The Packaging Thread

[morg176]

Transformers packaging ...

To be honest, I'm not a fan of the legacy packaging. Or in that case any packaging that does not serve its purpose well.

Transformers have had ok/acceptable packaging for decades but it was never perfect. We all love and hate different things about it, some are passionate about the topic and others simply don't care.

Blistercard packaging is good and cheap but you have to cut it or tear the picture to get the toy out. Difficult to reseal for storage/display.

Boxes, especially for deluxe and smaller, are good but have added to the cost significantly (a $23 deluxe is how much now?) and without that plastic window they suffer from several issues (incl security, weak box)

getting rid of plastic. seriously, how is that ever going to work?

Based on an impressive youtube creation, a side hinged p.e.t clam shell, with space for a card insert (that can face in or out), and a blister protrusion would be ideal. Especially for deluxe and smaller figures. The clam shell would have a snap shut closure. The edge could be shrink wrapped to maybe mitigate tampering. A sacrificial snap off could also work.

The clam shell used in the youtube id the matchbox/hotwheels protector case from amazon and other places.

thoughts ...

[GoktimusPrime]

Or in that case any packaging that does not serve its purpose well.

The purpose of packaging is to protect its content during transport, handling and storage. I understand that many collectors do also want packaging to look good and be re-closable (you can't ever really reseal a toy once it's opened), but that is not the core function of packaging. The majority of consumers simply are not collectors. Over the entire Oz Comic Con weekend that just past, the overwhelming majority of people I encountered at the Transformers exhibit were not fanatics. Most were either children or adults with a casual level of enthusiasm in the brand. I even asked a few of them some simple trivia questions like, "What is the name of the Transformers' home planet" (all answered "Earth" except for two who said Cybertron after they had to go away and think about it (i.e. Google it )) and "Who is the leader of the Dinobots?" (all answered "Optimus Prime") etc. I'm not having a go at these people, but they are the majority of TF consumers. We fans are a sizable minority, don't get me wrong, but we are a minority. And as a significant minority we do have some toys that are aimed specifically at us, such as MPs which do have more "collector-minded" packaging.

But your average mass produced regular retail toy aren't exclusively aimed at us collectors, they are targeting the mass market. That's not to say that fans are ignored; the fact that we have characters like Clampdown, Burnout, Jhiaxus etc. being sold at mass retail is a clear sign that Hasbro is absolutely targeting fans too; but it would ignorant to assume that they are ignoring the enthusiasts. They are targeting both crowds, and given that enthusiasts outnumber fans, the packaging will cater for the latter. And TBH, most fans throw out the packaging; only a select few collectors keep the boxes and cards, so you're looking at a minority within a minority.

I spoke with a retail worker at the Comic Con Transformers exhibit yesterday who confirmed with me that their levels of thefts of TF toys has not gotten any better or worse since they transitioned to windowless packaging. Yes, there are reports of thefts; I found an empty Velocitron Road Rocket box at Kmart recently; obviously someone had stolen the toy. But just earlier this year I also found an empty Kingdom Blackarachnia box. If someone really wants to steal a toy, then they're going to steal it. A windowed box is still just some cardboard standing in the way of the thief who can rip it apart in seconds. We must ensure that we don't allow ourselves to succumb to confirmation bias whenever we see cases of stolen windowles boxed TFs, as it's probably being reported more because a lot of people have a foregone conclusion that these boxes are more vulnerable to theft. It's not as if shoplifting of TFs didn't happen before... it was likely underreported because we didn't think much of it.

The choice to remove plastic wasn't done for security purposes, it was done for financial^environmental reasons to reduce the use of plastic. Adding a hinged clam shell or protruding blister means more plastic, which increases costs^is bad for the planet. Another way is to just have completely enclosed cardboard boxes, like they do with Gens Selects and MPs. The upcoming Transformers EarthSpark Tacticons come in completely enclosed boxes. But the retail worker I spoke to yesterday said that having enclosed, open window or plastic boxes make zero difference when it comes to security; people still steal stuff regardless of packaging style.

As for "difficult for storage," it's because private collectors have different storage requirements from Hasbro and retailers. As private collectors, we have far more finite storage space. We also don't need to make these boxes and cards be eyecatching from a distance to attract the attention of children. From a practical POV, the packaging is perfectly fine for storage; they are able to be fit into shipping boxes, which are then stacked into containers and transported on freight etc. They also fit onto shelves and pegs good enough (until snotty nosed kids come along and mess up the display). Takara(TOMY) boxes and cards are smaller because Japanese stores have smaller shelves (MP36 couldn't even be shelved because it was too damn big). Japanese boxes and some cards are also more easily reclosable because more collectors there keep their toys in packaging as it protects the toys in the event of earthquakes, so the demand for seismic-friendly reclosable packaging is greater there. But since Hasbro and TakaraTOMY went through brand globalisation, even Japanese TF packaging is the same style as Hasbro's now.

Meh. Extreme first world problem.

[JJJ]

Well said. Should be required reading, along with at least a basic intro to why marketing (hack, spit) people at both the producer and retailer get a very large say (and indeed the final say) in the size of boxes (thinking of the fuss about Motormaster's "empty" box here).

[Paulbot]

I like the Gen Selects packaging (and it's improved over the last few years). It would never "sell" at a Kmart, but if (and when) we fans order direct from Hasbro rather than through the discount department stores, I'd be happy for all the toys to come in that form of packaging.

Other Hasbro toy lines are going to completely closed boxes (Marvel Legends, the 3.45" Thor movie toys) so kind of expect that Transformers will follow that trend too (already here for Leader, Commander and Titan) but clearly not right away based on the Earthrise reveals. I think for the Earthrise type gimmick toys aimed at the younger audience (all of Earthrise is aimed at not us!) the open packaging that allows the gimmick to be activated/seen makes sense.

[High_Q]

I'd like to see Hasbro do for CHUG what they are doing with GI Joe Classified - releasing a mold in modern packaging, and subsequently releasing the same mold in retro repaint and retro-carded packaging. Hasbro did something like that with the Titans Returns deluxe figures in retro boxes, but i'd like that done for SS86, for instance. I'd pay premium for that.

[GoktimusPrime]

I'd like to see Hasbro do for CHUG what they are doing with GI Joe Classified - releasing a mold in modern packaging, and subsequently releasing the same mold in retro repaint and retro-carded packaging. Hasbro did something like that with the Titans Returns deluxe figures in retro boxes, but i'd like that done for SS86, for instance. I'd pay premium for that.

I've been wanting this since 2006!

[Skyfire]

Initially, I had a poor view of the decision to make the window open and plastic-free for the Legacy and later Studio Series figures. I was worried that the accessories would be stolen or fall out. I was also a bit worried about the integrity of the box for online purchases and potential toy damage and box damage (I do keep boxes, which I flatten, after regretting not well maintaining some of my G1 packaging - I appreciate the effort and art that goes into packaging, balanced against my storage space). However, most of my purchases are in store.

After months now of examining many Legacy and Studio Series toys from many retail shops, I have some observations - a few Blasters with stolen Ejects, figures' heads pressed down, a few Dragstrips with detached chest pieces. However, problems have not really stopped me from getting a good copy of a toy though. Whether shop spoilage has affected retailers differently to before the plastic change, I don't know.

On the other hand, the open windows have overall been of benefit to me. I am pretty particular with cosmetic quality, especially heads and eyes. So, to my pleasant surprise, the absence of plastic windows has allowed me to look at paint and mould defects more clearly. Ironically, the full closed box approach stops me from inspecting quality and now I wouldn't mind an open window for the Leader classes.

Perhaps all this just speaks to the quite variable cosmetic quality of the toys - some are perfect and some are shoddy - and my intolerances.

[KELPIE]

"Who is the leader of the Dinobots?" (all answered "Optimus Prime")

Well, technically they are correct... Prime is the leader of the Dinobots, including Grimlock...

Yup, new packaging sucks. Plain and simple. However they get brownie points with general consumers and save money in the process. Certainly ups the requirement to AFA the ones I'm really keen on keeping MISB.

[GoktimusPrime]

I was speaking with another collector recently about this packaging thing. I mentioned that perhaps the way forward in making more secure plastic free packaging would be to make them completely windowless, as we are seeing with Leaders and above. However, he pointed out that one problem with this is that it would make it easier for people to toy-swap. I then pointed out that toy swapping is, unfortunately, a very old practice; plastic windowed boxes have clearly never stopped it from happening before. tfwiki has a photo of a toy-swapped toy from 2005.

I suppose the only advantage would be that you can immediately see if the wrong product is in the box. Although the double-taping of the resealed toy might also be an indicator that you might want to inspect the contents before purchase.

[KELPIE]

I'm all for windowless packaging to be honest.

The best scenario always was the old Velcro flaps, that you then open up to see the window. Best of both worlds - show off great art, then open up to reveal toy.