BluntFronts said:
I hope that RC2 is smart enough not to abandon the core group of consumers who are buying JLs now. I don't think young kids buy many diecasts anymore, so it's up to adults and older kids to keep them going. They need to cater to us.
BTW, below is my favorite part of the JL website (from the FAQ section):
"Product Suggestions - How can I submit a product idea to you?
Unfortunately, neither RC2 nor any of its subsidiary divisions (RC Ertl, Learning Curve, The First Years and JoyRide Studios), can accept unsolicited product suggestions, concept or ideas."
In other words, we just don't want to know what you want to buy!
That stonewalling corporate attitude really irks me...
The fact that RC2 doesn't pick up on our suggestions like PM used to, is due to company size and corporate politics. PM was small, and more open to suggestions, yes. But the corporations will not often pick up on an outside idea. Most times, they won't even read an unsolicited email or letter suggesting product ideas. They fel if they invite such comments and they make something, even arbitrarily, that is like what you suggest, they could be open to a law suit. The simple reason (even it stinks) is there are people who make a living from copywriting every idea that comes to mind and sueing anyone who comes up with something remotely like their idea.
There are ways around this, sure. But that's the story you'll get when a company doesn't want to spend the time and money into having their employees go through all the crap in hopes of finding something the needle in the haystack they might want to use. And sometimes there's good reason for closing the door. If your company was loosing money, you would expect answers from your paid employees, right? Other times, closing the door seals out fresh ides and traps you with the incompetent people you already have on the payroll who nod when they're supposed to, blame the market, and scratch their heads a lot saying, "We just don't know what the people want." Hoping that if they say it enough, everyone else will believe it and they can hold onto their jobs.
The fact is, it's a fluxuating market out there. No one can afford to be blown every which way the wind blows. I don't like everything that's happening, but I try to offer fair citicism along with my gripes. I've said this before, the best thing we can do is support the product for a time and see if they work the kinks out. Who knows, if the JL line changes to a kids, these current castings might become rare in the current packaging. As I've said elsewhere, the things that do not generate big interest, become more collectible down the road.
