Transformers disruptions and updates due to COVID-19

[G1Optimal]

Hasbro offices closed due to the coronavirus as a precaution
https://news.tfw2005.com/2020/03/14/...andemic-408038

[griffin]

IDW have just announced that due to comic stores and sales being affected by the global economic shutdown, they have suspended their May publications (which featured the entire My Little Pony mini-series), and will have reduced publications until at least July. They will instead have some special publications later in the Northern Summer (obviously only if businesses are back open by then).

However, Diamond Distribution (the monopoly that forces the main comic companies to only sell to them and they wholesale the comics to every comic store around the world), has announced that this week will be the last week that they will be shipping out weekly comics until further notice, but will continue shipping special orders.
This shouldn't affect digital publications, or direct purchases of comics from the publisher websites, but with Diamond being the only source of comics for all comic stores, it will pretty much kill off many comic stores and collectable import stores around the world that get most of their stock through Previews Magazine (Diamond).
(at least, that's what I make from what it appears to be saying)

If that really does mean that no new comics are coming to stores from next week, the April comics from IDW might only end up being available through their website or digitally. I hope that Amazon in America get their comics direct from the publishers, and not through Diamond, as that would then be an easier option that shouldn't cost as much as ordering from IDW.

So, in these tough times for IDW, perhaps check out their discount sale on Comixology, to send some more money their way to keep them in business a little longer.


Meanwhile, the Hasbro CEO has just come out to say that the factories in China that make some of their products, will be fully operational by the end of the week, and expect demand to be strong in China and the rest of the world.
Despite the global pandemic shutting down economies and eliminating jobs (which would mean a lot less spending on non-essentials like toys), people seemed to believe his claims, sending the share price of Hasbro rocketing up 15%. Considering the amount of shares the CEO would be currently sitting on, he would have made a fair bit of money today from that statement (after probably losing a fair bit of money when the entire share-market collapsed last week).

[reillyd]

That's a small glimmer of light that Hasbro will be back to production. I think they're going to get a lot more purchases, especially online, as children in isolation are going to get bored quickly. At least for Cyberverse, they may prove quite popular.

I would dispute though that toys are non-essential

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

The only problem would be the supply chain to the stores, ships, trucks, and actual staffing at stores.

[shockNwave]

The only problem would be the supply chain to the stores, ships, trucks, and actual staffing at stores.

Which helps explain why K-Mart are in a state of emergency ordering when it comes to cardboard boxes. They're preparing for stage 3 restrictions which will force department stores to exist strictly online.
I know this because I work for IVE Group and we are shifting so many cardboard orders that we're as busy as the Christmas period. That means we're having four trucks a day arriving to pick up cardboard orders instead of two.

[reillyd]

Ah well that's unfortunate if Stage 3 includes department stores. Kmart online only sells (assorted) transformers not specific character, and they've been doing it so long they're unlikely to change. I think I'll have to go amazon if we loose department stores.