Walmart.ca Transformers Sightings and discussion

[steamwhistle]

Originally Posted by Hangfest

CMD also has the worst shipping rates by miles and no free tier.

Just for kicks I added Blaster to my cart on the CMD site and the lowest priced rate, Canada Post regular parcel, is $25(!) to ship from Montreal to Halifax (this makes a voyager figure $84 after tax). Purolator 2 day ground is $75.

For comparison, rates from somewhere like Toy Snowman for similarly sized items (Montreal to Halifax) are $11.99, or free if I exceed $100. Their priority express rate is $29.99.

Their base shipping option seem like they are charging the regular Canada Post parcel rates for individuals, rather than small business volume rates. Given all their other price gouging I wouldn't be surprised if they are padding their income this way as well.

CMD is a bum deal when it comes to prices and practices so unless it's a desperation play for something not available anywhere else, or you just don't care about money, I'd say avoid them. But that's just my personal feelings on it.

If you buy direct from CMDstore, shipping is typically less than CMDstore's shpping through Walmart. Same as the cost of figures. It is more likely that Walmart adds a markup to third-party seller's listings, both for an item and for shipping/handling.

EDIT: Note that information in my post is incorrect. (27-MAR-2022)

[MaverickCSX]

I agree that the items sold by CMD through the Walmart website are ridiculously overpriced in some cases.

But I just order directly and do local pickup. For most new items or pre-orders their prices are the same as other online retailers or sometimes cheaper.


I only started collecting in the last 3 yrs, so I dont know their history. But in the time that I dealt with them, I've never had any order fulfillment issues, so I continue to give them my business

[Hangfest]

Originally Posted by steamwhistle

If you buy direct from CMDstore, shipping is typically less than CMDstore's shpping through Walmart. Same as the cost of figures. It is more likely that Walmart adds a markup to third-party seller's listings, both for an item and for shipping/handling.

The egregious shipping rates I mentioned are from the CMD website, not via their listings on Walmart.ca.

Blaster via Walmart.ca, sold by CMD, only has $15.14 in shipping as opposed to the $24.81 base rate from cmdstore.ca.

After tax it's actually cheaper to buy it through the Walmart listing than direct from CMD, despite the more expensive base price ($80 vs $84, after shipping and tax, for me here in NS).

[Hangfest]

Here are the shipping options if I were to order direct from CMD (for a single Voyager class figure):

"12 rates found for your address...

Regular Parcel at $24.81
Expedited Parcel at $25.61
UPS Standard at $37.27
Purolator Ground at $38.08
Xpresspost at $40.50
Federal Express Ground at $40.99
Purolator Express at $44.20
UPS Expedited at $59.64
Purolator Ground 1030AM at $63.02
Priority at $63.72
UPS Express at $65.04
Purolator Ground 9AM at $74.44"

Tell me those rates aren't absurd, especially compared to every other Canadian shop that sells this stuff online.

[fishtifer]

I stopped by the CMD booth at a Calgary Expo convention a few years ago, all the new Power of the Primes Dinobots that were just about to hit retail were double the price at their booth which I think was $30-35 each at the time, plus all the popular Star Wars Black Series figures were double retail price too. It made me sick and I stayed away from CMD after that...

[Ransak The Elder]

Originally Posted by fishtifer

I stopped by the CMD booth at a Calgary Expo convention a few years ago, all the new Power of the Primes Dinobots that were just about to hit retail were double the price at their booth which I think was $30-35 each at the time, plus all the popular Star Wars Black Series figures were double retail price too. It made me sick and I stayed away from CMD after that...

Well that is a problem with the Calgary EXPO. In its initial days you could go and find some great deals.. 10 dollar trades, 2 for 1's.. 50% off etc.. As the years went on it started to shift from that too +10% cover price and inflated prices. Expos now are a place for people to overcharge fans when the fan could of just gone down the street to the comic store for a better price.


Also keep in mind in the last 2 weeks every courier has upped their rates by 20%.. at least their fuel surcharge.. all prices are going to seem crazy atm. Ive had express rush from CMD to calgary before for 35 bux. Normal was like 15.

[delrue]

Originally Posted by Hangfest

Here are the shipping options if I were to order direct from CMD (for a single Voyager class figure):

"12 rates found for your address...

Regular Parcel at $24.81
Expedited Parcel at $25.61
UPS Standard at $37.27
Purolator Ground at $38.08
Xpresspost at $40.50
Federal Express Ground at $40.99
Purolator Express at $44.20
UPS Expedited at $59.64
Purolator Ground 1030AM at $63.02
Priority at $63.72
UPS Express at $65.04
Purolator Ground 9AM at $74.44"

Tell me those rates aren't absurd, especially compared to every other Canadian shop that sells this stuff online.

As someone who lives at least one province away from all online shops, yes, those are the prices you pay in shipping unless the shop has a flat rate. But generally all shops that have a flat rate or free shipping charge more per figure to compensate for that.

[steamwhistle]

Originally Posted by steamwhistle

If you buy direct from CMDstore, shipping is typically less than CMDstore's shpping through Walmart. Same as the cost of figures. It is more likely that Walmart adds a markup to third-party seller's listings, both for an item and for shipping/handling.

Originally Posted by Hangfest

The egregious shipping rates I mentioned are from the CMD website, not via their listings on Walmart.ca.

Blaster via Walmart.ca, sold by CMD, only has $15.14 in shipping as opposed to the $24.81 base rate from cmdstore.ca.

After tax it's actually cheaper to buy it through the Walmart listing than direct from CMD, despite the more expensive base price ($80 vs $84, after shipping and tax, for me here in NS).

Aye.

You are correct.

I am incorrect on my info.

[Endlessdark]

Sorry to derail the discussion,

But how does one go about getting the Walmart Collector Con (…eugh) stuff?

Sandstorm, Nightprowler, and Buzzsaw?

[Banshee]

Originally Posted by Endlessdark

Sorry to derail the discussion,

But how does one go about getting the Walmart Collector Con (?eugh) stuff?

Sandstorm, Nightprowler, and Buzzsaw?

You can preorder them right now on hasbro pulse.