The Energon Pub

Jestermon wrote:Well, Ragnorok64 many Wal-Marts, I thought all have stopped having Law away, since most people never pay it off these days, they get business offline these days that they did not have years ago.

The program was costing them too much money to process all those credit card fees, and have all that data stored for no one to ever pay off the items, it was a huge gash bleeding money so they stopped it.

I always like to hide things high up, I am 6'8 so I know I can put things on the cap shelf where no one will ever find them.

Once, when I was younger I hid a Human Torch, and my mom actually asked a guy at the KB to help her find it after I gave her explicit instructions lol.

I do not see a problem with hiding one toy, it is the same as denying some one the toy as if you had purchased it, and if you never get it, it is just another casualty in Wal-Marts inventory computers.

Like all the opened drinks, candy and other items that get the package carried out and never are there to get damaged out for credits.

Besides, Wal-Mart knows about these things, it is their fault if their loss prevention/security/surveillance teams suck, they are a large corporation and obviously can absorb this better then the above mentioned problem, if they cared they would enforce policy.

I had a haunting suspicion that they had stopped this. Have most other retail stores followed suite?

With no Lay Away to be had I have to problem with someone hiding a toy. If they can hide it in such a way that they can find it again later and not have it bought up by someone else, good for them. But as others have mentioned, everything in the store, regardless of section it's in, is still fair game.

With layaway canceled at the largest retailer, and it's too expensive at one of the crappiest (K-Mart...$10.00 fee, plus 10% of the item...yeah, no thanks.) people are going to hide items more and more.

But the sad thing is, people have even bitched about their fellow collectors putting things on layaway out of their reach, so you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.

To all of these people who bitch and moan about the hiders: Grow up. Get something real to worry about, like...life. If you're so pathetic that it bothers you that someone else hid a TOY...you have a lot of nerve to be pointing fingers anywhere.

I think more often than not, it's selfishness and basically a "F*ck you. I got it first, and paid for it. You didn't get one because you suck HA HA" kinda attitude. And you wonder why your fellow collectors won't lift a damn finger for you. Well...just the one finger, and I agree with them on that one.

Quit being dickish about this and go take your crusade elsewhere. The level of pathetic is getting to the rest of us.

To all of these people who bitch and moan about the hiders: Grow up. Get something real to worry about, like...life. If you're so pathetic that it bothers you that someone else hid a TOY...you have a lot of nerve to be pointing fingers anywhere.

The irony.

It is beyond selfish to hide figures, depriving other collectors, or kids, of ever finding anything.

STARSCRAPER wrote:

To all of these people who bitch and moan about the hiders: Grow up. Get something real to worry about, like...life. If you're so pathetic that it bothers you that someone else hid a TOY...you have a lot of nerve to be pointing fingers anywhere.

The irony.

It is beyond selfish to hide figures, depriving other collectors, or kids, of ever finding anything.

These people are talking about hiding one of a single figure. Not the entire case.

If the figure was bought on Monday, or hidden and bought on Friday, the result remains the same. Once it's purchased, the other collectors and kids will still be deprived of finding and owning that figure.

You can paint the picture anyway you like, but in the final analysis...it ends the same way. Someone's going home sad.

You see...I understand why people want to hide toys. We love TFs! And, if they are soooo popular that someone else is going to buy the toy as soon as you put it back on the peg, then I see how much you would want to hide it from others.

Instead of hiding the toy, why not try asking the store to hold it for you? It's weird for the store not to hold items that you find. If they don't let you, then it's their loss. But you also have to remember that most stores only hold items for just that workday.

If you're short on cash for - let's say a whole month - it is unfair to other customers to hide the toy for your own. Don't take toys that you can't afford and hide them. Does it make sense to hide a TF because you can't afford it? Is it logical for a penniless person to go to somewhere like Best Buy, pick out a laptop, and hide it? The person can't even afford it.

I've never even thought about hiding toys. When I don't have any money, what can I do? I better earn some.

Would you like it if someone hid that precious TF you've been looking for and now, there is no chance you can get it?

nacho wrote:You see...I understand why people want to hide toys. We love TFs! And, if they are soooo popular that someone else is going to buy the toy as soon as you put it back on the peg, then I see how much you would want to hide it from others.

Instead of hiding the toy, why not try asking the store to hold it for you? It's weird for the store not to hold items that you find. If they don't let you, then it's their loss. But you also have to remember that most stores only hold items for just that workday.

If you're short on cash for - let's say a whole month - it is unfair to other customers to hide the toy for your own. Don't take toys that you can't afford and hide them. Does it make sense to hide a TF because you can't afford it? Is it logical for a penniless person to go to somewhere like Best Buy, pick out a laptop, and hide it? The person can't even afford it.

I've never even thought about hiding toys. When I don't have any money, what can I do? I better earn some.

Would you like it if someone hid that precious TF you've been looking for and now, there is no chance you can get it?

If someone finds a hiding spot in a store where an item will stay say for a month they deserve to get it, I say

I can see both sides of the coin here. Had the person bought it outright, I wouldn't have had a shot at getting it. Of if they'd put it on lay away (assuming the place still had it) I also wouldn't have gotten it. At least when they hide it there's a chance I might spy it hanging out in the toothpaste aisle.

Course optimally I'd have just been able to walk in go to the toy section and find said toy on the peg. Eh.. guess I'll have to start checking drawers in the display furniture next time theres a figure i can't find.

Autobot032 wrote:To all of these people who bitch and moan about the hiders: Grow up. Get something real to worry about, like...life. If you're so pathetic that it bothers you that someone else hid a TOY...you have a lot of nerve to be pointing fingers anywhere.

Easy tiger. We all bitch, we're all dorks.

Autobot032 wrote:I think more often than not, it's selfishness and basically a "F*ck you. I got it first, and paid for it. You didn't get one because you suck HA HA" kinda attitude. And you wonder why your fellow collectors won't lift a damn finger for you. Well...just the one finger, and I agree with them on that one.

Collecting is inherently selfish, it's about circumstance and accumulation. Someone isn't automatically selfish because they have enough money.

We're simply talking about priorities here. I know that it sucks to see something you can't afford, and want it so bad that it kills you. But if you are truly struggling with cash, then it's on you and only you to find a way to afford it, or let it go and get on to more important problems.

I don't much care about hiding either way anymore, because I know that it will happen. But I do consider it kinda sketchy. I may do it for a friend, provided that they get there the same day.

The honest truth is, competition is steep right now, and I can't blame anyone doing what they can to stay in the game. But, if you are going to do it, do it right...with regard to others. A person who habitually hides things and doesn't come back for them is just as much a dick as the guy who goes into Kohl's and buys 12 movie Bumblebees at the same time.

It's like anything else, the middle of the road is usually the straightest path.

Never hidden stuff. Wal-Mart has layaway for a reason, after all.

Not that it matters, since the shelves are pretty bare nowadays.

Nemesis Primal wrote:Never hidden stuff. Wal-Mart has layaway for a reason, after all.

Not that it matters, since the shelves are pretty bare nowadays.

No. Wal-Mart doesn't have Layaway anymore. It's been completely phased out nationwide.

i worked for walmarts and i can tell you everything thats hidden is eventully found!! if not by the hider, then by mangement! remember everything you do in that store is on video!i myself remember finding all kinds of hidden goodies. never a transformer though, tons of treasure hunts and some action figures.

Autobot032 wrote:

Nemesis Primal wrote:Never hidden stuff. Wal-Mart has layaway for a reason, after all.

Not that it matters, since the shelves are pretty bare nowadays.

No. Wal-Mart doesn't have Layaway anymore. It's been completely phased out nationwide.

Well, that bites.

Why has demand so throguhly kicked supply's ass? I really hope Hasbro makes more of all the figures that are so scarce right now so we can find them once shelves start filling up again. The fact that there's even a reason to hide toys kind of depresses me.

people, STOP SAYING THAT HIDING ISNT NECCESARY!!! i went to kohls in search of BB, and since i thought i was just going for him i took only 30 bucks with me, when i got to kohls they had nothing but a swindle, so i got it for 12 bucks, leaving me with 18, i went to the walmart thats right next to kohls and thought if somehow i find it i'll have enough, and they didnt have him but they had voyager megatron which i still didnt have and in fact was the first time i saw him in a store, my 18 bucks werent enough but luckily i had someone who could drive up there for me and bring me more money, but if i didnt i think it would have been ok to hide, u cant judge or decide what people are thinking, maybe they accidently forgot their wallet or miscalculated how much money they had in it, i think hiding stuff is ok ONLY if u plan on returning that same day to get it, and its not wrong, especially if some of these people have wasted gas and time looking for stuff, and just cus they made a small mistake they shouldnt lose a toy after so much hard work in trying to find it

megatron7 wrote:people, STOP SAYING THAT HIDING ISNT NECCESARY!!! i went to kohls in search of BB, and since i thought i was just going for him i took only 30 bucks with me, when i got to kohls they had nothing but a swindle, so i got it for 12 bucks, leaving me with 18, i went to the walmart thats right next to kohls and thought if somehow i find it i'll have enough, and they didnt have him but they had voyager megatron which i still didnt have and in fact was the first time i saw him in a store, my 18 bucks werent enough but luckily i had someone who could drive up there for me and bring me more money, but if i didnt i think it would have been ok to hide, u cant judge or decide what people are thinking, maybe they accidently forgot their wallet or miscalculated how much money they had in it, i think hiding stuff is ok ONLY if u plan on returning that same day to get it, and its not wrong, especially if some of these people have wasted gas and time looking for stuff, and just cus they made a small mistake they shouldnt lose a toy after so much hard work in trying to find it

I really would love to see more understanding people such as yourself. I've learned one thing about fandoms...at their very core is nothing but a bunch of self-serving, selfish bastards.

All of the people I know that have hidden items *do* in fact, go back and retrieve the item for purchase. I've never heard of an account of someone leaving the item and forgetting that it was there, etc.

The people that rally against this are the same ones who are just pissed off because they can't get it and sooner than they'd like (or later) they're going to be beaten to it when it's finally paid for. They just can't fathom the idea that someone else might get what they believe they're entitled to.

They're not entitled to a damn thing. I don't care how much money they make or what their personal stance on the issue is. If they're not there first, it's their fault. It happens to me *ALL* the time, and it will happen again. There's not a single thing I can do about it, except go through another option and get the goodies I want. Whether it's preorder, online stores, eBay, etc.

A lot of those who complain about not bringing enough money are the same type who throw around a credit card like you and I breathe air. They either have the money to back it up, or they're so in debt that it doesn't matter either way if they spend that $10.00 extra bucks. They also look down on the poor like a plague because they want a chance to buy the items too which really, really pisses me off. (that type of thinking's even more selfish)

"I earn my money the hard way, going to work everyday. I make more than you, do more than you, so I'm more important than you and I deserve those TransFormers a hell of a lot more than you, you poor cheap slacker piece of sh*t" is what this comes across as, and even if they don't say it, they think it, and their posts certainly convey it.

As long as the item gets paid for and not stolen (which makes their profits rise, and more items made for selling) is it really hurting you? No. Your impatience is. If you go to "ePay" as you put it, then it's your fault. I didn't go to eBay for Bumblebee. I waited, I saved my money from stupid decisions and in the end I was able to walk into Kohl's and buy him right then, right there.

Follow your own advice people: Be there before everyone else and beat them to it. That way you win, they lose, and the search is over. It'll make you happy and feel warm inside knowing that you beat the rest of us to a toy because you were able to flash your American Express because you work 90 million hours a week, or daddy gave you access to your trust fund.

Not all of us can be so fortunate to just go out at the drop of a hat and buy whatever we damn well please. It doesn't work like that. Oh and a clue for those of you who look down on the poor (and there's at least two posters on here that do, one freely admits it)...nothing in life is guaranteed. Money will be gone sooner or later and when you think you'll never have to ask for help or be poor...ever...heh. Watch, life throws us curveballs every day, and one of those days it might just come your way.

Be a little more patient and understanding with your fellow collectors and people in general. You'd be amazed at what good fortunes (outside of money) might come your way.

You know what would make me laugh the hardest? If kids were the ones beating us to the punch. It's not only justified, but then we'd have a legitimate reason to physically beat you snotless if you got pissed over a kid getting what's actually meant for them. But that's not the case, is it? No.

Even they're getting burned out of this one, and one of the saddest things I heard last week was from a 10 year old boy... "Gramma, why can't I find Bummelbee*? They don't make him anymore do they?" *=and yes, that's how he pronounced it.

Some of the people that hide these items, yeah...they affect the kids, I won't lie, but they don't affect them anymore than you do. If you had the cash and you bought it right there, right off the shelf, you'd walk away from the kid (with a sad look on his face) and go straight for the register and never think twice about it. If the item was put on Layaway, it too would be out of the reach of you and kids, but it's a legit practice and you'd still deny people that as well. Some of these people who do Layaway, and hide...are doing it for their kids, or younger siblings, etc.

At the end of the day, you'll enjoy your TransFormers and whatever else you collect, but at what cost? The kids who really deserve first dibs, and your fellow collectors. You know, if more of us actually gave a damn about other people, you'd see a network of people actually working together, not trying to screw each other over.

The collecting is one aspect, but when you cut right to middle of it...it's just plain old selfishness and it encompasses everything you do in life.

"Fukitol: When life gets you down, take one. When it comes to thinking of, or helping another person, take one. Each pill is a full year's dose of "Kiss My Ass, Loser in a convenient, once a day pill, so you don't have to be troubled with the fact that other people share the planet with you. You deserve this, Fukitol."

Like I said before, find another crusade.

I barely ever go to walmart. I just got lucky when I found the last Voyager Megatron under a bunch of other voyagers.

Ok for those arguing about practice of hidding toys leave it alone. This thread is not a debate about hidding toys. I am issuing this warning because some of the post are starting to get nasty.

Hiding is incredibly lame. If you don't have the money don't buy it. Toys aren't necessary to your survival.

Look at it from the retailers perspective if you can't see it from a fellow collector or kids. You're causing them a possible loss of a sale. If you hide it and never return, then it's almost as bad as stealing if they never find it just because you thought hiding it behind the fish tanks at wal-mart was clever.

The only selfishness I see is from anyone who hides toys just because they feel entitled because they were there first, but have no money. What if someone did the same thing to you? What if that concept bumblebee you're dying to have was actually in the store, but you can't purchase it because it's not where it's supposed to be. You have to keep driving around now, while the stupid douche that hides toys is **** around at home posting about how he's going to get concept bumblebee when his next paycheck comes.

Hiding toys in the same aisle they're supposed to be in is fair game, like behind some leader class figures or something. But putting them in furniture drawers? Wow...
I've never hidden a toy before, and I've given up toys I really really really wanted because I couldn't afford them. That's life, you're not entitled to ANYTHING. If you work hard and can afford uneccessary things like transformers, way more power to you.

Exactly, if more people, especially collectors, had more patience and were more understanding things would be easier, and i think maybe even more fun, when people act impatient it takes away the fun, cus u'll be so stressed out about getting the toy, just be patient. and before u judge people who hide toys, just think about it, maybe its a parent who went to walmart to just get some home stuff, or grocery, or whatever, and happens to see a toy that their kid keeps complaining but just had enough money for what they went for in the first place, shouldnt they be able to maybe hide it and return for it that same day later?? wouldnt that kid getting the toy be better than the parent leaving it behind, and maybe a scalper getting it and selling it for ten times more?? if ur meant to have that toy then u'll get that toy, just wait, if ur so impatient then do something about it, show up at these stores before opening time and be one of the first ones in so that these people u dislike because they hide toys wont get a chance to.

I dunno man, the only impatience I see is people who hide the toys. I mean listen to the people in here, wanting to hide guys like Primus or robot replica bumblebee. I got Primus on clearance for $15 at wal-mart months ago. Robot replica bumblebee is still shipping. If you're patient, then you'll let the toy go to someone who has money, and you'll wait your turn when you can afford it. If you truly care about the toy you'll actively search it out on the internet or at the store you visit.

Even if it's a super rare toy, it's not worth hiding. In fact if I owned a store and someone did that to me I'd ban their ass. Just because your kids bitches and wants a toy doesn't mean there isn't another kid bitching wanting the same toy but is SOL because you had to put it next to the frozen burritos.

could u answer this question, just so i can understand what u mean, u said hiding toys is making retailers lose money?? if the person returns and pays for the toy that same day how is money lost??? i think people just dont like hiding cus they're mad they couldnt get there fast enough, but good thing no matter what they say people will still do it, so just gonna have to get there faster, sorry guys.

tacogrande wrote:I dunno man, the only impatience I see is people who hide the toys. I mean listen to the people in here, wanting to hide guys like Primus or robot replica bumblebee. I got Primus on clearance for $15 at wal-mart months ago. Robot replica bumblebee is still shipping. If you're patient, then you'll let the toy go to someone who has money, and you'll wait your turn when you can afford it. If you truly care about the toy you'll actively search it out on the internet or at the store you visit.

Even if it's a super rare toy, it's not worth hiding. In fact if I owned a store and someone did that to me I'd ban their ass. Just because your kids bitches and wants a toy doesn't mean there isn't another kid bitching wanting the same toy but is SOL because you had to put it next to the frozen burritos.

oh and if theres another kid complaining to their parents then maybe those parents should have showed up before someone whos going to buy it later hides it.

Once I hid one behind a spawn figure & after a few hours, I got dough & bought it.

bottom line, collecting is like survival of the fittest, u have to realize that theres people to whom transformers are really important, they are willing to do stuff u people who dont approve hiding might not do, so ur just going to have to deal with it, so to u a toy might not be worth hiding, or it might not be right to do that, but other people just dont care or its more important to them

No it's not survival of the fittest. It's whoever pays first wins. It shouldn't be whoever spots it gets dibs if they can't deliver the cash.

Sure your intention may be to come back and buy something after hiding it, but what happens if you forget, decide you no longer want it, or can't make it back out for some reason? It's the equivalent of stealing if the store never finds it.

And if scalpers are so freaking awful, what if they start hiding toys too? In all fairness if you hide stuff they should be able too. Now they don't even have to buy the toys to keep you from getting them. If they go home and decide a toy is no longer profitable on ebay they leave it in their hiding place only for it to be found months or years later depending on the hiding place. Sure it may not hurt a large corporation, but what if it was a small mom and pop type store where they need those sales to cover their overhead... would you still do it?

Really it comes down to a moral thing. Toys are NOT ESSENTIAL TO YOUR LIFE. They're a niche product, if you feel you want to own it you pay for it. Otherwise you have no right from keeping it from someone else, even if you spotted it first. Life isn't about finders keepers. That's like 3 year old mentality.

I'd like to add that I've never had any problems finding a toy I wanted. And I've never resorted to eBay for anything that was at retail. I don't drive to every store in the area either, I go to one store every few days if I'm looking for something, and just wait until they stock. It's not like I have some agenda, I just think it's pretty selfish to hide toys.

actually it is survival of the fittest, i think u meant that it SHOULDN'T be, but well it is, cus just cus u and other people that share ur thoughts dont do it, others do. and well i'm not saying either side is wrong, cus i havent hidden toys yet, but if i had to i would. i'm usually well prepared and have money when i go, but if i ever found something, lets say BB, and for some reason i didnt have the money on me when i found it, but i knew 100% that i could come back that same day and get it, i would hide it, i wouldnt care about what people like u think, cus at the end of the day ur not going to pay for the gas i spent, ur not going to give me the time i spent back, so if i have to hide it so i can stop looking for it like crazy, stop wasting gas, and stop spending time i will, in this situation if i hid something and someone couldnt find it cus i hid the last one, then i'm just sorry but maybe they should have been there first. and same thing the other way around, if i got there and there wasnt a BB cus someone hid it, then thats what i get for not being there at the right time, i understand i'm not the only one thats looking for these toys and well then i would just have to wait. bottom line, i dont hide toys, i would if i had to, and well i respect the people who dont approve hiding, just all depends on people's situation and what they;re willing to do or not

I guess it comes down to ethics and manners. I wouldn't go to someone's house and rearrange the furniture and hide their mail under their car or something. Then again I'm the kind of person who returns the carts to the stations in the parking lot as opposed to just leaving them in a parking space.

I can see why people hide toys, but just because they want something doesn't make it right to do whatever they can. It's not survival of the fittest, it's first come first serve. But like at a restaurant you can't get served without paying. (Ok maybe you could but lets not go into that, it'd be like a bad sitcom episode.)