Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:36 pm

Agamemnon wrote:
william-james88 wrote:
shajaki wrote:I wonder whats taking real retailers from getting this guy? BBTS pre-orders, in stock for brick-n-mortar.... something!?

Does BBTS even have any of these platinums?

They have the Insecticons, Predacons, Year of the Goat Soundwave & G2 Prime, and quite a few others from the Platinum line. I've been searching almost daily hoping the Coneheads and Trypticon make an appearance. I'm contemplating sending them an email asking about it...

I was referring more to the G1 reissues, sorry for not being more clear. And yeah, I forgot they have the insecticons, but that makes even less sense. Why would they only have that one available? While I commend Hasbro in unleashing all these reissues at once (only 1 year after I started collecting too!), I find it really odd and puzzling that they are ignoring their release. They made a huge deal of Combiner Wars and RID but a consumer would really have to go out of their way to figure out what was out there and how to purchase them. There is obviously some passion there for these to be released in the first place but I would really like to see that passion follow through at this stage of the product cycle (selling/distribution). They are treating these reissues like the cheap legion toys found at dollar stores.

News Credits: 10 · by **Agamemnon** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:55 pm

william-james88 wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:
william-james88 wrote:
shajaki wrote:I wonder whats taking real retailers from getting this guy? BBTS pre-orders, in stock for brick-n-mortar.... something!?

Does BBTS even have any of these platinums?

They have the Insecticons, Predacons, Year of the Goat Soundwave & G2 Prime, and quite a few others from the Platinum line. I've been searching almost daily hoping the Coneheads and Trypticon make an appearance. I'm contemplating sending them an email asking about it...

I was referring more to the G1 reissues, sorry for not being more clear. And yeah, I forgot they have the insecticons, but that makes even less sense. Why would they only have that one available? While I commend Hasbro in unleashing all these reissues at once (only 1 year after I started collecting too!), I find it really odd and puzzling that they are ignoring their release. They made a huge deal of Combiner Wars and RID but a consumer would really have to go out of their way to figure out what was out there and how to purchase them. There is obviously some passion there for these to be released in the first place but I would really like to see that passion follow through at this stage of the product cycle (selling/distribution). They are treating these reissues like the cheap legion toys found at dollar stores.

I quite agree with you. I am nervous as BBTS doesn't have the Astrotrain and Blitzwing reissues (were they platinum?) either. I'm tempted to overpay for the Coneheads on Amazon right now...

Here is what BBTS lists under Transformers Platinum. The G1 reissues look to only be the Insecticons and Predaking. There's some Year of the X stuff. And some AoE and one Prime figure (UM).

News Credits: 639 · by **ScottyP** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:00 pm

william-james88 wrote:They are treating these reissues like the cheap legion toys found at dollar stores.

The limited distribution channels through which these are being offered is Hasbro purposely not treating them like low-price point releases that go to every store ever.

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:06 pm

Agamemnon wrote:I quite agree with you. I am nervous as BBTS doesn't have the Astrotrain and Blitzwing reissues (were they platinum?) either. I'm tempted to overpay for the Coneheads on Amazon right now...

Here is what BBTS lists under Transformers Platinum. The G1 reissues look to only be the Insecticons and Predaking. There's some Year of the X stuff. And some AoE and one Prime figure (UM).

Yes, all the G1 reissues are platinum. And those are the only Platinum editions this thread adresses, technically (judging from the title).
So out of: Trypticon, Autobot Intel Ops (Blaster and Perceptor), Insecticons, Coneheads, and Triple Changers, BBTS ONLY has the insecticons. And its pretty crazy since we know for a fact that they are all out elsehwere aside from the Blaster and Perceptor set. We knew of Trypticon the week he came out. And BBTS had the encores, but none of these american versions... what?! And, though I am very thankful, the coneheads are available on walmart.ca (also no warning, it was just BAM, they are available) but at no retailer in the US?!

It may have been ansered but only canadians can order from Walmart.ca right? I guess because or else all americans would buy from there, they are cheaper than anywhere else (70$ US) when you include shipping . And that makes me think about the price. In canada, Insecticons are 88$ US at toysrus.ca and the coneheads are 70$ US on Walmart.ca.

Sorry for the rant guys, I am just so confused.

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:13 pm

ScottyP wrote:
william-james88 wrote:They are treating these reissues like the cheap legion toys found at dollar stores.

The limited distribution channels through which these are being offered is Hasbro purposely not treating them like low-price point releases that go to every store ever.

Come on Scotty, I thought you knew your stuff. I was referring to these:

As far as I know they are NOT available at the big box retailers. And it has come to the point where people have to import them from robot kingdom who imported them from the states to begin with, just to get them. Online, those legions are offered as exclusively as the way these reissues are offered. Both had close to no coverage from hasbro this year and we only knew of the existence to both these legions and some platinums simply the week they were made available.

Care to revise your statement now?

News Credits: 639 · by **ScottyP** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:27 pm

william-james88 wrote:
ScottyP wrote:
william-james88 wrote:They are treating these reissues like the cheap legion toys found at dollar stores.

The limited distribution channels through which these are being offered is Hasbro purposely not treating them like low-price point releases that go to every store ever.

Dude, I was referring to these:

(Snipped image - Market Six Legends)

As far as I know they are NOT available at the big box retailers. And it has come to the point where people have to import them from robot kingdom who imported them from the states to begin with, just to get them. Online, those legions are offered as exclusively as the way these reissues are offered.

Care to revise your statement now?

Nope. Your example is of toys purposely made for Market Six, and is a practice that has been going on for years. Limited/specialized distribution of these Platinum sets is a different/newer practice, and each one that's come out has generally been online-only or had a limited run in TRU (sometimes only in their Times Square location in the states). The Platinum Insecticons were a de-facto K-mart exclusive. The other known G1 Platinum sets seen so far have never been officially announced by Hasbro as something made for the US market. Maybe they weren't made with this market in mind and the online retailers that do have them (TF Source, Chosen Prime, etc) went through Hasbro Asia or who else knows who to stock them. Maybe poor performance of Platinum Predaking soured even Amazon's direct buyers on them. Maybe BBTS, having a direct Hasbro account, is embargoed from listing them yet. Maybe HTS is in the same boat.

Or here's a thought - maybe none of us actually know and should avoid blanket, "the sky is falling" assumptions on availability when absolutely zero has been officially stated about it. YotG Soundwave and G2 Laser Prime were available through specialty online and eBay for months before hitting all the usual suspects (HTS, BBTS, TRU.com) all at once. Are these following the same pattern? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not.

Bottom line - I personally see nothing unusual about the distribution of these releases, and if anyone is super concerned about their availability, I'd just go here and save yourself some stress.

Oh, and if you know anywhere online selling those Market Six legends UM, Skywarp, and Cliffjumper in a straightforward manner, links please. I need a set

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:51 pm

ScottyP wrote: Your example is of toys purposely made for Market Six, and is a practice that has been going on for years. Limited/specialized distribution of these Platinum sets is a different/newer practice, and each one that's come out has generally been online-only or had a limited run in TRU (sometimes only in their Times Square location in the states). The Platinum Insecticons were a de-facto K-mart exclusive. The other known G1 Platinum sets seen so far have never been officially announced by Hasbro as something made for the US market. Maybe they weren't made with this market in mind and the online retailers that do have them (TF Source, Chosen Prime, etc) went through Hasbro Asia or who else knows who to stock them. Maybe poor performance of Platinum Predaking soured even Amazon's direct buyers on them. Maybe BBTS, having a direct Hasbro account, is embargoed from listing them yet. Maybe HTS is in the same boat.

Or here's a thought - maybe none of us actually know and should avoid blanket, "the sky is falling" assumptions on availability when absolutely zero has been officially stated about it. YotG Soundwave and G2 Laser Prime were available through specialty online and eBay for months before hitting all the usual suspects (HTS, BBTS, TRU.com) all at once. Are these following the same pattern? I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not.

Bottom line - I personally see nothing unusual about the distribution of these releases, and if anyone is super concerned about their availability, I'd just go here and save yourself some stress.

Oh, and if you know anywhere online selling those Market Six legends UM, Skywarp, and Cliffjumper in a straightforward manner, links please. I need a set

Thanks for your answer. As I am in canada, these are as unobtainable as the platinums and thus I lumped them all in the same example. I had not thought that the G1 reissues might not have been made for the US market, which makes sense based on the comments from the Jivoin interview you took where he said Hasbro was aware that collectors already had the G1 toys :-?

But yes, enough speculating, we should wait till Botcon. Could you still ask them on our behalf, like you did last time, in case they dont show anything?

And lastly, I could have sworn I saw the listings for the legion toys at robot kingdom but I cant find them anymore, sorry.

News Credits: 668 · by **Autobot032** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 11:57 am

Fellow Seibertron staff member, Shajaki, found the Conehead Seeker reissues on Wal*Mart.ca and shared them with us once they were in hand. Seems the US can now obtain them through an unlikely source... Target!

Target has posted them online on their website and they're a Target exclusive, priced at $74.99 and it appears they're online only at this point. Doing a store search brings up no results, but that may change in the future, seeing as K-Mart sells their reissues in store as well as online, only time will tell.

Click on the image below to be taken directly to the ordering page

Keep your optics tuned to Seibertron.com for the latest in news and updates, plus the best galleries around!

News Credits: 10 · by **Agamemnon** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:11 pm

I think I burned up my keyboard ordering that so fast. Thank you, Autobot032!!! I am really glad I didn't pay almost double on Amazon for these.

Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*

by **Wheeljack808** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:12 pm

Of course it's a Target exclusive and guess who just pulled out of Canada...thanks Hasbro. :-x

by **BlueBefore** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:21 pm

Wheeljack808 wrote:Of course it's a Target exclusive and guess who just pulled out of Canada...thanks Hasbro.

Indeed. Thanks, Hasbro for creating the Transformers brand.

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:23 pm

Wheeljack808 wrote:Of course it's a Target exclusive and guess who just pulled out of Canada...thanks Hasbro.

What are you talking about?! It's already a walmart exclusive in Canada (it was written in the news article). We've had these guys way before the americans did, to the point where it was beleived most of these platinum sets were made for distribution outside of the states, like GDO markets and Canada.

This is huge news since it means that these sets are getting american distribution (Insecticons before and now the seekers).

News Credits: 293 · by **shajaki** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 12:48 pm

Agamemnon wrote:Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*

Awesome news, especially the price after the whole YOTG/Platinum Insecticon ordeal. And yeah, bring on Trypticon already! :KREMZEEK:

News Credits: 668 · by **Autobot032** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:10 pm

shajaki wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*
Awesome news, especially the price after the whole YOTG/Platinum Insecticon ordeal. And yeah, bring on Trypticon already!

That's a really good point. How in the heck can three tiny Insecticons and three Energon cubes be more than three Seekers with more moving parts and accessories?

I don't get it, and I'm not sure it's K-Mart's doing.

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:28 pm

Autobot032 wrote:
shajaki wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*
Awesome news, especially the price after the whole YOTG/Platinum Insecticon ordeal. And yeah, bring on Trypticon already!

That's a really good point. How in the heck can three tiny Insecticons and three Energon cubes be more than three Seekers with more moving parts and accessories?

I don't get it, and I'm not sure it's K-Mart's doing.

To add to any theory you may have, the price of Insecticons in Canada at Toysrus, is at the same KMart price (adjusted for canadian currency).

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:42 pm

Autobot032 wrote:
shajaki wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*
Awesome news, especially the price after the whole YOTG/Platinum Insecticon ordeal. And yeah, bring on Trypticon already!

That's a really good point. How in the heck can three tiny Insecticons and three Energon cubes be more than three Seekers with more moving parts and accessories?

I don't get it, and I'm not sure it's K-Mart's doing.

Someone in HB made a big booboo. Most probably overexpecting the nostalgia would trump over pragmmatism.

News Credits: 41 · by **Cobotron** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 1:59 pm

Just got a pre-order notification from BBTS for this set. Their price, $84.99.
Target, $74.99.
Target. Expect more, pay less.

Anybody seen/heard anything about where to acquire the Astrotrain-Blitzwing set?
That's the one I'm after.

News Credits: 241 · by **Jelze Bunnycat** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:10 pm

fenrir72 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:
shajaki wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*
Awesome news, especially the price after the whole YOTG/Platinum Insecticon ordeal. And yeah, bring on Trypticon already!

That's a really good point. How in the heck can three tiny Insecticons and three Energon cubes be more than three Seekers with more moving parts and accessories?

I don't get it, and I'm not sure it's K-Mart's doing.

Someone in HB made a big booboo. Most probably overexpecting the nostalgia would trump over pragmmatism.

Insecticons: 3 different molds
Seekers: 3 of the same base mold

News Credits: 4522 · by **william-james88** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:12 pm

Cobotron wrote:Just got a pre-order notification from BBTS for this set. Their price, $84.99.
Target, $74.99.
Target. Expect more, pay less.

Anybody seen/heard anything about where to acquire the Astrotrain-Blitzwing set?
That's the one I'm after.

There are a bunch on ebay from Hongkong and China, priced very decently. I think that's where Scotty P got his, right?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformers-Hasbro-G1-Reissue-Platinum-Edition-Astrotrain-Bliztwing-MISB-/121676283741?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c5478bf5d

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformers-Hasbro-G1-Reissue-Platinum-Edition-Astrotrain-Bliztwing-in-Stock-/131478339692?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item1e9cb8406c

News Credits: 639 · by **ScottyP** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:38 pm

Looking forward to this set. Gonna grab it off Target here soon, got a handy-dandy 5% off reward coupon thingie and maybe even some leftover giftcards from the wedding (though I may have to get permission to use those :lol:

)

william-james88 wrote:There are a bunch on ebay from Hongkong and China, priced very decently. I think that's where Scotty P got his, right?

Yeah me and Chuckdawg both got 'em off eBay. Weird set, doesn't even have a slipcover, just a window box. I love it though.

News Credits: 26 · by **reluctantyouth** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 2:44 pm

I believe Rocket said it best..."Oooooh Yeah" :grin:

.

The nostalgia factor alone is worth the price of admission for this set. I'v been looking forward to this more than Devs. I ordered mine at 3:42 PM Central Time and total cost was $79.68.

~reluctantyouth~

News Credits: 293 · by **shajaki** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 4:14 pm

Cobotron wrote:Anybody seen/heard anything about where to acquire the Astrotrain-Blitzwing set?
That's the one I'm after.

Yeah! Just where in the heck is that one? :???:

Like LegendaryAntiHero on Facebook · by **LegendaryAntiHero** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 5:15 pm

Thanks for posting that picture. Now I'm going to order the seekers online

News Credits: 60 · by **fenrir72** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 5:48 pm

JelZe GoldRabbit wrote:
fenrir72 wrote:
Autobot032 wrote:
shajaki wrote:
Agamemnon wrote:Now, where's Trypticon...? *whistles*
Awesome news, especially the price after the whole YOTG/Platinum Insecticon ordeal. And yeah, bring on Trypticon already!

That's a really good point. How in the heck can three tiny Insecticons and three Energon cubes be more than three Seekers with more moving parts and accessories?

I don't get it, and I'm not sure it's K-Mart's doing.

Someone in HB made a big booboo. Most probably overexpecting the nostalgia would trump over pragmmatism.

Insecticons: 3 different molds
Seekers: 3 of the same base mold

Aside from packaging and the extra 3 energon cubes, no different from the Hasbro pressing a few years back and at a dfifferent price range. Same as the previous HB Commemorative series which were overpriced and gutted due to safety issues also shelf warmed. 3 different molding I infer should be an issue of degradation because all were released in same quantities. Not one mold got pressed more than the other.

So.......another stupid mistep like the piss colored Laser Optimus Prime.....another overpriced flopster.

Either that or a Hasbro Asia executive thought that the world market is the same like that in China where the fans are simply TF cRAzy! You price it high in the Middle Kingdom and you get instant sales. You price it ridiculouly high in other parts of the globe and you get shelfwarmers.

Kind off no longer applicable but the Insectrons were priced much lower than the Seekers when they were sold as TF in Japan back in 1985. Maybe we can speculate that the mold restoration costs for the bugs may also be a factor(?).

News Credits: 1 · by **Calvatron** » Mon Jun 15, 2015 6:04 pm

Hey, i don't often purchase toys these days but have always loved the seekers. Can anyone tell me if the platinum seeker three pack is still made of metal where the orignal 80's versions were, or are they all plastic? Also, othere than the missles are there any other drastic changes i should knownabout before buying these. Thanks, the product descriptions i've read on store haven't helped me figure this out