Author Topic: 5843 US fire truck  (Read 15313 times)

Offline Gustavo

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2008, 20:10:36 »


I won't try to figure out ...
Too weird.

& I don't want to take the blame away from Playmobil for mistakes; they should take care about what they put in the market. And I agree : You should send it back.

Maybe I should write to Playmobil myself ...

It's so bad to see that we can't simply buy just anything from Playmobil anymore, but have to be careful (?!?!!) ... True is that many children will not complain. We collectors suffer badly, though :hmm:

Gus
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Gus
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Offline Jahme88

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #11 on: September 01, 2008, 02:45:47 »
Such a shame that this set is such sub-par bunko. :(  The klickies look rather nice.....but I don't think I can deal with those horrible hard plastic wheels just to obtain the firefighter figures. >:(

I was going to purchase this for my nephews.....but I don't think I want to now.  I want to boycott these poor quality abominations. I didn't fall in love with this high quality, European-made toyline just to watch it farm it'self out to the global cheap machine.    :o :-\

I wonder which plant the "Fire Rescue Helicopter" is coming from?
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Offline socrates

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #12 on: September 02, 2008, 08:50:36 »
I cant believe something like this is produced under official playmobil license... >:(

The figures are nice, though,...

best,
socrates
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Offline Bill Blackhurst

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2008, 15:55:43 »
Hi everyone!
 I went to TRU today, & was able to find only one of the 5843 fire engines in the whole store, because I wanted to see it for myself! When I asked the sales associate how they were selling, I was told that I was lucky to find one because they couldn't keep them on the shelves  :hmm:! The associate said TRU was at the mercy of the suppling warehouse of what items they received on their restocking order. I am like Rasputin in this review! This item is horrible! I cannot believe that Playmobil has resorted to this level of quality & market thirst >:(! I am at this point spoiled from the quality of the retired 3526 & 3880 fire engine's :P. I am going to return this item, because I don't want Playmobil to have my purchase as a positive market reflection on this item  :hissyfit:! I am totally dismayed in regards to the function of this item. All I can figure is Playmobil is going to have two markets for its items in this country. One for the higher scale buyer in the mom & pop, brick & mortar stores, & one for the mass market level Targets, & TRU's. As far as a collector goes, this is a disgrace to the Playmobil name, & I will not endorse this type of quality ever! The only thing that worries me is that Playmobil is receiving a wrong market response to this type of product due to the level of sales with no negative reviews! People are buying this item because of the reputation of quality from the Playmobil name at a can't pass it up price! But I question if people even know what the Playmobil name represents like we do? Do they then swear off buying anything from Playmobil again in the future due to getting Fisher Price quality? I challenge everyone not to buy these inferior Playmobil toys like the chicken dragon with shedding wings, & this poor excuse for a fire engine wanna be, & if they have, to return them to let Playmobil know to change their course of development, or we all may regret not doing anything, because we may be the only voice they will hear! I'll get off my soap box now, ' cause I'm on my way back to TRU to return this piece of   :evilplan:! Oh, & by the way! The instructions for the fire engine wanna be are written in all foreign languages, so it's possible that everyone around the world may get this little slice of heaven in the future instead of a unimog type vehicle?! BEWARE!!!!
« Last Edit: September 03, 2008, 16:32:14 by Bill Blackhurst »
  Forget about all of the other stuff,....all we need is the reintroduction of the 3526 Fire Engine!

Offline Martin Milner

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2008, 16:31:01 »
When I asked the sales associate how they were selling, I was told that I was lucky to find one because they couldn't keep them on the shelves  :hmm:! The associate said TRU was at the mercy of the suppling warehouse of what items they received on their restocking order.

Well now I'm very confused about how the US toy buying public go about their business.

Are these Fire Trucks selling to previous buyers of Playmobil, or to people who aspire to own Playmobil but couldn't afford a proper fire truck with all the tools and bits?

If the former, will they be disappointed to find that you don't get much more than a box on wheels for $20, or did they think all the tools and bits just got broken or hoovered up, and they're glad not to have them?

If the latter, are they happy to find that you don't get much more than a box on wheels for $20, and did they think all the tools and bits just added to thew price for no purpose, and they're glad not to buy them?

How do they know about this truck if they don't already shop for Playmobil? Are there big signs on the shop saying "Playmobil quality at Bargain Basement Prices".

In the long run, as Bill says, does this mean we'll have two streams of Playmobil, the stuff with all the tools and quality, and the stripped down sets? Or will the former slowly vanish in a puff od short-term profits?

Finally, what are these cut-price cut-contents sets doing for Playmobil's reputation and luxury market niche placement? Will the US public be saying, "Playmobil? That's just like Fisher Price, isn't it?"



Offline Bill Blackhurst

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #15 on: September 03, 2008, 16:56:52 »
Well now I'm very confused about how the US toy buying public go about their business.

Are these Fire Trucks selling to previous buyers of Playmobil, or to people who aspire to own Playmobil but couldn't afford a proper fire truck with all the tools and bits?

If the former, will they be disappointed to find that you don't get much more than a box on wheels for $20, or did they think all the tools and bits just got broken or hoovered up, and they're glad not to have them?

If the latter, are they happy to find that you don't get much more than a box on wheels for $20, and did they think all the tools and bits just added to thew price for no purpose, and they're glad not to buy them?

How do they know about this truck if they don't already shop for Playmobil? Are there big signs on the shop saying "Playmobil quality at Bargain Basement Prices".

In the long run, as Bill says, does this mean we'll have two streams of Playmobil, the stuff with all the tools and quality, and the stripped down sets? Or will the former slowly vanish in a puff od short-term profits?

Finally, what are these cut-price cut-contents sets doing for Playmobil's reputation and luxury market niche placement? Will the US public be saying, "Playmobil? That's just like Fisher Price, isn't it?"




Hello Martin!

I'm glad to have you weigh in on this subject!

The wanna be was cleverly disguised on the shelves with the new circus, dinosaurs, roman, skate park, & other quality themes! It is true that most of the accessories that come with the previous Playmobil items are irresponsibly lost or "hoovered up" within a week after purchase, but I feel that is the parents fault for not showing children responsibility of taking care of a high end purchase! When I first got into Playmobil in 1998 at the time of the 3880 fire engine entrance, it was going for approximately $50.00 to $55.00. At that time Playmobil franchises were under contract to sell for the suggested retail price with no internet sales! The 3879 ladder truck went for approximately $65.00 to $69.00 new! Then there were around 8 brick & mortar toy stores in this area. Now that number has dwindled to 3 :'(. And as I reported earlier, Martin, the instructions are in all languages, a scary thought, ey?
« Last Edit: September 03, 2008, 18:52:13 by Bill Blackhurst »
  Forget about all of the other stuff,....all we need is the reintroduction of the 3526 Fire Engine!

Offline playmofire

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #16 on: September 03, 2008, 17:20:29 »
And as I reported earlier, Martin, the instructions are in all languages, a scary thought, ey?

Hopefully, that's only with an eye on low price foreign markets.  Certainly, any move by Playmobil to this level of quality in general and I'll be one customer leaving them, but I'm sure it won't come to that.  And to try and see that is the case, I'm going to write to Zirndorf expressing my disappointment at their move.
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Offline LHAAP

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #17 on: September 03, 2008, 17:30:04 »
I don't think PLAYMOBIL's home market will accept this quality  :hmm:

Offline Jahme88

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #18 on: September 03, 2008, 20:33:56 »
We have to remember that 99% of the time these are not flying off the shelves because of collectors who are mindful of the overall quality.  Instead these are being snapped up by little fellas, who are walking the aisles with their mom's, who see a brightly colored firetruck and begin to beg for it.  Mom notices a decent price and the niffty features of the water pump, lights and sound and plunks it into the cart.

Mom and Dad will bring the truck home, put it together and hand it to Junior.....never to pay any attention to quality and construction, or perhaps they will mumble something about toys getting cheaper and cheaper these days, yadda yadda.  Probably they will be oblivious to the fact that Playmobil vehicles traditionally have rubber tires and better plastic.  They won't care that it doesn't have a bunch of tiny accessories for Junior to swallow, in fact that may well be why they decided to finally buy a blue box for Junior, as he has a habit of gnawing on everything he plays with.  The little fella will develop an attachment for his firefighter klickies and the next time they go toy shopping, Mom might buy him some more blue box items, since he "loved that firetruck so much."

Ya never know.



I am in no way happy with this new low quality in the US mass market, but, are we, the small community of collectors going to sway them from their business plan when the key customer is not us.....but that wide-eyed little fella at the toystore and his parents.

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Offline Bill Blackhurst

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Re: 5843 US fire truck
« Reply #19 on: September 04, 2008, 00:53:18 »

I am in no way happy with this new low quality in the US mass market, but, are we, the small community of collectors going to sway them from their business plan when the key customer is not us.....but that wide-eyed little fella at the toystore and his parents.




I only hope that Playmobil's history of quality dose not fall victim to the tantrums of American children during an impulse buy! Why have the low quality items started showing up in this country recently, & what makes us think that other future Playmobil themes will not be compromised also? If Playmobil does not think anyone cares about their quality, & we don't tell them like these little wide-eyed fellows parents should, why should Playmobil care? As stated in the earlier posts in this thread, other countries would not accept this low grade quality, so why should we? The made in China effect, Dragons with shedding wings, wanna be fire trucks, what next? All Playmobil vehicles assembled with plastic tires? No accessories which is what makes this toy line so great for a child's imagination, & has hooked faithful collectors like us? It may take people like us to make Playmobil realize that their efforts through the years have not been in vain! That the reason children have grown up, & have started collecting again with their children, & grandchildren, is the reputation for quality & attention to detail from when they were a child, not because it's shiny red, & squirts water theory. Playmobil has maintained their standard of quality for nearly 30+ years, why would they want to tarnish it now?
« Last Edit: September 04, 2008, 07:03:25 by Martin Milner »
  Forget about all of the other stuff,....all we need is the reintroduction of the 3526 Fire Engine!