Should I complain to Hasbro?

[xXCosmicBurstXx]

You should email them. They may offer you a replacement. Although I wouldn't send back Lily Blossom because she's one of the harder to find ponies. (at least in my area) Hopefully the amount of  factory defects will decrease over time. 

[Baby Sugarberry]

G1's were simply made to higher standards, with better quality assurance.  Considering a pony today costs the same as one back in the early eighties, when you account for inflation at a modest 1.5%:


5$ Original price in 1982.
Ten years: 5.80$ - 1992
Twenty years: 6.73$ - 2002
Thirty years - 7.82$ - 2012


So today's ponies cost a mere 64% of what they should cost, had price kept up with inflation.  You can bet that the missing 36% is not coming out of Hasbro's bottom line...

[Fanimusmaximus]

Well I don't think you should complain to hasbro, but you should let them know about it.

[gemini_pony]

G1's were simply made to higher standards, with better quality assurance.  Considering a pony today costs the same as one back in the early eighties, when you account for inflation at a modest 1.5%:


5$ Original price in 1982.
Ten years: 5.80$ - 1992
Twenty years: 6.73$ - 2002
Thirty years - 7.82$ - 2012


So today's ponies cost a mere 64% of what they should cost, had price kept up with inflation.  You can bet that the missing 36% is not coming out of Hasbro's bottom line...

They are still just $5 here

[reanna-mator]

I think it'd understandable to voice your concerns. It's well known that collectors buy ponies and expect new ponies to be in reasonable condition!

[cobalte]

G1's were simply made to higher standards, with better quality assurance.  Considering a pony today costs the same as one back in the early eighties, when you account for inflation at a modest 1.5%:


5$ Original price in 1982.
Ten years: 5.80$ - 1992
Twenty years: 6.73$ - 2002
Thirty years - 7.82$ - 2012


So today's ponies cost a mere 64% of what they should cost, had price kept up with inflation.  You can bet that the missing 36% is not coming out of Hasbro's bottom line...

They are still just $5 here

Baby Sugarberry is in Canada, pricing is probably different there. Example, singles are average $9-10 here

[Tropical_Sunset]

There is no excuse for shoddy "brand new" products.  Let them know!!

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Even with inflation, I'm guessing that G1s had to be more costly to make than G4s.  They are much larger than G4s and used more materials.  And they look so much nicer, have better detailing and sculpts, etc. 
Hasbro's plummeting quality control is inexcusable. :/

[Baby Sugarberry]

G4's (the basic ones) are 5$ here as well, what I'm trying to say is that they *should* cost closer to 8$, if you take inflation into account.  5$ had more buying power in 1982 than it does in 2012. 


That "missing" money has to be taken out somewhere, and it's either going to come out of bulk material quality (producing smaller toys, which also cost less to ship), material cost (using inferior quality materials), labor (which is why toys are made in China) or quality assurance (not discarding imperfect batches of heads/bodies that don't match, mispainted toys, dirty toys, etc.)


G4's have solid bodies, so I'm not sure they use significantly less plastic than the larger, but thinner shelled originals.  Weigh them both, then decide. 


As for where you can put the blame, I would suggest placing it squarely on the "Wal-Mart mentality" of today; expecting more and more for less and less.  This is the end result; companies look to cut corners so they can stay competitive. 

[cobalte]

Oh I see... sorreh for misinterpreting.

[gemini_pony]

xD oh opps I get you now!

[Dragonflitter]

As for where you can put the blame, I would suggest placing it squarely on the "Wal-Mart mentality" of today; expecting more and more for less and less.  This is the end result; companies look to cut corners so they can stay competitive. 

THIS.


I hope you get something for your effort, Emfen! If it were me, I would keep Lily Blossom, since she's not in stores anymore and is a popular character. If Hasbro asks you to return her, no saying what you might get. Like someone said, might even be a G3.5. -.-

[Emfen]

I'd rather keep her and use her as a bait or something, since I could possibly trade for a better looking one.

This is the response I got:
"Hello Emma,

Thank you for your e-mail. I am sorry to hear you are not satisfied with your my Little Pony product.

You are welcome to send it to me, and I will replace it with a similar item from the assortment- unfortunately I cannot guarantee it will be the exact same pony."

I don't think I should send her back...

[hokuspokus]

G1's were simply made to higher standards, with better quality assurance.  Considering a pony today costs the same as one back in the early eighties, when you account for inflation at a modest 1.5%:


5$ Original price in 1982.
Ten years: 5.80$ - 1992
Twenty years: 6.73$ - 2002
Thirty years - 7.82$ - 2012


So today's ponies cost a mere 64% of what they should cost, had price kept up with inflation.  You can bet that the missing 36% is not coming out of Hasbro's bottom line...

They are still just $5 here

WHAT?!

They are €8 over here!!!!!!! thats over $10! :O

[Emfen]

I bought my lily blossom for 12$. The price for the singles varies between 10-14$. I've seen one shop in town who does sell the singles for  16$! 

[StoryDreamer]

Also remember the economy was a different place in the 80s. Jobs werent outsourced as much.  Now one quality control person might do the work of three