If you are a collector and visit the wonderful land of Twitter on a regular basis, you hear all kinds of stories about how certain toy companies are having financial troubles and products aren’t selling. Well, I have a crazy idea for those companies — make MORE of the good stuff! I know this is a pretty simplistic statement, but I’ve just been down on the whole hunting process lately.
There have been some really great items produced lately that I can’t seem to find them anywhere. For example, I’ve been looking for the 6" Star Wars Black action figures for weeks, scouring multiple stores ranging from Toys R Us to Target to Wal-Mart, and haven’t come close to finding any of the series — they’re harder to find than Bigfoot!
I’m also looking for Mattel's 1966 Batman figure, but have only been able to sniff the Riddler and Penguin at a Toys R Us so far. It seems to me that this figure would be kind of popular seeing as how the internet lost its frickin’ mind when they were announced, so make more of them!
Where did all the LEGO Minifig blind bags go? It’s been months since I’ve found any of those in the stores.
And how about those Hot Wheels cars. Everyone I know is looking for the new series of pop culture-based Hot Wheels which range from the A-Team to the Muppets. I see the Brady Bunch station wagon everywhere, but rarely anything else.
The thrill of the hunt is fun and all, but if I don’t find those items at the retail level, I probably won’t bother paying the scalper rate. If I walked into Target today and saw the pegs filled with all those Hot Wheels cars, I would buy just about every single one — but I can’t find them — Target, you don’t get my money. Hot Wheels, you don’t get it either. Granted, you got someone else’s money — the guy who filled his cart right before I arrived — so maybe you’re not really concerned, but man, I wish you made more of the good stuff and stopped filling the pegs with Ferris Bueller’s Fiero.
And where the hell are those monster cereals?!?
The 6″ Black figs are fairly common in my stores. All 4 are never in the same store at the same time but they can be easily assembled.
The recent LEGO minifigs only started showing up at my Target last week, about 2-3 weeks after they were in the LEGO store.
I’ve got a bit of rage vs Hot Wheels myself. They give a nation wide chain like Target a crappy “Halloween” exclusive set and turn around and give a non-national place like Kroger some amazing exclusives. It’s a good thing I’ve got connections 😉
But if you get desperate enough to need me to grab the Black figs, let me know!
Thanks Dex! I’m not that desperate — I mean, I could just order the things online if I REALLY had to have them, I just don’t see why it should be so difficult to buy these things in the store. I have money, take it! Isn’t that the point?
Yeah, that Target Halloween set isn’t very good this year, and there aren’t Kroger stores around here either, so it looks like I’ll be passed by on those great Universal monsters cars.
Brian, those Universal Monster cars aren’t even the Kroger exclusives!
Brian you so crazy. Didn’t you know the thrill of the hunt comes from NEVER EVER FINDING ANYTHING?
I relate with what you wrote. I really like the stuff Playmates has been putting out for the new TMNT but rarely find anything. In a stroke of pure luck I found one package of the new kid-turtles at Target…in a neighboring state. Rat King, Cockroach guy, and pretty much everything beyond the basic assortment has alluded me in retail stores.
Makes you wonder why companies don’t like money. Then again I feel like the number of scalpers out there trying to turn a quick buck has been growing like mad. A good example of that was the Masters of the Universe Classics figures released at Big Lots recently.
You know me, I love the hunt, but maybe that should be kept for certain items not entire product lines?
I haven’t really been keeping track, but it seems like the TMNT shelves are well stocked around here — practically spilling over into the aisles. I’ve been resisting those items but there have been some pretty tempting peripheral, non-action figure, items lately.
That whole MOTUC Big lots deal was interesting to watch. I went to a local store just to see if they had them, but no dice. I probably would have bought them for my kids if I found anything good, and the figures would have been torn open and played with (gasp!).
Just rub it in then, your and your overstocked shelves 🙂
Toys are meant to be opened though! I opened my MOTUC stuff, dont regret it for a moment.
Wow…u have a Big Lots near your place too Brian? Appreciate it if you could scout and see what’s available over at your outlet. At 10 bucks they’re a steal…..I’ve got a few holes in my MOTUC collection myself!
I’ll take a look and let you know if they have anything in stock.
As an impatient, easily-frustrated person, I’ve never found the idea of the “thrill of the hunt” compelling. That’s not to say I haven’t had a few pleasant scores over the years, but those few instances are heavily outweighed by the negative memories of empty shelves. Just thinking of the first DCUC Walmart-exclusive wave – which I never actually saw at retail – makes me mad. The best thing that ever happened to me was being able to order toys via the Internet. I got my Star Wars Black from Amazon (Prime, so no shipping costs) weeks ago.
That said, I did see SWB at K-Mart about a month ago and Target a couple weeks ago.
I think the “Thrill” aspect comes off better when hunting for vintage stuff. I have to agree that when hunting for new junk the thrill lasts for about 5 seconds when you find something and 99% of the rest of the time is just a bunch of grumbling under one’s breath and cursing stores and toy companies…
Bingo.
So true, but that is IF you can find old stuff.
Or from hunting for one particular vintage thing and in the process, accidentally finding something you didn’t even know you had to own.
I don’t really head to the store to find these items, but while I’m there for milk and bread, I’ll hit the toy aisles and see what’s there. I’m sure I’ll be ordering a retro Batman figure since it will likely never turn up on the pegs, but it’s just baffling to me that they’re never there.
Never finding anything? Try living in Mexico where one is forced to MAKE the things one likes…
You have a whole other world to choose from down there. I’d love to see what was on the shelves of your local shops!
Yeah, I’ll echo what you and others have said here. I never understand the idea of short-packing popular figures and flooding the market with secondary characters. Also, Target doesn’t carry those new Pop Culture Hot Wheels as far as I know, it’s just Wal-Mart, Taoys ‘R Us and some random indie stores (at least that’s been my experience). And seriously, why so many Brady Bunch station wagons? I mean I enjoy the show as much as the next nostalgia addict, but the whole reason this line exists in the first place was because of the fanfare over the recent 80s era cars in the normal Hot Wheels line (the A-Team Van, K.I.T.T., Ecto-1, the BTTF DeLorean, etc.) If it’s not Brady Bunch wagons it’s the various American Graffiti cars. Where’s my Airwolf? Where’s my General Lee? Where’s my Buckaroo Banzai Jetcar? Where are my Megaforce Motorcycles and Dune Buggies?!?
An entire line of Megaforce vehicles would be pretty sweet.
Would LOVE to see a Megaforce line!
Both are in stock at the toysrus in Owings Mills if your close by
Also, Walgreens of all places is a great place to snag mini figs
I’ll have to check them out. Thanks!
I noticed some old G.I. Joe figures at CVS the other day, but $12.95 each!
Hey Brian,
You have a Walgreen in ur area? Could I contact you on your email bro?
Sure! Click the link over there on the right. –>
That’s about an hour and a half away, but thanks!
Amen i this Brian.
I have felt let down by Target since it moved into our city. The action figure selection is weak and they haven’t gotten the Monster Cereals in yet. I am glad I have a guy across the country in Montreal who gets me my stuff at retail and nine bucks to ship in a huge box when I have enough to send.. Keeps me from being let down. But then just yesterday Toys R Us come through with a great Monster High sale. Three of the girls for less than 50 bucks.
I too have struggled to find the Despicable Me 2 Minion battle pods. The eBay prices are crazy.
I’m with you on those darn Monster cereals. I’ve stopped stalking my Target for fear that they are going to ask me to leave. The only place in my area that has had the Monster cereals is a grocery store and they quickly sold out of Count Chocula and were super low on Frankenberry and Boo Berry. I really hope to see the vintage Monster cereals at Target though.
I also get annoyed with the scarcity of Marvel Legends. I’ve been searching for Jean Grey high and low, but the Target by me still has the Terrax series on shelves. Collecting has been a bit strange as of late. In terms of the new Star Wars stuff, it was rare at first, but now the Targets by me have all of them and don’t seem to be running out at all. It’s all so hit and miss.