To be honest this is what I would have expected from Hasbro. Basically they are saying that the line has lost popularity to the media to cover some bad decisions on their part in terms of the newer products (transformers, new unleashed etc). I would really like to see the profit line on the 3 3/4 line. I woudl bet that it is still profitable. So I don't think this means anything for the demise of the line. The 3 3/4 line is like the energizer bunny, it keeps going, and going, and going and will until that specific line is no longer profitable. I think that is some ways off yet.

I've decided on the next wave to order online, exercise some patience, and get my case from EE and some of the duplicates from BBTS.
I actually ordered a case of the Tatooine wave from EE yesterday. The case breakdown is
2x Momaw Nadon (Cantina Alien "Hammerhead", Saga #31), 2x Darth Vader (Bespin Battle, Saga #38), 2x Sandtrooper (Saga #37), 2x R5-D4 (Saga #32), 1x Hem Dazon (Cantina Alien "Goldeyes", Saga #33), 1x Garindan (Cantina Aliens "Long Snoot/Snitch", Saga #34), 1x Luke Skywalker (Tatooine Poncho and Hat, Saga #36), 1x Han Solo (Cantina, Saga #35). 
With shipping the case is like $93 which is like $7.75 per figure which is not that much more than what I pay to Target or TRU, or even Walmart. By the time gas and lost time is thrown in, I think I will be ahead on this. I'm off track right now, but when I go back I am taking some classes online for my teaching certificate, and between planning, class, my other technology class, etc, my time for hunting will go way down until July 1. So ordering online made more sense to me. On downer is they will hit retail before I see this case from EE, but on the up side, I know EE will ship this case. I like the ratio's also (except they could have put in an extra Hem in and taken a Vader out. I'll admit it here, since I firmly believe the Vader is a rehash of the 500th Vader again, I'll take him back to Target using one of my figure receits there for $6.99. Other than that, I like the ratios of the case.
I'll also keep my BBTS order since I will use them to fill in one or two extras that I still want.! Only way to go I believe especially since gas will be over $3.00 a gallon before Memorial Day and then into June for the summer driving season. Price gauging in my  opinion but that is for anthoer thread in Watto's.   
 

Try it one more time. . . .

Actually, as I look at this one, I scrapped too much off of the torso. I should have left somewhat of an outline of the i on there. I may go back and adjust. I will say though I like the scraped off feeling, and think before I seal these, I am going to add some additional weathering to them. 

The way I figure it, gas is cheap here in the US still. Look at prices in Europe. Some areas are $7 to $8 or more a gallon (converted). I think $4 over the next year is more than possible.

All I can say right now with Poggle and Sun Fac is die bugs die! They are clogging the pegs here in Utah and I fear that they may interfere with new stuff when it arrives. However, I think this is just the beginning of the summer peg warms as the pegs fill up with junk and then other items become very hard to find. Target seems to do this more so than Walmart and it is in the May to June time frame each year that the transition begins where Target is the place to get new stuff and that switches to Walmart. I wonder when the Hasbro reps will come in and clean these out like they did here with the Nemod. Warrior last year?

Saw a report on national news tonight that $3.00 will become the new low for gas. This is due to our own usuage, China's increase use of gas, and the on going crisis in the Middle East (Iran, Iraq).  I have to add that besides that, you have oil companies gauging.

Because of this, I am buying the Tatooine wave from BBTS and the TRU Battle Pack online, and then I'm done. Collecting is fun, but not when I have to fill up 2x in a week to do runs, and my car gets 30 to 32 mpg on the highway and 26 or so in the city.

How much is the current price of figures related to increase costs to bring product to market (from ships, to trucks etc)?

I decided to go with BBTS on this wave since it will hit when I am back on track teaching and I am very tired hunting things down. Don't take me wrong, I find what I want when I hunt (usually) but the time and gas is not worth it. That and I am taking some online classes for my Master's that I am starting so time really is a valuable commodity.  Here's what I paid; more than retail but by the time I include my gas, mileage/wear and tear, and hassle of running around, I know I can pass on the hunt and in the end, it really doesn't cost that much more except on the Sandtrooper:

Product ID Description Sub Standard Collector Subtotal
HAS11942 Wave 5 - Garindan   1   $8.99
 
HAS11944 Wave 5 - Hem Dazon   1   $8.99
 
HAS11946 Wave 5 - Momaw Nadon "Hammerhead"   1   $7.99
 
HAS11947 Wave 5 - R5-D4   1   $7.99
 
HAS11948 Wave 5 - Sandtrooper   1   $11.99
 
Subtotal: $45.95

I have to agree with Jesse here that though I have many of the Saga wave this year, there are really only a few that "make the cut" so to speak. I think if I picked one word to describe the line this year it is regression.  The line has regressed from ROTS and that is a shame. ROTS showed what Hasbro could do if they wanted to and at very reasonable prices. Now, we have less articulation with alot of what Hasbro is famous for, rehashing or kitbash.
I'm excited for Tatooine, and am looking forward to everything but Luke, Han and Vader. However, I would love to see these hit in late May or June, but have a sneaking feeling that these will start showing up at Target's this week or next with the reset.
As far as availability, ALL the stores right now in my area are sitting on Geonosis, Hoth and Carkoon repack cases.  Most of the stuff is just sitting and if you can the DPCI for figures, most Targets have stuff  in the back. Problem is this is all rehash stuff that are in non-standard cases.  I know that after Tatooine, the only figure I am going to purchase is C3P0 from the Endor wave, maybe a Death Star Gunner. The rest of it is just not interesting to me and I'm looking forward to the break.