AUS Toyfair 08 TFs report, part 2 of 3 (Crossovers & Misc items)

[GoktimusPrime]

...so the Marvel Crossover TFs don't have pilots?

[Gutsman Heavy]

I hope not, its one thing that stopped me considering the SWTFs as TFs, they were just Mecha suits, rather than Transforming Robots with Personalities.

[GoktimusPrime]

I've always seen the SWTFs and their pilots as a form of binary bonding like Transformers and Nebulans, only that their pilots have never undergone any bio-engineering to make them transform into heads, weapons, engines etc. Of course, this is all non-canonical... it's not as Hasbro were ever bothered to come up with a story for SWTFs (-_-)

[Pulse]

- Classics and Animated are planned to run to at least mid 2009.

Woo Hoo!!!!

- Over-pricing of Transformers toys in Australia is due to demand, rather than profitteering. That is, Hasbro Australia only imports a small number of TFs toy product, which usually sells within an exeptable timeframe, so they don't need to charge less as an incentive to retailers to pre-order their product. (eg. Deluxes here are about US$22-25 with tax, compared with in America of about US$11 with tax). And the retail pricing of Transformers in Australia will remain the same until at least next year, no matter how good our exchange rate keeps getting.

The Hasbro Reps must think we're just a bunch of mindless saps who believe anything they tell us. Hogwash I tell you, Hogwash!

- Hasbro Australia will be setting up an online store end 2008/early 2009, like the US Hasbro online store. So hopefully we will have a better chance to get limited edition items and items not released to stores here, if the Hasbro AUS store stocks them.

Now that's great news! A couple of times I've tried to order things from Hasbro's US site & with them actually setting up a site for us in the Oceania region - Some of the best TF news I've heard in a long time!

[Tober]

And you're such a pessimist, Tober. IF there are still QC problems, then just refund them and explain so. Keep buying till you get one that's problem free!

Yeah that's a good idea. So far my MPs have all been ordered online, not so easy to return. MP-4 Prime is the only one I've had problems with tho - mismatched paint and loose limbs with parts that don't line up well, which I heard was the case with the entire batch. The other 5 are fine (including Magnus).

Now that's great news! A couple of times I've tried to order things from Hasbro's US site & with them actually setting up a site for us in the Oceania region - Some of the best TF news I've heard in a long time!

Sounds interesting. What will be more interesting is to see if it will still be cheaper to import them in waves from the USA.

[dirge]

I just summarily ignore the SWTF pilots. I do like the mini army that came with the Darth Star (there's shades of Spaceball in it, which is ironic really!), but on the whole I just treat them as Transformers and put the pilots into storage.

[griffin]

Just remembered one insignificant thing for us locals, but some American completists might be interested. The Movie Battle Damaged Voyager Optimus (in a three pack with damaged Arcee and Starscream, to be released here later this year at Kmart), which has also been released recently on its own - the single packed Damaged version is actually an Asian exclusive, so will not actually be released in American retail stores (probably the same with Damaged Arcee, both of which have only appeared on online stores so far). And since we are part of the American releases, we shouldn't get it either. But if you did want it and Damaged Arcee, you will need to get a duplicate of Starscream in the 3-pack from Kmart.
See, we don't have enough completists here to care much about this, let alone enough people interested in toys that are given a bit of a dirty look and are called recolours. Just wanted to share info that was straight from the horses mouth.

[1orion2many]

I just summarily ignore the SWTF pilots. I do like the mini army that came with the Darth Star (there's shades of Spaceball in it, which is ironic really!), but on the whole I just treat them as Transformers and put the pilots into storage.

I just ignore the SWTF's all together as they are Star Wars items. Animated is going to run until 2009, I don't think my sanity could handle it for that long.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

- Over-pricing of Transformers toys in Australia is due to demand, rather than profitteering. That is, Hasbro Australia only imports a small number of TFs toy product, which usually sells within an exeptable timeframe, so they don't need to charge less as an incentive to retailers to pre-order their product. (eg. Deluxes here are about US$22-25 with tax, compared with in America of about US$11 with tax). And the retail pricing of Transformers in Australia will remain the same until at least next year, no matter how good our exchange rate keeps getting.

So they charge us so much coz we pay it. Sound business sense and the answer I thought it would be. Thankyou internet and alternatives is wot I say!

[GoktimusPrime]

Indeed. If the local market isn't offering us better value for money, then why not go for other sources? That's why I generally went for Takara reissues over Hasbro reissues and Binaltechs over Alternators. Why bother paying for something inferior if it's being sold at a price that's not offering you good value?