The Energon Pub

News Credits: 1 · Sat Feb 05, 2011 6:09 pm

Just went for a few things and took a look back in the toys to see if anything had finally been restocked. It was miserable. They've reset the toys and reduced the TF's down to about 3 pegs across, but didn't bother to fill any but one for the deluxes. And was mostly WFC Prime and Sea Attack Ravages. The odd bit was that for the voyager class, they had a Stratosphere, Seaspray, and Grindor. Top all that off, they had that 2 pack set with Ironhide and Bonecrusher out. Add 4 Battle Ops BB's in to the mess, and this was the TF area in a nutshell. Minus the scouts, but a lot of them were very old as well.

Pretty crappy. This store hasn't really seen the release of anything decent since Generations came along. And it looks like Walmart's digging deep in the warehouses if they are pulling out Strat,Grindor, and the IH/BC set.

News Credits: 241 · Sat Feb 05, 2011 6:18 pm

My guess is they're clearing out the warehouses in preparation for the new movie toy line. As usuall, the first waves will be over-ordered and will lead to glut...

News Credits: 1 · Sat Feb 05, 2011 6:28 pm

I just wish they had done more Generations stuff then they have. I still haven't seen a RTS item instore. Or some of the repaints like Fallen with the removable face. This is pretty much what they offered before Christmas too. And you know I'm getting desperate when I actually look forward to a trip to Target. They've been keeping up around here more, and that's the only way I ended up with HA Jazz, WFC Megs and Soundwave, HA Barricade, Leader Screamer, and my first WFC Prime-second actually came from another Walmart.

Now if you want Tron or Ironman toys, Walmart has those in plentiful supplies. :lol:

Sat Feb 05, 2011 6:54 pm

The 2 Walmarts I've been to look like they haven't restocked anything in weeks. It's not just transformers either, one of them has half a dozen G.I. Joe's all from the rise of cobra line and they're "marked down" for $9.97! TRU restocked a ton of RotF stuff that nobody wants. Every store seems to have dropped the ball, I haven't bought a transformer in a month.

News Credits: 3 · Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:16 pm

I think what's worse is the decision to jack the prices back up to pre-X-mas sale prices. I actually overheard a parent complaining about how expensive toys are now.
Needless to say the child did not walk away happy.
I have a feeling that the latest waves of RTS are being under produced/distributed as to not create overstock to keep stores form ordering a bunch of the movie stuff.
It's actually good for the people who can find the stuff as it will drive aftermarket prices up. Bad for the people who can't find stuff in retail and are willing to pay the crazy prices ("No matter what!") because theyz addicted to plastic.

Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:50 pm

went to my local walmart and get this i asked a worker stocking some hotwheels when the rts lin was supposd to come to the store and he said the end of april

also the only tfs there are rotf mudflap at least 10 of them, at FULL PRICE!!!!

heek the closest shop-ko has half a shelf of transformers

Sat Feb 05, 2011 7:56 pm

Walmart is always behind the times. Luckily for me, I don't like to shop at Walmart, so this doesn't bother me much.

However, I am considering that I may have to spend the extra money for shipping and raised prices and start getting figures through the internet.

Sat Feb 05, 2011 10:21 pm

I totally agree. They all have dropped the ball.

I hate to say it but i'm glad to hear it isn't just my town suffering from the lack of restocking or selling ancient TF's at full price with what it seems, no hope for anything new coming for a while. At least that's what one clerk at Wally world said to me last week in the toy isle.

My only way to get new stuff is my guy at the local flea market who is very well stocked and up with the times. Plus he has older stock, but the good stuff.

Plus there is a vintage guy at the same flea market aswell who always has great G1 stuff.

I've given up going to the big super stores. It pisses me off plus i don't like going to those places anyways. Depresses me.

I like going to the guys who actually know what the hells goin on and give a ****. The specialty comic shop that is close buy is always ordering in TF's from Japan and **** too. 3rd party stuff aswell if you can believe that. They stock all sorts of goodies. Plus sell Vintage.

I got it pretty good here actually.

News Credits: 2 · Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:23 pm

Here is still cold. Here still has lots of accumulated snow outside. Here the gas price is at $3. I've gave up finding them at retail stores since last year before Thanksgiving. Think about all the 2 TRUs, 3 Targets, 2 Walmarts, 1 KMart, and 1 Kohl's that I might and need to travel around to find those toys. Shopping online is a much better choice now. Maybe when the summer time finally comes, I will do that hunting thing again.

By the way, I think Walmart has not been doing good for a while since the first wave of Generation line. Target is kind of slow but at least consistent with new stock and keeps price steady. Right now Target still has PCC 5 pack at price $15 where others have raised back.

Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:43 pm

havent been there in 6 months the other day i went in to get milk and walked by the clearance section to find everything tf related at full price even found a movie 1 scorponock 8-}

. a guy i know at target told me that walmart tends to place massive orders of a single wave and dont order more till there all gone. target on the other hand places small ones and keeps their figures up to date.unless walmart gets an exclusive i have to have i dont ever see myself going there for figures ever again.

News Credits: 5749 · Sun Feb 06, 2011 12:53 pm

My local WM has been dropping the ball for years. It's to the point where I don't even go check the toy isle when I'm there for groceries.

News Credits: 2 · Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:14 pm

Freakin' A...I think both Walmart and TRU have been skrewing up for a while, maybe more!

Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:57 pm

The walmart in my area just stocked on the Generations wave with Cliffjumper and Skullgrin. That's about it- oh and some more Battle in Space. My paranoia is they aren't stocking with these guys is so they came have plenty of room for the movie figs. Go figure if that is true. I've been disappointed with Walmart for a while now....

News Credits: 1 · Sun Feb 06, 2011 7:28 pm

I live in San Diego and check out 6 different Walmarts throughout the week when a new wave comes in. 2 of these are really good about there toy selection, the other 4 are behind the times for sure. However I do notice each has it's characters that are forever looming on the shelves. Some have Mudflap out the wazoo....another has Ravage for days. One has an endless suply of Bumblebees.

News Credits: 3 · Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:28 pm

I've seen one Kup and one Scourge at one of my Targets. The other Target, 3 Walmarts, and TRU are fairly worthless at the moment as far as new TFs are concerned. I just order online, and if I find anything in stores, I'm pleasantly surprised. Or actually shocked, I suppose.

Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:37 pm

I have 3 Walmarts close together in my section of NJ and they all pretty much bight. Right before Christmas TRU ,Target and Walmart were all well stocked and up to date but here Walmarts have all had practically nothing. Skullgrin, WFC Cliffjumper and ROTF Ironhide are in abundance at Wally World though as they have been for months.

Target really has only been slightly better in their selection. They do have a good stock of PCC. TRU here has been the best fr the last year or so. The last 2 weeks have had pretty slim pickings, but I was there yesterday and they had the pegs cleared for new TF Stock to go up. Supposedly it was going up tonight (which for the night crew that stocks it, is their Monday) So I'll be heading there bright and early tomorrow to see what I can see.

I'll be posting in the sightings thread if I find anything.

News Credits: 37 · Sun Feb 06, 2011 8:46 pm

I just got a ROTF Leader Optimus there yesterday, and he was there last week. The same crap from last week was still there. The newest thing they had was Generations RedAlert.

Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:07 pm

The walmart around me sucks too...all old ROTF lines. The funny part is they have at least 8 pegs with "Generations" stickers on them that have been empty for over 2 weeks now. They did finally stock the RTS Battle in Space set though.

I saw someone had mentioned Kohls - are they usually up to date with their TF selection?

News Credits: 2 · Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:01 am

My local Walmart hasn't even got wave 4 of Gen. yet. No place in my area has. It's still the same HftD wave 1 and 2 and tons of Darkmounts and BB. Now my Walmart has reduced shelf space too. I can't even rely on my TRU because it's so over stocked atm. All the Zellers in my area suck too. I used to just order what I need online but I can't really afford the extra cost right now. Even my surrounding area sucks. It seems for my area that we used to get the completely new lines about a month later, but we would never catch up with the future waves at all. Sorry, just felt the need to complain :BANG_HEAD:

Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:02 am

Honestly, everyone has dropped the TF ball around my town. I had to go to Kohl's and pay way too much just to get my hands on Jazz and Tracks. That seems completely silly to me. Wal Mart did have the Battle In Space set though.

News Credits: 2 · Mon Feb 07, 2011 1:03 am

beanman wrote:I saw someone had mentioned Kohls - are they usually up to date with their TF selection?

Nope. But in my area, when they have first wave HFTD including Hubcap, none other retails have. When they have Tracks and Jazz, none others have. May need to pay a little higher but they usually have something on sale or coupons to bring it down even. I won't rely on them but can check with them occasionally.

News Credits: 1 · Mon Feb 07, 2011 4:01 pm

Nearly all of the stores in my area are extremely slow. They currently (well, as of about a week ago) only have HFTD and a few Generations figures.

paul053 wrote:
beanman wrote:I saw someone had mentioned Kohls - are they usually up to date with their TF selection?

Nope. But in my area, when they have first wave HFTD including Hubcap, none other retails have. When they have Tracks and Jazz, none others have. May need to pay a little higher but they usually have something on sale or coupons to bring it down even. I won't rely on them but can check with them occasionally.

Kohl's seems to be faster than many other stores, at least in my area. It was the only place I could get RTS Jazz, and for quite a while, it was the only place where I say Generations wave 2 aside from seeing a pair of Darkmounts at one of my Targets.

Mon Feb 07, 2011 7:19 pm

in my local walmart there is no tf toys at all.

Mon Feb 07, 2011 7:47 pm

yep im tired of seeing that awsome new mold of desert tracker ratcher

News Credits: 62 · Tue Feb 08, 2011 8:40 am

All the Walmarts and Kohls near me have only ROTF toys. I have only been hitting Target and Walgreens lately with luck finding some of the Reveal The Shield figures.