POTP retail prices in Australia at the major chains

[griffin]

A couple of weeks since Hasbro were allowed to send out the Power of the Prime toys to retailers and so far only Toyworld has jumped on the new toyline... which is a bit unusual, and disappointing, of the other national retailers here.

We don't know if or when the POTP toys will be showing up at the other national retailers here, but as of today, three of them have the products in their computer systems.

Going to each of those other major retailers for toys tonight (ToysRUs, Kmart, BigW, Target, Myer) with barcodes to scan, the following are the full retail prices we can expect, when they finally arrive (rounded to whole dollar).

KMART
Prime Master - 9
Legends - 19 (not in the system yet, but price posted by nelo_esper)
Deluxe - 29
Voyager - 49
Leader - (not in the system at this time - unknown if they are getting them)

TARGET
Prime Master - 10
Legends - 19
Deluxe - 34
Voyager - 49
Leader - (not in the system at this time - unknown if they are getting them)

TOYSRUS
Prime Master - 10
Legends - 20
Deluxe - 35
Voyager - 50
Leader - 90 (wave 2 barcode was already in their system)

TOYWORLD (these are only the prices from our sightings section and facebook - a price-range is listed as they have no national pricing, and other stores could also be charging outside of this range)
Prime Master - 10-12
Legends - 19-20
Deluxe - 35-40
Voyager - 49-60
Leader - 89-95

BIGW (to be added when they get them - post them up here if you find them out first)
Prime Master - 10
Legends - 19
Deluxe - 29
Voyager - 45
Leader - (didn't bother checking)
(not getting POTP until mid March)

MYER
Prime Master - $10
Legends - $20
Deluxe - $35
Voyager - $50
Leader - $90

RRP on Hasbro website (a guide for retailers only - retailers are not required to have these prices)
Prime Masters - $10
Legends - $20
Deluxe - $35
Voyager - $50
Leader - (not listed yet)

I will go back to Kmart and Target when I have a photo of one of the wave 1 Leader toy's barcode... or if you have one and test it out at a price-check scanner at either of those two stores, let us know if it registers, and if it does, let us know what the price is.

And feel free to randomly test out the price-check scanner at BigW with POTP barcodes to see when they end up in their system... or bug your local Myer store if you know someone there who is willing to scan the barcodes for you.

[Omega Metro]

You can also download the Target and BigW Apps on your phone (iPhone) as they have a price checker. I’m always scanning things in their competitors stores to compare prices.:D

[UltraMarginal]

You can also download the Target and BigW Apps on your phone (iPhone) as they have a price checker. I’m always scanning things in their competitors stores to compare prices.:D

that is very interesting to know. thank you

[Omega Metro]

that is very interesting to know. thank you

Yeah it’s great for Lego

Very keen to know the pricing for the Leaders as they are all I’m getting at local retail.

[Dimi194]

My understanding is that DLX price point has actually been RRP $30 for some time, it's just most stores e.g. Kmart have set it at $25 (TBH a lot of place seemed to have switched DLX and Warrior class bc I some places the Warriors were more expensive than the DLX figures which was not meant to happen lol), so this isn't a HUGE price increase, and after TLK it seems they're continuing the trend... wonder what the PR reason is (not fancy packaging) :P

[GoktimusPrime]

You are correct. The max RRP for Deluxes has been $30 for about 15 years or so. Not sure why people are surprised by it.

Anyway, I took Rodimus Prime's box to Kmart today and tried scanning it. Nothing came up. :/

[DELTAprime]

I'm just going to order from TLTC. They are cheaper and unlike Big W and Kmart, they actually should have stock in a week or so. Only downside is no layby at TLTC so I'll have to use my savings and repay it over the next month.

BTW Griff, I could have told you they are not in the Big W system and save you some time.:p

[SoundwavePerth]

They are great prices on TLTC, I wonder if it will go up significantly after preorder? With such high demand on these products though, I have a feeling they won't be able to fulfil all the orders?

No knocking TLTC however, I ordered items in stock with them last year and found them to be great!

[griffin]

I checked out Kmart today with a Leader Optimus barcode that someone posted on the Ozformers facebook page. As noted above, it didn't recognise the barcode. Since it didn't recognise my Legends barcode either, it doesn't mean they won't get Leaders in... but they stopped stocking that size after wave 1 of Titans Return, so there is a chance that they may not pick it up again.


You can also download the Target and BigW Apps on your phone (iPhone) as they have a price checker. I’m always scanning things in their competitors stores to compare prices.:D

Does the app use the camera to scan barcodes, or are you typing in a product description?
And would it only be accessing the products that are available on their website, or their main inventory system that the in-store price-checkers are accessing?
When I was at Myer, the register attendant was about to look up the descriptions on the Myer website... and I told him that I have the barcodes, because the Myer website doesn't list everything (and in the case of Transformers, rarely anything).


BTW Griff, I could have told you they are not in the Big W system and save you some time.:p

Where's the fun in that? :p
Well... I was at Garden City, which has all the majors under one roof, so naturally I was going to check them all while I was there. (and you never know if they just suddenly add them at any time)
Besides... the in-store price-checker scanner may register an active barcode in the system, but not a proper listing (if you did a product name search) - like at Target, which recognised each of the POTP barcodes, but only came up with a very abbreviated listing as if they are just place-fillers until they full product descriptions are added later. (each one only had the price and TFS GEN)

[Omega Metro]

Does the app use the camera to scan barcodes, or are you typing in a product description?
And would it only be accessing the products that are available on their website, or their main inventory system that the in-store price-checkers are accessing?
When I was at Myer, the register attendant was about to look up the descriptions on the Myer website... and I told him that I have the barcodes, because the Myer website doesn't list everything (and in the case of Transformers, rarely anything).

Yes it uses the camera to scan the barcode on a product. And yes, it will only work if it’s in the system. It’s probably not as useful for stuff like Transformers as not all stores carry the same stuff but it’s great for Lego.

[SoundwavePerth]

Potp on shelves in Target stores in WA, spotted by facebook user at gateway today. No leaders.

[griffin]

Also found in a NSW Target (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=581032&postcount=7163), at the prices listed in the first post.

[Bidoofdude]

Also found in a NSW Target (http://www.otca.com.au/boards/showpost.php?p=581032&postcount=7163), at the prices listed in the first post.

Leaders at $50? I presume they mean voyagers.

[griffin]

Added Myer prices for Deluxe, Voyager and Leader, as posted by Nero in the VIC sightings topic.

[hYpNoS]

While not a sighting it means tru has stock online, they have the full POTP range listed.

Sadly deluxes are as high as the rest at 34.99 and its "random pick" for all ranges, best wait for local stores to stock

[griffin]

Added the rest of Myer's prices, after checking them out on Thursday, and noted Target Leader (wave 1 this time) still not scanning in their system.
That just leaves BigW... which could still be a while.


While not a sighting it means tru has stock online, they have the full POTP range listed.

Sadly deluxes are as high as the rest at 34.99 and its "random pick" for all ranges, best wait for local stores to stock

POTP toys were at Garden City ToysRUs - all sizes - on Thursday night.... I just haven't had a chance to process the photos yet. (I didn't realise at the time that they weren't sighted there yet, so I should have mentioned it that night :o )

[griffin]

Not only are the POTP toys now showing up at ToysRUs, but the "what's new" email sent out today featured POTP (all sizes but Legends) and MP Shadow Panther.

[Keidatron]

$40 at Toyworld for a deluxe. No F'n way am I paying that.

[plakstift]

Picked up a POTP Slag for $25 from Big W this afternoon, the price was in the system wrong (different toy) but they changed the price to the other TR Deluxes already on the shelf.

Try your local Big W, but results may vary...

[shockNwave]

Picked up a POTP Slag for $25 from Big W this afternoon, the price was in the system wrong (different toy) but they changed the price to the other TR Deluxes already on the shelf.

Try your local Big W, but results may vary...

Damn! I was hoping the reason for Big W holding off on releasing these was because they wanted to release them at discounted prices to get the jump on competitors.:(

[griffin]

Picked up a POTP Slag for $25 from Big W this afternoon, the price was in the system wrong (different toy) but they changed the price to the other TR Deluxes already on the shelf.

Try your local Big W, but results may vary...

BigW were supposed to start putting them out next week, but I guess some stock was sent out to stores a little early.

I don't have the Deluxe price yet, but one of the other members here sent me prices a couple weeks ago for the Prime Masters, Legends and Voyagers, and they've been added to the first post.

(I totally forgot to add them when they were sent to me... :o )

[plakstift]

BigW were supposed to start putting them out next week, but I guess some stock was sent out to stores a little early.

I don't have the Deluxe price yet, but one of the other members here sent me prices a couple weeks ago for the Prime Masters, Legends and Voyagers, and they've been added to the first post.

(I totally forgot to add them when they were sent to me... :o )

Checked another Big W today, can confirm they are in the system at $29, picked up a Swoop for that price. Voyagers were $45 as you've already posted.

[kovert]

It appears POTP Deluxe figures are $35 at Kmart.

[griffin]

It appears POTP Deluxe figures are $35 at Kmart.

That's odd, they must have changed it if that is what they are now scanning up as.
They were $29 when I scanned a DLX barcode in-store last month.

[kovert]

That's odd, they must have changed it if that is what they are now scanning up as.
They were $29 when I scanned a DLX barcode in-store last month.

They are scanning at the counter as 'TRA GEN DELUXE' at $35. Seems they've increased the price after the last of the Titans Return line was cleared. Shows as $35 on the shelf too.

[Other]

Despite not being available they could have technically been on sale last month like how the RID, TLK and TR merch they were trying to get rid of was

[hYpNoS]

It appears POTP Deluxe figures are $35 at Kmart.
Along with what griffin said I suspect this is why they took so long to get on shelves, negotiating shelf prices, either they lost or it was a sale, a shame

[Deonasis]

It appears POTP Deluxe figures are $35 at Kmart.

Goodbye Kmart, i can wait.

[shockNwave]

Goodbye Kmart, i can wait.

That's what I'm thinking as well.

[griffin]

At least BigW have Deluxes for $29... when they finally show up some time this month.

(and it should see Kmart eventually drop their price back to $29, because if they get enough price matching occurring - from the eventual BigW website listing - they often adjust their regular price to match)

[SoundwavePerth]

Kmart have them listed on their site now, $35 a pop! Though says coming soon.

http://www.kmart.com.au/product/transformers-generations-dinobot-figure---assorted/1944316

Who knew, Myer, with their regular sales would be the place to go!

[bowspearer]

I'll admit that at the time PotP came out and I wasn't a fan of the price rises, however given what we're now seeing with Siege, I have a theory as to why the prices jumped the way they did.

The fact is that Hasbro did have $35 deluxes, however they were movie tie-ins and you always wound up getting shelfwarmers when the movie hype died out (yes retailers over-ordering on initial case assortments was also a factor, but that's one which has always been a problem and a topic in and of itself).

However main line $36AUD Deluxes is something we simply haven't seen since the post Asian Economic Crisis days of Beast Machines, when I remember it costing $40 for Deluxes, and that was at Kmart.

Yes it's possible that Hasbro could offer a premium $36AUD (and higher US RRP as well) figure and collectors would snap it up, but what about parents of children who aren't really clued-in? Are they prepared to pay $36 for any deluxe - let alone one with the kind of tolerances, plastic quality and detailing which you'd traditionally see from the likes of a Macfarlane Toys release?

The fact is that it's a gamble, and one which despite Hasbro's best intentions, could have horribly backfired.

Which leads me to this theory. As of the beginning of this year, Hasbro would have had siege well and truly under development and would most likely have had a couple of options on the table in terms of figure budgets - a plan a and a plan b. However for their plan a to go ahead, they needed to have a higher budget on figures than normal, which required a higher price point to be charged on them at retail. That in turn, created a situation where they had to see whether people would pay higher price points on those sizes of figures to begin with. So how do you do that?

You do a marketing test with figures which you know have a lower budget and have been selling at a lower RRP and bounce their RRP up to the higher price point. If the experiment fails, you can just lower the price point to generate sales and you haven't really lost out. Conversely, if consumers still buy at the higher price point, you know you can assign the higher budget to the figures you're developing and give them more pain apps, better quality plastic and therefore better tolerances than a lower price point would have allowed.

In fact, I'd theorise that had the higher price point flopped, we'd still be seeing these figures, but with much less paint and detailing and the plastic quality, and therefore the tolerances, would have been lower too.

In short, if I'm correct and the higher that previous prices on PotP was an exercise in market research, then if Siege is the outcome of it, then I'm not entirely sure it was a bad thing.

The only negative I have with the Siege line, after everything I've seen in figure reviews of them, is that we should already have them out here.