Does Schleich really Take suggestions into consideration?

Ok I was told that this is a company that could care less what there Customers want.


Yet when i Ask them about suggestions on facebook, they say that they love to here new ideas and will show all suggestions to the product development team.

Has anyone contacted Schleich on Facebook with a suggestion that actually came true? I imagine that Pangolin must of been someones suggestion, but am i right?

One of my friends asked for a roper, bucking horse, and a barrel racer, and another friend did also. I do imagine they try. But I feel like they only do for a younger group. I wouldn't care how much schleich would have to raise their prices, I just want them to come of with realistic, innovative products.

I mainly Collect there World of History Dinosaurs which a lot of Dinosaur collectors hate with a passion.   I can care less if there Inaccurate, but what really irks me is when they make Multiple versions of a Species they alredy made for the line.   They made Two T.Rexs when one of those could of been a Tarbosaurus, they made Two Velociraptors when one of those could of been a Utahraptor, and they made two Giganotosaurus when one of those could of been a Mapusaurus.

But then they surprise me with something obscure like the Pentaceratops or the upcoming Barapasaurus. When they make me mad about missed opportunity's, they bring me back in with something unique.    I was told that they are a very Commercially driven company, so how in the world did they think that a Barapasaurus would sell when they must release models with names that have already been used for a model that was released before? That Barapasaurus has to have been a result of a Suggestion, but how can we know for sure?   Everything Dinosaur told me it was made to represent the market in India, but why india, why not make a Europasaurus to represent there own Country?

Dont get me wrong, Im glad they are coming out with a Barapasaurus, and i hope they make some more obscure animals in the following years instead of releasing second sculpts of animals they already made.

It's hard to really determine if they do or not, without being directly involved with the business. It's only logical that if the market wants a black Arabian horse, for example, and they've had a large amount of people suggesting it then naturally they would produce it so they could profit from it. However, if only a handful suggest a dark dapple grey Kathiawari, they probably won't make it.

Yes, although I like the idea of a Marwari, or a Kathiawari! I sent them a long rant about their products 2 days ago, but I haven't heard back. But I will go check again.

4 or 5 years ago one of my biggest wishes was a flamingo, and now they made an flamingo. So I don't know if they made it because they tought it was an animal that they wanted to make or if the really made my wish come true.

When most of us tried the first contact with Schleich, it was already a big brand with a huge market! They cannot risk a lot as it happens with other brands and surely they cannot satisfy the most part of the huge amount of requests. To companies like Schleich, collectors suggestions are not important. They have a team that design their commercial strategy according with what they think is more adjusted to the market. Suplier requests are often taken in consideration and eventually something that they found popular among the requests of their main target... children.
So, most of our requests when take toy shape, are just coincidences. Let's take as an example, supposing I am now requesting a platypus, if they release a platypus next yearsit isn't in any way a warranty that they're listeneing to me. But, supposing an important Australian supplier tells them that the animal turned very popular due to the media or because kids are requesting it alot, Schleich will surely take it in consideration and release it.
Obviously, even brands like Schleich enjoy having a certain level of innovation, the lack of it is subject of some criticism, often expressed online and it is also not good to the company, so, there is always room to some unusual releases. It could explain the pangolin choice or even the barapasaurus. Although the dino may probably be related with the interest of Schleich in a huge and not explored market like it is the Indian. I have no idea but it is perhaps a known dino in India or maybe local media gave importance to it.

Years ago when CollectA started making their fabulous antelopes, I wrote to Schleich asking for antelopes and while at it I asked them about advent calendars. Still no antelopes, but advent calendars were made for two years now.
About barapasaurus, their 2016 dinosaurs now come with a little booklet called First Giants, so they're releasing earlier species, not just dinosaurs. Wonder where they will go next year with their Dino line.

I think they pick and choose with suggestions. Again, as with what LeeAnn said if they get enough people they think it has a market then I would imagine they would produce for that. I made a comment about a roaring grizzly (being nostalgic with the AAA grizzly mom) and that year there it was. Same think with a rattle snake. Not saying I am the only one who suggested that, but if they think its marketable I'm sure they will want to sell it.

I recommended them to have a Thoroughbred, and an American Quarter Horse. I feel like they need to make a new family, they are extremely popular horses, yet they haven't made them.

*Valencia Stables* wrote:

I recommended them to have a Thoroughbred, and an American Quarter Horse. I feel like they need to make a new family, they are extremely popular horses, yet they haven't made them.

A new quarter horse was just made with the horse and rider sets. 42112
And from the point that i can see the 3 sets only in U.S.A are also a kind of quarter horses ore paint horses...
I don't think the company will make more of these after making so many.

A thoroughbred is not that importent i think with the new trakheners family. there are sporthorses to.

I really think there are only looking at what goos best with assecoires and with the colors.
Like a with horse with a pink rider with a pink trailer with a pink set of protection gear....

I'm not trying to be mean i'm think schleich doen't take suggestions only if there are many poeple asking for it.
Because in my opinion schleich is just buzzy with how to proffit much and fast.. like the stables and all that crazyness.

I mean more of a family, and horses that look totally like AQH's. Well, I would personally like to have them, although others may disagree.

Yes I think they do; after the 2015 schleich list was released I send a letter to Schleich suggesting they make a new antelope for 2016 or 17. I got a letter back at the start of 2015 saying I quote; "Thank you very much for your suggestion. We have passed your letter onto the product and marketing department and after a notable amount more requests for a new antelope model we have seriously taken this into consideration for a new 2016 model. Unfortunately we can not tell you if and when we will release your proposal. Many thanks, SCHLEICH GmbH, i.A. Nadine Siepmann"
And guess what, there is a new Oryx Antelope for 2016 I am not sure if Schleich had already decided to make this antelope, but the "notable amount more requests" was probably a factor in their decision

I'll add my 2-cents.

As in most cases, I suspect the answer is: It depends on what you mean. (In this case, it depends on what you mean 'by take into consideration'.)

First, I think it's a mistake to assume that if you submitted a request for a Jabberwocky, and then Schleich produced a Jabberwocky the next year, that there was any interesting relationship between your request and their subsequent products. (For one thing, keep in mind that usually these companies start working on future models a couple years in advance.)

I also think it's mistake to infer that Schleich pays attention to suggestions from the fact that they have good policies about customer relations -- replying to letters and making encouraging suggestions on social media. Well-run companies want their customers to feel like they're being heard regardless of whether anybody is actually listening.

My own suspicion -- and it's just a suspicion -- is that, at best, the company treats suggestions as a source for ideas. Some of the suggestions make their way up to the marketing and development teams purely in the form of the pool of possibilities. But the choices they make from this pool of possibilities is driven entirely by what they think will be purchased by lots and lots of people. It would be a bit bizarre for the company to act any differently. Fortunately for collectors like us, sometimes (though not often) what will sell overlaps with what we want to see. (And before anyone uses CollectA as a proposed counterexample, keep in mind that CollectA caters to a different market than Schleich -- a niche market. If CollectA became as successful as Schleich, I doubt they'd keep producing as many exotic animals each year as they have been.)

But probably I'm wrong. I'm not usually right about anything.

May I just tell you, Takama, that you and me have something in common? I too mostly collect the dinosaurs from Schleich along with the fantasy sigures. I too see them getting a LOT (and I mean, a LOT really) of hate but I like them. Most of them are pretty detailed. I can completely understand why a lot of other dino collectors prefer Papo, but really, I like them! My whole collection wouldn´t be made of, like, 75% of them if I didn´t like them.

My personal opinion is that Schleich does, to a degree, listen to collectors. And the dinosaurs are an example this year. Like Takama said, how many people that are not dinosaur/prehistory enthusiasts know about species such as Barapasaurus, Herrerasaurus and Dunkleosteus? I´m sure that, unless they are dinosaur fanatics, not many kids or adults will know about these species. Especially Barapasaurus. I don´t ever remember seeing a toy of that sauropod. I truly want that they keep on tackling more obscure dinosaur species and deliver some aquatic creatures in the future, like Elasmosaurus and Liopleurodon.

My wish did I asked for a mustang that isn't rearing and we got the mustang family

Its funny, I wouldn't have a clue whether the animals are accurate or not! Whether a horses neck is too long, or the nose too small etc. They seem pretty well designed to me!
Certainly better then other brands that I've seen in the toy-store. I love the dinosaurs and was so surprised to hear that they are most hated!!!