Author Topic: Barbie rules (and Canada sucks for toys in general)  (Read 3074 times)

Offline Morgbug

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Barbie rules (and Canada sucks for toys in general)
« on: August 21, 2003, 12:33 PM »
Well, at the very least for toys.  Just read through a couple of the other toy lines threads and could have made a similar comment in each one for the most part.  So I thought I'd concentrate it here.  I suppose it probably belongs elsewhere but it can be moved if necessary (or deleted, I just need to vent).

From the Marvel Legends line, I see sales on older product and guys only parting with $5 and change of their disposable income.  Up here they cost $14.99 plus 14% tax and are next to never clearanced.  I did score Cap and Ironman for $5 but that was about a year ago.  One of our stores, Zellers, continues to stock ML II over and over and over again, seemingly unaware that III exists.  Thing is so common up here, it's frightening and the retailers are probably looking at shelves thinking, hmm, this stuff doesn't sell.  I can find all of series II with ease.  TRU brought in some ML III but only movie Daredevil remains on the shelves with all the crap from ML II.  Namor, Torch, Thing all sit forever.  At least Doom sells through but I could probably pick up three today if I had to.  ML IV doesn't even exist in retailers up here.  It's bloody ridiculous.  Walmart isn't carrying anything in this line at all even though they sold huge amounts of ML I last fall ???

The mini-mates/Kubricks thread was another downer.  With respect to the minimates, we had some come in (the two packs at $8.95 plus that 14% tax) and they are all gone. But only the first wave, lots of those figs that Scott listed just weren't available.  I think these are cool, but I just can't afford to bring in even more stuff from the US.  Why?

Walmart Canada and Zellers, two of the largest retailers, are not carrying Star Wars for the forseeable future.  We don't have KBtoys, Target or any of the other retailers you guys do.  On top of that, Hasbro Canada is not carrying Star Wars in Canada past the Hoth Han wave, likely until the release of Episode III.  Retailers (read TRU) can still bring in US product, but after the similar peg clogging from EP II and Ep I, they are reluctant to bring in much.  TRU is bringing in some Unleashed, but still no idea which wave.  The last unleashed they carried was Maul and Fett ::)

LOTR is still clogged with the usual pegwarmers from TTT, no sign of ROTK stuff yet.  On the bright side, TRU has gone hard and heavy with the mini figs and by all counts, they are selling very, very well.  I won't whine much about this line as I don't really collect it.  

Muppets have been abyssmal.  We had the first round, then skipped them all to wave 4, which is not moving, IMO due to the two pigs in space characters.  They're cool, but not for everyone.  Rizzo goes quick and I've been able to see both the regular and 'chase' Rizzo's.  Still, it's not looking promising for wave 5.  

Simpsons suck.  We got Wave 1 and I can still buy Homer and Bart at regular price ::)  I think the next wave that was carried by any major retailer was 10 (there was a couple of store carrying the other lines, but at $16.99 plus that accursed 14% tax, it was a bit steep).  Now wave 10 is clogging two major retailers and the line is likely to be dropped again.  US is on wave 13, yes?

MOTU has been a bright spot of sorts, though we've been so behind it's frightening.  I've been able to see most of the figs up here, but the first Orko I saw was about two weeks ago, roughly 4-5 months after I could have grabbed one in Wisconsin.  I don't collect the line, but could the case ratios be worse?  How many He-Man figs does a kid need?

Anyhoo, it's not that toys don't sell up here, it's that between retailers and warehouses, they have no concept of the quantity necessary.  Kit Fisto is still in abundance and that's really not necessary.  Sorry for whining but it needed to be said. :-\
« Last Edit: August 22, 2003, 11:47 AM by Morgbug »
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Offline jadesfire

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2003, 03:00 PM »

I know what you mean when you read other toy threads.  LOTR figures are nowhere to be found.  If it wasn't for Scott I would have never gotten a 12" Arwen (two actually).  He also hooked me up with some other figures.  I have to drive 4 hours round-trip to Green Bay to have a shot at new stuff.  I collect Kelly dolls for my daughter and Target has the best selection (and carries all the exclusives) sooo...it's back in the car for a two hour round tirp in the other direction to Marquette.

I have my fingers crossed that the reset of the local walmart toy isle will bring me the blue boxed Frodo and Sam.  If there is stuff you want me to look for just shoot me an email.  

On a side note, how much is Homer?  I never did get one (Jeff only has him in the snow plow suit).

Side note part 2:  Clay (nephew from Detroit) said he couldn't find the hockey set but he's kept the printout in his car and will keep looking when he stops for stuff.

Beth

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #2 on: August 22, 2003, 10:01 AM »
Thanks Beth (and Clay).  Homer runs $7.95 Cdn plus tax.  Are you a carded or loose type?
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Offline jadesfire

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #3 on: August 22, 2003, 10:11 AM »
Loose.  Jeff keeps the packages (so he can read what playset's they work with, I guess) but package condition is no big deal.  If you can pick me up one, I can send you the money via paypal or postal money order.  Or work out a trade of some sort if you need some of the current Star Wars figures.  (I have the Han Hoth wave).

Just let me know.
Beth

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2003, 10:26 AM »
Kewl,
I'll let you know when I snag one.  Should be sometime next week. :)
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Offline jadesfire

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2003, 10:55 AM »
Thanks.  I'll be gone to Dragon-con from the 26th to the 31st so I can pay you as soon as I get back.

Hubby is going to Mt Pleasant for baseball for the weekend and he said he'd stop at their Meijers to look for that Red pack....we'll see!!
Beth

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2003, 11:14 AM »
No problem at all and thanks for the help with that three pack.  

Maybe we should rename this the Barbie thread?  Keep people away almost as well as a thread about Canada ;D
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Offline jadesfire

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Re: Canada sucks for toys in general
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2003, 11:43 AM »
Maybe we should rename this the Barbie thread?  Keep people away almost as well as a thread about Canada ;D

 ;D..you just know no one will be able to resist a Barbie thread!!
Beth

Offline Morgbug

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Re: Barbie rules (and Canada sucks for toys in general)
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2003, 11:47 AM »
And so it is done. :D
Minivans: a sign of the apocalypse.