick cash. I don't see them in a hurry, then, to stock the shelves w/ any new releases when they already have plenty of shelf warmers there already. Still, Ricochet will be fly off the shelves, Sideswipe should do well and we all know what Astrotrain would do *if* it follows.....

I have a feeling that the reissue line will probably fade away. It just doesn't seem like it sells well enough to continue. I think if they were in the $20 price range they'd sell better. However, considering that the Takara versions are also originally priced around $30, I don't think that TRU is overcharging - they just have to be more expensive because they're never going to sell as well as the more mass produced items.

it is worrying but i can only hope they do the slashing across the world

Maybe Wal-Mart will pick up the line and put the screws to Hasbro (like they do w/ every other manufacturer) and we might end up getting them around $20 a piece...

i just hope that would mean they start to sell them at ASDA (british equivilent of walmart)

it is worrying but i can only hope they do the slashing across the world

The deals are great here at the local TRUs (in down state NY).

 

I hope you see some of the action too.

Maybe Wal-Mart will pick up the line and put the screws to Hasbro (like they do w/ every other manufacturer) and we might end up getting them around $20 a piece...

I'm sure that Hasbro will never offer the reissue line to Walmart. They're not going to lose even more money on something that doesn't sell well as it is.

Perhaps, but that would be their only alternative if they split from TRU. I don't see them discontinuing the line just yet. They know that the demand is out there for the *good* characters that collectors want....they will see this when they release Ricochet & Sideswipe. I don't think the fact that the shelves are loaded w/ stock they can't sell is a signal that there is disinterest in the line, I think it just shows that they shouldn't release 2nd-tier characters like Hoist, Grapple, etc. that no one wants.

Sideswipe will probably sell OK, but I don't think there will be much interest in Ricochet - hard to get nostalgic over something that was never sold in the US. I'm also not sure how well Astrotrain will sell if he's white instead of purple.

 

In my neck of the woods most of the first-tier characters (such as T-cracker, Skywarp, Prowl, Red alert) are shelf-warmers as well. Really the only figures in the TRU resissue line that really sold well were Series I (OP, UM and HR) and II (PMOP and SS) - the rest can still be found without difficulty (although Jazz is a bit rare).

 

One group I think would sell a bit better are some of the post-movie G1 figures, especially Springer, Cyclonus and Scourge. I also think there is a lot of interest in the Combiners, but I don't know if Hasbro will be willing to take the plunge with them here in the US.

IF they make the split from TRU they can bring back the exclusive line at Hasbro.com. That way they wouldnt have to worry about shelf warmers and everyone that wanted a reissue could order it straight from the company. Cut out the TRU mark up, and get them direct from the factory at a moderate price, may not be 20 bucks but 25 I can live with.