>>11529486
They're called test markets because they figure if they don't sell in that market, it's not worth spending more resources doing the same thing . Sometimes it's not a complete cancellation, but a way to research what would work and what wasn't working, before committing to a rollout with that same branding
Diaclone actually got a test market release in the US before transformers, but didn't sell too well, or at least Takara didn't see to see value in releasing more on their own. This likely aided in Hasbro deciding to change up how they'd market Transformers, giving them fiction and individual names and characters
https://soundwavesoblivion.blogspot.com/2017/09/takaras-diakron-kronoform-part-1-diakron.html
Having a toyline bomb nationwide off the bat could be a bigger waste of resources
It doesn't happen these days because there's faster ways to research and develop things.