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10-17-2017, 09:40 AM | #31 |
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 613
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We are in 2017 where we are faced with all feminist movements and not-equality and you tell me "We're stopping from making girl action figures because boys don't buy them"?
How about making better figures with better assortments and better distribution instead of using 1930s ideals to excuse the lack of sales? And by the way, I think most of people who buy your products (especially the Legacys releases) are adult collectors who care little about the gender of the characters they're buying. Because really, I don't like to use this stereotypical way of thinking, but I don't think kids are the ones who want your MMPR/Saban Era releases instead of your recent Neo Saban stuff. |
10-17-2017, 11:16 AM | #32 |
Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 2,533
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I know I haven't bought any releases from the Legacy line (besides SDCC MMPR Red) because I simply can't find the figures. Past the initial release of these figures, every time I walk into a Target or Wal-Mart, I only ever see MMPR White, MMPR Yellow, In Space Yellow and maybe Ninja Storm Blue.
Bandai gets the impression that we simply don't want to buy female action figures, when that's not the case (the Marvel Legends line is a testament to that). We just don't want to buy a specific Ranger and then not be able to complete the rest of the team. I mean, I don't know why it's mainly the female figures pegwarming, but I figure it has more to do with poor case assortment + distribution versus female characters not selling. Especially since, from my understanding, the 6.5" Legacy line is supposed to be aimed at adult collectors (hence the emphasis on older series versus newer ones), and collectors don't care about gender. Maybe it's the way the waves are set up. Teams are split up amongst two waves, which isn't necessarily a terrible idea. But the issue is that with no guarantee that there will even be room for the next wave (and thus the remaining members of a particular team), people get weary about buying what's already there.
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Last edited by MaskedRiderAsakura; 10-17-2017 at 11:25 AM.. |
10-17-2017, 11:39 AM | #33 |
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@TokuChris Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,697
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Bandai says it's geared towards collectors, but is still sculpted in a mindset to get kids to buy them (hence super muscles and super boobs). Tying the Build a Figure Megazord to each particular season was an old gimmick to try and get waves to sell - "You can't complete this one Megazord unless you buy figures from THREE total waves!". Mwa ha ha, that means we'll get at least 3 waves of sales! That and then "Hey WalMart, we guarantee these 3 waves will sell because they have to buy from all 3 waves to build the MMPR Megazord!".
And don't kid yourself - the reason the Psycho Rangers wave is having a MMPR Alpha 5 Build a Figure isn't because Bandai wants to shove more MMPR down your throat - it's because retailers wanted a bigger guarantee that those figures would sell. The original figure that was proposed in that wave would have been awesome, and it wasn't Bandai or Saban who nixed it, it was the retailers. Case in point - Power Rangers toys aren't as popular and successful as we'd all like them to believe, and thus Bandai is hamstrung by retailers on their choices and options, and because MMPR sells so well retailers want more and more MMPR and less and less non-MMPR.
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10-17-2017, 12:32 PM | #34 |
A jump to the sky..
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Raleigh, NC
Posts: 1,061
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Ultimately this boils down to a company decision that was excused off in a very poor way.
Girls action figure lines like DC Super Girls, Monster High, E=MC2 and even Wonder Woman sell. It is possible to find out how good or bad they do against other lines. But girl figures in a boy toy line? Not so much. I see this as cultural in part. I have seen parents not buy girl colored toys because they were girl colored. Children learn gender identity early on. We can even get religious about it all (but won't). Would better packaging/marketing help? Maybe. If you saw a picture of the female actor on the box and it said "Yellow Ranger/Character Name" on it, would it draw more to say 'Hey that's a strong character, I like that!". Or if you slapped a sticker on to say Wonder Woman - Ranger Armor, would that draw your attention more? I think Super Boobs should be a new show. Yep. No, not that way you dirty minds.
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Last edited by Dormamu; 10-17-2017 at 12:48 PM.. |
10-17-2017, 12:51 PM | #35 |
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@TokuChris Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 4,697
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Bandai's marketing gimmick thus far in the Legacy line has been "How can we force people to buy the female figures?". The "Build a Figure" portion is the main key and one reason they won't abandon it. To build the Megazord, you HAVE to buy the female figures. But what happens when no one cares about the Megazord? And that's where we're at right now - kids don't care about building the Megazord, so the female figures sit.
One suggestion I've seen a lot of is to package the torso/head with the female figure. That might work but only if the Megazord is a desired figure. I don't believe that it is because I don't believe the Megazord figure is something kids are wanting to build. Why? Because for another $15 you can just have your mom and dad buy you the big robot anyways. So how do you market the female figures to be more desirable to kids? For starters, if you're going to do a Build a Figure, make it something different than a toy that doesn't even function with the main gimmick that makes it desirable (aka transforming/combining). Make it a NEW character, or a villain character. As an adult I wanted to buy some old toys from an older series because you got to "CREATE A NEW POWER RANGER!". Marvel Legends does it in a way where you create a larger figure from the line - like Onslaught, Juggernaut, etc. I'd say make the female figures carry the accessories for the team. Let the other 5 figures for that line carry the pieces for the Build a Figure, and release the female figure with all the weapons or an extra awesome accessory that kids and fans want. Granted, it's all for nothing if the retailers don't buy in to it, but at this point I'm sure they'd be down for something to make the female figures sell. But if the future is now "No female figures", which you see in the new assortment of Wave 4 at online retailers, then I'm out.
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10-17-2017, 01:26 PM | #36 |
New Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 52
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I think they'll lose their primary market if they nix the female figures entirely. Or they'll lose enough of the completionist that it will have a heavier effect on sales.
I think better pack assortments is the easiest first step for them. Again, ala weapon MMPR. Second is the reevaluation of the baf. The biggest problem is its a zord. You can buy a superior version for less money. If Marvel Legends started doing all the giant sized characters in the 12 inch line, no one would feel the need to build them. The big bad from the season is the obvious choice. Rita, Zed, even Goldar for the MMPR waves seems like a given, or just a goon like the Putties. They can't make it the 6th ranger unfortunately because of they have to completely redesign the ranger mold for that. Build an Alpha seems like a better idea than a zord at the very least though I don't know how well the movie figures sold. My preference would be to go the Black Series route, nix the BAZ, and pack in the signature weapons or accessories. It causes me no end of frustration to see Ninja Storm on the shelves and pass because they don't have their freaking weapons. I loved that season and want to see the rest of the team, the Thunder brothers are some of my favorite rangers, but they just aren't full figures. It would be amazing to get the figure, their signature weapon, and an unmasked head. To double down on the BS comparison, they build up their character and develop them. You can see the figures that are peg warming because A) Redundant/over saturated character or B) throw away undeveloped character. Bandai backed themselves into a corner. The BAF was an organic creation to fill a need with ML, but companies seem to think you can just throw any old thing into pieces and sell a wave. Doesn't work like that. I really want to support this line, and I like these figures, just Bandai is making it really, really hard. I just wanna get a Titanium Ranger. Is that too much to ask? Last edited by Halbard100; 10-17-2017 at 01:28 PM.. |
10-17-2017, 01:32 PM | #37 |
New Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 76
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Quote:
And let's face it.. kids gravitate to what they're interested in. Powerful leads won't guarantee that the female figures sell. Gender identity is a real thing, but a majority of people have the one that matches them physically, and girls tend to like girly things, and boys like traditional boy things. I mean, if they added an action hero or whatever to a Barbie show, that doesn't mean me, as a male, is going to have any interest in it. |
10-17-2017, 02:05 PM | #38 |
BarnyT
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: London
Posts: 26
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Great! I guess that's confirmation we can definitely kiss goodbye to chances of a complete Legacy MMPR Helmet and Power Weapon collection if they don't want to dedicate any time to anything pink or yellow!
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10-17-2017, 03:16 PM | #39 |
TokuKnight89
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Central Louisiana (Cenla)
Posts: 2,549
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Quote:
And don't kid yourself - the reason the Psycho Rangers wave is having a MMPR Alpha 5 Build a Figure isn't because Bandai wants to shove more MMPR down your throat - it's because retailers wanted a bigger guarantee that those figures would sell. The original figure that was proposed in that wave would have been awesome, and it wasn't Bandai or Saban who nixed it, it was the retailers.
Case in point - Power Rangers toys aren't as popular and successful as we'd all like them to believe, and thus Bandai is hamstrung by retailers on their choices and options, and because MMPR sells so well retailers want more and more MMPR and less and less non-MMPR. I feel the reason MMPR sells isn't just because of the nostalgia factor, its because Saban is acting like MMPR is the only thing worth pushing! Personally, I think he is pushing it and inflating the market, intentionally or unintentionally, cause of the love people have for MMPR and the belief that the only way the PR culture can survive is if you double-down on how much MMPR is out there! |
10-17-2017, 03:49 PM | #40 |
I FOW our new Hasbro OLs
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: TN
Posts: 2,672
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Quote:
Bandai says it's geared towards collectors, but is still sculpted in a mindset to get kids to buy them (hence super muscles and super boobs). Tying the Build a Figure Megazord to each particular season was an old gimmick to try and get waves to sell - "You can't complete this one Megazord unless you buy figures from THREE total waves!". Mwa ha ha, that means we'll get at least 3 waves of sales! That and then "Hey WalMart, we guarantee these 3 waves will sell because they have to buy from all 3 waves to build the MMPR Megazord!".
And don't kid yourself - the reason the Psycho Rangers wave is having a MMPR Alpha 5 Build a Figure isn't because Bandai wants to shove more MMPR down your throat - it's because retailers wanted a bigger guarantee that those figures would sell. The original figure that was proposed in that wave would have been awesome, and it wasn't Bandai or Saban who nixed it, it was the retailers. Case in point - Power Rangers toys aren't as popular and successful as we'd all like them to believe, and thus Bandai is hamstrung by retailers on their choices and options, and because MMPR sells so well retailers want more and more MMPR and less and less non-MMPR. On one hand they have retailers breathing down their necks to make their toys unclog their shelves and on the other they have fans telling them to make/not make certain figures. Makes me wonder if it wouldn't just be better to nix it from retail and just sell it exclusively online? Quote:
What was the original figure proposed for the Psycho Rangers?
I feel the reason MMPR sells isn't just because of the nostalgia factor, its because Saban is acting like MMPR is the only thing worth pushing! Personally, I think he is pushing it and inflating the market, intentionally or unintentionally, cause of the love people have for MMPR and the belief that the only way the PR culture can survive is if you double-down on how much MMPR is out there! Even Disney at one point considered rebooting MMPR as a cartoon series. And some people keep pointing out Wonder Woman yes that movie did well but the majority of toys for it were marketed towards girls. And unless I'm remembering wrong their wasn't a dedicated boys' toyline for it but a subline in DC Universe. |
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