Rules of this section. (must read first - updated 21 Aug 09)

UPDATED.... see below.

(the original posting, detailing how this project started)
Following on from a few emails between Hasbro and I over the last few weeks about improving fan-Hasbro relations, the Hasbro product managers apparently had a meeting over my suggestions, and we will be trialling a new Hasbro Q&A section. It is something they have been doing for a while now on Star Wars fansites, and it looks like Hasbro are now doing this on several TFs fan forums around the world, starting this month (October 2008).

Basically, Hasbro AUS are offering to have a monthly submission of Qs, to which they will answer (if they can) within a week (or so). I think they are hoping that if we host their Answers over a period of time, less people from the public will ring or email them if they can see it has already been answered and posted here.

Naturally there are restrictions as to what we can ask, but it still allows us a fair bit of scope on this arrangement.

- It is a monthly submission, on the first day of each month.
- Maximum of 20 questions each month (if we get more posted than 20, I am to decide which to forward to Hasbro, and the rest may be carried over to the next month).
- No questions about future product that they haven't officially revealed yet, especially the Movie line (which means, no fishing for toy info, as it would be ignored and it would be a wasted submission question).

What does this leave?
Well, we can be using it to get a monthly update on what products are definitely being released in Australia soon, especially exclusives.
It *could* also allow us to ask about design/colour/character/series inspirations, provided it isn't asking anything too obscure or secretive, as they would need to get Hasbro US to provide answers, at their discretion.
Also, I will need to find out if the answers can already be found on a fansite or TFwiki first, so that I submit as many Qs as possible that are not wasted on info already available somewhere.

A monthly topic will be generated, with a cut-off date for posting questions to allow me enough time to select the best ones and make sure that they haven't been answered already somewhere.
I may re-word a question if it sounds vague or confusing, but will consult the person who posted it first to make sure I don't change the intended purpose of the question.

When the answers are returned to me by Hasbro, I will post them here and in a special archive page (yet to be constructed), which will also include any answers relevant to us on the AUS Star Wars Q&A page or on the other TFs sites hosting Q&As.

Hasbro is likely to have some disclaimers with this, like the info given is as accurate as possible but can change at any time, and, they have the right to refuse answering any question or stop receiving questions completely (or change any part of this arrangement). Since they are trying to reduce the level of fan/adult-collector 'hounding' of their Customer Service department, their answers would not be up for further discussion before the next month's submission, and they are likely to say that to anyone who contacts them about any of their answers here.
So for now, we'll see how this goes, and I hope this benefits our fandom in some way, or leads to better things for us fans from Hasbro (AUS and US).

AND NOW, THE UPDATE (as of 21st August)

After some lengthy negotiations, Hasbro AU, Hasbro US, and I came to an arrangment to restart this project (it was stopped due to staff changes at the AU office).
The new arrangement has us maintaining a monthly submission, but we can only submit non-Australian questions every second month. So that means we can ask 5 questions each month for things like updates on particular stock being released here, and every second month we can ask an additional 5 questions that get forwarded onto Hasbro US for them to answer with their ongoing global Q&A.

So with the agreement set up, I sent a list of 10 questions during the middle of July, to test if/how this new arrangement would work.

Since it was out of sequence with the usual round of the Global Q&A, it took 5 weeks to get the answers sent back, via our good friends at Hasbro AU.

So starting now, I will be 'reopening' this section, but be aware that with us now being limited to the same number of 'Hasbro US' questions as every other fan-forum, I will have to be more selective of the more important/interesting questions.

I will start a new topic for the September submission (it is too late for an August submission), and it will only be open for a week to make sure I get it sent in before the end of August.

So the schedule will be (until further notice, or Hasbro AU or Hasbro US changes the schedule)...

July - 5 local, 5 global questions (posted in this Q&A section).
August - (missed).
September - 5 local, 5 global questions.
October - 5 local questions.
November - 5 local, 5 global questions.
December - 5 local questions.
January - 5 local, 5 global questions.
February - 5 local questions.
March - 5 local, 5 global questions.