darkSpyro

http://youtu.be/S2Cdpzfqgl4 The Asian Guy Gamer found them at his Target. I need to check tomorrow here in TN.

Welp...This is good news. Looks like these 3 are ready to show their faces.

Couple questions about wave 3 (and thanks in advance for any information you have and would share out there):


1. Are these figures coming to TRU this weekend then? Should I be on the lookout? My kid got a TRU gift card (chuckles thinking about recent discussions I've read on this forum) and is raring to go to spend it on new swap forcers.

2. Sheep Wreck Island is nowhere to be seen in any of these posts. Wasn't that part of Wave 3? Or does my memory fail me?

With TRU getting the wave 3 non swappers first and target getting the wave 3 swappers first, you could speculate that the sheep wreck island 3-pk. Could be a gamestop exclusive soon.
Similar to the Hot Dog scorpion pack last year.
Just totally guessing though. I have no knowledge of this.

Grabbed all three of the swappers tonight. Last Stink Bomb on the shelf, they have 5 Spy Rise, and 10+ Rubble Rouser. Central FL North of Orlando.

I found all 3 in Portland OR at Target Clackamas Mall. They are awsome.

Can someone please link me to the thread where there were pictures of the boxes in the back of Target with W3 and the street date so I can show the employees tomorrow (minus the street date lol) I can't find it for the life if me :/

I was stupid earlier...I based whether they had wave 3 on if they had Dune Bug, but apparently they had the 3 swappers already. They kindly held one of each for me and I got them a couple hours ago.

@Lesty I could see that happening. We'd have to confirm one way or another though. If they do get one of the packs as an exclusive, then who might get the other one? Also, will Jade Fire Kraken be a Target exclusive, like Jade Flashwing?

One a side note, given how many figs there are now, and given how confused many parents are, I have an idea. Why doesn't Activision make a set of thin color booklets with the figs in it? They could have reasonable size pics that show the details to distinguish a lightcore from a legendary, an in-game varient from a regular one. There could be concise explanations and accompanying pics to show parents what makes certain boxes different at a glance. And each fig would have their full name so parents don't wonder about that, and a little white box to check off that fig, or maybe even a checklist in the back of the booklet referencing the page with that fig's pic. Wouldn't that be easy to do? Make tons of them, have them near the display, and parents can use it while shopping. Or even a glossy version that's on a chain, so parents can look at it, but it's always there, so anyone can see it. To further the idea, give the Electronics section or any gaming store a glossy version for their employees. This way, they can also see just what should be in a starter pack, so there aren't return scams. Why hasn't this been done before?

I went by two different Targets in Southeastern Michigan. Struck out at both. None on the pegs and none allegedly in the back. One guy actually went in the back to look. The other guy was actually the least helpful employee I have ever come across. I would have asked to speak to a manager, but I had left a Christmas party to check. I am now worried that I will not be able to find them. Who knows if they have already sold out or if they haven't even got any yet. Is there any chance that some Targets do not have their stock yet, Lesty?

Quote: griswoldthunder

I went by two different Targets in Southeastern Michigan. Struck out at both. None on the pegs and none allegedly in the back. One guy actually went in the back to look. The other guy was actually the least helpful employee I have ever come across. I would have asked to speak to a manager, but I had left a Christmas party to check. I am now worried that I will not be able to find them. Who knows if they have already sold out or if they haven't even got any yet. Is there any chance that some Targets do not have their stock yet, Lesty?

Don't freak out too much yet. I can confirm that some Target's don't have their stock yet. It just depends on their truck dates and shipping distribution. I have 5 targets within a 15 mile radius of me, and only one had the boxes yesterday. Another (within the same zip code as the one that had them) told me they had a truck arriving that night and would probably have them on that truck. I'd say just keep calling around/checking when each Target has/is getting a truck to see if they are on it.

It's really disappointing to see how badly Target handles their own exclusive promotions. This is not the first (or second) time this year that Target stores have been asked to hold certain exclusive or semi-exclusive Skylanders for a Sunday release, but instead put them out on shelves in the middle of the previous week instead.

Perhaps it's time for Target to ditch the concept of tying Skylanders releases to their Sunday newspaper advertisements.

Do people actually still read the newspaper in search of advertisements? I guess maybe grandparents.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

It's really disappointing to see how badly Target handles their own exclusive promotions. This is not the first (or second) time this year that Target stores have been asked to hold certain exclusive or semi-exclusive Skylanders for a Sunday release, but instead put them out on shelves in the middle of the previous week instead.

Perhaps it's time for Target to ditch the concept of tying Skylanders releases to their Sunday newspaper advertisements.

Do people actually still read the newspaper in search of advertisements? I guess maybe grandparents.

When you have 1800+ stores in the US, it's hard to logistically keep each store on the exact same timeframe. I don't think the characters should be on any shelves right now, but I assume a small percentage just restocked after Xmas and put them out, unaware of the promotion this Sunday. There is a standard procedure for handling items that are on ad Sunday. And to answer your question about the Weekly ad, yes...it's by far the biggest sales driver for most retailers, including Target. EVen if Newspapers are dying, people still like to look through the ad, whether it's on paper, or online.

Got all three at my Target in western Pennsylvania this morning. Last ones on the pegs. But I still need to find them for my niece. I can't remember, has anyone actually seen the boxes with a street date on them? Or did they just get them in this week and assume they'd have some left for Sunday? The TRU here is so on the ball with Skylanders stuff that I've gotten spoiled. I'm really glad I found what I did, but I don't love getting up early to check Target with no idea if they actually got them yet or not. The employees are nice, but that thing with them all having the same code is not helpful. The employees don't know what I'm talking about and just look them up in the computer and tell you to check the toy department because there are more there....which turn out to be core landers from Giants.

Quote: wombatandchips

I can't remember, has anyone actually seen the boxes with a street date on them?

I have actually asked employees directly to just confirm if they had a box in the back with a street date label and have been refused at three different stores. I've gone and asked during slow times of the day now that the Christmas rush is over but seem to just be getting rude employees or the kid that barely seems to have a reason to be working in the electronics department.

I can confirm that there weren't any dates on them, except for the "Do Not Sell Until October 15th" label.

So the whole "street date" of 12/29, is purely for a Target sales promotion and nothing more. There is no "breaking" taking place. I guess its possible that Target could still be getting the swappers as an exclusive for a time period compared to other stores, but there isnt anything holding employees back from just restocking them like any other box that comes in.

I scored all 3 swappers at a Target in Northern KY yesterday afternoon. They had at least 3-4 of each one.

No I cracked open a box this morning no dates other than October 15th like Matteo said

I know I remember seeing a picture posted on the forum with a box saying the 29th.

Quote: BahamutBreaker

It's really disappointing to see how badly Target handles their own exclusive promotions. This is not the first (or second) time this year that Target stores have been asked to hold certain exclusive or semi-exclusive Skylanders for a Sunday release, but instead put them out on shelves in the middle of the previous week instead.

Perhaps it's time for Target to ditch the concept of tying Skylanders releases to their Sunday newspaper advertisements.

Do people actually still read the newspaper in search of advertisements? I guess maybe grandparents.

I agree. My Target has already SOLD OUT of Skylanders that were supposed to be there Sunday. My beef is don't advertise it for a certain date and then just willy nilly put them on the shelves. If that's the case they should advertise it within 24 hours of simply doing it...making it a bit more fair.

Or perhaps lobby to get more boxes sent to their store for an exclusive. 2 boxes per store...really?

At 12 figures per box x 2 boxes x 18,000 stores x $15 nets only 6.5 million...drop in the bucket for a billion dollar franchise. Also a waste of a week exclusive. TRU went online with theirs and had 5x more in stock merchandise per store. Maybe that's a requirement for a store that isn't dedicated for toys but it makes it a poor fit and it looks glaringly obvious.

Still plenty on the pegs at rio target in gaithersburg md.

Cool I will look whenj able to go it will be good cuz I want dune big

Quote: GhostRoaster

I agree. My Target has already SOLD OUT of Skylanders that were supposed to be there Sunday. My beef is don't advertise it for a certain date and then just willy nilly put them on the shelves. If that's the case they should advertise it within 24 hours of simply doing it...making it a bit more fair.

Or perhaps lobby to get more boxes sent to their store for an exclusive. 2 boxes per store...really?

At 12 figures per box x 2 boxes x 18,000 stores x $15 nets only 6.5 million...drop in the bucket for a billion dollar franchise. Also a waste of a week exclusive. TRU went online with theirs and had 5x more in stock merchandise per store. Maybe that's a requirement for a store that isn't dedicated for toys but it makes it a poor fit and it looks glaringly obvious.

To be honest, those Skylanders in the ad are just to get people in the stores. They have lots of other things to sell them in addition to those Skylanders. Between the cost of the exclusive and wholesale, I'd be surprised if they are making that much off just those figures. Mom takes junior to the store, buys them one (or another if they don't have that one), then says while we are here, I'm going to look at clothes and pick up some groceries. Most people will just shrug and move on, a few will be upset if they don't have them, but most will just figure they sold out and move on. Skylanders really isn't that huge of a deal except to us and the kids, and kids attention span is very short and easily distracted.

Doesn't make it not suck if you wait till Sunday only to find out they are already gone ... but at least these will be common soon.

Score! Picked them up today around 2pm in Hendersonville Tennessee! They didn't have a ton but enough of each. I didn't think of find it

Quote: GhostRoaster

Quote: BahamutBreaker

It's really disappointing to see how badly Target handles their own exclusive promotions. This is not the first (or second) time this year that Target stores have been asked to hold certain exclusive or semi-exclusive Skylanders for a Sunday release, but instead put them out on shelves in the middle of the previous week instead.

Perhaps it's time for Target to ditch the concept of tying Skylanders releases to their Sunday newspaper advertisements.

Do people actually still read the newspaper in search of advertisements? I guess maybe grandparents.

I agree. My Target has already SOLD OUT of Skylanders that were supposed to be there Sunday. My beef is don't advertise it for a certain date and then just willy nilly put them on the shelves. If that's the case they should advertise it within 24 hours of simply doing it...making it a bit more fair.

Or perhaps lobby to get more boxes sent to their store for an exclusive. 2 boxes per store...really?

At 12 figures per box x 2 boxes x 18,000 stores x $15 nets only 6.5 million...drop in the bucket for a billion dollar franchise. Also a waste of a week exclusive. TRU went online with theirs and had 5x more in stock merchandise per store. Maybe that's a requirement for a store that isn't dedicated for toys but it makes it a poor fit and it looks glaringly obvious.

Outside of Lesty, where has it been advertised that the figures were hitting on 12/29? He never said they would be put out on 12/29 - he just said Target will have them on 12/29. I haven't seen anything online or on their website so, outside of the folks on this board, no one else will be lined up on 12/29. However, most of the folks on this board who know of the "available date" are the ones going out now so they don't miss out. Will people see the ad and be disappointed when they go in only to find these swappers out of stock? Sure. But those will probably be the same folks content with picking them up the following week(s) at TRU or Walmart.

Please know - I am with you on it being a wasted exclusive if they run out of stock (especially if they negotiated for the exclusive) but a) it's post Christmas so there really isn't any rush for the casual gamer and b) to this point, no one is "expecting" to be able to get them on 12/29 except for those people already running around trying to get them (if I recall correctly, even Lesty was trying to score them early.)

On a side note, this has become the norm for Skylanders. I found these boards because I was tired of my kids using their allowance to buy Skylanders off Ebay 2 years ago at overly inflated prices. Because of this board, I was able to use the available information, conjecture or confirmed, to beat the scalpers to the punch. But then scalpers have found these boards too and they are waiting in the lines with the rest of us. Now, as soon as someone gives "confirmation", you have people everywhere badgering employees and getting them to pull stock out of the back, let the customer crack open the box, and then cry, whine and moan when the store's system allows or doesn't allow the product to be sold when it wasn't even supposed to be on the floor to begin with.

While I so enjoy the pleasure my kids get from these little figures and the game, the race to be first, either with confirmation, information, or to have purchased, is getting a tad bit absurd. Next people will be helping unload the FedEx truck just to get a glimpse of the W4 box...

Found ALL 3 today @ the Target in Chesterfield, MI.. The associate said they were dated 12/22/13 on the packaging.. Happy hunting !!

Found all 3 swappers today at target paramus nj

Found all 3 in Indianapolis, IN today... good luck everyone!

Got all 3 new swappers at Target in Southington, CT

Got all three Richland Wa

Found Spy and Rubble, but no Stink. Three Targets - same story.

Saw all 3, but no use in buying them if I don't have SWAPForce xD (Peoria, AZ)

Found them in Allentown, PA

I am standing in Target at 7th St & Bell in Phoenix, AZ with all three new swappers in hand! They still have more of all 3 so you need to move fast if you live nearby and want them. Good luck!

-VM

Went to my local Hattiesburg, MS Target. I seen one Spy Rise on the Shelf just sitting there. I looked at all 3 locations in the store and there were no signs of any of the other two or any more Spy Rise. I asked the employee to look for any boxes in the back and he came back saying there weren't any and that everything on the shelf is what they have. My town is a little small and doesn't usually run out of Skylanders the first few days, so I don't know whats going on. I mean they even have Nitro's still on the shelf. Guess I will keep checking back or wait for Amazon. Or maybe Toys r Us in the future will get a shipment and have buy 1 get 1 40% off since I still have 2 remaining to get.

Quote: defpally

Quote: GhostRoaster

I agree. My Target has already SOLD OUT of Skylanders that were supposed to be there Sunday. My beef is don't advertise it for a certain date and then just willy nilly put them on the shelves. If that's the case they should advertise it within 24 hours of simply doing it...making it a bit more fair.

Or perhaps lobby to get more boxes sent to their store for an exclusive. 2 boxes per store...really?

At 12 figures per box x 2 boxes x 18,000 stores x $15 nets only 6.5 million...drop in the bucket for a billion dollar franchise. Also a waste of a week exclusive. TRU went online with theirs and had 5x more in stock merchandise per store. Maybe that's a requirement for a store that isn't dedicated for toys but it makes it a poor fit and it looks glaringly obvious.

To be honest, those Skylanders in the ad are just to get people in the stores. They have lots of other things to sell them in addition to those Skylanders. Between the cost of the exclusive and wholesale, I'd be surprised if they are making that much off just those figures. Mom takes junior to the store, buys them one (or another if they don't have that one), then says while we are here, I'm going to look at clothes and pick up some groceries. Most people will just shrug and move on, a few will be upset if they don't have them, but most will just figure they sold out and move on. Skylanders really isn't that huge of a deal except to us and the kids, and kids attention span is very short and easily distracted.

Doesn't make it not suck if you wait till Sunday only to find out they are already gone ... but at least these will be common soon.

So to answer a few recent complaints/questions:
1 - Quantities are planned around the Weekly Ad all the time. Although these items don't have a hard street date, like a new release CD or video game, it's Targets plan to hold quantities until the Ad hits so they have plenty of stock for it. If any stores open and don't have any in stock, that's bad for Target and bad for the guests looking to buy them. Any store that may have sold out of their stock early didn't follow their normal procedure of handling this.
2 - There's plenty involved in negotitions other than just "What Target makes" off the figures. Target is advertising Skylanders in their weekly ad that goes out to millions and millions of homes each week. That's a big deal to Activision. It also drives trips to the store. If a family sees that Target has skylanders that are exclusive, it drives them into the store, where they are more than likely to not just buy Skylanders, but groceries or home goods or other electronics, clothes, etc...
3 - Don't plan on seeing these at TRU for at least 7 days, and possibly up to 14 days. If you're holding out for them to be in other stores, you'll be out of luck, unless you don't mind waiting a couple of weeks.

Quote: lesty

Don't plan on seeing these at TRU for at least 7 days, and possibly up to 14 days. If you're holding out for them to be in other stores, you'll be out of luck, unless you don't mind waiting a couple of weeks.

A couple weeks really isn't that long. Is that how long the exclusives normally last?

Daytona Target has them, just got Spy Rise to round out what we can get of wave 3 right now.

Quote: lesty

Quote: BahamutBreaker

It's really disappointing to see how badly Target handles their own exclusive promotions. This is not the first (or second) time this year that Target stores have been asked to hold certain exclusive or semi-exclusive Skylanders for a Sunday release, but instead put them out on shelves in the middle of the previous week instead.

Perhaps it's time for Target to ditch the concept of tying Skylanders releases to their Sunday newspaper advertisements.

Do people actually still read the newspaper in search of advertisements? I guess maybe grandparents.

When you have 1800+ stores in the US, it's hard to logistically keep each store on the exact same timeframe. I don't think the characters should be on any shelves right now, but I assume a small percentage just restocked after Xmas and put them out, unaware of the promotion this Sunday. There is a standard procedure for handling items that are on ad Sunday. And to answer your question about the Weekly ad, yes...it's by far the biggest sales driver for most retailers, including Target. EVen if Newspapers are dying, people still like to look through the ad, whether it's on paper, or online.

I agree, we get the sunday paper here only for the ads as i get the rest of the paper free since newsday is owner by my cable company .


Quote: Mage0069

No I cracked open a box this morning no dates other than October 15th like Matteo said

Any idea on whats in the box count wise like how many of each, I might ahve missed this if so im sorry.

Target in kalamazoo, mi had all 3 swappers in stock( rubble rouser, stink bomb, and spy rise) had no problem buying them. There shelves had at least 5 of each today

Went to my local target here in Harrisburg, PA. I talked to an employee today who said he was keeping an eye out for them too. He said he hasn't seen any new shipments come through here. Apparently we're in some nexus of the universe that doesn't receive regular shipments, so apparently everyone else is finding them at their Target stores, and apparently I'll be lucky if I even see them Sunday

I haven't checked yet, are the scalpers hitting up Ebay in full force with Stink Bombs? Grr... scalpers.

Quote: Krazeklif2299

Target in kalamazoo, mi had all 3 swappers in stock( rubble rouser, stink bomb, and spy rise) had no problem buying them. There shelves had at least 5 of each today

The one in portage? Just came from the west main one and they had nothing!

Massachusetts has them

Quote: Skylandscaper

I haven't checked yet, are the scalpers hitting up Ebay in full force with Stink Bombs? Grr... scalpers.

Pretty much.

He's obviously gonna be the most popular, and will sell very fast.

Target Ofallon Missouri got all 3

Found all 3 in Southern Indiana 12/26

Found all three this morning at the Amherst, NY Target. They had oodles of them out.

I got a $50 gift card so hopefully tomorrow I can go see if my Target has any!

I was at Target to get some Orange Juice and I found out that my Target is already sold out of them, they stocked them this morning. She even showed me the 3 new figures that she bought for her son. They get a shipment in on next Friday, which may or may not include the new swappers. I love how those of us who wait for the street date may not end up with figures until much later or after spending lots of money on eBay or Amazon.

There's clowns selling stink bomb on Amazon for 40-80 dollars, it's not worth going the secondary market route at this point. However, I swear that if I somehow don't get the one character I need because Target can't get its act together, than I'm going to... wait impatiently until they get a wide release and... maybe complain a little.