by avalon_sinclaire » Fri Aug 24, 2007 8:27 pm
Hi, I'm new to the boards as a poster but I've lurked for a while. I, like most of you, love some TF toys. I really fell out of the whole toy collection game for years until just now with the movie coming out. In June when Target and Walmart first started getting toys, I was a mere observer and saying that I'd NEVER buy one... never... ever... then along came my first TF purchase since childhood: Autobot Ratchet.
From there the spark (unintentional pun) was ignited. What was just one became two, and then three, and now 20 and growing. My collection is either a Movie figure or a Classics figure; nothing in between (as of now that is). But enough about that, this is why I'm posting this:
Daily I hear about the latest release/redeco and you'll soon hear the mouths water and the hearts skip a beat as a collective from the site. I too have gone through this, and moreso when I was one of those 'I can't find so and so' hunters. Don't even get me started on how long it took me to locate and buy Barricade...
The best advice I can give the hunters is to never give up and don't be afraid to ask. For example, there was a TRU I hit nearly weekly and came out skunked every time. Not a single time of going there did I find anything at all. One night, I went again but in the parking lot I hesitated and said 'why bother, it'll only be another defeat...', but I pressed on anyway. I went to the TF section again and lo and behold, JACKPOT. Voyager Prime, Voyager Megatron, Classics Rodimus, Classics Cliffjumper, Classics Ramjet, and Classics Grimlock.
Even this morning when everyone is 'oh my god, Target/Walmart/TRU has nothing...', I decided to try ASKING. Not pestering the help at the store into surrendering what they had or else, but simply asking politely about stock. I had the lady at Target run the DPCI #'s for G1 Jazz and G1 Starscream: both were in stock. I bought one of each and left without incident. I didn't ask 'how many more you got, I'll buy them all'. I like for my fellow collectors to have a chance too. I'm going to post in the sightings section the Target I went to to find them at, to at least help out everyone else. Although, that too is a doubleedged sword at times. For every true fan there's that one guy (or girl - yes I've seen females do this too) looking to clean out a store. So to those searching, here's another helpful tool: patience.
Whining about lack of stock won't make it appear. Crying that you can't find any Thundercrackers won't make Hasbro pump them out faster (and come on - some of the redecos/new molds are just now coming out - give it time). And let's face it - I remember for weeks, when the stores were filled to near crazy levels of TF movie toys THAT NO ONE WAS BUYING. NO ONE. So in a way, the op was there but most people slept on it, even myself (see above Barricade mention). Sorry to go off on that tangent but it was time to say it. In closing I wish everyone luck and hope you all find the figures you want. Happy hunting.
