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[Bandalero]

So in the past few weeks i've spent more time at Wal*Mart and TRU toy aisles than I ever have since getting back into this hobby in 2000.  Here's a few interesting observations I've made:

1. Old creepy guy love Hot Wheels.  Seriously, this senior had his cart parked infront the Hot Wheels cars and he meticulously went through ever single package, moving cars back and forth from peg to peg (looking for that chase car? haha no pun intended).  I was waiting on a CSR to ask them a Joe-related inventory question so you know how long I was there, and so was he.

2. It is an exercise in futility asking a CSR about Joe-inventory...when they show up.  Otherwise I'm standing around like an old creepy guy waiting on a CSR that was paged about 20 minutes ago to come to the "toy aisle a customer is waiting!"

3. Kids love Transformers.  The few times I bumped into moms and their tots, the little rugrats were asking/begging/nagging/bugging their moms for another Transformer - sorry guys no MILFs in the lot

4. Other adult toy collectors are elusive.  Saw one guy I beat by mere seconds while getting a fresh case of wave 2 vehicles from TRU one morning.  He was very pleasant and said he already ordered em online so he didn't need any.  Saw another guy in the parking lot with a G.I. Joe T-shirt on, may not have been a collector but who wears G.I. Joe T-Shirts on the fly?  As for the rest of them?  I only see those blasted Wild Bills peg warming a peg once filled with wave 9.

5. Gas is ridiculous.  My first time doing the brick & mortar "toy hunt" and the toll on the gas tank is incredible - how do you guys do it?

[B]

I second the Hot Wheels thing. Usually there's quite a few of these guys.

One of the things I notice when hunting toys is that they never have what I want (Joes, Marvel Legends etc.) On the other hand they always stock hundreds of toys based on movies that nobody buys. Seriously I have never seen anyone buy a Shrek piece of merchandise.

Walmart only restocks they shelves 4 times a year, one for each season. Occasionally they opt to stock a new item.  They also never clean/orgranize their shelves, the toys just lie in a heap.Totally different then the Walmarts I've been to in the States.

The cost of lego and playmobile is ridiculous!!!! Seriously what's up with that?

I've also found that people go out of their way to hide toys down different isles. (is that how its spelled?) How many times have I spotted something completely in the wrong section. Come on people, either buy it now or leave it alone.

Thankfully gas isn't that bad for me. I've got a Walmart, Zellers, TRU, Superstore all pretty much clustered together, so I park and walk. I won't go check out other parts of the city. That's never worth going into traffic with so many stupid drivers out there and poor traffic flow.

[Pete The Greek]

The only things I look for are G.I. Joes and McFarlane sport figures (Toronto Maple Leafs and Pittsburgh Steeler players).  The Toronto Maple Leaf figures are initially alot harder to find in the Toronto area than G.I. Joes.  But at least McFarlane figures get re-stocked, unlike most of the G.I. Joe waves. 

Last night, I stopped by two Wal-Marts in my area.  Just like all the Wal-Marts have been across Canada, the "boys"toy section are pathetic.  Half of the shelves are empty.  The pegs with actual inventory appears to be the same old crap (wrestling, Star Wars, Power Rangers, Corps, some crappy bright orange Amine shit and McFarlane figures etc.).   

As for TRU, at least the toy section doesn't look like a bomb went off, unlike Wal-Mart.  Their shelves are often fully stocked.  The only problem I have that the G.I. Joes get buried in a military section full of other crappy military stuff.   They should be with the same area were Transformers and Star Wars are stocked.  That aisle is like the main event.   Instead, they are in the curtain jerker section.     

[Storm.Shadow]

As for TRU, at least the toy section doesn't look like a bomb went off, unlike Wal-Mart.  Their shelves are often fully stocked.  The only problem I have that the G.I. Joes get buried in a military section full of other crappy military stuff.   They should be with the same area were Transformers and Star Wars are stocked.  That aisle is like the main event.   Instead, they are in the curtain jerker section.     

I'll second that.  My local TRU has the G.I. Joe figures hidden behind a post in that crappy military toys aisle that no one goes in.  The vehicles are way up top out of sight for most.
As for what I see....McFarlane.....everywhere.  It seems to take up a good 25% of most boys action figures section and it never seems to sell!

[Pete The Greek]

As for TRU, at least the toy section doesn't look like a bomb went off, unlike Wal-Mart.  Their shelves are often fully stocked.  The only problem I have that the G.I. Joes get buried in a military section full of other crappy military stuff.   They should be with the same area were Transformers and Star Wars are stocked.  That aisle is like the main event.   Instead, they are in the curtain jerker section.     

I'll second that.  My local TRU has the G.I. Joe figures hidden behind a post in that crappy military toys aisle that no one goes in.  The vehicles are way up top out of sight for most.
As for what I see....McFarlane.....everywhere.  It seems to take up a good 25% of most boys action figures section and it never seems to sell!

The sad thing is that it's a Canada wide thing.  I have been to several TRUs across the country and that is where I keep find Joe product, right next some other shitty military crap   

Your right about McFarlane figures.  Stores just order way too much and they have to blow it out to get rid of it.  Only certain McFarlane figures seem to sell well, like a local player playing in that city aka Toronto.

[Storm.Shadow]

I've started moving G.I. Joe stuff when I see it and it doesn't appear to be selling.  I try to put it right next to the Transformers if possible.  I'm sure I look like an idiot doing it, but oh well.  I want this line to succeed in Canada. 

[Canuklehead]

I've been finding way too many Wrestling toys in Walmart.  They've cut back, but damn...  kids in my town must REALLY like men in speedos wailin' on each other.

[Storm.Shadow]

I've been finding way too many Wrestling toys in Walmart.  They've cut back, but damn...  kids in my town must REALLY like men in speedos wailin' on each other.

I really am surprised at how much space they get.  I've never seen anyone even looking through the wrestling toys but someone must buy them??

[Redmao]

Same here.
TRU are filled with movie figures that don't move, wrestlers that seem to be there since 1997, leftover superheroes like neon green Batman and Daredevil, Transformers who seem to be in the main spotlight, Power Rangers, TMNT and the fad of the day (and the one from yesterday) like Yugioh, Pokemon and such.

Joes hang in the military aisle where there is no real star. They're surrounded by lines like Chap Mei and Power Team and they face the plastic swords and laser guns that make crazy noises. Nothing like the glory days.

Maybe the movie will bring back Joe to the main spotlight like most movie toys line.
Maybe Hasbro will push this movie line...

[Bandalero]

I'm sure Hasbro will push the movie line (like they've done for the TF movie) but based on the released actor photos in costumes, it looks like the only distinguishing difference in the movie figures will be their heads - all on generic snake eyes bodies.

I really dislike how Hollywood dumbs down character trademarks.  The cast of G.I. Joe look like X-Men rejects...ugh.

[Canuklehead]

I found the Joes up alongside the other Action Figures in Walmart...  on a peg between Star Wars and Transformers.    But they seem to be pretty random:  Disney's Cars is beside the Star Wars ones and has been there since the movie came out!

[Redmao]

The fact is that movie toys are "hot" for about 15 minutes, right after (or before) the kids see the movie. After that, the movie toys warm the pegs and go die in the clearance basket. Like in the past, all the neon colored Batman will be hanging until the Holidays and will be discounted for boxing day...