Foreign first-release TOY sightings

[griffin]

The next Kreo build set is now out in America, which is the Autobot Command Centre, which comes with 4 or 5 kreons, a beast and Optimus in truck mode.

It was $50 at TRU, but had an original list price by Hasbro of $40.

[griffin]

The Jetwing Optimus that was once an Amazon exclusive, is now going to be released in ToysRUs in America for just US$50 during their "Black Friday" sale. (a special sales event in America "after" Thanksgiving, similar to our Boxing Day sales)

Hasbro certainly got their money's worth out of that mould.

[Megatran]

^ Any chance it will be available again in Australia?

I was waiting for the price to drop in Big W when it was available but ended up being sold out

[griffin]

Best to email or call Hasbro Australia, and see if they will get this one in (it's different to the one we got here).

[griffin]

I wasn't expecting to find anything worth buying retail in HK (as I was surprised to see that TFs are pretty expensive at TRU), so when I saw the Construct-Bots Predaking advertised in the TRU catalogue as a TRU exclusive there, I looked around for it... but couldn't see it. So I asked a staff-member, and they looked out back, and found a case (of 3) and put them on the shelf. Price is HK$400 though (about AU$60), which is a lot more than their price for similar sized sets (the Triplechanger ones).
This figure/set is a Target exclusive in America... so might not be released globally or in big numbers.
They had some freebies though...
- tin carry case if you buy over HK$400 of Construct-Bots.
- a small square Kreo display base-plate if you buy over HK$200 of Kreo TFs.
- a free Beast Hunters comic (not released in comic shops) by IDW for any TFs purchase. (Details and photos will be in a news topic in the next day)

[Bidoofdude]

I wasn't expecting to find anything worth buying retail in HK (as I was surprised to see that TFs are pretty expensive at TRU), so when I saw the Construct-Bots Predaking advertised in the TRU catalogue as a TRU exclusive there, I looked around for it... but couldn't see it. So I asked a staff-member, and they looked out back, and found a case (of 3) and put them on the shelf. Price is HK$400 though (about AU$60), which is a lot more than their price for similar sized sets (the Triplechanger ones).
This figure/set is a Target exclusive in America... so might not be released globally or in big numbers.
They had some freebies though...
- tin carry case if you buy over HK$400 of Construct-Bots.
- a small square Kreo display base-plate if you buy over HK$200 of Kreo TFs.
- a free Beast Hunters comic (not released in comic shops) by IDW for any TFs purchase. (Details and photos will be in a news topic in the next day)

I found stuff to be pretty well-priced in HK, though some exclusive stuff was a bit high. $200 for a Hasbro MP-13 wasn't bad though. I wasn't allowed to get one while I was there, because it'd be cheaper here. Great.

[griffin]

Compared to here, the prices seemed just as expensive... when they used to be on par with American prices a few years back.
Some examples of the HK price in AU$ (using the current rate of 6.7)...
Voyagers were AU$40 (compared to about $20 in American),
Ultimate BH Optimus AU$86
Platinum Optimus AU$120 (it was about $70 here I think)
Platinum Omega Supreme AU$150.
Platinum Ultra Magnus was AU$60 (it was oddly significantly cheaper than the other two)
Weaponisers AU$60 (these are about AU$30 in America)
GEN Deluxes were AU$22 (probably the only thing that was cheaper than here... if we got those here - but still a lot more than the AU$15 price in America)
First Edition Deluxes were AU$21.
BH Deluxes were on sale for AU$15, but they didn't have the final wave (with Prowl ).
Legions were AU$9. (more expensive than here - but it was interesting to see that the JP Legions/EZ were the same price)
CMDR class was AU$15 (comparable to our price, but way over the American price)
JP GTR were AU$90.
GO! Kenzan was AU$64.
The other two combiners were only AU$30 each.
Cyberverse Vehicle sets were AU$36 (which was our regular price here, compared to AU$20 in America)
Kreo combiners were AU$21 (close to our price, but again, twice American pricing)
MP Soundwave was AU$209
MP Acidstorm was AU$120
TFs Chocolate Monopoly game (found at DJs here) for AU$15 (slightly less than our price)

Basically, for anything by Hasbro, it is cheaper to import in bulk from somewhere like Amazon or BBTS (or buy in Australia as a last resort if it is available here). I just can't see any reason to buy Hasbro TFs from HK if there are those other options available. (similarly in Singapore too - it's like Hasbro US have made sure they are now the only cheap country for TFs)
But for anything from TakaraTomy, the HK prices aren't too bad.


I took about 20 photos of the TRU range of TFs (there were so many toys), but will have to wait until I get back home before I get time to process and upload them.

It was just lucky they only had two rare items that I wanted (that I couldn't get online for less).

[griffin]

The last wave of Beast Hunters Voyager Optimus & Predaking have been found in US retail stores... some months after they were in stock at the Hasbro online store, and at other sources like BBTS.

[griffin]

The Battle Masters Fight Night pack has been found at US retail as well (it was found at a Toyworld here a couple weeks back). Not sure if this was supposed to be held back with Movie toys in May.

And the second wave of Custom Kreons have been found in Taiwan, which is mostly Gen1 characters - Galvatron, Hound, Cliffjumper, Dreadwind, Jazz, Predaking. These might end up here, as the first wave was found in one or two ToysRUs stores here.
(third wave has Movie characters, which will come out in May)

[CHILENO20]

Hi all, ill be in Chile for the next few months on holiday so I though id keep a look out on any items we don't get back home. So far I have found Sky Lynx & Dark Steel in a store called Ripley's. Think of it like a Myer's or David Jones. Im guessing they got the Target exclusives that we barely got back home. They also had the five pack Abominus & 2 pack Prime & Predaking. Didn't check the prices on the latter 2 (as im not interested in them) but Dark Steel was selling for about $34.00AUD & Sky Lynx for about $26.00AUD give or take some cents. Ended up getting Sky Lynx and will be getting Dark Steel next week. Ill keep everyone posted on everything else as I se them. So far no AOE products.