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[David]

Here's an interesting story from Yakface that indicates retailers are facing serious fines for breaking the street dates.

Here is an interesting story from frequent e-mailer EvilAniimation:


i decide to to Target at lunch and I found the entire wave of new Star Wars including vehicles and Clone Wars, and I noticed a lady that had a Hasbro name tag looking and scanning the figures. So I kinda hung around deciding if I need a couple of doubles like the AT-AT commander and cloud car pilot. I overhear her on her phone calling someone and then she gives the zip code of the store and store number and starts talking about a fine of $200 saying this stuff should not be out tell August 3rd. She then says that the manager is not there but she has already informed the supervisor and they are aware.

She also said that the new Transformers were out so they could be dinged on that as well. So I quickly grabed the figures I wanted and head to the front because I could hear talking about having someone from electronic come over and pull these off the shelf.


I think that $200 fine is per offending item and not a one time fee so if true, stores are looking at some serious infractions for setting the new goods early.

[CHEWIE]

I say more power to the retailers.

If they have the stuff, let 'em sell it... keep the economy churning, don't try and slow it down Hasbro.   

 

[darth_sidious]

I cant imagine this will be the case, either the Hasbro rep was wrong or the person reporting this didnt hear them correctly, because there is no way retailers would stand for these fines, they'd probably tell Hasbro to keep their products instead of going through this nonsense.

[David]

Yeah I think I agree with you guys, and it seems like it would be such a waste of time, money, resources, etc. for Hasbro to be sending reps to a ton of stores just to find out if stuff is being sold a few days/a week or two earlier than instructed. And the other thing I don't understand about this whole thing is why Hasbro would send stuff to the retailers TWO MONTHS early if they want it to be released on a specific date. All it's doing is taking up space.

[darth_sidious]

Good point David, if they dont want these items sold before a certain date, they shouldnt distribute them so long ahead.  Stores carry thousands of products, and they shouldnt have to worry about Lucasfilm's desire to have figures out at a specific time.