WM isn't perfect here, and I'd dare say they probably aren't all that different it's maybe just more that stores aren't as plentiful, and nor is population comparatively speaking, to CA, and I think that probably is playing some part in it... I have WM's I hit routinely, but none are a stone's throw from my house. Even my GF has one close, and two more reasonable, but they're all some driving up or down the freeway depending which ones I'm heading for.
Target is even more sparse here generally speaking.
One store here is really small, actually a renovated Ames, and it sucks... It's the only reno WM I've ever seen, it's nearer the city than the ones I frequent further out the highway near where we are... It's just different and sounds a lot more like what you experience Ant. It sucks, has a small toy area, small stock of anything, and it's always a mess.
On the topic of Exclusives, KM and TRU were every bit as good at getting exclusives as Target, but WM is obviously not even in the discussion there, lol. They're ass at that. They'll get 90 TVC TIE Fighters at any given store but the TVC figures everyone wanted, who knows where they even are at this point, what happened... it's just a mess. I hate them on exclusives as much as any of us do. That's Target's crown there at this point. And Target toy areas are always nicer, it's just how they're run.
I agree with you too Nick, I see too many people blaming the poor dude at the toy aisle when they catch him there... It's like finding the fabled "Hasbro Rep" too. Those people don't know much either. I was friends with some of them locally here, and they were quite open with telling me they honestly don't have any clue what's going on with the line unless it's something THEY collected and had the desire to learn about. Otherwise it was just helping keep their product stocked and neat.
I try not to get mad at retail workers... it's hard work for little reward generally. And we obviously have a microscope on this line, and know the stores inside out at this point in time since we've all been at this for eons now.
I do get a tad pissed when I'm talking to customer service at any store though, and I know how their store operates, and they just lie to your face because they just want you to leave and don't realize YOU know their job as well or better than they do because you're an obsessed collector lol.
Currently I'm peeved at WM.com because their ship to store is ass and their site has not let me add a pick-up person all f'n weekend long... THAT I may bitch about because they're the ones who delayed my order for no reason and now won't let me add someone closer to pick my damn tank up!
Amazon has its **** together far more than WM.com does.
EDIT: BTW Ant, I **** you not on this, I randomly went into WM last night and found a full wave 3 case, and all of the Solo Forcelink figs... That store had just put out Wave 1 TVC too this past week, and sold through a lot of them to boot! Now Wave 3 again... it's nuts. And the Wave 1 selling is maybe the weirdest thing. The Hoth Rebels still are going first, but even Rey and Kylo are selling ok, Jyn some too. FO Troopers and Snoke though? Nope.
