The Observed "Rules" of Australian Major Retailers when it comes to toys.

[MayzaPrime]

And the thing is... market research doesn't have to be hard or terribly expensive. I've long appreciated how Takara(TOMY) and other Japanese companies elicit direct feedback from consumers with their product surveys. Initially it was through the use of self-addressed (postage paid in Japan) survey cards, and now with their online surveys. And with certain lines that have more of a collector appeal (e.g. reissues, MPs, BTs etc.) they actually allow consumers to either nominate and/or elect which characters they'd like to see as future products, and then actually make those products based on what fans are asking for. It's a relatively inexpensive thing to set up and maintain and IMHO actually trying to listen to consumers and making product decisions based on direct feedback works a lot better than trying to "force" products onto consumers without any consultation with the consumers. It's not rocket science.

e.g. Q.38 from last year's TakaraTOMY online MP Survey...

Prowl and Bluestreak already exist now, and figures like Ultra Magnus, Wheeljack and Star Sabre must've attracted enough votes for TakaraTOMY to greenlight them to be developed as MPs. And obviously enough people must've nominated "Bumblebee" in the "Other" option for that to be made as product too.

Holy crap!!!

I would love to see a MP Devastator & Superion

Actually, everyone on that list is a must have

[griffin]

Western Retailers could learn a lot from how this sort of Market Research can pay dividends in the end. It doesn't guarantee a success (because it still depends on the execution of the designing of the toys), but it does improve the chances, and generates more hype for it and the Brand as a whole, because they are already catering to the more dedicated demographics.

And obviously enough people must've nominated "Bumblebee" in the "Other" option for that to be made as product too.

Considering the way fans are more put off by "Bumblebee" after the saturation of the toylines in the last 7 years, I would be thinking that it is more likely that Bumblebee is an internal choice. If there was any significant popularity among the older collectors for Bumblebee, it would have been an option on its own... but because Optimus and Bumblebee are the two main character names for toys to the general public, globally (since the Movies), it will be easier to sell in TRU to regular people AND fans.
I also think it was already high on their list (to chase up licensing), because it would be one that Hasbro would want to bring over as soon as it can... and in multiple versions in the following years.
If the licensing issue hadn't been such a problem from Volkswagon, I think we would have had Bumblebee as one of the first Masterpiece toys, just because of global recognition of the character to sell it anywhere (and pressure from Hasbro to do as many MP toys as possible that they can easily release themselves - as it would pay for the mould more than one that is exclusive to Japan).

[GoktimusPrime]

Considering the way fans are more put off by "Bumblebee" after the saturation of the toylines in the last 7 years, I would be thinking that it is more likely that Bumblebee is an internal choice.

Bear in mind that Bumblebee isn't nearly as over-saturated in Japan as he is in Western markets. Could be a combination of various factors.