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Author Topic: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section  (Read 2324 times)

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Offline Koudoawaia

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Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« on: February 02, 2018, 10:03:08 PM »
Had to get some stuff in the pharmacy section after work and Toys is near there so I decided to see if maybe there were any Tempest figures. What I found was kinda shocking. The MLP section has /really/ shrunk. There were three Movie figures of the ponies dressed up as pirates, a large kinda translucent Celestia and two  small metal bins hanging from the bottom of one of the shelves containing the single brushables and blind bags. It's not that they're just out either. I only saw MLP labels under what few things I saw. Is it like that in other places as well?
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Offline glitterball

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2018, 11:14:35 PM »
Here in the UK I visited a couple of stores and noticed a similar thing - empty, messy shelves, I couldn't tell if they were making way for fresh stock or just plain lazy after the Christmas/new year sales.  :brow:
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Offline Taffeta

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2018, 03:13:14 AM »
Messy shelves yes,..but most of the stores I kniw have increased tgeir mlp spread. Tru even built a whole air balloon into their display when they renovated...

Not like MH which has gone from Smyths completely now.
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Offline Safflower

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2018, 07:36:44 AM »
Yeah, my Targets, Walmarts, you name it have really small shelf space. About fifteen things.
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Offline tailrustedtealeaf

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2018, 08:13:21 AM »
My Target seems to be the best place to go for MLP stuff, but Walmart has seriously shrunk it down.
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Offline Koudoawaia

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2018, 08:35:27 AM »
And that's a shame because I prefer not to shop at Target after their security breach unless I happen to have cash on me which I usually don't. At least there is a Toys R Us around here. I swear I love living somewhere that has so much more variety. Where I used to live it was just Walmart pretty much.
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Offline Sunset

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #6 on: February 03, 2018, 08:41:49 AM »
I'd say all my sources Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us have shrunk their mlp section.  There is also much, much less mlp stuff in the collectibles/trading cards stuff.  It's just evidence that this generation is winding down both among kids and adults.  I mean the really vocal super fans may still be around but the average fans are moving on. 

I do admit that Hasbro fumbled the ball by waiting so long to release the movie.  It would have made a lot more sense and gained more traction right after season 3 or 4.

But a slump between gens is expected and I'm looking forward to seeing what they bring us in  the next few years.

The only thing I'll be really disappointed about is if we don't get Fluttershy's cottage in the FiM collection cause I've saved a space for it in my display :(

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #7 on: February 03, 2018, 09:16:58 AM »
I imagine the post Christmas slump might be part of it as well. I see empty gaps on shelves as a good sign that things have sold and that new things may be coming. I dunno. Smyths and Entertainer both have new stuff listed on their website so I am not too worried. Although previous generations have taken longer to wind down in Europe because everything gets dumped here whenever distributors feel like it, as opposed to the US and their more organised dates-and-schedules. We still have Canadian release water cuties, so yeah.

But I guess we do know this generation is starting to pull back. If not for the leak, though, would we be thinking like this?
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Offline otocolobus_manul

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #8 on: February 03, 2018, 10:12:58 AM »
The walmart nearest to my home doesn't even have a pony section anymore... they took the sign down and everything. They've been completely phased out by trolls toys.

The walmart nearest to school has a tiny, chaotic pony section. The blind bags are in cases the cashier has to open for you (I guess they have a problem with people stealing them?), and you literally have to dig through mountains of various brands to find any actual pony things, which are all spread out vertically across several shelves (and also, quite frequently, the floor). The nearest tru has a pathetically small pony section too - disappointing, considering tru is usually the saving grace for ponies.
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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #9 on: February 03, 2018, 10:27:15 AM »
I'd say all my sources Target, Walmart, and Toys R Us have shrunk their mlp section.  There is also much, much less mlp stuff in the collectibles/trading cards stuff.  It's just evidence that this generation is winding down both among kids and adults.  I mean the really vocal super fans may still be around but the average fans are moving on. 

I do admit that Hasbro fumbled the ball by waiting so long to release the movie.  It would have made a lot more sense and gained more traction right after season 3 or 4.
I was so sad to see that the trading card sections no longer have the Enterplay sets. I collect those, Target! Although I was probably the only person in my area buying them.
It's too bad that it takes so long to plan a movie. It feels like they started production sometime during season 4, as Fluttershy has her season 1-4 characterization rather than the more bold, dry season 5 and onward.
Hopefully when G5 rolls around the pony section will get a boost.
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Offline Sunset

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2018, 11:44:03 AM »
I imagine the post Christmas slump might be part of it as well. I see empty gaps on shelves as a good sign that things have sold and that new things may be coming. I dunno. Smyths and Entertainer both have new stuff listed on their website so I am not too worried. Although previous generations have taken longer to wind down in Europe because everything gets dumped here whenever distributors feel like it, as opposed to the US and their more organised dates-and-schedules. We still have Canadian release water cuties, so yeah.

But I guess we do know this generation is starting to pull back. If not for the leak, though, would we be thinking like this?


For me the leak just makes me excited to see what they are working on.  But I knew G4 ( or this era of G4) was slowing down.  It's not even just that the pony isle is smaller, but also that it has changed locations.  At my TRU the mlp section use to have a prime spot at the front of the isle.  Now it's been relegated down to the middle of the isle.  Also licensees seem to be down.  There is nothing mlp themed on the holiday isle right now except a couple of valentines boxes.  I agree with Mrbrightsky.  I see a lot of trolls merchandise but not very much mlp.

Though I agree that the post Christmas slump is contributing.

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2018, 11:57:10 AM »
Maybe the next gen will come faster then we thought? At least for the toys anyway.
« Last Edit: February 03, 2018, 11:59:00 AM by Leave a Whisper »
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Offline Ponyfan

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2018, 12:05:38 PM »
I checked 2 Walmarts and 2 Targets today and both of the Walmart stores had a very small pony section. The Targets were a little better with at least 1/4 of aisle of ponys plus a special end cap that had pony stuff on at least one side.

I wonder if part of the reason was because there were so many MLP the movie tie in toys?  In my area the stores are really slow at getting the new stuff.

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« Last Edit: February 03, 2018, 12:07:17 PM by Ponyfan »
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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2018, 12:28:53 PM »
My local Toys R  has a huge pony section by the front of the store.. It's literally the whole isle. Walmart's by me have only a few ponies on the shelves, and the presentation isn't anything special. The Target's section isn't huge, but I don't think it's any smaller than it's been in the past.  I'm wondering if this has to do with the transition of floor set. I think we will see larger sections after Toy Fair?

Offline Sunset

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Re: Horrifically Shrunk Pony Section
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2018, 12:48:42 PM »
Maybe the next gen will come faster then we thought? At least for the toys anyway.

In a way, yes.  If they intend to launch G5 in summer/fall of 2020 then they will be showing the toys at the NY toy fair in February of 2020 at the latest.  And with eBay/Taobao the way it is, we'll probably see a few things before that.  I won't be surprised if we see and initial image as early as next year.

 

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