Would it sell? Pony concepts meet reality.

[SunPony]

Hmm, I don't really consider a spring themed Fluttershy to be a seasonal pony, but rather a seasonal version of a pony.  Less fun for me but maybe sells better than a whole new pony kids don't recognize? 

I wonder if they did release some seasonal ponies if they would sell more if they were also sold outside the toy aisles, you know how often stores have an aisle or two of "seasonal merchandise"

[Wardah]

Almost all the G3 seasonal ponies were Target exclusives (in the US).  (And apparently the G4 ones, which I didn't know about, whoops.)  Which makes me wonder if Hasbro would not have made them if Target hadn't specifically requested them?  Maybe a lack of such requests is why we've seen them fall off.

Oooh... I knew most of the G3s were Target exclusives, but not the G4s. (I only saw the Fluttershy in shops over here very briefly.... in The Works - a bookshop - of all places.) Yeah, that could explain things.

I could easily imagine it being a case of "Target want some sort of exclusive -> Hasbro oblige -> they sell well enough to continue for several years -> the later, less interesting ones don't sell and shelfwarm for ages -> Target are like 'welp I guess no one's interested in them then, cancel our subscription'"... that'd make a lot of sense.

(DID the last couple of seasonal ponies shelfwarm? I assume they did through other comments on this thread, but...)

They don't get to shelfwarm after the holiday. They get clearanced out and often get snatched up because cheap toys are great for flipping or donating.

[Taffeta]

Argos and Tesco had the Target licences between them.
And Entertainer occasionally got end of line stock with the Target label on them still xD.

...Smyths picked up some of the Walmart ones. I bought the mirror Sunset Shimmer in Smyths and I think that was Walmart. No Haven Bay though.

I also only saw Spring Fluttershy in the Works. What was with that? Weird place to get a pony.

I would've loved had the Target ponies come here for g3. I hated having to import them. I still want that elusive Snow'el II but I think she's probably in the same 'too expensive for a G3 pony' category as most of the birthflowers.

[Ponybookworm]

Argos and Tesco had the Target licences between them.
And Entertainer occasionally got end of line stock with the Target label on them still xD.

...Smyths picked up some of the Walmart ones. I bought the mirror Sunset Shimmer in Smyths and I think that was Walmart. No Haven Bay though.

I also only saw Spring Fluttershy in the Works. What was with that? Weird place to get a pony.

I would've loved had the Target ponies come here for g3. I hated having to import them. I still want that elusive Snow'el II but I think she's probably in the same 'too expensive for a G3 pony' category as most of the birthflowers.

Well now we both have our Haven Bays. Let's hope we also get our Snowel IIs as well.

That gorgeous winter pegasus hardly ever shows on eBay

[Crystal-Sushi]

I LOVE seasonal ponies haha, my most recent G1 concept was for a Halloween set actually!

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I'm also kind of amazed Hasbro hasn't done something like the Secret Surprise ponies again given the popularity of surprise toys - or the Surprise Twins Mummy - or any really gimmick-focused sets with original characters... Which is why I wind up designing what I do, I LOVE gimmicks haha

[InkyMilk]

I love love LOVE holiday themed ponies! Aside from the babies, they're my absolutely favorite to collect, and I went a bit crazy with the G3 ones as G4 was leaving me so completely unfulfilled in that department. I agree in that I don't see why they wouldn't sell if marketed properly, especially if unique ponies were introduced.