Last week’s Toyark Discussion of the Week asked a very simple question. Do you believe that in-scale vehicles could be viable in the current toy market? We had some great, detailed responses this week. Here is a sampling below…
mattwrightkitty
“Amazing that we’ve seen what we have (Falcon, ATTE, Turbo Tank), but in the long run it seems that there are too many price-point concessions made (especially now that we KNOW retail price-point concessions can reach as deep as 50% before clearance.) That retail space is just too valuable in the eyes of retailers.
I submit that the end is near on extremely large-scale items, like the Falcon, but expect more reasonably sized, up-scaled items to continue.“
Johnnyakiba
“1/1 scale vehicles are quite desirable for fans and collectors alike but the biggest problem is cost and demand. I think that the Big Millenium Falcon was a great venture by Hasbro but it too costly for them to always produce in 1/1 scale, and with a higher production cost then it means higher MSRP. Will fans accept higher prices? I think not. I believe that Hasbro should continue to produce 1/1 scale vehicles BUT keep it as an exclusive or minimum production run so that they do not loose a great amount of money and still keep the niche of vehicle fans happy. Also, how about limited release? Maybe only 3-4 1/1 scale vehicles a year?
We already has some close to 1/1 scale Star Wars vehicles such as the Millenium Falcon, X-Wing, Tie Fighter. All of which I plan to purchase sometime in the near future.“
TenScaryMonkeys
“…That said, I understand and empathize with both the parental and retailer dilemmas – the toys are so huge and devour so much room that many parents can’t justify the sheer space they eat up (even at BBI’s ludicrously low price points, let alone Hasbro’s occasionally astronomical ones), and the fear of a box that massive shelf-warming today’s increasingly limited toy aisles is an undeniable consideration. Heck, they broke the aforementioned Apache down to as small a footprint as one can expect without sacrificing durability, and that monster’s box still clocked in at almost 2 feet long. Despite post-Christmas clearance sales bringing the behemoth down to around $15, it was still really easy to find that toy around here until nearly February. That’s simply absurd for an item as well-crafted and undeniably appealing as the BBI Apache…“
Snowflakian
“I kinda hope hasbro would consider the same with playsets. Think about it, interconnective playsets that work on a by room basis that become a shield helicarrier in scale when all connected over time. Like a BAF world I keep talking about.
There’s no reason that it couldn’t be done to be honest. Doll houses do it all the time.
Why not build an entire world like that? Sewers with street tops that interconnect, to rooms that build stark tower, or the X-mansion, or avengers mansion. Even the sentry tower. And even the shield helicarrier, or as others mentioned the millenium falcon by chunks. It’d lower the cost per item for greater sales, allow fans and kids alike to build there own desired one, and could cover the entire marvel or SW universe, even Joe universe ones in time…“
Thanks to everyone again for participating. Look for a new discussion later today.
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