Considering how I ranted about scalpers with the Back to the Future Transformers toy a while back, and my personal feelings towards the high number of store exclusives and Pulse exclusive Generations Selects with Transformers right now, this video is so right. Poor distribution is hurting too.
Amazon and Target exclusives are the worst - though Walmart isn't far behind. (freaking miracle I found Netflix Soundwave a few months ago. Shame I had to buy Netflix Bumblebee and Elita-1 online, and at a considerable markup at that. Thankfully I've no interest in any of the other Netflix toys or in R.E.D.)
Not that Warmart is much better, but from my experience- Walgreens (since the Spring of 2020) is much worse for exclusives.. From Chiraq, north to the Twins anyhow.
Well its true i was optimistic (all be it blindly) for the classified series, but with 3 waves down & no changes to availability or distribution, im done. I really miss the days of going into a toy store & riffling through rows & rows of product to find the figure i was after. Btw...thanks for the shout out! 👍
I have the Scarlett and Snake Eyes figures because I found them on Amazon at retail cost, and those are the pair I try to collect (originals, Spy Corp, 25th anniversary and their variants, and these). I would like to have a Destro and Baroness, the other two I collect, to go with them , but Target only had her at certain stores in certain cities - Not mine! - and none on their website. I largely hold Hasbro to blame for this. I will not pay a scalper 4 times the retail price. Unless she shows up at retail or at the local comic shop for less than twice retail cost, I will just go without, thanks.
I remember those days. I used to have a couple of locations per city I could hit. But the Toys 'R' Us Express store closed, and Zellers closed down pretty much entirely. And currently I can't even look in Walmart because they can't sell anything not "essential" thanks to the pandemic. (even then the Transformers section feels ever-shrinking)
So, I wish this was a joke, but I literally got into one of these dumb arguments with a HasBRO about the "Snake Supreme Cobra Commander" they sold at this event and how it was worth $10 more because it had a "wired cape." I literally sent him the "but she's got a new hat" video of Lisa and Smithers and this guy sent me about 10 PMs about how Hasbro "has never had wired capes before" and it was totally worth another $10 of your hardearned for it. It wasn't enough that this guy liked it. I, personally, had to like it and buy multiples of it.
This is why my favorite toy company is still Bandai of Japan. No crowdfunding and products are always high quality products even with translucent pegs are HQ
Honestly every complaint to hasbro is applicable to Bandai as well, the limited and region locked exclusives, the overpriced items, the low stock and scalper problem. The only thing missing is the crowdfunding
I am so glad I grew up in the 70s and 80s and experienced the greatest time in history for toys. Though it can be said that the toy companies were only out to make a buck, they produced imaginative toy lines with great quality and engineering. These toys fueled my imagination then...and they still do today.
Probably because intelligent thought and true critical inquiry requires actual effort and not just lazy posts in obnoxious toy groups from clueless simpletons too inept to grasp their own decrepitude
I like the GI Joe Classified line. It's ok that other people don't. Everybody likes different things, these just inspire a nice amount of nostalgia in me. I hope they make Mutt/Junkyard, Doc and Lifeline figures - those are three I would really like to have since they were my favorites as a boy. I'm not a collector though, I just want a couple of them - a viper or two, Destro, Roadblock and Scarlet. Distribution does seem a little wonky though, I don't really understand how you can sell out of pre-orders.
Exactly. Why not take preorders and manufacture to fill those orders. They take forever to ship anyway, at this point what’s a few extra months If it means being able to get the figures you want.
@Lord CuckBucket if they know they can make a certain amount at a time, don't call it a pre-order. pre-order suggest they're going to make products based on the number of orders.
Is there, possibly, a worse distribution of any toy exclusive ever than what Target has done with its GI Joe Classified Cobra Island exclusives? They might as well just make it an eBay exclusive.
@@wheelsofchaoticdoom8946 and your point? You are posting in the comments of a channel, dedicated to collecting toys, by stating that collecting toys is stupid. I'm not sure if you just came to troll or I'm missing something else.
So you kids are pissed at a guy because he ‘humblebragged’ about affording the Razor Crest and your response is to humble rag about owning 4.5 million in property? K....
"Why should a company be expected to take a risk on developing a product?" Ironically that's exactly what George Lucas and 20th Century Fox did with Star Wars in the first place P.s. I thought 'numpty' was an insult we only used over here in the UK, never heard an American use it before lol 😂
Yes!!! Virtually EVERY single successful and now established property was a huge risk when it was first introduced! CLASSIC example: Weren't Stan Lee and Jack Kirby told that a certain superhero was doomed to fail because "People HATE spiders! And he's just a kid himself, with no sidekick? Your 'SPIDER-Man' will NEVER catch on with the public!" But they took a little something called.......RISK! And that 'doomed to fail' superhero, became THE face of Marvel Comics itself!
These are my favorite RetroBlasting videos. Not because of some desire to get off on putting people in their place, etc. But because of the depth, and thoroughness of the explanation. The brevity of the delivery and the levity of the video clips. This is a topic that demands vigilance, and so in that regard, I hope to see more of these as developments occur. However, these views are also sorely underrepresented in the toy collecting community. Even the big Dans (Pixel Dan Eardley, and Toy Galaxy Dan Larson) basically waited as long as possible to offer criticism, and did so almost reluctantly. Modern toy collecting has been on this current downward trend since at least 2008 with the launch of Mattel's Matty Collector, but the seeds were planted way before then. Like it or not, this model is not beneficial for anyone but the corporations who release these products.
I honestly see and partly agree with both sides of this argument. I feel the crucial element here is "But does Hasbro need to do Haslab?" I totally see your side where you feel they don't. where they could make these products without our investment and they would sell regardless. You stated price is not the important factor here, so I won't state it. You also made numerous other solid points that don't need restating. On the other side, a side that's more reasonable and certainly not represented by the goobers personally attacking you in this video, there's those who feel that these products COULD get made without our backing, but this method- A: ensures everyone who wants it and can afford it WILL get their product - B: Allows fans to give feedback into its development (such as the inclusion of the POTF carded Yak Face with the Barge) - C: Potentially does allow Hasbro to release things retailers may not be interested in. A $500 Falcon is an easy sell, but a Sail Barge? Perhaps not everyone would know what that is/care to sell it at their store (purely hypothetical notion) I've been iffy with Haslab myself. Personally the prices for many things were too high for me, or I just wasn't interested. I did back the Razor Crest, because it looks like a wonderful product at a decent (enough) price from a source material I totally enjoy. Do I feel like I'm taking a risk by backing it? Not really. The year-long wait is a little bothersome, and especially with this product it was totally going to get backed regardless and Hasbro could have worked more on its production beforehand. There's a lot of other little complexities to this honestly, and I know further questions could be asked regarding my own stance on this. If you want to, please I insist, I'd love to engage with you on it! Like I said, I totally see your stance as being entirely sound and understandable, I just don't entirely feel the same way. Have a good one man! Stay safe!
Especially when they are usually so terrible at argument and never actually know their opponent's actual argument. I think the last 5 generations of americans have no clue how to set up their argument and have a discussion with someone they don't agree with. They just hit you with a meme, ask if "you mad bro", then say they were just joking and "why are you taking this so seriously". We are embarrassing.
I'll say it AGAIN: Michael should have been an attorney! His perspectives are always supported by so much raw evidence and logic! Whereas the "Has-Bros"...... never have a leg to stand on! And Michael always brilliantly uses their OWN rationale against them, proving how FOOLISH they are! Proof that the Has-Bros will pay for ANYTHING with a Hasbro and/or Star Wars logo on it! Another brilliant video Michael! 🙌
Like, he was on the right track, because classified is amazing, but like, it's alright if nobody really likes it, like, I'm not losing sleep about the fact that my favorite vintage channel doesn't like the new """""""better""""""" stuff, that's kinda why I like michael, he's pretty cool and he talks about those morons who defend those dickheads at Hasbro who can't get their shipping schedule right and can't get the hasbro exclusives to us until 2021
Brand loyalty is not a virtue, it's a choice. Equating unconditional love with a product makes about as much sense as being in love with your couch because you like to sit on it. While there is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying art, pledging your undying devotion to it is not something anyone should be proud of, nor should you demand the same of others.
I am just sick and tired of how the action figures market is (d)evolving. Fights to see who gets first to a preorder, constant and mega-fast sold outs on highly -and now even not-so-highly- demanded items, a miriad of store and convention exclusives that are out of reach for many people, crazy prices, way too many releases, tons of people more worried about what's comming next than enjoying what is actually in their hands... In many instances, collecting modern figures has become sort of an exhausting, neverending race... and there is only one culprit, here: the collectors community. Especially those who support all of those practices, as they enable companies to continuously create new ways to aggravate their fanbase.
Was gonna give your comment a hearty thumbs up until you turned around and put the blame right on us, the collector community. Everything you said apart from that was gold
@@metalmatt3431 I am glad we agree on most of it! As for the part you don't like, I am blaming the collector's comunity because while it is true that companies are getting used to play with engineered scarcity, if collector's didn't follow their game, they would need to reexamine their market(ing) practices. Examples of what I am saying are tons of collectors waiting in front of their computers or phones for the exact minute when a preorder is going to be available (or constantly sweeping websites that don't even anounce pieces that will sell out in minutes), collectors who are delighted to own pieces most other people won't even get a shot at, or international collectors being cut off of hetting local exclusives to complete their collections (which by the way inflates prices for everyone, as the more you produce, the lower the prices) to name a few. I understand that some collectors may not do these things, but at least in my experience, they are very few. That's why I talk about (and put the blame on) the collector's comunity. I don't support those practices but, like it or not and as I see it, being a collector makes me part of a comunity that collects toys (in my case action figures). I don't know if you will agree with me now, but at least I have given you a reasoned explanation that I feel makes sense.
@@MyNameGoesRightHere No bro, I totally hear what you're saying. I can't tell you how hard it was for me in Australia to get the Earthrise Skywarp and Thundercracker 2 pack and I'm not even gonna try getting the Quintesson Pit of Judgement as much as I desperately want it as I'll never have the cash to afford it from some (probably US) scalper : (
Spot on, Michael. This Joshua character sounds like the type who would have stood in a Soviet bread line for four days boring the people next to him with platitudes about how great communism is.
Or waiting in virtual lines for a company to shower them with a minute possibility to pay them $350 for a piece of plastic while boring the people next to him with platitudes about how great un-regulated capitalism is...oh wait...
He actually sounds like the type that would waste hundreds to give to a corporation that doesn’t care and then talk about how great capitalism is. Because that’s literally what he did.
AMEN Mr French! This is exactly how I feel about all the bs, I barely buy anything compared to what I used to. They are ruining the market, brand & their own sales just like the baseball card market did in the early 2000s with all the exclusive 1 of 1s, parallel sets, numbered cards, chip cards, etc that made it impossible for team & player collectors from being completionists which is the way I was. I won't pay extortion prices, I will just stop spending $12k a year with these companies.
Fanboy posturing 101: - Ignore legit errors/poor quality in toys - Ignore horrible sales practices - Accuse people of having no money - Accuse people of been haters - Accuse people not buying the products are hindering progress
In 2022, Michael French’s words are even more true than 2 years ago. The 6 inch Hasbro figures now cost 25 dollars apiece. The Hasbro action figure distribution system is a real nightmare. This video is a clear prophecy for the horrors of Hasbro.
Hasbro and good distribution are antithetic, period. They are doing some things very well (the recent Transformers chugs are fantastic and so are a lot of SW Black Series releases) but availability is a constant concern. We are way past the excuses because this is pure artificial scarcity that would make Nintendo proud.
@@hankhill1203 Part of the problem is their exclusives model. Basically they are willing to make any deal if the chains of stores or Amazon buy the whole stock of exclusives figures. This led Hasbro to make exclusives based on mainline characters instead of fancy variants. So Transformers collectors (especially here in Europe) have a lot of troubles in getting any recent version of Ratchet while those who started the GI JOE Classified line are probably wondering if they are going to ever get the Baroness or Beach Head. In the latter case we reach the point in which it's way easier and cheaper to get the vintage figures than the newer versions.
The legacy collection (the best hasbro Star Wars line in my opinion) had HORRENDOUS distribution and some figures that never made it to the toy isles go for 500+ dollars now. It’s ridiculous.
When it comes to dealing with idiot trolls you truly have a wonderful approach. This is almost enough for me to get twitter so I can watch you shred these rubes.
Hasbro's distribution has been ass since at least the early 2000's especially with gijoe. I kinda wish it had been worse though, because I spent way too much on valor vs venom and spy troops garbage. For some reason, the crappy figures made it out to the world, but the good o-ring reproductions and troop builders were hidden, at least to me. I do sorta like the new Gung Ho figure. Found him, Red Ninja, and Cobra Commander, so I have those 3, and had a buddy order the snake-eyes pulse thing... I'm a sucker.
Im pretty young, 22, as a kid in middle school I could go to target, Walmart any store and spend my weekend work money on a starwars figure, they had so many figures, vehicles, I would spend sometimes an hour looking through figures and deciding what to spend my cash on, then they always had vehicles and other starwars toys. Then the black series and collector focused era came, at first I was hesitant but saved up a few weekends more worth of work for the first line of black series figures that didn’t even hit my stores until god knows how long after they were meant to and everything just went down hill, about two times a month I go grocery shopping and I’ll stop by the toy line and for the past like five six years it’s been the same story, same figures, or nothing at all, right now the target near me has had no black series figures for about two years, literally, I don’t know if the workers there set them aside or if collectors just pick them up right away but it’s ridiculous I can’t even buy your figures because they’re never there, there’s literally no figures at my local target, just a few plush baby yodas and random stuff, not a single action figure from any line (vintage collection, black series etc.) I never got into the spirit of preordering, sorry about my long story/rant just wanted to get that off my chest, I lvoe starwars I love the toys but I just never find them, it’s honestly depressing seeing the starwars section of toy isles for the past couple years.
Being a collector outside the US is hard enough, but to then have the stuff locked behind this purchase model makes it even harder. had no idea about the 3 pack clone trooper thing, but now it's too late for me. will I ever be able to get it into my collection of clone troopers? possibly down the line with enough cash on what should have been a 30$ thing for me.
I wanted the Heroes of Endor Black Series and I visited Pulse a few days after the initial debacle and I was able to pre-order it (with an estimated arrival of March 2021). You may be able to still order the clone troopers at regular price from Pulse, but most likely will have to wait. Also, if you are in Latin America as myself you should check for mail forwarding solutions, that way, even if they don't send to your country you may be able to get them since you get an U.S. address for your purchases.
I'd say I like it when Michael takes off the filter and goes beast mode on mindless fanboys, but Michael has never filtered himself and is always in beast mode. That's why I love Retroblasting. These Hasbros (I love that name, by the way) are the epitome of "Don't think. Just consume product, then get excited for next product."
Though I am collecting the Classified line. On a Facebook page I complained about the quality control of the line and got harassed from a bunch of these HasBros and told to shut up and just enjoy the line.
Dude, bravo! Everything in this video is spot on the nail. I also had a run in with Hasbro's this week due to the 3 second sell out of the Target exclusive Ghostbusters Plasma series Ecto-1. I tried to buy on this site, had it in cart, was able to checkout and I even got a "thank you for your order" screen. However, a few seconds after I thought was a victorious moment, I was watching the window refresh to a new one telling me there is something wrong with the delivery method I had chosen. I go back to see what it's referencing and discover it's already sold out. I mean when it finally went up for pre-order, I was like Zeus' lightning getting that transaction to complete. Low and behold, my order was not showing up on Targets end. I called customer service to no help at all. I even told them to F-Off and hung up. Then I hit Instagram and commented my experience to others, also upset that a bot most likely snaked all of the Ecto-1's out from under us. Well, I had a run in with a few of these Hasbro's that mirrored exactly what you had to deal with. There is a sucker born every minute and their blind allegiance is ghastly. This is the second time this has happened to me recently. I also foolishly tried to pre-order the Back to the Future Time Machine Transformer that's coming out next year. Also a fast sell-out by seconds. You want to know what I discovered? There's someone on eBay selling that same Transformer with 136 already sold!? How does one person get that many? That also happened several years ago with the Pepsi Perfect. Sold out in seconds. Went to a convention later that year and there was a guy at a booth selling them for $100 right off a full pallet. I jaw never hit the floor faster than seeing that. The collector community for the most part sucks. I would say it's not the collectors fault as we just want to buy these for what they retail for and that everything around them is what's the problem. However, with idiots such as the Hasbro's running up the prices of collectibles, it's no wonder why scalping is such a rampart problem. They keep buying this stuff from the scalpers and act like paying 4 times as much is something to brag about. Lunacy! It's so ridiculous that I have been to Target 3 times this week trying to find the exclusive NECA Marty McFly (Radiation suit). Luckily I found one before any scalper/reseller could get their hands on them and avoided having to pay more than double for the figure. It's such a damn shame I have to waste my time like that. Finally, I want to thank you for being honest with us. I like those other TH-camrs you mentioned. However, with someone like Pixel Dan, who is being compensated by the companies, it's obviously hard for him to be outright with his honest opinion. He doesn't want to hurt his reputation with the companies and I understand that. I appreciate that you don't offer yourself to these companies like that and stand for what should be the proper practice. Thanks
Great Video Retroblasting. I just hope I'm not a Bib Fortuna TH-cam channel. I always say buy what you like and what you can afford and just enjoy the hobby!
I saw that Falcon in a Target store. I wish Hasbro and Target/Wal-Mart would stock their shelves with toys like in the 80's. I don't know the on-line stores and the eBay prices can get outrageous.
I'm a modern collector I started around 2016 ish I mostly collect 6 inch because they are easier to take pictures of and post them on my Instagram but man this video right on the nose when it comes to Hasbro distribution it is wack like I go to a Target trying to find the Power Rangers lighting collection I want to add and can't find them and the Gi joes are just as bad plus some of pluse is goofy and some Hasbro collectors especially legends giving hundreds of dollars for Sentinels great video retro blasting
Having been personally attacked by several “Has-Bros” during the recent marvel legends TH-cam stream when I pointed out the many failures of the weak-kneed HasLab Sentinel, I can sadly say this video is highly accurate. But I do laugh thinking about how all those tightened knee screws are eventually going to strip the plastic and result in a figure that can’t stand up… …It’s very obvious the emperor has no clothes here…
Greetings from Ecuador. Imagine how we feel in south America. Hasbro distribution and prices are so crazy. And then you see all these crazy has broes. You said something I have always thought, these people get satisfaction buying something so expensive and exclusive, like the satisfaction comes not from the toys but from the fact that they are the only owners.
I understand that you don’t like the classified line and your reasons why are valid, I really like the line and I don’t really care about the space bits, but that is my opinion and your opinion is yours and I appreciate it
0:07 What universe is he talking about? I see all these posts on /r/gijoe lamenting scalpers and the shelves being empty. That's not the good kind of sold out...that means they aren't making enough for demand...
I don’t have an issue with the Barge being a HasLab project because at the time I think it was very much an unknown if enough fans would buy the minimum quantity for full price. SW fans love to talk about wanting giant playsets and ships for their collections... but really they want them to be made and then they wait for them to hit clearance before buying them. The Razor Crest however should 100% have been a retail item. The Mandalorian is still red hot and people would shell out $350 for it in the stores and online. This should have been their big holiday item for THIS holiday season. Made in the quantities to make it a retail item they probably could have gotten the price down to $300 or even lower. Plus - the Target Galaxy’s Edge Millennium Falcon didn’t turn out to be an online exclusive after all. It’s also showing up in stores... and still selling out there too, and, like you said that’s for it’s 3rd release. There’s no reason to make this a Haslabs exclusive.
Pulse can eat a peach. I've from the UK and got excited to hear that Heroquest was getting an update. That was my childhood board game and entry into Games Workshop's Warhammer worlds. So when I saw it was Pulse and how I could not get it,let's say parents from miles away had to cover the ears of their little ones, I was not amused . :(
"Dear Lord, that's the loudest profanity I've ever heard!" I'm in the same boat. Got a little excited at the concept of grabbing Heroquest and playing with younger family members, immediately gave up the idea when I saw Hasbro expected me to crowdfund the thing. No thanks.
I like the Claasified line and yes I do pick them up when I see them. However, I don't go out of my way to get them. Stores carry them in limited numbers and good luck trying to find them sometimes. I'm a Joe fan. I always will be. I'll go ahead and pick up the vintage toys more than the newer figures. They're easier to find. Sure, I'll pay for it; but it's for me. It's my collection. Also, isn't Hasbro a monopoly now?? Yeah, I think that's illegal too.
If All the Monopolies own the Govt who also controls the courts-- those Monopolies are never illegal. Ask the Beijing Biden Crime family. Ref. them 2 laptops of Hunter's.
@retroblasting love this video I’ve been a fan since 2014. I love your tell it like it is style and always dealing straight with your fans. Hasbros are like the Pixie Dust huffers ( those are Disney fan equivalents). Whatever is put out is the best ever. So thank you for always being straightforward with us. It’s greatly appreciated.
I completely agree 100% @RetroBlasting. I think the Hasbro's are the fans of Hasbro products are not focuses on budgeting. They don't think of how much they are spending. all they want is their product so badly that they will whine and complain until they get their toys like little children. I think it is so stupid that a immature collector would not be patient enough too wait to find the product for a good price. I collect vintage second hand collectables and I try to budget on how much I spend and research on the value of the product before ordering it. All toy companies need to take risk if they don't. Then there product would not be released to the public for the fans to enjoy.
I have to mention this since this was really getting on my nerves, I hate the Walmart exclusives. They are almost never in stock and go for astronomical prices second hand. I remember being excited about the Transformers G1 reissues coming to Walmart. They were supposed to come out with most of the original line, but Ive only ever saw TWO figures in stores ( and this was within a three year period!) I agree with everything you have said since you've pointed this crap out and I hope this fan backlash continues until hasbro finally wakes up to this. Ive said it before and I'll say it again, The fans show more respect to these franchises that the companies that own them. Great video as always and looking forward to more very soon!
For these folks focused on prices, here's a little info. The original Millennium Falcon in 1979 was $29.99; that's $107.37 in 2020 USD. The Razor Crest is $349.99, which equals $97.76 in 1979 money. Just as a point of comparison: the USS Flagg was 109.99 in 1985 which would be $74.21 in 1979. Takeaway: the biggest playset/vehicle in retail history was sold for 3/4ths the price of the Razor Crest.
Yeah I have the classic Falcon still from when I was a kid, but as the movie says "look at the size of that thing!" - the Razor Crest is massive. The same price comparison can go from the original Falcon to the updated Galaxy's Edge Falcon, and look at how much more detail and features that new one packs in... I expect the same will probably be true of the Razor Crest when it delivers, especially as the pre-order numbers climb. I think the updated price, while expensive, may not be so out of line compared to what you get as it would seem.
@@kigiphoto638 To each his/her own. My mantra in life is:"live and let live, but don't fuck with what I have." If people want to buy it and it makes them happy, then go for it! I think the Razor Crest looks great. I thought the barge was awesome. I think the Unicron is everything fans wanted. I am glad they're making quality products. I think they are all quite expensive, and I really believe the funding and delivery methods will, in the long-run, be a disservice to both the consumers and Hasbro. But again, to each his/her own...
I took my first foray into Japanese figures last month, and i ordered a Figma Pyramid Head from a reliable shop in Japan. I have never been more satisfied with any action figure. It feels like I'm posing some alive thing on my coffee table, and the ball joints are smooth and aren't as noticable as I'd feared. The paint job is nearly flawless, and the accessories included were almost overwhelming. 4 sets of hands, a nice sturdy stand, two weapons, and an extra neck for in game scene recreation. They even included a little plastic bag to keep all the accesories in. I put this next to my NECA horror or Black Series Count Dooku (the only black series i have because the face is so uncannily Sir Christopher Lee) and it's no contest. The joints are stiff and diffcult on the NECA figures and it's very challenging to get any natural poses on either black series or neca. The accessories are almost an afterthought on them as well. Keep in mind PH retailed at regular price, $20-$30 for all the accesories and a partly handpainted figure! I did pay a bit more because it is out of production now and much more rare, but it was well worth it. I recommend trying out other toy companies like Figma or Bandai and giving things a chance. Stop letting these big companies like Hasbro and Neca corner the market with inferior products! Love Retroblasting, keep fighting the good fight Michael!!! 😁
As a person named Joshua I am offended by this Joshua's representation of person's named Joshua. Interesting video. Thanks for trying to keep the industry on the up & up.
Because of how Hasbro has mismanaged and messed up several franchises I adore and collect. Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Kenner, Marvel. All tend to get short changed or screwed over. Sure I'll buy a fig now and again when they look good, but will I go out of my way for Hasbro, no.
Hasbro, collectors, and their attitudes -- in addition to the cost of the hobby -- drove me away from collecting. The Hasbro booth at Comic-Con was always the biggest and most disorganized drama of every year. Scalpers always would clean the shelves of local toy stores unless you got in at just the right place. And the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club had no remorse when they had all of our credit cards hacked. But also - as you pointed out with these "Hasbros" - there's an "I've got mine" attitude. No, you don't need 55 army builders when someone just wants to find one. You don't need your dealer friend to give you a badge to get 3 convention exclusives when others get 0. Sigh. Anyway, I liked this video, so thank you. Oh, and finally -- it's INSANE that Hasbro or any toy company would want even $10 for a new action figure. Even weirder with the FSS figures which had - in a lot of cases - subpar packaging art.
@אנונימית אנונימיIt wasn't Hasbro who did it. It was the G.I. Joe Club. They did nothing to fix the issue, and even hung up on me when I called them to give them a piece of my mind.
Remember before haslab hasbro actually brought out some great Star Wars toys like the legacy millennium falcon and the vintage at at then they messed it up with the force awakens and rogue one toys now they just release bridges to nowhere and corridors of never ending
Honestly, if Hasbro is so bad that it makes Pixel Dan, the most positive toy reviewer on TH-cam frustrated, you know Hasbro is seriously upsetting everyone except for the wonderfully named Hasbros
I'm not a Has-bro, but I do enjoy their new Transformers lines getting modern versions of classics that I had as a kid with my Mom which brings childhood memories rushing back, BUT with that said Hasbro's busniess practices and distribution makes as much sense as a football bat. If I can find what I want on BBTS or Amazon at the regular prices spiffy but I will never pay scalper prices or pay a corporation for the privilege of...paying them more money.
Next time you post a response to Hasbros, can it just be a vid of you dancing as Han Solo? That still cracks me up! Also, if Hasbro is Jabba, does that make Hasbros Salacious B Crumbs? I’m thinking so...
I was astonished at how many people paid for one or more HasLab Sentinels. It's like collectors think throwing their hobby on credit is the way it's supposed to work. I'm sorry. But collecting starts when you have disposable income. If you can't pay for figures without putting your next house payment on the line, then maybe it's time to take a step back.
In the future all the Has-BROs will run out of money causing them to be left poor and homeless, as well as wondering how they got themselves into mess they made themselves. And when that day everyone even myself will be laughing out of our exhaust pipes.
Kinda strange how they talk about Hasbro like their favorite football team. Totally agree with how distribution is shocking and finding vintage toys is easier than buying a brand new toy.
Totally agree with you this time. I actually put a video out 10 mins before this on the same subject. It's a Emperors new clothes scenario with people having to pre order new products because they are scared of missing out. Haslab should be for someone special, that makes you go wow, not something that should be released on the main line. I'm not going anywhere near the horrendous Holiday Troopers 🤮
The toy industry is now following the rest of the entertainment industry. Marketing Research used to mean "let's get our finger on the pulse. Will kids like this? Will collectors like this?" Today it is the industry telling us what we will like. I can see it's working on some folks.
My attitude towards Hasbro and modern collecting is, if I can get it - awesome, if not - I’m disappointed but I’ll move on. It’s all you can do these says, sadly. As for GI Joes specifically, I think the line is getting better. I was seriously considering getting on it. But given the *first wave* is only starting hit shelves here in Australia and given how many proceeding waves are Target/etc exclusives - forget it. From Australia I have seen the future and it ain’t good.
On Pulse: I just signed up for Hasbro Pulse last year, to see what kind of benefit I'd get... I have to agree that I don't think it has provided any value. As a pulse member stuff often ships slower to me than from other places, and with no extra care in packaging so it's still the same gamble if you will get something in good condition (that is honestly my biggest issue with Pulse as it would be worth the charge for premium packing, even if the shipping speed was the same). Also on the Hascon exclusives, the one I really wanted (Heros of Endor) was sold out WAY faster during the Pulse exclusive purchase window, than the next day open ordering period - so I was actually able to get anything I wanted easier as a non-pulse member! So, after the year is up, not renewing Pulse.
Hasbro Corporate Office is pushing hard for it become media producer. The American toy industry is dieing. Public companies may have the financial ability to higher quality items, they do not have the freedom to. Required to earn X on every product run. If not that line may be dropped like Jurassic Park. Why is hasbro using go fund me model for special item? They doing so because it would not be made otherwise. I am not excusing Hasbro but it is publicly traded so it has a fiduciary responsibility to share holders first.
I am a 46 year old man who is a huge classic Dr Who fan and after watching some of your videos, I decided to start collecting the character creations 5" scale classic Dr Who figures, originally I had a 2018 B&M The Monsters collection set, featuring Tomb of the Cybermen Cyber-Controller, Attack of the Cybermen Cyberman and the Sontaran Skorr from the nuwho story Poison Sky (the Cybermen clinched the deal). I know own a further six collector sets 4 of them coasting me only £10 new. My point is, this translates at around £10 ($13) for three action figures compared to Hasbro Star Wars Black Series, even the ones I have seen reduced your paying around £15 ($20) and new about £30 ($40) for one figure. I like the larger figure scale and the Dr Who figures are just better value, as far as I'm concerned.
Michael, the first point to make, is that this video made me want to hear the end credits music from War Games. Second point, Joshua probably doesn't exist and is really a marketing executive from Hasbro. Third point, if Joshua is real, let's have a presidential debate between you two. Fourth and final point, thanks for including slave girl Leia and Phoebe Cates, ( twice ) in your video, because, well just because. 😁
i feel much the same on this issue being a transformers collector i hate the word exclusive at this point what it really means is if i want to be able to complete my collection ill most likely have to pay an unreasonable price for the figures i desire or look at my collection and feel unsatisfied with it because there are things that should be there yet are not because of the limited availability the seem to do this with characters they know people are going to want a lot as well seems to me that they are trying to cause jealousy in the collector community but jealousy is a subtle form of hatred why they would want to cause collectors to hate each other instead of bonding over a common hobby is beyond me and to be honest seems like the worst thing they could possibly do to make the most money for themselves rather then for scalpers who buy and resell these exclusive figures a dick move and a stupid business decision if you ask me
Even if you agree with the concept of Haslab, the Razor Crest never needed crowd funding. Unlike the sail barge, the Razor Crest was never a market-risk.
Considering how I ranted about scalpers with the Back to the Future Transformers toy a while back, and my personal feelings towards the high number of store exclusives and Pulse exclusive Generations Selects with Transformers right now, this video is so right. Poor distribution is hurting too.
"Walmart" and "Exclusives" have become my most dreaded two words!!!
Amazon and Target exclusives are the worst - though Walmart isn't far behind. (freaking miracle I found Netflix Soundwave a few months ago. Shame I had to buy Netflix Bumblebee and Elita-1 online, and at a considerable markup at that. Thankfully I've no interest in any of the other Netflix toys or in R.E.D.)
I felt that way with toysrus before they wet belly up in the states. Walgreens exclusives are more unstick then the target/Walmart
Not that Warmart is much better, but from my experience- Walgreens (since the Spring of 2020) is much worse for exclusives.. From Chiraq, north to the Twins anyhow.
Agree, I hate personally the "convention exclusives"
Well its true i was optimistic (all be it blindly) for the classified series, but with 3 waves down & no changes to availability or distribution, im done. I really miss the days of going into a toy store & riffling through rows & rows of product to find the figure i was after.
Btw...thanks for the shout out! 👍
3 waves in and I have yet to see one figure on a store shelf.
I have the Scarlett and Snake Eyes figures because I found them on Amazon at retail cost, and those are the pair I try to collect (originals, Spy Corp, 25th anniversary and their variants, and these). I would like to have a Destro and Baroness, the other two I collect, to go with them , but Target only had her at certain stores in certain cities - Not mine! - and none on their website. I largely hold Hasbro to blame for this. I will not pay a scalper 4 times the retail price. Unless she shows up at retail or at the local comic shop for less than twice retail cost, I will just go without, thanks.
The only one I've seen is Snake Eyes. The lack of availability for the other figures stopped me from buying it.
I remember those days. I used to have a couple of locations per city I could hit. But the Toys 'R' Us Express store closed, and Zellers closed down pretty much entirely. And currently I can't even look in Walmart because they can't sell anything not "essential" thanks to the pandemic. (even then the Transformers section feels ever-shrinking)
The only classified I have seen in stores is one Road Block. It is proof Hasbro doesn’t want my money. I started collecting vintage again.
Has-Bros: but she's got a new hat !!!
I WANT IT I WANT IT I WANT IT!!
But Lisa LionHeart!! 😢
Wayne:"What's the difference between Pac-man and Ms Pac-man?".
Noah Vanderhoff:"She has a bow in her hair".
So, I wish this was a joke, but I literally got into one of these dumb arguments with a HasBRO about the "Snake Supreme Cobra Commander" they sold at this event and how it was worth $10 more because it had a "wired cape." I literally sent him the "but she's got a new hat" video of Lisa and Smithers and this guy sent me about 10 PMs about how Hasbro "has never had wired capes before" and it was totally worth another $10 of your hardearned for it. It wasn't enough that this guy liked it. I, personally, had to like it and buy multiples of it.
?
This is why my favorite toy company is still Bandai of Japan. No crowdfunding and products are always high quality products even with translucent pegs are HQ
Everything but Premium Bandai.
MegaBlack's Megaposting well obviously that goes with out saying XP
?
What's wrong with Premium Bandai? I honestly have no idea.
Honestly every complaint to hasbro is applicable to Bandai as well, the limited and region locked exclusives, the overpriced items, the low stock and scalper problem. The only thing missing is the crowdfunding
I am so glad I grew up in the 70s and 80s and experienced the greatest time in history for toys. Though it can be said that the toy companies were only out to make a buck, they produced imaginative toy lines with great quality and engineering. These toys fueled my imagination then...and they still do today.
The shots fired at Retroblasting are so consistently off the mark you’d think they were trained by the Empire.
You got me with that one. HA!
Probably because intelligent thought and true critical inquiry requires actual effort and not just lazy posts in obnoxious toy groups from clueless simpletons too inept to grasp their own decrepitude
Classic.
Worse ... COBRA !!!!
Stormtroopers have good aim though
Current problem with Hasbro is availability, distribution and so called store exclusives of popular characters.
Perfect example Runabout and Runamuck
The only place on the internet keeping things real and grounded, thank you RB.
I like the GI Joe Classified line. It's ok that other people don't. Everybody likes different things, these just inspire a nice amount of nostalgia in me. I hope they make Mutt/Junkyard, Doc and Lifeline figures - those are three I would really like to have since they were my favorites as a boy. I'm not a collector though, I just want a couple of them - a viper or two, Destro, Roadblock and Scarlet. Distribution does seem a little wonky though, I don't really understand how you can sell out of pre-orders.
Exactly. Why not take preorders and manufacture to fill those orders. They take forever to ship anyway, at this point what’s a few extra months If it means being able to get the figures you want.
simple, they're not really pre-orders
@Lord CuckBucket if they know they can make a certain amount at a time, don't call it a pre-order. pre-order suggest they're going to make products based on the number of orders.
Is there, possibly, a worse distribution of any toy exclusive ever than what Target has done with its GI Joe Classified Cobra Island exclusives? They might as well just make it an eBay exclusive.
It feels a little like Apple fans that are completely absorbed into the company.
except Apple doesn't hold the next Mac or iPhone hostage unless you fork over $2000 BEFORE they even start production.
It's bad.
Imagine felling proud about being scammed into paying $350 hunk of plastic..
Imagine feeling proud in the ownership of a product. That is pathetic all by itself.
@@branmichael anyone flexing about owning any item (especially a toy) is pretty pathetic.
@@wheelsofchaoticdoom8946 and your point? You are posting in the comments of a channel, dedicated to collecting toys, by stating that collecting toys is stupid. I'm not sure if you just came to troll or I'm missing something else.
@Anacronian
[laughs in making razor crest out of lego pieces]
So you kids are pissed at a guy because he ‘humblebragged’ about affording the Razor Crest and your response is to humble rag about owning 4.5 million in property?
K....
That ROTJ analogy was brilliant.
This video made my day!
Your 2 channels are keeping my faith in toy collecting alive. Thank you.
Just recently became a fan Tony (seen some of your collabs with RB) Love your content.
Mine too!
Was a bit of a surprise that haslab is crowd funding heroquest
They like it when you clap back. Not a hasbro no sir
"Why should a company be expected to take a risk on developing a product?"
Ironically that's exactly what George Lucas and 20th Century Fox did with Star Wars in the first place
P.s. I thought 'numpty' was an insult we only used over here in the UK, never heard an American use it before lol 😂
Well, Michael did live in the UK for a time. Check out some of his other videos.
Yes!!! Virtually EVERY single successful and now established property was a huge risk when it was first introduced! CLASSIC example: Weren't Stan Lee and Jack Kirby told that a certain superhero was doomed to fail because "People HATE spiders! And he's just a kid himself, with no sidekick? Your 'SPIDER-Man' will NEVER catch on with the public!" But they took a little something called.......RISK! And that 'doomed to fail' superhero, became THE face of Marvel Comics itself!
Michael is well trained in the art of British insult, learned from the Goodies, the Young Ones, Monty Python and (probably) Red Dwarf.
These are my favorite RetroBlasting videos. Not because of some desire to get off on putting people in their place, etc. But because of the depth, and thoroughness of the explanation. The brevity of the delivery and the levity of the video clips. This is a topic that demands vigilance, and so in that regard, I hope to see more of these as developments occur. However, these views are also sorely underrepresented in the toy collecting community. Even the big Dans (Pixel Dan Eardley, and Toy Galaxy Dan Larson) basically waited as long as possible to offer criticism, and did so almost reluctantly. Modern toy collecting has been on this current downward trend since at least 2008 with the launch of Mattel's Matty Collector, but the seeds were planted way before then. Like it or not, this model is not beneficial for anyone but the corporations who release these products.
I honestly see and partly agree with both sides of this argument. I feel the crucial element here is "But does Hasbro need to do Haslab?"
I totally see your side where you feel they don't. where they could make these products without our investment and they would sell regardless. You stated price is not the important factor here, so I won't state it. You also made numerous other solid points that don't need restating.
On the other side, a side that's more reasonable and certainly not represented by the goobers personally attacking you in this video, there's those who feel that these products COULD get made without our backing, but this method- A: ensures everyone who wants it and can afford it WILL get their product - B: Allows fans to give feedback into its development (such as the inclusion of the POTF carded Yak Face with the Barge) - C: Potentially does allow Hasbro to release things retailers may not be interested in. A $500 Falcon is an easy sell, but a Sail Barge? Perhaps not everyone would know what that is/care to sell it at their store (purely hypothetical notion)
I've been iffy with Haslab myself. Personally the prices for many things were too high for me, or I just wasn't interested. I did back the Razor Crest, because it looks like a wonderful product at a decent (enough) price from a source material I totally enjoy. Do I feel like I'm taking a risk by backing it? Not really. The year-long wait is a little bothersome, and especially with this product it was totally going to get backed regardless and Hasbro could have worked more on its production beforehand.
There's a lot of other little complexities to this honestly, and I know further questions could be asked regarding my own stance on this. If you want to, please I insist, I'd love to engage with you on it! Like I said, I totally see your stance as being entirely sound and understandable, I just don't entirely feel the same way.
Have a good one man! Stay safe!
They should know by now. Never have an argument with Michael French. It wont end well for ya.
Especially when they are usually so terrible at argument and never actually know their opponent's actual argument. I think the last 5 generations of americans have no clue how to set up their argument and have a discussion with someone they don't agree with. They just hit you with a meme, ask if "you mad bro", then say they were just joking and "why are you taking this so seriously". We are embarrassing.
I'll say it AGAIN: Michael should have been an attorney! His perspectives are always supported by so much raw evidence and logic! Whereas the "Has-Bros"...... never have a leg to stand on! And Michael always brilliantly uses their OWN rationale against them, proving how FOOLISH they are! Proof that the Has-Bros will pay for ANYTHING with a Hasbro and/or Star Wars logo on it! Another brilliant video Michael! 🙌
Like, he was on the right track, because classified is amazing, but like, it's alright if nobody really likes it, like, I'm not losing sleep about the fact that my favorite vintage channel doesn't like the new """""""better""""""" stuff, that's kinda why I like michael, he's pretty cool and he talks about those morons who defend those dickheads at Hasbro who can't get their shipping schedule right and can't get the hasbro exclusives to us until 2021
@@chrisdaugherty8265 Exactly! 😄 I can't even take their viewpoints seriously, if they can't even get the generations correct! Hahahaha
"Hasbro the Hutt" 😆 🤣 This video was so spot on my brother, thank you very much!
They came after Michael again, Michael stands his ground once again.
It’s strait up cheaper to own vintage than the new ones, and I’m a child
Brand loyalty is not a virtue, it's a choice. Equating unconditional love with a product makes about as much sense as being in love with your couch because you like to sit on it. While there is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying art, pledging your undying devotion to it is not something anyone should be proud of, nor should you demand the same of others.
Well said.
I am just sick and tired of how the action figures market is (d)evolving. Fights to see who gets first to a preorder, constant and mega-fast sold outs on highly -and now even not-so-highly- demanded items, a miriad of store and convention exclusives that are out of reach for many people, crazy prices, way too many releases, tons of people more worried about what's comming next than enjoying what is actually in their hands... In many instances, collecting modern figures has become sort of an exhausting, neverending race... and there is only one culprit, here: the collectors community. Especially those who support all of those practices, as they enable companies to continuously create new ways to aggravate their fanbase.
Was gonna give your comment a hearty thumbs up until you turned around and put the blame right on us, the collector community. Everything you said apart from that was gold
@@metalmatt3431 I am glad we agree on most of it! As for the part you don't like, I am blaming the collector's comunity because while it is true that companies are getting used to play with engineered scarcity, if collector's didn't follow their game, they would need to reexamine their market(ing) practices. Examples of what I am saying are tons of collectors waiting in front of their computers or phones for the exact minute when a preorder is going to be available (or constantly sweeping websites that don't even anounce pieces that will sell out in minutes), collectors who are delighted to own pieces most other people won't even get a shot at, or international collectors being cut off of hetting local exclusives to complete their collections (which by the way inflates prices for everyone, as the more you produce, the lower the prices) to name a few. I understand that some collectors may not do these things, but at least in my experience, they are very few. That's why I talk about (and put the blame on) the collector's comunity. I don't support those practices but, like it or not and as I see it, being a collector makes me part of a comunity that collects toys (in my case action figures). I don't know if you will agree with me now, but at least I have given you a reasoned explanation that I feel makes sense.
@@MyNameGoesRightHere No bro, I totally hear what you're saying. I can't tell you how hard it was for me in Australia to get the Earthrise Skywarp and Thundercracker 2 pack and I'm not even gonna try getting the Quintesson Pit of Judgement as much as I desperately want it as I'll never have the cash to afford it from some (probably US) scalper : (
@@metalmatt3431 I think we are totally synched, then! Hahahahah ^__^
@@MyNameGoesRightHere Absolutely bro : )
Spot on, Michael. This Joshua character sounds like the type who would have stood in a Soviet bread line for four days boring the people next to him with platitudes about how great communism is.
When you drink the Kool Aid
Or waiting in virtual lines for a company to shower them with a minute possibility to pay them $350 for a piece of plastic while boring the people next to him with platitudes about how great un-regulated capitalism is...oh wait...
He actually sounds like the type that would waste hundreds to give to a corporation that doesn’t care and then talk about how great capitalism is. Because that’s literally what he did.
Of course he'd be there in there in line while with his wife's son, and his wife's boyfriend.
@@jinpayne You'd be surprised. They hate capitalism, yet spend all their money on shitty pop culture product.
I appreciate your honesty and willingness to speak you mind sir, something that is truly lacking in this sphere at times. Carry on.
AMEN Mr French! This is exactly how I feel about all the bs, I barely buy anything compared to what I used to. They are ruining the market, brand & their own sales just like the baseball card market did in the early 2000s with all the exclusive 1 of 1s, parallel sets, numbered cards, chip cards, etc that made it impossible for team & player collectors from being completionists which is the way I was. I won't pay extortion prices, I will just stop spending $12k a year with these companies.
Fanboy posturing 101:
- Ignore legit errors/poor quality in toys
- Ignore horrible sales practices
- Accuse people of having no money
- Accuse people of been haters
- Accuse people not buying the products are hindering progress
apparently a company not having enough product to go around is the consumer's fault... for reasons
Yup
Hasbros is a total classic. Having said that i am collecting the classified series and loving them
Modern Toy collecting is becoming the cancer that is sneaker collecting
In 2022, Michael French’s words are even more true than 2 years ago. The 6 inch Hasbro figures now cost 25 dollars apiece. The Hasbro action figure distribution system is a real nightmare. This video is a clear prophecy for the horrors of Hasbro.
Hasbro and good distribution are antithetic, period. They are doing some things very well (the recent Transformers chugs are fantastic and so are a lot of SW Black Series releases) but availability is a constant concern. We are way past the excuses because this is pure artificial scarcity that would make Nintendo proud.
@@hankhill1203 Part of the problem is their exclusives model. Basically they are willing to make any deal if the chains of stores or Amazon buy the whole stock of exclusives figures. This led Hasbro to make exclusives based on mainline characters instead of fancy variants. So Transformers collectors (especially here in Europe) have a lot of troubles in getting any recent version of Ratchet while those who started the GI JOE Classified line are probably wondering if they are going to ever get the Baroness or Beach Head. In the latter case we reach the point in which it's way easier and cheaper to get the vintage figures than the newer versions.
The legacy collection (the best hasbro Star Wars line in my opinion) had HORRENDOUS distribution and some figures that never made it to the toy isles go for 500+ dollars now. It’s ridiculous.
When it comes to dealing with idiot trolls you truly have a wonderful approach. This is almost enough for me to get twitter so I can watch you shred these rubes.
Hasbro's distribution has been ass since at least the early 2000's especially with gijoe. I kinda wish it had been worse though, because I spent way too much on valor vs venom and spy troops garbage. For some reason, the crappy figures made it out to the world, but the good o-ring reproductions and troop builders were hidden, at least to me. I do sorta like the new Gung Ho figure. Found him, Red Ninja, and Cobra Commander, so I have those 3, and had a buddy order the snake-eyes pulse thing... I'm a sucker.
Im pretty young, 22, as a kid in middle school I could go to target, Walmart any store and spend my weekend work money on a starwars figure, they had so many figures, vehicles, I would spend sometimes an hour looking through figures and deciding what to spend my cash on, then they always had vehicles and other starwars toys. Then the black series and collector focused era came, at first I was hesitant but saved up a few weekends more worth of work for the first line of black series figures that didn’t even hit my stores until god knows how long after they were meant to and everything just went down hill, about two times a month I go grocery shopping and I’ll stop by the toy line and for the past like five six years it’s been the same story, same figures, or nothing at all, right now the target near me has had no black series figures for about two years, literally, I don’t know if the workers there set them aside or if collectors just pick them up right away but it’s ridiculous I can’t even buy your figures because they’re never there, there’s literally no figures at my local target, just a few plush baby yodas and random stuff, not a single action figure from any line (vintage collection, black series etc.) I never got into the spirit of preordering, sorry about my long story/rant just wanted to get that off my chest, I lvoe starwars I love the toys but I just never find them, it’s honestly depressing seeing the starwars section of toy isles for the past couple years.
Being a collector outside the US is hard enough, but to then have the stuff locked behind this purchase model makes it even harder. had no idea about the 3 pack clone trooper thing, but now it's too late for me. will I ever be able to get it into my collection of clone troopers? possibly down the line with enough cash on what should have been a 30$ thing for me.
I wanted the Heroes of Endor Black Series and I visited Pulse a few days after the initial debacle and I was able to pre-order it (with an estimated arrival of March 2021). You may be able to still order the clone troopers at regular price from Pulse, but most likely will have to wait. Also, if you are in Latin America as myself you should check for mail forwarding solutions, that way, even if they don't send to your country you may be able to get them since you get an U.S. address for your purchases.
I'd say I like it when Michael takes off the filter and goes beast mode on mindless fanboys, but Michael has never filtered himself and is always in beast mode.
That's why I love Retroblasting.
These Hasbros (I love that name, by the way) are the epitome of "Don't think. Just consume product, then get excited for next product."
Though I am collecting the Classified line. On a Facebook page I complained about the quality control of the line and got harassed from a bunch of these HasBros and told to shut up and just enjoy the line.
Dude, bravo! Everything in this video is spot on the nail. I also had a run in with Hasbro's this week due to the 3 second sell out of the Target exclusive Ghostbusters Plasma series Ecto-1. I tried to buy on this site, had it in cart, was able to checkout and I even got a "thank you for your order" screen. However, a few seconds after I thought was a victorious moment, I was watching the window refresh to a new one telling me there is something wrong with the delivery method I had chosen. I go back to see what it's referencing and discover it's already sold out. I mean when it finally went up for pre-order, I was like Zeus' lightning getting that transaction to complete. Low and behold, my order was not showing up on Targets end. I called customer service to no help at all. I even told them to F-Off and hung up. Then I hit Instagram and commented my experience to others, also upset that a bot most likely snaked all of the Ecto-1's out from under us. Well, I had a run in with a few of these Hasbro's that mirrored exactly what you had to deal with. There is a sucker born every minute and their blind allegiance is ghastly. This is the second time this has happened to me recently. I also foolishly tried to pre-order the Back to the Future Time Machine Transformer that's coming out next year. Also a fast sell-out by seconds. You want to know what I discovered? There's someone on eBay selling that same Transformer with 136 already sold!? How does one person get that many? That also happened several years ago with the Pepsi Perfect. Sold out in seconds. Went to a convention later that year and there was a guy at a booth selling them for $100 right off a full pallet. I jaw never hit the floor faster than seeing that. The collector community for the most part sucks. I would say it's not the collectors fault as we just want to buy these for what they retail for and that everything around them is what's the problem. However, with idiots such as the Hasbro's running up the prices of collectibles, it's no wonder why scalping is such a rampart problem. They keep buying this stuff from the scalpers and act like paying 4 times as much is something to brag about. Lunacy! It's so ridiculous that I have been to Target 3 times this week trying to find the exclusive NECA Marty McFly (Radiation suit). Luckily I found one before any scalper/reseller could get their hands on them and avoided having to pay more than double for the figure. It's such a damn shame I have to waste my time like that. Finally, I want to thank you for being honest with us. I like those other TH-camrs you mentioned. However, with someone like Pixel Dan, who is being compensated by the companies, it's obviously hard for him to be outright with his honest opinion. He doesn't want to hurt his reputation with the companies and I understand that. I appreciate that you don't offer yourself to these companies like that and stand for what should be the proper practice. Thanks
Hasbro stopped.making fun affordable toys for kids and are trying milk adult collectors ij nostalgia.
Shameless
@@dreamlandnightmare ....
?
@אנונימית אנונימי ..
Great Video Retroblasting. I just hope I'm not a Bib Fortuna TH-cam channel. I always say buy what you like and what you can afford and just enjoy the hobby!
Some people just can’t keep themselves from being a CONSOOMER
I'M CONSOOOOOOOOOOMINNNNNNNNNG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH
I saw that Falcon in a Target store. I wish Hasbro and Target/Wal-Mart would stock their shelves with toys like in the 80's. I don't know the on-line stores and the eBay prices can get outrageous.
I'm a modern collector I started around 2016 ish I mostly collect 6 inch because they are easier to take pictures of and post them on my Instagram but man this video right on the nose when it comes to Hasbro distribution it is wack like I go to a Target trying to find the Power Rangers lighting collection I want to add and can't find them and the Gi joes are just as bad plus some of pluse is goofy and some Hasbro collectors especially legends giving hundreds of dollars for Sentinels great video retro blasting
What
Having been personally attacked by several “Has-Bros” during the recent marvel legends TH-cam stream when I pointed out the many failures of the weak-kneed HasLab Sentinel, I can sadly say this video is highly accurate. But I do laugh thinking about how all those tightened knee screws are eventually going to strip the plastic and result in a figure that can’t stand up…
…It’s very obvious the emperor has no clothes here…
4 "Hasbros" voted this down. :)
now 41 one of them
@@orcatwar9810 hasbums lol
@@Kamandi1971 that one is a to one
..
Greetings from Ecuador. Imagine how we feel in south America. Hasbro distribution and prices are so crazy. And then you see all these crazy has broes. You said something I have always thought, these people get satisfaction buying something so expensive and exclusive, like the satisfaction comes not from the toys but from the fact that they are the only owners.
I understand that you don’t like the classified line and your reasons why are valid, I really like the line and I don’t really care about the space bits, but that is my opinion and your opinion is yours and I appreciate it
Availability is the most important rule in the toy industry. WTF?
0:07 What universe is he talking about? I see all these posts on /r/gijoe lamenting scalpers and the shelves being empty. That's not the good kind of sold out...that means they aren't making enough for demand...
I don’t have an issue with the Barge being a HasLab project because at the time I think it was very much an unknown if enough fans would buy the minimum quantity for full price. SW fans love to talk about wanting giant playsets and ships for their collections... but really they want them to be made and then they wait for them to hit clearance before buying them. The Razor Crest however should 100% have been a retail item. The Mandalorian is still red hot and people would shell out $350 for it in the stores and online. This should have been their big holiday item for THIS holiday season. Made in the quantities to make it a retail item they probably could have gotten the price down to $300 or even lower. Plus - the Target Galaxy’s Edge Millennium Falcon didn’t turn out to be an online exclusive after all. It’s also showing up in stores... and still selling out there too, and, like you said that’s for it’s 3rd release. There’s no reason to make this a Haslabs exclusive.
Pulse can eat a peach. I've from the UK and got excited to hear that Heroquest was getting an update. That was my childhood board game and entry into Games Workshop's Warhammer worlds.
So when I saw it was Pulse and how I could not get it,let's say parents from miles away had to cover the ears of their little ones, I was not amused . :(
"Dear Lord, that's the loudest profanity I've ever heard!" I'm in the same boat. Got a little excited at the concept of grabbing Heroquest and playing with younger family members, immediately gave up the idea when I saw Hasbro expected me to crowdfund the thing. No thanks.
@@daveb1930 okay then
@@larniieplayz6285 lelwat
Sad
I like the Claasified line and yes I do pick them up when I see them. However, I don't go out of my way to get them. Stores carry them in limited numbers and good luck trying to find them sometimes.
I'm a Joe fan. I always will be. I'll go ahead and pick up the vintage toys more than the newer figures. They're easier to find. Sure, I'll pay for it; but it's for me. It's my collection.
Also, isn't Hasbro a monopoly now?? Yeah, I think that's illegal too.
If All the Monopolies own the Govt who also controls the courts-- those Monopolies are never illegal. Ask the Beijing Biden Crime family. Ref. them 2 laptops of Hunter's.
@retroblasting love this video I’ve been a fan since 2014. I love your tell it like it is style and always dealing straight with your fans. Hasbros are like the Pixie Dust huffers ( those are Disney fan equivalents). Whatever is put out is the best ever. So thank you for always being straightforward with us. It’s greatly appreciated.
I completely agree 100% @RetroBlasting. I think the Hasbro's are the fans of Hasbro products are not focuses on budgeting.
They don't think of how much they are spending.
all they want is their product so badly that they will whine and complain until they get their toys like little children.
I think it is so stupid that a immature collector would not be patient enough too wait to find the product for a good price.
I collect vintage second hand collectables and I try to budget on how much I spend and research on the value of the product before ordering it.
All toy companies need to take risk if they don't.
Then there product would not be released to the public for the fans to enjoy.
you got a like for the animated hobbit clip! i salute you, sir! keep up the good work!
I have to mention this since this was really getting on my nerves, I hate the Walmart exclusives. They are almost never in stock and go for astronomical prices second hand. I remember being excited about the Transformers G1 reissues coming to Walmart. They were supposed to come out with most of the original line, but Ive only ever saw TWO figures in stores ( and this was within a three year period!) I agree with everything you have said since you've pointed this crap out and I hope this fan backlash continues until hasbro finally wakes up to this. Ive said it before and I'll say it again, The fans show more respect to these franchises that the companies that own them. Great video as always and looking forward to more very soon!
Always nice to see when someone can work a wargames reference into modern day conversation.
I did not know about the Razor Crest happening at all, time to get one. Thanks!
For these folks focused on prices, here's a little info. The original Millennium Falcon in 1979 was $29.99; that's $107.37 in 2020 USD. The Razor Crest is $349.99, which equals $97.76 in 1979 money. Just as a point of comparison: the USS Flagg was 109.99 in 1985 which would be $74.21 in 1979. Takeaway: the biggest playset/vehicle in retail history was sold for 3/4ths the price of the Razor Crest.
Yeah I have the classic Falcon still from when I was a kid, but as the movie says "look at the size of that thing!" - the Razor Crest is massive. The same price comparison can go from the original Falcon to the updated Galaxy's Edge Falcon, and look at how much more detail and features that new one packs in... I expect the same will probably be true of the Razor Crest when it delivers, especially as the pre-order numbers climb. I think the updated price, while expensive, may not be so out of line compared to what you get as it would seem.
@@kigiphoto638 To each his/her own. My mantra in life is:"live and let live, but don't fuck with what I have." If people want to buy it and it makes them happy, then go for it! I think the Razor Crest looks great. I thought the barge was awesome. I think the Unicron is everything fans wanted. I am glad they're making quality products. I think they are all quite expensive, and I really believe the funding and delivery methods will, in the long-run, be a disservice to both the consumers and Hasbro. But again, to each his/her own...
Okay good to know
I took my first foray into Japanese figures last month, and i ordered a Figma Pyramid Head from a reliable shop in Japan. I have never been more satisfied with any action figure. It feels like I'm posing some alive thing on my coffee table, and the ball joints are smooth and aren't as noticable as I'd feared. The paint job is nearly flawless, and the accessories included were almost overwhelming. 4 sets of hands, a nice sturdy stand, two weapons, and an extra neck for in game scene recreation. They even included a little plastic bag to keep all the accesories in. I put this next to my NECA horror or Black Series Count Dooku (the only black series i have because the face is so uncannily Sir Christopher Lee) and it's no contest. The joints are stiff and diffcult on the NECA figures and it's very challenging to get any natural poses on either black series or neca. The accessories are almost an afterthought on them as well. Keep in mind PH retailed at regular price, $20-$30 for all the accesories and a partly handpainted figure! I did pay a bit more because it is out of production now and much more rare, but it was well worth it. I recommend trying out other toy companies like Figma or Bandai and giving things a chance. Stop letting these big companies like Hasbro and Neca corner the market with inferior products! Love Retroblasting, keep fighting the good fight Michael!!! 😁
Damn it this hobby is supposed to be a fun nostalgic hobby, why are there so many haters?
Michael haslab try buying anything like the sail barge outside of American the sail barge that Michael took to Australia might be the only one there
@@georgeaitken2719 maybe so
LOL. You win an internet for using the term "numpty" XD.
Incredible and to the point, ending phrase was totally epic ! Didnt know Razorcrest was so expensive!
As a person named Joshua I am offended by this Joshua's representation of person's named Joshua.
Interesting video. Thanks for trying to keep the industry on the up & up.
My sides hurt!!!
HASBROS! epic.
SLAVE LEIA and PHOEBE CATES?
This video is flawless.
Because of how Hasbro has mismanaged and messed up several franchises I adore and collect. Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, Kenner, Marvel. All tend to get short changed or screwed over.
Sure I'll buy a fig now and again when they look good, but will I go out of my way for Hasbro, no.
Hasbro, collectors, and their attitudes -- in addition to the cost of the hobby -- drove me away from collecting. The Hasbro booth at Comic-Con was always the biggest and most disorganized drama of every year. Scalpers always would clean the shelves of local toy stores unless you got in at just the right place. And the G.I. Joe Collectors' Club had no remorse when they had all of our credit cards hacked.
But also - as you pointed out with these "Hasbros" - there's an "I've got mine" attitude. No, you don't need 55 army builders when someone just wants to find one. You don't need your dealer friend to give you a badge to get 3 convention exclusives when others get 0. Sigh. Anyway, I liked this video, so thank you.
Oh, and finally -- it's INSANE that Hasbro or any toy company would want even $10 for a new action figure. Even weirder with the FSS figures which had - in a lot of cases - subpar packaging art.
@אנונימית אנונימיIt wasn't Hasbro who did it. It was the G.I. Joe Club. They did nothing to fix the issue, and even hung up on me when I called them to give them a piece of my mind.
Remember before haslab hasbro actually brought out some great Star Wars toys like the legacy millennium falcon and the vintage at at then they messed it up with the force awakens and rogue one toys now they just release bridges to nowhere and corridors of never ending
Love this video, hate that you had to make it! Thank you for being the audible version of the voice that’s in so many of our heads!
If the argument for HasLab was a Macross mecha, it would be Destroid.
Hahahaha
I would've never thought you would udder the words PorhHub.
Honestly, if Hasbro is so bad that it makes Pixel Dan, the most positive toy reviewer on TH-cam frustrated, you know Hasbro is seriously upsetting everyone except for the wonderfully named Hasbros
I'm not a Has-bro, but I do enjoy their new Transformers lines getting modern versions of classics that I had as a kid with my Mom which brings childhood memories rushing back, BUT with that said Hasbro's busniess practices and distribution makes as much sense as a football bat. If I can find what I want on BBTS or Amazon at the regular prices spiffy but I will never pay scalper prices or pay a corporation for the privilege of...paying them more money.
excellent use of Judd Nelson, and Ms. Cates 😍
Next time you post a response to Hasbros, can it just be a vid of you dancing as Han Solo? That still cracks me up! Also, if Hasbro is Jabba, does that make Hasbros Salacious B Crumbs? I’m thinking so...
I want to be like you when I grow up, Michael
I no longer collect toys but I always love it when you stand up to corporate shenanigans.
I love lamp. Well done with the clips.
I was astonished at how many people paid for one or more HasLab Sentinels. It's like collectors think throwing their hobby on credit is the way it's supposed to work. I'm sorry. But collecting starts when you have disposable income. If you can't pay for figures without putting your next house payment on the line, then maybe it's time to take a step back.
You are doing the Lord's work my friend.
This joshua bro is the literal embodiment of the "don't ask questions, just consume product and get excited for next product" quote.
In the future all the Has-BROs will run out of money causing them to be left poor and homeless, as well as wondering how they got themselves into mess they made themselves.
And when that day everyone even myself will be laughing out of our exhaust pipes.
Wow....
Kinda strange how they talk about Hasbro like their favorite football team. Totally agree with how distribution is shocking and finding vintage toys is easier than buying a brand new toy.
Totally agree with you this time. I actually put a video out 10 mins before this on the same subject. It's a Emperors new clothes scenario with people having to pre order new products because they are scared of missing out. Haslab should be for someone special, that makes you go wow, not something that should be released on the main line. I'm not going anywhere near the horrendous Holiday Troopers 🤮
Damn..
The toy industry is now following the rest of the entertainment industry. Marketing Research used to mean "let's get our finger on the pulse. Will kids like this? Will collectors like this?" Today it is the industry telling us what we will like. I can see it's working on some folks.
All the issues you brought up is why I stopped collecting.
I recommend the good on the toys than the negative.
Another excellent video sir! I kept expecting you to bust out a Mark Wahlberg & say "Come on bro, are you for real?"
“Habros”are just hasbros employees!
My attitude towards Hasbro and modern collecting is, if I can get it - awesome, if not - I’m disappointed but I’ll move on. It’s all you can do these says, sadly.
As for GI Joes specifically, I think the line is getting better. I was seriously considering getting on it. But given the *first wave* is only starting hit shelves here in Australia and given how many proceeding waves are Target/etc exclusives - forget it. From Australia I have seen the future and it ain’t good.
Well, they are bored guys who have to SIMP for something and women are far too conventional I guess.
Bro grow up simp is a kids thing and what’s wrong with trying to do things for people
....
On Pulse: I just signed up for Hasbro Pulse last year, to see what kind of benefit I'd get... I have to agree that I don't think it has provided any value. As a pulse member stuff often ships slower to me than from other places, and with no extra care in packaging so it's still the same gamble if you will get something in good condition (that is honestly my biggest issue with Pulse as it would be worth the charge for premium packing, even if the shipping speed was the same). Also on the Hascon exclusives, the one I really wanted (Heros of Endor) was sold out WAY faster during the Pulse exclusive purchase window, than the next day open ordering period - so I was actually able to get anything I wanted easier as a non-pulse member! So, after the year is up, not renewing Pulse.
The entire world needs to see this video.
Nah
Hasbro Corporate Office is pushing hard for it become media producer. The American toy industry is dieing. Public companies may have the financial ability to higher quality items, they do not have the freedom to. Required to earn X on every product run. If not that line may be dropped like Jurassic Park.
Why is hasbro using go fund me model for special item? They doing so because it would not be made otherwise.
I am not excusing Hasbro but it is publicly traded so it has a fiduciary responsibility to share holders first.
Lmao "i dont like your fortnite dolls" Aaahhahaha
I am a 46 year old man who is a huge classic Dr Who fan and after watching some of your videos, I decided to start collecting the character creations 5" scale classic Dr Who figures, originally I had a 2018 B&M The Monsters collection set, featuring Tomb of the Cybermen Cyber-Controller, Attack of the Cybermen Cyberman and the Sontaran Skorr from the nuwho story Poison Sky (the Cybermen clinched the deal). I know own a further six collector sets 4 of them coasting me only £10 new.
My point is, this translates at around £10 ($13) for three action figures compared to Hasbro Star Wars Black Series, even the ones I have seen reduced your paying around £15 ($20) and new about £30 ($40) for one figure. I like the larger figure scale and the Dr Who figures are just better value, as far as I'm concerned.
Michael, the first point to make, is that this video made me want to hear the end credits music from War Games. Second point, Joshua probably doesn't exist and is really a marketing executive from Hasbro. Third point, if Joshua is real, let's have a presidential debate between you two. Fourth and final point, thanks for including slave girl Leia and Phoebe Cates, ( twice ) in your video, because, well just because. 😁
i feel much the same on this issue being a transformers collector i hate the word exclusive at this point what it really means is if i want to be able to complete my collection ill most likely have to pay an unreasonable price for the figures i desire or look at my collection and feel unsatisfied with it because there are things that should be there yet are not because of the limited availability the seem to do this with characters they know people are going to want a lot as well seems to me that they are trying to cause jealousy in the collector community but jealousy is a subtle form of hatred why they would want to cause collectors to hate each other instead of bonding over a common hobby is beyond me and to be honest seems like the worst thing they could possibly do to make the most money for themselves rather then for scalpers who buy and resell these exclusive figures a dick move and a stupid business decision if you ask me
Has-bros are a new kind of internet cringe.
Even if you agree with the concept of Haslab, the Razor Crest never needed crowd funding. Unlike the sail barge, the Razor Crest was never a market-risk.