PlaymoFriends
General => Collector's Corner => Mystery Figures Series => Topic started by: Jay on January 17, 2013, 15:18:55
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Okay, why am I not feeling the fun in the search here? I'm suppose to buy a pig in a poke, getting something I may not want,because I have no way of knowing what I buy until I open it, for close to twice the price of the 'specials' that you could load up on if you like, or avoid if you didn't, because this is supposed to be enjoyable? What am I missing here?
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It's the thrill of the hunt, the fun is in the surprise.
Like Panini stickers and collectable cards, I assume that kids can exchange their doubles with their friends to complete the series.
As adults, it's more difficult unless you have fellow collectors at work. ;D
Extras can also be used to create whole new characters.
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Around here (Canada), the Fi?ures are 50 cents less than Specials... and for those of us who spend a little time "feeling" the bags, we get what we want. It's easy to feel the dwarf's round shield for example. I have every one so far - and haven't made too many mistakes. For kids, like Redmao says, it's like all of those other collectable figs that are out there these days.
I hope you can find some cheaper fi?ures where ever you are, Jay - and feel for the ones who want. That's the game for us adults (and serious collectors).
David
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Well, trade inside a series, even if you had them all... you'd only get freaks, like the ones displayed on playmobil... how is THAT supposed to be attractive, I don't know.
Not sure they are cheap enough for several kids to have enough to trade.
Unfortunately, I'm hopeless at feeling he bags - when they're not boxed.
So far couldn't find cheap dwarves.
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i could see how this could be fun for a kid and a nightmare for a parent but i think its as close as playmobil can come to endorsing customization without also encouraging a kid to watch youtube videos on how to use mom and dad's tool kit to take it apart. it makes sense given where we are culturally in an era when even the notion of remixing is now a tradition and it gives kids a little of the experience of assembling stuff from a perceived ground up.
i fully understand the feeling that it's a cynical endeavor but it's something that is clicking with kids across brands, right?
i don't mind the mystery component, per se' but i think that is something generally more exciting for a kid who is able to experience the surprise factor when he or she opens a bag up. i agree with others who have chimed in about series 4 and will by no means buy the lot. i look forward to some of the figures like the hula girl and the stilted clown but probably would have been fine buying them as a 'special boxed release. i don't get a rush of anticipation or whatever because i mostly try to figure out everything before i leave a shop - all the while fearing that i'll get kicked out for fondling bags...fortunately i have my kids as cover. unfortunately, they are right in the fray with me, feeling around to see if they can figure the figs out. that's a little fun, to be honest,because we get to play a bit of a guessing game. i know a lot of criticism has been lodged at series 4 for doing unoriginal themes or rehashes. i agree from the vantage point of someone who ideally would like to see the mystery series as an opportunity to test out bold and daring possibilities for future series. instead, we're getting some of that with more of a 'sampler' approach - here's a princess, here's a pirate here's a fireman - which is too bad BUT i have to remind myself of the kid who is going to take these iconic genre figures and maybe have a ball mixing them up. they aren't necessarily going to be aware of what's been done before -whether it's a baseball player or a king.
now, to me, the biggest mystery of the mystery figures so far is their mysterious distribution here in the u.s.. is this a problem worldwide? what were the production runs? Did they overdo it with series 2 and scale back with 3? i'd love to know , y'know, wtf. with regards to series 3, among mom and pops on the east coast and midwest, some shops secured some while others i went to never had them and never offered, as is usually the norm, to special order. i was frequently routed to other brands who also do mystery figures.
we never saw these in toys r us - not in september and not in december. did some toys r us stores stock and others not? did they bring in the bare minimum and then choose not to reorder them? some members have reported getting them from kohls but that seems to be the exception and not the rule. i believe i read on one of the threads here of a member finding them at target. this would be valuable information to get hold of and a promising shift given that that relationship had presumably dissolved.
You can't sell what's not there (unless you work in finance) and that's a pity for everyone in the end because people the uninitiated will just move on to another toy maker waiting in the wings.
in any case, i can't really imagine the mystery figs being a long term line because it screams 'fad'. but maybe i'm wrong.
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I think the surprise would be fun for kids. I would certainly use them as cheap gifts for children or party favors.
As an adult, the surprise isn't quite as appealing. It would be nice to be able to order specific figures online (as a pcc benefit, maybe?).
I would like to see more original figures or revisions of retired specials (like they did with the guard). But I do like some of the figures, and they are a nice way to sample themes I can't afford to branch out into.
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I love the challenge of feeling the bags :love: - even if I do embarrass my teenage sons a little! ;D
Luckily, because of our Kirkbean Playmobil Exhibition, the local toy shop owners know me and don't mind me standing around for ages until I find what I want - in fact if they're not too busy they wait for me to open the bag to see if my guess is correct :lol: So far I have been right on all but two occasions :)
I do collect Specials, but buying those doesn't hold the same challenge!
Probably I'm just a big kid at heart :lol:
Elaine (http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac300/skypurr/mgqueen.gif)
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These are $5 a bag here at TRU. I did see some series 3 yesterday at one, but they also had 2 & 1. So, how well do these sell? If their idea is to compete with the Danish company, those are $3 a bag. Smaller figures, sure, but a few bucks cheaper. I've tried the 'feel' method, but as more than one person said, that's a bit weird. An adult hanging around a toy store feeling up toys is a bit unnerving for all involved.
I can't see any reason why they couldn't still have some way to make these kits like they are now and still let the buyer know what's in each kit. If someone want's to mix up the figures, then they can buy other kits.
Like a lot of people, there's a number of figures that I'd buy a bunch off, but I'm not going to take a chance on getting something I clearly don't want.
It would be nice to think that PMB knows what they are doing, but more than once we've seen them make dumb decissions.
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These are $5 a bag here at TRU. I did see some series 3 yesterday at one, but they also had 2 & 1. So, how well do these sell?
wow. this is one more reason why the bags need to be sold through tru's online site. there's just too much variance from one shop to the next. perhaps some of the american members here can start keeping one another informed on resources.
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$5 a bag?! :o
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If you think that's a lot, try London - Hamleys and Harrods have them for (are you sitting down?) 4 GBP per bag.
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I've gotten used to feeling the bags, but if I'm looking for a specific figure, like the flamenco lady which I cleaned out TRU of, then I almost feel guilty because some kid is never gonna get that "suprise." It would be awesome if we could just get the ones we want. The challenge is fun, but who needs unwanted figures that are nearly five bucks a pop?
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They're pretty expensive in Belgium and France, too. I only bought a couple from the first batch. Then stopped. I don't have that kind of money to waste.
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They're pretty expensive in Belgium and France, too.
And in Belgium hard to find. Only a few stores sell them, in very limited numbers.
If you go back to such a store a month later, they still have the same box, just without the ones you bought the last time and a few bought by other people. The most interesting figures are usually gone after the very first days (I think there are a lot of "secret" collectors in Belgium who you won't find on the forums or elsewhere on the web, but who know what they should look for)
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Same here - only know of two places that have them.. and in TRU they are boxed.
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these ought to be put out there broadly across a spectrum of shops as a way to introduce the toy and brand to a wider audience in a way that, perhaps, does not make retailers go through some of the normal rigid guidelines that the company allegedly imposes. why? because they're incredibly light, they travel well (unlike the boxes) and can rather easily be made to fill out retail racks in a number of environments.
our walgreens (a large chain of pharmacies) stocks a lot of different bagged toys from lego to diecast cars and on and on. this is just one example of a non-traditional retailer who could get these out there even if its at a small profit to playmobil. i most liken these, in packaging to what trading cards were when i was growing up - stuff for kids in news shops right up there next to the sweets.
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Would be much better if each figure series focused on a specific theme. That way you wont be stuck with clickies from themes you dont have and ever plan on having.
Easy enough to release 8 male and 8 female clickies in the themes of vacation, sports, medieval, western, science fiction, ancient times, scary stuff, etc.
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If they plan on continuing the figures series much longer I would think that combining male and female characters into a single set of 12 would be in order... 6 boys, 6 girls... perhaps rotating through the themes and doing 2-3 male and 2-3 female of each selected theme per series... but that is just because they will run out of ideas if they keep up this pace.
The actual market purpose of the figures series though is best met as is... getting kids interested in themes they don't have because the get a space man when they only collect knights... etc... but the company need to do a better job of market saturation with these guys... throw in a mini catalog with the online site into the bag and sell to the Walmart and Target type stores at break-even prices or even a loss leader to get the word out about Playmobil... these guys should be at every register everywhere and cheap enough that anybody can pick up one or two without having to have an excuse to get the kid a present... then the kids would ask for Playmobil themselves after perusing the catalog included with the figure.... my little rant :lol:
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Series 1 is $5au. We have had no other series and last time I went to TRU there were none left. I too prefer to know what I am getting and if the dwarf (for example) sells out, then Geobra should recognise that this is a line they should consider expanding.
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My problem with the F?gures is the volume. 48 per year makes it tough to get all the ones you want. Even though I have had success feeling bags. In Montreal they seem to be selling well with Series 1 and 2 mostly gone. Series 3 was not as readily available so most places are sold out. I did go to one place last week that had a new box and was able to find 2 more Grenadiers. Hopefully we keep getting more until Series 4 shows up in April. As for price they are 50 cents cheaper than Specials at 3.50 And the same price as Lego bags.
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If they plan on continuing the figures series much longer I would think that combining male and female characters into a single set of 12 would be in order... 6 boys, 6 girls... perhaps rotating through the themes and doing 2-3 male and 2-3 female of each selected theme per series... but that is just because they will run out of ideas if they keep up this pace.
The actual market purpose of the figures series though is best met as is... getting kids interested in themes they don't have because the get a space man when they only collect knights... etc... but the company need to do a better job of market saturation with these guys... throw in a mini catalog with the online site into the bag and sell to the Walmart and Target type stores at break-even prices or even a loss leader to get the word out about Playmobil... these guys should be at every register everywhere and cheap enough that anybody can pick up one or two without having to have an excuse to get the kid a present... then the kids would ask for Playmobil themselves after perusing the catalog included with the figure.... my little rant :lol:
I think they've already run out of ideas...
I can't understand their marketing and sales strategy at all; it is, to my mind, shambolic, but maybe they just don't have one, at least as far as North America is concerned.
As you say, Walgreens (and Rite Aid round my way) carry toys, and the Fi?ures would be ideal stock for their pegs, but no Playmobil is in evidence. It's as if Playmobil want to see a nice profit margin from every sale, and have no concept of widening their market base with loss leaders. The concern is that there are fewer retailers carrying Playmobil now than there were three years ago when I came to live in the USA, and in another five years Playmobil may become an online only purchase.
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My problem with the F?gures is the volume. 48 per year makes it tough to get all the ones you want. Even though I have had success feeling bags. In Montreal they seem to be selling well with Series 1 and 2 mostly gone. Series 3 was not as readily available so most places are sold out. I did go to one place last week that had a new box and was able to find 2 more Grenadiers. Hopefully we keep getting more until Series 4 shows up in April. As for price they are 50 cents cheaper than Specials at 3.50 And the same price as Lego bags.
If it was possible to get all 48 by only getting one of each, but that's not the reality. My son bought 6 of the Danish bagged figures at Christmas and had 3 of the same thing. I'm sure anyone who has bought a handful of the PMB has had the experience of getting 2 of the same, usually not the ones one would want. But, it's worked for the Danish company, though they are a few dollars cheaper. But so far I haven't found any place that has the PMB at clearance prices.
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Well in the UK we've got them for £1.99 near me, I've only bought from Toysurs and they only recently got the Series 3, I've never really looked in any other shops apart form a small one about 20 minutes walk from me and those are right by the counter. I feel for the figures I want and I'm always worried about not getting the right one but, I won't buy unless I'm fairly confident as I don't have the money to justify buying the figures I don't want, so far guessed all right out of the 6 I bought, I normally feel for a certain piece/s to identify a figure like Elvis's cape and then his hair which after feeling several Aliens convinced me I'd got the right one.
The ones I have bought I've liked all of them as figures I'd gladly get at least one more of most of them to keep one as an original and one to customise if I had more money to spare. I'm looking forward to Series 4 the figures do look a bit familiar let's face it they could be a lot more creative but, on the other hand I don't have similar figures to the ones being released so personally they'd still appeal to me enough to go out and get them, in contrast I'm really unimpressed with what I've seen of Series 5 so far.
I also think it's good that you can take them apart easily because I'm not very good with my hands at stuff like that so I think more figures which you can customise easily or a tool to help 'pop' Klickies is a good idea for kids and people like me who struggle to take figures apart although not necessarily in this format.
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I do love that they are easy to pop. I'm not very good at popping regular klickies, which is a problem because I have a couple older ones that need new parts.
Overall, I think it's a great idea, but:
(1) they need to be readily available [I can't even find them locally, and Toys 'R Us is very hard to get to by bus from where I am.]
(2) they need to be priced such that kids can buy them with their allowance.
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I do love that they are easy to pop. I'm not very good at popping regular klickies, which is a problem because I have a couple older ones that need new parts.
Overall, I think it's a great idea, but:
(1) they need to be readily available [I can't even find them locally, and Toys 'R Us is very hard to get to by bus from where I am.]
(2) they need to be priced such that kids can buy them with their allowance.
Yes I agree with you on those points it does seem like there is a wide variation in prices in some places it should ideally work out at being pretty much the same price regardless of where you live and they should be widely available, still for me at least I know that they're normally cheaper than on Ebay most are at £2.99 or more some are £5.99 or £6.99 ridiculous really :)
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A problem with putting mystery figs in Walgreens, is the price would be jacked up so high. They'd probably be 8 bucks a piece. There other toys are super overpriced. 12 dollar action figures, etc.
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A problem with putting mystery figs in Walgreens, is the price would be jacked up so high. They'd probably be 8 bucks a piece. There other toys are super overpriced. 12 dollar action figures, etc.
that's probably true. walgreens was really just an example and they're a changing presence as new stores are becoming more multipurpose and since they acquired drugstore.com.
ideally, target, walmart, barnes & noble...
online shops - yoyo.com, amazon. com (proper, not 3rd party)
toys r us has a monopoly on the national toy market and online. their umbrella company - geoffrey - owns tru, fao schwarz, etoys and toys.com. outside of limited stock in barnes & noble and kohls, i don't believe there is another national retailer that stocks playmobil in any capacity either virtually or in brick and mortar.
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Nunnery, good points. but up until a few years ago Walmart was the leading toy seller in the country. I don't know if it's still true. I would also suspect that Target either way is a close 3rd.
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Geobra did have a contract with Target and Walmart for a while but I bet they were a bit unflexible on prices. Its not really that benifical for them to even sell there as those stores are all about more for less where as Geobra is less for more. Geobra would be better off selling on their own site anyways and retain 100% of MSRP
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There are at least 3 Lego stores in the Chicago area, plus one of those super store type thing. PMB had 1 store in Orlando, and they closed that. A few years ago they had a traveling display which went to about 5 locations in all the US for about a week each. At the mall they chose for the Chicago area (small, class "B" mall) there was no store in it that actually sold any product at all.
Playmobil is trying very hard to have a very small market share in the US.
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Geobra did have a contract with Target and Walmart for a while but I bet they were a bit unflexible on prices. Its not really that benifical for them to even sell there as those stores are all about more for less where as Geobra is less for more. Geobra would be better off selling on their own site anyways and retain 100% of MSRP
Except they don't sell F?gures on their own site.
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That is odd, I think they used to :hmm:
Yes Geobra has not been able to crack the US market but I think it is more about the consumers and not the product
The product (playmobil) is a simple, innocent, neutral toy and US consumers are not very interested in that type of thing. Bigger, newer, lots of bells and whistle gadgets, movie action, flashy sells in the US.... its all about image and not content
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Ras, I'm not so sure. When Target sold them the shelves would empty out. And the TRU shelves were empty of PMB after Christmas. But walk into a TRU and one of the very first things you'll see is a wall of Lego. You have to go a long way into the store to find the PMB.
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Ras, I'm not so sure. When Target sold them the shelves would empty out. And the TRU shelves were empty of PMB after Christmas. But walk into a TRU and one of the very first things you'll see is a wall of Lego. You have to go a long way into the store to find the PMB.
yes playmobil is often out of stock but that is not an indication of sale volumes as it could just as easily be lack of merchandise to put on the shelf.
Yes lego is everywhere but that is their goal as they no longer have a patent on the brick. They now have to heavily work the brand to keep it going as that is all they have, the name and the deals with other brands like disney corp.
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Well, if it's off the shelf, that means it's selling and they should buy more to stock. Granted Lego has more competition, but they also have done a great job lately with their company by having great licenses for Disney, Star Wars, etc etc. We have seen very little exclusive Playmobil, and none in the US. By that, I mean museum pieces, companies, historical pieces, etc. They still are acting like they are exclusively German with some sales outside the country rather than an international company.
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Well, if it's off the shelf, that means it's selling and they should buy more to stock. Granted Lego has more competition, but they also have done a great job lately with their company by having great licenses for Disney, Star Wars, etc etc. We have seen very little exclusive Playmobil, and none in the US. By that, I mean museum pieces, companies, historical pieces, etc. They still are acting like they are exclusively German with some sales outside the country rather than an international company.
Jay if Goebra is not even able to keep their own web store stocked how do you propose them to keep distributors stocked? When a company is out they are out. Its not about TRU not buying stock its about Geobra having enough to go around. Also why would Geobra send sets to a distributor when they could sell the same set themselves and retain full MSRP.
That is exactly how they see themselves or at least act like it, a German company who occasionally sells to others.
Lego selling out to Disney, Pixar, Star Wars etc...(oh they are all the same mega. corporation) is not always a good thing as some see it as a deal with the devil.
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It's a tough choice. Not sure what the answer is. I suppose more production, but. then that makes it less exclusive. I suspect we like to think of us as the elite of toy buyers, which we are. So, we have to deal with the shortages, I guess, as well as the higher prices. As one of the other toy collection magzines used to say, the fun is in the search. So, lets enjoy what we can get when we can get it. (Though I'm still a fan of the surprise sets.)