DOTM Gets The Shaft On The Street Date?

[Blitz-Wing]

So many of us have been waiting for weeks for May 16th to get here. That was, after all, the official street date for when DOTM figures were supposed to appear on shelves. Some of us got lucky and scored early, but today was supposed to be the day where everyone could bask in the glory. I already have more than my fill of figures (and only a couple of weeks to pound out reviews before I shift gears for BotCon), but decided to scout around and catch all the action.

 

What a disappointment. Here is a play-by-play of what I saw per store line:

 

Target: Target was way more interested in Cars 2 than anything else. I guess Disney must have shoveled them much cash. There were not one but THREE end caps full of Cars merchandise, including the extended end cap right by the action figures aisle. At about half the stores, there were still slim pickings of Gen/RTS figures clinging to pegs. At 2 stores, I couldn't find a single TF laying around ANYWHERE! Only one Target out of 6 I visited today even showed any progress of moving in DOTM. They had cases on the floor, but were still setting up Cars 2.

 

Now, I have nothing against Cars. It was a good Disney flick and the sequel has been a long time coming. But three end caps and 2 half aisles full of it? As I said, Disney must have paid some big bucks for that real estate.

 

Walmart: Walmart was sporadic as usual. At stores with excessive Gen/RTS/ROTF overstock, nothing had been done. Nor did it look like anything would be done in the near future. Usually, you can spot the infamous Plan-O-Grams laid out a couple of days in advance. Only 2 Walmarts out of 5 visited had any DOTM merchandise out. Only one of them had a pretty well complete lineup. The other was missing Leaders and anything smaller than Deluxes.

 

K-Mart: K-Mart didn't have much interest it seems. Both locations I saw were their usual disheveled selves. I did spot some aisle caps and new merchandise for Green Lantern and Captain America, but the TF aisle was pretty barren.

 

Toys R Us: The only TRU I went to today was decently stocked. They had some items missing, but otherwise had the majority of the line laying about (at their usual premium prices).

 

With all this discussed, you have to ask yourself. What gives? Does one get the feeling that retailers are burned out on TF stuff? to be honest, I can't say I blame them much. Look how much of it has been (deservedly) shelfwarmers? There's lots of new action movies coming this summer, so why not sell something new and fresh, right? Can you really blame the retailers all that much?

 

What about Hasbro? Obviously, some of their more gimmicky sublines haven't fared so well. PCC is a glaring example of this. Yet they keep churning the same old garbage out. More laptops, more costumes and more Activators. I would die to see a sales sheet from Hasbro just to see how profitable some of these lesser sublines have been. I suppose they would have to be somewhat profitable to be played out again and again.

 

I wouldn't necessarily call this a vent. I personally have nothing to vent about, as I have almost everything I could want for the first round. Remember, we're likely going to have 18-24mos of DOTM to look forward too. The question is, though, is TF playing itself out in the limelight? It would seem that retailers are losing faith in the line and Hasbro wants to get every last penny out of it. It should be very interesting to see where the fans, the studios, the retailers and Hasbro sit in 2013.

[jeffafa]

6 targets, 5 walmarts, kmart and tru? Good lord man! I hope gas is cheap around your town.

[Lord_Onslaught]

Most of the retail chains especially Walmart never made the space for the new toys, thats why they are not out, That is why I asked when I went to Walmart and they brought the boxes out for me to go through. Also no retail actually goes by the street date. I could have gotten mine even earlier if I just asked. So even if you don't see them just ask a person working in the toy section.

[Spooner2005]

I hear you, Blitz-Wing...I got the select few toys released a couple of weeks ago at Meijer's (a smattering of deluxe and voyager), but I was really looking forward to today...and nothing. Target had nothing, Wal-mart had nothing...what was at TRU was MAYBE two cases of the deluxe figures I already have. My initial thought was that maybe retailers are just fed up with the "street date" BS hasbro likes to push, but I really don't know any more. I'd rather do the brick and mortar thing, but maybe I just need to order everything online...shipping's probably cheaper than gas, anyway...

[Dark_Supreme_Jetfire]

I have found this Street Date thing to be a bit disappointing also. Granted I scored most of what I was looking for but pickings were slim. Most places I went to only had the 1st wave of toys, although I did get a Shockwave and Topspin today. I saw the same Cyberverse figures everywhere...I want my Powerglide. Also hardly any legends anywhere too. Such a let down.

[Blitz-Wing]

6 targets, 5 walmarts, kmart and tru? Good lord man! I hope gas is cheap around your town.

 

Nah, it's $4.21/gal here. However, all those stores are within 1mi of the route to my mom's house. so it wasn't like I went out of my way :bounce

[Optics]

Toys R Us: The only TRU I went to today was decently stocked. They had some items missing, but otherwise had the majority of the line laying about (at their usual premium prices).

 

Thats probably the same TRU I went to, but when I went they just started stocking the DLX figures which took about 10 minutes for 2 pegs. Other stores I went to had empty shelves. Walmart and Target were prepared for almost two weeks. These places have night crews and I guess its more important to stock half stocked items than a whole section of an aisle. Why do resets during the day or open hours. I might check Walmart and TRU again tomorrow... maybe.

[Grimlock-imus Prime]

I checked all retail stores within decent distance today and....I was both surprised and let down at the same time.

 

 

Target: 3 targets, only one was stocked, and...they failed. Only a lone Deluxe Starscream, and a few Voyagers, no Shockwave either.

 

Walmart: Nothing, nada, zip. Pegs full of Thunderwings and Cliffjumpers. It's sad.

 

K-mart: Nothing either, new layouts are being put up this week though. Got all my toys from the back though.

 

Toys'R'Us:

 

This is the main source of my post, the TRU in the next town over was...AMAZINGLY well stocked, like, 5 cases full of Deluxes, all the new Voyagers up to Shockwave and Skyhammer, 3 cases of Leaders, all the Human Alliance basics, everything you could ask for, even Wave 2 deluxes! Scored a Sideswipe and Jolt from there (passed on Barricade and Topspin). So yeah, great variety there.

 

However..the last two movies on the release date, I remember that TRU turned their main display section of the store (usually right in front) into Transformer central. ROTF especially, the same TRU had a huge amount of space reserved for these new toys, but for DOTM, the space is now filled with Pokemon Black/White toys and cards...So Pokemon is more marketable then Transformers it seems..

[StarLurker]

Wow, that's a lot of stores. Where do you live? Cause I've only got one of each...

 

Basically, the situation was the same at Target and Tru. They put out a bit of everything. Tru had a "spend 25 dollars, get free 3d glasses prime thingy" deal so I bought some from them. For some reason they put out 8 Leader BBs and no Sentinel Primes, though.

Walmart seemed to have nothing but HA repaints at first... Then I saw the other side of the aisle, which is packed with figures of every size. Prices were 1-2 dollars cheaper than elsewhere.

 

I didn't bother with K-Mart. Why should I? <_<

 

Edit: Also saw more Scourges and Kups at Walmart. Still absolutely NO RTS.

[Blitz-Wing]

Toys R Us: The only TRU I went to today was decently stocked. They had some items missing, but otherwise had the majority of the line laying about (at their usual premium prices).

 

Thats probably the same TRU I went to, but when I went they just started stocking the DLX figures which took about 10 minutes for 2 pegs. Other stores I went to had empty shelves. Walmart and Target were prepared for almost two weeks. These places have night crews and I guess its more important to stock half stocked items than a whole section of an aisle. Why do resets during the day or open hours. I might check Walmart and TRU again tomorrow... maybe.

 

You: Stockton

Me: Modesto

:P