SDCC exclusive - EXCLUSIVES ON HASBRO TOYSHOP

[SweetTune]

The one thing that I believe people who are calling for a Special Edition Pony aimed at the collector market are missing here is the fact that we HAD our own collector-centric ponies. They were glorious, but they didn't sell...

The Fair placed short run orders with Hasbro for 1,000 pieces and out of 1,000 we were lucky to move 300 at a Fair event. The rest were sold online, through the Fair website or placed on Ebay by Fair organizers (back in the day when they were allowed to sell on Ebay- we can't now due to contract.) The last year that Winged Fantasy coordinated the Fair(back in 2009,) she personally was stuck with over 700 unsold ponies after the event. I'm willing to bet she STILL has unsold Peacock Art ponies taking up space 5 years later.

When I took over the Fair, I personally fronted the funds to purchase the 2010 Fair Pony. I didn't have enough money to purchase a full 1000 pony run since I was basically starting the Fair over from scratch, but since I had a prior relationship with Hasbro (due to my books), they agreed to allow me to decrease the Fair order to 500 pieces (I'm not sure where the other 500 went- Probably in some Hasbro warehouse.) It took me 18 months to sell them all (a quarter of which were sold at our cost just to get my initial investment back.) The next year, in 2011 I was able to repeat my order of 500 figures. Three years later, I STILL have Egyptian Art ponies to offload.

As collectors, we feel like we are this driving force of revenue for Hasbro (I also felt this way before I was on the other side of things,) but in truth we are a tiny drop in a very big bucket. It is amazing that Hasbro acknowledges us at all. I am grateful that they do and they respect our lasting passion and commitment to their brand by being involved in our community.

Even if you don't like the Comic Con figures we've been offered he last 3 years of the Fair, please try to appreciate the fact that we get something. Hasbro could have dumped their support and interest in the Fair completely, but instead have stuck by us and helped us grow our event.

Hopefully, in the future we can support having our own "Exclusive Only to the Fair Pony," again, but until Hasbro can be sure that I don't end up with 300 Ponies in my basement, I don't think we will be given that opportunity.

[Spectrum]

I think something to remember is that the fair was much smaller before 2011 though. I mean, look at how Pony sold, because it was something that most pre-gen collectors could get behind because it was cute, and it was reasonably priced. Even DJ eventually sold out at the fair, I believe. MLP Fair is a pretty large event now, with more collectors.


I can understand though. I would not want 700 unsold ponies. 

[Marigold]

I don't mind sharing the pony with sdcc (or rather they share with us) and I can appreciate the Fair pony more now that I know the history.  I just wish they would do something more like Muffin. If we had a FS of any new FIM pony I'd be on board.  I'd even get the Dr. Although he isn't my favorite.  I am happy the Fair gets the exclusive too, but the past two years have been less than stellar.

But it is far better to get something and support than nothing!

[Sprinklecupcake]

WOE!!! This is huge surprise for me!!!! I LOVE these however I dont think the pony is worth $50. Im still going to scrape by the get her AND the doll!!! The doll is so cute!!!! I like the doll more than the pony, so she cones with Spike? Trying to decide if the hair is poseable or not. This is a Fashion Style?

[BerylBreeze]

I think she's a great pick for SDCC (being in a comic/superhero parody and all), but to be honest, it (the pony) looks like a custom than official. Other than the photo probably being of a hand-painted prototypes than the final product (glossy head, etc), the hair looks too lumpy at the base as many molded-hair customs do. Maybe the tendrils are each on their own swivel joint or something, but it just looks cheap.
But to get a pony and small accessory for $50 seems kind of high (assuming she's princess size), it would've been much nicer to get the mane 6 with their painted-on Power Pony costumes. Yup, I seriously am saying I would've PREFERRED a mane 6 set!
I just don't care much for the dolls but I will admit the doll version is cute and a much better price.

tldr; Good idea for SDCC, but doesn't look worth the price.

[Jadis4742]

I don't mind sharing the Fair pony with SDCC, but I do think with very little effort and research they can create a pony that will appeal to everyone.

That being said, SweetTune, I usually don't buy MIB but I just bought an Egyptian Pony from the Fair store. I encourage anyone else disappointed with the exclusive to do the same so we can still support the Fair.

[Sprinklecupcake]

Im reading your posts and I feel for you long-time G1 fans!!!! Transformers gets all these flashback 80's ish exclusives yet MLP doesnt get a G1 exclusive? Not really fair!! While I love the doll and pony wow they really should have been smart and should have done G1 Firefly or something else G1ish and saved the villian figure fpr next year. Im sorry that G1 fans are so dissapointed! You can tell they think G4 is what is "in" right now for all fans and they thought fans might buy a G4 comic theme pony over a 30 year anniversery G1 character. Do they really care about their older mlp fans? Hmm... maybe for
 mlp's 50th anniversery.

[Jadis4742]

50th? Lol I'll be dead by then.

[princessluna11706]

Im reading your posts and I feel for you long-time G1 fans!!!! Transformers gets all these flashback 80's ish exclusives yet MLP doesnt get a G1 exclusive? Not really fair!! While I love the doll and pony wow they really should have been smart and should have done G1 Firefly or something else G1ish and saved the villian figure fpr next year. Im sorry that G1 fans are so dissapointed! You can tell they think G4 is what is "in" right now for all fans and they thought fans might buy a G4 comic theme pony over a 30 year anniversery G1 character. Do they really care about their older mlp fans? Hmm... maybe for
 mlp's 50th anniversery.

This.

[Lorelei Redfern]

actutly i'm hoping that you guys will have some of the older exclusives AT the fair!  i'm hoping to  get he peacock or even the egyptian there.   and i can understand that aobout you stil having ponys.

truthfully i dont often buy mib becuae people wnat too much for them. lol  but i wouldnt mind getting a few more.   i have more  room on my walls for  mib/moc stuff then  loose stuff.

ithink if the exclusive   was cheaper  i'd proably grab it. (just to have it) but i think they missed a major mark here i would have loved power ponys.  i mean i'm not    THAT big a    Muffin pony fan.  but i got her becuase    its aweosme   to have that    mlp fair pony. 

[Corona]

Whoa, I think that's a bad idea. Personal opinions are one thing, but we don't need to create a divide between collectors and bronies.

And sometimes they're one and the same! Really this whole thread has been bumming me out because it feels like a whole lot of blame being thrown at bronies. The exclusives kinda bring out the "bronies versus collectors" match to a head and it's not fun for those who consider themselves both.

In the end, it's all about money. Let's say every member of MLP Arena (14,501 as of now) buys a pony at 50 bucks. That's 725,050 dollars. According to Wikinvest, Hasbro made 4.1 billion dollars last fiscal year. That 725k is .017% of Hasbro's sales last fiscal year. Even if we assume every member buys a doll too for a total of 80 dollars, that's still .082%, not even breaking the 1% mark.

While passion is great, in the end a business needs profits. And blaming another pony community isn't going to help.

[Aitsuki]

Yeah, I feel like I'm both.... let's not make this confrontational!

[Jadis4742]

I'm not blaming Bronies at all, never have. I really don't care what anyone collects. I saw a piece of art that - taken out of the context of this thread, or even within this thread - could cause some drama.

Sorry, I'm old and tired, and really over drama. 

[princessluna11706]

I'm not blaming Bronies at all, never have. I really don't care what anyone collects. I saw a piece of art that - taken out of the context of this thread, or even within this thread - could cause some drama.

No brony hate here whatsoever ^^ My best friend is a brony-lite, and I have another brony friend as well, though I know drama about this can happen.  Agreed, enough of the drama.

[lonewolf]

 Well the Mane-iac pony and Spike are interesting, and I wouldn't mind having them, but not at that price . That $50 would go a long ways towards me getting the 4DE Luna plushie or BaB Trixie and Applebloom.
 And if you've been wondering: From what I've seen that seems to be the opinion of most bronies too. Many aren't happy with it.

The answer is right in front of Hasbro, but they refuse to look at it:

G4, fashion style, FIREFLY.

Both sides of the fandom would go ape over this. Firefly is probably the biggest fav' among bronies (followed by Surprise, and Minty), especially now that she's been mentioned in the show. With that new mini G1 of her out there, Hasbro has NO EXCUSE to not make her now.

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(picture I edited from strawberryreef)

Imagine if we got a FS Moondancer as the fair's own exclusive... *dreams*

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Guess I need to get my G4 Glory brushable custom finished.

Yeah....let's just refuse to give Hasbro our money, not provoke them into cease-and-desist letters and lawsuits. Please?

IDK if that would be the same. It's not like making a plushie from scratch, it's purchasing a pony and customizing it. Hasbro really isn't losing any money. If they did do a C&D (Hasbro has yet to sue someone over customs), maybe they'd finally get the message (not buying the exclusive didn't seem to work last year).