Sigma 6 + $15 = Annoying Pile Of Garbage

[frozen_nd]

Since the only figure I’ll pretty much pick up in any form is Cobra Commander, I picked up the Sigma 6 version today. $14.76 at Wal-Mart.

So I get home and proceed to remove the figure from the packaging. What a pain in the rear! It was similar to trying to unpackage a Transformer. Tons of tape & twisty ties. Got really old and annoying after 10 minutes. (I’m slow. Guess I’m not as coordinated and not able to rush to get the figure out. I don’t care to break anything.) Pre-year 2000 figures didn’t have this problem. (Don’t get me started on the post-2000 2-figure packs.) Granted, older figures didn’t look as “cool” in the packaging. They were not “posed”. But I don’t care what the “M.O.C. figure” looks like. I want it out of the packaging so I can display it, pose it, and use it. I can’t imagine someone under the age of 10 trying to unpackage this thing.

When I was younger, I ENJOYED putting together a joe vehicle as a child. (semi-snap-together model). It provided me some enjoyment. It gave me a sense of accomplishment to put the vehicle together and apply the stickers. It was not a “JOB”. Unpackaging this figure (and Transformer toys) is a JOB. The number of twisty ties, “rubber bands”, tape, …. I don’t care for it.

So after it’s all said & done, I have the “toy” on one side and the “post-consumer waste” on the other. I looked both over and immediately thought to myself, “I paid $15 for a pile of GARBAGE!!!” Listed is a summary of the packaging:

- hard plastic sleeve
- decorative cardboard sleeve (“filecard” was on the back. Guess that’s not “waste”.)
- thick backing cardboard insert
- plastic insert endcaps
- plastic straps holding the package together
- plastic hanger
- clear, thin, “stretchy bands” to hold pieces / pose stuff
- various plastic inserts to support/pose figure
- 3 plastic coated metal twist ties
- 2 plastic “washers” for twist ties
- plastic bag for case handles
- tape to hold everything else in place

I understand that some packaging is necessary. But for the sheer amount that came with this figure? That’s just wrong. I stopped by Target & K-Mart after I’d acquired this. They had newer figures in (wave 2 or something). But the packaging was different. No endcaps (weapons case) to the packaging. Just backing board with glued on front plastic. These figures were listed at $11.99. (Someone must have had the same thoughts I did and told Hasbro.)

So in a sense, I paid $3 for either:
a) The weapons case with foam insert.
or
b) A bunch of packaging.

Personally, I’ll go with option B.

Yes, Sigma 6 is geared more towards younger people. I prefer to collect 3.75” figures.
But I also think that substituting common sense for “looking cool” is really annoying and stupid. To make a toy annoying/extremely time consuming to get out of its packaging and to also pay a hefty price for that packaging is WRONG. Hasbro possibly looks to be changing that with the new packages.

Has anybody else picked up Sigma 6 figures and felt this way? Anybody else have any comments to throw in?
This ended up being more of a rant than something productive but it’s something that really irked me.

(P.S. There are some things I do LIKE about the Sigma 6 line but I’ll save them for a different post.)

[goodguyswearblack9]

Sigma Six is cool to me especially because it coexists along side the DTC line. I have Kamakura, Snake, and Storm Shadow so far. Can't wait to get more. While not as cool as the 3 3/4 line, they are kinda fun to mess around with.

[AlternateUniverse Steeler]

I don't like the way it was done. the packaging is also part of it. it seems like a costly waste. Too expensive. And why the bleep do we need all of the twist ties an such? I mean you need a hacksaw to aoen some toys these days. I miss the days where one rip and it was time to play.

[82to87Joes]

im confused, which picture is of the toy and which is of the garbage?

[Abomb]

im confused, which picture is of the toy and which is of the garbage?

LOL I don't really like Sigma Six, but the packaging just doesn't bother me. (I only got one fig and don't plan on getting any more.)

[MacGyver]

My kid got a bunch of these for Christmas...and i have to agree! Sheesh! It's got to cost more to put all those twistees and rubber bands in place than to have the thing stolen! I do have to say that I found the cases to be really nice to round up all those parts (minus the foam, even some of the figures fit inside)...but a $5 price difference with and without...that's unreal. Simplify the packaging and include the case for the lower price. That'd probably save money and manpower on both ends of the deal!

[flash70]

I agree Hasbro is taking Fans of Sigma Six line of figures for $5.00 too $6.00 on packaging alone. Its a huge waste man let me tell you. I could see them sell these guys for $7.99 at the most.

[FireFox91]

I'm really confused about this post. You said you don't like the Sigma 6 figure you got but your complaint was almost all about the packaging. I agree that the 27 layers of packaging is unnessesary. Off hand, it seems like the only significant different between the $10 figures and the $15 figures is the weapons case that is part of the packaging. Otherwise they seem to come with similar amounts of equipment. $5 for a weapons case? No thanks. But hey what about the figures? Some are good like the Ninja Showdown 2 pack I just got. Some are really bad like Long Range and the new Storm Shadow.

[Dakemesh]

Well, you've got the Commando assortment, which is the one that comes with the foot locker and all the extra packaging at 15 bucks, and then the regular soldiers which come on card backs for 11 bucks. The Commando assortment wasn't just for the first wave, as you've seen CC and Long Range among others come that way, while the BATs and Kamakura, etc come carded.

I'll be the first to admit that all the packaging is a pain in the tuchus. Supposedly this helps keep costs lower by making it harder to steal the figure out of the package in the store. Just imagine how much more expensive it could be.

I'm with you though. I loved assembling the toys and applying the stickers back in the day. I was an avid model builder anyway, and that was half the fun.

[frozen_nd]

I'm really confused about this post. You said you don't like the Sigma 6 figure you got but your complaint was almost all about the packaging.
<SNIP>

I did not say that I was disappointed in the Sigma 6 figure I acquired. I am disappointed in the COST of the figure and the superfluous amount of material used in the packaging of it.

There are a few things I'm finding quite nice about the figures (particularly the articulation). Reread the last line of my original post.

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Stupid free web services. Attached is the pic of the "garbage".