The Energon Pub

[skyblast]

Decided to visit walmart this evening and what do I spy on multiple pallets? Cybertron Battle Blitz 2-packs made up of Down Shift & Thundercracker and Excellion with one other that I can't remember. Boxes upon boxes of them, eight 2-packs per box.

Took em to the register to buy and was pleasantly surprised to learn that they were only $9.99...for a 2-pack!! Score!!! Yeah, no dice. An employee even opened the box for me. I was told at the register that they could not be purchased until Black Friday (day after thanksgiving). Right then the first thing that popped into my mind was, what if this happened to MP Starscream when I tried to buy him last week? I did hear rumors that MPS was supposed to be a Black Friday item? How much would that have sucked to have finally gotten him to the register only to be told to put MPS back ?

The other thing that bothered me was Hasbro's dumbing down of packaging. Why package a Cyberton TF in an Energon package?? It just seems a slap in the face to the toy itself. IT'S A CYBERTRON TOY! Right? Could be wrong. I've heard of this happening at dollar stores across the country but I never thought I would see this at a luxury store like walmart.

Now I'm wondering if they are worth standing in line for? Due to the large quantity I saw I should have a good chance of picking them up on BF a few hours after doors open? Right? Do I really want to stand in line at 4am for them? Ten bucks is pretty cheap for two pretty darn decent TFs.

[Justicity]

All I can say is Horray to the major lack of thanksgiving in the UK.
Sorry to hear this, but could you just explain the "Black Friday" concept to us Brits (& the rest), I don't quite get why you could only purchase that then...

[Predacon Galvatron]

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving here in the States. It is one of the busiest shopping days of the year, and typically kicks off the Christmas Shopping season. A lot of stores here usually open up super early, and have deals all throughout the store.

I didn't see those battle packs at my local Wally World the other day, however I did FINALLY snag me an MP Screamer. Not really going to make another trip for these, seeing as I have some of the figures, so pass for me.

[Pontimax 01]

We got our shipment of Blitz transformers last night. Sounds like the same thing you saw. I saw Excellion, Downshift, Thundercracker as well, all packaged two to a set, priced at 10.00 exactly, and they are labeled Transformers: Universe. We too can't sell them until Black Friday, and we shrinkwrapped the pallet and racked them for the time being. They won't gon on sale til 5am. day after Thanksgiving.

Honestly, you shouldn't actually have seen the toys yet. Sounds like someone made a mistake. We're not supposed to take blitz out on the floor, and we have to shrinkwrap it in black plastic so it remains "secret". They don't want people knowing what we have.

[Repair Bay]

niice. Its a shame, though, I'm working at Target on Black Friday >.>

[The Crimson King]

Honestly, you shouldn't actually have seen the toys yet. Sounds like someone made a mistake. We're not supposed to take blitz out on the floor, and we have to shrinkwrap it in black plastic so it remains "secret". They don't want people knowing what we have.

This is the sort of **** in corporate America that drives me nuts. $Deity forbid that the American consumer be well informed. Nope! Just waste their time and reel them into the store with vague promises of huge savings, maybe they'll buy something else before they leave looking for what they're really after. Granted, the complacency of the American consumerist sheeple doesn't provide any disincentive for retailers (or mortgage brokers) to educate the consumer.

Bah, sorry. Rant off. I'm trying to shop for an xbox 360, and secret sales are making gathering data difficult. That said, depending on the state you're in, once an item is on the shelf and in your hands, the retail outlet must make a good faith offer and allow you to purchase one before correcting their sticker price / availability. I know that in Borders in NJ, where I worked once, if a customer had a stack something (like dvds) that was obviously priced wrong, we had to sell them one at that price, but we could decline to sell the rest. While explaining that we were only selling one, we'd have other employees getting them off the shelves asap and correctly pricing them.

[Lapse Of Reason]

Some people get way too excited over black friday. It is a horrid way to shop. Lines are huge. Consumerism is at its worst. The amount of frustration is not worth the savings on very limited loss leaders.

Saving $5 to $10 on a 2 pack of Cybertron figures that I probably already have or passed on anyway is NOT worth fighting the crowds (and it is a fight) and geting up at 4 am. Sheesh, I don't get up at 4 am for anything. Sometimes I go to bed at 4 am, but getting up at that ungodly hour, unless maybe the house is on fire, is just pain unheard of for me.

[Agent 007]

Meh, it's not worth it. U can find em on ebay for that price. All their doing is putting leftover shelfwarmers out for unsuspecting parents to buy their kids for xmas then when the kids open em they find tfs they arlready had. Take it from me I've had that experience. I might go out shopping, but I'm in no rush to go out at 4am unless there's some huge deal which i doubt. I don't think this year's gonna be that crazy, sence there's no new ipods and the three next gen consols are out.

[alh77]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

[skyblast]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

My question is, why the heck then do employees bring BF items out and why does it seem that not all store employees are on the same page?

[Lapse Of Reason]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

My question is, why the heck then do employees bring BF items out and why does it seem that not all store employees are on the same page?

Because WalMart does not actually pay them enough to care, or take pride in, their job.

[Wheeljack35]

Funny thing is if I wanted something I would have to wait

I can't pick up my paycheck until around 10:30am at my Target.

The good thing there is Target isn't running any Transformers ads during this

[Agent 007]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

My question is, why the heck then do employees bring BF items out and why does it seem that not all store employees are on the same page?

Because WalMart does not actually pay them enough to care, or take pride in, their job.

very true lots of rude people work at wally and target

[Liege Evilmus]

I've been searching high and low for a MP StarScream with no luck.

However at several of the Walmarts I've been checking clerks have been telling me that they have lots of TFs backstocked and are going to be setting up new displays.

Don't know how true it is, but it is worth looking into

[Grimlock_1978]

All I can say is Horray to the major lack of thanksgiving in the UK.
Sorry to hear this, but could you just explain the "Black Friday" concept to us Brits (& the rest), I don't quite get why you could only purchase that then...

Be glad you don't have a Black Friday only us stupid Americans run out at the early morning hours to get deals on certain items... The biggest BS in this country!!! This is why the country is going to S***.... Greedy bastards that came up with this stupid concept years ago..

[waaaaghlord]

All I can say is Horray to the major lack of thanksgiving in the UK.
Sorry to hear this, but could you just explain the "Black Friday" concept to us Brits (& the rest), I don't quite get why you could only purchase that then...

Be glad you don't have a Black Friday only us stupid Americans run out at the early morning hours to get deals on certain items... The biggest BS in this country!!! This is why the country is going to S***.... Greedy bastards that came up with this stupid concept years ago..

People over here are just as bad when prices get slashed right after Christmas.

[Barricade]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

My question is, why the heck then do employees bring BF items out and why does it seem that not all store employees are on the same page?

Because WalMart does not actually pay them enough to care, or take pride in, their job.

ok being i've worked for walmart for 2+ years now and just became a department manager this is what happens...
1. the deparment gets a list of what items as black friday items.....
2. they come on a trailer litterally completely filled with crap....
3.the unloaders just see that it's a "toys" item and stack it on the pallet for toys...
4. when the pallet cant fit anymore stuff on it it is wrapped and brrought to the deparment it goes to
5. in the morning the associetes start working the pallet and if the BF stuff is on it then they leave it on the pallet and after they are done they bring it to the back and then it's put on a seperate pallet for black friday...

i hate people liek you guys that think just cause you shop there you know EVERYTHING about what we do when we work there.... heck you think just cause the employee is walking through thte department and say "sorry i dont work in this department" you get all snotty... you know if we are hired to work in electronics they dont train us to work in the toy department..... so next time you think you know what you are talking about just keep it to yourself.... * end rant *

[LicoriceSnoCone]

I did some sleuthing and...Kohl's has 30% off their entire tf stock. At TRU Cybertron leader class Prime is $20 and the starwars tf millineum falcon is also $20.

[Counterpunch]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

My question is, why the heck then do employees bring BF items out and why does it seem that not all store employees are on the same page?

Because WalMart does not actually pay them enough to care, or take pride in, their job.

ok being i've worked for walmart for 2+ years now and just became a department manager this is what happens...
1. the deparment gets a list of what items as black friday items.....
2. they come on a trailer litterally completely filled with crap....
3.the unloaders just see that it's a "toys" item and stack it on the pallet for toys...
4. when the pallet cant fit anymore stuff on it it is wrapped and brrought to the deparment it goes to
5. in the morning the associetes start working the pallet and if the BF stuff is on it then they leave it on the pallet and after they are done they bring it to the back and then it's put on a seperate pallet for black friday...

i hate people liek you guys that think just cause you shop there you know EVERYTHING about what we do when we work there.... heck you think just cause the employee is walking through thte department and say "sorry i dont work in this department" you get all snotty... you know if we are hired to work in electronics they dont train us to work in the toy department..... so next time you think you know what you are talking about just keep it to yourself.... * end rant *

Ya know...I worked at Wal-Mart for almost 2 years while I was in grad school.

I can confirm what you said about the way trucks come in and the way pallets are places.

but you're wrong about about the employees.

Wal-Mart basically tells you in all of your training that your job is to serve the customer. So, if you don't know where something is, you find out or get someone who does. You don't blow them off and do nothing.

Bad attitudes at Wal-Mart are the only things that are always in stock. It may be a stereotype, but it's a damn true one.

[alh77]

I saw these the other night on the bottom of a pallet the other night. We asked if they could open up a box and the employee just stared at us and shook his head "no".

My question is, why the heck then do employees bring BF items out and why does it seem that not all store employees are on the same page?

Because WalMart does not actually pay them enough to care, or take pride in, their job.

ok being i've worked for walmart for 2+ years now and just became a department manager this is what happens...
1. the deparment gets a list of what items as black friday items.....
2. they come on a trailer litterally completely filled with crap....
3.the unloaders just see that it's a "toys" item and stack it on the pallet for toys...
4. when the pallet cant fit anymore stuff on it it is wrapped and brrought to the deparment it goes to
5. in the morning the associetes start working the pallet and if the BF stuff is on it then they leave it on the pallet and after they are done they bring it to the back and then it's put on a seperate pallet for black friday...

i hate people liek you guys that think just cause you shop there you know EVERYTHING about what we do when we work there.... heck you think just cause the employee is walking through thte department and say "sorry i dont work in this department" you get all snotty... you know if we are hired to work in electronics they dont train us to work in the toy department..... so next time you think you know what you are talking about just keep it to yourself.... * end rant *

Ya know...I worked at Wal-Mart for almost 2 years while I was in grad school.

I can confirm what you said about the way trucks come in and the way pallets are places.

but you're wrong about about the employees.

Wal-Mart basically tells you in all of your training that your job is to serve the customer. So, if you don't know where something is, you find out or get someone who does. You don't blow them off and do nothing.

Bad attitudes at Wal-Mart are the only things that are always in stock. It may be a stereotype, but it's a damn true one.

I worked at Wal-Mart in overnight stock and I agree completely with the latter part of the quote.

[Blurrz]

What is Black Friday?

I'm a Canuck, so you can't blame me for not knowing.

Is it just a day when you Americans spend alot of money?

[skyblast]

What is Black Friday?

I'm a Canuck, so you can't blame me for not knowing.

Is it just a day when you Americans spend alot of money?

Read from the beginning of the thread

[TheMuffin]

I love the concept of BF.

I also love walking into Best Buy with a 5 iron and watching as people give me some room to move.

[skyblast]

ok, so back on topic

Walmart is offering the Blitz 2-pack

Target?

TRU? Oh yeah, Galaxy Force Optimus Prime at half price

Any rumors of anything else, anywhere else? Maybe no one knows until BF?

[Bumblebee-otch]

I love the concept of BF.

I also love walking into Best Buy with a 5 iron and watching as people give me some room to move.

its reasons like that that make me glad om not working friday