Universe Ironhide in Package

[Pulse]

Don't Toy Companies try to make the packaging as attractive/appealing as possible to make it stand out from the competition?

"Mummy! Can I please get that toy? Please? Please?"

[kup]

Don't Toy Companies try to make the packaging as attractive/appealing as possible to make it stand out from the competition?

"Mummy! Can I please get that toy? Please? Please?"

Hasbro does that too which makes the fluro on the actual figure a bit redundant.

Although Hasbro's packaging is a bit extreme (with twist ties, over sized boxes relative to content, etc) They generally do a good job in making attractive boxes that stand out positively even though it can be hard to tell individual figures apart at a distance when they are all stacked together.

However I still like the Takara packaging better as it stands out the same or better but feels much more elegant in execution as the individual figures stand out more with no 'tricky' attempt at making a figure seem 'larger' than it actually is through the size of the packaging.

[liegeprime]

Yeah. Thats why they spend so much research... on packaging rather than the toy itself. which gives rise to even more incentive for MISB, MISC collectors due to the beauty of the packaging. but is such a bummer for people like me who is more into the toy itself and after the pretty packaging is all broken and opened, I look at the toy and say " Crap!, Ive been had... again!"

[Pulse]

I know exactly what you mean when comparing how much extra space Hasbro pack into their packaging compared to TakaraTomy...

Case in point - Animated Voyagers. The boxes are huuuuuge while the figures only take up a 3rd of the space...

TakaraTomy Beasties Rampage/Heinlad/Stampy (of which I only received 2 days ago) - their packaging was much more compact in relativity to the size of the figures.

I believe Toy Companies can make their customers alot more content by doing one main thing = listening & responding to Customer Feedback




(Sorry, getting away from thread topic again, Sorry)

[kup]

Going back to Ironhide,

I just noticed that the crotch part is HUGE, like if he wants to be the next G1 Megatron.

Its a bit distracting but not a killer. However that may be just the pics or the way he was transformed.

[Gutsman Heavy]

Ironhide always had brass ball-bearings after all

[FFN]

I'll wait for the Henkei version. That light blue is a really bad match for the darker blue plastic.

I don't think Tomy will paint those edges, because they're part of his transformation. The paint will come off if they paint them. However, depending on what sprue they are on, perhaps Tomy will cast all the red panels that make up his arms (and thus the roof) transparent blue, painted red? That way you can clear windows that match - think Movie 1976 Bumblebee. Obviously their original plan was for him to be exactly the same as Tomy's version, as we saw a clear-window test shot back in 2006.

I know exactly what you mean when comparing how much extra space Hasbro pack into their packaging compared to TakaraTomy...

Case in point - Animated Voyagers. The boxes are huuuuuge while the figures only take up a 3rd of the space...

TakaraTomy Beasties Rampage/Heinlad/Stampy (of which I only received 2 days ago) - their packaging was much more compact in relativity to the size of the figures.

I believe Toy Companies can make their customers alot more content by doing one main thing = listening & responding to Customer Feedback

(Sorry, getting away from thread topic again, Sorry)

Hasbro doesn't have flexible price points like Tomy (and Japan) does due to the different markets. From what I understand, fixed price points are preferred by retailers.

From the TF Wiki's article on size classes:
"The logic behind size classes is simple; retailers can order a case of toys, knowing exactly how much they will sell for and exactly how much shelf space they will occupy. All the Deluxes in a line have identically-sized packaging and cost the same price. When you run out of Deluxes, you order a new case and put them right back where they belong."

It likely also preferred by Hasbro's budget deparment, as the designers can know the limit of what they can do for a toy at a given size class/price point by how much budget the toy gets depending on how much the toy will be sold for.

The size class also determines plastic amount/weight, which is generally strictly adhered to by Hasbro. When you see big, gigantic Hasbro packaging, the reason is threefold:

1. Hasbro wants the packaging to be (reasonably) big, eye-catching and attractive so customers will pick it up and investigate.
2. Its so they can fit various vehicle modes into packaging that are different sizes and proportions. Eg, Animated Starscream compared to Bulkhead.
3. Its more cost-effective to create standardised packaging for size classes rather than custom individually-sized packaging for every single figure.


As for twist ties, they're there to protect the toy from falling out of the packaging tray and being damaged during transit, storage and retailing. Another reason is to protect against theft. Thieves are less likely to steal a toy if there's 50 billion twist ties holding the figure to its tray.

I can only deduce that there's far less of a shoplifting problem in Japan.

[GoktimusPrime]

Japan has the 2nd lowest crime rate in the world. Twist-ties suck... Hasbro add a buttload of them to deter shoplifters and simultaneously inconveniencing the rest of us who buy the toys honestly. :/ Theft prevention should be the store's responsibility rather than the manufacturer. Look at DVDs/CDs; it's up to the store in terms of what measures they want to use to prevent theft. Some stores will place a security lock/tag on the case which activates a store alarm, whilst others only display empty cases and will only give you the disc upon purchase. As a regular consumer I just don't like being inconvenienced for the actions of others. :/

And Takara/TOMY does have 'fixed' price points like Hasbro does. The actual sale price is determined by the retailer but they do have recommended retail prices (which you can see on TakaraTOMY's web site)
e.g.:

As you can see Iron Man's RRP is 3675JPY. You can find it sold at different prices depending on where you shop but that's the general price. In my experience I've never seen Transformers sold above RRP in Japan. It's always either exactly on RRP or under but I've never seen it sold for above RRP.

[dirge]

Japan has the 2nd lowest crime rate in the world.

And the Vatican City has the highest

Twist-ties suck... Hasbro add a buttload of them to deter shoplifters and simultaneously inconveniencing the rest of us who buy the toys honestly. :/ Theft prevention should be the store's responsibility rather than the manufacturer.

Keep in mind that Hasbro pitches the toys to the stores, who they view as their customer (rather than the end consumer). If they can convince the retail buyer that the toys are unlikely to suffer shrinkage, it's increasing their chances of a sale.

I'm not agreeing with it, but I understand while Hasbro it. I don't care anyway, I just use tinsnips and have them off in a few seconds

[Pulse]

I don't care anyway, I just use tinsnips and have them off in a few seconds

But when you're trying to open a Titanium figure, those cable/twist ties like to jab into your fingers nice & sharp...