The Energon Pub

News Credits: 101 · Fri Feb 24, 2023 5:49 am

This is beyond *****. Seriously. My local Walmart had their TF shelves that consist of 33% same sh!t over and over again, and 66% of EMPTY, BARE SPACE. Why is it so hard to stock up those damn shelves?

I hate Walmart for having the Velocitron line exclusive to themselves and I hate Toys R Us for having the Buzzworthy line exclusive to them. This make getting those toys in store nearly IMPOSSIBLE.

At least so far, there's my local geek store, even if I have to pay a few bucks more. Plus Amazon is reliable most of the time.

News Credits: 1 · Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:09 am

Is it the retailer dumping it to liquidators or vendors?

When I was a buyer at TRU, I never remember us selling product out of our warehouse to liquidators.

On the other hand, cancelling our orders to vendors, perhaps too late for them to do anything but dump the product, THAT I remember.

News Credits: 30 · Fri Feb 24, 2023 9:50 am

That's a lot of stock to just leave in a warehouse for months at a stretch and then farm out to liquidation stores. Did it even occur to them to at least TRY to sell these at retail and get some profit?

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Feb 24, 2023 10:56 am

MeGrimlock78 wrote:Is it the retailer dumping it to liquidators or vendors?

When I was a buyer at TRU, I never remember us selling product out of our warehouse to liquidators.

On the other hand, cancelling our orders to vendors, perhaps too late for them to do anything but dump the product, THAT I remember.

That's interesting, I thought TRU would buy directly from Hasbro. Or is Hasbro the vendor in your scenario?

News Credits: 1 · Fri Feb 24, 2023 12:07 pm

william-james88 wrote:
MeGrimlock78 wrote:Is it the retailer dumping it to liquidators or vendors?

When I was a buyer at TRU, I never remember us selling product out of our warehouse to liquidators.

On the other hand, cancelling our orders to vendors, perhaps too late for them to do anything but dump the product, THAT I remember.

That's interesting, I thought TRU would buy directly from Hasbro. Or is Hasbro the vendor in your scenario?

Sorry, yes, TRU would buy direct from Hasbro. We called all suppliers and manufacturers Vendors, so it wouldn't be confusing.

I have the feeling either this is stock retailers ordered from Hasbro, and then backed out on, or stock that Hasbro thought retailers would want but then didn't. Usually when the vendor is stuck with stock like that, they'll offer it around to vendors at a reduced cost. If no one bites, they'll drop the price further and offer to their next tier of customers, and so on until Hasbro can finally sell it.

Since these are showing up in Canadian discounters, it's stock that Hasbro Canada had excess of in their warehouse.

News Credits: 332 · Fri Feb 24, 2023 6:32 pm

Heh, the article seems a bit different than what I first read this morning. The bottom line is something is going on with Hasbro distribution, period. There were no Earthspark toys on US shelves for the holiday season, that's just odd. Amazon has canceled orders for the first wave of flip changers while having NO listings at all for the Tacticon figures. Evolution wave 2 voyagers and Leaders were available from independent online retailers and Canadian B&M before they were even announced and before many retailers got stock of the Wave 1 Voyagers. Don't even get me started on the distribution of ROTB Studio Series line. Nothing is going to change and we're not going to get answers if we don't start making noise and asking questions, all the time. Instead of losing our minds over Commander Armada Prime, we should be talking about bare shelves and out-of-order distribution. This has to happen at EVERY live stream and with every post someone from Hasbro makes. Enough with falling postrate in front of our Hasbro masters grateful for any morsel we get. It took us 30 years to learn about the Mysterions, it shouldn't take us another 30 to learn about why whole waves were showing up at some discount store or not at all.

News Credits: 101 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 2:00 am

Red Kog is back at normal deluxe price at TrU:

https://www.toysrus.ca/fr/Transformers- ... 658A5.html

Blue Silverstreak is 31.47$:

https://www.toysrus.ca/fr/Transformers- ... 22A11.html

And that's it.
It's better than nothing.

News Credits: 101 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 5:14 pm

The cheapest place to get the big Select Guardian Robot is at TFTOYS.CA
The preorder is 270$. Unfortunately, shipping is not free but it's not too expensive. Be warned that you MUST pay the TOTAL amount of the preorder upfront.

My previous cheapest option was at GameStop, live in store (not guaranteed) with the Edge Platinum card. Ignoring the fact that I'll have to pay this year's fee, even with the Edge discount, it's 6$ more expensive.

So despite the 20$ shipping fee, the fact that I pay just the federal tax AND that my preorder is secured makes TFTOY.CA the clear winner.

I'm glad I discovered that place!
Now, to wait until May...

Capture d’écran 2023-03-10 171209.png

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:36 pm

Canada has been lagging behind releases as of late in their big box stores. While it is still not caught up, Walmart has had a reset which finally brought new figures to give some variety to shelves which saw no change for a year. That includes:

- The exclusive G1 retro Hot Rod and Starscream
- Studio Series Core Rumble, Laserbeak and Wheelie
- Studio Series Voyager Ironhide and Galvatron wave
- Studio Series Deluxe ROTB Airazor and Bumblebee
- Legacy Voyagers Inferno and Armada Starscream

Also, the same collectible store which got Metalhawk early also got Generation select Guardian Robot in stock now, which can be picked up locally or be shipped.

While that option is $299.99 CAD, there is a cheaper option at TFtoys.ca but that toy won't ship until May.

Also, Toysrus has a sale on two of their exclusives, Red Cog and Silverstreak

Red Cog: https://www.toysrus.ca/fr/Transformers- ... 658A5.html

Blue Silverstreak: https://www.toysrus.ca/fr/Transformers- ... 22A11.html

Also, the Leo Prime seen in the image below is a return.

News Credits: 101 · Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:48 pm

My local Laval Walmart is BAREBONE.

But there's that Cyberverse deluxe Arcee for only 9$ if anyone is in the area and still haven't gotten her.

20230310_123757.jpg

Also, Toys R Us Laval have 2 remaining Origin Bees at 18.50$.

20230310_115335.jpg

News Credits: 1 · Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:55 am

That store has more toys than my Walmart has. And guys I've never seen out yet!

News Credits: 101 · Mon Mar 13, 2023 5:08 pm

OMFG, 48$ OFF on SS10 JAZZ!

HURRY TO NOT MISS OUT ON THAT INCREDIBLE SAVINGS! :michaelbay:

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... 0197590694

News Credits: 1 · Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:23 am

Rumble is still listed as a rollback ($12.97) on Walmart.ca.

Any chance they'll price match their own site, even though they stopped doing price matches?

News Credits: 4877 · Tue Mar 14, 2023 12:38 pm

MeGrimlock78 wrote:Rumble is still listed as a rollback ($12.97) on Walmart.ca.

Any chance they'll price match their own site, even though they stopped doing price matches?

I think they only price match if the article is in stock on the website.

Speaking of in stock, Tarn is back in stock on Amazon.ca

News Credits: 101 · Tue Mar 14, 2023 3:18 pm

william-james88 wrote:
MeGrimlock78 wrote:Rumble is still listed as a rollback ($12.97) on Walmart.ca.

Any chance they'll price match their own site, even though they stopped doing price matches?

I think they only price match if the article is in stock on the website.

Speaking of in stock, Tarn is back in stock on Amazon.ca

I saw Tarn at my local Geek store and I passed. Then I learned he's short packed.

The FOMO was too strong when i saw it back at Amazon. 8-}

News Credits: 101 · Thu Mar 16, 2023 9:44 am

I called my local Toys R Us Laval about the Buzzworthy Bumblebee NEST and SS44 figures.

Not only they have none in stock, NONE ARE EVEN ORDERED YET.

I don't know if that's the case for the whole province of Quebec. There's no trace of then online either.

TrU suck. Seriously. >:oP

News Credits: 101 · Thu Mar 16, 2023 1:39 pm

While TrU is dropping the ball on Transformers, Walmart pick up the slack.

Pre-order for Legacy Metroplex at 200$.

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... VCRX5JJGRB

MPM Blackout at 200$

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/transforme ... 0206365638

The G2 bots and G1 tools are there too.

News Credits: 101 · Sun Mar 19, 2023 9:28 pm

After 9000 years, Bee Joe is at Amazon.ca!

https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/Hasbro-Trans ... 82&sr=1-79

News Credits: 4877 · Fri Mar 31, 2023 9:28 am

Both NEST Ratchet and Origins Jazz have been found in Canada. Since they are part of the Buzzworthy Bumblebee toyline, they are exclusive to Toysrus. These were found in Markville, Ontario, by Janitor over at Cybertron.ca. But the best news is that Jazz is $35 CAD rather than the obscene 25% markup toysus places on deluxes these days.

News Credits: 101 · Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:38 pm

Now, will my local TrU even bother to have that Jazz in stock?

News Credits: 101 · Fri May 05, 2023 3:52 pm

The clearance sale previously reported keep going, bu until May 10th, if you buy two clearance items at Toys R Us, the cheapest one is 40% off!

So now it's your chance for some crazy savings, like for my second Biker Baroness and "Sphinx" Dinobot.

News Credits: 101 · Fri May 26, 2023 3:08 pm

Most ROTB and Earthspark toys are on sale at amazon.ca at around 15% off.
It ain't much, but that was enough for me to finally pull the trigger on SS ROTB Battletrap.

News Credits: 101 · Tue May 30, 2023 5:34 pm

The Legacy evolution "origins" 2 packs are at last available on amazon.ca.

The price is REALLY good for Ratbat and Megs at 77$:
https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/F6964/dp/B0B ... 82&sr=1-32

And for some reasons, the Shockwave and Orion Pax set is the same price, at 77$, Making it more normal.
https://www.amazon.ca/-/fr/F7015/dp/B0B ... C83&sr=1-2

Oh, I must add that the 2 pack with Orion Pax and Alpha Trion was 100$. That's 23$ just for the X-Mass decoration that came as an "extra".
So, the price of these two new sets is once more, really , REALLY good.

News Credits: 101 · Sat Jun 10, 2023 12:37 pm

It took 9000 years but the elusive SS44 reissue Leader DOTM Optimus Prime finally appeared on TrU's website!

https://www.toysrus.ca/fr/Transformers- ... E5BB1.html

News Credits: 4877 · Wed Jun 14, 2023 1:19 pm

Good time to visit your local Walmart, if you're in Canada. Not only are there some great new deals but there are also some new toys. Mainline voyager Rhinox from Transformers Rise of the Beasts just hit shelves, along with the latest wave of core class legacy figures (you can see all those on the shelf image below). We have some reviews of Rhinox for you below from our community.

Walmart has also got some nice deals on Transformers toys. The retro G1 releases are only $29 CAD (which is slightly above $20 USD), making Hound and Thundercracker 40% off. The ROTB Beast Weaponizer two packs (which I highly recommend to any parent who wants to get their 5-7 year olds into Transformers) are only $15 CAD ($11 USD). That is great value when you consider that it makes them the same price as the inarticulated Battle Changers.