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Post by ShaneReinecke on Aug 5, 2004 20:09:04 GMT -5
Well, Goshu, keep your eyes posted tomorrow, and I'll be sure to update right here in this thread if I find anything when I stop by there (sometime before 5:00 pm tomorrow, hopefully much earlier).
I'm not worrying yet either, but I am a pro-active person, and I'm trying to help the members of this community to see things like this early on and voice their opinions to Hasbro before this becomes an unncessarily reactive situation (like the delayed reactive attempt that Mattel made with the "He-Man Titanic" last year before it actually sank like a rock).
Hey, SS, yeah that case pack is pretty bad, of course it could have been an early case when packing was still trying to clear out old stock, but I can't imagine that they didn't produce a gross of each of the new figures in their new packaging, which means a whole lotta potentially clogged pegs in a whole lotta stores for a while.
It also could possibly be that there were more than one case of figures, but being that Giger was just there Yesterday and didn't report finding these (and I was there Thursday of last week and didn't see them either) and now today they were on the pegs, it kinda appears that this was the actual case pack for at least this one case. Yikes! Not cool, not cool at all. Hopefully we'll see some serious changes soon, or maybe this was a fluke, either way, I hope this is not a "regular" case pack for long.
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Post by goshou on Aug 5, 2004 20:38:01 GMT -5
LOL, far too familiar with Mattel and the He-Man situation. My wife's a crazy one who hangs out on the he-forums and calls Mattel at least twice a month to ask "Where's the He-Man? Let the Horseman be free!"
I too will keep up a good listing of what is where around my area. Not that I expect much...I'm very dissapointed that none of my Targets have anything new. More so, considering that the Xevoz stock at the 3 Targets that carried them was not peg-warming nearly as much as say, SpiderMan.
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Post by Squishee Slinger on Aug 5, 2004 20:41:57 GMT -5
I'm worried that nothing looks to have moved since the reset last week besides the cases and the two series 1 sets I picked up last week. If series three comes in soon there isn't anywhere to put it. Hopefully it's just a little buying lull until all the BTSS is all done. ~SS~
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Post by goshou on Aug 5, 2004 21:11:37 GMT -5
It's funny how into this we all are. Watching case assortments, checknig stock at everything from TRU to Target on a weekly basis. And SS, your right about things being a little 'thick'; Targets who reset just dont' have the space now. Heck neither do the TRU's. Around here I can only hope that Meijer suddenly gets in a few cases of wave 3 to keep me sane. I see why some of you guys do the mail order!
I now know how my wife felt when she wanted that EvilLyn and Roboto last year now! Ha!
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Post by Gigerlicious on Aug 5, 2004 21:13:19 GMT -5
Shane: Yeah, no problem - should I see something hot I'll let ya know. They must have put that Deluxe case out today, since I was certain it wasn't there yesterday.
Man, you are hardcore - I know what that bridge construction on I-94 in Dexter is like after going to Chicago for the weekend!
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Post by Grayfox on Aug 5, 2004 22:36:28 GMT -5
It's funny how into this we all are. Watching case assortments, checknig stock at everything from TRU to Target on a weekly basis. Well, we're doing what Hasbro should be doing themselves. I really fail to understand why they pack things the way they do. I wish a Hasbro rep would just pop in here and explain it to me.
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Post by ShaneReinecke on Aug 6, 2004 14:09:26 GMT -5
Well, fellas and fellets, I stopped into the Ypsi Target a couple of hours back, and.... ...nothing, nada, zilch, zippo, not one new figure in sight (including IS and Transporter). I also asked the stock crew that was still hovering around the toy aisles and they said that everything was out already. So, you all might see something come in tomorrow, but I'm starting to think that there is the possibility that they already got their initial shipment (possibly even the basics) and what I found was all that was left for the moment. Let me explain... ...I looked more closely at the deluxes left behind, and only two of them actually have the new package style (unlike what I reported yesterday), you see the new deluxe packaging looks very similar from the front at first glance, as the old packaging, and I was so busy with the associate, trying to see if there was any more stock in back, that I didn't pay close enough attention to the backs of the packaging on the older figures (for the back bubble that has been removed on wave 3 packaging). Now what it appears, is that someone (or multiple people) bought 2 CC's and an SG (basing my estimates on the original case pack ratios) within that 24 hour (or less) span between Giger stopping there Wednesday and when I stopped through there yesterday. Which also means that this same person or persons could have bought up all of the wave 3 basic stock (these pegs were coincidentally very empty) that came in also. That is, assuming that there even was any at this point, but the couple of other reports that I have heard elsewhere had both deluxes and basics showing up together. Anyway it goes, it really looks like we're going to have some modest competition between collectors going on at this location, at least for a little while, since most of the other Target stores in the greater southern MI area appear to have stopped carrying the line for the moment. Hopefully this will change very soon though. I'm stopping by the Saline Road Target on the way home to check in on things, but I will be really surprised if I find anything since they have yet to carry Xeovz at all. Oh, and I'm probably going to hit 1 or 2 Meijer stores also (even though I doubt that they will be getting anything new in within the next week or two or possibly even three). As always, I'll be sure to keep everyone updated ASAP. Sorry again about the little information mix up from yesterday also, clearly yesterday was just not my day around here (I wasn't feeling well and I was just a little agitated by all of the "bad news" that I discovered during the trip home. Oh well, all is back to normal. Later all... -Shane
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Post by goshou on Aug 6, 2004 18:55:10 GMT -5
Thanks for the update Shane. If I do stop there tomorrow, I'll do an update as to if I see anything.
Who know, maybe they'll restock tonight! One can hope...
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Post by ShaneReinecke on Aug 6, 2004 19:10:03 GMT -5
Another little update... I have now stopped at 3 Targets (all on my normal route home), and called 3 more Targets, all in southern MI (Lansing area), and not one of them has Xevoz any longer. This to add to the rapidly growing list of stores (including numerous Detroit non-sightings) that are not setting Xevoz in their new planograms. What's worse is that none of the Wal-mart stores around here are picking them up yet either (not that anything new is actually showing up there anyway). The Meijer stores can be really good at stocking new items during the Christmas shopping season, but are spotty at best other times of the year. K-mart can occasionally surprise me, but since the one peg that currently holds both wave 1 and 2 basics AND deluxes is set behind a larger box from the shelf below, it's not getting much space or visibility (not that K-Mart does with any kind of consistentcy anyway, except for during the holiday shopping season). And TRU, well, I've kinda given up since they have had nothing new in like 4 months (aside from the TS vs SP set, which I have yet to actually see in person). Anyway, as for the Targets that I called (I'm not driven or insane enough to go driving up there just to hunt for Xevoz), I am kinda skeptical about these "negative" confirmations since I didn't actually see it with my own 2 eyes, but each of the associates did really appear to be interested in helping and each of them did also "appear" to earnestly take a good look around for me, or else they were all pretendng really well ;D, either way I don't have a whole lot of reason to doubt at the moment . I'm going to try out a couple more stores to the west of here tomorrow, and since I'll actually probably be over in that general area for other reasons, I'll stop into at least one of these personally (happens to be a good boys toy aisle store, and has the same general "feel" as the Ypsi store). Well, even though the local Xevoz suppliers appear to be dwindling in numbers, and the ones that are left are drying up for now (either due to pegwarming, or no merchandise on shelves at all), I'm sure that we'll at least see a good turnout at Meijer (based on the facings that have been planned, it should be the best section that I've seen yet) in the semi-near future (could be a week could be a month or even two).
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Post by ShaneReinecke on Aug 7, 2004 15:41:39 GMT -5
Well, much like KTD did in the NJ area, I did a little run with a friend/relative today. This was mostly just for something to do, and to grab some lunch, and have some conversation that wasn't just about work (although somehow it always seems to make it back to that subject in my line of work ). We just did a local run, but we hit one of every major store (TRU, Target, Meijer, K-Mart and Walmart). TRU - same ol' same ol', not even TS vs SP yet, funny thing is that the racks have been empty since the last sale, you would think that in order to sell product one may actually want to, oh say, actually STOCK product. Well, at least when they do finally restock it may actually be with new product. Target - As I said above, Xevoz has been (at least temporarily) dropped from their stock. Coincidentally Target is about to be dropped from my shopping runs until further notice (and that includes essentials, DVD's etc.). K-Mart - Now nearing the end of their reset, the Xevoz that they had, that they hadn't sold many of (due to the reasons mentioned in my last post), have NOT set Xevoz in their new layout (not sure if they actually use the term plan-o-gram in their verancular). Walmart - Nothing yet, but their toy department (and this is like a 2 week old store) is now quite empty. So, maybe something soon, maybe. Meijer - Here is the store that I though may be my saving grace (as far as Xevoz go at least), and boy was I wrong, at least for now. They did stock their shelves, but they stocked with all wave 2 merchandise (except for the TS vs SP 2 pack). 2 cases of wave 2 deluxes, a case of wave 2 basics, and a case of the afore-mentioned TS vs SP (which I already have a couple of laying around the office at home). Man, for this being such a wonderfully inventive and unique toy line, with more versatility, posability, variety, and general selling points associated, it really doesn't seem to be getting much love from the retailers. I mean at Target today they had 22 pegs devoted to TMNT (now don't get me wrong I am an old school TMNT fan, as in I've been very familiar with the property since the very first issue of Eastman and Laird's TMNT, as in I still have all of the core collection of the first line of figures (including Usagi and Fugitoid) in storage. BUT 22 freakin pegs and all of the shelf space below that, and NO room to put Xevoz in the boys figure aisle? What in the holy crap is going on here? TMNT can't touch what Xevoz has to offer and Xevoz and TMNT are almost the exact same price per figure, yet there seems to be NO room for Xevoz. Well, even though I am generally a very patient person about these things, I'm quickly starting to see a scary trend as far as retailers and Xevoz goes. The really sad thing is that all of this comes at the same time that wave 3 is well on it's way (with wave 4 close behind), and retailers were about to see what this line has to offer. Now it seems that just as things were about to start ramping up, retailer support has darn near bottomed out . I really don't know what else to say, I'm truly sadened by this turn of events. Oh well, maybe we'll see things make a turn around in the coming months.
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Post by berzerker on Aug 7, 2004 21:10:37 GMT -5
FOUND WAVE 3 AT TARGET! The 4 booster packs anyway...
Stopped in the Shelby Twsp Target (26 Mile and Mound) -- which at the moment is a "non-reset" store -- and was shocked to find about 3 Quick Slingers, 2 Shield Breakers, 2 Tomb Wraiths and 1 Storm Wing.
Picked up the Storm Wing and a Shield Breaker... still on the fence about the other two.
(No sign of Crypt Curse or CK + PC. But they did have a few Iron Spectre sets... already picked that up a week or so ago at a different store.)
Hit a couple other local Targets over the past day and a half -- all recently reset -- and no Xevoz or even space for Xevoz. Very bizzare... some Targets getting brand spanking new stuff and others seem to not even be carrying the line.
Anyway... HIT ALL YOUR LOCAL TARGETS... Wave 3 is on the way or maybe THERE NOW!!!
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Post by goshou on Aug 8, 2004 11:55:17 GMT -5
Well, on Saturday me and the Wife went up to Flint, instead of AnnArbor. She was worried about blowing a bunch of cash on 'stuff' in AA a week before Wizard's (a good point actually).
Nothing up in Flint but the big empty. Sucks.
On the other hand, I checked this morning and saw that bezerker had found some at 26/Mound; which figures as I had offered Port Huron as a possible shopping spree on Saturday. Regardless, this morning on our way to Stony Creek for hiking, we stopped at said location and I picked up one of each of the wave 3's: QS, SB, and TW, along with the Case.
I should note that there were no other wave 3's other than a single case left at this point, so other MI fans must have already bought a couple here. Good! I simply hope that this does point to a wider release within the month to more Targets, Meijers and even TRU's.
Thanks for the hook-up guys!
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Post by berzerker on Aug 8, 2004 13:13:50 GMT -5
Glad my little tip paid off for a fellow Xevoz fan, goshou!
As soon as I picked up my wave 3's at Target last night I wanted to spread the word on the off chance that another Xevoz nut lurked somewhere near me. I'll pay close attention to your upcoming posts so I can see if you find something at a store somewhere along my regular travels.
Sounds like we're pretty lucky to be in Michigan... between our Meijers and relative plethora of well-stocked Targets, I think we've been among the first to get our hands on each of the waves as they debuted.
Go Michigan! I don't mean U of M... just proud to live here... it truly has the best of everything... lakes, pretty good for jobs, we get all seasons (if you like snow, and I do), lots of nice areas to live, etc., etc. And the fact that we're getting a lot of Xevoz here is just icing on the cake!
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Post by Gigerlicious on Aug 11, 2004 16:34:41 GMT -5
The Ypsi Target has received one Wave 3 booster pack. I was able to snatch a single Quick Slinger and Shield Breaker but everything else except the lone Dune Stinger was gone. They did restock Iron Spectres if anyone is looking.
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Post by ShaneReinecke on Aug 16, 2004 12:55:51 GMT -5
Well, for starters, I apologize to all of the Ann Arbor/ Ypsilanti collectors right up front. In fact, I feel kinda bad for posting this, but I'm too excieted not to at the moment. I've had a couple of pretty long, hectic, and stressful weeks so this is an excellent personal reward.
On the one hand I'm really-really sorry for having done this, but on the other hand....For those that have read my past postings and have heard what my "home territories" stores have to offer (which BTW has not changed in the least the past couple of weeks) and have heard what all I have to go through just to find these things in stores right now, I just had to do it.
Only one day after I had almost given up and just gone for the internet ordering solution, I scored HUGE on my "lunch" toy run today. I stopped into the Ypsi Target (fully expecting yet another disappointing run) only to find 1 whole case of wave 3 basics. Needless to say, I picked them clean, subsequently this is where the first part of my apology comes in (I apologize!).
Then, being that Walmart was really more where I was expecting to find something today (and also still not satisfied that I still wanted another SW, TW, and CC), I headed over to the Ypsi Walmart. Low and behold wave 3 basics AND deluxes, I hit the motherload! Grabbed my SW, TW, and CC figures and headed for the door, coincidentally this is where the second part of my apology comes in (once again, I apologize!).
So, I am now the proud owner of 2 of each of the wave 3 figures minus for the 2 pack (CK vs PC), and I'm seriously considering just picking up a couple of the 2 packs on-line (in addition to all of my future Xevoz figure purchases for that matter). I can handle slow distro, in fact I'm quite used to it living in this area, but when I have to continually go WAY out of my way like this it's just not acceptable nor worth it to me anymore.
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