The Energon Pub

I really didn't believe it when 'the beaver' said those words to me, he's one of the resident scalpers I stumble upon while toy hunting in Lancaster/Palmdale in CA. I still went looking for some TFs and figured I'd pick up the ones like Ironhide and Prime that I didn't get yet.

Gone. Gone, gone, gone. There are 0 Transformer toys left in both towns. I checked 4 Wal marts, 3 Super Wal marts, 3 Targets, 2 K-marts, KayBee, and Toys R Us. My friend in Toys R Us told me that this weekend people started coming in and putting anything that said 'Transformers' on it in a cart and buying it. He'd never seen anything like it and one person even bought two sealed cases of Voyager figures without even opening it. After some asking around, the explanation is vendors from the SDCC have come down here to stock up on anything they can for the big show. When I say anything, I mean even the Cyber Slammers and FAB were gone. Only a few Real Gear figures remained. No deluxe, no voyager, no leader, no replicas, nothing in all of those stores. I snagged a phonebook when I came home tonight and called a few Targets outside of Palmdale in LA, just to check. They don't have anything either and even sold out of their voice-changer helmets.

Vendors have even left their numbers (or tried to) with the store manager so they can be called if any shipments come in before Wednesday, asking to have everything from the trucks held off the shelf. I haven't seen things get out of hand like this ever! While searching through the isles I heard kids asking for Bumblebee, one kid even crying because they had just seen the movie sunday and he wanted a figure. If I had my Bumblebee with me I would of given it to him on the spot, no questions asked. This really pisses me off down to the core.

/rant off

Yup. The supply/demand for these movie toys is another matter altogether without scalper/dealer types getting involved. I'm starting to have my suspicions in my local area on that front, where the vast majority of stores' TF stock has looked like parts of Europe after WWI...but they AT LEAST HAD some Scoponoks, Wreckages, and some FAB's.

I really can't wait until the hype dies down in another month or so.

By the way, your custom work is amazing, Jin.

This is actually a good thing.

It should boad well for seeing new toys and hopefully new reissues this year.

Transformers REALLY IS the new Star Wars.

I don't mean that as a good thing.

Khaotika wrote:Transformers REALLY IS the new Star Wars.

I don't mean that as a good thing.

Why?

man that really sucks.

Counterpunch wrote:

Khaotika wrote:Transformers REALLY IS the new Star Wars.

I don't mean that as a good thing.

Why?

As in, "the scalpers have a new target locked and loaded". Granted, well-informed people will be able to move past their prices and try to find the figures elsewhere, but we have a lot of new blood coming in thanks to the movie. It's just disappointing that some people see these toys as "I GOTTA GET RICH!!", but then again, that's been going on for years; nothing new.

At least it's just SDCC, which will be over by next week at this time. Hasbro has also promised a steady supply of movie toys, so the stores in Jin's area should be restocked relatively shortly.

Jin Saotome wrote:I really didn't believe it when 'the beaver' said those words to me, he's one of the resident scalpers I stumble upon while toy hunting in Lancaster/Palmdale in CA. I still went looking for some TFs and figured I'd pick up the ones like Ironhide and Prime that I didn't get yet.

Gone. Gone, gone, gone. There are 0 Transformer toys left in both towns. I checked 4 Wal marts, 3 Super Wal marts, 3 Targets, 2 K-marts, KayBee, and Toys R Us. My friend in Toys R Us told me that this weekend people started coming in and putting anything that said 'Transformers' on it in a cart and buying it. He'd never seen anything like it and one person even bought two sealed cases of Voyager figures without even opening it. After some asking around, the explanation is vendors from the SDCC have come down here to stock up on anything they can for the big show. When I say anything, I mean even the Cyber Slammers and FAB were gone. Only a few Real Gear figures remained. No deluxe, no voyager, no leader, no replicas, nothing in all of those stores. I snagged a phonebook when I came home tonight and called a few Targets outside of Palmdale in LA, just to check. They don't have anything either and even sold out of their voice-changer helmets.

Vendors have even left their numbers (or tried to) with the store manager so they can be called if any shipments come in before Wednesday, asking to have everything from the trucks held off the shelf. I haven't seen things get out of hand like this ever! While searching through the isles I heard kids asking for Bumblebee, one kid even crying because they had just seen the movie sunday and he wanted a figure. If I had my Bumblebee with me I would of given it to him on the spot, no questions asked. This really pisses me off down to the core.

/rant off

Hey, could you post this in the California sightings forum as well, thanks!

http://www.seibertron.com/forums/viewto ... 11771&sid=

Khaotika wrote:

Counterpunch wrote:

Khaotika wrote:Transformers REALLY IS the new Star Wars.

I don't mean that as a good thing.

Why?

As in, "the scalpers have a new target locked and loaded". Granted, well-informed people will be able to move past their prices and try to find the figures elsewhere, but we have a lot of new blood coming in thanks to the movie. It's just disappointing that some people see these toys as "I GOTTA GET RICH!!", but then again, that's been going on for years; nothing new.

At least it's just SDCC, which will be over by next week at this time. Hasbro has also promised a steady supply of movie toys, so the stores in Jin's area should be restocked relatively shortly.

I agree, I hate scalpers, they always get to the store before you do, and they jack up the prices 300% at the local comic shops or on ebay, when you could have bought them from your local Wal-mart at cost.. it's horrible!!

The most disturbing thing about this is kids actually wanting movie toys. That's just sick.

I hit the local K-Mart and Wal-Mart only to find they were completely wiped out as well. Not a single figure to be had, not even Jazz!

maybe they came and hit arizona on there way, cuz there ain't much left round these parts

That's pretty disgusting. Even my area's pretty empty looking, although I'm sure it's unrelated, but I know a lot of it has to do with scalpers.

Same BS around here. Went to 3 stores on lunch today, not one of them put a damn thing out since last Wed.

I have no idea how the hell WalMart can be the nation's #1 toy retailer...they never have anything. I go to the same 3 WMs at least once a week, and their toy eisles are always bare.

You can imagine what its like in San Diego. Only 1 frenzy was on the walls at the target I was at yesterday.

Im in Ca north of L.A in Ventura county. Up here I still see every voyager shelf warming, along with Swindle and the real gear/ cyberwhatevers.

You'd think that if they were vendors, they could have ordered from Hasbro directly.

Oh wait, if there are toys in local stores, then they can't charge more for them.

Well I did fine ONE Wal-Mart today with some toys, a few Protoforms and Alternators. I picked up the Ravage Alternator before he completely disappears around here.

I feel y'alls pain.. If you're in the states, wait a month. Wait for these little bastards to go back to school--after that, everything should be cherry. Trust me--I'm as tired as you of hearing "Mommy, why did they name him "Bumblebee?" ...because he's yellow!!" Little punk-ass uneducated punks.....

Optimus Schtool wrote:I feel y'alls pain.. If you're in the states, wait a month. Wait for these little bastards to go back to school--after that, everything should be cherry. Trust me--I'm as tired as you of hearing "Mommy, why did they name him "Bumblebee?" ...because he's yellow!!" Little punk-ass uneducated punks.....

LMAO! I actually gave up a 08 BB that I had in my hands to some lil' kid cos I felt sorry for him. Actually here in my part of Kentucky we have so many 08 BB's, Arcee's, and Dreadwings that I could roll around the aisle in them lol. Unfortunately, we just have a handful of Wal-Marts and two K-marts near me. The closest TRU, KB, or Target is 2 1/2 hours away

Actually here in my part of Kentucky we have so many 08 BB's, Arcee's, and Dreadwings that I could roll around the aisle in them lol.

Buddy, pal, wanna be my new best friend?

Noobatron wrote:Buddy, pal, wanna be my new best friend?

Sure, why not See ppl around where I live are really opinionated and they see anybody over the age of 12 to be collecting toys to be a taboo... sooo nobody really buys them except outcasts as myself I had to travel about 1 hour and 45 mins to see Transformers on Opening night cos no theatre where I'm at had the movie

Optimus Schtool wrote:I feel y'alls pain.. If you're in the states, wait a month. Wait for these little bastards to go back to school--after that, everything should be cherry. Trust me--I'm as tired as you of hearing "Mommy, why did they name him "Bumblebee?" ...because he's yellow!!" Little punk-ass uneducated punks.....

...you said "punk" twice...

Checked two TRU's and they took their big displays down too, and moved the leftovers to the other Transformers aisle section.

So I went to these small chain stores, called Magic Mart, and found 1 Final Battle Jazz plus loads of 08 BB's, Arcee's, and Dreadwings. Unfortunately the Jazz had been torn of the card so I had to pass it up They retailed for $9.99