How Toys are released now-a-days Pro-Cons

[Gaetznes]

The problem with waves, is more systimatic of how they are delievered. I'm making up numbers but just humor me. Ie: Wave 1 (Spring Release): consist of say 6 figures, the Box holds 10. We get 4 Bumblebees, 2 of x2, 1 of x3, 1of x4, 1 of x5, 1 of x6. Say Bumblebee sells very well, so they've bought several thousand boxes, resulting in dozen of boxes arriving at each store through the course of Wave 1. Result, Bumblebee and the majority of the rest sell off. But each store is left with a one or two of x2-x5, but still has half a dozen or so of x6. x6 being the toy, repaint (from a pervious line) or other wise, that just sucks. However by this time were entering Wave 2 (Last Summer, Early Fall). The warehouse still have Wave 1 instock. But there still getting in as much as they did as Wave 1. Same process occurs as Wave 1. But now where Entering late Fall (xmas time) The stores are still bring in wave 2 and wave 1 from the warehouse. Flooding the Stores with a Moderate Level of Fresh Wave 2 But mostly the undesiriables from wave 1 that are floating around since early summer.

Post Xmas, which is a dead time up till Easter then its a build up to next Xmas. Its a cycle. But back to what i'm getting at. Its post xmas. stock isn't moving and they still have wave 2 shoved in there stock rooms and warehouses. They have no intent on buying wave 3. As they see it wave 3 may make them money, but its money they don't wont to put out till they move those thousand or 2 units they have in stock company wide.

I said this earlier, that zellers has something like 18 figures out back that consist of Wave 1 and 2. I can only hope that Wave 3 will by pass the overstock and come straight out. If its brought in at all.

Plus it goes back to communication, not just between head office (department store) and head office(hasbro). But between the grunt working the floor that is just there for the hours, to the Merch ops team Leader to the assistant manger. If there is even one slacker in that bunch the whole system falls apart. What was that stupid show called years ago, The Weakest Link, Zellers you are the Weakest Link.

So yeah, were now back into spring here shortly, Guess what Wave 1 is coming out, its just not RTS or Gens. Its DOTM. Wave 3 etc got lost in the natural cycle of retail. Post xmas, people don't have the money to spend for the most part. As they are paying off xmas. Its a credit society sadly.

I've personally bought the Igears Kup replacment heads. But I can't force myself to buy Kup online. Its going to be one of those cases that I'm going to wait till I find him in a yard sale in like 3 years and be going wooo hooo. But thats my decision. It (myself) just doesn't allow for spending of double the retail price. I can't spend $23 on a figure I know i could have gotten for $11.30 locally.

[Batman]

Originally Posted by gaetz

I've personally bought the Igears Kup replacment heads. But I can't force myself to buy Kup online. Its going to be one of those cases that I'm going to wait till I find him in a yard sale in like 3 years and be going wooo hooo. But thats my decision. It (myself) just doesn't allow for spending of double the retail price. I can't spend $23 on a figure I know i could have gotten for $11.30 locally.

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...98&mode=retail

Shipping is less than $14 for all four figures. BBTS will mark it as a gift and it won't get charged customs fees (because it is under $60). You are looking at $64 shipped to your door for an entire wave.

Buy that at Canadian retail, for me in Ontario once you factor in tax, you are looking at $72. $8 more than if I bought the wave online. Oh and I have had them for like 2 months now.

[CBII]

Originally Posted by Batman

http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/p...98&mode=retail

Shipping is less than $14 for all four figures. BBTS will mark it as a gift and it won't get charged customs fees (because it is under $60). You are looking at $64 shipped to your door for an entire wave.

Buy that at Canadian retail, for me in Ontario once you factor in tax, you are looking at $72. $8 more than if I bought the wave online. Oh and I have had them for like 2 months now.

In AB that would be $67.12 at full retail value. Catch a sale and that price drops to $41.92 - $50.37

So you either save $3.12 over retail by buying online or you save up to $25.20 by buying on sale at a retail outlet over the online store.

That's a lot of savings but I do see the advantage of not having to wait, hunt, and hope for transformers to show up at your local retail outlet...especially if you're in a smaller community.

[Shockwave 75]

Unfortunately buying online just isn't an option for some us.

I myself don't have a credit card so therefore online buying is pretty much out of the equation.

Around here even stores like TRU can often be just as bad as Zellers. There are still tons of wave 1 Generations figures around. Hell, I just saw Generations Blurr and Soundwave in TRU, and they came out MONTHS AGO!

[Batman]

Originally Posted by CBII

In AB that would be $67.12 at full retail value. Catch a sale and that price drops to $41.92 - $50.37

So you either save $3.12 over retail by buying online or you save up to $25.20 by buying on sale at a retail outlet over the online store.

That's a lot of savings but I do see the advantage of not having to wait, hunt, and hope for transformers to show up at your local retail outlet...especially if you're in a smaller community.

That is the thing though, it is all down to chance. If someone is actually waiting to not only find a Windcharger or Warpath at retail, but hoping to get it on sale too, you are a braver man than I.

The thing with the classics figures is that they are some of the hardest to find at retail, and they are the hottest selling modern Transformers on the secondary market. Look at all of the figures from Classics, Universe, Henkei, etc. They all have gone up in price, some even triple digits. There are core cast characters from Beast Wars who have not even gone up that much in price in over 10 years.

Originally Posted by Shockwave 75

Unfortunately buying online just isn't an option for some us.

I myself don't have a credit card so therefore online buying is pretty much out of the equation.

Around here even stores like TRU can often be just as bad as Zellers. There are still tons of wave 1 Generations figures around. Hell, I just saw Generations Blurr and Soundwave in TRU, and they came out MONTHS AGO!

Many online retailers take money orders or cheques, even BBTS.

[racerguy76]

Originally Posted by Shockwave 75

Unfortunately buying online just isn't an option for some us.

I myself don't have a credit card so therefore online buying is pretty much out of the equation.

The pre-paid visa and mastercards all work online. You can even use them to make a paypal account. I used those for quite a few years before I got my own card.

I was sick of going to the store and seeing nothing at all or no changes in inventory. Once the first box came I was hooked. I can get toys brought tright o my door. F*CK YA! I stop at the store about once every two weeks now, or if I'm driving by, but I think it's out of habit.

Only the items on my "must have list"are bought like that. Anything that I'm on the fence about or not sure and want to see it first is left to chance at retail. I think overall it's saved me money. I've become way more selective and it limits the trip by the lego/starwars/gijoe/ect.. isles.