NEW Fashion Style Rarity & Rainbow Dash (Gala Gowns)- UPDATE: Made in India?

[shabbychicdee]

OMG G4 Nirvana's  wow that is awesome

also sad with the plastic cloths, i really wished coco hadn't had plastic cloths 

[Wardah]

Tbh I'm kinda suspecting they are at least moving some production outside of China. Mattel also produces dolls in Indonesia so it isn't like China is the only place toys can be made. Especially since wages have actually gone up in China recently. With some toys still made in China you can see a dip in quality but with MLP there isn't really much more that can be cut.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

If they moved production to India that would explain why lately there haven't been any taobao leaks. I wonder if there is an Indian site like taobao.

Maybe we need to keep an eye out for later lines to see if any have that same hoof marking.. It could have been just these girls and it could have been just some of the lines that may never make it to the US? Time will tell..

You mean like Nirvana ponies?

It's possible.. but if we see more ponies made in India and we are getting a pretty decent distribution of them, then it's likely Hasbro changed factories... however, if the case where say like only one version of Rainbow Dash was made in India and all others from that same line were also made there but anything after that was china/hong kong then we might have our first G4 Nirvana ponies

[Wardah]

If they moved production to India that would explain why lately there haven't been any taobao leaks. I wonder if there is an Indian site like taobao.

Maybe we need to keep an eye out for later lines to see if any have that same hoof marking.. It could have been just these girls and it could have been just some of the lines that may never make it to the US? Time will tell..

You mean like Nirvana ponies?

It's possible.. but if we see more ponies made in India and we are getting a pretty decent distribution of them, then it's likely Hasbro changed factories... however, if the case where say like only one version of Rainbow Dash was made in India and all others from that same line were also made there but anything after that was china/hong kong then we might have our first G4 Nirvana ponies

I always thought most Nirvana ponies were international ponies that were produced locally to avoid the high tariffs on imports that existed in that time. It doesn't make sense that they would produce ponies in India just for the European market. Maybe these will still pop up in the US.

[Honeycomb]

OMG, I find that ... scary. China has become too expensive.... In India, production cost will be even lower, conditions for the workers probably even worse, not to speak of quality control, but who cares, as long as Hasbro can keep their profit up ...

[Wardah]

OMG, I find that ... scary. China has become too expensive.... In India, production cost will be even lower, conditions for the workers probably even worse, not to speak of quality control, but who cares, as long as Hasbro can keep their profit up ...

If it was just about profit they could do what BJD companies do when their costs rise and just raise prices on the ponies. But the problem is if they are too expensive certain retailers *coughWalmartcough* won't carry them. Look what happened with Zelfs. Moose couldn't make them cheaper so Walmart refused to carry them. They were a TRU exclusive for a while but now they are no longer sold in the US.

That is the scary thing. That one of the worst paying employers also drive down prices for things.

[Tulips]

Updated first post with pics of hoof markings. Anyone know what the SA after Hasbro stands for? Probably nothing interesting, but it's different from the old FS markings.

[sd_dreamcrystal]

Updated first post with pics of hoof markings. Anyone know what the SA after Hasbro stands for? Probably nothing interesting, but it's different from the old FS markings.

From Google:

For the art organisation, see Société Anonyme (art). S.A. (and variants) designates a type of corporation in countries that mostly employ civil law. Depending on language, it means anonymous company, anonymous partnership, or share company, roughly equivalent to public limited company in common law jurisdictions.

another source has this:

Description of the public limited company (SA/NV)

A public limited company (société anonyme/naamloze vennootschap) is a company in which at least two shareholders are willing to invest capital. In Belgium, SA/NV status is mainly favoured by large enterprises, although it is also popular with SMEs .

[Silversnow]

Yay for Target, Tulips! More pony hunting lol.

[CottonTALE]

I would love to get the Rainbow Dash! my boyfriend adores her and this is one I know he doesn't have.

[TornadoTwist]

http://www.globaltoynews.com/2015/10/hasbro-moves-some-production-to-india-what-does-it-mean.html

"

Hasbro is making a bet on manufacturing in India and they aren't the only one.  So is Foxconn, who more than likely makes your smart phone and General Motors who, you may recall, makes cars. That is according to an article in The New York Times by Keith Bradsher.  The article, "India’s Manufacturing Sector Courts the World, but Pitfalls Remains," opens with this compelling statement:

[Hasbro] still sources expensive, complex toys like the electronic FurReal Friends from China, Hasbro has contracts for production in Turkey, Indonesia, Vietnam and Mexico. It has moved most aggressively into India, where Hasbro buys from several sizable factories, and another is planned."

But why are Hasbro and these other companies moving production to alternative countries after decades of turning out toys, cars, phones and textiles at inflation shattering prices?  And more importantly, why India and why now?

The first thing to understand is that moving manufacturing out of China is not an easy decision. China offers an outstanding infrastructure, savvy, veteran management teams and efficient systems.  I think, more importantly, there are very long and very deep relationships and friendships, some decades, between western and Chinese / Hong Kong companies.

Secondly, moving out of China is not a new idea.  Toy and other industries have been manufacturing in Viet Nam for years.  To make my point, here is a quote from an article, "Corporate America’s China plus one strategy," written January 31, 2008 about the notion that manufacturers should have at least one factory located in a country other than China:  "As China is getting wealthier, and its population older, it is getting more expensive to manufacture there. Wages are rising and so are the prices of commodities..."

That description could largely describe the current conditions in China.  What's changed since 2008?   I will have some thoughts on that in my next posting.

- See more at: http://www.globaltoynews.com/2015/10/hasbro-moves-some-production-to-india-what-does-it-mean.html#sthash.Jqi0lIpD.dpuf"

[Wardah]

Ah so it's like Mattel makes their dolls in both China and Indonesia. So how is the hair quality on those Indian ponies?

[sd_dreamcrystal]

Ah so it's like Mattel makes their dolls in both China and Indonesia. So how is the quality on those Indian ponies?

We'll find out sooner or later but here is what the OP said in an earlier post

For anyone interested...

I think these girls will be very short lived in Australia like most Fashion Styles, so I bought spares while I could to debox. Rarity is very nice quality, Rainbow is not. Her blue is dull, and her plastic rough and squishy in a fakie way... And then I noticed something that made my jaw drop...

Her hoof says Made in India, so does Rarity! Are these the first G4 to be made anywhere other than China?!

[Wardah]

Ah so it's like Mattel makes their dolls in both China and Indonesia. So how is the quality on those Indian ponies?

We'll find out sooner or later but here is what the OP said in an earlier post

For anyone interested...

I think these girls will be very short lived in Australia like most Fashion Styles, so I bought spares while I could to debox. Rarity is very nice quality, Rainbow is not. Her blue is dull, and her plastic rough and squishy in a fakie way... And then I noticed something that made my jaw drop...

Her hoof says Made in India, so does Rarity! Are these the first G4 to be made anywhere other than China?!

Oops I missed a word. The hair wasn't mentioned so I was curious if it was like the old nice hair or the newer not as nice hair.

[Princess Lala]

Looks like Im going to more Targets today!  Im in Texas, so hopefully luck will be on my side once again with HTF releases!

Its not uncommon for toy brands to have their dolls made in two different countries! Monster High and EAH for example, some are made in China and some in Indonesia! Perhaps Hasbro is doing the same! Yay for G4 Nirvana ponies! Hey I just realized that maybe its possible the quality of newer ponies will get better?