Right now in my neck of the woods in Chicagoland it's quite a bleak situation, here's a rundown of stores that I've seen in the last 2 weeks or so...
Target #1: 6 empty pegs for Saga figs, 2 full of Hoth Han recard wave, 6 full pegs of Clone Wars toon figs. 2 empty pegs for Ultra figs, a 3rd with a couple of Wampas and a Jabba, 2 pegs full of the inexpensive Saga lightsabers. The shelves have about a dozen CW vehicles still at full price and the same amount of CW lightsabers. There's a price sticker for the Saga Cups, but alas they are not in stock.
Target #2: 8 empty pegs for Saga figs, 6 full pegs of Clone Wars toon figs. 3 empty pegs for Ultra figs, a smatteringf of the inexpensive Saga lightsabers. The shelves have a handful of CW lightsabers and in the clearance section Screen Scenes for $13.98
Target #3: 8 empty pegs for Saga figs, 6 full pegs of Clone Wars toon figs. 3 empty pegs for Ultra figs, 2 pegs full of the inexpensive Saga lightsabers. The shelves have about a dozen CW vehicles still at full price and the same amount of CW lightsabers
See a pattern here?
Wal-Mart: 8 pegs for Saga figs, only fig on the pegs is a Zam Wessell from 02. A couple of pegs for Ultras, nothing there. And about 2 million CW lightsabers. I did find in the clearance section some old POTJ figs for $3 but they weren't worth buying, like I need another Fode&Beed or Padme in Black gown. Someone did, cause the next time I looked they were all gone.
TRU #1: 16 pegs full of Saga Imp Dig #2 and Ack-Mehd Beqs and CW Anakins/Yodas. Several pegs for Ultra figs full of Wampas and Rieekans. Tons of CW Gunships and other vehicles, Jedi 4packs, Screen Scenes and 12" figs. Nothing exciting to me.
TRU #2: 8 pegs for figs, all they had were 5 CW Saesee Tiins, no Clonetroopers in sight. Was told they had emptied out their backroom inventory and that was all that was left. Repeat as above for non-figure related items.
Osco #1: 1 figure peg: 2 CW Yodas and an R-3PO
Osco #2: 1 figure peg: 2 Saga Hoth Troopers, R-3PO, Ack-Mehd, Imp Dig #2
Osco #3: Repeat as #2 minus one Hoth Trooper.
It's a huge drought apparently here, if stores do get figures in its one case at a time and they're likely gone within minutes. It's getting to be quite depressing around here, it's like last year at this time, except this time there's figures I actually want. But who's to blame? Hasbro for pimping Star Wars as a huge seller and then flooding the markets during movie years and thus scaring off the retailers in non-movie years. Or is it the retailers for not seeing a demand now for these items and thus ordering more?