This Situation Won’t Fix Itself

An apple a day keeps the doctor away.  Similarly two lonely Vintage Collection figures will keep The Black Series away.  Two figures that have not sold in six months and one has to suspect will not sell for another six months.  Is this acceptable to Hasbro?  The store in this photograph is in a Boston suburb.  In other words, it’s a high population density area.  Yet all it takes is two measly figures to completely eliminate this store (and all other area Target stores) from selling The Black Series.  How can Hasbro let this happen?

My guess is that Hasbro simply does not care.  And once again, I do not say that with any bitterness or contempt towards them.  Why would they?  Through many Hasbro missteps, the attrition of the collector base has rendered it a non-factor (now there’s the contempt you expect).  I’ve been beating this horse since early 2011, but there is absolutely no question fall 2010 brought the adult collector back to the line in force.  However distribution issues, poorly planned carry forwards, defective yellowing product and a ridiculous over distribution of the lame repaint wave caused collectors to abandon the hobby as fast as the vintage card revival brought them back.  Only hard core collectors who knew how to get their plastic fix via other means (online) stayed in the game.  Unfortunately, hard core collectors are not a sustainable population.  Reviving the line just doesn’t seem like it would have any value to Hasbro at this point.  There simply isn’t enough of us still active. 

However, I still think the line can find viability.  It’s just a question of whether or not Hasbro wants to invest the resources not knowing what the gains may be.  By looking at the retail footprint, I guess Angry Birds are a sure thing.  So would Hasbro want to spend one second of effort to revive a collector line without guaranteed return?  I know there are lapsed collectors and closet collectors out there.  And adult collectors spawn enthusiastic little customers.  Hasbro must do one of two things.  They must negotiate either more showroom space at brick and mortar retail and/or higher replenishment levels.  Or the Hasbro reps need to become very active and start crediting out product that has been sitting for a month.  Even if they return the product to the pegs down the line, temporarily clearing the stagnation would do wonders. In order for brick and mortar to see the viability of the line, there needs to be a brisk ring through rate.  The registers will never get cranking again if stores are not taking product or only taking one case at a time.  The “one of each” assortments are retail death when stores are only taking one case.  One peg warmer can grind the process to a halt.  If you don’t think there is a collector base, I challenge you to look at what the Vintage Collection is doing on the secondary market. 

Simply hoping this situation will work itself out by not overshipping product is not going to correct the situation.  This requires action on the street.  If Hasbro does not have the resources to have Hasbro reps correcting this situation, and in the unlikely event Hasbro is reading this, I once again volunteer my time to become an unpaid Hasbro rep.  Like anyone reading this, I’m at the stores every day anyway.  I’m also positive that there’s an army of like minded collectors willing to do the same.  We want our line back.