Hasbro Makes it Hard to be an adult MLP Collector

[CoonhoundBetty]

As a mom to a 4yo that Hasbro is marketing to, I can tell you how enraged I get when a new wave of ponies come out, and my daughter really wants, for example, Trixie, but adults have completely obliterated store stock. I go to every store within 20 minutes, as well as getting friends around the country to look, and I can't find a Trixie in store. I look on Amazon and eBay, however, and sure enough, you can find them, but jacked up 3-4x the price.

MLP was created for kids--and I get that those of us who grew up playing with them like to collect them, for memory sake and whatnot--and it should stay that way. I'm tired of moneygrabbing jerks buying out store stock to list it for outrageous prices somewhere else.

[lunar_scythe]

*raises hand* I just want to point out the Fair pony exclusives, while they were designed and made by Hasbro, were sold only thru the fairs because the fair had to purchase the whole run of them to get Hasbro to make them.  They were not available anywhere else, and have only been purchasable from the fair website, here, and on the MLPTP, so I don't think that is a very good comparison.

On the other hand, the 25th anniversary ponies were actually pretty hard to find, by the time they showed up in most areas, people had given up on them.  While the first set of collector ponies didn't go over well(harder plastic, cheaper hair than the G3 or G1 line) the second set, rainbow ponies, are harder to find and go for a decent amount.
 These sets were not really marketed to adult collectors, they were made cheaply and marketed the same way that Sock Monkeys are. "I had one of these when I was a kid, I'm going to get it for MY kid!" type of situation.


The art ponies were the only things that were really marketed to adults, and they were selling out of each design, but Hasbro stopped making them when they changed to the G4 style molds.  On ebay they're anywhere from $25 up, depending on design.

[gabumon]

^ RE kids not getting
ponies:   Right! but the difference with Transformers is that they produce whole
separate lines of figures for difference
ages.  they have Hero Squad or bot Squad (I think) for 5-8 year olds, then the regular "show line" (TF Prime atm) for 9 to 12 year olds, then two(!!!) lines for adults,  Generations and Masterpiece.

There are always plenty of the kids' lines on the shelf.

So MLP needs this approach IMO .

Maybe another difference with TF is the involvement of the Japanese company Takara.  I'm not 100% sure what influence thy have, but maybe they know the market better and "weigh in" harder to influence Hasbro.

[Aquatic Neon]

I think Hasbro tried to put out an 'Adult Only' collectors with the SDCC and a 'special' Twilight Sparkle... but I think they missed the mark. Really I don't even know how much hasbro cares about the MLP Fanbase, maybe they are being narrow minded, maybe they think the blind bags will do for collectors, maybe they will have something planned in the future, who's to say, all I know is that G4 kind of went down the sink for me as being a collector (and I'm not even a 'got to have them all' type of collector but I know what I like)

This is exactly what they should do, is what they already started make them online only exclusives and only make enough to sell, they tried with Twilight which was a big fail because everyone already has Twilight and she isn't a new character, they should do pre gen ponies like G1 ponies in fashion style or brushables as exclusives on hasbrotoyshop.com  I'm sure they would do very well, why wouldn't they do it?

[Draikinator]

You know what would be really cool and a good way to guage what people actually wanted? They have online exclusive. They set up a few of them for preorders- say, some older ponies as G4s and maybe some brony favorite ponies, like three or four. It runs like a sort of preorder-poll, where you preorder it and your money is taken. They have a certain amount of time to sell a certain amount of ponies, and if they hit that number within the time limit, then the ponies are made, shipped, and then perhaps also have a run on shelves. Hopefully with a different sort of packaging. However, if they don't get enough orders, then everyone's money is refunded and the ponies aren't made. No huge losses and it's an accurate way to find out exactly what people want to throw their money at, and it would also be a good way to support the things you DO really want more of.

//i realize this is obviously not something that's going to be implemented, it just occurred to me how nice it would be and I wanted to share.

[Lyra]

As a mom to a 4yo that Hasbro is marketing to, I can tell you how enraged I get when a new wave of ponies come out, and my daughter really wants, for example, Trixie, but adults have completely obliterated store stock. I go to every store within 20 minutes, as well as getting friends around the country to look, and I can't find a Trixie in store. I look on Amazon and eBay, however, and sure enough, you can find them, but jacked up 3-4x the price.

MLP was created for kids--and I get that those of us who grew up playing with them like to collect them, for memory sake and whatnot--and it should stay that way. I'm tired of moneygrabbing jerks buying out store stock to list it for outrageous prices somewhere else.

Yeah buying everything on the shelf only to resell is very rude. I don't have trouble in my home town but I can imagine that is frustrating.

Something I know is unpopular, but think Hasbro is doing right,  is making the mane 6 so widely and commonly available. Ok, so we are getting bored of them, already have them, don't need more. But, when I was a child, I really wanted the ponies that frequented the cartoon series like Wind Whistler, Paradise and Sweet Stuff for example, but those were no longer sold by the time I even knew about them.
It's great for kids that the mane 6 is always around.

Also, packaging nice exclusive ponies with an expensive playset like the carousel...ooh I see what they are doing. Most collectors want the pony, not the carousel. Carousel goes more cheaply on ebay, to a parent looking for their kid perhaps. Hasbro gets the full amount, the adult collector paid a lot but gets their pony, the child gets awesome discounted playset, may or may not even know there was an exclusive pony. And, the child may never have been able to get the playset otherwise. (I know of a few IRL instances of this already, it must happen a lot)

I wish there was more G1 realted stuff and acknowledgement of the women in the fanbase


Annoyed as I am about G4 I am going to try to remember how I felt about it when it happened...

 I do think it has been uphill since G3.5. To me, G3.5 was the END of everything I liked about my little pony. I remember looking at the G3.5 ponies and thinking mlp was DEAD.
I was not interested in anything new being put out, I could only look back.
 G4 came along made them cute again (G3.5 not being aesthetically pleasing in my opinion) G4 brought in a cartoon with a STORY full of LORE, with sun and moon ponies,  a developed world, family relationships and distinctive characters that went on adventures.
 G4 was more than I ever hoped for actually...If someone described G4 to me, back in the pony dark ages (G3.5) I would have found it to good to be true

Also I think the chinese new year art pony is a positive step. I don't really like her much but hopefully there will be many art ponies

[partypony566]

I think adult pony collectors are far more recognised now, than ever before

[Rosette]

I think, for our size and spending, we're being treated pretty well by Hasbro.  Consider one main difference between us and Transformers:  I don't know how much Hasbro rakes in from their entertainment division, but the Transformers movies are a successful franchise with ticket sales here in the US at something crazy like $300,000,000 or $400,000,000.  Those are largely teen/adult fans and they will pay well for great collectors toys.  We didn't show up in those numbers to Equestria Girls--not by a long shot!

I think they are doing their jobs and keeping the line healthy and relevant for 30 years helps us collectors, ultimately.  But sure, I have a mile long Wishlist to deliver to them if they wanted it.

[Ice Crystal]

Something I know is unpopular, but think Hasbro is doing right,  is making the mane 6 so widely and commonly available. Ok, so we are getting bored of them, already have them, don't need more. But, when I was a child, I really wanted the ponies that frequented the cartoon series like Wind Whistler, Paradise and Sweet Stuff for example, but those were no longer sold by the time I even knew about them.
It's great for kids that the mane 6 is always around.

I agree with this, but at the same time, I think their recent approach to keeping the mane six constantly available isn't working out because of...

Also, packaging nice exclusive ponies with an expensive playset like the carousel...ooh I see what they are doing. Most collectors want the pony, not the carousel. Carousel goes more cheaply on ebay, to a parent looking for their kid perhaps. Hasbro gets the full amount, the adult collector paid a lot but gets their pony, the child gets awesome discounted playset, may or may not even know there was an exclusive pony. And, the child may never have been able to get the playset otherwise. (I know of a few IRL instances of this already, it must happen a lot)

this. This is something that they did towards the beginning of the G4 line and in gens past, and while you may have been stuck with an extra Pinkie, you did get a nice playset and an exclusive pony. But lately? It's been the mane six over and over again and I don't think it's worth it to kids and most especially their parents, let alone collectors, to purchase an expensive playset for a pony they already have and, at this rate, may have three or four of. In fact, I think the playset would be more alluring if they packaged it without a pony. Which is kind of how it works for fashion doll lines, isn't it? Kids already have Barbie, now they need her house or her car! A new outfit! Not another Barbie. Unless, of course, she's different enough from the doll they already have to warrant another purchase i.e., in G4's case, Fashion Style or Shine Bright.

It wouldn't be so bad if the mane six weren't also the only single release ponies you can get. I think it's important that they be readily available to new fans of the cartoon, however, kids who are a fan of the line longer than a few months aren't going to have any new characters to collect and play with and just like us here on the Arena, probably don't want to see another Pinkie Pie.

As for this year's con exclusives -
When Ditzy Doo was released, not only was she a fan favourite, we did not have any toys of her. She was one-of-a-kind (well, couple-hundred-of-a-kind, but you catch my drift) and, at the time, many thought she would be the only officially released Ditzy toy we would ever see. Had she been released this year, I doubt she would have done nearly as well what with the brushable, the blind bag, and the various show accurate Funko vinyl toys of her.

And that was the problem with both DJ and Twilight. DJ is a fan favorite, yes, but already had a brushable prior to the release of the exclusive and Funko had already confirmed her release for later this year. Since the Hasbro exclusive is completely molded, it looks a lot like the Funko vinyl but twice the cost. A light up box and Swarovski crystals isn't going to win over somebody who just wants a show accurate figure and can get one for sixteen bucks or whatever. DJ had the added downfall of displeasing longtime collectors who are used to and prefer brushable ponies.

As for Twilight, she is a Fashion Style doll with crystals and glitter slapped on. I personally didn't see anything interesting enough in her design to justify the $50. Had she been a cool art pony like what we had during G3, I would have considered it. That's just me, but from what I understand from this thread, she did not do well and I'm guessing that is why.

If Hasbro is going to stick to the fan favourite ponies for cons, they should continue to release exclusives we have not, and are convinced, will not see in the regular line. Emphasis on the will not. I'm still afraid we're going to see Pony repackaged in a Fashion Style box and sold at retail stores.

[CupidStrikes]

They certainly make it very hard to be a collector living outside North America, that's for sure! I'm annoyed that the only new ponies I've seen in the last year have been Sunset Shimmer or the (over-priced) Pinkie Pie's  Boutique Line, and it must be a lot more frustrating for young fans of the show, as not all parents are willing to pay to import toys or pay £10 for a single 3" pony.

I think the Favourites Collection, and the SDCC exclusives, etc, are a step in the right direction for adult fans, it's just a shame you have to import most of them Funko definitely seem to be more on the ball with adult fans (or the ones that don't prefer brushables, anyway) so maybe Hasbro is content to leave most of the work to them so they can concentrate on making more Pinkie Pies? =P The mail-order exclusives from the G1 (I think?) line looked interesting, so it would be really cool if they did something like that again for adult fans (and these could also be enjoyed by young fans, too). Something like that, maybe.

[MiRaja]

I don't think you're being at all fair with the analogy that Hasbro releases more for the adult TF fans then the MLP fans.

First off, adult collectibles for the TF fandom are a VERY new thing.  At least in the domestic US market, aka, the Hasbro market!

When I got back into the TF fandom, they didn't even have the revoltechs or the Masterpieces.  Alternators and Binaltech had come out, but that was it.  Even when the Masterpieces came out, it was like Optimus, Megatron and then Starscream.  Then came the seeker repaints of Skywarp and Thundercracker.

BUT THESE WERE NOT LICENSED BY HASBRO.  They were not made by Hasbro!  They were made by TAKARA( with the exception of Revoltech, which was Revoltech.  Not Hasbro.).  Same with Binaltech, and it was only after Binaltech, that Hasbro licensed the molds FROM TAKARA to produce Alternators.  Hasblow has made almost NONE of the molds which they used.  They have not licensed any of the Masterpieces with the sole exception of Starscream to my knowledge.  Which was again still made first, and better by Takara. 

The War for Cybertron and IDW figures are extremely recent, and in comparison, the IDW comics have been going on for years.  Before I even got back into the fandom.  And still, those releases are fairly small.  I could turn the argument around that Hasbro puts out far more for MLP to be collected than it does Transformers.  What molds it does manage for like TFP are. . .pretty bad looking figures.  And then they keep putting out the same characters over and over.  Optimus Prime.  Megatron.  Starscream.  Seeker repaint.  Bumblebee.  GUH.  Same argument we have about MLP.

I couldn't believe they put out as beautiful of a toy as the IDW Springer ( and off of Nick Roche's design! ), and then followed up with a Blaster and a Soundwave!  But there still isn't a decent Mirage toy, or a Hound one for that matter.  And still no Sunstreaker to go with his TWIN Sideswipe in the Masterpiece toys. 

So no, not everything is hunky-dorry in the TF fandom, and I hardly think that Hasbro in anyway caters to one more than the other.  Most of the adult toys for Transformers are not even produced by Hasbro.  They've now put out a few, but still not many.  Most anything nice has to be ordered from JAPAN or China from the Takara factories because Hasbro doesn't license most of the expensive stuff and can't cheap it out. 

[mistic_imp]

They know, but I don't think the adult collector group is big enough to get a special line of merchandise. Like lets take the arena with 111 users on right now, vs a random transformer forum that has 2,175 users on right now.

I'm going to get a bunch of fakies thrown at me, I think it's also a really hard group to satisfy. No matter what Hasbro does, no one seems happy with it. It's either price is too high-- or quality is too low-- or they just hate it.

I think transformers are a bit more unique with tiny parts, and details as well. What exactly should Hasbro make for adult collectors. Replica MLPs? That won't go over well.

I think with the g3 art ponies, we started to see them try to cater to the adult demographic a bit more. But it apparently didn't work good enough, because if it did-- they'd still be around. I wanted to like them, but I hate the g3 mold. I would be so thrilled for a cute little g4 Junko pony... but no. It was G3...

 personally i'd LOVE some collectable " collectors" MLPs  i  don' t think they should remake the OLD ones.. I think they should  make NEW  g1 mold  MLP for collectors.

[gabumon]

*MiRaja. The TF Generations line is a mass marketed line that caters to G1 fans, it's been around for years and is produced by Hasbro.  and at a more reasonable price point.  Still nothing in the MLP line like that.

yeah I wonder how the Takara relationship affects what TFs adult fans get.

[spottedslug]

I'm going to sort of disagree. I feel Hasbro is giving adult collectors more attention than they ever have... but I don't like it. I collected toys, not collectibles. KWIM?

[KarentheUnicorn]

Personally, I would rather they spent more time developing the actual G4 toy line than worrying about making special super duper ponies directed at me, just because I'm an adult. I have a wall of ponies directed and made for children, why does putting the word adult behind it make a difference to me as a long time MLP collector?

I have nothing against special edition ponies but I just do not buy every single pony anymore because it's a re-release of the same thing over and over.