Recent Vintage Collection Purchases

[Brian]

Its funny, I had the exact same scenario yesterday.  I also found four of the five (missing Leia), and waited 5-10 minutes while several employees tried to scan them in.  Finally a lady said "maybe these aren't supposed to be out yet, just sell them anyways" and they used the price from the aisle.  I paid full price too, but was happy to find them.

[Pete_Fett]

I guess I should consider myself lucky - I've scored a complete set of the wave for openers all at $4 each using an AOTC Obi-Wan that was on the pegs with them.

And then from another store, I scored a Colonel Cracken and Sandstorm Lando for my MOC collection (odd that the other three were missing) and used a price sticker on the end of the peg that read $4 to get them to scan for $4 each.

Since I've gotten so many of what I need for only $4 each, I'll happily pay full price for the remaining three that I need... 

[Captain Piet]

It's amazing the largest retailer in the world can be so retarded.

[McMetal]

It really is so interesting how things vary from store to store. I found $4 vintage figures at one Walmart last night, but they did not have any Blu-Ray figs. They did have a fresh case of TPM though, so I figured I would buy a few of those on the cheap. Not so fast, my friend.

The TPM figures all had new stickers over their UPC which came up as $8.96 on the price scanner. So I didn't think I was going to have any luck sweet talking those for $4, and I bagged it.

This morning, I stopped at a different Walmart on the way in to work and found a fresh case of the Blu-Ray figures out on the pegs. (This same store had nothing last night) These did not scan at all at the self price-checker, but I was able to confirm the Black Endor Rebel variant came up as 4$. BINGO!

So I grabbed the Endor Rebel and all 5 new Blu-Ray figures and trucked them up to the register, explained how the new ones would not scan so could you please just scan the Endor rebel five times and I'll be on my way?

Well, it wasn't quite that easy - the guy working the register had to huddle with his manager and a stockboy, but eventually came back and said he would give them to me at the $4 price. DAMN RIGHT! He also had to key each one individually under some kind of generic SW listing, which was tedious and time consuming but well worth the wait.

So I scored all the new figures for $4, and will be returning the endor trooper at a later date. Glad I am finally in the crazy savings club...I was really concerned about missing out on this redonkulous deal. = WINNING!

[Pete_Fett]

Picked up the remaining BluRay figures I needed this morning at Toys R Us - not as good as $4 each, but the buy 2 get 1 free sale is in effect, so I got them for $6.67 + tax which is still a good price. Not to mention the fact that they had lots of them and I could grab nice minty ones that still had their peg-hole punch-out still attached.... close enough to "unpunched" for my needs...

Bring on the Darth Malgus wave!

[Dressel Rebel]

Does anyone know or think Walmart still makes a profit when they let a vintage figure go for $4?

[McMetal]

Does anyone know or think Walmart still makes a profit when they let a vintage figure go for $4?

I'm just curious what happens to those clearanced SW toys that NEVER sell. Where do they go?

Another local collector found the Blu-Ray figures here yesterday too and also got the $4 deal.

[CorranHorn]

Does anyone know or think Walmart still makes a profit when they let a vintage figure go for $4?

I'm just curious what happens to those clearanced SW toys that NEVER sell. Where do they go?

If it's like a Wal-Mart I visited last night, it will sit in a clearance aisle for 2 years and just a few dollars under original price. I found the TLC Dewback set at $24 and one of the Droid Factory Wave 2 sets at $17 last night. Meanwhile, was able to pickup an additional AOTC Obi-Wan for eventual Target savings for $4. Crazy choices sometimes...

[Jesse James]

I think everything sells eventually.  They cut prices till it does, but I'm pretty sure that even at $4 WM made a profit.

[Captain Piet]

Does anyone know or think Walmart still makes a profit when they let a vintage figure go for $4?

Does anyone care?

[Phrubruh]

I do. It just shows how much prices are inflated.

[Dressel Rebel]

Does anyone know or think Walmart still makes a profit when they let a vintage figure go for $4?

Does anyone care?

Yes.  Don't you wonder how much profit the retailer makes, and how much the manufacturer makes?

I don't have the numbers, but something tells me Walmart's cost for a Star Wars vintage figure is somewhat higher than $4.

I know a Walmart regional manager, I'll ask him next time I see him.

[Captain Piet]

I was referring to my absence of concern for Wal-Mart's bottom line. Its stores are, for the most part, disaster areas. They treat employees like crud. I'm sure Wal-Mart still does fine when it screws up and figures are erroneously sold for $4. Bulk mentality I'm sure.

[Phrubruh]

They may lose in one area but gain in lots of others. But still it goes to show how much of a markup there is on this stuff. Online stores rip us off even more.

[Nicklab]

They may lose in one area but gain in lots of others. But still it goes to show how much of a markup there is on this stuff. Online stores rip us off even more.

I can't agree with that last statement.  WalMart has FAR more buying power than any online store, and as such they can buy from their suppliers at a greater discount.  WalMart may pay $4 per vintage figure, but an online retailer like EE is likely paying at least $6 per figure.   And it's simply because of volume.  Retail will generally mark up their stock 100% from their cost.  WalMart prices figures at $8.96 per figure, so their cost is probably $4 - $4.50.  EE on the other hand sells individual SW figures for $11.99, so based on the traditional retail model you have to expect their cost per figure is in that $6 neighborhood.