The Energon Pub

Let me first say that mr radical has already helped me obtain a wreck gar figure. That brings me current on my collectio as far as shelf found figures go. Good show bionic radical! Thank you very much pal.

Now then...

*Im from louisville
*I am caught up for now as well
*I can do sunday for sure. I can actually hit a few stores, three to be exact, every day of the week as they are all three on my way to and from work. Im eager to help!

I think it's a noble idea, and a lot of people do this here already. If I notice someone is looking for something in a sig or carbombya or something and I notice it I keep my eye out if I can help already.

What you should do is keep this thread for basic chatter and start a new one in Carbombya for a wants list for all members of the circle. It's a concept that works real well in the HMW forum for tournaments run there. The leader of the circle could use the first 1 or 2 posts for quick organization of members wants and needs, like listing most popular figures wanted and a number next to it for how many are desired ie:

* Generations Warpath - 2 - members looking = bionic_radical,DISCHARGE

DOTM Shockwave - 3 - members looking = RHA,bionic_radical,DISCHRGE *

While subsequently fellow members would be able to post below the first post or two with a more elaborate description of wants and they could edit/update their own posts.

Personally I know the figures I am looking for will show up eventually so I don't fret over asking someone else to go hunting for pieces for me. I've dealt with Carbombya several times and have had pleasant experiences, but I also wouldn't buy/trade with someone without the small amount of safety given by paypal, at least for the first trade.

Also like CP says be cool. You're asking people to go out of their way for people they may never have met in person. There is noting wrong with the buyer saying thank you with a couple of extra bucks for the searchers time, at least until you all would get to know each other a little more closely.

These are just a few suggestions, use them if you like.

bionic_radical wrote:3) Decide what day of the week we should all try to go out.

Why would you have everyone in your crew go out on the same day? Different places get shipments and stock on different days, and that differs around the country/world. For example, if I were looking for something at my local TRU, I know they typically stock before opening on Thursday, it would make more sense for me to go look there on Thursday if possible instead of Sunday. Not to mention people are going to have different schedules...and if people participating are all over the world, they might be half a day ahead or behind anyhow. Just something to consider... Hope it works out for you guys.

Kibble wrote:

bionic_radical wrote:3) Decide what day of the week we should all try to go out.

Why would you have everyone in your crew go out on the same day? Different places get shipments and stock on different days, and that differs around the country/world. For example, if I were looking for something at my local TRU, I know they typically stock before opening on Thursday, it would make more sense for me to go look there on Thursday if possible instead of Sunday. Not to mention people are going to have different schedules...and if people participating are all over the world, they might be half a day ahead or behind anyhow. Just something to consider... Hope it works out for you guys.

I was of the impression that he ment that he himself would be able to go out on sundays but Im not sure now.
You are ofcourse absolutely correct. Certain stores recieve trucks with new stock on certain days and it pays to be privy to this type of information. Unfortunately not everyone is going to have a schedule that will permit going to each store on the day they are to set out their stock especially if you have a store like walmart that likes to stock their general merchandise sections late at night or in the wee hrs of the morning.
I am lucky in that as stated before I can hit three or four stores on the way to and from work and be in and out of all four in under ten mins. I dont mind leaving fifteen mins early to do this. I also have no problem going to numerous other stores after work as they arent that far out of my way.
Traffic permitting, I can probably hit three walmarts, two TRU's, target, meijers, t.j. max, marshels, choles and even a drug store or two in not much more than an hr. Dixie hwy has many, many stores and most of them I can hit on my trip to work.

Kibble wrote:

bionic_radical wrote:3) Decide what day of the week we should all try to go out.

Why would you have everyone in your crew go out on the same day? Different places get shipments and stock on different days, and that differs around the country/world. For example, if I were looking for something at my local TRU, I know they typically stock before opening on Thursday, it would make more sense for me to go look there on Thursday if possible instead of Sunday. Not to mention people are going to have different schedules...and if people participating are all over the world, they might be half a day ahead or behind anyhow. Just something to consider... Hope it works out for you guys.

I was of the impression that he ment that he himself would be able to go out on sundays but Im not sure now.
You are ofcourse absolutely correct. Certain stores recieve trucks with new stock on certain days and it pays to be privy to this type of information. Unfortunately not everyone is going to have a schedule that will permit going to each store on the day they are to set out their stock especially if you have a store like walmart that likes to stock their general merchandise sections late at night or in the wee hrs of the morning.
I am lucky in that as stated before I can hit three or four stores on the way to and from work and be in and out of all four in under ten mins. I dont mind leaving fifteen mins early to do this. I also have no problem going to numerous other stores after work as they arent that far out of my way.
Traffic permitting, I can probably hit three walmarts, two TRU's, target, meijers, t.j. max, marshels, choles and even a drug store or two in not much more than an hr. Dixie hwy has many, many stores and most of them I can hit on my trip to work.

This idea works great for a local group of collector's, in which I can attest to. It's more along the lines of group buying, or with one person importing a bunch of figure from Takara. But once it gets out of state or out of province where one has to ship things out, it just gets a bit iffy.

Discharge- I like your idea. I think its what makes the most sense and would work the best. The problem (or lack thereof!) is that everyone seems to be caught up with what they're looking for. Even the fellas overseas! Things will pick up more around november.

Best of luck with this guys. To some extent I'm already doing something similar. I'm in the UK and buy many waves as full cases from BBTS, the doubles in a case get offered to my fellow Brits over in the sightings forum for a price that's roughly UK retail + shipping. While I'm buying the figures at US case prices the international shipping and import duty bring the price to not far off UK levels. I'm not getting figures for free by any means, and I'd have to sit down and crunch some numbers to see if I was actually making any sort of saving against equivalent UK retail on my own figures. That's a bit of a moot point though because it tends to be the later waves in a line, that hit these shores months later than the US if at all, that I tend to buy in so I'd be paying a mark up somewhere (mainly shipping) buying the figures individually and not helping out fellow Brits.

Helping out US members isn't always as easy. Because of the higher prices I'm paying for the same product (UK retail price or US price with international shipping and tax) I don't like to offer items for sale internationally. I like the people I deal with to feel that they're getting a good deal and the prices I'd have to ask to cover my costs don't really allow for that. For this reason I prefer to trade for other figures when dealing with site members in the States. This approach has led to me sorting out a number of US members with RtS Windcharger this year for the price of a current line deluxe and basic airmail, not as cheap as the few that made it through to discount retailers but a lot better than what they were going for on ebay.

So, as I said, best of luck. I won't be signing up because the model doesn't fit with where I am in the world and the relatively higher costs I incur picking up current figures, but I'll be continuing to try and help people out where I can and it's cost effective to do so. It's always good to see people on the site more concerned about helping out other collectors rather than turning a profit.

Hey guys!! I just wanted to let the members that want to do this know that bionic radical has already helped me out with acquiring a wreck gar figure at 11.00 plus shipping.
I had been wanting this figure for a looooong while but could not justify paying the mark up on ebay. Enter Bionic radical.
I want to thank bionic radical and let everyone know that this is proof that there are infact members that will make this idea work. There was no way I would be able to help out bionic with the figures that he needs, still he sent me a figure that I needed.
I will do my best to recipricate and genuinely look forward to helping a fellow member.
I aprieciate your generosity bionic. Thanks again.
P.S. Wreck gar is a sweet as figure isnt he? One of the best Ive gotten so far. I couldnt be more pleased.