Author Topic: VIRGINIA  (Read 19458 times)

Offline McMetal

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VIRGINIA
« on: August 17, 2009, 08:25:09 AM »
At the suggestion of Tamer, I am starting a new thread for the jewel of the Mid-Atlantic region, good ole' Virginia.

I'm new to this forum, but anticipate being a frequent contributor. I am a full-blown Clone Wars nut, only interested in this particular line, so don't expect much news regarding TLC or the other lines in here. But if you're all about the Clone Wars toys like me, I look forward to discussing that stuff ad nauseam. :)

I live in Richmond, and my hunt radius extends about 40 miles in every direction, stopping just short of Chester, Charlottesville, and Fredericksburg. My target retail outlets include TRU, Target, K-Mart, and Wal-Mart. There are about 19 total stores I hit as part of my hunt vector. TRU gets visited twice weekly on Wednesdays and Fridays (new stock arrivals) and the nearest Targets pretty much daily. The rest I hit at miniumum weekly, but usually 2-3 times per week depending on the location.

Yes, this is probably overkill, but around here new CW inventory is usually limited to single packs in 1-2 stores initially, and they disappear QUICKLY. Target, K-Mart, and Wal-Mart do not have regular re-stock schedules, as trucks arrive at diffrent locations on any given day, so they require frequent checks to stay current. If you miss something, it could be weeks/months before they ever show up again. (If ever...curse you, Walmart Gunship!!!)

It gets a little hectic working full time and covering all my locations at lunch and after work, so I had to create a simple Matrix to help me manage:

STORE   LOCATION   INTERVAL   LAST DAY CHECKED
TRU   QUIOCCASIN   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   14-Aug
TRU   CARMIA WAY   DAY, NIGHT   14-Aug
K-MART   GLENSIDE DRIVE   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   14-Aug
K-MART   MIDLOTHIAN TRPK   DAY, NIGHT   14-Aug
K-MART   9 MILE ROAD   DAY, NIGHT   28-Jul
WALMART   ROUTE 1   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   11-Aug
WALMART   PARHAM   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   14-Aug
WALMART   SHORT PUMP   DAY, NIGHT   12-Aug
WALMART   FOREST HILL   DAY, NIGHT   6-Aug
WALMART   MIDLOTHIAN TRPK   DAY, NIGHT   14-Aug
TARGET   ROUTE 1   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   14-Aug
TARGET   STAPLES MILL   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   14-Aug
TARGET   SHORT PUMP   DAY, NIGHT   15-Aug
TARGET   LIBBIE PLACE   DAY, EVENING, NIGHT   14-Aug
TARGET   S LABURNUM   DAY, NIGHT   10-Aug
TARGET   BELL CREEK RD   DAY, NIGHT   13-Aug
TARGET   RT 288   DAY, NIGHT   14-Aug
TARGET   MIDLOTHIAN TRPK   DAY, NIGHT   14-Aug
TARGET   FOREST HILL   DAY, NIGHT   6-Aug

It looks a lot slicker in Excel, trust me. Curious if anyone else uses anything like this? I am a business analyst so maybe I am just overly anal about the whole thing.

I used to only hunt Mon-Fri but I am recently started making some limited Saturday forays as well, after finding Cad Bane and Denal one Saturday morning at a Target I had just checked the night before. Sundays are my day off. (Thankfully)

Offline McMetal

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2009, 08:32:33 AM »
As far as latest finds, I was ecstatic to find the Ambush on the Vulture's Claw BP as well as the Geonosis Assault BP at my local TRU last Friday. They only had 1 of each. I had heard on some other forums these were out, so I was delighted they actually made it here to the East Coast without too much of a delay.

I checked all around later that night but found no other stores with these 2 or anything else "new". Pretty much everyone around here but K-Mart has the new Clone Wars figures waves, at least through Wave 8.

TRU has had Ponds and the Commemorative tin for awhile now.

The 2 things that I am really searching for now, which are already rumored to be out around the USA, are the Corporate Alliance Tank Droid and Ahsoka's Startfighter. No sign of these yet.

Offline Clonehead

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2009, 08:47:07 AM »
Now that's what I call dedication, McMetal!
What a round you make! I'll look forward to your future store reports and if you can, snap a few pics of the as display so we can salivate over them.
Still no sign of those two battle packs here although I did see one Vulture's claw bp at a target two weeks ago. I must have missed the other one.
I seen a bare spot on a shelf at a Walmart today that had a $64.95 delux vehicle tag on it that may have held the y wing as I haven't seen any shadow arcs in Walmart yet.

Offline UnitedStatesDemocrat

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2009, 09:03:16 AM »
That seems like a very dedicated schedule.  Nice to see someone so interested in Star Wars!
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Offline McMetal

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2009, 05:12:15 PM »
Thanks guys, it does get a little tiresome sometimes. I wish I could rely on their employees to provide accurate information over the phone, it would sure help save $ on gas. Or even if they had some kind of structured delivery dates for new toys etc. It's just a mess though, stuff showing up in drips and drabs all over.

Will definitely post some pics when I have a chance to pull some stuff out of storage...soon.

Offline Tamer

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2009, 05:18:59 PM »
Wow, what a detailed report! Wow, I was just wondering about what you were seeing. You have this worked out to a science. Is that Tank droid part of the Loathsome wave? If so, I think I may have seen that one today.

Offline Clonehead

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #6 on: August 17, 2009, 05:58:04 PM »
I have seen loathsom figs but no tank droid.
I think I may need fir you to sneak back into the store room for me, Shawn.
I'll get the wife to help me forge an employee id for you to look official.

Offline Tamer

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2009, 04:16:48 AM »
I sure wish I could get your wife's discount Clint, but let me know if you need anything.

Offline narceron

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #8 on: August 18, 2009, 05:30:44 AM »
that is a lot of driving.

they have the crab droid at my TRU, it just sits there.

Offline Darth Aussie

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #9 on: August 18, 2009, 06:11:46 AM »
Dedication does get you a good score now and then...... ;D

Offline McMetal

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #10 on: August 18, 2009, 10:47:00 AM »
Tamer - the Tank Droid is part of CW Vehicle Wave 6, I believe. (That's how it is listed on Entertainment Earth, for example) It should ship with Ahsoka's starfighter, since everything else in that wave has already been released. These were definitely listed as hitting retail in August, so we'll see.

Clone - Great catch on that Deluxe vehicle tag at Wal-Mart. I went out and checked last night after reading your post and saw a similar tag at the Wal-Mart here, but the spot was empty. The tag was dated 8/17 though, so this is one I will have to keep checking on regularly. The last SRP I saw for the Y-Wing was $59.99, so this fits. (Their other vehicles are about $5 over SRP too)

Offline Clonehead

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #11 on: August 18, 2009, 02:23:30 PM »
I'm going to have the wifey research that UPC tomorrow.
I seen one in a different store today.

Offline McMetal

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #12 on: August 21, 2009, 08:08:22 AM »
One of our 9 Targets just got the new Comic Packs yesterday (Lumiya, Vong, etc)...

Not something I'm interested in personally, but I'm sure others will be.

I'm irate that another week has come and gone and the Corporate Alliance Tank Droid has not been stocked yet. We were promised this in August and now there are only nine days left...

A week without new toys is a week without sunshine.  :-[

Offline Tamer

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #13 on: August 21, 2009, 12:15:21 PM »
It has been raining in my home area this whole month!

Offline McMetal

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Re: VIRGINIA
« Reply #14 on: August 22, 2009, 08:11:52 PM »
Aw yeah, found Ahsoka Tano's Starfighter last night on my Mega-Hunt. Only 1 left at 1 Target...still a steal at $19.99. I was really hoping for the Corp. Alliance Tank Droid but no such luck.

Now I have to hope some of the other local Targets get some in this week...