Toy Fair 2009: G.I.Joe Series 5 Classic Vehicles Update

[Ares6009]

This is good news!

 

Maybe not, on other forums people are claiming these to be online only. @grumpy@

 

That is what I fear. But I have to think that the big stores like Target, Walmart, TrU, etc have a hell of a lot more buying power than the onlines. Or, at very least, the same.

 

Of course they have more buying power.

 

HOWEVER - If these were coming out at mass retail (Walmart, Target, TRU, etc...) then chances are they would have been shown or at least mentioned in Hasbro's Toy Fair presentations just a week and a half ago.

 

I suspect these might be coming to store shelves, but likely not at all the major retailers. I think it's possible that one or maybe two of the major retailers (Target and TRU, maybe?) agreed to pick some of these up, but at a level just below Hasbro's normal "minimum production" level. So Hasbro bumps it up to their "minimum production" and offers the remainder to the e-tailers. Possibly based on enthusiastic reaction to the Cobra Island 7-packs (making them believe the etailers will order in big enough numbers to warrant the production run).

 

I can't imagine Wal-Mart will be carrying these, given how many of their stores have stopped carrying anything but single-cards, comic-packs, and combat heroes. In fact I suspect Wal-Mart's refusal was the thing that caused it to be cancelled in the first place.

 

Of course, maybe it is just online only, and just Hasbro trying to recoup what little they can on the new molding used in these sets with the realization that they might not be able to get these out particularly soon otherwise, and there's enough apparent demand to do a limited production run.

 

I kinda think maybe there was no display at Toy Fair because of the uncertainty of the situation at that time.

 

As for Walmart, they've done a fine job of carrying the line in my area. Especially the vehicles. I have wanted for nothing, and the only 'complaint' I have (which is not their fault) is that the older vehicles keep getting packed in with the newer, meaning there will seemingly always be a HISS, VAMP, etc on the shelf. That's Hasbro's doing, though.

 

Also, I seem to recall it being said somewhere that Walmart already gets their stock direct from Asia, such as in the case of DCUC. Seems to me, that alone would take care of the issue. Either way, I guess we'll see when the time comes. And when someone steps up with some more news.