The nearly instant sell-out of the Naruto CCG, which was just released last Friday, at the wholesale level is quite a change from the receptions that most recently released CCGs have received. ICv2 asked Andrew J. Lupp, the National Sales Manager at Bandai Collectible Games, how Bandai was going to deal with problems arising from the stronger-than-anticipated start for what might turn out be the category's first major hit since Yu-Gi-Oh!
ICv2: We understand that the Naruto CCG, which streeted on April 28th, is already sold out from all the hobby wholesalers -- is that true?
Lupp: Yes, the initial production run of Hobby style boosters is sold out at most if not all hobby distributors. However several weeks ago, when the shortage became apparent, plans were made to arrange early shipment of mass market-style blistered boosters. We will be supplementing hobby orders with this blistered booster product. By the way -theme decks are not sold out and will be shipping with the second wave of boosters.
We heard that hobby wholesalers and retailers only got a percentage (about 50%) of their original orders -- can you confirm that and provide us with the reasons behind the short shipping?
Easy, the response was greater than anticipated. Obviously, the hobby market has been very careful in the past year or so in buying into games that are based on anime licenses, or CCGs based on any license for that matter. We anticipated interest in Naruto, but how that would translate into demand for the CCG is entirely different (in other words, just because hundreds of people are running around Comic-Con with a Naruto headband on doesn't mean they'll play the CCG, or even buy the cards). So based on past sales, other companies' sales and other licenses sales in the market we produced what we believed was enough. It wasn't.
When will hobby dealers and wholesalers get the balance of their orders?
Remember when I said that the product that was meant for mass market is being shifted over to hobby due to the demand? It should arrive within the week. Also at this time I have openly solicited hobby distributors to place orders for Theme Decks. This next 'wave' will ship to hobby distributors by next week (barring any unforeseen importation circumstances). I can't say when the hobby stores will get their product; that depends on the ship time from the distributor to the store.
We have heard rumors that Bandai is shipping the mass-market version of the Naruto CCG a week earlier cutting the gap between the release of the hobby version and the release of the mass-market version to just one week -- is that true?
Actually, in a way, just the opposite. We have always maintained exclusive hobby launches. And due to the demand for product we are actually allocating some mass market product from the mass to the hobby. Hobby distributors are the only distributors who are being shipped any Naruto CCG product right now.
The reason for this is so that we can establish a strong customer base in the hobby, promoting events, tournaments, leagues, etc. at the hobby level. This is where the product will thrive, establish itself, and grow. The hobby market, indeed every hobby store, and their ability to communicate, excite and support the gamer and collector of any license, is the foundation of the CCG market. It always has been.
The mass market ( and you have to be careful here because some would say a five store chain in New England is 'mass market' if it also happens to be a video store or a gas station) is defined here as the big chains ( TRU, Wal-Mart, Target, etc.). If a hobby distributor is able to, as unlikely as it may be, sell into a small chain, well, we cannot control that. So, mass market gets the product in June.
Can you explain the difference between the hobby and mass version of the product?
Absolutely no difference inside the packs. Exact same cards, exact same insert ratios, the packs are identical. The cards in boosters are even marked 'first edition.' The blistered boosters are just packaged in 12 count stand-up displays. They can stay in the display standing upright, or can be pegged. Bandai does something cool in that our blistered product doesn't just come in cardboard shipping inner cases - we actually make a display so they are versatile. Plus they also offer the more affordable 'sold by the display' option.
Another misconception is that they are more expensive...They are not. They are the exact same cost to distributors as the hobby boosters.
Also it bears mentioning that this release was all printed with 'First Edition' on the cards (except the starters). We are not planning on doing a reprint for the hobby at this point, but circumstances may demand it. If we do, it will be after Series #2: Coils of the Snake launches in July, and it will be an 'unlimited' version.
