Hasbro clamping down on buying from U.S. direct?

[Zommael]

No there wouldn't. It'd be Australia and NZ-wide at best. If hasbro really wanted to enforce it, I am sure the threat of pulling their products from BBTS would be more than enough to make BBTS and co back down.

It would suck though as the main reason I buy online is due to the lack of availability over here. Sure paying our prices when compared to O/S sucks, but the main problem is that I see the same toys on shelves for YEARS.

Yes, there would. Don't forget, the UK and Europe get shafted on distribution and prices every bit as much as we do ever here. That's not anecdotal evidence; I lived over there and had firsthand experience of it. It isn't always the same items but it is just as bad. The UK and parts of Europe also have a much larger market made up of grey market and secondhand importers, some of whom on occasion use stores like BBTS essentially as wholesalers, because they don't have the same protectionist import taxes we have here. This move would drive those small and medium size businesses out of business, and would be sure to raise a stink with them.

I have no idea what proportion of BBTS, or any other online retailer's, sales are made up of overseas customers, but given the amount ordered by the European stores and the fact that pretty much every member of boards like this orders direct from them, I'd say it isn't insignificant. I also think you're underestimating the amount of pull BBTS specifically has with Hasbro; look at the number of exclusive and shared exclusive items they get on a regular basis. Their online order was high enough to entice Hasbro to produce the entire Dark Energon series after Walmart got cold feet. They aren't a small retailer, and they would definitely raise a stink about a mandate that would cut into their market share as this would. Enough to get Hasbro to back down? Maybe not, but then there are the other online stores. Easy enough for Hasbro to bully a small store that sells only through eBay, but a bit more difficult for the really popular stores with their own websites.

There's also the fact that it would be ineffectual at that level; Robotkingdom, for instance, are Hong Kong based, so it would be up to Hasbro Asia to do something. Plus, when have you ever known Hasbro US (or any American toy company, other than PLaymates apparently - Lego are not American) to give a slag about what's happening in the rest of the world?

It's a move that's anti-fan, anti-retailer, and ultimately boneheadedly anti-Hasbro. But if it does go through, it'd be enough for me to throw up my hands, buy Fortress Maximus, and retire to live out the rest of my days in peace with my completed collection. But it isn't going to happen.

[Bidoofdude]

I'd actually understand it more if we actually GOT most of the products here in Australia. If so, this totally bites. But I won't worry too much unless it's confirmed.

[drifand]

Did they employ someone from harmony gold?
Good grief.

[Trent]

Did they employ someone from harmony gold?
Good grief.

Possibly. But I think that, if true, then someone at Hasbro has been wondering why all those TFP and DOTM toys are still shelfwarming and have thought, "It must be because of all those Generations TFs they're importing. If we stop them, then all those Optimii and Bumblebees will fly off the shelves!"

[Sky Shadow]

Note that the original message was to an Italian, and eBay sellers almost-universally won't ship to Italy because of its dodgy postal service.

[CBratron]

Note that the original message was to an Italian, and eBay sellers almost-universally won't ship to Italy because of its dodgy postal service.

That makes so much more sense when it's not taken out of context.

[Zommael]

The Italy information seems to confirm my initial instincts.

However, I have emailed Big Bad Toy Store to ask if they know anything about it. I'm not going to give the full email but I asked the following questions:

1. Is there any truth to the rumour that Hasbro is asking US retailers not to ship outside the US and threatening such retailers with withholding supply?

2. If the rumour is true, does BBTS intend to comply?

3. If BBTS will be unable to ship outside the US after a certain point, will items in the Pile of Loot that have been bought and paid for still be able to be shipped outside the US, and if not, will they be refunded?

I'm hoping the response will be "first we've heard of it"!

[DELTAprime]

It's not like we choose to import to spite them... it's because we have no alternatives on some items (availability), and need to save money on others (excessive wholesale pricing here).

I buy from BBTS not because of price but because I can't get Generations here.

If Hasbro Australia was to not only work out a way to get us EVERY US Generations release but also Takara's MP line like Hasbro HK I would not buy from BBTS and HLJ out of the principle that I want to help employ Australian retail workers not American and Japanese internet site workers.

[Other]

Eh, I doubt this would affect BBTS as much as you think it should if it were even true(I really doubt it). If any of brought the latest wave of Generations Deluxes and still have the packaging, please check to see if there's a sticker on the back and if there is one(all of mine had one), take a guess at where BBTS sourced their supply of the wave(or at least part of it) from.

[Paulbot]

I did notice the other day that there was a bunch of TMNT toys on BBTS marked "ships to US only". Just sayin'