Is anyone else frustrated with the distribution of the 25A Joe figures to the point of losing interest?

Were it not for legitimate online retailers (and overpriced resellers), there are several figures that I simply would not own. I've never seen a Torpedo, Flint, Flash, or Crimson Guard, or in a store. Never.

Much to my surprise, TRU seems to have kept its exclusive figures in stock, whereas Target has not. I was lucky enough to find all three Target exclusives at the same time- that's the only time I've seen them in the store at all.

Certainly, supply and demand has to do with the availability of the toys. But since I all ever see are empty pegs (or Cobra Commander figures), the demand seems to be there, but the demand isn't being met. Is this the "fault" of Hasbro or the retailers? At this point, I don't know and I don't care.

The excellent distribution of Indiana Jones figures haven't help my disinterest. They're good figures and I've picked up several of them already. These figures, however, have been kept in plentiful stock. There isn't a single IJ figure that I haven't seen in the stores now. The Torpedo wave came out several months ago and I've yet to see most of those figures in stores.

The IJ figures will sell better, so they're better stocked. I understand that fully, but it's soooooo irritating to not be able to find what I'm looking for.

As far as Hasbro's own website, how is it possible that it can be out of its own merchandise? If nothing else, I see the website as a place with no BS that collectors- the dedicated major purchasers of the Joe toys- should be able to simply purchase the toys with no frills or headaches.

I think everyone of us are getting that way. I'm at a point that if I find them, great. I'm just not going to go out of my way to the store every few days to check anymore. Gas is too high to do that, and I don't have that kind of time. I figure if I miss something, maybe the lack of those extra dollars in Hasbro's pocket will make them get the figures out better so I can hand over my money. I'm not a fan of having to beg someone to take my money.

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Honestly I know how you feel, The most recent wave is really the first wave I have seen in semi-regular distibution and that was along time coming.

Indy figs definatly didn't help the matter since they were so plentifull.

Overpaying with resellers is a mess.

But I agree I almost lost interest, and I really, really love GI Joe.

Someone postulated to me the other day in the comic shop that the distribution might have been purposfull to raise interest (it explains much I have to admit, Like waves now appearing that didn't appear last year when they were supposed to, buzzer wave comes to mind, the sudden mad rush of comic packs after being without so long, so many oddities I am so confused about with this set of Joes). His answer to the whole "Distributors" idea was pointing out that distributors do just that, "distribute" and can only distribute what they have. If they don't have enough, smaller stores in smaller communities are the first to suffer (exactly where I am) and if multiple stores with different distruibutors are haveing the same problem then its a sign that there is something going on. Also note the press on recent game consol releases that were purposefully short saled and sold for exorberant prices on Ebay. While I am not a conspiricy buff nor do I nessessarly believe all of this it is an interesting hypothisis over what happened.

But one thing is that it shouldn't have taken this long to get it all straightened out (as it appears to be since I can find the Viper wave so easy now several times in fact). A wave or two I understand, but 7 is a bit much to believe for so many people to get it in gear.

Lastly I have a bud at Wally world, he said the department ordered several cases from wave 1-6 and many orders were cancelled due to lack of supply. He also stated that when the warehouses ran out they useually ordered more and that the order would only cancel if the company said no more were available. Yet months later they get in Wave 2 and 3 from last year. Another confusing experence.

On RnR, Torpeedo ect. I am sorry but I can't help you, a friend of mine in another state had to help me on those figures for myself.

On a side note I haven't picked up any custom fodder due to this, really I just know how mad I felt and don't want to keep passing that feeling on, so I get what I want and be at that.

I'll admit, I was beginning to lose interest before - the 25th line just pushed that along.

I think the stores here are stocking single packs intermittently. I see the occasional figure here and there, but nothing really "new." I was lucky the days I picked up BA Cobra Commander, IG Destro, and Snow Job. Most times, if there's something on the shelves, it's a Jetpack Trooper or a five-pack re-pack. Even those have become scarce.

The Target vehicles? To the best of my knowledge, local stores aren't carrying them. There's no shelf-space, no tags, and no indication that they'll be showing up. It's a shame, too; I might have bought that AWE Striker if I'd seen it in a store.

I've seen two of the three TRU "three-packs," and both five-packs once. I bought the only Duke/Hawk/Grunt set I saw (great set, even if no one can hold their weapons).

I'd like to hope that The Big H isn't intentionally mucking with distribution to keep "interest" in the line going. I'd like to think that, given the "big push" they kept talking about with the 25th stuff, this isn't it. I hope that these same problems don't manifest themselves this summer when the TF:Animated toys hit... it could get ugly then.

EDIT:



You have to look at it this way: it may be HasbroToyshop, but it's not expressly linked to Hasbro. They don't have a direct line to the factory or anything like that - they get their toys the same way the other retailers do. They can't simply say to the factory, "Hey! We're outta Joes! Make some!" Although, that would make things much easier.

~Marduk

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Oh I've been very frustrated too. Its getting to the point that I don't even bother looking in Walmart anymore because the pegs are always empty. At Target, I only found the night specter and part of Wave 7, and that was at one 40 miles from where I live. My local Targets have bupkiss besides Wave 1 comic packs. But they were loaded with Indy, Star Wars, and Speed Racer. And they usually have their Forces of Valor line too. TRU has a few of the battle packs, and usually at least one each of the three packs, but rarely do they have the singles.
I think its a combination of both the retailers and Hasbro not making this line a priority.

Which is fine. I'll save my cash for MJ. He at least has product, and good customer service, and I don't even have to leave my house to get 'em. Now if only he got the Microman license.

Already there and gone.

I had gotten so frustrated with trying to find new stuff that I quit caring about it. Now I see some of the new stuff from time to time, and still don't care.
I was wanting to build a small CG army, but could never find them. Now I have seen about 10 or so in the stores, and left every single one hanging.

About the only thing they could put out that I will actually try to get, would be a proper Serpentor (Comic version or 25A '86 version).

Other than that I really don't care anymore.

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Why would MJ want a license for a figure that they aren't even making anymore of????

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I must be the exception. I know that the 25th stuff has been kinda hit or miss when it comes to distribution, but I've managed to find everything in multiples at retail and relitively soon after most of it is reported to be showing up in stores. Sure I have to drive over an hour to find them, but I live in a small town whare you have to drive over an hour to get anything so it's not like i'm making a special trip to Denver to just get joes.

I will say that Target has been the best when it comes to distribution in Northern Colorado, Walmart on the other hand is waste of space when it comes to Joes or anything else for that mater.

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The scalpers are so bad at Walmart, i dont even go in there. I know the new wave is hitting here in town, but I have only seen one fig on the pegs.

Overall I've done pretty well. Between work, Target, and Wal-Mart I've got multiples of every figure and set I've wanted thus far.

The wait between waves can be maddening though. Mostly because I wonder if it'll ever show up. But it always does.

Now where's my HISS Drivers?

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The biggest frustration I have with them is the case size, just eight figures per "Case". Back in the old days, a case of joes was 36 figures, which gave you multiples of each one. With the eight per case you get one of most figures, and maybe two of others, which means if a store gets one case the first person, scalper or not, can buy a place out instantly and begin the long reorder/restock process. Upping the cases to sixteen would help immensly, but I'm sure Hasbro could read off a litany of reasons why eight is the number.

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I do alright with mine. I'm sure that with Internet access I now have raised expectations since I know when these things are "supposed" to hit the stores. Luckily, I pass 2-3 Targets on the way home from work, so I don't have to go too far out of my way, and if I come up empty, I'm not wasting gas.

Still, I've had better luck at retail than most - and I always find stuff in the stores before BBTS gets it, so I end up cancelling a lot of pre-orders.

Also, I travel a lot, so I get to hunt all over the country (and get reimbursed for fuel ), so I know I'm more fortunate than most in that regard.

I do hate the "hunt", and wish I could avoid it. My problem is that with buying online, you don't know what kind of jacked-up paint apps you're going to get on any given toy. In most cases, this isn't a big deal since I customize everything. But since I can't paint eyes/faces worth a damn, I prefer to find "factory" heads with decent paint jobs rather than the crap shoot you get with online stores.

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Has anyone here used the preorder feature at the collectors club store. They charge retail plus shipping. (Up until yesterday they were still charging $6 a figure, but now they are up to $7)

I have ordered cases of 25th product from them before but never preorder. It just seems that folks only ever talk about BBTS, I was wondering if their was a problem with Mastercollector.

I've had tremendous success in finding what I want. I have learned to buy them when I see them though. Flint taught me that lesson.

I probably hunt more than I should, but I've had no problem at all finding everything I've wanted on store shelves. The TRU exclusives are a bit spotty, but I can't afford to buy more Red Ninja sets right now anyway.