The present economic crisis has hit the 3Q earnings of toy companies.  We have Christmas coming up in 2 months’ time but analysts are not fully convinced that it will be enough to prop up sales. 

The more inter-connected our global economies are, the more likely they tend to fall like dominos when anyone of them is badly affected.  Even the toy companies are not spared from this bear market . . .

“Higher expenses cost toymaker Mattel dearly in the third quarter.”

“On Monday, Mattel (nyse: MAT - news - people ) reported its third-quarter earnings rose slightly, but not enough to beat analysts’ forecasts due to a litany of higher costs: substantial increases in resin prices, which is used heavily in toys, higher wages in China, a stronger Chinese currency and product-testing costs. By contrast, rival Hasbro (nyse: HAS - news - people ) beat expectations by a few pennies.”

Read the full report here.

“SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Toy giant Hasbro reported Monday a 14% profit decline for the third quarter, topping Wall Street’s target, while larger rival Mattel Inc. posted a 1% rise in profit, below analysts’ average estimate.” Read the full report here. 

I’m delighted to know that this Lamborghini Gallardo Polizia by Bburago is now being sold by online die-cast model car sellers, though I don’t see it in any of the local departmental stores yet.

Last year, I found the 1:18 scale model by Maisto in our departmental stores and my visiting pony collector friend from New Zealand bought hers from here when she spotted it.

I’m not sure if I’m getting this model as I expect it to cost SGD 22.90 like my recent 1:24 scale Bburago Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggeras. 

At least the bonnet can be opened, unlike those of my Superleggeras, which made feel a bit cheated for paying SGD 3.00 more for one less function.

I’ve also seen the real Lamborghini Gallardo Polizia in action on YouTube.  You’ve got to see it to believe it.

Here’s another YouTube video where the police officer who drives this car was interviewed.  He had ever pulled over drivers who were initially very indignant about getting caught for speeding but when they saw his Lamborghini Gallardo Polizia, they promptly handed over their driving licenses.  Some of them even bowed to his car, haha.  I think the locals there generally respect their Italian super car brands.

Well I normally get my toys during a sale but I couldn’t resist upon seeing these 2 Bburago Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggeras (1:24 scale) selling at a departmental store on Friday.  Fortunately I had some store vouchers with me and I used them to get these 2 model cars at a ‘discount’.  Actually I was hoping to save those vouchers for non-toy stuff that I could use, but oh well, I used them anyway. 

I find that it would be easy for Bburago to make the 1:24 scale Superleggera because they could have easily re-used the same mold for the Gallardo.  They just needed to change the boot cover and sports rims.  However there were indeed some slight differences in the new 1:24 scale Superleggera mold.

Firstly, the Superleggera’s bonnet cover can no longer be opened like in the Gallardo.  I want back the bonnet that can be opened!

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There are here at last!  The latest 1:24 scale Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggeras by my favourite toymaker, Bburago!  There are only 2 colors to choose from - yellow with black door stripes, and bronze with black door stripes.

I’m not a fan of racing stripes, hence I prefer these 2 model cars to not have the door stripes and be in plain solid colors throughout instead.  However once you take the cars out of their boxes, the door stripes look kinda good on them.

Despite Bburago being consistent in its standards and qualities, I finally ended with an imperfect 1:24 scale yellow Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera.  This is something you can’t tell until you test the car by rolling its wheels on a smooth table or floor.

The yellow Lambo I got has a right front wheel that seems to hinged up too high that it bumps onto the interior of its die-cast metal body covering, making a lot of noise as it jerks along with great difficulty, as if it is braking all the time.  I wanted to go back to change for another similar car but as really like the painting on this one, I decided to look into resolving the issue myself.

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While combing through the major departmental stores along Orchard Road for latest My Little Pony and other collectible toys with my pony collector friend today, we came across this variant Ponyville Bumper Cars pack at one of the departmental stores. 

Starsong and Pinkie Pie have now taken over Sweetie Belle and Royal Bouquet in the bumper cars pack.  It’s just another form of cheap re-packaging method by Hasbro to make it look as if it is a new item.  I doubt even the kids today will be that easily taken in by this ‘makeover’ Ponyville pack.

We also spotted this new Ponyville Song and Dance pack at the same departmental store where there was only 1 piece.  My friend decided to get it, partly because she loved the cute outfits, and partly also to ’satisfy’ her ‘craving’ for more Ponyville stuff to add to her ever expanding collection. 

For me, I spotted something else that got me more excited and it even over-shadowed our Ponyville find today.  Well, it’s definitely something that I’ve been collecting and expecting to find in the retail stores anytime soon.  So what could that exciting thing be?  I’ll reveal it in tomorrow’s post!

I’ll be meeting a pony collector friend tomorrow to exchange the special edition ponies that we both ordered from the US last month.  I’ll be receiving “Give Kids the World Village Special Edition” Twinkle Hope Pony  from my friend while my friend will be getting ‘Blue Art’ Pony from me. 

 These 2 ponies actually arrived on the same day last week at both our homes.  According to my friend, Twinkle Hope looks quite good in person.  At least she comes in a normal regular store pony box, unlike ‘Blue Art’ Pony who comes in a large ’special collector’s edition’ box, which only serves to take up more space than it should.

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The UK My Little Pony Convention 2008, also known as UK PonyCon 2008 took place over the weekend.  The event was even covered as a news article by their local online media. 

This article is not that great because it was done by a non-My Little Pony collector journalist.  Hence you get a feel of the cynicism typical of non-toy collectors have for toy collectors. 

Nevertheless, it’s still good publicity and the article is still cool for pleasure reading. 

“Retail price wars are starting early this year, and the latest weapon is the $10 toy — a signal that retailers are bracing for a rough-and-tumble Christmas shopping season.”  Here’s the link to the full article.

I came across this report past week and thought that I post it here.  I wonder if the local departmental stores will do something similar to boost their Christmas toy sales this year. 

If they do come up with a big year-end sale with heavy discounts, that will be another great time for parents and toy collectors to go bargain-hunting!

There’s a new place in town where toy shops selling all kinds of action figures, figurines, statues, dolls, etc., had started since end-September 2008.  That place is at the 7th floor of Plaza Singapura, next to the temporary box office of Golden Village Cinema.  The original box office is being renovated and will move back to its original spot after renovations.

For those of you who have been there, you will know that the space opposite the original box office used to be just a walkway with no shops.  The management office of Plaza Singapura used to be there but they have since shifted to somewhere to the 3rd floor.  Now that freed up space has been converted to a row of stores selling toys, video games, and medieval swords, to cater to the movie-goers crowd.

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Having attended a Toys ‘R Us warehouse sale last week, it refreshed my memory on the do’s and don’ts during such hectic and metally draining events.  Here are 7 tips to help you sail through not just toy warehouse sales, but most other warehouse sales in general. 

1) Go with at least one partner.  Trust me, you work better in a team than alone.  Remember that unity is strength.  It is best if you and your teammates are going for the same or similar types of toys.  In this way, you can help one another look for your respective targetted toys.  However, it is still ok if your team members target different toys.  Sales items get displaced easily too so the more eyes on the lookout at different sections, the better.  It still beats being a lone soldier.

2) Don’t bring a bulky bag along, especially a hand carry one.  Guys especially would fair well if they go with just their wallets.  If you really need to bring your bag along, then carry a flat back pack or flat sling bag so that your both hands are free to dig, grab and shove your targetted toys into your given shopping bags.  Don’t worry for most warehouse sales organizers provide large canvas shopping bags for bargain shoppers to contain their would-be purchases.

3) Have a system in going through all the aisles.  You should have worked this out in your mind (if alone) or with your teammates while in the queue waiting to enter the sales area.  Even if you arrive after the queue has gone in, always work out a route along the aisles to ensure that you have covered almost every section.  Remember that many items get displaced during a warehouse sale when shoppers changed their minds and tossed back the items anywhere and everywhere.

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