Another distribution problem year?

[Kidhuman]

Well, this year has started out like last year. Ihavent found anything new, without resorting ot Ebay. It has been three months since anything worth while has showed up besides the repack wave. My stores are stillswelling with Hoth soldiers, Ack-Med, and Blista dignitary figures. Is anyone else seeing this? The last thing I found that was new was R1 and that was in December.

[Silent Chazz]

Well. Get this....... My Walmart just out out liek 3 or 4 cases of 2002 SAGA figures! I talked with the Manager and she said she CAN'T order any new things until this stuff moves. Good Lord, I OWN EVERY SINGLE FIGURE THAT THE STORE JUST PUT OUT. This is very upsetting. I have a feeling we wont be getting ANYTHING new until the OTC stuff releases and Hasbro MAKES my walmart order the stuff.

[darthzirock]

Yup, kidhuman, you just described the situation in both North AND South Carolina. I'm so sick of seeing Ahmed Best's mug, as well as Kren Lavratory and the friggin' Hoth Midget. Also, my Target has tons of animated Clone Wars wave 1 figures and NO wave 2!

Time for another letter-writing campaign, people! Actually, I already started back in early January (January 5th, to be exact)! Just re-used the same ones from 2003 SSG letter campaign. Already got replies from Target and Toys "R" Us.

Target Stores
Mail Stop 1A-X
P.O. Box 9350
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-9350

February 24, 2004

Thank you for your letter regarding our merchandise assortments of Star Wars items in the toy area. I apologize for the delay in responding to you.

Target is a trend retailer (my emphasis-DZ) that wants to provide you the latest merchandise at the lowest possible price. I appreciate your thoughtful suggestion and list of items that you feel Target should carry in our stores.

We do appreciate the time you have taken to bring your request to our attention. Guest demand for merchandise is one factor our buyers keep in mind when determining whether to carry a particular product at Target stores. In addition, they also consider whether an item can be purchased in large volume, which allows us to ultimately pass savings along to you. While I cannot promise Target will feature the items you have requested (They already do, you nitwit-DZ), I will make your suggestion available to our buyer.

We value you as our guest and thank you for shopping at Target.

Sincerely,
Deborah G.
Target Guest Relations

Jeez, what a nice, non-commital, form-letter! Guess where I won't be shopping anymore, folks?

Toys "R" Us, Inc.
Guest Services & Sales
One Geoffrey Way
Wayne, NJ 07470

February 10, 2004

Thank you for contacting Toys "R" Us regarding your difficulty obtaining Star Wars action figures. We value your opinion and appreciate the time you took out of your busy schedule to let us hear from you. At Toys "R" Us, we strive to offer you a level of service that delights you and invites you to return. We are always disappointed when we learn we have fallen short of our goal.

On behalf of Toys "R" Us, please accept my sincerest apologies for the difficulties you encountered while trying to purchase these items from our stores. With the situation as you described, I can certainly understand your frustration and concern.

I have taken the liberty to pass along your concerns to the appropriate parties. Please be assured that your concerns will be addressed and handled appropriately. I truly hope that you will give Toys "R" Us an opportunity to re-establish your confidence as a guest and that you will visit us again in the near future.

Thank you once again for contacting Toys "R" Us. We value collectors as important guests. It is because you have taken the time out of your day that we are able to improve our performance not only as a single store but also as an entire organization.

Sincerely,
Fred McAvoy
Toys "R" Us Corporate Guest Relations

OK, so, Fred ... WHEN THE %#* DO I GET MY ACTION FIGURES??!!

[Kidhuman]

Each and every time I go intopa Traget they have the just about the same things. I actually found an R2 and R1 there in December, but since then nothing. I havent stepped foot into TRU in over a year. I have had a TRU gift card(only 5 bucks) in my wallet for almost two years now, because they never have nothing new. I think I will write a letter to the stores as well. DO you have Wal-Marts address?

I was in Wal-MArt theother day. They had 20 figures on the pegs and the toy manager said she couldnt order anymore. I re-arranged all the figures on the pegs and they had room for 40 figures. Now, if only 1/2 the alooted space is taken up, why cant they order anymore?

[jad]

It hasn't been absolutley fantastic for me this year, but it was a hell of a lot worse last year. I didn't find a single new figure on the pegs until about june. But so far this year i've actually comleted both of the first 2 waves. I've started to actualy figure out that stuff does arrive in my area, it's just that the scalpers gobble it up first thing in the morning when they put the cases out. I'm usually working so I don't have a chance to find the stuff before it's gone.

But as of late i've been seeing lots of new cases of ultra waves coming in. And i'm talking the good wave with the wampa, jabba, and court denezins in it. As far as I can tell that case is moving extremely well in my area, because it's there and gone within a day. Both Walmart and Targets have been getting the ultra waves in much more often than the normal figures, which is kinda odd.

Seems that target lately is the place to get things too. I just found 2 of the 4 figures from clone wars animated there. So all it all I can't complain too much. I'm still missing out on some figures by not getting there in time. And it wouldn't hurt the stores to order more often because the pegs get filled up and emptied almost comletely in a few days. But then again it's march and i've found lots of new stuff. Considering I had to wait till june last year to find a single new figure, again... I really can't complain.

I actually started ordering some cases from EE recently. Seeing how this year has a pretty good case line up it shouldn't be too difficult to get rid of the extras with fellow forumites. So that might be a route for you folks who just can't seem to find anything. It's a bit more expensive because you have to buy more figures than you need, plus the cost of each figure is more around 6 than 5 bucks. But if you can afford it, it's something you might think about.

[fishyfett]

It does feel like a time of famine again, coming out of hibernation and starving. And the same old figures are the only ones that are prey. Prey nobody wants anymore. Yep, hope hunting gets better in the coming months.

Here's what I can't understand. Two rows of pegs for Star Wars figures. Most of the time the pegs are half empty. The other half contains dusty old items. Next shelf has, for example, Spider-man figures. Chockful of it, nothing but Spideys all over. I mean sure it's selling, but not as quick as the stores hope it will be. The movie is not till summer and they've all these already on the shelves. I hope it doesn't turn to another Hulk movie merchandise disaster.

What I'm trying to figure out is, why won't the stores increase the shelf space to restock Star Wars while every other toyline has more than twice as much space?? And most of them are not moving except the choice figures collectors are buying?? I feel this should help alleviate the shortage of SW figures everyone's waiting on.

[mericen]

I really have not had too much problem finding the new figures so far this year either. I have even seen the Jabba's Palace wave at Targets here (Columbus and Dayton Ohio area) once or twice. Toys r Us on the other hand have a bunch of Bariss, Imperial Dignitaries, Aayla Secura repacks etc and little else. One of them near where I live even has four or five Zuttons. I have found every figure so far this year except for Tanus Spijek, mostly at the Wal-Mart Super Center near me.

[mm74md]

Not until the past few weeks. I've seen new stuff rolling in since December & the last new items I've seen were the Tanus Spijek wave. Tanus was the only figure I didn't get in a store & had to resort to Yahoo! Auctions (more bargains there my friends than eBay!) Since I scored the Tanus wave a few weeks back, I havn't found anything else in the 3 3/4" line. But I don't think anything else has come out since then. I do find that there are not many cases being shipped which is the real problem. They are being shipped, just not many.

The Toys R Us in Hyattsville, MD (DC Suburb in a sketchy part of town) still looks like my local TRU did when EP II came out. I am telling the truth here, they have 2002 Saga everything from Geonosis Arena to Dagoba X-Wing.....Still at original retail!!! It's crazy how some stores function

[darthzirock]

Each and every time I go intopa Traget they have the just about the same things. I actually found an R2 and R1 there in December, but since then nothing. I havent stepped foot into TRU in over a year. I have had a TRU gift card(only 5 bucks) in my wallet for almost two years now, because they never have nothing new. I think I will write a letter to the stores as well. DO you have Wal-Marts address?

I was in Wal-MArt theother day. They had 20 figures on the pegs and the toy manager said she couldnt order anymore. I re-arranged all the figures on the pegs and they had room for 40 figures. Now, if only 1/2 the alooted space is taken up, why cant they order anymore?

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Attn: Customer Service
702 S.W. 8th Street
Bentonville, AR 72716

Target Stores
Guest Relations
Mail Stop 1A-X
P.O. Box 9350
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55440-9350

Toys ‘R’ Us Corporate Guest Relations
Toys “R” Us, Inc.
Guest Services & Sales
One Geoffrey Way
Wayne, NJ 07470

There are really good form letters right here in the SSG forum thread "SSG letter writing campagin on DISTRIBUTION PROBLEM." Just change them up a little and update them to reflect the changes from 6+ months ago, OK?

[B'Omarr Monkey]

I actually posted in one of the other threads an elaboration of Fisshyfett's bewilderment at the empty, small alotted space for SW toys vs the vast shelf space allotted toys that don't move like "The Hulk." You'd think the store managers are looking at "The Hulk" section and thinking, "Wow, we've had the exact same number of Hulk figures on those pegs since the movie came out. We've sold, maybe two. I think it's time to expand this section and double the amount of Hulk figures we have. Look, the SW section is constantly empty, no matter how many times we stock it, but there's that one Zam Wessel figure we can't move. Maybe, if we cut the SW section down to 4 pegs, we'll be able to sell it."

I've had a long, long dry run until rcently. I've found all the animated figures at Target, but nothing else. I found the entire Yavin wave and 1/2 the jabba wave at Wal-Mart, but with empty pegs for weeks on end before and after that score. Yesterday I found the Jabba and Denizens ultras at TRU, and noticed that the same 8 Zuttons are still on the pegs, though they are now joined by recent arrivals of the Luke and Darth Vader final duel figures--about a dozen of each, and nothing else. So, until those move, or Ep. III comes out, I doubt there will be anything new at TRU soon.

I'm going to hit Wal-Mart again tomorrow. I'll let people know what I find--if anything.