Woolworths Special Buy 8 Star Wars Figures for 99p Pack Research Findings

[momike]

Reading through Kevin's exchange with the ex woolies employee (interesting stuff btw) would seem he pretty much comfirms that the packs were not put together by Woolworths and imo strengthens the fact they were indeed assembled by Palitoy

"For what it's worth, virtually none of the toys sold in the sale were from the chain's own stock. The merchandise (much of which we had never stocked) was price established for six weeks in the Luton Arndale at the higher price about three months before the event, but was either delivered pre-packed and priced by the suppliers directly, or more usually through Woolworths' own Distribution Centres in Swindon and Castleton"

"On the figure packs you were asking about. From what I remember, Woolworth was Kenner Parker Inc's largest European stockist when that company was spun off in 1985. One of the reasons (as I understand it) that General Mills had decided to ditch those two divisions and float them off separately was because (unusually) they operated sale or return terms on their toys"

"To cut a long story short, faced with dog-eared packaging that had been criticised in the media, I think Kenner Parker came up with the idea of paying pieceworkers to rip all the figures off the cards and put them in plain packaging, and offered the line to Woolies for the Toy Sale"

 

[edd_jedi]

is it this info Edd i had gathered a few years back when discussing the packs with a Woolworths manager who was around at the time of the original Special Buy sales in Autumn & winter 1985?

Yes that looks familiar, can't remember where I saw it. This sentence seems to imply the packs were not assembled by Woolworths, therefore there is no reason why one of their receipts should be in a pack:

All labelling was done by the supplier. WW calculated that at this time they made 5p extra profit per single if the labels were affixed at source rather than in-store, calculated based on the labour cost of labelling and the shrinkage cost of around 2% of store-priced lines being mis-labelled at the wrong price. (Those items mis-priced didn't sell, while any under-priced rocketed off the shelves but at a loss. This was in the days before barcodes and scanning tills, and was later the justification for retailers moving to that technology.)

 

[kevlad]

now onto the stuff that we dont know or is unproven from the stories i have been told over the years

okay so Woolworths had two special buy toy sales according to Paul the woolworths manager which was supplied bagged and labelled by Palitoy in the Autumn and winter xmas/new year 1985

All labelling was done by the supplier

The first of these toy sales was in September 1985, running for the three weeks leading up to half term. Half term traditionally marked the day that Woolworths stores went onto Christmas layout (withdrawing gardening, most home essentials, and vastly expanding the toys offer, and introducing Xmas Decs and Wrapping Paper). It was felt that the Toy Sale at this time would be a useful way of splitting the counter moves involved and attracting lots of extra traffic, with those shoppers hopefully tempted to buy the new Christmas lines at full price while they were visiting. It was such a hit that a further half price toy sale was TV Advertised for December 27th, allowing mainly bulky half price toys to fill the spaces left as the Christmas Decs and Cards sold out. The pattern of Half Toy Sales in September/October and again at the end of December into mid January continued every year into the 2000s.

i purchased my packs in March 1986 (brothers birthday march 26 1986) when i purchased some mini riggs & an ewok glider i also purchased a falcon for a crazy low price so stock was still as i remember it on the shelves at that time

Woolworths also reworked stock i have tried to make contact with the two suppliers below linpac & bill dance marketing as they may have supplied packaging/labels etc however have got to a dead end with them

If I had to guess, I would think the supplier used an agency like LINPAC or Bill Dance Marketing Services to rework all the returned products.

My recent discussions with steve at UKG was around at what point did palitoy supply woolworths and the stock was completely depleted and at what point did that supply stop Steve seemed to believe the special buy figures reworked stock went on later than we think possibly into and beyond 1986 i believe that non compliant old stock may still have been getting stripped from cards etc also in the years following and sold off randomly but there numbers would have been really low that they may have been missed

European Toy Safety legislation which was announced in 1985, with a long transitional period leading to enforcement from 1990.

we have now ruled out that Woolworths did not bag and label the figures in store but i have been told several times via different individuals over the years that this did happen again no firm evidence

also i was told that sheets or rolls of Special Buy labels had been found in the 1990s? Anyone here this story is there any evidence been found?

My packs have been authenticated and graded by UKG Steve informed me that he had an open double taped one he picked up in the early 90s as im aware the only double taped ones are the packs i have

I have got an open one in my collection from a car boots sale back in the early 90's double tape with the correct sticker

so alot of missing info evidence along the time line

 

[laurencedyer]

This bag of 17 Action Force figures has been acquired from a former Palitoy Employees daughter amongst other items.
Her mother bought the bag complete with figures which is tied at the top with cloth from the staff shop in Baker Street.

The relevance of this is that of the bag itself.
This is one of the types of bag that was used for the Woolworths 8 packs, fold seal construction which would suggest that Palitoy did themselves have these bags lending more support to Palitoy themselves packing these items.

 

[StarWarsFan]

This bag of 17 Action Force figures has been acquired from a former Palitoy Employees daughter amongst other items.
Her mother bought the bag complete with figures which is tied at the top with cloth from the staff shop in Baker Street.

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The relevance of this is that of the bag itself.
This is one of the types of bag that was used for the Woolworths 8 packs, fold seal construction which would suggest that Palitoy did themselves have these bags lending more support to Palitoy themselves packing these items.

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Nice one mate

 

[momike]

Also the same as the bag that the baggies for the endor Chase playpack came in which was a Palitoy produced item also

 

[StarWarsFan]

Also the same as the bag that the baggies for the endor Chase playpack came in which was a Palitoy produced item also

nice

 

[Cardbackkid]

Interesting , thanks for sharing

 

[UKS]

I don't know if this helps or hinders.

I bought multiples of this bag in Fine Fare. I am almost certain of this as the location I bought it (Broadwalk, Knowle, Bristol) had no Woolworths.

I bought them (along with a cheap rancor) before viewing a film at the local cinema. I believe the film may have been a UK rerelease of Fox and the Hound.

This is all from memory so take with a pinch of salt.. but I am pretty sure.

 

[_Lee_]

For what it's worth, virtually none of the toys sold in the sale were from the chain's own stock. The merchandise (much of which we had never stocked) was price established for six weeks in the Luton Arndale at the higher price about three months before the event, but was either delivered pre-packed and priced by the suppliers directly, or more usually through Woolworths' own Distribution Centres in Swindon and Castleton, Rochdale.
"

I can say for sure that I remember seeing stacks of these in the Woolworths in Luton Arndale. It was my number one place for Star Wars, apart from the odd figure from Tesco and CO-OP. I remember they were still available around 88/89 because I can remember going to buy a Metallica 'One' single aswell as W.A.S.P.s 'Real Me' and standing in the queue to pay, as I was looking at stacks of bags and boxes with the Special Buy stickers. I remember joking to my mate that only saddo's still love Star Wars at the time and still collected these. I was into heavy metal, guitars and staring at nude photos of Erika Eliniak and similar women (remember this was pre internet when all was had was our mothers catalogues that always fell open at the lingerie section of my brothers hand me down jazz mags )

Little did I know that 4-5 years after that I would get the buzz again...whilst being engaged to be married...

 

[_Lee_]

Here's my baggie. I know this Is 100% legit because this one and 2 others were found I the bottom of an Ewok Village box I bought that someone had stored in their loft. I've just put some random figures in there for now, just for.display. I sold 2 of the 3 a few years back so this is my last one.