No wonder these sets didn't make it to the States!

[BabyIceCrystal]

And yes, Canada can get both Int'l AND USA sets! It's pretty much THE best place to get ponies. There's a distributor in Quebec. I found out they even have Rarity's Carousel Boutique with the bonus orange carriage, even though it's pretty much a France exclusive. But Quebec has ties with France, so I guess that makes sense! Only thing that hasn't been spotted in Canada is the blind bag boxes, I think.

I hate to argue, but it's not like this at all in Canada. We get no exclusives. No international ponies like Starswirl, no Target exclusives, and precious little merchandise. We don't even get all the store exclusives for chains we DO have, like the G3 TRU birthflowers, G4 TRU plushies, or the upcoming TRU Fan Favourites set. And yes, no blind bags of any sort. While it is true that a couple of the Target exclusive items have mysteriously shown up from time to time in other stores, they have been in smaller chains that don't have a wide distribution. The distributor in Quebec is actually Hasbro Canada's headquarters. Quebec doesn't have any ties to France by the way, that's like saying America has ties to Spain because some of the original colonists were from there. It is true that Quebec is largely a french speaking province (their french is close but not the same as France's french), and because of this I can easily imagine Hasbro Canada importing some products from Hasbro France because of the french on the packaging. But this is actually the first I'm hearing of it and now I'm jealous because those things certainly don't make it to the rest of Canada as they lack english.

The reason we can get releases from both Europe and the States is that the law requires all packaging in Canada must include everything written in french as well as whatever else happens to be there. This doesn't mean that we get Euro exclusives, they are still products that Hasbro Canada must buy the distribution rights for. What it means is that the packaging for the regular release ponies could come from either source. I suspect that this same law may be the reason we miss out on some store exclusives. The company would have to repackage for Canada to include french and we're considered too small a market for it to be worth that extra expense.

On the plus side, we did receive a couple of the waves early and we do have more of some products that the States seems to be short on for whatever reason like the Sweet Slumbers set (only in one chain here). Which should mean we have a couple of things to trade with people in other countries. Unfortunately, our high shipping rates tend to prohibit that.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

Hmmm I'm wondering if it has only been selected stores that have got that set... well the fact that a lot of cities don't have certain stores doesn't help... I just know I have not see those sets near where I live (mostly because we have no TRU and I refuse to pay ridiculous prices with the shipping, that's why I didn't get Zecora), the only exception to that rule for me is some of the HTS items

So needless to say I will likely never get Star Dreams

[Prismatic]

IThe only set I'm having a really hard time finding now is Rarity's Carousel Boutique. I started buying ponies just this last March, so I don't know if I was just really unlucky to not find any in stock anywhere.

I have an extra carousel.  I haven't been able to get rid of it lol.  If you end up not being able to get it any other way, let me know, and it's yours.  I need to get rid of it before I move, so I can even discount the price.

[StarlightGaze]

And yes, Canada can get both Int'l AND USA sets! It's pretty much THE best place to get ponies. There's a distributor in Quebec. I found out they even have Rarity's Carousel Boutique with the bonus orange carriage, even though it's pretty much a France exclusive. But Quebec has ties with France, so I guess that makes sense! Only thing that hasn't been spotted in Canada is the blind bag boxes, I think.

I hate to argue, but it's not like this at all in Canada. We get no exclusives. No international ponies like Starswirl, no Target exclusives, and precious little merchandise. We don't even get all the store exclusives for chains we DO have, like the G3 TRU birthflowers, G4 TRU plushies, or the upcoming TRU Fan Favourites set. And yes, no blind bags of any sort. While it is true that a couple of the Target exclusive items have mysteriously shown up from time to time in other stores, they have been in smaller chains that don't have a wide distribution. The distributor in Quebec is actually Hasbro Canada's headquarters. Quebec doesn't have any ties to France by the way, that's like saying America has ties to Spain because some of the original colonists were from there. It is true that Quebec is largely a french speaking province (their french is close but not the same as France's french), and because of this I can easily imagine Hasbro Canada importing some products from Hasbro France because of the french on the packaging. But this is actually the first I'm hearing of it and now I'm jealous because those things certainly don't make it to the rest of Canada as they lack english.

The reason we can get releases from both Europe and the States is that the law requires all packaging in Canada must include everything written in french as well as whatever else happens to be there. This doesn't mean that we get Euro exclusives, they are still products that Hasbro Canada must buy the distribution rights for. What it means is that the packaging for the regular release ponies could come from either source. I suspect that this same law may be the reason we miss out on some store exclusives. The company would have to repackage for Canada to include french and we're considered too small a market for it to be worth that extra expense.

On the plus side, we did receive a couple of the waves early and we do have more of some products that the States seems to be short on for whatever reason like the Sweet Slumbers set (only in one chain here). Which should mean we have a couple of things to trade with people in other countries. Unfortunately, our high shipping rates tend to prohibit that.

That's weird because my friend lives in Ontario and he saw Starswirl and that orange carriage with the carousel. Maybe it's because they have French in the packaging.

[MoonStars]

No its is just a difference in the packaging that's all and a distribution thing. There are US sets and international sets. Canada sometimes gets both I believe as they can take stock from either the US or the international release [I would imagine the latter is an option to them as it allows for dual language packaging without the need for a special Canadian print]. I have seen this set packaged for the US [image below], packaged for Canada and packaged for international. As HB Canada is a separate entity from HB US it gives them the right to source the product from other HB's than just the US.

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Hasbro have always done this with toy lines - there are core HB businesses - such as in the US and UK which essentially act as brokers for the other smaller HB subsidiaries - some G1 ponies were "distributed by Hasbro UK" in countries like Sweden but never actually got a UK store release and a lot of the later G1 ponies such as Tales and Rollerskates got a release in Australia by HB Australia but under distribution from HB UK. Thats the way companies like this work - they have individual "knowledge" bases in countries in order to understand the market and work with local retailers/stockists but larger levels of the company above them making the actual decisions on the lines.

But despite that... I have yet to see the Slumber Set (not sure about the Picnic set--have't been looking) even for sale on the Hasbro site, much less in any stores (TRU what have you) online or IRL here in the (eastern part of, anyway) the States. Not even as a preorder on Bigbadtoystore or entertainment earth... So I was beginning to wonder if maybe it was only released in any significant numbers in Europe...

[Mapago]

That's funny, we have the School playset here, and on it's box there's a seal saying it is distributed by Hasbro Canada...
It's the european multilanguage package, so I suppose it comes from Europe to Canada and them it gets sent down here? That would explain the high prices...

[hathorcat]

But despite that... I have yet to see the Slumber Set (not sure about the Picnic set--have't been looking) even for sale on the Hasbro site, much less in any stores (TRU what have you) online or IRL here in the (eastern part of, anyway) the States. Not even as a preorder on Bigbadtoystore or entertainment earth... So I was beginning to wonder if maybe it was only released in any significant numbers in Europe...

Do your stores still have any of the earlier story packs in still? I suspect in some locations this wave [which contains both Star Dreams and Cheerilees picnic] will have been skipped if there is leftover of earlier story packs still in stock. If Walmart warehouses still have plenty of wave 2 of the story pack lines then they will probably not suddenly put wave 2 on sale in order to bring wave 3 in. For the big retailers all 6 story packs are the same product - yes they are different to us but to the retailer they are the same item at the same price point.

A good example of this is happening in the UK now with the story packs. Quite a lot of Tesco [grocery store in a similar vein to Walmart] still have the first or the second wave of story packs on shelves - clearly the store is not going to "return" these or put them on sale in order to make way for more items which are to Tesco the same product. Once they sell, then the store will restock - so in the time it takes for the items to sell [if the store is overstocked or the wave is overstocked at warehouses] other wave releases and availability may have passed. In the meantime, Tesco's website have started stocking the wave 3 sets - clearly as a website they restocked, this is most likely because they ran low on stock on the previous story pack waves [in fact they only have the Camping Set left all the other story packs are sold out].

And all this assumes that this particular set has been successful - if retailers have found themselves a poor seller at this purchase point price, yes, they may genuinely have decided not to pick up the next wave.

Honestly I wouldnt completely give up yet - these sets are only in the last month available to any extent over here and only now turning up in more than the one retailer which had them 3 or 4 months ago. So perhaps they will get to you eventually. Right now we havent seen any other story pack releases to supersede them - they did feature on the HB website [although not for sale just as an "available at these retailers"] and they are in the leaflet with current products. So maybe one day...

[RAMChYLD]

Well, we also received the slumber set over here. And early, too. Last I checked tho they're all but gone from Toys R Us but still plentiful in Metrojaya. I'll go check if Metrojaya still has them tomorrow.

[Diamond]

Sometimes it depends too on shelf space a toy line has been allotted by the chain as how much they are going to get or try to get.  They will also go after what they think will sell better or get a bigger market up on.  Another factor is what the buyers are presented with by Hasbro as to specials and what the chain decides to take. 

[StarlightGaze]

My schoolhouse and sweet slumbers set also says distributed by Hasbro Canada on the box, but on the mould it says represented by Hasbro Europe.

Another thing: the USA blindbags are distributed by Hasbro Australia, but they are shipped from Canada, QC. I'm so confused. 

[kawaii-clamp-fan]

I can get hold of the set if people need it - I'd love to trade for some of the new Target sets ^_^

[hathorcat]

My schoolhouse and sweet slumbers set also says distributed by Hasbro Canada on the box, but on the mould it says represented by Hasbro Europe.

Another thing: the USA blindbags are distributed by Hasbro Australia, but they are shipped from Canada, QC. I'm so confused. 

As mentioned thats because Hasbro Canada can and do stock in from the larger Hasbro - Hasbro Europe/UK. But as they are selling the product in Canada they will need to have their name on the packaging.

This is most likely because the blind bags are not a Hasbro US product - they were never supposed to get a US release. Therefore Hasbro US are probably taking the line on from other HB subsidiaries who have commissioned the production. As blind bags turned up in Aus and Europe first that would suggest they are a Hasbro Europe [or Australia which takes its items from Hasbro Europe] product line The US looked as though it would only be releasing the ponyville size ponies in a similar way to the G3.5 ponyville in actual sets back at the start of G4 - the popularity of blind bags in other countries has probably led to the decision to bring them into the US market. I would think as Hasbro Europe already had the product in place it was just a matter of some repackaging for cards and bags for the US and away they go! Its similar to the way Star Swirl [and the other exclusives were launched] decisions for these ponies were not made by Hasbro US - they were made by Hasbro Europe/Aus and were commissioned for production by them.

[Flitter]

I think it's just not being widely released yet. I only started seeing the Camping and Fair sets maybe a couple months ago at 1 Walmart near me and most places have/had Fluttershy's tree and the Sweets boutique foreeeever. I'm being hopeful it's only a matter of time before the Sweet Slumbers set reaches US stores or hasbrotoyshop.

[StarlightGaze]

Could be. I noticed a lot of European countries and Canada are getting stuff the States had last year or so. Maybe we will get them eventually.