Would you prefer to buy Combiners as individually-carded figures or as box sets?

[BigTransformerTrev]

I wouldn't be surprised if they're spread across waves as the *retailers* don't want case assortments with "all planes" or "all cars" or "all animals".

I remember Griffin talking about how Walmart wanted variety. And, ultimately, Hasbro wants the *stores* to buy the cases.

Depends on the Combiner Group being sold I guess. I can see that happening if its:

Aerielbots - all planes
Dinobots - all Dinosaurs (yes I know Swoop isnt technically a dinosaur)

but if its the others you have:

Protectobots - Fire Truck, Ambulance, Police Car, SWAT tank, Rescue Chopper, Police Motorcycle
Stunticons - Truck, Ute, Race Car, 4 x Sports Cars
Combaticons - Missile Truck, Army Jeep, Tank, Space Shuttle/Jet, Helicopter, Laser Gun
Terrorcons - 2 x 2-Headed Dragon, Bipedal Shark, Hawk Monster, Ogre

Maybe the Constructicons (Construction vehicles), Predacons (big orange animals) & Torch Bearers (Green & Red Femmebots) got sold in packs because of overwhelming similarities, but with a lot of the subgroups there is at least some variation

[Bladestorm]

I prefer a set so I know I am getting the Combiner in one hit.

I probably wouldn't be so worried about buying individuals if you could get some assurances all the figures would eventually come out but here in Australia things really do seem to be hit and miss.

Having said that, economically it is probably easier for Hasbro to sell the individual figures rather than sets due to the issues of cost/profit, variety and the fact people may only be after individuals...

So I'll take boxed sets where I can and keep hoping to find limbs for other combiners as I need them when they come out individually.

[GoktimusPrime]

As an adult consumer, I prefer sets. Saves me time.
As a kid... well, collecting them individually was the only choice since the G1 box sets were never released here. But even if they were, collecting toys individually is usually easier because kids don't usually have enough money to get entire sets in one hit. Collecting sets slowly figure by figure is easier for kids, and a combining gimmick was a great incentive to complete the set. It's not like say not completing the Dinobots or Insecticons etc. -- when you completed the Constructicons or the Protectobots etc., you were "rewarded" by being able to finally combine them into a single gestalt robot. And I cannot deny that there is this great sense of achievement that you feel after having spent weeks or months (or years!) chasing down and completing a combining set.

Buying them all in one hit doesn't give you that same sense of reward, but being a more time-poor adult makes me prefer the box sets more. I wonder if the CHUG box sets sell better or poorer than individual figures. It really sucks that we are more likely to skip waves now, leaving collectors high and dry with finishing sets, especially combining teams. This wasn't a problem with G1 - although we never got any of the box sets, we did get all of the individual members (and some of them were reissued in the early 90s).

I guess that another advantage of box sets is that you don't run the risk of collecting just part of a team and then having to source the rest. It's all or nothing with the box sets - either you get the whole thing locally, online or not at all. Take POTP Predaking for example. I got mine online and I've yet to see a local release, so I'm glad I got mine online. One the other hand, I only have POTP Hun-Grrr and Rippersnapper and I haven't see any sign of the rest of the Terrorcons at my local shops, so that sucks. I've gone and ordered them from an online store, but really...

Collecting combining teams individually would be less harrowing if I had more faith in local retail releases.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

I prefer individual, with the caveat they come out. I can imagine buying three of the five because the final two didn't make it would be annoying.

Here in Japan, I really wanted Sky Lynx and Roller, but didn't care about the rest. I didn't want to fork out the big bucks for the set just for those two. Also, I really wanted to play with one of the small aerialbots, but again, didn't like superion enough to want the set. As a result I didn't experience the mould until Blackwing/TheOtherguy came out. Turns out I like that mould.

In a way, TT's distribution is nice. They released all the Terrorcons at the same time, so you can grab them all at once. However, the Dinobots were slpit up. But at least with TT, they provide dates when things are in shops and it's pretty reliable.

Hasbro's enslavement to the retailers messes up that and that would annoy me greatly.

[DELTAprime]

I like gift sets for the established combiner teams like the Aerialbots, Constructicons, etc. For new combiners made from old characters like Lynxmaster, Grand Galvatron or whatever Elita One's team is called I normally prefer individual, though a box set of Dinobots would have been welcome even though I have zero interest in their combined form.

Overall I guess that means I prefer box sets.

[Autocon]

Hmm soft or hard tacos... Why not both!

[tinyJazz]

I voted giftsets, because I like the convenience of getting the whole team in one hit, but only for pre-existing combiner teams like the protectobots and aerialbots. Characters shoe-horned into a line-wide combiner gimmick like Prowl and Moonracer i’d prefer to pickup individually.

[SharkyMcShark]

Im literally in the same position as FP.

I want Abominus, I'm happy to pay RRP for it.

I'm not exactly time-poor, but I'm not that interested in the set to go and track down individual figures across multiple waves over half a year to complete it, especially given our shitty distribution in AU.

I'd buy a box set in a heartbeat.

[FatalityPitt]

I've decided to order Sludge and Snarl online. I've already gotten the other three Dinobots, so I feel like I've committed myself to completing Volcanus. My OCD won't let me settle with an amputee Volcanus, nor individual Dinobots with combiner ports that serve no purpose.

Im literally in the same position as FP.

I want Abominus, I'm happy to pay RRP for it.

I'm not exactly time-poor, but I'm not that interested in the set to go and track down individual figures across multiple waves over half a year to complete it, especially given our shitty distribution in AU.

I'd buy a box set in a heartbeat.

Abominus would be cool to have, and similar to you; I would have gotten the Terrorcons if I could find them all in one place. But if I have to wait for months between wave releases, and go on state-wide Easter egg hunts to get all five; it's not worth it (not to me anyway). I could go online, but my emotional attachment to the characters aren't strong enough to warrant me paying beyond RRP.

[SharkyMcShark]

Abominus would be cool to have, and similar to you; I would have gotten the Terrorcons if I could find them all in one place. But if I have to wait for months between wave releases, and go on state-wide Easter egg hunts to get all five; it's not worth it (not to me anyway). I could go online, but my emotional attachment to the characters aren't strong enough to warrant me paying beyond RRP.

I'm hoping the inevitable Takara box set won't be too far from the combined Aussie RRP.