Seibertron.com Energon Pub Forums

by **Scarynic** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 9:22 am

I'm just outside London. Jazz and Tracks are EVERYWHERE. even my local Tescos has 4 Jazzes on shelf. Other than that, virtually no RTS or classics. Certainly no Windcharger, despite being told that the UK would be getting it

(Anyone wants a Windcharger is I find any drop me a message and will do my best.)

by **ninjascythe79** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:03 am

thisis why i will soon be done collecting action figures. anybody looking for a marvel universe arch angel? how bout thanos?people like me are the ones who collect for the love of my favorite characters any the people who preoder all the limited stock of these figures are the people who are looking to take advantage of people like me or u for profit. i like to call it the nerd tax and i will have to pay it for any of these guys.hasbro knew a classics wheeljack would sell a ton why put it after skullgrin and generations thunderwing (who are abundant) cause they will never make it to the store shelves thus giving all the chumps who pre-order these guys because they are in it to profit off us a way to make money from ebayand the collectors like me will have to go to bbts who will mark them up 50-100% to make money off us. because bbts buys more hasbro toys than i ever will this is how they hook up their boys. and give make the shaft.come on hasbro may have taken a big loss this past quarter but really why wouldn't they stock these guys several local walmarts have just got a new shipment of elita-1 and tuner skids come-on?they want u collectors hungry for new toys like mabe dotm cuz well that line is gonna suck but its gonna get a new generation of kids into transformers so they're gonna make tons of cash this year they aren't worried about a few toys like rts never makin it to walmart.heck they'll probably reuse the warpath mold in dotm anyways.i'm done if i don't get these guys at retail.i've been looking since november for rts guys and target just got their first shipment here on april 10.hasbro wants you to be exited for their new movie/video game/toyline/cartoon/networkby not getting the ones your dying for it will keepn you coming back for all the new info you can get on websites like this and readin about the new movie dummys. i know first hand that why i may be done soon.really chances are if you want a wheel jack or warpath you are old enough to have a job and can pay if you want one that bad but my six year old does'nt care bout warpath but that new movie bumblebee with the giant gun whoa!!!!!! these toys are awseome but they are in buisness of selling toys to kids some of whom will eventually be adult collectors for the classics dotm line in 20 years.it's psycology.so if you want a loose animated arcee or leader class brawl i may be selling mine soon.

News Credits: 16 · by **It Is Him** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:08 am

DevastaTTor:
Thank you for turning a sticking point for many collectors into a thoughtful, intelligent, and constructive way to discuss the distribution problem. This is one of the best news posts I've read on Seibertron, and hopefully many of us are learning why we're not seeing the toys we want to see on our shelves. It's posts like these that make Seibertron.com the best Transformers fan site on the net.

Guitarbot wrote:HI everyone - I'm a long time reader, first time poster

This was an excellent article. Just from my own perspective, in Northern NJ, Walmart and Target shelves are still full of Tuner Mudflaps from ROTF. There have been a few shocks of new product - a local TRU had a giant end-of-aisle display of RTS Wave 1 & 2 (Tracks, Jazz, G2OP, WreckGar, Perceptor, and Bee) which sold out in less than a week.. however, now all the new product is gone and there are STILL giant piles of ROTF TRU exclusives and voyagers. At least they're starting to put them on markdown.. and they also have lots of TRU Rodimus Minors left, as well.

I work in distribution in the Fashion industry and I see a lot of the same trends that are described in Hasbro's annual report. Retail chains are carrying much lower inventories to remain lean, keep liability off the books, and react to trends; they expect suppliers to deliver goods on the turn of a dime. The main focus in Retail now is speeding up the supply chain to shorten turn time and get product from the factory to the selling floor FAST. Traditionally it took several seasons to plan "waves" and "floorsets", planning often began over a year in advance, but now the trend is to reduce lead time to weeks.

I honestly can't blame Hasbro for our Retail woes, I think much of the problem also rests in the hands of Retail chain inventory planners and buyers who over-order certain waves. I don't know lots about retail buying, but from what I know I'd imagine a savvy inventory planner for a retail chain would know their product well enough to stock appropriate levels of certain items. If an inventory manager doesn't know the difference between ROTF, Animated, HFTD, RTS, and Generations, they just order enough "Transformers" to keep the shelves stocked, regardless of the subline imprint. I also notice, at least in my area, that the big retail chains themselves try to push too much product through larger flagship stores. In my experience it's the smaller, lower volume stores that have newer product sooner, as they order much smaller volumes and sell through more quickly, than the giant flagships that seem to languish with the same product for ages. I often find new figures at a small Walmart in a tiny community in the tail end of South Jersey in the middle of winter MONTHS before I see any new product on the shelves of my local NNJ TRUs (5 min outside NYC). I found the Battle in Space 2-pack there on New Years Day, the same 2-pack JUST showed up at TRU here in NNJ 2 weeks ago.

I do agree and wish, however, that HTS would carry higher volumes of stock for later wave figures. They may be missing out on revenue here - the inventory that clogs up the retail chain is already paid for, Hasbro's made their money on that product, so if the big box stores won't buy later waves due to the fact their inventory levels are too high, why not push it through other online outlets? Depending on the cost, it may even be a good idea for them to issue free shipping as an incentive to people who don't normally order online. They can only make more money... I'm still holding out hope there are more Windchargers and Grappels on a vessel from Hong Kong making their way to the HTS distribution center right now. It may be just a matter of time... keep the faith!!

Although I need to take a spending break during DOTM, I recently found some solace by pre-ordering the last few Generations/RTS waves with TFSource or BBTS. I used to enjoy the hunt, but it started to become too nerve-racking and time-consuming to me. Ordering online is worth the extra $10 shipping for the peace-of-mind. I use the "Pile of Loot" feature to collect several waves, and I STILL get the figures long before they show up at retail. I have my Wheeljack and Thundercracker, but I don't quite know what I'm going to do about Warpath yet...

Anyway, that's my two cents. Thanks for listening!

Welcome to the boards, ex-lurker! Thanks for good explanation of how the supply chain is making a mess out of our toy collecting. Anyone who wants a better understanding of the "why distribution sucks" should definitely re-read your post.

And btw, I'd tell you Seibertron.com contains nuts... but you probably knew that

by **amtm** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:13 am

Hey everyone, just noticed something on HasbroToyShop.com. Maybe someone here has already mentioned it, but I hadn't seen it before.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/new-to-has ... ST=SO&PG=1

Thanks to DevastaTTor, apologies and thanks to Counterpunch, and I echo the sentiments of the many posters on this thread. I will post my findings at local stores when I get a chance. I've taken lots of pictures over the past few months so I could provide some of those, too. Also think it might be worth trying to get other Transformers fan sites in on this, as the more people behind the message, the more likely Hasbro is to listen.

News Credits: 3 · by **Kibble** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:22 am

amtm wrote:Hey everyone, just noticed something on HasbroToyShop.com. Maybe someone here has already mentioned it, but I hadn't seen it before.

http://www.hasbrotoyshop.com/new-to-has ... ST=SO&PG=1

Yes...it was available for literally 20 minutes one day and 3 minutes the next day. And I know someone who actually got an order in during one of those time and it was canceled...although AFAIK, most that got their orders in during those few minutes did get them.

News Credits: 1 · by **D-340** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:24 am

It's like the 2007 Concept BB fiasco all over again. I'm surprised that there isn't anyone decrying Hasbro on this like they did then. Saying that Hasbro was doing this intentionally to drive up demand and prices on the secondary market. That was hilarious! And no matter what these people were told, even by people who work in retail and said the very same same thing the article stated(I was one of 'em, I used to work in retail), they were convinced it was all Hasbro's doing to create demand. What a difference a few years makes, lol.

News Credits: 2 · by **Nemesis Destron** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:30 am

Okay I just couldn't with patients read everyone's post word for word but I know they are all valid and need to be acknowledged by the powers that be! It's clear that Walmart is the absolute worst being they still have HFTD figs. I too will have to start checking KHOL'S and see if there is any luck. I went to one local TRU and found 1 freakin' Kup. I left it for some lucky soul cuz I already had my United. And strangely at another TRU the made an end cap and filled it with Megs and Soundwave's and Cliffjumper's which they just recently got.

No doubt that end cap will be home to the soon movie TF's. Hey I'm no conspiracy theorist by any means but who's to say this isn't a mindf**k ploy from the studio involving the movie? They figure by causing this stop/delay fans will starve and hunger for DOTM because of the TF's we were all waiting for and didn't get. In the end this is all one big s**t sandwich we all have been served, and we have all been forced to take a huge bite an nothing to wash it down with...'nuff said!

News Credits: 1 · by **Optimus1138** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 10:43 am

I live in the Midwest (rather not say where exactly), and the only time I ever saw any Reveal the Shield figures locally was when I want to Kohl's. I recently went down to Virginia and North Carolina with my family, and went to two Targets in Virginia. One had a G2 Prime or two (first time I ever saw that figure in person) and nothing else new. The other was just as bad as the local stores, which are filled with Generations figures of the Thunderwing/Cliffjumper/Skullgrin wave and earlier and HFTD waves one and two. I'm hoping to be able to go to some stores tonight, but I'm not expecting to find much.

by **Grimlock64** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:16 am

I live in Cadillac, Michigan. It seems we ALWAYS get Transformers toys last after everyone else, but it's especially bad! I see a whole two pegs of Generations Wave 1 toys at my local Meijer, and we had ROTF Megatrons discounted down to 23 bucks. My Wal-mart is no better! While we do have a small handful of Wave 2 or 3 Generations figures such as Skullgrin and Thunderwing, we still have ROTF Mudflap and Ejector, as well as Hunt for the Decepticons as well. This is pretty darn ridiculous. Mind you, because of my stores, i also sometimes NEVER see certain toys. I know I missed out on a small fraction of Animated figures such as Wreck-Gar *sobs*. But that's a different matter.

News Credits: 1 · by **T-Macksimus** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:43 am

My kids have been pestering me for gift ideas since my B-day is in 2 weeks and so far everything that is on my "wish list" is still non-existent in my area. I may as well have asked for a unicorn that pisses pure gold and craps diamonds. That's going to be easier to find than any of the figures I'm after.

News Credits: 1 · by **FanimusMaximus** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 11:51 am

The unfortunate truth is that WE are Hasbros' bitch.

News Credits: 2 · by **backpack** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:13 pm

I've been trying to track down Jazz for MONTHS! After the Holiday reset, my TRU has been stocked with RTS wave 1 and HFTD Ironhide and BB Bumblebee. Only recently have Kups and Scourges been popping up. As for Target they are overstocked with Power-Core and K-mart had a 20% off sale to clear their Transformers product and haven't restocked since. And with no Wal-Marts in my area seems like I'm pretty much screwed. I refuse to order from HTS because of the ridiculous shipping cost and items CONSTANTLY being out of stock.

by **primezimm** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 1:22 pm

I live in Newbern, Tennesee. Most of my purchases are made at the Dyersburg Wal-Mart. This subject has been my complaint for several years now. It seems that Wal-mart stock is delivered according to region. Often, more popular product and new product are scarce or never arrive. Sometimes we have items that seem to be sought after in other regions. Seems to be some inconsistancy as to what toys end up where. I noticed this most with Alternators. I know in some cases it is parasitic ebay sellers hoping to make some extra cash by cleaning out the racks of the most popular figs to resell, but I find it hard to believe that they are the cause of empty rack syndrome. I'll check the racks, sometimes weeks apart, and see little change in what is hanging up, except for maybe less of what is there.

Some of these toy lines would do alot better if they were distributed better. Production wise, it might be better to have someone (fanbase) help determine popularity of characters, that way their isn't overproduction of shelfwarmers. Or redistribute shelfwarmers if one region shows more popularity of the figures.

I've actually seen 1 Blurr on the racks yesterday, and several ravage, jolt, and the harrier looking jet (to name a few).

I've been waiting to find a Brawn, finally found a Fallback (same mold)and Jazz at Walgreens. Occasionally I've been able to find somewhat rare figs at Walgreens and Hastings with a sizable mark-up, where most people are not looking for transformers toys.

I usually have to go to Jackson, TN to Toys R Us to find what I'm looking for. Toys R Us, Wal-mart, and Target in Jackson seem to be stocked better being in a larger city. Only problem with that is drve time and gas. You plan a trip to Jackson, you don't just go to buy figs. Then you have places like where my in-laws live, rural Piedmont, Mo., where the common interest of the area's population and the cost of the figs, keep the shelves full until they go on clearance or prices drop. Back when 25th annv Prime came out, they had so many on the shelves that they actually sold them at a huge loss.

I guess that is why I frequent Bigbadtoystore.com, though often popular items are sold out.

I hope Hasbro can get it figured out. There are several figs I've missed out on and would still purchase if they were available. I strongly beleive the lack of availability is whats hurting their profit margin.

by **superchook6909** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:00 pm

I have seen a sudden decrease in the price of Reveal the Shield Transformers in Target. RRP of $28 down too $22.88.

Although the Generations range is still at the RRP of $28.

I have Lug Nut, Tracks, Jazz, Wreck Gar x 2 and Perceptor.
The elusive Windcharger is available.

Although, I have seen one SMALL Target store stock only legends and a handfull of Cyclonus and Rodimus box set.

Toys R Us are yet to stock RTS transformers.

I was fortunate to pick up Human Alliance Jazz from TRU, yet still haven't seen him in K-Mart, (Australian version of Wal-Mart)

Were TRU have the stock at a rediculous price of $59.99 (large packaging), K-Mart use to have them in for $35 (small packaging.)

If Hasbro was smart, they wouldn't re-release the same transformers repainted. They should release a new line of new transformers.

Although, TRU is having a sale of 20% off transformers, so I picked up Animated Leader Class Megatron for $32.00, when the RRP is $39.99, a dramatic drop from $99.99 when he was first released.

What I don't get is, TRU have a Price Match guarantee, yet the Items must be in a catalogue, and in store, yet K-Mart has their RRP at $25.00 all year round, unless they have a sale. Yet TRU still have their RRP at $29.99. :???:

Crazy.

Additionally: I am waiting with excitment to pick up THUNDERCRACKER! With him in my cybertronin little hands, would complete my Seeker collection.

Also, if HASBRO was smart, they should include all 6 seekers in a box set, Starscream, Skywarp, Thundercracker, Thrust, Ramjet and Dirge. (who seems to have the cool decepticon symbol on his chest plate.)

At least fans can have the knowledge that they can get them all.

I am still waiting for Kupp, Wheeljack, Scourge and Warpath.

Although, one Transformer I would scream my lungs out at seeing being done for Reveal The Shield or Generations, would be BLITZWING!! BRING US BLITZWING!!

Come on everybody, lets chant.

BLITZWINGBLITZWINGBLITZWING 8-}

by **polystyleneman** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 3:42 pm

I guess I'll chime in here.

I'm not someone who has to have every new figure, but I am someone who likes to get a figure that I think turns out to be a really good update to a classic character, or just is a really neat looking character for my shelf.

Now the toy I've been looking hard for is Scourge, one I'd really like to have because his update is so clearly modeled on my AHM design.

So here I am in central PA looking around for Scourge (Or even Wheelack, KUP, Wreck-Gar, Thundercracker, Warpath or Perceptor, who I must say all look pretty cool.) and I can't find any one of them.

We have several Wal-Marts, Targets, Kohl's, K-Marts, and Toys R' Us stores in the area, all of which I've searched for these figures. Here's the basic rundown:

Wal-Marts: DOTM displays but selves are filled with Dirge, Red Alert, ROTF Ironhide and other characters I'm not interested in, and Power Core Combiners.

Target: Lots of Dirge, and plenty of Hailstorms, Jetblades, Terradives and WfC Cliffjumpers.

Kohls: Same toys they've had since Christmas: Special Ops Jazz, Tracks, Fallback and Mindset. One Kohls doens't even have ANY Transformers to speak of.

One Toys R' Us around here has pretty much the characters above, while another has the same plus a bunch of Animated Oil Slicks and Cybertron Optimus Primes' taking up shelf space.

Again, nothing new.

I did resort to using an Amazon gift certificate to order Thundercracker from BBTS, which shipped quick and painlessly.

by **PaulK80** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:00 pm

I was stoked initially last month with the release of the TF3 OP preview figure because my brother that works at Wal-Mart told me there was a display with it. When I checked it out that day, all I found were WFC Megs, SW, & CJ with Skullgrin, Thunderwing, Red Alert & Dirge. I've had most of these for months now

I need new stuff and by the time I get home from getting word HTS is restocked, they are back "Sold Out". Ugh!

I'm with others who say they aren't getting the whole DOTM line and just getting a few figures here and there. Maybe they can re-release the RVS & Gens late summer for people who want to buy them then.

by **crowdie569** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:47 pm

Hello,

First timer on Seibertron.com....*sigh* be kind please ;-)

Umm...from the Augusta, Georgia area, it's almost the same scenario as everyone else is experiencing. There is one WalMart location that, on occasion, has been carrying new Generations toys: Kup and Scourge, and I'm lucky a friend of mine picked up 1 of each of those over the past few weeks. And late last month, one of the Target locations did carry the new set of RTS toys: Perceptor, G2 Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and Wreck-Gar and was able to nab one of Percepts and Wreck-Gar. Again it was a very rare occasion and haven't been back to see if there are more available. And don't get me started on Jazz and Tracks, that was a painful search that took several months. But eventually I found them at Kohl's and later on at Target.

But the fact of the matter is we have to wait several months before the new toys arrive, which isn't a big surprise. It's been that way since the second series of Generations came out in 2008/2009. Obviously, the biggest difference now is there are several Transformers toy lines on the market, and I think retailers are just getting confused and just putting out what's available, which is sadly ROTF and HFD toys.

In my personal and uneducated opinion, I think Hasbro would've done better with just releasing all the characters from RTS as Generations toys, and maybe that would've reduced or caused less confusion on retailers. And if Hasbro could moderate the numerous versions of movie toys available(Activators, RPMs, etc) and continue RTS and Generations through the summer, that might make circumstances easier for fans, and Hasbro would make more money in the process. And of course, one issue is the economy is still bad in the states, no news there.

I'm not holding my breath on finding Windcharger, Rumble, Frenzy, Warpath, and Grapple in Augusta. But I wouldn't be surprised if at least one of them shows up in the coming months. Wheeljack and Thundercracker I hope will come in next month, but who knows? From reading the posts, there's alot of folks who are unhappy with Hasbro, and trust me...I was getting pretty frustrated with them too at times, almost to the point of ending my TF collecting altogether. But I do think they are trying their best to appeal to longtime fans with the Generations line. Some of the toys haven't been perfect, but I know the designers of the toys have been putting alot of effort and heart into making these toys for fans.

Now if we could just find them all.......AAAARRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

by **Court Jester** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 4:49 pm

FanimusMaximus wrote:The unfortunate truth is that WE are Hasbros' bitch.

I liken my relationship to Hasbro as the company being my whore... I pay her off and on for a little satisfaction... if she starts to mouth off with a movie, I ignore her... but then a new younger more skilled whore comes around and I switch to her services...

Oh FansProject, you dirty little slut, you...

by **OptiMagnus** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 5:01 pm

At this point, I really don't care. Yeah, I was disappointed for about three months. But a this point, with DOTM lingering, I'm praying that on May 16th I don't walk into the toy aisle to find Skullgrin, Payload, Jetblade, and PCCs lining the TF section again.

"But NO one likes movie toys. It's a fact that EVERYONE hates the Bayverse. Hasbro is too stupid to listen to the TRUE fans who want classics. You know, the good stuff everyone wants."

The above sentences are basically a mix of things I've heard concerning this issue. But, I hope this article gets some of these people to shut up. The truth is, Hasbro needs something to really motivate the sales. The two things that contribute the most? The holiday season and Hollywood films. Who really is going to remember these things are on the shelves otherwise? Kids with their birthday money that happen to watch the TV series?
Truth is, the movies sell toys. They get that good publicity that the TF brand rarely gets. Other lines, however, do not, and they rot on the shelves for months. That is why there is no point in putting all these things out right now when the stores are having trouble getting rid of the old stuff before DOTM already. We just have to accept it whether we like the movies or not. It just happens.

News Credits: 4 · by **Ruthless Cynic** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 5:11 pm

BBTS and POL is your friend. :grin:

My time is too valuable to be going all over creation searching for things that do not exist. I hated using BBTS, the thrill of the hunt, etc., etc. However with gas at $4 a gallon I can no longer abide by that strategy.

by **Optimum Supreme** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 5:30 pm

I my area, other than the Rodimus/Cyclonus 2 pack, I've only ever seen any RTS at two stores. One, a K-mart, which hasn't seemed to restock anything since January other than to add the two pack, and which only had Tracks and Jazz for a short time, but still might have a Mindset or Fallback on the shelf, and a Kohls which still had all 4 from that wave last time I was in there a few weeks ago. I haven't been to any other Kohls, but I have been to other K-marts and even they don't have anything RTS (other than maybe the 2 pack, which it seems most stores in the area did get, despite getting nothing else since Christmas) and I've never seen any non 2 pack RTS at any other stores including multiple Walmarts, Toys R Uses, Meijers, and Targets.

I did manage to luck out and get a Kup and Scourge from the recent Generations wave, but I only saw them once, and I don't even remember which store I found them at, I've been looking at so many stores in such a short time.

Meijers and Walmart both had no problem getting the DOTM Preview Optimus onto shelves though, surprise surprise. Never any RTS, but here's an early movie toy and bam, pegs and pegs full. It's enough to make you want to strangle Michael Bay.

I did manage to snag an RTS Optimus from HasbroToyShop, and get "preorders" for sometime in May for a few others, but Wreckgar is never in stock and now thanks to shipping prices I'm out of money for a while anyway, so guess I'll never get him or Grappel. And don't even get me started on Windcharger.

PCC, never really cared about most of them, but the one I might've been interested in, the dinosaur one, I've never seen it. Not sure which other ones never showed up, but I know the one formerly known as Spastic certainly never showed up either.

News Credits: 317 · by **chuckdawg1999** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 6:30 pm

Before Christmas the shelves in my TRU's and Target were bare, during the holiday shopping season (Black Friday and later) the shelves were stocked with Wave 3 revision cases of ROTF Deluxes and the final wave of Voyagers, ie. Bludgeon and Ironhide and a ton of old Animated figures. These were figures that were supposed to be on the shelf over 6 months prior. Eventually the deluxes thinned enough that they stocked RTS and Generation figures and I was able to find ONE Wreck Gar, and ONE Scourge who was misplaced down the isle. They actually had a few G2 Primes, Cliffjumers, and Thunderwings. I should add this was and is mostly TRU as Target has been somewhat good about getting new items in and selling them out in fact I've only been able to find RTS Voyagers at Target only and then only one each. I almost forgot to mention that they all have the bad habit of putting the newer figures in front of the older stock so of course now everything new is gone. I'm really toying with the idea of ordering Perceptor, Kup and the G1 legends off BBTS but I'm curious to see if Hasbro will push Generations and RTS with the movie toys and if the stores will order them. I know when there is a fixed street date the stores have to stock the items but how much and which ones are up to them so we'll see. By the way GI Joe figures at best move OK and at worst loose space to old movie stock so TF fans aren't alone.

by **NTESHFT** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 7:19 pm

Kibble wrote:Here's what the pathetic local Walmart near me has looked like for the last couple months:

walmart.JPG

They're not even trying to clear older stock...they're just empty and apparently content with that fact.

Looks just like that at my local Walmart, plus the surrounding ones as well.

by **Sideslap** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:00 pm

I live on the east side of Canada (Edmonton, Alberta) our transformers stock has always been odd to say the least. At one point we had Wreckgar, G2 Prime, Perceptor,and Bee, long before Fallback, Mindset, Tracks and Jazz. Actually as of today I had only seen Tracks and Jazz in my local collectors edge at 50 bucks a pop.

Our Zellers which is the equivalent of Target and is soon becoming Target has been getting new stuff in super randomly. Just the other day I saw the PCC's HeavyTread w/ GroundSpike and Skyhammer w/ Airlift and yet sitting on the same shelf was ROTF Voyager Bludgeon and Recon Ironhide. Windcharger appears in droves at certain ones. Zellers has no shelf warming policy and stuff will sit there for years literally. I'm still waiting to pick up a HA Sideswipe and Bumblebee because I missed them when Walmart had them onsale for $10 on Christmas eve day. Sadly they're still at the $40 mark.

Also our Walmarts have a pretty good shelf policy if things sit too long they get their price lowered and they move like hotcakes; though there was a problem with Tuner Mudflap, Jolt and Sideways but I think they just dropped it lower. Oddly we still have one Walmart here that isn't a super center yet that recently had some stuff from the 07 movie on the shelves for DIRT cheap I picked up Leader Megs at $10. For when it was $60 it's junk but at $10 in perfect unopened condition it was sublime. They also had some premium voyagers and a few deluxes. No one would tell me where they came from or if they had more but it was a lucky find.

This leads me to my point and TRU. TRU is spammed with Wave 1 and 2 HFTD's and yet advertises on the Canadian website having RTS Deep Dive, Lugnut, and Strafe though after being to 3 of my local ones have yet to see anything other then HFTD Wave one voyagers.

Shelf Warming is a problem at every store for every kinda product (except food). If you think business wise lowering the price to move product would help recoup sales rather then charging insane amounts on just one sale ie. $60 for a leader class. Hasbro could learn something from something as simple as that from that. Empty Shelves = demand for stock, demand for stock = shipping orders to fill them, shipping orders = $$$ Voila

News Credits: 26 · by **Wheeljack35** » Sat Apr 16, 2011 8:49 pm

I really am scared that I will miss out on Grapple and Warpath all the other figures I have to find online

The Targets in my area have newer figures but they are from the lines that came out at xmas time

Walmart has literally nothing they released a endcap special with figures such as Red alert and the figures from that wave from last year and I never see anything new from them at all