Variants Over Kill

[Spitfire]

I counted from the start of the line till now and there's 44*Maybe even more* variants of the TMNT. That's insane, I think thats as many different lines of TMNT as there is just normal figures all together...anyone know why they destroyed the line with variant overload? I don't know about you guys but I like secondary characters as well.

[Toonami Tom]

Whoa, that is a lot. I really dislike most of the variants and I really wish they would have made more secondary characters. I have never understood why kids and collectors would buy varaints of the same character over and over again, with most of them never showing up on the cartoon. That's also been the situation with the Batman figures.

[Roseangelo]

It's because the main characters sell better than the secondary characters, even in goofy costumes.

[VaughnMichael]

It's because the main characters sell better than the secondary characters, even in goofy costumes.
I'd like proof of that...because it took stores years to get rid of half of those variants from the old line they had tuns of them for like a dollar or 2.00 at the end.

[Spitfire]

Yeah I always see the secondary characters sold out and all that I ever see sitting around are the turtles, or a if there are any non-turtles their hidden behind all the turtles.

[shuriken]

This always bothered the hell out of me when I was a kid. All thye cool secondary villains were hidden in between the crap loads of variants.

[Krueger]

Because I ♥ variants. :P

[Drtooth]

Yeah I always see the secondary characters sold out and all that I ever see sitting around are the turtles, or a if there are any non-turtles their hidden behind all the turtles.

Paleo Partol and Battle nexus especially. Now, I think the Mystic Warrior turtles were GREAT. They had new head sculpts and everything. They were actually original, and didn't need some goofy non-episode specific varients. Just loosely based off events in the show at best? Damn. no wonder the line was in danger so many times.

But the problem with toy companies is they actually think that the main characters outsell the secondaries. The palisades Muppet Line had trouble in its first series due to the fact that Piggy and Kermit were double packed, while the ones people actually wanted, Bunsen Honeydew and Dr. Teeth were shortpacked.

Yes, I did collect some of the varients as a kid, but I didn't like every single one. The only good thing about the junk armor turtles was they came in minature and large sizes. That at least shook it up.

However, if the varients were all available in the miniature size, I'd have got them all. At least their cheaper to buy, easier to display, and frankly more fun to collect.

[Slash]

Paleo Partol and Battle nexus especially. Now, I think the Mystic Warrior turtles were GREAT. They had new head sculpts and everything. They were actually original, and didn't need some goofy non-episode specific varients. Just loosely based off events in the show at best? Damn. no wonder the line was in danger so many times.

That's why Transformers Beast Wars was the best at making variants. Each variant was a new mold. Save for some random repaints that were more or less exclusives; IE Blue Rattaps, Fox Kids promo repaints, etc.

If TMNT took on the approach that Transformers is doing, TMNT would be a great seller.

[Drtooth]

What bothered me is that at the beginning of the line, playmates vowed they wouldn't be non-episode specific as the Extreme sports turtles were (at least they rode their respective vehicles in the opening theme song. It's very quick, but you could at least see it). Then we got (sorry to dredge up painful history) Prototypes of the space hoppin' turtles that actually had them wear the triceriton space suits, instead of the cheap, generic looking ones they eventually made. And we still never got Battle Damage Turtles.

[OA]

Yeah I always see the secondary characters sold out and all that I ever see sitting around are the turtles, or a if there are any non-turtles their hidden behind all the turtles.

Well, thats easily explained in that usually the secondary charachters are very much underpacked in relation to the variants. So if you have only 1 or 2 of a figure on the pegs versus 10 or so of the variants, chances are you're gonna see more of the variants than the secondary ones...

[jestergoblin]

It's not that non-turtles are shortpacked, it's that there are FOUR main characters. If they release one of each turtle and one shredder, people complain that "Shredder was shortpacked!" While in reality, none of them are. It's a matter of perspective.

And yes, the main characters from lines sell better than secondary characters. Kids want the Spider-Mans and Batmans, they are less interested in the Robins.

[OA]

It's not that non-turtles are shortpacked, it's that there are FOUR main characters. If they release one of each turtle and one shredder, people complain that "Shredder was shortpacked!" While in reality, none of them are. It's a matter of perspective.

I dunno about that...I know there are four turtles, but when I see multiples of EACH turtle, and only 1 (maybe 2) of the secondary, I consider that being shortpacked. There is no way that they are putting the same amount of secondary characters as they are they are the turtles (and rightfully so one could argue). Just take a look at the movie line and I see tons of EACH basic turtle and a small smattering of the secondary characters.

[VaughnMichael]

It's not that non-turtles are shortpacked, it's that there are FOUR main characters. If they release one of each turtle and one shredder, people complain that "Shredder was shortpacked!" While in reality, none of them are. It's a matter of perspective.

And yes, the main characters from lines sell better than secondary characters. Kids want the Spider-Mans and Batmans, they are less interested in the Robins.
Well I must have been a differnt type of kid in the 80s cause I sure as hell didn't want farmer mike I wanted Antrax & Scale Tale.

[Zog the Equalizer]

I wouldn't necessarily say that secondary characters always sell out because my local HEB (grocery store) has had the same Baxter Stocman on the shelf every time Ive been there for the past year and a half, possibly longer.

[Spitfire]

Yeah same here, but on the subject we're talking the old line as well. And the old lines secondary characters were the best.

[jestergoblin]

When going back through my old collection, I have 150ish Ninja Turtle action figures of the 80s/90s line. I have 23 different Leos, 18 Mikeys, 19 Donnies and 26 Raphs. There were some variants that I loved (Cave turtles, mutating turtles, Cyber Samurai, Winged Warrior), some of them were pointless.

Meanwhile, Slash and Triceraton were always my favorite figures.

As for the case ratios, there is no such thing as a perfect ratio. If you perfectly balance the case (4 turtles, 4 secondary figures) you'll end up with an overstock of Aprils, while Leo, Mike, Raph, Don, Shredder, Foot Ninja and Splinter continually moved off the shelf. As a company, the manufacturers would much rather have a parent see a shelf of figures and see the four turtles than a shelf of figures consisting of a while chick, a black head robo-spider and a grey haired man who looks like he should come with a hair brush.

We're adult collectors, a term I use for anyone over the age of 14 buying action figures, and our demands are different than the standard parent buying for their kid.

[mattmanw54301]

I got the main 4 turtles very early on as a kid. I mostly wanted the other characters.

[JaffleMan]

The only times i ever wanted an extra turtle as a kid were when one of my main turtle figures were lost or broken. And in such an event, I would always try and get another of the regular '88 turtle figure's. And if they couldn't be found, at least a figure like the wacky-action or storage shell figures that at least resembled the '88 figures.

The only times i got variants of the TMNT were when "Santa" brought them or when my Mum said I could choose a figure and all they had left were turtle variants. Now that I come to think of it, about 80% of "Santa" purchased turtle figures were turtle variants. I guess my Mum bought them as they were probably the only characters she recognised and that she didn't understand that multiple character variants offered little play value.

I remember one time as a kid going into a Myers store and seeing Antrax, I grabbed the figure and asked my Mum if I could have it. Her response was no as target had a sale on TMNT and that when we got there i could have 2 figures. Eventually we arrived at target but all they had were sewer sports figures. I reluctantly snagged the soccer themed Raph and the basketball player Don. I think I gave Don away and Raph never got touched, that was how little I cared for those figures and I never saw an Antrax on shelf again yet i looked constantly. It was 12 years later that I finally found him at a market. He is now the only figure sitting on my computer desk at the moment and I can only wish i had him as a kid.

So looking back on this, i wonder if todays children are in the same situation now today as I was in as a kid? I'm guessing there are a few kids out there who have always been on the lookout for a Gen, but have had their parents constantly dumping paleo patrol figures and the like in their Santa sacks.
If that's the case it's not the best way to keep children's interest in the line. I know that's why I stopped buying TMNT as a kid, because come 1994 all I could get were turtle variants, so I always asked for something else instead.


Does playmates ever do marketing research by asking kids what they want?

[Spitfire]

I think the Big Foot forum is a piece of that, but I think they know 90% of the figures are being bought by Darth...I mean adult toy collectors.

[BigApple3AM]

I think the Big Foot forum is a piece of that, but I think they know 90% of the figures are being bought by Darth...I mean adult toy collectors.

Bonus points!