Toy HUnting Woes in Florida

I'm getting very irritated lately from the lack of product I collect in my area. It really seems to be drying up, or getting replaced. The KB toys has already closed up at the outlet mall. They were good for finding older stuff usually, and some new stuff occasiobally.

Within 30min driving were I live in Bradenton, there are 4 super Walmarts, 1 regular, and only ONE of them carried any Halo at all, and that was only ONE case and NO 12"! That's another long story all together. All of them though have NOT had any new product since before December; save for maybe some Joe vehicles. And they are taking so long to start resetting the toy isles they don't seem to be restocking anything but Power Rangers and 4" TDK figs! Lets not forget Bakugan!

One of the two Targets in my area took ONE WHOLE SIDE of a figure isle and turned it into BAKUGAN!! Literially all but 5 pegs for ML, 4" Hulk movie, Hulk Classics, and Iron man. The other Target hasn't restocked anything since Christams, I can tell because the pegs have been almost completely bare since the week of!

All I can say about the TRU here is that they consistantly suck. It takes so long for them to get product in, I usually find it months before it shows up at there.

Spencers and Hot Topic in the mall have cut there toys way back. All they get in now are Halo, GOW, and horror stuff that I don;t collect.

Also it's frustrating that most all action-figure properties have began to suffer in ways like their lack of availability, quality issues, and constant repaints, all so toy companys and retailers can post larger and larger profits. Mass retailers dictate what gets maunfactured and how well, and if they can't move 1000 units of one particular figure line, that line gets cut back. I also tend to agree with some like Jin and others who say video games are squeezing out figures. Maybe not totally, but parents are not going to buy a $10 dollar toy just to be left in the yard for the lawn mower to run over, or the dog to chew up. Kids don't want to play outside anymore anyway thanks to video games, myspace, and the millions of other things available online. My 10y/o would stay online all day if we let her. It's not the 80's anymore and kids are not the same as most of us were, outside playing unless at school or sick. Toy companies know that, and they only want money. So certain toys will suffer, like the good ole' action figure, and some will prosper like Bakugon, and $60 video games. That's were the money is. So I can foresee a future where I no longer collect toys if things continue in this fassion. Sad really.
Anyway.
Sorry it got so long and whiny. I've been stewing over this stuff for a while, and after ghosting the pages on here for a long time, decided I would post something.
See you around.

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

I recall a few years ago that my area had a similar issue of availablility. which is why to this day I've not seen a Sorcerer's Dragon boxed set and a slew of other items that hit around the same time in person.

But do you really think that the figures could be pushed out tomorrow the way that he does? Not just in your area, but nationally?

Also, keep in mind the timing. You've got stores trying to pile as much inventory as they can out the door with large discounts and had post-holiday level clearance sales almost a month before Xmas. It doesn't surprise me that you haven't seen much new stuff in. January always has a lull. You just might be seeing an extreme part of it the way that I did.

[Mucklebones]

Come to VT. There are only 3 Wal-Marts in the entire state, and they all suck. No Targets AT ALL, and only 1 or 2 K-Marts, which are the most ghetto stores anywhere.

[Spawnomite]

Note to self: Never go to VT.

Originally Posted by Avatar_of_Chaos

I recall a few years ago that my area had a similar issue of availablility. which is why to this day I've not seen a Sorcerer's Dragon boxed set and a slew of other items that hit around the same time in person.

But do you really think that the figures could be pushed out tomorrow the way that he does? Not just in your area, but nationally?

Also, keep in mind the timing. You've got stores trying to pile as much inventory as they can out the door with large discounts and had post-holiday level clearance sales almost a month before Xmas. It doesn't surprise me that you haven't seen much new stuff in. January always has a lull. You just might be seeing an extreme part of it the way that I did.

I keep telling myself that's all it is, a lull. I get sick of waiting when I see lots of other states getting shipments of stuff i would love to find. I think shipping to FL takes longer anyway just because of its location. Those things combined uses up all my patience.

[Avatar_of_Chaos]

I feel you. 90% of the time I feel like we get things in my area 3-4 weeks at the minimum after they hit Cali or Texas.

[Mucklebones]

Originally Posted by Spawnomite

Note self: Never go to VT.

Got that right. Even New Hampshire is a shopping mecca to me.

[skull boy]

Note to self: Stay in Texas. Always plenty of stuff here.

[Spawnomite]

Originally Posted by skull boy

Note to self: Stay in Texas. Always plenty of stuff here.

w0rd