The Energon Pub

News Credits: 9 · Fri May 04, 2012 7:47 pm

Gah, I went to the following Targets today, my birthday: Woodfield, Rosemont, Golf Mill, and Skokie. All they had in new TFP was a single Hot Shot (don't ask me where, it's all a blurr), which I bought. He looks great!

EDIT- I should mention that I was/am looking for TFP Voy Starscream and Bulkhead, any sightings tonight?

News Credits: 1 · Fri May 04, 2012 9:32 pm

First-Aid wrote:Has anyone else noticed a near-complete lack of Transformers figures on the shelves the last year of so? The only store that has fully stocked shelves anymore is TRU. WalMart and Target are spotty at best, and KMart is good if you want TF figs more than a year old. One wonders if the stores not stocking these toys are the real reason why Hasbro had a bad quarter and overall sales...

I really do tend to agree with this. Even with PRID I see nothing but empty shelves no matter what chain I walk into (sans TRU). The same case just hangs there for a week or so, disappears, and is replenished maybe once a month.

Its weird.

I long for the days when the case assortments were like, a pill bug, a german sheppard, a praying mantis, and a buffalo that barfs missles. Sigh. I'll take that over what we're getting now times a million.

News Credits: 2 · Fri May 04, 2012 11:43 pm

I really would be very interested in seeing if these stores had any kind of marketing agreements with Hasbro and, by not putting out adequate product (and as such costing the compnay on the bottom line), if the company could hold the stores liable. The weird thing is, especially in Rockford, NONE of the action figure aisles are really getting restocked except Star Wars. Even the Avengers stuff has been really thin (which could bite them in the ass if the movie continues to do as well as it is...). Could we be seeing the end of the traditional toy section as more people buy online?

News Credits: 3642 · Sat May 05, 2012 10:05 am

First-Aid wrote:I really would be very interested in seeing if these stores had any kind of marketing agreements with Hasbro and, by not putting out adequate product (and as such costing the compnay on the bottom line), if the company could hold the stores liable. The weird thing is, especially in Rockford, NONE of the action figure aisles are really getting restocked except Star Wars. Even the Avengers stuff has been really thin (which could bite them in the ass if the movie continues to do as well as it is...). Could we be seeing the end of the traditional toy section as more people buy online?

I think you might be reading more into it. It's April/May. It's not a big time of the year to sell toys. Lots of toy deals right before Easter. Next big restocks will be later this summer, and then again later in the year for the holiday season.

Avengers stuff is probably thin because it's selling. This is a huge week for Avengers. Product seems to be moving at the stores around me.

New Transformers are apparently coming down the pipes later this month. Starscream and Bulkhead are showing up in stores. Just got have some patience. Or be impatient like me and buy online.

News Credits: 9 · Mon May 07, 2012 9:12 am

This morning I bough the last TFP Cyberverse Dreadwing at Target on 63rd St., in Darien or Woodridge or whatever it's called. What was his wave-mate?

News Credits: 1 · Mon May 07, 2012 9:29 am

Ironhide.

Im only in this thread because I check each thread that gets updated for info but...honestly in 16 years of getting back into the hobby (with Beast Wars) I havent seen stock this dire. Even taking things like spring resets and Chinese New Years into account we should be seeing more product. I hit two Targets every day, on the way to work and on the way home.

Both have barren pegs. Im not even being hyperbolic: not a single deluxe in two Targets in nearly three weeks. Thats not typical. Joe fans have it even worse. The same two or three Destros or Fireflys haunt stores around here for MONTHS without refresh. Since Christmas.

Marvel Legends hits with one or two cases and then disappears. The Wal Mart thats a mile from my home is no different. Zero Joes since spring reset. I hit it every night before closing to check the pallets and...nothing for weeks. Just Nerf and Lego.

Theres probably nothing to it but man. Dire times. Inches away from caving and adding Knock Out to my p o

Mon May 07, 2012 5:47 pm

First-Aid wrote: I FINALLY found a full time job (after more than three years and 1,500+ applications) and won't have as much free time as I used to.

Man, I know that feeling. Congrats, and not that I'm trying to dwell in either of our pasts, but god is that a terrible feeling, seeing resume after resume go out, and nothing coming back in. Demoralizing as hell.

First-Aid wrote:I really would be very interested in seeing if these stores had any kind of marketing agreements with Hasbro and, by not putting out adequate product (and as such costing the compnay on the bottom line), if the company could hold the stores liable. The weird thing is, especially in Rockford, NONE of the action figure aisles are really getting restocked except Star Wars. Even the Avengers stuff has been really thin (which could bite them in the ass if the movie continues to do as well as it is...). Could we be seeing the end of the traditional toy section as more people buy online?

The First-Aid Quote-a-thon continues!

It's been an awful bunch of months in the toy aisles for me too. Christmas '10 I found the last full wave of TFs that I've seen up to Wave 1 of Prime. It was the Generations Dirge/Skullgrin/Thunderwing run. Since then, all I ever see are individual figures seemingly at random, and tons of poopy Bumblebees. Kidz luvs him!!! Yeah, well, they should start buying him and get them the **** off the pegs at literally every store I stop at.
*breathe*
Anyway, while I don't honestly think that the toy section is going extinct, particularly at chains like Target, I think it's pretty naive to always repeat a mantra of "Shelves are re-setting" or "Stores ordered too many/few cases," and that's a mindset that apparently puts me quite at odds around the fandom. Everyone seems so willing to say that this too shall pass, and I know that it will, but I don't think it's still just a production or distribution lull anymore. They said that in 2007. It's 2012. Should not a global company have been able to adjust their numbers in five years?

News Credits: 2 · Mon May 07, 2012 6:44 pm

Agreed. There is more going on here. Hasbro cut 400 jobs last year due to declining profits. Sales are dropping. Is this a case of Hasbro mismanagement directly causing a drop in sales and profits (such as in the case of First Edition and the latter half of the DOTM figures), or is this a case of distribution poor distribution or a lack of interest from the major store chains and distributors?

Mon May 07, 2012 9:25 pm

Yeah, it really seems like something odd is going on with the distribution these days. I got into this hobby halfway through the first movie line, and even I can see a distinct lack of new product being put out on a regular basis. Heck, Kohl's usually gets a few pegs worth of whatever the current TF line is, but they still only have DOTM deluxes, with no sign of Prime (especially annoying since I've been sitting on a couple gift cards for Kohls since last year).

I'd be curious to see Hasbro's sales charts regarding individual characters, specifically how well Bumblebee really does compared to other characters. If the numbers are truly that strong, I can understand why they feel like they should have so much of him on the shelves. At the same time, you really have to wonder if they're considering the possibility of oversaturation with him. It seems like the waves of Bumblebees didn't really start until DOTM, and it's continuing into Prime, but maybe it'll come to an end soon. Considering how far in advance they have to make these toys, they probably made a ton of Prime Bumblebees before they knew if the DOTM Bumblebees were selling well enough to justify all the case assortment spots. Hopefully it really is a fact that Bumblebee isn't selling as well as they'd like, and we'll stop getting so many on the shelves. But that's pure speculation on my part. :-B

News Credits: 2 · Tue May 08, 2012 7:43 am

The sad thing is that they really can't track what characters sell since they sell by the case. One can but hope that the reason they are taking their time is that, since Prime started, BB is no longer the most popular character. In fact, BB isn't even mentioned in the top 3 (in unofficial polling by myself in toy aisles among kids shopping for TF figs). The three they mention? Number 1- Bulkhead. Number 2- Arcee. Number 3- Optimus. Perhaps the big stores have noticed that their shelves are simply CLOGGED with BB repaints and have begun to complain to Hasbro, forcing the company to change their original plan of throwing 4 BB's in every case. I don't know...I'm reaching, but Bee is no longer the favorite the kids are clamoring over thanks to Prime. Perhaps a forced change is throwing things off at Hasbro...

News Credits: 3642 · Tue May 08, 2012 9:23 am

The Transformers Prime Robots in Disguise wave 3 deluxe case assortment seems more appealing to collectors at long last, with the exception of Vehicon being short packed. Vehicon should've been 2 to a case, Hot Shot only 1.

2x Knock Out
2x Hot Shot
1x Vehicon
1x Arcee
1x Ratchet
1x Bumblebee

If they have to stick a Bumblebee in there, I get it. I don't get inserting 3 or 4 in a case and my local Target having 15 Bumblebees sitting on the shelves. If they need to sell a bunch of Bumblebees at Christmas time, I get it. I don't get it in during the Spring.

However, it seems like they haven't learned with the Voyagers yet. Despite the large amount of Optimus Primes that are out on store shelves right now, they're only packaging 1 each of Bulkhead and Starscream to 2 Optimus Primes in the next Voyager wave. * sigh *

News Credits: 9 · Tue May 08, 2012 10:01 am

Target in Yorktown Mall had a single Gens Junkheap this morning, odd.

Also, the Walgreens in Des Plaines, Oakton and DP River Rd, had a single Cyberverse Dreadwing last night- $11! No Ironhide though. FWIW.

News Credits: 9 · Sat May 19, 2012 1:58 pm

Target Golf Mill had 2 or 3 TFP Hotshots, no other new Dlxs. AND, a single Voy Starscream and Bulkhead, what I bought. I can see that Vehicon is going to be quite elusive.

News Credits: 2 · Sat May 19, 2012 5:08 pm

Hip-Hoptimus Rime wrote: I can see that Vehicon is going to be quite elusive.

I can understand why. First I think he's shortpacked. Second, there are peeps that plan on army-building with him (like myself).

News Credits: 3642 · Sat May 19, 2012 5:14 pm

First-Aid wrote:
Hip-Hoptimus Rime wrote: I can see that Vehicon is going to be quite elusive.

I can understand why. First I think he's shortpacked. Second, there are peeps that plan on army-building with him (like myself).

Current wave 3 assortment is

1x Bumblebee
1x Arcee
1x Ratchet
1x Vehicon
2x Hot Shot
2x Knock Out

News Credits: 2 · Sat May 19, 2012 5:39 pm

I just noticed your earlier post on that Ryan...my bad.

News Credits: 3642 · Sun May 20, 2012 1:29 am

First-Aid wrote:I just noticed your earlier post on that Ryan...my bad.

No need to apologize at all! I forgot that I had posted it as well.

As for sightings ...

I just picked up a complete set of the minor variants of the Legends class toys that are currently available at Dollar General. The toys are the G2 Megatron (unchanged), Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and Starscream. Prime and Starscream appear to be the same as their RTS versions except their rub signs have been replaced with actual symbols. Bumblebee is the most different, sporting a fairly different paint apps and colors. I completely forgot about these guys. A shame that there's not something different with Megatron. The others completely appeal to the completionist in me.

I also snagged the 2011 Classics Universe packaged "The Ultimate Battle" two-pack which has the deluxe Optimus Prime and Megatron toys. While I own several versions of both molds (including the original Classics versions), I noticed that Megatron had the movie Decepticon symbol instead of the traditional Decepticon symbol. I normally don't pick up minor variants like that, but for some reason I just couldn't pass these up because of that.

Sun May 20, 2012 11:26 pm

Where were u guys at for ToyCon today?

Finally got a dealer table for once and did quite well at it. Going to try for it again in the future and see if lightning can strike twice for me lol.

Ryan, your gonna hate me. Picked up a nucleon quest Convoy from a board member a few weeks ago and snagged a fire Guts Ginrai at Dairycon a couple weeks back

News Credits: 3642 · Mon May 21, 2012 12:54 am

3.8TransAM wrote:Where were u guys at for ToyCon today?

Finally got a dealer table for once and did quite well at it. Going to try for it again in the future and see if lightning can strike twice for me lol.

Ryan, your gonna hate me. Picked up a nucleon quest Convoy from a board member a few weeks ago and snagged a fire Guts Ginrai at Dairycon a couple weeks back

Is ToyCon the thing down in Bridgeport? If so ... I haven't been to that in about 8 to 10 years. Keep meaning to go check it out one of these times. Glad to hear you had some fun at it being a dealer. I love buying and selling Transformers.

As for your recent acquisitions, congrats! They're two recent wants of mine. Kind of bummed that I missed a really good opportunity to buy a Fire Guts for $180 at BotCon. Just waiting for the right price on a Nucleon Quest Convoy. Prefer sealed on both, but would be just as happy with stickers unapplied. Just need to find them at the right price. If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay for them?

News Credits: 2 · Mon May 21, 2012 7:13 am

Nothing new in Rockford today. TRU had 14 Bunblebee deluxes (down from 20) and no other choices for deluxe sized. I guess that means someone out there actually doesn't have BB...I thought EVERYONE did...

News Credits: 9 · Tue May 22, 2012 8:46 am

Just this morning, Walmart in Glen Ellyn, Rt. 53 and Butterfield, has one each of TFP Voy Starscream and Bulkhead. $19.96.

And very little else- a bunch of DOTM Deluxes at either 7.26 or 9-something (2 conflicting tags) and DOTM Cyberverse figs.

News Credits: 9 · Wed May 23, 2012 12:42 pm

Target Woodridge, 63rd St had nothing new- no TFP Deluxes beyond Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, no Leaders other than Optimus, and no Cyberverse Dreadwing or Ironhide.

They did, however, have the GI Joe Skystriker jet clearanced at $17.xx, so I bit. anybody seen it cheaper? If you do, please LMK so I can get the difference back. The original Skystriker was one of the single most awesome Christmas gifts I ever received- still have it, in rough shape but mostly complete IIRC, so this will display nicely with it.

News Credits: 2 · Wed May 23, 2012 12:59 pm

First-Aid wrote:Nothing new in Rockford today. TRU had 14 Bunblebee deluxes (down from 20) and no other choices for deluxe sized. I guess that means someone out there actually doesn't have BB...I thought EVERYONE did...

Realized today that I don't have that Bumblebee. I fail.

News Credits: 5 · Thu May 31, 2012 9:00 am

Hello!!!

News Credits: 3642 · Thu May 31, 2012 9:56 am

dahpadre wrote:Hello!!!

What's going on my friend!

Had a crazy busy weekend. If any of you are looking for the new Cyberverse figures, check out your local Meijer. Saw some on Saturday, but was getting ready for a BBQ at my house and had family in town over the weekend so didn't get a chance to post.

What's new in your world, dahpadre? How's the fam? See any awesome movies lately?