So, who else was stupid enough to get up early at try to find this Clone?
That would be me.
I'm actually waiting on one to come in the mail from a very kind fellow forum member, but I was curious if my local Target had actually lied to me or if they were being honest (see my story a few pages back in this thread if you care). I walked in and, as expected, there were no Clones on the pegs. So, with my crumpled little Post-It with the DCPI number on it, I asked a Target employee (or sales associate, whatever) if they had them. I related (in a much less wordy manner; imagine that, me being concise) the conversation I had with the girl a week ago, and he punched in the DCPI on his little gun thing and it read as "In stock."
He walked into the back and came out with the same case that the girl had opened a week earlier and it was the same as it was then: completely full of Clones, tissue paper and all. About that time, the girl I spoke to a week ago came around the corner and said, "I thought I saw you down here!" She told the guy that today was the day and to go ahead and stock them, but that there was a limit of one figure per customer. She even moved the basic figures (which had been occupying those Vader pegs) out of the way so he could stock them. I thanked them profusely and picked up one of them for a friend whose health situation makes it difficult for him to go on regular trips to Target.
At the time I left, there were 11 Clones hanging on the pegs and a (theoretical) safeguard in place to make sure Ebay didn't all of a sudden see 11 more Clone auctions later this afternoon.
So, even though it's probably the exception to the rule, I was not lied to, karma won out, and Target (my local one, anyway) provided yet another reason why I'll continue to shop there and why the WM down the street can keep its mountain of Vader Voice Changer helmets.