And in less than 24 hours, we have our third sighting of the latest waves of War For Cybertron: Siege toys in the US. This time we can report that Siege Wave 3 Leader Class Astrotrain has been spotted At US Retail.
2005 Boards member rattrap007 found Astrotrain at Walmart in Newburgh, Indiana. It’s time to dash to your nearest Walmart to try to grab the new space choo-choo mold for your collection!
Don’t forget that we have already reported our first US sighting of these toys at Target just a few hours ago, together with Siege Wave 5 Deluxe (Crosshairs & Spinister).
Happy hunting!
Ramberk Magnus
Examples? You have to order a case to get a particular figure and I’m sure there are minimum order requirements but I’ve never heard of Hasbro dictating specific products a shop has to order to get a shipment fulfilled.
RKillian
I thought it was common knowledge that this is exactly what happens with a direct Hasbro account. But you're still taking it out of context because the independent shops are effectively Walmart's bitch despite not entering into any sort of agreement with them.
Ramberk Magnus
I think it’s more like “you want Hasbro product, you follow Hasbro’s release date rules.” Hasbro isn’t being abusive in this situation.
If Hasbro required the shop to order other product to get Siege figures, then yeah, that would be abuse.
RKillian
It's like they're fucked up on purpose.
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Daimao
No kiddin! I was trying to find that new TF visual history book on the Target site, I typed the exact title and it didn't come up on the first several pages. I clicked on some other TF books and found it looking through related items.
GoLion
Are these showing up at Target as well? I've seen a few Ultra Magnus figures at Target again recently.
RobimusPrime
Yep. Target has one of the worse sites out there!
RKillian
Yeah, having used Target's website, I don't see them being that big of a help beyond the immediate short-term of just getting the site up. The second page of a search for "transformers" shows Lego race cars, a 5POA Hulk, Fisher Price ImagiNext Batman, NECA's TMNT, Marvel Legends Beta Ray Bill, a Sailor Moon necklace, and Netflix monster vinyl statues. The third page goes on to show Ben 10, more Lego sets, Mega Bloks, and some weird connectable rods. My recommended items list shows TransFormers that do not show up in that search. TRU's poor search engine hurt them the last time around and this doesn't seem like a step up.
autoclave
Yup, plus let's keep in mind that target is helping the new TRU get their internet site up and running, so eventually they will become a source again for Hasbro sales.
RobimusPrime
Just missed out on the Wave 5 Deluxe at the Utica, NY Walmart. They did have Astrotrain though.
Shin Densetsu
It's their order count, they give Hasbro a shit ton or orders/money. Regardless of how much we hate how Walmart operates, they have enough money to have clout over Hasbro.
RKillian
They're dropping pallets at my local Walmarts frequently too but it's never ever Hasbro products on them. Every company uses those generic shippers with the pink blocks that say "TOYS." Astrotrain's going to be a February release in the capitol region. I just saved myself the aggravation and preordered the Takara when it went up.
Dachande
But Walmart doesn't need to sell toys to be successful. They carry thousands of other brands that the loss, while significant, would be something they could overcome.
The company I work for is hugely successful in supplying for Walmart and we still have to bow down to their demands.
They come out with a list of requirements for how much they will pay per pound, and how much you will supply. They will bargain slightly, but it's barely a penny on the dollar (more often than not it's around $.005/lb). When I see the financials I often wonder how we make any money producing for them.
Producing/supplying for Walmart, for many companies, is a feather in the cap. It gives leverage towards dealing with smaller companies to say you produce for Walmart because to do so says you're doing something right.
Back on topic, I was at the local Walmart last night and saw no less than six pallets of toys in the toy department. They are seriously gearing up, but alas, the only Transformer case I saw was movie Voyagers.
RKillian
Another company would fill the gap? Are you kidding? Losing Hasbro would take out TransFormers, Star Wars, Marvel, Power Rangers, My Little Pony, Disney Princess, Tonka trucks, Nerf, and 90% of the board game aisle between Parker Brothers and Milton Bradley. Yes, Walmart as a store would survive, but they wouldn't recover the sales. This isn't replacing a dying GI Joe with The Corps, it's trying to replace half the department. Hasbro's bargaining position is a little stronger than people think, assuming they haven't been causing their own supply chain problems all along. All they have to do is cozy up to Amazon and put the fear of Bezos into Walmart.
Dachande
Another company would fill the gap.
Losing Hasbro would be big, but they'd survive.
Swoop Dogg
Like I said, how would they replace all of Hasbro’s brands? Their toy section would be shit without Star Wars, Parker Brothers, Nerf, Transformers etc.
Dachande
I can say with utmost certainty, as someone that works for a company that supplies Walmart, that they do NOT bluff. They literally have vendors lined up around the corner should a current one not meet their demands.
Swoop Dogg
I still don’t understand why Hasbro bows down to Walmart so much. Walmart’s toy selection sucks all the time. If Walmart threatens to not carry Hasbro products, what are they going to sell? Cheap knockoffs? There is no way they would stop carrying Star Wars, Transformers, Nerf, Power Rangers, Parker Brothers etc. Hasbro should call their bluff.
RKillian
Sad to see that even when you own your own business you're still somebody else's bitch :/
NeilJam
The first two deluxe waves in CW (Aeirialbots & Stunticons) swapped a member, but following waves had complete groups. They did return to splitting characters up in PotP though.