I hope this is true^ only time will tell I guess.
I thought it was because the states still had a greater plethora of ROTF stock to get rid of and japan has their home-grown animated line to keep themselves busy.
Vietnam's closer to Aus I guess, prolly they ship out to closer spots this time. Also with Botcon upcoming, maybe Hasbro US is more distracted in prepping up materials for that event so shipping of newer toys are redirected our way to concentrate more on BOTCON. Like everybody here Im well pleased with this turn out, since we dont get to wait months like the usual. and thank goodness for Lay buy :D;)
I'm pretty sure it happened for the the first movie line as well.
I think it's probably mostly to do with Hasbro AU being less strict on street dates than Hasbro US. I sometimes work in the Toy Department at my local Target and sometimes the boxes have "Do not sell before x" but this is often only when there's a major movie tie-in (like Wolverine, Iron Man, or Revenge of the Fallen) or the product is going to have a major launch event (like the Monopoly Here & Now Edition - or something similiar - a couple of years ago).
Where there isn't as much of an event tied in with the line's launch (like HftD and the first movie line, when they weren't really sure how it was going to go), Hasbro AU don't really care too much about street dates, unlike Hasbro US who seem strict with those sorts of things.
To our benefit. :)
I don't think the street date thing applies here - the PCCs and the Generations stuff launched Australia wide on the same day in both instances.
Unless they'd already been delivered to the Toyworlds and its Toyworld Australia breaking the release day (as one across the country apparently)
I remember when I made a follow-up thread about the Sydney moofie premiere on an international board, a lot of Yanks refused to believe me and was convinced that I was pulling some kind of hoax! Even after I posted a scan of my ticket (with event date) and photos!
So they tried to 'test' me with questions about the plot, and some of these guys had read leaked copies of the script and/or film adaptations (e.g. comic, novel) - and when certain things didn't match up or were contradictory, they claimed that it was evidence that I was lying. Naturally after the movie came out in the rest of the world those accusations quickly stopped. ;) But I don't recall any of my detractors ever retracting or apologising their accusations against me.
I'm not bothered by it, but it amuses me. Each time I read someone posting, "I call B.S." I just thought to myself, "They'll see..." :cool: :D
One thing I am enjoying is being the one to start the feedback thread for new toys on the TFW2005 forums.
Because small things amuse small minds like that.
Meh, it's been happening practically forever. We even get stuff they don't at retail. Now that is sweet. :)
But! We pay a lot more than they (any other country), do.