Australian Toyfair this weekend (4-7 Apr), we will be there, so post your Qs here.

[autobreadticon]

awesome stuff, alot of pictures thanks

[griffin]

Soundwarp said:

So no Supa nova then........
You got a laptop????

I'm only away for the friday (leave on first flight, back on last flight). If I am not working on the Saturday (I'll know about 11pm Friday night), I can meet up with you, but with no one else showing any interest, you'll have to do some serious convincing to get me into a non-TF event at their admission price.
Laptop - yes. A few weeks ago for my trip to BotCon. I hate having to chase up public access computers at odd hours while there, or make you guys wait until I get back three days later. I want to be able to post reports and pics while I'm there. And hopefully this year I can do that (but it'll be a bit of a trial and error process this year though).

STL said:

Bah! You guys should've let me known earlier. I had been asked if I wanted to go again (I went last year) but declined b/c it's quite boring going by yourself and all you have is looking at toys you won't be able to get for several months. But if I knew you blokes were going, I'd have made plans to go too. Bugger.

Sorry about that. I do feel bad about this looking like exclusivity or favouritism, but it was just to make sure I could get in at all. I remembered that someone here had posted before about being to one, but couldn't remember who (I thought is might have been Paul, but it wasn't). I don't know how restrictive they are on allowing 'public' in, so I didn't want to broadcast this too early this year, in case I had a heap of Melbourne fans wanting to tag along who could end up being stopped at the door. The idea was to get in this year with at least one other, and get an idea of how easily we could get a group of us in, in future years. Registration may have been quite easy, but I get the impression that if you register as a retailer or media to get in, you could me asked to prove it (if they feel like it). I can do that with my registered business, and claim that a certain number of 'staff' are there with me. But unless I know how restrictive they are at the Toyfair, I wouldn't be sure how many others I could cover. I'd love to get more fans in, if there is a chance to get a first hand look at future toys, but I want to make sure we don't all get refused access because we show up as a 'crowd of fans' to a *Trade Show*.

Sifun said:

Would someone be able to pick me up some gundam catalogues? they're free at the stalls that distribute the kits. they're pretty to look at
And they usually don't like people taking photos. So do it while they're not looking!!

I'll try to remember to look out for gundam catalogues.
As for photos - I've been trying my best in the last 7 years since the last naughty thing I did against Hasbro, to keep Hasbro happy, so any photos taken and posted, would be done so with their permission. I don't want this to be a one-off opportunity, so if I posted anything they don't want posted, I won't have any chance of going to Toyfair again.

[Tetsuwan Convoy]

2) How long are we looking at for the Animated line? Will it be another year long line, only lasting till the '09 movie, or will it run alongside the movie, perhaps even outlast it?

5) Why does Hasbro still believe we should pay double the US price when the Australian Dollar is no longer worth $US0.50?

They are pretty my questions too!

Cheers Trunks

[STL]

No worries, Griffin. I'd only really want to go if a few forum members were. No fuss. Like i said, my experience last year wasn't that thrilling. I imagine it'd be much more fun w/ others. But yeah, let myself or others know next time as we've got other ways of getting in. I could probably still organise it both w/ footy and teaching over the weekend combined w/ job apps, i'm pretty flat out.

As for my questions, i'm a bit worried about Classics. I hope they don't get shafted b/c of Animated. I'd love to see them here but for some reason why that they might feel we're not a big enough market to support three lines of TFs on the shelves at once.

And of course, there's always that issue of price.

[roller]

any filler lines planned after Universe Wave (2?) ?

[SofaMan]

Actually, even though it may put noses out of joint, I'd like an answer to the pricing question as well. I'd like to see them justify the price-gouging.

[autobreadticon]

hay Griffin, much appreciated if you could get some info on when premiums are being released in Oz and ask if the U.S release animated toys early than the allocated deadline, would Australia retailers except earlier release dates as well?

[Demonac]

Pricing was something I brought up last year on the Hasbro tour at Botcon.
Their answer was that the prices are not set by them, but by Hasbro AU. So it will be interesting to see what they say.
And to be honest, as long as TF's are selling the way they are down here, Hasbro have no reason to lower prices.

[roller]

also wouldnt hurt to ask for some Aust.exclusives

[Vector Sigma 13]

Good luck guys, i look forward to hearing about your adventures.