The Energon Pub

It's too bad retailers can't simply RTV (return to vendor) all these Bumblebees like is done with other types of retail goods.

Cobalt Prime wrote:It's too bad retailers can't simply RTV (return to vendor) all these Bumblebees like is done with other types of retail goods.

if they could, Hasbro would be digging a hole next to all the Atari ET games.

Mykltron wrote:

gavinfuzzy wrote:First edition Bulkhead just became a shelfwarmer. Not my pictures, but taken by ppl I know on their hunt.

Notice the proportion of the other PRID figures to bee, and the ammount of FE bulkheads.


Well, I just went to TRU and there were more FE than PRID... All the vehicons are getting snapped up, but arcee and cliff remains everywhere.

Some redistribution of wealth is in order... I have FE Bulkhead but I'm sure lots of others here would love you forever for helping them out.

Someone I know in Singapore said they recently got Hasbro FE's in (minus Starscream and Prime). But there isn't much room for profit on them. Bulkhead is $50 and I believe he said the deluxe were $25. Vehicon could bring in something but only *just* since he's running about $50 with free shipping on ebay. So estimating international shipping at around $15-20... it's not really worth the hassle, especially once ebay and paypal take their fair share from the listing and transaction. One might make a few dollars on Bulky, but the same issue as Vehicon applies. The profit margins are so minimal I doubt most would care.

Would be nice if they got out in the worth though, that's for sure.

Erailea wrote:

Mykltron wrote:

gavinfuzzy wrote:First edition Bulkhead just became a shelfwarmer. Not my pictures, but taken by ppl I know on their hunt.

Notice the proportion of the other PRID figures to bee, and the ammount of FE bulkheads.


Well, I just went to TRU and there were more FE than PRID... All the vehicons are getting snapped up, but arcee and cliff remains everywhere.

Some redistribution of wealth is in order... I have FE Bulkhead but I'm sure lots of others here would love you forever for helping them out.

Someone I know in Singapore said they recently got Hasbro FE's in (minus Starscream and Prime). But there isn't much room for profit on them. Bulkhead is $50 and I believe he said the deluxe were $25. Vehicon could bring in something but only *just* since he's running about $50 with free shipping on ebay. So estimating international shipping at around $15-20... it's not really worth the hassle, especially once ebay and paypal take their fair share from the listing and transaction. One might make a few dollars on Bulky, but the same issue as Vehicon applies. The profit margins are so minimal I doubt most would care.

I'm not sure my idea of "helping out a fellow collector" includes a hefty profit margin. Of course, there are folks who might rather buy from a member on here than some faceless ebay seller from who knows where. And, shipping and paypal fees aside, all money will go to the person who bought the thing. Last thing I bought from a person on here, I stuck in a few extra $ because with the exchange rate as it was, it wasn't a huge deal to me, and the guy was doing me a big favour.

craggy wrote:

Cobalt Prime wrote:It's too bad retailers can't simply RTV (return to vendor) all these Bumblebees like is done with other types of retail goods.

if they could, Hasbro would be digging a hole next to all the Atari ET games.

If it'd mean I could actually get my hands on wave 2 and later toys, I'd gladly help them dig!

craggy wrote:

Erailea wrote:

Mykltron wrote:

gavinfuzzy wrote:First edition Bulkhead just became a shelfwarmer. Not my pictures, but taken by ppl I know on their hunt.

Notice the proportion of the other PRID figures to bee, and the ammount of FE bulkheads.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 9122_n.jpg

Well, I just went to TRU and there were more FE than PRID... All the vehicons are getting snapped up, but arcee and cliff remains everywhere.

Some redistribution of wealth is in order... I have FE Bulkhead but I'm sure lots of others here would love you forever for helping them out.

Someone I know in Singapore said they recently got Hasbro FE's in (minus Starscream and Prime). But there isn't much room for profit on them. Bulkhead is $50 and I believe he said the deluxe were $25. Vehicon could bring in something but only *just* since he's running about $50 with free shipping on ebay. So estimating international shipping at around $15-20... it's not really worth the hassle, especially once ebay and paypal take their fair share from the listing and transaction. One might make a few dollars on Bulky, but the same issue as Vehicon applies. The profit margins are so minimal I doubt most would care.

I'm not sure my idea of "helping out a fellow collector" includes a hefty profit margin. Of course, there are folks who might rather buy from a member on here than some faceless ebay seller from who knows where. And, shipping and paypal fees aside, all money will go to the person who bought the thing. Last thing I bought from a person on here, I stuck in a few extra $ because with the exchange rate as it was, it wasn't a huge deal to me, and the guy was doing me a big favour.

Very much this. Many of us want the FE Bulkhead but don't want to pay the $100-plus prices on eBay. If someone in your region was willing to sell them at their local retail price, plus maybe a small convenience charge, they would have the adoration and business of all of us.

craggy wrote:I'm not sure my idea of "helping out a fellow collector" includes a hefty profit margin. Of course, there are folks who might rather buy from a member on here than some faceless ebay seller from who knows where. And, shipping and paypal fees aside, all money will go to the person who bought the thing. Last thing I bought from a person on here, I stuck in a few extra $ because with the exchange rate as it was, it wasn't a huge deal to me, and the guy was doing me a big favour.

Not saying that's a bad idea, I'm just saying not everyone wants to do that unless they are familiar with the person. The guy I know in Singapore only enlightened me to the supply near him because he knows I collect the toys and offered to help if I needed anything. Guess part of what I was trying to get at is even upon reimbursing my friend for the cost of buying the figure, shipping it and covered the fee's of paypal so he wasn't losing anything, it ultimately costs about the same as on ebay (within a few dollars). So the nameless wonders of ebay are no different than anyone else selling you a figure unless, of course, you know and trust that person. The trust factor is really what you you'd be benefiting from.

A friend is willing to make little to nothing to help you out. Someone who doesn't know you, not as likely. I mean, yes, of course their are some collectors who wouldn't mind helping out other collectors they don't know for little or nothing, but you have to admit it's time consuming. One has to gather the goods, deal with the transaction(s), wrap everything up nicely and wait on line at the post office/shipping facilities.

Kind of why I don't bother selling any of my figures. Haha. Only did it once because I discovered a duplicate in my collection back in January and it was too late for Toys for Tots. Was nice to make my money back but next time I'll just shove it back into my closet and wait for Toys For Tots to start back up. Far less of a hassle that way.

Like you though I throw in some extra cash to thank the friend for their troubles in sending me a figure I can't find. It's not really intended to cover the exchange rate however. It's meant to be a courtesy, like a tip. If it's a friend who lives nearby it's one thing, but if it's a friend who lives afar (or in this case overseas) I feel they should be making something for going through the hassle of wrapping, shipping & writing out custom forms. I know I dislike the ordeal. It's not a "huge profit" as you said, but it is something I feel they deserve.


edit: @That Bot - I was looking at FE Bulkheads on ebay just yesterday, out of curiosity (I already own Takara's). There were several ranging from $70-85 and that's with shipping. At $50 in Singapore that's pretty much what you'll be spending when you factor in international shipping charges.

Yeah, you got me. I haven't checked Bulk's prices in a while, so last I remembered they were like $120 at the cheapest. I guess there's been some additional Asian shipments to decrease the rarity and thus lower the price, which is why your friend saw them shelfwarming. I'll see what I find at the convention I'm going to in a few weeks and if nothing, then I'll get one on eBay with no regrets.

That Bot wrote:

craggy wrote:

Erailea wrote:

Mykltron wrote:

gavinfuzzy wrote:First edition Bulkhead just became a shelfwarmer. Not my pictures, but taken by ppl I know on their hunt.

Notice the proportion of the other PRID figures to bee, and the ammount of FE bulkheads.
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 9122_n.jpg

Well, I just went to TRU and there were more FE than PRID... All the vehicons are getting snapped up, but arcee and cliff remains everywhere.

Some redistribution of wealth is in order... I have FE Bulkhead but I'm sure lots of others here would love you forever for helping them out.

Someone I know in Singapore said they recently got Hasbro FE's in (minus Starscream and Prime). But there isn't much room for profit on them. Bulkhead is $50 and I believe he said the deluxe were $25. Vehicon could bring in something but only *just* since he's running about $50 with free shipping on ebay. So estimating international shipping at around $15-20... it's not really worth the hassle, especially once ebay and paypal take their fair share from the listing and transaction. One might make a few dollars on Bulky, but the same issue as Vehicon applies. The profit margins are so minimal I doubt most would care.

I'm not sure my idea of "helping out a fellow collector" includes a hefty profit margin. Of course, there are folks who might rather buy from a member on here than some faceless ebay seller from who knows where. And, shipping and paypal fees aside, all money will go to the person who bought the thing. Last thing I bought from a person on here, I stuck in a few extra $ because with the exchange rate as it was, it wasn't a huge deal to me, and the guy was doing me a big favour.

Very much this. Many of us want the FE Bulkhead but don't want to pay the $100-plus prices on eBay. If someone in your region was willing to sell them at their local retail price, plus maybe a small convenience charge, they would have the adoration and business of all of us.

Sorry, I have no means of shipping anything internationally, nor do I own a credit card to receive payment.

Maybe you can check out the SG sightings thread here and ask someone to help you get um? Bulhead is $42.80 USD here, The deluxes are $22US. On Ebay FE bulkhead seems to go for $50 US, so it could possibly be cheaper buying from Ebay.

I'm starting to hate bumblebee and well I have always hated cliffjumper.

I got out the old pen and paper and wrote hasbro a letter this morning. perhaps expressing my thoughts on paper will have a better chance of success.......that and the almond I sent in protest. so to all the tf fans out there I say send them a almond!!!!!!!!!

gavinfuzzy wrote:Hmm... wait til the never waves come out. Now it's all Knockout and Hotshot.

I would give my left nut to find those in a store instead of 12-20 Bumblebees, 1-2 various other Deluxes (usually Cliffjumper, often Wheeljack (though never at the same time as Cliffjumper), on rare occasions Soundwave and Ratchet), 3-5 Voyager OPs and 0-3 Voyager Megs.

I don't even want Hotshot, but just seeing on on the peg would at least give me hope that they hadn't just stopped ordering because of the yellow menace being overpacked and undersold.

I've only seen Knock Out once and Hot Shot twice and Vehicon not at all. I honestly believe wave 3 will not arrive any more than it has here in NY. Nobody is replenishing on these figures at all. Too many BBs. Hasbro is run by idiots. Plain and simple. I remember viewing a Hasbro rep on some footage of a 2012 Toy Fair and the guy seemed as though he had just read an informational brochure on TFs that morning before he hit the floor to entertain questions about the products. Unreal.

I got a case of Wave 3 from hasbrotoyshop.com….it was crushed, but the figs seem to be in decent order. I'm keeping a Vehicon, Hotshot and Knockout; if anyone wants one of what remains…if you are planning on opening it the package really shouldn't matter.

I got a case of Wave 3 from hasbrotoyshop.com….it was crushed, but the figs seem to be in decent order. I'm keeping a Vehicon, Hotshot and Knockout; if anyone wants one of what remains…if you are planning on opening it the package really shouldn't matter.

recently i was at toys r us and i asked them why they have not gotten any new TFs and the person i talked to said that stores are ordering avengers and spiderman stuff mostly. the stores are not interested in TFs right now.

Doubledealer93 wrote:recently i was at toys r us and i asked them why they have not gotten any new TFs and the person i talked to said that stores are ordering avengers and spiderman stuff mostly. the stores are not interested in TFs right now.

I'm not surprised, I doubt they sell many since the deluxes are $15 and the voyagers are $27.

Doubledealer93 wrote:recently i was at toys r us and i asked them why they have not gotten any new TFs and the person i talked to said that stores are ordering avengers and spiderman stuff mostly. the stores are not interested in TFs right now.

No great surprise, those are the hot-ticket items right now. The Transformers section has been squashed everywhere I go to accommodate the new Spider-Man and Batman movie toys. And with DOTM, Bot Shots, and Prime all competing for limited shelf space, there's very little Prime Deluxes present, and of course we all know the problem with the case assortments right now. The good stuff is going to be very hard to find until space clears up.

today on a shelf I saw 1 each of Soundwave, Arcee, Ratchet, Cliffjumper and Wheeljack. And 1 Bumblebee for each of those. Now, considering case assortments, that is actually not a bad proportion of Bees that have either been sold, or shoplifted, but still!

The yellow cancer went into slight remission in Central PA today since I found a Vehicon, Knockout and Hot Shot.

It flared back up when I went to the same TRU later view the yellow glaring back at me with it's putrid gaze, but there was still hope - a Hot Shot remained.

Hows that for yellow cancer!? There's probably close too 70 too 90 BB's there!

BB. Phone. Home.

monstergrotusque wrote:

Hows that for yellow cancer!? There's probably close too 70 too 90 BB's there!

by the all spark i feel so sorry for you.

It's the same in Edmonton too Monster.

I can't stand it, 3 TRUs in this city and there's probably 200+ BB's altogether, FE, Mechtech and PRID.

We might have got FE Voyagers and FE CJ but no PRID Wave 2 or 3 is the stupidest thing ever.

monstergrotusque wrote:

Hows that for yellow cancer!? There's probably close too 70 too 90 BB's there!

LOL…if the pegs weren't enough, you get another dose in the way of a two pack…or Kreo anyone. You have to wonder what moron is doing the orders.

i call it nothing more than **F'N RIDICULOUS!!!!!**