Now that Walmart is redoing their modulars - Are they elminating Alternators?

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Sir Auros
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Now that Walmart is redoing their modulars - Are they elminating Alternators?

Post by Sir Auros »

The Walmart where I live now doesn't even have a place on the shelf for Alternators, one in the next town over doesn't either, and the one in my old hometown hadn't restocked since Christmas.

Is anyone else finding that Walmart is leaving Alternators out of the current toy shelves?

I was going to post this in News, but it's really a question and speculation rather than a rumor or anything.
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RID Scourge
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Post by RID Scourge »

Well, the Walmart in my area had only Smokescreens and Sideswipes sitting on their shelves for the longest time, then nothing for another extended period (together, these two periods make up the whole first year of alternators), then they started having a decent flow (around the Grimlock/Swindle/Meister wave), and now, it appears there are a lot of Battle Ravages warming shelves. If they don't make shelf space for them, I honestly can't blame them.

They're really nice, but they either tend to sell out too quickly, or warm the shelves, which leaves empty space on the one hand, and space that's taken up by stuff that doesn't move too well on the other.

To tell you the truth, they might have better luck if they stocked them with the other 1/24 cars, so that people, who collect those cars might say "Hey, neat! it transforms!" or "I remember these guys. They're making 1/24 versions of them? No kidding!" It'd just make sense that since they're geared more towards the adults, they'd get more exposure in an isle that sells things geared more towards adults, rather than sticking them in a kid's aisle.
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Nevermore
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Post by Nevermore »

From what I heard, Wal*Mart are indeed canning Alternators, though different sources credit this alternatively to Wal*Mart or Hasbro.
Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
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Post by Sir Auros »

Well poo. That's the only decent-sized retailer where I live now, so I'm going to have to get friends here to buy stuff for me or shop online for my collecting needs now. There's plenty of Cybetron, but I think I may have everything I want out of that line except maybe Primus.

I can pretty much confirm that Kmart has stopped carrying Alternators as well, so with two big retailers like that, where is Hasbro planning on selling the things?

Targets still carry them at least.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Somewhat off-topic, but I'd bet as much as a quarter that the Skids/Broadblast duo will be the last Binaltech releases.

I base this on nothing but a hunch. :o

As far as Alternators go... maybe a TRU exclusive line?

For whatever reason, I just see the two lines as drawing to a close within a few months after the most distant releases (BT Skids, and ALT Sunstreaker).
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Post by Nevermore »

Originally posted by Clay
Somewhat off-topic, but I'd bet as much as a quarter that the Skids/Broadblast duo will be the last Binaltech releases.


Though Binaltech has repeatedly been declared "dead" for almost a year by now.
Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
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Post by Justin »

The Walmarts around here have had sideswipe, silverstreak and hound for as long as I can remember. They have all been moved to the clearance aisle.

Has anyone else found target to be the best place to find the releases such as grimlock & swoop, wing saber etc? It was the only place I could find my last energon combiner limbs.
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Post by Nevermore »

Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
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Sir Auros
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Post by Sir Auros »

Yeesh. How dense do you have to be to completely disregard the holiday season?

Anyone with frequent new Alternators in their area wanna shoot me a PM?
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Originally posted by Nevermore
Though Binaltech has repeatedly been declared "dead" for almost a year by now.


And if we keep repeatedly declaring it dead, sooner or later we'll be right :p

Like it said, it's just a hunch, mostly urged on from the releases getting farther apart and the cancellation of the second S2000. I'll be happy if I'm wrong, though.
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Post by Nevermore »

Originally posted by Clay
and the cancellation of the second S2000


Decepticharge has not been cancelled.
Looking for a complete Energon Sky Shadow (from Superion Maximus).
Offering: Binaltech Hound, Swindle, Ravage (Corvette), Skids.
Can buy in stores: Robot Heroes Tigatron/Inferno, Ricochet/Predaking.
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Post by Knightdramon »

Originally posted by Nevermore
Decepticharge has not been cancelled.


He meant Wildrider.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but Walmart is just one retailer. There have to be more 'big names' retailers around, not to mention all the little toy shops.

It's just one retailer people, not the end of the world.
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Clay
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Post by Clay »

Originally posted by Nevermore
Decepticharge has not been cancelled.


I'm talking about Wildrider.

I have a Decepticharge, so I know it's not canceled.

Wildrider was cancelled, or 'indefinately postponed', as they say. I don't think the wordings make much difference.
Originally posted by Knightdramon
He meant Wildrider.

And correct me if I'm wrong, but Walmart is just one retailer. There have to be more 'big names' retailers around, not to mention all the little toy shops.

It's just one retailer people, not the end of the world.


Yes, you got it! Wildrider! :)

Walmart is HUGE over here, though. It's the single largest company in the US. If they don't carry it, that's bad. In my immediate area, the only other place that sells them is the TRU (which is quite a bit further and out of the way). We have no small toy ships around here anymore (they all went out of business). So Walmart not stocking alternators could be really bad for the line.
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Post by RID Scourge »

Yeah, if Walmart's not interested in a given product, it's really not entirely worth it for them to make the line. Especially in the Alternator's case, where the product either sells too well, leaving empty shelf space or doesn't sell well enough, leaving space that's being taken up by a product that's difficult to move.

From what I've heard, this may have been one of the things that affected Hasbro's decision to scale down their Star Wars Unleashed line, as well.
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Post by Sir Auros »

Let me put it this way: Walmart was the death-knell for the spectacular 2002 Masters of the Universe line.
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Post by Ravage »

Wal-mart sucks ass. I don't see why toy companies let Wal-mart **** up their toy lines. *ok other than that whole largest retailer etc etc*.

I mean most Wal-marts never stock right or anything anyway. Or my Rutland WM has jack ****, but I 45 minutes to Saratoga Springs and they have every TF thats out there.

It's just stupid.
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Post by RID Scourge »

Originally posted by Sir Auros
Let me put it this way: Walmart was the death-knell for the spectacular 2002 Masters of the Universe line.


Really? I would have attributed that to the 15 variations of He-Man and Skeletor, while the rest only got 1-2 versions, and were shortpacked in favor of said He-Mans and Skeletors.

Certainly, the line had potential, but can anyone really blame Walmart when they notice that they lack sales?
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