Toys R Us Black Series 6" First Order Snowtrooper Officer

[DoctorPadawan]

My hating is based on principle at this point.  I went to the TRU Force Friday event and waited two hours, and a big reason I went there was for their "Exclusive Blue Trooper" that had been rumored.  They obviously didn't have any on hand.  There was a press release stating the Snowtrooper Officer Exclusive would be available for pre-order on 9/6 (today).  Then the figure goes up for pre-order 2 days early and sells out well before 9/6...just crappy handling all the way around.  It should have been on hand for the Force Friday event or at the very least not up for pre-order until today.  I was one of the few who really didn't mind being in the dark about Force Friday for most of the offerings, but handling of this figure could not have been any worse IMO.

I'm with you there. I talked to a TRU assistant manager (who's gotten to know myself and a friend over the last few years) prior to the event and he said he didn't even know about the "blue trooper" and he was in charge of the event itself. So if not even the in-store personnel knew about a product they were supposed to be selling...it just boggles the mind at how haphazard the whole secrecy thing was done to begin with. It's one thing to keep the consumer in the dark to preserve the mystery a bit, but when your middle men don't even know what they are supposed to be doing?

Anyway, back to the point, my issue is that if you publicly state "This item will go up for preorder on 9/6" and then it goes up two days early and (pre) sells out, that's, to put it bluntly, bull****. Call it sour grapes for me not getting one if you want, but don't say something will be on sale Sunday and then sell it on Friday. I didn't even hear about the exclusive until later in the afternoon, and by the time I did, I went to the site to look at the figure and it was already gone. Not good.

But, like I said, hopefully it will show up at TRU in October and I will get one. If not, it's not the end of the world. It's just a pauldron after all.

[Rob]

So Blue Trooper... this is the first I've heard of it - was it actually a thing that was available but poorly distributed, or did it not show up at all?

[P-Siddy]

I talked to a TRU assistant manager (who's gotten to know myself and a friend over the last few years) prior to the event and he said he didn't even know about the "blue trooper" and he was in charge of the event itself. So if not even the in-store personnel knew about a product they were supposed to be selling...

I'm not saying this is the case regarding your friend, but I've encountered several people at TRU or Disney who have no clue about things coming into their store.  You'd think there'd be some staff training leading up to special events, otherwise when a customer asks a question regarding product that's supposed to be in their store s/he gets the deer in headlights look.

Anyway, back to the point, my issue is that if you publicly state "This item will go up for preorder on 9/6" and then it goes up two days early and (pre) sells out, that's, to put it bluntly, bull****.

I'm not sure why it went early, but I kind of wonder if TRU felt shorted with the inadequate stock for Force Friday that they decided to give the disgruntled fans who got nothing something/anything even if it was a pre-order 2 days early.  But then again, you and Justin (and countless others) get to be the disgruntled ones because you weren't looking for this on Friday and got nothing. 

These are supposed to be released end of October (22nd, I believe).  I wonder if the Clone lieutenant (and the snowtrooper) will show up then?  At least that's what I heard from the TRU guy was "next month".

[DoctorPadawan]

I'm not saying this is the case regarding your friend, but I've encountered several people at TRU or Disney who have no clue about things coming into their store.  You'd think there'd be some staff training leading up to special events, otherwise when a customer asks a question regarding product that's supposed to be in their store s/he gets the deer in headlights look.

Oh yeah, that was definitely the case here. He's (the manager) not so much of a friend as just someone who has become familiar with me and my co-worker/fellow collector from us being in the store all the time and he knows we aren't the "eBay types" so he will be a little more forthcoming with us about what is going on. That said, even as one of the people in charge of the whole Force Friday thing, he was pretty in the dark as to what they would be getting, where it would be going, and how much they would get of it right up until about Thursday morning. He told us that the few boxes of stuff they got in prior to Wednesday/Thursday (which wasn't a lot) were kept in a cordoned off section in the backroom and he didn't even know what was in them. When I talked to him later on Friday, he said they weren't even allowed to really open the cases until they stocked the shelves, so it was very (and unnecessarily) cloak and dagger.

My eyes are seriously about to roll out of my head at how ludicrous all of this is. You'd think it was a state secret or something, but it's plastic toys. What have I done with my life? 

[Jeff]

Anyway, back to the point, my issue is that if you publicly state "This item will go up for preorder on 9/6" and then it goes up two days early and (pre) sells out, that's, to put it bluntly, bull****.

Not to be a dick, but the PR info from Hasbro (which is what I posted in the thread) said...

Available for pre-order by 9/6.

By 9/6, not on 9/6.     

Either way, the figure is expected in stores in October.  The only thing that is "sold out" is the first online allotment.  There will be more available online once the stock ships to the stores.  Patience.

[JediJman]

As Bill Clinton would say, "It depends on what your definition of 'is' is." 

Fair enough on the wording, though you'd think TRU could pinpoint the go-live date for an exclusive item on the site to say a 24-hour period.  Or possibly have an option to allow for more pre-orders if the thing sells out instantly given they will be getting additional stock in stores.  Or have a limit on the number of pre-orders similar to the limits they imposed on Force Friday.  Or tell any living person working in a TRU store what the exclusive is or how to get it.  Or how about just having it up for pre-order or sale to the people that waited hours in line on Force Friday? 

[P-Siddy]

They did limit the figure to 2 a person.  I bought two to share with Chewie.

[Dave]

I'm not getting too worked up about this.

Can anyone remember a TRU exclusive that wasn't easy to get?  Maybe this one will be a little bit harder as its actually priced at a sensible price.

I'm guessing these will be warming the pegs this time next year...

[JediJman]

The Masterpiece Soundwave figure was nearly impossible to find in stores.  Not sure how the production numbers look, but I'd bet they over produce this stuff with a movie to support it.  Still, the lack of any figures on pretty much every store shelf right now doesn't inspire a lot of confidence.

[P-Siddy]

I see that MP Soundwave all the time.  It's Devastator who's missing here.

I bet these are overproduced as well... Along with everything else but they are slow to release it all until November...that's my guess.

[McMetal]

If they plan on making a lot of these they should just go ahead and allow more pre-orders then.

[P-Siddy]

If they plan on making a lot of these they should just go ahead and allow more pre-orders then.

They could, but I feel the sense would be "damned if they do, damned if they don't."  They'd get more online purchases, yes, but then we'd get fans that are waiting to find them in stores complaining that they can't.

[JediJman]

I see that MP Soundwave all the time.  It's Devastator who's missing here.

You sure it's Soundwave with his 5 cassettes?  He hasn't been in distribution for a while and was fairly hard to find nationally based on the TF boards.  You should buy up whatever you see and sell them on Ebay for profit - one just sold today for $249.

If they plan on making a lot of these they should just go ahead and allow more pre-orders then.

They could, but I feel the sense would be "damned if they do, damned if they don't."  They'd get more online purchases, yes, but then we'd get fans that are waiting to find them in stores complaining that they can't.

If more collector's were able to preorder online why would there be more complaints about not finding them in stores?     Its not like the number of people who want one or the number being produced is going to change.  If 20 people in my area want one and they get 12 at the store, that's 8 people complaining they can't find one.  If instead 6 of us get it online and the store only gets 6, that's still 8 people complaining they can't find one. The only difference is that 6 people don't have to waste time looking, TRU get's their money in advance, and they don't have to waste time stocking six of the items.  Sounds like a win to me. 

Or maybe just put up your preorder when you say you're going to put up your preorder $%*#! TRU.
-Still Bitter

[P-Siddy]

I see that MP Soundwave all the time.  It's Devastator who's missing here.

You sure it's Soundwave with his 5 cassettes?  He hasn't been in distribution for a while and was fairly hard to find nationally based on the TF boards.  You should buy up whatever you see and sell them on Ebay for profit - one just sold today for $249.

Oh!  That one.  Isn't there another Soundwave out now that's orange and actually plays music?  I guess that's the one I meant.  Too many names to keep track of for every toy lines now.  I did see that MP Soundwave once and that was it.

They could, but I feel the sense would be "damned if they do, damned if they don't."  They'd get more online purchases, yes, but then we'd get fans that are waiting to find them in stores complaining that they can't.

If more collector's were able to preorder online why would there be more complaints about not finding them in stores? 

I guess my thinking is not everyone would be able to get a pre-order or don't buy online because they don't want to pay shipping, want MOC, want to see the paint apps first before getting one, etc, that they are waiting for the to see it in person at the store.  So if TRU has only 20 cases available and pre-sell 10 cases, have 15 stores and give remaining 10 cases to random 10 stores (maybe 8 if an extra case went to each of the two big market stores), means there isn't enough for every store or the market in general... meaning someone would miss out due to shortage and distribution.

Or maybe just put up your preorder when you say you're going to put up your preorder $%*#! TRU.
-Still Bitter

As Jeff posted above, they did put the preorder up when they said, so you can't be mad at TRU that you assumed by meant on on.  You do know what assume means, right?    Relax, Justin, you'll find them in stores in a month (hopefully.  Hard to have hope with the lack of product since the 4th).  But in the end, it's only a toy to be bitter about this.

[JediJman]

Oh!  That one.  Isn't there another Soundwave out now that's orange and actually plays music?  I guess that's the one I meant.  Too many names to keep track of for every toy lines now.  I did see that MP Soundwave once and that was it.

Never heard of it, but it's not their Soundwave exclusive.  Regardless, there are clearly examples of exclusives that are tough to find at retail, even at TRU.

As Jeff posted above, they did put the preorder up when they said, so you can't be mad at TRU that you assumed by meant on on.  You do know what assume means, right?    Relax, Justin, you'll find them in stores in a month (hopefully.  Hard to have hope with the lack of product since the 4th).  But in the end, it's only a toy to be bitter about this.

Actually, I can be mad whoever I want because America is still a free country.  Not really that upset about it, but I do think it was handled really poorly on several fronts. 

I guess my thinking is not everyone would be able to get a pre-order or don't buy online because they don't want to pay shipping, want MOC, want to see the paint apps first before getting one, etc, that they are waiting for the to see it in person at the store.  So if TRU has only 20 cases available and pre-sell 10 cases, have 15 stores and give remaining 10 cases to random 10 stores (maybe 8 if an extra case went to each of the two big market stores), means there isn't enough for every store or the market in general... meaning someone would miss out due to shortage and distribution.

If TRU is planning to only have a case per store, then I don't think that qualifies as "making a lot of them."  As a business model, I would much rather get payment in advance with guaranteed purchases via preorder than ship cases out to stores hoping to sell through them.  Per your example, if they randomly ship out to a group of stores and the product doesn't sell then it's taking up valuable shelf space while a customer elsewhere isn't able to make a purchase.  Just not seeing the logic there.  Hopefully they will be available eveturally to everyone that wants one. 

This isn't rocket science, so it is frustrating to see retailers get this so wrong.  The majority of stories I heard from Force Friday were that people even as close as 5th or 6th in line didn't get anything despite waiting for hours in line.  There were numerous questions about an exclusive when I was there, so why not have pre-orders set to go for those visiting the store?  "Well, I didn't get any figures to take home, but at least I got the excluisve TRU figure on preorder" sounds a lot better than "Everything was sold out and I went home with nothing."  Isn't the point of an exclusive to drive people to the retailer in the hopes that they will buy more stuff?  They drove people to the store, then gave them nothing at all to buy until a later date.  Huge missed opportunity there.