The Energon Pub

Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:06 pm

By the way, just found another fun fact in the Hasbro annual report. While the biggest 5 customers represent 50% of global sales, and it's no surprise that Wal-mart, Target, and Toys R Us are the top three, what I overlooked before is that in the U.S. these bad boys represent 71% of sales. That's right: SEVENTY-ONE PERCENT.

While we have thousands of customers, there has been significant consolidation at the retail level over the last several years in our industry. As a result, the majority of our sales are to large chain stores, distributors and wholesalers. While the consolidation of customers provides us with certain benefits, such as potentially more efficient product distribution and other decreased costs of sales and distribution, this consolidation also creates additional risks to our business associated with a major customer having financial difficulties or reducing its business with us. In addition, customer concentration may decrease the prices we are able to obtain for some of our products and reduce the number of products we would otherwise be able to bring to market. During 2010, net revenues from our three largest customers, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Target Corporation and Toys "R" Us, Inc., represented 23%, 12% and 11%, respectively, of consolidated net revenues, and sales to our top five customers, including Wal-Mart, Target and Toys "R" Us, Inc., accounted for approximately 50% of our consolidated net revenues. In the U.S. and Canada segment, approximately 71% of our net revenues were derived from these top three customers.

News Credits: 3 · Wed Apr 20, 2011 9:38 pm

Had a short day at work today, so I went to every place in my area but one Walgreen's for being tired and, as you'll see, expecting the same figures. D: Still, it was a nice drive, and a beautiful day, and I did find & buy the Nefarious TPB (I like the movie-verse TPBs), and, sue me, the sixth Harry Potter film on BD (because I missed it and it was $10).

So, I'll put up the walmarts first.
#1

This was the one that was full to bursting the last time I was there. It looks like it's not quite so plump now (at least some of the preview packs have sold ~:( )
You can see a Battle Blades Bumblebee (there were 2), even. This store just really took in more stock than it could handle, it seems like.
They had:
Jolt x 11 (not even all were "Electrostatic" jolt)
Tuner Mudflap x 10
Darkmount x 7
Elita x 5
and then a few of others, like Ironhide, aforementioned BB, Skullgrin, Ravage, and they've had one Tomahawk and one Terradive for a while now. Cliffjumper, SW, Megs, etc. No tracks or Jazz or any of them.
#2

Pretty much same as above. Plus sidearm Sideswipe, Blurr, a Battle in Space, and a HA Jazz.
#3

See above, again.

edit: By the by, this is Walmart HQ walmart. It's right across the street from their office building and such. Just down the road is logistics.
#4

Same old, same old...

Good news this is the section nextdoor in this store - it looks like they may actually be getting ready for Dotm? Maybe they can have it and RtS, Gen running at the same time.

Walgreens

(top right, and bottom left) Yes. that is a Sideways you see there. They do also have Tracks, and I think Mindset though....Lots of Ejector's too...

I didn't go to the other Walgreens, which I normally do, because I was tired and they had the same stuff as this one, last visit I made there.

Kohls

Apparently that box I found last week was them reassembling the Transformers for this little display here. Short of Jazz, pretty much each of the figures you can see has at least a whole peg to themselves (IE 4+ of that figure - more like 8 for Skids and the RtS blue guy whom I can never remember the name of - oh! Mindset)

JC Penny's

I went to a lot of places just to see who might carry figures. Found a boy's shirt that came with this keychain (apparently all of the child boy's clothing came with a toy or accessory of some sort).

Neat.
It looks shadowy because I covered the top to remove some of the plastic glare. :S

B- something place (lol)
I've only ever been to this place once before, and that was to fill out an application - this was another place I just decided to pop in and see what, if anything, they had. I was surprised.

Yeah, that's an opened 2007-8 megs unleashed figure for $12, and a Desert Tracker Ratchet. :S

>_<;

Btw, if you guys see anything here you want (like Jazz or Tracks, or Terradive or anyone else I mentioned you may have missed, or ask if you're looking for a specific figure I may not have mentioned), I'll be happy to pick them up for you. If you're going to Botcon we can cut shipping (because I have empty space in a box getting shipped to the con [for the boxed set to be sent back in, plus everything else I decide to buy]).

As I mentioned in an older posts, still no new Voyagers, ANYWHERE, ever. At least I know that Jazz and co are all out there, even if I kept missing them early on and only seeing their lonely casemates for a while, but man, it's the voyagers I'm keeping my out out for. Please Lugnut, please...
And for anyone who missed it/forgot, I have seen Perceptor and Wreck-gar, etc. once at the earlier posted Target, but that was it. Once.
So, in short, wayyyy too much RoTF left here in NW AR (SW Missouri for Walmart #4; less sales tax, when they actually have anything to buy), in addition to the PCCs and sad Skullgrins, Mindsets, Darkmounts, Cliffjumpers, etc. etc, and that's just Deluxe....Tons of Banzaitrons and Payloads, with Seaspray filling in any gaps for voyager.

It used to be I went to the two Walmart's closest me and they had everything between the two - it seemed they swapped back and forth between waves (walmart 1 would get wave 1, walmart 2 got wave 2 walmart 1 got wave 3, etc.) but now everybody has the same stuff! All clogging at once!

It's a nightmare!!

News Credits: 3 · Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:47 pm

Here's a facebook link with a photo album and text describing the current state of Transformers figures being stocked in stores in the Utah County area (Orem/Pleasant Grove). The long and short: NONE of the newer figures we're all pining for. No Warpath, Lugnut, Windcharger, Thundercracker, Wheeljack or Grappel.

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/? ... c0fd8405d2

Just a smattering of HFTD figures leftover from Christmas, and some generations figures that are a couple months old.

However, the Orem Walmart has Grimstone and Steamhammer PCC packs for $15....

Oh, and TRU has like TEN copies of ROTF 'Ultimate Bumblebee'. And everyone has plenty of 'Banzaitron' and 'Electrostatic Jolt'...

Thu Apr 21, 2011 12:21 pm

I had a fun moment today... and I am using the word "fun" in the most sacrastic manner imaginable here. Feeling more than a bit frustrated at the available stock at my local stores (which we are all feeling), I decided to bite the bullit and pay the shipping costs from HasbroToyShop.com. I ordered four new TF toys, the only ones that were in stock and not cluttering up my Walmart; Generations Deluxe Optimus Prime, Special Ops Jazz, Sgt Kup, and Scourge. I received notification that they shipped out just last night, so I only had to wait a few days for my brand new figures! I was happy! Then I went to lunch.

During my break, I decided to to head to Walmart and pick up some office supplies, but figured I'd waste a few minutes checking out the overstock... again. And there they were, hanging on the end of the peg; Kup and Scourge. There was one of each, like they were waiting for me. Normally, I would have just laughed at the irony, but still have a few unused Walmart gift cards burning a hole in my wallet, so you can bet I was pretty peeved! To think, if I had just waited a few days I could have had two of the most in-demand TF toys on the market right now AND I WOULDN"T HAVE HAD TO USE ANY OF MY OWN MONEY! :BOOM:

That was when I accepted that Lady Luck was a real <insert explitive>, laughing at me from across the room. :sad:

Fri Apr 22, 2011 2:50 am

After months of nothing I found a couple new Tf's, I only need three more of these new chug figures and my G1 collection is done(for now). That is until the DOTM toys come out. So I'm more willing to cut Hasbro some slack now.

News Credits: 332 · Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:06 pm

The paranoia of missing out got to me so last night I ordered Kup and the Constructicons from HTS and added the G1 legends to my POL at BBTS.

News Credits: 1 · Sun Apr 24, 2011 2:07 am

I visited the Target and TRU just south of Seattle yesterday. I didn't do a figure count, but I found further evidence that later waves of RTS will never be seen at retail. I seriously doubt they're clearancing these just to make room for another wave right before the movie.

p_00001 smaller.jpg

Target prices for HFTD & RTS
vygr: $10
dlx: $6
scout: $6.30
lgnd: $2.50

Human Alliance: $16.50
PCC 2packs: $5

pics of the TRU shelves:

TRUcomposite1smaller.jpg

TRUcomposite2smaller.jpg

and the TRU Iron Man section for kicks (sad, sad kicks):

p_00006smaller.jpg

all from the original wave, too: Power Assault Armor, Inferno Mission Armor, mk 3,4,5,6, and the deluxe "armor tech" figures. The few figures from wave 2 went fast, and I never saw anything from wave 3 or later (checking two different TRUs & Targets, in North and South Seattle)

Sun Apr 24, 2011 1:54 pm

Maybe if they make DoTM a considerably smaller toy line than the last movie this wont be a problem in future. Not that it slagging matters, there probably wont be another movie for a looooong time anyway.

Since Hasbro was already fully aware that this early in the year they can't get the stores to sell their product, it's unlikely that their factories are even producing Generations/RTS figures in average numbers. I'm sure I'll be echoing others in saying this but "we do not matter" and we'll be damn lucky if these molds show up at all. The economy is still on the down spiral after all and it's likely Hasbro will just cut their losses and stick with movie toys, which wont sell well anyway considering that most of them continue to be re-hashed, slightly altered molds.

Mon Apr 25, 2011 1:00 am

Oh, boohoo poor guys... You've obviously never bin in Holland before. I'll explain the situation: In one toystore it seems like they just took the Transformers away... in another one you may only find 2 HFTD scouts, the Bombshock and Skyburst PCC redeco's and maybe 3 legends, NO DELUXE'S :sad:

I have hope for one store, TOYS XL. Nah, I'll just order the "old" waves of Gen. online.

News Credits: 129 · Mon Apr 25, 2011 7:44 am

Cat-tonator wrote:Oh, boohoo poor guys... You've obviously never bin in Holland before. I'll explain the situation: In one toystore it seems like they just took the Transformers away... in another one you may only find 2 HFTD scouts, the Bombshock and Skyburst PCC redeco's and maybe 3 legends, NO DELUXE'S I have hope for one store, TOYS XL. Nah, I'll just order the "old" waves of Gen. online.

Well, not to dismiss what you said, but honestly if I lived in another country, I would simply order mostly Takara product from a retailer like BBTS and be done with it since you'll end up paying the same amount anyway.

It would be like if all the clogs and marijuana that was meant for Holland was suddenly dropped off in, oh, let's say Italy. You'd be like, "WTF mate? Where are my wooden shoes and sticky-icky-icky?"

That's how we feel.

Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:58 am

chuckdawg1999 wrote:The paranoia of missing out got to me so last night I ordered Kup and the Constructicons from HTS and added the G1 legends to my POL at BBTS.

It is that "paranoia" that usually makes me buy a TF when I see it in retail settings, regardless of price, if I can. I always keep my receipts in case I do find it cheaper later on but at least I have the figure. There are always those "short packed" and/or poorly distributed TFs in ever line that I can remember going all the way back to Beast Wars. In HFTD and Generations that one appears to be Highbrow for me. Have not seen it and based off of my inquiry at Walmart last night, might never ...

One of two Walmarts I have been to over the past week had a single Seaspray which I used to inquire about a Highbrow (among other TFs). I was told the HFTD line was cancelled. :shock:

Indeed the only other HFTD figs I recall seeing were a Hubcap and a Jetblade. The other Walmart had even less stock in general.

I have actually been to a number of different stores that stock TFs over the past week, and while my situation may not be as poor as some, it is not as good as still others. Aside from the two Walmarts, the TRU had a few PCCs, a few of the Optimus DOTM preview fig, about 50 ROTF deluxes, a small selection of scouts/legends, 3 ultimate Bumblebees, a single Bludgeon, a Battle in Space, about 10 HFTD/Generations deluxes (including a Thunderwing and a Blurr - have both), and a scattering of other TF stuff (exclusives, keychains, helmets, etc.). They are by far the best selection ...

The Target was decimated - a scattering of legends/scouts, about a half a dozen HFTD/Generations deluxes (mostly Skullgrin), two Seasprays, a Long Haul, a leader Optimus, a few PCC, and a bit of other TF stuff.

The Walgreens had a single ROTF Sideswipe and a single ROTF Dead End. Ugh!

The Kmart had a figure (or two) of just about everything from ROTF deluxes to PCC. Good range of product but zero selection and high prices.

And to repeat what so many have said in this thread, Hasbrotoyshop.com should never, EVER be out of stock and further more should not delist product so soon after it was released. (Yes, I am talking about Highbrow). :BANG_HEAD:

P.S. chuckdawg1999, absolutely love your signature. :APPLAUSE:

News Credits: 332 · Tue Apr 26, 2011 3:26 pm

Dinobot4ever wrote:
chuckdawg1999 wrote:The paranoia of missing out got to me so last night I ordered Kup and the Constructicons from HTS and added the G1 legends to my POL at BBTS.

It is that "paranoia" that usually makes me buy a TF when I see it in retail settings, regardless of price, if I can. I always keep my receipts in case I do find it cheaper later on but at least I have the figure. There are always those "short packed" and/or poorly distributed TFs in ever line that I can remember going all the way back to Beast Wars. In HFTD and Generations that one appears to be Highbrow for me. Have not seen it and based off of my inquiry at Walmart last night, might never ...

One of two Walmarts I have been to over the past week had a single Seaspray which I used to inquire about a Highbrow (among other TFs). I was told the HFTD line was cancelled. Indeed the only other HFTD figs I recall seeing were a Hubcap and a Jetblade. The other Walmart had even less stock in general.

I have actually been to a number of different stores that stock TFs over the past week, and while my situation may not be as poor as some, it is not as good as still others. Aside from the two Walmarts, the TRU had a few PCCs, a few of the Optimus DOTM preview fig, about 50 ROTF deluxes, a small selection of scouts/legends, 3 ultimate Bumblebees, a single Bludgeon, a Battle in Space, about 10 HFTD/Generations deluxes (including a Thunderwing and a Blurr - have both), and a scattering of other TF stuff (exclusives, keychains, helmets, etc.). They are by far the best selection ...

The Target was decimated - a scattering of legends/scouts, about a half a dozen HFTD/Generations deluxes (mostly Skullgrin), two Seasprays, a Long Haul, a leader Optimus, a few PCC, and a bit of other TF stuff.

The Walgreens had a single ROTF Sideswipe and a single ROTF Dead End. Ugh!

The Kmart had a figure (or two) of just about everything from ROTF deluxes to PCC. Good range of product but zero selection and high prices.

And to repeat what so many have said in this thread, Hasbrotoyshop.com should never, EVER be out of stock and further more should not delist product so soon after it was released. (Yes, I am talking about Highbrow).

P.S. chuckdawg1999, absolutely love your signature.

Everything said (including the PS, click on it) is the 100% truth!

News Credits: 2 · Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:55 pm

None of the stores near me have anything past Generations/RTS Wave 2, as well as a the standard HFTD peg/shelfwarmers.

News Credits: 2 · Thu Apr 28, 2011 3:57 pm

(Ignore this. Random double post).

Thu Apr 28, 2011 6:22 pm

I live in Manhattan, where we have two terrible K-marts, an oddly placed Target, and the ToysRUs flagship store as our only real options for TF purchasing. The TRU and K-marts sell deluxes for $16 each, adding insult to injury. Suffice it to say, I order online a lot. In the past I had only to wait until HTS or TRU.com became saturated with product in order to get each line. This time around -- like many of you -- I've been completely out of luck. I have not seen a single 2011 transformer on a store shelf EVER. And now HTS is pulling many of their listings down.

What I'm wondering is: will this be a situation like we saw with the later animated figures, or bludgeon and mindwipe, where the toys were impossible to find at retail for a long while, before turning up en masse months down the road, taking up shelf space. Or will this be more akin to the hotshot/ratchet situation, where the toys were never heard from again? I fear the latter seems more likely, given the impending film-related toyline...

Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:30 am

Just check one of my local Targets, they have already began clearance on all Deluxe and Scout figures, as well as Basic Power Core figures. I snag up a G2 Optimus Prime, and sadly Skullgrin fills up half of what is left.

News Credits: 2 · Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:54 pm

So would it be point to consider this the worst fiasco in TF's history or was there another? I mean when it comes to something similar where the supply couldn't meet the demand at this magnitude or how ever you wish to look at it...yes no maybe??

News Credits: 1452 · Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:11 pm

Nemesis Destron wrote:So would it be point to consider this the worst fiasco in TF's history or was there another? I mean when it comes to something similar where the supply couldn't meet the demand at this magnitude or how ever you wish to look at it...yes no maybe??

I'd say that the 2007 Movie scalpings was a bigger fiasco. It's just that this is getting magnified because the majority of beauties on the staff and the site is mad that this drought involves Classics toys.

News Credits: 3 · Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:17 pm

Mach Wind wrote:Just check one of my local Targets, they have already began clearance on all Deluxe and Scout figures, as well as Basic Power Core figures. I snag up a G2 Optimus Prime, and sadly Skullgrin fills up half of what is left.

Just saw that at my Target too. Everything but Generations, PCC 5 packs, and the one huge expensive Bumblebee (with the light up claw hand/cannon arm) are 30% off here. We currently don't have any RtS on shelves. :/

Situation is a little different though - for deluxe there's only a tuner skids and hailstorm left (someone was smart enough to separate generations) and those pegs are full of Cyb Megs, Skullgrin's, etc., about 6 legends, and then a million activators and PCC 2 packs.

It's the same Target as below, which, this pic is from two pages back and so about 1-2 weeks old.

I picked up a Payload in case I ever decide to act on the whim to make a Long Haul costume...and with the teensy hope they'll find a Lugnut to bring out to replace the hole. :F

Man clearanced just in time for DoTM - the good news being that since they aren't clearancing Generations, it will still be out when DoTM is.

Gives me hope to see the voyagers after all, plus Warpath and whoever else. :S

News Credits: 332 · Fri Apr 29, 2011 5:22 pm

Well my paranoid order from HTS came in today and I got Kup and PCC Constructicons. I realized I'm not as hard off as others as the only figures I'm missing are:

Perceptor
Axor
Dino Pope
Groundspike

Sat Apr 30, 2011 11:14 pm

So, I finally found Power Core Combiners Grimstone. Guess where? A Wal-Mart in...Omaha, Nebraska. Over 1000 miles from my hometown in Maryland. (I am in Omaha for the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting, so no, I did not fly out just to look for toys.) They had three more Grimstones and three or four Steamhammers as well, selling for $15.

Target in Omaha has also put all the HFTD toys on clearance. Voyagers are selling for $13.98, so I picked up Banzaitron and Seaspray as I wanted them both but didn't want to pay $20 for them. Unfortunately that's all I could fit in my carry-on. Otherwise I'd buy an extra couple toys of each size.

Anyway I'd add the sightings but the add store feature doesn't work so I can't. I'll post pics of my findings when I get home.

No sign of toys like Thundercracker, Wheeljack, Warpath, etc. after stopping at two Wal-marts, two Targets, and two Toys R Us stores in Omaha. I suppose it's possible they could be at one of the several others in the city, but I don't think it's likely, especially seeing that Target is now putting stuff on clearance in preparation for the movie line. Unless those toys get shipped with orders for the DOTM toys, I don't think we'll be seeing them anywhere but collectors' stores, resellers like TJ Maxx/Marshalls, or online.

Mon May 02, 2011 10:25 am

I finally saw RTS Perceptor this weekend. Perceptor wasn't at Target, Walmart, or Toys-R-Us. Nope. Perceptor was gathering dust at a grocery store with much older TFs and other assorted toys. See below pic. Weird.

Mon May 02, 2011 7:35 pm

I feel for you guys. I was lucky enough (and incredibly fast/vigilant) to get Windcharger/Grapple/Warpath from HTS. The rest I found at retail at one point or another, or from BBTS as large case purchases. Overall I didn't pay too much over retail for the full set of G1-ish deluxe/Voyager units.

I must say I am probably in the very small majority. I was hoping they would show up in stores so everyone who wasn't as fast could get a shot at them, and I am sure they will before long.... but surely its a painful wait to endure.

News Credits: 3 · Tue May 03, 2011 5:46 pm

So I popped in one of my local Targets today to see if I would be lucky enough to score the only TF I want from the DOTM line, Shockwave, only to find the TF section converted into the clearance section!

There were a few TF scattered about but that was it! just other random, deserving, toys clearanced out along with TFs.

I know DOTM is coming soon but GEEZ!