The Energon Pub

[-Kanrabat-]

Found Starscream at my local Wal-Mart. 50$can plus taxes. A fair price but it's the one I don't need because I already have Takara's Encore.

[william-james88]

This is more of a PSA to the community than actual full fledged news but since this site's main mandate is to help the community, the community should probably be made aware that there is no indication that the G1 reissues, exclusive to Walmart, will be found in stores across the US. Instead, we have evidence for the opposite, that these will be mainly available online.

Fellow Seibertronian Carytheone has found it written in the Walmart App that the G1 reissues are available for online purchase only. This is very important as it has come to our attention that several American fans are waiting to find these toys in stores rather than purchase these online. This is very similar to the release of Walmart exclusive Hot Rod from Transformers The Last Knight where several fans were left saddened and frustrated to never find this toy in stores when it was available online. So as to not repeat the same frustration, this article is being written now to indicate that the very same thing can happen, and that these G1 exclusives will probably be online only even though nothing has been outright said from Walmart.



The only one currently available on Walmart.com is Hot Rod, so if he interests you, it would be wise not to wait to find him in stores. We also included the links to the other toys which are currently not in stock but may come back online.

Of course, we have no confirmation from Hasbro, this is purely speculative based on what is said in the app and as Carytheone said:

Now I'm taking that with a grain of salt because Walmart had never been a reliable source for information about Walmart.

Starscream

Devastator

Hot Rod

Bumblebee

Outback

Swerve

Tailgate

[Rodimus Prime]

This site's main mandate is to make Ryan money.

Otherwise, I'm not really surprised, most people probably were going to buy the reissues online anyway.

[Tommy T.]

Well I was only going to buy them if I came across them in stores. Oh well money saved

[DISCHARGE]

This site's main mandate is to make Ryan money.

Otherwise, I'm not really surprised, most people probably were going to buy the reissues online anyway.

Not me.
I would buy them if I found them in person. I will not buy them online.
Small potatoes.

[KVO Prime]

Saw them earlier online. I just had to get 2 rods. Hopefully one will be nice and minty with the correct, non-variant display. I'd love to get one AFA graded in those nice plastic boxes.

[-Kanrabat-]

Saw them earlier online. I just had to get 2 rods. Hopefully one will be nice and minty with the correct, non-variant display. I'd love to get one AFA graded in those nice plastic boxes.

Please don't. You will waste your money big time. It's only a reissue. There is no point to keep it sealed but mostly even less so to AFA grade it. The sealed thing and AFA grading is only worth it on true vintage products or ultra rare, ultra limited releases such as lucky draws.

[KVO Prime]

Saw them earlier online. I just had to get 2 rods. Hopefully one will be nice and minty with the correct, non-variant display. I'd love to get one AFA graded in those nice plastic boxes.

Please don't. You will waste your money big time. It's only a reissue. There is no point to keep it sealed but mostly even less so to AFA grade it. The sealed thing and AFA grading is only worth it on true vintage products or ultra rare, ultra limited releases such as lucky draws.

I appreciate the heads up!! Maybe I'll use the 2nd one as a giveaway then for my instagram channel! kvo.prime

[-Kanrabat-]

Saw them earlier online. I just had to get 2 rods. Hopefully one will be nice and minty with the correct, non-variant display. I'd love to get one AFA graded in those nice plastic boxes.

Please don't. You will waste your money big time. It's only a reissue. There is no point to keep it sealed but mostly even less so to AFA grade it. The sealed thing and AFA grading is only worth it on true vintage products or ultra rare, ultra limited releases such as lucky draws.

I appreciate the heads up!! Maybe I'll use the 2nd one as a giveaway then for my instagram channel! kvo.prime

Now THAT is worth getting two for.

[Emerje]

While I can't see US Walmart stores stocking Hot Rod, Starscream, and Devastator, I could see them grabbing the mini bots for hanging off the corners of the end caps like they did back in the day with with key chains. Walmart may not want to commit space to these in stores, but they do know the value of nostalgia and impulse buys.

I also wouldn't be surprised if these ended up in the electronics aisle if Walmart were to stock them simply because that seems to be where TV and Movie collectibles have been turning up lately.

Emerje

[hausjam]

My question is if they will ever be available online. They have shown out of stock since the pages went up eons ago.

[nycPrime]

My question is if they will ever be available online. They have shown out of stock since the pages went up eons ago.

Actually, the question is if Walmart will ever ship them! The only one most of us have received is Hot Rod. I believe a select few have received Devy and SS.

If you use nowinstock.net, you'll notice that most of them have gone in and out of stock. SS pops in and out almost daily.

[achildfromthe80s]

Just an FYI, there’s a thread in the Cybertron Cafe on Facebook where an employee who works in Toys in PA claims they just received the shelf labels for the G1 reissues. So take that for what it’s worth. Is there any way to reach out to Hasbro or Walmart for clarification?

[william-james88]

Just an FYI, there’s a thread in the Cybertron Cafe on Facebook where an employee who works in Toys in PA claims they just received the shelf labels for the G1 reissues. So take that for what it’s worth. Is there any way to reach out to Hasbro or Walmart for clarification?

We reached out to Hasbro, we will see what happens.

[achildfromthe80s]

Just an FYI, there’s a thread in the Cybertron Cafe on Facebook where an employee who works in Toys in PA claims they just received the shelf labels for the G1 reissues. So take that for what it’s worth. Is there any way to reach out to Hasbro or Walmart for clarification?

We reached out to Hasbro, we will see what happens.

That sounds great! I look forward to their response if they choose to give one.

They went to great lengths at SDCC to talk about finding them on shelves again so I hope they follow through on that.

[steve2275]

they need to b available like they were on the 80s

[Emerje]

Just an FYI, there’s a thread in the Cybertron Cafe on Facebook where an employee who works in Toys in PA claims they just received the shelf labels for the G1 reissues. So take that for what it’s worth. Is there any way to reach out to Hasbro or Walmart for clarification?

We reached out to Hasbro, we will see what happens.

I doubt Hasbro will be able to give a meaningful answer, once an exclusive goes to a store their job is done. Hasbro doesn't have much influence on Walmart after all, they'er often left in the dark. At best they can make more figures and encourage a store to buy them, but that's about the extent of it.

Emerje

[Rodimus Knight]

So far, I received my hot rod, I ordered two of them and both boxes were in crap condition. Lucky I planned on opening them to display in Robot and Vehicle mode, but it still ticks me off. For collecting purposes in store would have been nice.

[AllNewSuperRobot]

Meanwhile outside the US, I bought 2 Devastators from Kapow Toys for some friends, as there aren't that many physical stores that would stock these anymore, in the wake of Toys R' Us. It's the way of the world now. Evolve or die. Never realised how tiny they were in G1 though, it's almost cute.

As an aside, when I was looking for a boxed G1 Soundwave on eBay for another friend (I don't collect G1 toys), I encountered AFA graded toys for the first time. £2,500 for an AFA Soundwave.. they go to the pit for that price. No Toy is worth that.

[hurricane567]

Got TlK Hot Rod in this fashion. Just received G1 Hot Rod, same method. Good thing there's "pickup at store" or else s&h on the small guys might be as much as the toys themselves. Where's Starscream, and why does Canada get them in store?

[Cobotron]

I got an order delayed email for the Satrscream I ordered for in-store pick up. Luckily, so far I haven't recieved a "order canceled" Like Itscramtastic did( ).

I too am wondering...

Where's Starscream?

[william-james88]

Got TlK Hot Rod in this fashion. Just received G1 Hot Rod, same method. Good thing there's "pickup at store" or else s&h on the small guys might be as much as the toys themselves. Where's Starscream, and why does Canada get them in store?

There are 4,761 stores in the US and only 1/10 of that in Canada, so its much easier to manage and coordinate stock in Canada.

[no-one]

I only ordered Bee (ship/deliver 8/30?) and they are shipping to the house for free but they offered to save me around 30 cents if I shipped to store.

It was worth it to me to not drive there and have to walk in.

[Emerje]

So far, I received my hot rod, I ordered two of them and both boxes were in crap condition. Lucky I planned on opening them to display in Robot and Vehicle mode, but it still ticks me off. For collecting purposes in store would have been nice.

Another argument for why it sucks having exclusives that are online-only. It's much better being able to handle a figure in stores and picking the best one than being at the mercy of a warehouse worker that has no concept of proper packing. Walmart, Amazon, and TRU have all sent me collectibles in nothing more than padded envelopes, at best a thin box with no padding. Much prefer being able to handle something before I buy it than take a chance on something arriving damaged and mangled from a big box store.

Emerje

[no-one]

So far, I received my hot rod, I ordered two of them and both boxes were in crap condition. Lucky I planned on opening them to display in Robot and Vehicle mode, but it still ticks me off. For collecting purposes in store would have been nice.

Another argument for why it sucks having exclusives that are online-only. It's much better being able to handle a figure in stores and picking the best one than being at the mercy of a warehouse worker that has no concept of proper packing. Walmart, Amazon, and TRU have all sent me collectibles in nothing more than padded envelopes, at best a thin box with no padding. Much prefer being able to handle something before I buy it than take a chance on something arriving damaged and mangled from a big box store.

Emerje

Or if there are multiples you can pick the best paint job.