http://money.cnn.com/2005/02/07/news/mid...o_results/

Verrecchia said the company was blindsided by an unexpected $97 million year-over-year decline in sales from its Beyblade brand of spinning top toys and lower margins on its high-volume Videonow products, which is a portable, handheld personal video player for kids.

I don't get it the next line says it was a big success with the consumer, but from a financial standard what the hell? Oh and I can tell you one thing for certain the prices they had HMS at were what killed it. I almost had to pay like 13 dollars for one stupid Thunder Dragon.

---

I don't get it the next line says it was a big success with the consumer, but from a financial standard what the hell? Oh and I can tell you one thing for certain the prices they had HMS at were what killed it. I almost had to pay like 13 dollars for one stupid Thunder Dragon.

That was talking about Videonow.

Yes, the prices were crazy ... there were so many mismanagement steps.

Yeah, really. They thought one lousy WC would be enough to keep sales up, but since they never held any tournaments after that, there was very little reason for kids to keep playing. Plus, lots of kids simply outgrew the sport.

---

Yeah, really. They thought one lousy WC would be enough to keep sales up, but since they never held any tournaments after that, there was very little reason for kids to keep playing. Plus, lots of kids simply outgrew the sport.

For people who weren't in proximity of the VERY few Beyblade events held, it didn't affect them.

Hasbro didn't market the game as a strategy game at all. Most players had no way of telling one Beyblade's abilities from another. Thus, there was no reason to keep buying them. Hasbro has to be one of the few companies I've ever seen ANTI-marketing their own products (eg. removing the strategy sections from instruction guides).

There was also no Beyblade magazine/website with decent information, which would have helped a LOT. Beyblade.com could've been a great site.

That's the attitude problem. In Japan, hobbies are a big thing, while in USA, parents would rather their children spend their time more... productively? Is that a good word to use?

---

That's the attitude problem. In Japan, hobbies are a big thing, while in USA, parents would rather their children spend their time more... productively? Is that a good word to use?

Good word to use for sure. Unfortunately, most parents (both in Japan and the USA) don't realize the real benefits of having your kids involved in something like this. There has to be a balance for sure, but these hobbies are very useful for building social interaction, logic, etc.

That's the attitude problem. In Japan, hobbies are a big thing, while in USA, parents would rather their children spend their time more... productively? Is that a good word to use?

Good word to use for sure. Unfortunately, most parents (both in Japan and the USA) don't realize the real benefits of having your kids involved in something like this. There has to be a balance for sure, but these hobbies are very useful for building social interaction, logic, etc.

ya there that but beyblades are mad fun to

Organization would have helped too... I remember going to a scheduled Rip Zone event, but when I went there they were like "Rip zone?"

We never even had rip zones in Canada, we had the YTV events, which, in their defense, were at least "okay".

Organization would have helped too... I remember going to a scheduled Rip Zone event, but when I went there they were like "Rip zone?"

Yeah. That happened to me too.

---

Credit for the avatar and sig go to Nic. THANK YOU!

START LIVING BEFORE YOU START DYING

That's the attitude problem. In Japan, hobbies are a big thing, while in USA, parents would rather their children spend their time more... productively? Is that a good word to use?

Good word to use for sure. Unfortunately, most parents (both in Japan and the USA) don't realize the real benefits of having your kids involved in something like this. There has to be a balance for sure, but these hobbies are very useful for building social interaction, logic, etc.

They'd much rather have their children knock their heads in playing in a junior football league (This is in America, btw.) As was brought out, Hasbro pretty much screwed over Beyblade. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times: Hasbro would have been better off kicking Beyblade responsabilities to Wizards of the Coast. We would have more than likely recieved better quality tournaments and more of them.
As for the high prices of HMS killing the finacial productivity of the brand, that was Takara's doing. Over here, it was Hasbro's stupidity for taking so long to complete the HMS releases. That would have maybe kept some interest floating about.

---

How was it Takara's doing? HMS was about the same price in Japan as every other Beyblade.

How was it Takara's doing? HMS was about the same price in Japan as every other Beyblade.

It was? Hum...well, it must just be the import price, but those kinds of prices (especially with places like ToyWiz), are somewhat expected. And I thought Kei was referring to the Japanese prices. Now that I realize it was probably the Hasbro retail prices, I understand what he's talking about. Wal-Mart sold HMS for $10 when they first came out

---

Those toywiz prices are because they want to make an insane profit.

They'd much rather have their children knock their heads in playing in a junior football league (This is in America, btw.)

I was just about to ask about that XD

Oh well, here, parents' main focus are... studies, and more studies~

It was? Hum...well, it must just be the import price, but those kinds of prices (especially with places like ToyWiz), are somewhat expected. And I thought Kei was referring to the Japanese prices. Now that I realize it was probably the Hasbro retail prices, I understand what he's talking about. Wal-Mart sold HMS for $10 when they first came out O_o

Christmas 100yen sales were the best thing that ever came to bey. Pity most of them were gone by the time I got there.

---

They'd much rather have their children knock their heads in playing in a junior football league (This is in America, btw.)

I was just about to ask about that XD

Oh well, here, parents' main focus are... studies, and more studies~

It was? Hum...well, it must just be the import price, but those kinds of prices (especially with places like ToyWiz), are somewhat expected. And I thought Kei was referring to the Japanese prices. Now that I realize it was probably the Hasbro retail prices, I understand what he's talking about. Wal-Mart sold HMS for $10 when they first came out

Christmas 100yen sales were the best thing that ever came to bey. Pity most of them were gone by the time I got there.

*dies*
mannnnnnnnnn

Don't even get me started. I had a permanent 50% off discount at Ideal as they were winding down Beyblade sales, but I had no interest ... D:

75% off at Target.

I only bought 2 =(
(Dragoon and Draciel v2)

---

balls

I missed the only event i've ever heard of in my area a few years back. i think it was some lead up to the world champs or something.

I think the anime tie in was very important... i don't know when they stopped playing eps on free to air tv in other countries... but it wasn't long enough here i believe.

It was? Hum...well, it must just be the import price, but those kinds of prices (especially with places like ToyWiz), are somewhat expected. And I thought Kei was referring to the Japanese prices. Now that I realize it was probably the Hasbro retail prices, I understand what he's talking about. Wal-Mart sold HMS for $10 when they first came out

When did I say anything?? o_o

---

I would have played in the "Blader Jam" tourney they held in Toronto years ago, but my family dragged me out of town that weekend. You better believe I was pissed.

---

I would have played in the "Blader Jam" tourney they held in Toronto years ago, but my family dragged me out of town that weekend. You better believe I was pissed.

I didn't have any real Beyblades when that happened, haha.

i was supposed to be in new york the same day as the WC, but my trip got canceled cause of increased border security and my parents decided not to go. one of the other things that ruined beyblade sales was that hasbro was obsessed with putting an engine gear in blades that never had them originally making the blades that everyone were waiting for utterly useless and worthless to buy

---

Engineers: If it wasn't for us there'd be no mechs for emo pilots to fly

i was supposed to be in new york the same day as the WC, but my trip got canceled cause of increased border security and my parents decided not to go. one of the other things that ruined beyblade sales was that hasbro was obsessed with putting an engine gear in blades that never had them originally making the blades that everyone were waiting for utterly useless and worthless to buy

Not true. Many Beyblades, particularly the BEGA Beyblades minus Gigars and Zeus, were improved by the addition.