Talking with the manager at my store they have taken some (not all) of the systems where you can type the DPCI #'s in and disabled that function. So unless you can find a figure and actually scan it, the system will tell you that the # doesn't work.
See - THIS is what I suspected, but didn't want to cry "conspiracy" after the train-wreck thread regarding the theft of Commander Bly...
I think that Target decided that collectors coming in with the DPCI numbers and getting stuff from the back was too much an annoyance and they put a stop to it.
This morning I brought with me to this same Target the bar-code insert piece from both Commander Baccara and Governor Tarkin - both came up as not in stock, but at least the system recognized the DPCI numbers.
When I typed them in manually it said "Item Not Recognized"
What a bunch of jerks.
So now - there's no way to get them to bring out the Stealth Cammo and Lava Reflection Obi-Wan & Anakin figures when they're holding them in the back for the employees and friends of the employees unless you get the barcode from them (which is impossible if you never have seen the figs in the first place) OR if by some miracle they've set up a peg for the item.
Well - one way that I think I'm going to combat it is I'm just going to take the peg tags for the Collection 1, Collection 2 and Deluxe figures, get them laminated and keep them in my wallet. If/when I see the tags again for the cups, battle packs or evolutions, I'll take them too and do the same.
There are ways around this issue - Target's not going to like them, as far as I'm concerned they brought this on themselves.
Disabling that functionality indeed.