The Energon Pub

Bruticus1983 wrote:I think i will let this one pass, im waiting for the voyager foc grimlock, or the retail combaticons because i already have the MP 10 convoy, so i really dont need it. (waiting face)

My mistake, MP-01 convoy.

The ONE Hasblo item I was going to buy this year... if I can't get this at retail, screw 'em.

craggy wrote:

Erailea wrote:Always blows my mind when these big companies sell out of an item rapidly and they don't do anything to alleviate the problem next time around - like having enough stock to keep the item online for a day, rather than 3 or 4 hours :/

The only reason I can assume companies do this, is that they don't want to make as much money as they could have if they had more to sell.

I get small companies, like the 3rd parties like Fansproject, or Perfect Effect (wait, am I allowed to say that in here?) only making a very limited amount of their products, because they maybe can't afford to keep doing new runs of them. Hasbro isn't exactly a small toy company, and TRU isn't really some little independent retailer. Pretty sure if someone in an office somewhere pressed a few keys on his computer, they could get more.

Your talking about two differnt things. You're talking about supply on one hand and demand on the other. In reality, it boils down to three things:

TRU is in the business of selling toys, not storing them. Now, we can all agree that they aren't doing a swell job maybe of spreading stock around in the right places, but having Prime sold out is much more interesting to them than taking a gamble on ordering a thousand more and then selling only anothr three hundred off the bat. The other 700 Primes end up becoming not what we think of the term, but for TRU its a shelf warmer and wasted money. And Hasbro's in the same boat. Primes unwanted by TRU do them no good.

On Hasbro's end, there's probably some balance of cost per unit. Now, usually on our end, that goes down with bulk runs. But with complex figures liek Prime, I don't know for sure, that may not always be true. If the facotry gives Hasbro a quote for X figures and a quote for Y figures that's higher, and hasbro only has one retailer buying, they're going to pay for X and say "Sorry bout'cha."

Yeah, its about profit. And it is actually possible to make a bigger orofit off of fewer figures without choking demand.

The other thing on Hasbro's plate is that manufactuiring Prime takes up a lot of casting machines and assembly time. The longer they spend making a figure for one retailer, the less resources they have to make another figure, or figures if not as complex, for multiple retailers. Like the bajillion Bumblebees for example.

1 Prime for TRU, or One Bumblebee, one Wheeljack, for Walmart, TRU, target, Meijer, etc.

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I dunno. I guess this was the decider for me. I was on the fence. Its a nice figure, but it doesn't really go with the Alternator collection like the first MP1 did. And I have him. Not really the modern asthetic, but he might belnd into the Classics shelf well. We'll see if he comes back up. If so, maybe...

Them Babies are back on! check it out!!

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.js ... d=15546036

just put mine on order! Thundercracker Friday and now OP w/ trailer. Man I'm broke but I'm happpy. Hope i survive the wife killing me!

just got me order in
pretty psyched for this to come out

can we still buy in store?

Just as a heads up, some people are having trouble finding it on the site depending on their browsers. I get a "no results" found page when checking from my phone (iPhone 4, iOS5 & using the full site, not the mobile TRU) but using my desktop (with Windows 7, IE8) I can find it no problem. So if you're having trouble getting him to pop up, go to something with a different browser.

I GOT ONE!!!!!!! Now for the "wait by the mailbox" game......Long wait, though, since it won't be released for a few weeks...

Just ordered mine on Monday 7:30 am!! I clicked on the link just to see.. and it was back up!!!

..the least they could have done is transform him right. Anyone notice the rear wheels?

As much as I love this mold, and I DO like the brighter colors and eyes, I'm probably going to pass. Finding Thundercraker was ulcer-inducing and seems I have the Takara version of Prime, I'll let him go to others who need him in my area.

Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

ZenPrime wrote:Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

Site says orders of $150 or more, unless there's a different offer I'm not seeing

fordprefect294 wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

Site says orders of $150 or more, unless there's a different offer I'm not seeing

Yeah for those that actually ordered 2 of these. which I forgot to mention.

ZenPrime wrote:

fordprefect294 wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

Site says orders of $150 or more, unless there's a different offer I'm not seeing

Yeah for those that actually ordered 2 of these. which I forgot to mention.

Ahh, didn't think of that.

edit- Sudden depression of scalpers getting him at a discount...

ZenPrime wrote:

fordprefect294 wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

Site says orders of $150 or more, unless there's a different offer I'm not seeing

Yeah for those that actually ordered 2 of these. which I forgot to mention.

I called TRU about it since I've already got my preorder in, and they said the code only works for in stock items so it can't be applied did you get it to work?

Sorry if this is off topic, but just off the phone with Hasbro UK asking about the availability of MP Optimus in the UK. The girl I spoke to said it would be avalible October/November as a Toys R Us exclusive. So at least I'm not gonna have to import again

Bubbah wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:

fordprefect294 wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

Site says orders of $150 or more, unless there's a different offer I'm not seeing

Yeah for those that actually ordered 2 of these. which I forgot to mention.

I called TRU about it since I've already got my preorder in, and they said the code only works for in stock items so it can't be applied did you get it to work?

TRU.com was going to process a $40 refund until they saw that I paid via Paypal then told me they can't do the refund

I woke up this morning living here in Juneau Alaska to see that the MP Optimus Prime is available for preorder. I have been trying all morning to get this to show up on TRU with no luck. I just get "Your search for "15546036" returned 0 results."

If any of you have any suggestions I would greatly appreciate your help. Thanks.

ZenPrime wrote:

Bubbah wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:

fordprefect294 wrote:

ZenPrime wrote:Did anyone that got their pre-order in get the 20% discount online promo applied to their pre-order?

Site says orders of $150 or more, unless there's a different offer I'm not seeing

Yeah for those that actually ordered 2 of these. which I forgot to mention.

I called TRU about it since I've already got my preorder in, and they said the code only works for in stock items so it can't be applied did you get it to work?

TRU.com was going to process a $40 refund until they saw that I paid via Paypal then told me they can't do the refund

Oh man that sucks, maybe I'll try again this afternoon and hope for a different rep that'll hook me up since I used a card & not Paypal.

burning_sirius wrote:AHHHH! I work nights and totally slept through this. Noooo!

I work nights as well, but I got up to take a wiz and checked my phone. Glad I did b/c a buddy of mine texted me and I put the pre-order in. (Had a problem with the Verified by Visa system & my debit card, but after dealing with Chase by phone for 20 min., I got it resolved. I was so pissed & thought it was gonna go out of stock, but i got it) Nevertheless I'm stoked. I hope u can get one man. Check the news like a hawk & when the listing shows up again, sign up to be emailed when it's available/in stock to order again.

I really like the old MP Prime, but my friend who has the Takara version MP-10 says its top notch. When I visit him at work next month I'll see. (He also has the Igear Ironhide & Rachet, new MP Starscream coronation, and Mattel's collector's edition Voltron!! -the big one! Can't wait!!)

Star wars fans who want speederbikes: don't fret, the BOGO 50% is on again this week. Hunt avidly.

And now at the risk of death by tomatoes being launched at me - I pre-ordered MP Optimus yesterday, got MP TC the first week it was out in CA with some help (i owe that dude, seriously), and the weekend before that I was able to get the new Speederbike and scout set with a BOGO 75% coupon another friend sent me (owe that guy too). I got 2 bikes for under $30 -including tax, instead of $47. $15 a piece! Now I'm caught up with everything I've wanted this year except for a TVC Starkiller and 1 more Speederbike set (opener). I love my friends!! Destroy all scalpers!!!!!

Now that I know TRU.com encouraged scalping by offering 20% off I am even more disgusted with this whole affair!

I called TRU locally to discuss when the local store would receive MP-10. I was told my regional distribution center was aloted 514 items. I asked if the local store would receive any and I was told it would depend on how many were presold!!!

In the past I have had difficulties getting figures because the employees at my local store would buy items before they ever are placed on the shelves. Now I am getting jobbed by this presale!

I am so upset at TRU and Hasbro. I called TRU customer service and they cannot even find the presale in their system. I am not even able to complain about it because they cannot find an item to attach the complaint to.

This is a PRIME example of how a company should not do business.

Much of the online sales process for Hasbro is outsourced and the rest is automated. For sales of this size there is no high level strategy guiding the process. A company that deals in billions isn't concerned with how this works out for the fans so long as the product sells. Since we can only vote with our wallets and never fail to keep the scalpers well fed, here we are.

Good luck to my fellow Cybertronians in getting their Prime…it's a sweet figure.

What a sham, I checked the site early this morning and saw that both Optimus and thundercracker were available. I already preordered optimus so I only selected thundercracker. While submitting my final order the page just blanked out. I did this 2 more times to make sure my order went through and the same result. I tried one more time and then ththundercracker was unavailable. Toys r us blows man wtf???? They took both of them down at the same time. When the Optimus was first listed I preordered it and got a cancellation in my email a few minutes later so I preordered it again and got a confirmation. What the hell kind of business is this?

DPrime wrote:What a sham, I checked the site early this morning and saw that both Optimus and thundercracker were available. I already preordered optimus so I only selected thundercracker. While submitting my final order the page just blanked out. I did this 2 more times to make sure my order went through and the same result. I tried one more time and then ththundercracker was unavailable. Toys r us blows man wtf???? They took both of them down at the same time. When the Optimus was first listed I preordered it and got a cancellation in my email a few minutes later so I preordered it again and got a confirmation. What the hell kind of business is this?

That's what happens when you try to buy it after it's sold out, during checkout. If you click "process" and the screen comes empty, it's gone.

YOU GOT CART-JACKED!

St. Even wrote:Now that I know TRU.com encouraged scalping by offering 20% off I am even more disgusted with this whole affair!

I called TRU locally to discuss when the local store would receive MP-10. I was told my regional distribution center was aloted 514 items. I asked if the local store would receive any and I was told it would depend on how many were presold!!!

In the past I have had difficulties getting figures because the employees at my local store would buy items before they ever are placed on the shelves. Now I am getting jobbed by this presale!

I am so upset at TRU and Hasbro. I called TRU customer service and they cannot even find the presale in their system. I am not even able to complain about it because they cannot find an item to attach the complaint to.

This is a PRIME example of how a company should not do business.

I don't believe TRU had it in mind to encourage people to buy 2 MP Optimuses for $200 and get 20% off -and wanted people to 'scalp' them. Most people, such as I, can scarcely afford one. They were encouraging people to buy $150 or more in toys, video games, media, clothes, etc. for the discount.
If you're saying they should've placed the MP Prime ordering limit at 1 per customer - I would agree. I believe they did this for MP Thundercracker, but why didn't they do this for Optimus?? Strange.