Starving for SAGA

[Brian]

The point Jared made about the Geonosis wave is a good one too.  I could see ordering/stocking picking up just in time for a wave like that to hit, and then sit until summer.  I hope that isn't the case either.  I'd almost rather see somewhat sparse pegs than overcrowded ones, because that means we've got a pegwarming problems and finding new stuff will be even more of a pain.  At least with close to empty pegs, we have a chance.  That said, I just hate to see the pegs totally empty (which our WM has been for most of this year) because I think that helps the "general consumer" (parents/kids) forget about the Star Wars line and start devoting their money to something else.  Heck, you might even start losing collectors a little bit depending on their dedication level.  If we want to keep seeing SW at retail, we need people to be seeing and buying them.  I am irritated by the ratio of "other" SW lines to the basic figure line, they seem to be getting a lot more attention and stocking, but like many have mentioned, it is only January.  It seems like there is stocking issues every year at this time.  As long as they get things figured out in the next couple months it would help a lot.  I remember having a heck of a time with the first Saga line in 2003, especially around the time the Hoth Han wave hit.  Eventually we got everything trickled out here, but it was quite late.  I hope we don't see distribution problems like that again.

[Darth Slothus]

First I only saw the carkoon wave, then a reshipment of that, then I saw 2/1 ration of hoth carkoon hitting stores, and now I only saw a hoth reshipment, so I wonder if we're done seeing carkoon now in the stores-no that it matters to me.

So, next I'm expecting a hoth/geonosis 2/1 ratio shipment..probably next week or the week after

[speedermike]

I've yet to see Hoth anywhere.  It does seem that there's a bunch of SW on the shleves, just not the 3 3/4 figures.  While I consider them the most important product Hasbro has, maybe retail doesn't see it that way.  I'm not worried though.  I'm sure they will show eventually.

[TheBlackDog65]

Ok, I spoke way too soon on this. Local Targets in SLC got the wave in for a 3rd time today! Walmarts got the wave in by itself (no Carkoon this time), so that is the 2nd time Hoth has hit Walmart also. Hopefully that means stuff will become easier to find . . . . maybe.  I think the next two waves will show that those who hunt nail em, while those who don't are going to be waiting until March or April to get some of these figures. I am hopeful based on the case assortments at EE that Hasbro will be providing opportunities for more people to get the hot items. Guess it depends on what retail orders though.

Edit: Tonight I went hunting with a friend who was down and out about finding the Saga. We found
Walmart #1 3 cases of Wave 1 Carkoon. He was smiling.
Walmart #2 2 cases of Hoth. He grinned
Walmart #3 3 cases of Hoth. He is laughing
Walmart #4 3 cases of Hoh. He is crying for joy.

He left enough figures for anyone else who came by after him, but I have to say, that the Saga wave is doing just fine here.

[Clone Hunter]

I am a truck driver, so I get paid to toyhunt everyday. Fair warning: Connecticut is in danger come the Cody wave.

I just restarted collecting SW, for the third time a week before Thanksgiving. (1st was 70's-80's, 2nd was just before and into POTF2, up to EU)

I was only buying Clones+++, jedi, and droids.

So when wave 1 hit, I was trading Fetts for clones. I saw lots of product, which has now vanished.

Then, I saw 3 cases of wave 2 at a Walmart 1.16.06 (only bought R2) I later heard all was gone by nightfall.

At this point, I decide to get all of Saga06, but there is slim pickings.

Saw another 3 cases at another Walmart 1.18.06 (bought R2 and ATAT driver. traded for #60 Grievous guards)

Went back to WM #2 1.26.06, nothing left, but found new mini-unleashed at a third WM, but no Saga.

today 1.27.06 I had to buy Barada and Bib at my local KB (75 min away) for $6.99. They only got the shipment yesterday.

But yesterday, I had an idea. I didnt care about waves after codys, but I now look forward to it because I can use the Geonosis guys, other Seperatists or Wookies as prisoners for a custom base I am gonna use. (hint, hint any cheapos of these guys , hit me!)

[Ryan]

Well here in CO it is starting to feel like '03 all over again. I go on midnight runs almost every night. I have seen the remnants of the Hoth wave twice, they were put out the 2 nights I went to bed early and were mostly gone the next day. And I've only seen the Carkoon wave maybe 5 or 6 times. Everything is selling, even the repacks. and even at Target's inflated prices. There is one or two Bib's that have been hanging for awhile but that is about it. Every time I go lately Wal-Mart will have 3 new cases of Potato heads, they already have 18 on the shelves that I counted, 2 cases of Vader voice changers, and case or two fo Attaktix, maybe some Titanium ships, and a new case of lightsabers or two. I have hardly seen a fresh case in the past 3 or 4 months. I used to see one every night, even if it was stuff already on the shelves, it was something, then starting in about late October I'd be lucky to see a case every week. It has progressively gotten worse. I'm still hopeful that We'll pull out of thus dry spell before it becomes a full blown drought, but I'm starting to worry I may miss a few of the Hoth Figures I have yet to see, namely the At-At driver.

[Jesse James]

I keep seeing remnants.  A new WM opened near my girl's place and she went up and they were loaded with Carkoon.  Finally got the kids their Fett figures I guess.

I finally saw Gonks... 

Still it's mostly remnant stuff, I think things are still seemingly selling well...  Why though, I do not know.  Is it carry-over popularity from ROTS and the holidays?  Is it that stuff isnt' shipping well so it's only selling well due to scarcity (though I seem to see "new" remnants a lot, so I'm thinking stuff is shipping steadily if not heavily)?  Or is it that there's still a lot of opportunists thinking they can make a buck off Saga and are just basically waiting it out till they get burned?  I dunno.  I don't see a whole lotta anything at any one store...  Part of me thinks it's just not shipping heavily and that + scalpers/opportunits on Ebay are keeping things dry.  A lot of the remnants I see are the NEW figures too which backs up my theory some.  Gonks, Fett's, and Vaders have been a real bitch to find, and they're the short-packs, so maybe I'm right?  who knows.

I really hope stores get uloaded upon with some of the later waves, namely the Coruscant Wave which is going to be the biggest bitch to find in history, I can see it coming.

[Clone Hunter]

I went to 6 Walmarts today and only saw 1 Derlin.

At the final one, I was so frustrated I got help.

The toy area manager came over, and stated:

After re-set there is a delay, and new shipments take 2 weeks. They have been getting so few in quantities, that they are gone within hours of being hung. Most times toy dept. workers don't even know they are gone since only 3 pegs allocated, unlike the entire section ROTS had.

So a 2 week wait just plain sucks!

[Clone Hunter]

So, since the first I went to about 10 stores (mostly walmarts, 1 target and 1 TRU)

I found:

1 ROTS Mon Motha, clearance $3.00 bought it
3 Bib Fortuna
1 Zutton clearance @ TRU

If this godforsaken state does suck??

BTW, I heard a KB in Brokton MA has Hoth wave.

[Reid]

I found all the Hoth wave yesterday, and bought Veers, but as I was reaching for a Droid 2-Pak a man who smelt of McDonald's breakfast grabbed it in his grubby paws. At least I got Veers though.

[Clone Hunter]

Finally found something useful: Geonosis wave 3. Too bad I hadn't finshed Hoth yet.

I bought 2x Utapau Clones, 1x Sora Bulq, and 1x Yoda.

There were only 2 of each of those, which is why I chose those over

4x 3PO, didn't notice variation
4x Sun Faq
4x Poggle
3x Jango
0x Scorch

I wish I could have gotten more but it has been a bad sales week.

[CHEWIE]

Wow, interesting that you found those first!  What retail chain was this, Walmart/Target/TRU or somewhere else?

 

[Clone Hunter]

Wow, interesting that you found those first!  What retail chain was this, Walmart/Target/TRU or somewhere else?

 

A target, which previously only had a lone Bib AFIK

[Combat Chuck]

The Target and WalMart stores in my area have had an ok selection. I've only managed to find one AT-AT driver, which sucks since the package says "works in groups of two". I haven't seen an ESB Vader anywhere.

[Jesse James]

I'm with you there Chuck as I'd actually like to find a couple AT-AT Drivers at Wal-Mart at some point but so far 1 is all I've nabbed.  I'm not tossing my POTF2 drivers out though, I do really believe the Saga figure holds up well with the POTF2 sculpt.  I'm surprised.  This is not the night/day TIE Fighter Pilot resculpt it's being touted as...  The POTF2 figure was pretty accurate I'm finding.  Much more so than the TIE Pilot was anyway.