Breakdown of the Price Increases Hasbro Said were Coming
Thursday, May 20th, 2021 1:52PM CDT
Category: Toy NewsPosted by: william-james88 Views: 32,882
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Star Wars
Black Series 32.99 - 33.99 (1$ increase)
Vintage 17.99-19.99 (2$ increase)
Helmets 149.99-174.99 (25$ increase)
Marvel Legends 32.99-33.99 (1$ increase)
GI Joe 32.99-33.99 (1$ increase)
Power Rangers 32.99-33.99 (1$ increase)
Transformers
Core 14.99-15.99 (1$ increase)
Deluxe 32.99-33.99 (1$ increase)
Voyager 39.99-44.99 (5$ increase)
Leader 69.99-72.99 (3$ increase)
Commander 120-125 (5$ increase)
No change for other classes within the same lines so far.
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Posted by TF-fan kev777 on May 20th, 2021 @ 2:50pm CDT
I have a number of August or later releases on pre-order from Amazon using the wish list trick, and while the deluxes are at $22.99 already, the Voyagers and Leaders are still at $29.99 and $49.99 respectively.
Posted by TAAO on May 20th, 2021 @ 3:05pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on May 20th, 2021 @ 3:32pm CDT
TF-fan kev777 wrote:It will be interesting to see which retailers follow suit and which ones hold steady.
I have a number of August or later releases on pre-order from Amazon using the wish list trick, and while the deluxes are at $22.99 already, the Voyagers and Leaders are still at $29.99 and $49.99 respectively.
Interesting, we'll see what happens with those prices.
Posted by griftimus prime on May 20th, 2021 @ 4:14pm CDT
Posted by DeathReviews on May 20th, 2021 @ 4:33pm CDT
Posted by autobot00 on May 20th, 2021 @ 4:42pm CDT
DeathReviews wrote:Oh don't worry, mortals! According to certain of your politicians, who shall remain nameless, all of this 'inflation' isn't real! And even if it is real, it's only 'transitory'! They're politicians - we can trust them, right?
come on man!
Posted by william-james88 on May 20th, 2021 @ 4:43pm CDT
DeathReviews wrote:Oh don't worry, mortals! According to certain of your politicians, who shall remain nameless, all of this 'inflation' isn't real! And even if it is real, it's only 'transitory'! They're politicians - we can trust them, right?
Since when does Death care about inflation?
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on May 20th, 2021 @ 5:04pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:DeathReviews wrote:Oh don't worry, mortals! According to certain of your politicians, who shall remain nameless, all of this 'inflation' isn't real! And even if it is real, it's only 'transitory'! They're politicians - we can trust them, right?
Since when does Death care about inflation?
And why is everyone linking inflation to politicians? Just asking, but it seems a whole lot like scapegoating
Posted by ZeroWolf on May 20th, 2021 @ 5:24pm CDT
Jelze Bunnycat wrote:william-james88 wrote:DeathReviews wrote:Oh don't worry, mortals! According to certain of your politicians, who shall remain nameless, all of this 'inflation' isn't real! And even if it is real, it's only 'transitory'! They're politicians - we can trust them, right?
Since when does Death care about inflation?
And why is everyone linking inflation to politicians? Just asking, but it seems a whole lot like scapegoating
Scapegoating? That strawman over there told me to trust him!
All jokes aside, I was expecting worse hikes to be fair
Posted by King Kuuga on May 20th, 2021 @ 8:19pm CDT
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on May 20th, 2021 @ 8:45pm CDT
King Kuuga wrote:I know this isn't really the point but what is that Power Rangers price point? Is that for the morphers? I can't think of anything else at a $30 price point. Lightning Collection figures are $20, basic action figures are $10, megazords are non-existent at the moment.
Going by the Beast Morphers Price Points, it's either the Deluxe Zords (T-Rex Standalone, the rest in 2-packs) or the larger Role Play Weapons. The former are set for a Fall release.
Posted by First-Aid on May 20th, 2021 @ 8:51pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on May 20th, 2021 @ 8:59pm CDT
King Kuuga wrote:I know this isn't really the point but what is that Power Rangers price point?
Lightning collection; it's the same price point as black series, tf deluxes, marvel legends, ect
https://www.toysrus.ca/en/Power-Rangers ... 5480F.html
Also, come one guys, there's a short video there with all your answers. If something is unclear, just give it a look, it will answer all your questions.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on May 20th, 2021 @ 9:03pm CDT
Jelze Bunnycat wrote:King Kuuga wrote:I know this isn't really the point but what is that Power Rangers price point? Is that for the morphers? I can't think of anything else at a $30 price point. Lightning Collection figures are $20, basic action figures are $10, megazords are non-existent at the moment.
Going by the Beast Morphers Price Points, it's either the Deluxe Zords (T-Rex Standalone, the rest in 2-packs) or the larger Role Play Weapons. The former are set for a Fall release.
Didn't realise the prices were in Canadian dollars. Wasn't that clear on first sight, maybe add CND?
Posted by Solrac333 on May 20th, 2021 @ 9:47pm CDT
Posted by King Kuuga on May 20th, 2021 @ 10:05pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:King Kuuga wrote:I know this isn't really the point but what is that Power Rangers price point?
Lightning collection; it's the same price point as black series, tf deluxes, marvel legends, ect
https://www.toysrus.ca/en/Power-Rangers ... 5480F.html
Also, come one guys, there's a short video there with all your answers. If something is unclear, just give it a look, it will answer all your questions.
That's too much work.
Also I was naively thinking that a $20 USD toy wouldn't be $30 CAD, because even if they were shooting for a round number, $25 CAD is the closest equivalent.
Posted by william-james88 on May 21st, 2021 @ 12:01am CDT
King Kuuga wrote:Also I was naively thinking that a $20 USD toy wouldn't be $30 CAD, because even if they were shooting for a round number, $25 CAD is the closest equivalent.
Yeah that makes sense, since you knew the others were Canadian prices. Just comes to show that the prices outside the US are pretty damn unfair. Alas, out lighting series toys will now be $34 CAD. Honestly, it doesn't make sense. The basic figures are one third the price but are as big and have decent enough articulation.
In general, the lighting collection should not be the same price point as the licenced figures. Star Wars and Marvel figures both have that extra heavy licencing fee Hasbro has to keep paying (passing off that cost to us), but they don't have that for Transformers or Power Rangers. That's why a Transformers toys sells for as much as the licenced lines and yet has more than double the parts plus an entire additional phase based in Japan (so double the design cost as any other action figure toyline).
But Power Rangers? the only explanation is that this is the line used to generate the biggest margins to sustain the same prices for all Hasbro figures of the same size/class as a whole.
Posted by King Kuuga on May 21st, 2021 @ 2:17am CDT
william-james88 wrote:King Kuuga wrote:Also I was naively thinking that a $20 USD toy wouldn't be $30 CAD, because even if they were shooting for a round number, $25 CAD is the closest equivalent.
Yeah that makes sense, since you knew the others were Canadian prices. Just comes to show that the prices outside the US are pretty damn unfair. Alas, out lighting series toys will now be $34 CAD. Honestly, it doesn't make sense. The basic figures are one third the price but are as big and have decent enough articulation.
In general, the lighting collection should not be the same price point as the licenced figures. Star Wars and Marvel figures both have that extra heavy licencing fee Hasbro has to keep paying (passing off that cost to us), but they don't have that for Transformers or Power Rangers. That's why a Transformers toys sells for as much as the licenced lines and yet has more than double the parts plus an entire additional phase based in Japan (so double the design cost as any other action figure toyline).
But Power Rangers? the only explanation is that this is the line used to generate the biggest margins to sustain the same prices for all Hasbro figures of the same size/class as a whole.
Well even though PR actors aren't exactly A-listers, they still have to pay them for the rights to their likenesses when those figures come with a face sculpt. Also, as I've remarked on some Facebook TF groups, $20 (USD) has become the de facto price point for collector-targeted action figures. Star Wars, Marvel, DC, Ghostbusters, He-Man, even Jurassic Park is starting to get in on it. That's why I think TF deluxes and PR Lightning Collection settled there. It's a proven price point that signals that it's similar to these other higher quality lines. As you said, maybe the margins are better, but that's just the icing on the cake.
Posted by -Kanrabat- on May 21st, 2021 @ 4:58am CDT
Better buy the things NOW at the old prices while we still can. If there's something you even just kinda want and it's at "full price" but that price is the old one, consider the thing on sale and get it NAO!
Posted by khrome on May 21st, 2021 @ 7:53am CDT
I know I'm not alone when I say -The aisles around here are pretty empty of the good figures.
There's not enough for kids to buy.. let alone all us more adult fans .
Posted by -Kanrabat- on May 21st, 2021 @ 8:21am CDT
khrome wrote:Maybe if they stocked the shelves of Walmart and Target more, they'd sell more figures and make more money..
I know I'm not alone when I say -The aisles around here are pretty empty of the good figures.
There's not enough for kids to buy.. let alone all us more adult fans .
It's like this everywhere. The stupid savage lockdown on served to screw up every layers of the global economy. Add money incentive for people to NOT work, and you have the Perfect Storm for disaster.
It's not over. Companies like my shop are buying raw materials en masse in case of an upcoming hyper inflation. The irony is that will be one of its cause.
It's not over.
Posted by blackeyedprime on May 21st, 2021 @ 11:35am CDT
Posted by william-james88 on May 21st, 2021 @ 9:15pm CDT
Preorders for Transformers figures coming out in the second half of 2021 are now up at Hasbro Pulse, Entertainment Earth and other places, showing the new prices ($USD).
Deluxes, like Gnaw, remain at the same $22.99 we already saw earlier this year.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... movie-gnaw
Voyagers, like Wreck-Gar, will now be $31.49.
https://hasbropulse.com/products/transf ... -wreck-gar
Leaders, like Dinobot Slug, will now be $52.99.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... l-witwicky
Moving onto exclusive lines, the come at a premium price too.
The Pulse exclusive Shaterred Glass Starscream is $38.99. It is the same as voyager Shaterred Glass Megatron.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... iant-cover
Premium Finish Bumblebee, a redeco of a deluxe SS Bee, is $34.99.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... -bumblebee
Premium Finish Optimus Prime, a redeco of Siege Optimus Prime, is $53.99.
https://hasbropulse.com/collections/tra ... imus-prime
Posted by Bounti76 on May 21st, 2021 @ 9:34pm CDT
Posted by Sowndwave76 on May 21st, 2021 @ 10:09pm CDT
Slag is still $49.99, & Wreck-gar is still $29.99.
It’s going to be interesting to see if those last 2 stay at those prices.
Also, what the prices are in-store if they arrive at all early.
Posted by Solrac333 on May 21st, 2021 @ 10:20pm CDT
Posted by william-james88 on May 21st, 2021 @ 10:40pm CDT
Solrac333 wrote:Hasbro is nuts.
For raising voyagers by $1.49 ?
Posted by -Kanrabat- on May 21st, 2021 @ 11:07pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:Solrac333 wrote:Hasbro is nuts.
For raising voyagers by $1.49 ?
Maybe he started collecting only after TLK hit with their 10$CAN price hike for every class.
Posted by Omegatron. on May 22nd, 2021 @ 4:07am CDT
Posted by Emerje on May 22nd, 2021 @ 4:55am CDT
Bounti76 wrote:I preordered Slag, Wreck-Gar, and Gnaw at Target, and they're still $49.99, $29.99, and $19.99. Hopefully Walmart will follow suit. The Walmart closest to me actually sells SS Voyagers for $26.86.
This is why I'm not too concerned. Retailers have been undercutting prices for a while now so prices probably wont change that much right away. In store Target and Walmart sells SS figures for under $19, they'll continue to do whatever they feel like with prices. Eventually Amazon will lower their prices on these new pre-orders to match Target as they have been for a while now.
And yeah, I went with Target for the three as well.
Emerje
Posted by Sowndwave76 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 9:55am CDT
For me, the worst part about this is that the deluxe class is increasing the most, when these figures are the ones that usually lack the most, a lot of times, not just size.
Sure, the engineering is better, the overall sculpting is improved as well...
But I can't really think of a deluxe that I have that should more than $15. Even ER Ironhide has enough issues that I don't put him being worth $20.
I guess the one exception would be SS86 Hot Rod... With the accessories, $20 is probably fair.
As others, I think osupreme included, have said, this simply means I'll be spending less and less in the upcoming years. Which I'm definitely okay with. Just last night I added up what I've spent in the last year (well, over a year including what's preordered and will arrive late summer/early fall) and it doesn't sit well with me. And this is considering I've been selective, skipped a lot, and missed out on a few like Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker (I'm just not spending $30 on either of these guys).
Moving forward, I'm ready to start phasing out of collecting all together...
Dinobots, Galvatron, Sweeps, Insecticons, Blitzwing, and Astrotrain are my main wants.
Wreck-gar, Perceptor, Blaster, Gnaw... I'm in for those as well, but even those are almost "icing".
But in terms of prices going up, it's going to happen no matter what; outside of the costs of the materials, inflation kicks-in either way...
I'm not going to be surprised at all if prices don't ever go back down, and only increase.
In fact, I don't think materials costs are going to decrease either...
So I'm ready for the price of a deluxe to go up to $24.99 by the end of 2022.
Which again, will be the beginning of the end of my collecting.
Posted by ZeroWolf on May 22nd, 2021 @ 10:44am CDT
Sowndwave76 wrote:The rising costs are understandable.
For me, the worst part about this is that the deluxe class is increasing the most, when these figures are the ones that usually lack the most, a lot of times, not just size.
Sure, the engineering is better, the overall sculpting is improved as well...
But I can't really think of a deluxe that I have that should more than $15. Even ER Ironhide has enough issues that I don't put him being worth $20.
I guess the one exception would be SS86 Hot Rod... With the accessories, $20 is probably fair.
As others, I think osupreme included, have said, this simply means I'll be spending less and less in the upcoming years. Which I'm definitely okay with. Just last night I added up what I've spent in the last year (well, over a year including what's preordered and will arrive late summer/early fall) and it doesn't sit well with me. And this is considering I've been selective, skipped a lot, and missed out on a few like Sunstreaker and Trailbreaker (I'm just not spending $30 on either of these guys).
Moving forward, I'm ready to start phasing out of collecting all together...
Dinobots, Galvatron, Sweeps, Insecticons, Blitzwing, and Astrotrain are my main wants.
Wreck-gar, Perceptor, Blaster, Gnaw... I'm in for those as well, but even those are almost "icing".
But in terms of prices going up, it's going to happen no matter what; outside of the costs of the materials, inflation kicks-in either way...
I'm not going to be surprised at all if prices don't ever go back down, and only increase.
In fact, I don't think materials costs are going to decrease either...
So I'm ready for the price of a deluxe to go up to $24.99 by the end of 2022.
Which again, will be the beginning of the end of my collecting.
Hot Rod was a Voyager though Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.
Posted by MeGrimlock78 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 10:46am CDT
While I'm glad Leaders aren't $2 more, $54.99 is a more appealing price to see on a shelf.
If I was still a buyer for retail, I'd be getting in trouble for oddball retails like those.
Posted by Sowndwave76 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 11:15am CDT
ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.
Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.
Posted by william-james88 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 11:30am CDT
Sowndwave76 wrote:ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.
Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.
Size maybe but not build. Calling him a deluxe is like calling MP Primal a Voyager.
Posted by Sowndwave76 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 11:59am CDT
william-james88 wrote:Sowndwave76 wrote:ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.
Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.
Size maybe but not build. Calling him a deluxe is like calling MP Primal a Voyager.
Okay. Fair enough... He's more than a deluxe... But minus the accessories he's come with, he's still not a voyager imo.
If he were, then with those accessories Hastak would've sold him as a leader class figure.
Posted by william-james88 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 2:57pm CDT
Sowndwave76 wrote:william-james88 wrote:Sowndwave76 wrote:ZeroWolf wrote:Hot Rod was a Voyager though Prices will also go up because of rising wages. I think the fandom has been spoiled with the notion of Class = size of toy with little to no regard of engineering and parts count. Not to mention the human tendency to stick with prices from our past like a fixed point in time.
Right, but outside of the 7 accessories, most would agree that he is a deluxe. A damn good one, but still a deluxe.
Either way, imo, he's worth $20.
Where as a figure such as ER Cliffjumper is worth $12.
Size maybe but not build. Calling him a deluxe is like calling MP Primal a Voyager.
Okay. Fair enough... He's more than a deluxe... But minus the accessories he's come with, he's still not a voyager imo.
If he were, then with those accessories Hastak would've sold him as a leader class figure.
The accessories dont figure much into the final price, they require no assembly. They are just there to appease those that only look at size and think they are getting ripped off.
His voyager price point is due entirely to his parts count and the higher cost that brings.
Posted by Jelze Bunnycat on May 22nd, 2021 @ 3:25pm CDT
william-james88 wrote:The accessories dont figure much into the final price, they require no assembly. They are just there to appease those that only look at size and think they are getting ripped off.
His voyager price point is due entirely to his parts count and the higher cost that brings.
In short, the amount and size of the molds needing to be cut in order to make the figure. That's where most of the budget goes.
Posted by Sowndwave76 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 4:47pm CDT
But you're telling me that just the figure itself fit the voyager scale budget, and the 7 accessories were basically thrown-in for free???
I'm genuinely saying this...
I wish someone with the facts could educate us on how this really plays out.
As of right now, I don't believe that Hastak charges $29.99 for a voyager figure, and only makes $2-$5 off of each in profit. *I'm not inferring anyone claimed this.
Even for a company as huge as they are, I would think they'd still have to make at least 200-300% (if not more) of the manufacturing costs in profits.
Think about it... If ER Cliffjumper costs $10 all said and done per figure... They charged $20... And not all of that remaining $10 is actually pure profit. I'd be shocked if this is the relative formula for figures of any class size.
Seems to me, a figure like Cliffjumper would cost $5, and that's why they have to charge $20...
All said and done close to 3x the amount of the production costs come in as profit.
But maybe it's lower since they're putting out x number of figures per wave.
Posted by william-james88 on May 22nd, 2021 @ 7:30pm CDT
Sowndwave76 wrote:I get it. I really do.
But you're telling me that just the figure itself fit the voyager scale budget, and the 7 accessories were basically thrown-in for free???
It's not 0$ but it ain't much to make the figure jump from deluxe to Voyager. It couldn't have been sold as a deluxe even if it came with no accessories, that's what I mean. The bulk of costs come from extra assembly due to more parts. And there have been times when accessories wee literally thrown in for free, like with RID warrior angel supermodel prime.
As for your question, on a 30$ figure, Hasbro sells it to Walmart for around half (so 15$). So for the toy to be profitable, it has to cost Hasbro less than 10$. And making Transforners is more expensive than every other Hasbro action figure due to the human labour in assembly (nothing is automated).
There was a wonderful and eye opening article from Bandai about the cost of production lines and how an incremental detail (like sanding speue marks) could make all the difference in cost (and thus price). Can't find it though.
Posted by william-james88 on January 30th, 2022 @ 11:28am CST
Deluxes 33.99 to 35.99
Voyagers 44.99 to 47.99
Leader 72.99-76.99
Titan 249.99-264.99
Secondly, Marvelous News has reported that Marvel Legends 6" figures will be going up to $24.99. Those toys are usually offered at the same price as deluxe Transformers figures and 6" Black Series Star Wars figures. And that $24.99 is indeed the same price as that Generations Selects deluxe Guard.
We do not have the specifics as to the US price increase for voyager, core class, leader, commander, and titan class Transformers but we are sure to find out soon.
Posted by -Kanrabat- on January 30th, 2022 @ 11:51am CST
16$CAN for core.
43$CAN for a deluxe.
50$CAN for voyager.
85$CAN for leader.
140$CAN for commander.
115$CAN for the shelfwarmer Ectotron (who started at 80$CAN when it came out)
Like, come on.
Posted by Solrac333 on January 30th, 2022 @ 12:48pm CST
Posted by Sowndwave76 on January 30th, 2022 @ 1:21pm CST
Solrac333 wrote:That does it. I'm done collecting.
Or, do what others like me are, and only buy what you know you really, really want.
But I understand, this can be frustrating.
Also, maybe you were close to being done before this.
I'll be so close to retiring once we get all 5 Dinobots, and all 3 main Insecticons.
Once I have those, I could step away and be happy.
I'd like a new Astrotrain and Shockwave.
I could see dipping back in for those guys down the road. But yeah, that will also depend on price, appearance, how annoying the play gimmick is, etc.
But maybe the biggest temptation would be a new set of Constructicons...
Who knows... By the time that happens, maybe I'll be able to justify the cost because I will have been out of the game for a while.
Posted by MCutter on January 30th, 2022 @ 1:32pm CST
Posted by jtanimator on January 30th, 2022 @ 1:35pm CST
Posted by william-james88 on January 30th, 2022 @ 2:54pm CST
Posted by -Kanrabat- on January 30th, 2022 @ 3:25pm CST
william-james88 wrote:Haslab Victory Sabr is gonna look like a real bargain once released
You can say that again.
That 30 or so dollars "markup" would looks like nothing compared to TrU's insane double price hikes.
Posted by blackeyedprime on January 30th, 2022 @ 3:33pm CST
Ironhide replies "you are a sad similar height man!"
Price hikes kinda expected when they've been selling smaller deluxes for a while now, they either make them smaller or raise prices.
£1 sodas now £1.20 in my local shop and that's the stuff with out sugar tax
Posted by DeathReviews on January 30th, 2022 @ 6:19pm CST