So I found yet another playing card tin today at Kohl's. This one is called "2 Giant Playing Card Decks" and has instructions to play Crazy Eights, Go Fish, Rummy, and Snap. Oddly enough, it is a different size tin from the other set I listed, is taped shut with circular seals instead of being shrink wrapped, and yet shares a UPC code and item number.
On a side note, should I just start a thread for all the bizarre TF Merch I find? As opposed to starting new threads every time I find something? I don't want to clutter up the place. I probably have a couple hundred more things I could add, depending how specific this database wants to get. Where are we drawing the line with what is in the database and what isn't? (i.e. bath supplies, toothbrushes, stickers, posters, etc)
I would keep track of everything you find in one thread.
As far as what we consider for the database, that's something we've been talking about forever. Over the years, there has been a TON of Transformers non-toy merchandise.
Some stuff, like clothing, bolts of fabric, movies (dvds, vhs, etc. that don't have toys), and the like, for me, would probably be sorta off limits...how do other people feel?
MIKE
engledogg
I'm of the opinion that any non-toy merchandise on the site that isn't packed with a "real" toy should be three-dimensional and/or toy-like (a Xmas ornament, for example). And how would the cards be handled as parts? Would they be entered as one deck, or would every card have to get a part listing?
For the few board games in the database for which we have contents listed, I made unique listings for each card.
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/3565/battle_for_cybertron
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/7485/adventure_game_defeat_the_decepticons
I think the same would apply with card games, as well. It might seem like overkill, but if we just kept them as a single deck, if someone would lose a card, they'd have to remove the entire deck from their collection as the deck is no longer complete. If we list them individually, then they can indicate that they're missing only that single card and still be able to claim they own the rest of the contents.
For stuff like puzzles, that's something we really haven't tackled yet. I'm leaning towards treating them as we will ideally treat model kits. Each part gets a record.
But yeah, stuff like ornaments, card games, puzzles, key-chains, etc. have already made their way into the database. As long as they're toy-esque, I have no problem with adding merchandise to the database.
MIKE
engledogg
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/12172/transformers_playing_cards_megatron
For example, I have this deck. I do plan on taking photos of each card eventually.
Found a new Walmart Exclusive Construct-Bots set, but can't add it because there's no node for Walmart under Construct-Bots Exclusives. Here's the details:
Bumblebee with Strafe vs. Decepticon Stinger, UPC 653569983408, Item #A7857
Additionally, There's a new Transformers Prime "Clip-On Hand Wash" in the shape of Optimus made by MZB Accessories (which I'm assuming is the same as MZ Berger & Associates) It's the 2014/AOE trade dress, but it's a Prime product, so I wasn't sure where to put it. Here's the stats:
Clip-On Hand Wash, UPC 692237078985, Item #CTF10013, Packaged on card, MFR: MZB Accessories, released sometime this year.
Here's another piece that's probably up for a little more debate-- A Bumblebee Travel Bath Set (also by MZB). Item consists of 3 travel bottles (shampoo/conditioner, gel, and body wash) in a vinyl zippered bag. There's nothing toy-like or figural here, but the bag with BB on it is pretty neat. What do we do with this? If it is to be part of the database, where do I put it? It's TF:Prime in 2014 trade dress again.
Pics below.
Found a new Walmart Exclusive Construct-Bots set, but can't add it because there's no node for Walmart under Construct-Bots Exclusives. Here's the details:
Bumblebee with Strafe vs. Decepticon Stinger, UPC 653569983408, Item #A7857
We've already got this one in the database:
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/19539/bumblebee_with_strafe_vs_decepticon_stinger
It was under a different subcategory.
Additionally, There's a new Transformers Prime "Clip-On Hand Wash" in the shape of Optimus made by MZB Accessories (which I'm assuming is the same as MZ Berger & Associates) It's the 2014/AOE trade dress, but it's a Prime product, so I wasn't sure where to put it. Here's the stats:
Clip-On Hand Wash, UPC 692237078985, Item #CTF10013, Packaged on card, MFR: MZB Accessories, released sometime this year.
Here's another piece that's probably up for a little more debate-- A Bumblebee Travel Bath Set (also by MZB). Item consists of 3 travel bottles (shampoo/conditioner, gel, and body wash) in a vinyl zippered bag. There's nothing toy-like or figural here, but the bag with BB on it is pretty neat. What do we do with this? If it is to be part of the database, where do I put it? It's TF:Prime in 2014 trade dress again.
Pics below.
Anyone have any thoughts? I'm leaning towards allowing the first one due to the "toyish" nature of the bottle, but not so much the second one. But then again, I don't know.
MIKE
engledogg
Found a new Walmart Exclusive Construct-Bots set, but can't add it because there's no node for Walmart under Construct-Bots Exclusives. Here's the details:
Bumblebee with Strafe vs. Decepticon Stinger, UPC 653569983408, Item #A7857
We've already got this one in the database:
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/19539/bumblebee_with_strafe_vs_decepticon_stinger
It was under a different subcategory.
Oh. I thought I had checked there too, but apparently I missed it. Thanks. Sorry about that.
Anyone have any thoughts? I'm leaning towards allowing the first one due to the "toyish" nature of the bottle, but not so much the second one. But then again, I don't know.
MIKE
engledogg
The second one, being the clip-thing? Is it just a newer type of one of these?
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/17607/zipper_clip_wheeljack
The second one being the Bumblebee Travel Bath set.
Also, NP, do you mind mentioning where you get these items? That way other folks that are interested in owning these would know where to go to buy them, that is, if you found them at Walmart, Target, etc..
For example, all those little 48-piece puzzles were found at Dollar Tree and Five Below. I found the Optimus/Grimlock lunchbox puzzle at both Five Below and Family Dollar, and got the 3-Puzzle set tin at Dollar General.
Crazy little peripheral merchandise like this is sometimes hard to find, so the more info out there, the better.
MIKE
engledogg
That reminds me, NP...this puzzle:
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/18660/super_3d_puzzle_optimus_prime_grimlock
I see that you own it, so can you confirm something for me? Does the puzzle actually feature Prime riding Grimlock or is this listing just describing the box front?
I just want to confirm as I found one today at Walmart, at a significantly higher-price point ($8.97) which has the Prime riding Grimlock box front, but it is a lenticular image, and the actual puzzle is a group shot of Bumblebee, Strafe, beside Prime, who is riding Grimlock.
It looks like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Transformers-Age-of-Extinction-Super-3D-Puzzle-150-pcs-Optimus-Prime-Grimlock/201251410034
There's also another one that I found while looking around the net:
http://www.calendars.com/Action-Movies/Transformers-4-150-Piece-Super-3D-Puzzle/prod201500012946/?categoryId=cat00057&seoCatId=cat00057
Quite a few puzzles out there, I guess.
MIKE
engledogg
Quite a few puzzles out there, I guess.
MIKE
engledogg
I think there are way more puzzles (and other game type things) out there than we know of. I have the "3D" AoE puzzle as well but I never opened it. Companies have been using the term "3D" to describe the use of Lenticular images a lot recently. When done properly (and depending on the viewer) you can get a pretty good 3D effect... or at least it will look like one layer is above another. This isn't always the case. The best example I have of this is actually a TF notebook (the kind you'd get for school) and it looks really nice.
...take two...last post didn't go through. =/
Sorry for the late reply/long absence, I've been away in Florida visiting family.
Tripredacus: The Clip-On Hand Wash is brand new Prime merchandise. The WJ Zipper Clip is a vintage merch piece. I have attached a comparison pic below.
Engledogg: That's actually my eBay auction you linked to (I had an extra), so yes, that's the one. I've already packed it away into storage, but I can probably dig it out in a little bit. IIRC, the front picture is just cropped from the full image displayed on the back, as you described. I hadn't seen that Calendars.com one, so I guess I'll have to get it! Thanks for the heads up!
Sorry about the lack of locations listed, I'll try to add that information going forward. If anybody has any questions about specific things I'd listed previously, I can try to dig up the receipts.
Now onto the new business- while I was away, I found a couple new pieces of merchandise at Universal Studios. Optimus and Bumblebee Uni-Minis. They appear to be Universal's answer to Disney's Vinylmation. They retail at 14.95 in the park shops. I have attached a couple pictures below.
Also, I found a bunch of odds and ends at Walmart today:
-Transformers Prime 32 Valentines (with 8 character cards and 35 stickers) by American Greetings
-Transformers Angry Birds Play Pack by Bendon Publishing (crayons, stickers, and coloring book in a foil pouch)
-Age of Extinction Yazzles Light Stix by Blip Toys (this is probably the most bizarre thing in the lot- it's a foam/plastic stick with lights inside activated with a button on the bottom. The movie bots are wrapped around the stick, and the stick features several different colors and light settings.)
-Transformers Prime Bumblebee Ceramic Piggy Bank by FAB Starpoint.
The first two are pretty firmly in the printed material category, so they're probably not right for the database...? But the last two are neat, or at least quirky. Pics below.
Now onto the new business- while I was away, I found a couple new pieces of merchandise at Universal Studios. Optimus and Bumblebee Uni-Minis. They appear to be Universal's answer to Disney's Vinylmation. They retail at 14.95 in the park shops. I have attached a couple pictures below.
Cool...thanks for the info! I'll eventually have to track down a set.
Also, I found a bunch of odds and ends at Walmart today:
-Transformers Prime 32 Valentines (with 8 character cards and 35 stickers) by American Greetings
-Transformers Angry Birds Play Pack by Bendon Publishing (crayons, stickers, and coloring book in a foil pouch)
-Age of Extinction Yazzles Light Stix by Blip Toys (this is probably the most bizarre thing in the lot- it's a foam/plastic stick with lights inside activated with a button on the bottom. The movie bots are wrapped around the stick, and the stick features several different colors and light settings.)
-Transformers Prime Bumblebee Ceramic Piggy Bank by FAB Starpoint.
The first two are pretty firmly in the printed material category, so they're probably not right for the database...? But the last two are neat, or at least quirky. Pics below.
Ha, I just bought one of those Yazzles Light Stix early last week. The light display is pretty decent, especially for two bucks.
The Bumblebee piggy bank is already in the database:
http://www.shmax.com/product_details/19295/bumblebee_piggy_bank
Cool finds!
MIKE
engledogg
Personally, I'd like to see it all in the database... if it says Transformers on it somewhere, it should have a place. Perhaps a whole section just for these oddities, bits and pieces. Maybe a section under each 'generation' if you will... they all can be categorized somewhere. I have a ton of this kind of stuff and I'd really appreciate a place to keep track of it, even though it won't be worth squat in the long run...
Found another Valentine's set at Walmart today, this one comes in Bumblebee-head Mailbox. This one is by Paper Magic Group, and consists of 16 Valentines with 48 Heart Seals. Also picked up the UGLY 16" Stinger plush by Funrise. I'm assuming it's a Walmart exclusive, since it's Stinger? I didn't see the large Funrise plushes anywhere in the database. Did I miss them? There is also an Optimus, a Bumblebee, and a Grimlock (the mini versions of those three are in the database, but I haven't seen a small Stinger. I guess he's only done in the large size?). Pic below.
Found another Valentine's set at Walmart today, this one comes in Bumblebee-head Mailbox. This one is by Paper Magic Group, and consists of 16 Valentines with 48 Heart Seals. Also picked up the UGLY 16" Stinger plush by Funrise. I'm assuming it's a Walmart exclusive, since it's Stinger? I didn't see the large Funrise plushes anywhere in the database. Did I miss them? There is also an Optimus, a Bumblebee, and a Grimlock (the mini versions of those three are in the database, but I haven't seen a small Stinger. I guess he's only done in the large size?). Pic below.
I've seen the plush figures myself at Walmart. I just didn't enter them at the time because I wasn't sure if they differed from the Battle Brigade, which was found at TRU, but in a half-box type thing...is there a name for the "subline" anywhere on Stinger's card/tag? If you can get a name for these things, I'll toss the subcategory up ASAP. The small ones are different "molds", if I'm not mistaken. Grimlock is in his t-rex form for the mini-plush, but in the larger size, he's a robot.
Also, not sure if you're interested, there are two sets of Angry Birds Transformers valentines out at Walmart. One is a set of 16 valentines with 16 pencils and the other is set with some sort of temporary tattoos. $2.47 each, I think. I found the Bumblebee -head mailbox today as well.
As far as what we will include in the database, again, it's still up for debate. There's soooo much stuff out there...I'm still inclined, at this point, anyway, to just include items that are toys, or are at least"toy-ish" in nature. Clothing, printed material, videos, and the like are just too plentiful.
MIKE
engledogg
I've seen the plush figures myself at Walmart. I just didn't enter them at the time because I wasn't sure if they differed from the Battle Brigade, which was found at TRU, but in a half-box type thing...is there a name for the "subline" anywhere on Stinger's card/tag? If you can get a name for these things, I'll toss the subcategory up ASAP. The small ones are different "molds", if I'm not mistaken. Grimlock is in his t-rex form for the mini-plush, but in the larger size, he's a robot.
Also, not sure if you're interested, there are two sets of Angry Birds Transformers valentines out at Walmart. One is a set of 16 valentines with 16 pencils and the other is set with some sort of temporary tattoos. $2.47 each, I think. I found the Bumblebee -head mailbox today as well.
Battle Brigade has sound chips and battery packs in them. These large plush are just simple plush, no bells and whistles. The Stinger's shelf label says 16" Battle Figure (actually "TRA 16 BATTLE FIGUR"), but the receipt and tags say nothing useful.
Thanks for the heads up on the Valentines! I have to find those! That's like 5 different Transformers Valentines sets this year! I don't ever remember seeing that many before.
The subcategory for those 16" plush figures can now be found here:
http://www.shmax.com/products?q_filters_toyline=4940
MIKE
engledogg
Haven't been around for a while, but I found a bunch of new stuff! I don't think any of these are in the database, so here goes:
Transformers Thermos FUNtainer, 12 oz bottle. Features Movie Optimus & Bumblebee, made in 2011 by Thermos.
Transformers Thermos FUNtainer, 10 oz food jar. Features Movie Optimus & Bumblebee, made in 2011 by Thermos.
Transformers Dark of the Moon Nintendo 3DS Character Styluses 2-Pack, featuring OP & BB inspired styluses, by PDP (Performance Designed Products) 2011
Transformers Dark of the Moon Nintendo 3DS System Case, featuring lenticular Optimus. Made by PDP, 2011.
Transformers Character Bandz 20 Pack of Elastic Bracelets, 2010 Generations/ROTF style packaging. Made by Forever Collectibles/Team Beans, LLC.
And two more that I'm just adding to the database, because it seems like there is already a spot for them:
Optimus Prime & Autobot Logo Holiday Ornaments (Seasonal Specialties, LLC, 2007), Movie packaging (like the BB in the database already)
Optimus Prime (Bust Relief on Autobot Logo) Ornament, American Greetings, 2010/Generations/Post ROTF packaging, Hang Tag only, identical to http://www.shmax.com/product_details/8208/optimus_prime only not in a box and with a different UPC.
Pictures to follow, as usual. This stuff all came out of a large private collection I purchased, so I'm not sure where these things originally came from. I'm still sorting it all out, so there may be more stuff in the next few days.
I've gotten back into buying TF stuff... I've been buying the "wacky" equivalent of G1 items... or Artifacts as we used to call them. Here are examples:
Optimus Prime balloon:
(http://i579.photobucket.com/albums/ss236/tpx_bst/20150314_151107_zps39lci96v.jpg)
Another of the Unique released party items, the Honeycomb Centerpiece. I figured it would be quite small but I was surprised at the size of it!
(http://i579.photobucket.com/albums/ss236/tpx_bst/20150314_151243_zpswfoapicf.jpg)
These are all pretty awesome scores guys!
Looking forward to more flicks.
I've gotten back into buying TF stuff... I've been buying the "wacky" equivalent of G1 items... or Artifacts as we used to call them. Here are examples:
Optimus Prime balloon:
Another of the Unique released party items, the Honeycomb Centerpiece. I figured it would be quite small but I was surprised at the size of it!
I love that OP Balloon. I have the matching Megatron one too. That centerpiece is AWESOME! I'm gonna have to track one down. Very cool finds!
Found a bunch of stuff in April-- been mostly out of commission what with tax season and all, but I'm back with pictures. I'm actually surprised the We Love Fine Vinyl Soundwave Sculpture isn't in the database! Unless I missed it? I tried searching for it, but that didn't turn up anything. Anywho, there's two versions: the standard one, and the Emerald City Comic Con Exclusive, with a green cassette bonus, and a sticker on the box marking it exclusive. The pictures below are of the latter.
Found some more random merch- a Robots in Disguise (2015) Easter basket from K-Mart made by Megatoys (whom I've never heard of before) with a kickball, paddleball set, frisbee, and yo-yo (as well as some taffy). I also found an Age of Extinction "Drawing Board" (think Magna Doodle) by Blip Toys for $5 at Target. Last but not least, I picked up a couple of Transformers Comic Book Art 32 oz Party Cups by American Greetings in a collection I bought. Pics below, as usual.
Really cool finds Nick; especially the SWaves.
I knew there was a Con specific version but had not seen flicks.
Thanks for sharing,
I'm behind on photos, but I had found some Bayverse folders in Walmart's clearance section. They were in boxes with a bunch of random folders and there happened to be 4 different TF ones. I'll get pics of them soon.
Just got the Amazon exclusive Rescue Bots Prime-- He comes in a plain brown mailer box, no real packaging. I noticed he's not in the database, wasn't sure where to add him, since he's an exclusive. Pics to follow.
Just got the Amazon exclusive Rescue Bots Prime-- He comes in a plain brown mailer box, no real packaging. I noticed he's not in the database, wasn't sure where to add him, since he's an exclusive. Pics to follow.
I wonder if we should make an "Exclusive" sub-category under Rescue Bots for him. Otherwise, I think he would probably fit under Transformers > Rescue Bots > Rescan > Deluxe (http://www.shmax.com/products?q_filters_toyline=4116).
EDIT: Scratch that, it looks like we have an entry for him already: http://www.shmax.com/part_details/43192/optimus_prime (http://www.shmax.com/part_details/43192/optimus_prime)
"Fixit" Heatwave (http://www.shmax.com/product_details/20921/heatwave_the_fire_bot) is also in there as well.
MIKE
engledogg