I got the same e-mail and saw that the time I ordered likely means I will not get the case with the extra army-builders. So I went to the site to just order the set of 6 for $10 less and found out that it is now only $5 less...and it was sold out. So I could lock in a non special case or just leave my order as is and hope that I still get the special. If I don't get it, oh well, I was warned. For $5 more for 2 figures, I have to be able to at least make that money back.

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I was pondering getting that case too last night. I would have probably missed the cut-off. Anyway I the total price I would have paid would have not been any savings at all. Total $49.99 + $8.29 shipping is just minus 40 cents if I just found the 8 figures at Walmart. Now that is with the new $6.84 per figure price too. No I wouldn't have saved anything on gas either.

I think everyone has some valid points about this matter. I do have to disagree with one thing that Stealth Viper said -- Sigma 6 WAS a success and DID do well for the most part.

But, it's also true that DTC flopped, and fared only moderately well during its subsequent TRU release.

As to current distribution problems, be they only to internet outlets such as BBTS or just in general, I don't think the finger of blame can really be pointed in any ONE direction, but to a combination of factors, many of which to one degree or another have been cited here. If I may offer my own take on it...

It's not the 1980's anymore and Hasbro knows it. Regardless of how many longtime collectors may view the new G.I.Joes as impressive, regardless of how many kids they may catch with the new line, it's never going to be what it once was. So the juggling act for Hasbro is to produce enough to meet demand, but not so much that it ends up in the clearance aisles (as a fair supply of the 5-packs did at Target post-Christmas).

The flip side to that coin is Hasbro has to convince the stores -- Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, Toys "R" Us, K*B Toys, whatever, to carry this new G.I.Joe. That means persuading each store's "toy buyer" personnel that this is a new and entirely viable direction for G.I.Joe that will be a massive success. Unfortunately, G.I.Joe's recent track record, even with the reasonable success of Sigma 6, is not terribly impressive. I can far too easily see some store representatives saying, "Not those LITTLE ones again! And you're marking them for their 25th Anniversary? No kid is going to care about that!"

There's also the additional media factor. While G.I.Joe is getting a movie, that's not until next year, and the 25th line started LAST year. No retail representative is going to consider that as a factor just yet. And except for the comic book, G.I.Joe doesn't have much media influence right now. So say you're a toy buyer for a large retail chain. You can either buy a ton of stuff for something that IS readily recognized and DOES get a lot of media attention, whether it's WWE, Power Rangers, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Transformers, or even Star Wars, which while it doesn't have anything out there right now, is likely a more recognized name in pop culture than G.I.Joe -- or you can stock up on a product that's probably currently viewed as some sort of "legacy" concept with limited appeal. You want to see a lot of G.I.Joe in the stores, wait'll next year...

So, in turn, it's well possible that the stores under-order, and Hasbro only produces to demand. Now, it's also possible, although this is speculation, that the line has been successful enough that the stores have requested a greater supply of future waves. Well, guess what? If that wave has already been fully produced, and the factories are working on -- say -- Wave 12 while the stores are saying, "Hey, we could use a bit more of Wave 9..." Guess what? Who's going to take it in the shorts? Is Hasbro going to tell Wal-Mart and Target that they can't have any more, or are they going to tell an online business that -- however much I may personally like BBTS and have had very successful dealings with them in the past -- they're not Wal-Mart or Target -- that they're not going to get everything they asked for?

Granted, this is all speculation. I am not a businessman, nor do I have any sort of inside track to Hasbro, any of the retailers, or BBTS. For all I know, the ship carrying some of Wave 9 sprung a leak on the way over from China and there's now a bunch of B.A.T.s, Barbecues, Bazookas, et al, taking up residence in the Marianas Trench...

Admitedly I have no TRU near me. But as I stated I know people in the toy departments of each of the several stores all around me. They are giving me tales of canceled orders (I feel these people have no reason to lie since they have gone to the trouble to call my house when the rare instance a wave is delivered).

I have four Wal-marts in driving distance from my home and know people in all of them, all tell me the same tale. I have 3 K-marts, know people in two of those, sames story again. 3 Magic Marts (smaller chain of stores) and again same story. 2 comic shops, placed orders with both (through Diamond of course) and saw the invoices of cancelled orders there (admitidly this does happen with diamond quite often, but three seprerate orders is odd even for them).

At the same time (Without help from the toy department people I know) I have been able to find "Hot items" from other lines (Most notably Star Wars since I collect it actively as well). Force Unleashed figures, Consept Vader, Solo, ect, Animated Boba Fett.

So not trying to argue but understand what I am saying. I bend over literally backwards attempting to get GI Joe figures and fail in every case nearly. Each time I am told that the orders are cancelled at the source (and keep in mind most of these people I have known a minimum of five years). Then I get on the internet and see people say "It's not Hasbro, its the individual store chain."

While I already know that Wal-Mart has the same distributor for thier stores, I am fairly certain its not the same one for K-Mart. Nor does K-Mart share thiers with Magic Mart. Nor does Magic Mart get thier stuff from the same place the comic shops do. Add to this that it seems they do have a very hard time keeping thier own web store stocked, well I think you get it. If it were one chain I could see it, but its every avenue I try to take, that is why I don't buy the tag line of "It's not Hasbro's fault." most of the time.

Then of course today adds to the confusion. My friend at Wal-mart near me calls and says that there are some new Single packs going up this morning. I get there and it turns out to be Wave 2 from last year (Buzzer, Lady Jaye, Serpantor, Beachead and wave 1 repacks, I believe that was wave 2 anyway its been a while). I ask him about it and he said that he noticed it too (Since last we spoke he knew I was looking for Rock N Roll wave, which Doc Rob graciously helped me with BTW, thank you again sir). When he called the warehouse they claimed they just got them. Now I have known the guy 10 years, went to college with him, know his wife really well, basicly I am saying I know him well enough to know he won't pull "The company line" on me (in fact in the past he hasn't and been vement against some practices of Wal-Mart). Anyway Long story short he said the warehouse pointed the fingers back to Habro (NOTE: I am only repeating what I was told, not saying one way or the other, just so we are clear here). Now I will say that the warehouse could be lying, but there is more.

Had to travel to the next town over on business, once there I went to K-Mart and Wal-mart, guess what they had, Serpantor, Lady Jaye, Buzzer, and Beachead. My friend at the K-mart wasn't in today so I didn't get to ask her about it.

On the way home I swing to the comic shop (which is a bit out of my way, but not terribly) to pick up some new books. Guess what, of the 6 special orders placed when Wave 2 was solicited he got 3 of them. He is sending them back since he was informed they were cancelled and passed that along to the customers. The wal-mart there, Yeah you guessed it,

Again understand I am not trying to argue, but just saying that what I am hearing here doesn't match what I hear or see from many different people whom have gone out of thier ways in many cases for me. I wouldn't have what comic packs I have if it weren't for them (they would have been scalped as were the ones I left, thanks again to Doc Rob for helping me with that situation as well).

So really I am just confused.

I'm not trying to argue either.

MY point is that your Wal-Marts should be getting deliveries from the same place as my Wal-Marts. My Wal-Marts (And TRUs, and Targets, and K-Marts) aren't experiencing any shortage of product, so I don't know why yours are. It doesn't make any sense.

But what is clear is that the problem is further down the supply chain. The figures are definately out there, but for whatever reason the stores in your area aren't getting them. For that I have no explaination.

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i think there's a question that may get asked of hasbro for their next Q&A


i'm going to leave my order in though, just on the odd chance i'll never see this wave in stores.

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I'll say that I see the figures in store – but brother, if you want em, you'd BEST buy em then. I bought 08 Wave 1 in early December, and never saw it again till LAST MONTH with Kilcarr in Tulsa. I've had enough of the gas-wasting game. If HTS can show me that they can get enough stock to allow me to preorder everything, I'm gonna go through them from now on. Too risky to miss stuff at retail.

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I got my order for the Internet case on Tuesday, so I assume I am safe.

Than being said, if I see items I preordered in store before the online store gets them, I grab them. That way if the online order is cancelled I still have the items. If I get duplicates, I can always return them to the store.