TakaraTomyMall exclusive Reissue Trypticon

[griffin]

The Hasbro reissue Platinum Edition Trypticon is having a limited "USA Edition" release in the TakaraTomyMall online store.
USA Edition just means that it will be identical, with maybe a sticker on the box to note it as an exclusive import.
It is also being noted as Dinosaurer on the TTM page which is Trypticon's Japanese name... so it could be possible that a sticker might be placed over the name on the box, or it will have instructions with the Japanese name (like they did with MP Acidstorm, to give it an official Japanese Masterpiece number of MP11A while the toy and box remained unchanged).

Dinosaurer/Trypticon will be limited to 300 units, and will be offered to the 300 people randomly drawn from the "preorders" taken from October 13-23. (if they get more than 300 people wanting one)
It will be sold to those people for 16,200 yen (about AU$190) in December.

[TAAUBlaster]

So even exclusive low volume imports in a foreign country end up about half of TRU's price?

TRU is such a joke, that it's just getting sad now...

[Trent]

It's funny because if you "won" one of the Japan exclusives and paid to have it shipped here, it'd probably still work out a bit cheaper than buying it at TRU

[UltimateGalvatron]

wow

[GoktimusPrime]

So even exclusive low volume imports in a foreign country end up about half of TRU's price?

TRU is such a joke, that it's just getting sad now...

Now? TRU has been this way for a jolly long time. Remember when they were stocking Hasbro's Commemorative Series bookcase style G1 reissues, and sold them at approx. double the Japanese RRP for Takara's TFC reissues? Local specialty import stores were more common at the time, and even with their government-inflated import prices Takara reissues were on par with TRU's prices for Hasbro reissues!

So you could purchase say a TFC Starscream for 3500JPY or pay about $75~80 to get it at a local import store... or the same price for the Hasbro version with those stupid lengthened missiles! So even when TRU actually had more local competition, they just didn't care. I personally hope that another local retailer might start stocking some of the stuff that TRU have been exclusively stocking (e.g. MPs, reissues) and offer them at a more competitive price. I doubt that TRU would change their pricing policy; they're just stubborn, but at least it gives local consumers a choice and they can take their business elsewhere.

TRU have historically demonstrated that they're more than happy to let overpriced toys shelfwarm for ages before considering discounting prices, if they ever do even discount them. Supreme Cheetor, G1 reissues, Alternators (almost the same price as Binaltechs!), Ghost Starscream, other MPs... and many of those were out during a time when online shopping wasn't as prevalent as it is today. We've been shaking our heads at TRU's pricing policy for at least 15 years now, so while this sort of thing is disappointing, it's hardly surprising.

Having said that, there have been a few times when TRU's prices have actually been pretty good too. e.g.
* Hasbro's 1st MP Starscream
* Hasbro's MP10 Optimus Prime
* Hasbro's MP Soundwave & Cassettes
...but sadly their overpriced items seem to outnumber their fairly priced items.

[TAAUBlaster]

Now? TRU has been this way for a jolly long time. Remember when they were stocking Hasbro's Commemorative Series bookcase style G1 reissues, and sold them at approx. double the Japanese RRP for Takara's TFC reissues? Local specialty import stores were more common at the time, and even with their government-inflated import prices Takara reissues were on par with TRU's prices for Hasbro reissues!

So you could purchase say a TFC Starscream for 3500JPY or pay about $75~80 to get it at a local import store... or the same price for the Hasbro version with those stupid lengthened missiles! So even when TRU actually had more local competition, they just didn't care. I personally hope that another local retailer might start stocking some of the stuff that TRU have been exclusively stocking (e.g. MPs, reissues) and offer them at a more competitive price. I doubt that TRU would change their pricing policy; they're just stubborn, but at least it gives local consumers a choice and they can take their business elsewhere.

TRU have historically demonstrated that they're more than happy to let overpriced toys shelfwarm for ages before considering discounting prices, if they ever do even discount them. Supreme Cheetor, G1 reissues, Alternators (almost the same price as Binaltechs!), Ghost Starscream, other MPs... and many of those were out during a time when online shopping wasn't as prevalent as it is today. We've been shaking our heads at TRU's pricing policy for at least 15 years now, so while this sort of thing is disappointing, it's hardly surprising.

Having said that, there have been a few times when TRU's prices have actually been pretty good too. e.g.
* Hasbro's 1st MP Starscream
* Hasbro's MP10 Optimus Prime
* Hasbro's MP Soundwave & Cassettes
...but sadly their overpriced items seem to outnumber their fairly priced items.

The "now" was referring to the more recently price gouged items like Masterpiece and Platinum Edition. I'd actually forgotten about the G1 reissues back in the day.
But you are right, it's hardly surprising.

[Paulbot]

Forget about the price I'm more bothered by the lottery approach. You preorder but you have to win to get one? Not a great precedent for future exclusives...

Dinosaurer/Trypticon will be limited to 300 units, and will be offered to the 300 people randomly drawn from the "preorders" taken from October 13-23. (if they get more than 300 people wanting one)