darkSpyro

If you are still looking for a deal with Clear Tuff Luck, look no further:
http://www.gamestop.com/access...m-bundle/119912
$99.99 - Comes with BlasterMind, Thunderbolt and Buddy pack (Hijinx/Eye small), Elite Stealth Elf, Water Trap and Life Trap.

I was kinda wondering who the third chase variant was . I only knew of Short Cut and Thunder Bolt

Tuff luck was the first to be released in TT. The toy design is a great representation of her powers.

I'd be a little cautious about how GS can offer so many of them, like they may have a special batch made up just for them or something. They are known to hold onto stuff and get repressings of rarer games. Basically they create artificial demand and higher prices. In this case they may be looking to clear out a lot of dead stock with one decent figure.

But as it stands, this is definitely worth it, as she goes for over $100 anyway on ebay typically. Of course, next week she could drop to $50 if they have a lot of these on the website to sell and the scalpers goes crazy on the deal.

The clears weren't all that rare apparently, and Gamestop does go through their cases at the warehouse and pulls out all rares. Stores never get unopened cases directly from what I have seen. This is definitely their way to clearance out stuff for full price. The list of garbage you have to pay full on to get this is epic.

The Clear Tuff Luck ($15)
A water and a life trap (of course). ($14)
A common mini pack. ($15)
Two common, not popular Trap Masters. ($30)
An Eon's Elite (none of these sold well). ($25)

This bundle is essentially a magnet for resellers. Tuff Luck sells for an average of $75-$80, so this'll definitely be sold out soon.

Aside from the Tuff Luck, everything that is included in this bundle is outdated and not worth much, it's just a way for GameStop to move their old stock. With that being said, it's still a great deal just for the Tuff Luck, since she sells for close to $100 dollars on her own and you could always sell / trade the extras even if it's below retail to get some of your money back.

Good for them in figuring out a way to get rid of this stupid stock. I went into TRU today---nothing but the VD Pop Fizz and water traps. On the plus side I did see the Giants Legendary 3 pack there--thought they were gone forever.

Thats Gamestop...its what they do....greed is a funny thing.

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

Thats Gamestop...its what they do....greed is a funny thing.

No it's called being a business. Greed would be the people that buy this and try and sell if for $300. They're not a charity, and this isn't a greedy price. Would you like to front the money for the inventory they have and bite nails everyday if it doesn't sell?

It's a personal moral vs good business issue. It's greed in the context that big companies are not expected to cherry pick though boxes for varients for any reason at all. They are supposed to ignore value and collectabilty and put them on a shelf at msrp. This is morally questionable when not adhered to.

Gamestop with holding Kaos Traps to bundle with crap for online sales is a good way to generate cash and sell deadstock, but it is going to be seen as greed by anyone hoping to walk in to a brick and mortar and buy one off the shelf for their demanding child. Not greedy world be to sell the item for it's intended msrp alone even though it's unrealistic as the scalpers would be all over it. So they are damned no matter what they do.

Gamestop is doing the most profitable thing in face of a bad situation. They are getting rid of unmovable stock without technically gouging but it's not entirely seen as respectable by the average consumer either. In this case you really are paying $100 for Tuff Luck and left to fend for yourself with product you most likely don't want for any price. Seriously a collector that does want a clear TL surely would have most of the rest anyway and will probably get $25 for the rest on ebay for a very quick flip.

Again it's technically not gouging but indirectly it is when the rest has devalued so badly to be almost worthless. It is good retailing I'd admit because I do this too with my ebay junk, but I always get people asking me to sell them that one good item out of a lot for a cheap price and to leave the rest.

So it's a business decision. Will you please your customers or satisfy your bottom line? Greed is always seen as anything which doesn't satisfy customer. More so when you are profiting from doing what is seen as immoral like cherry picking though your boxes for the best stuff when it should go on the shelves as consumers expect to happen.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

Thats Gamestop...its what they do....greed is a funny thing.

No it's called being a business. Greed would be the people that buy this and try and sell if for $300. They're not a charity, and this isn't a greedy price. Would you like to front the money for the inventory they have and bite nails everyday if it doesn't sell?

You're talking as if GameStop was a small mom & pop business when you say that they're biting their nails if their dead stock doesn't move or sell. That's clearly not the case in this scenario and you're just trying to rationalize a cash grab move which other retailers won't sink to. Eventually when GameStop does fold, there will be a lot of people out there saying "good riddance" just because of these of these "rare" figure bundling practices (not to mention ridiculously high prices where you can get a video game cheaper practically anywhere else). And by your definition, anybody who sells on EBay and profits is greedy. You draw no line at which profit point a reseller becomes defined as greedy and that is wrong. At the end of the day, both entities (GameStop and EBay reseller) are doing work in hopes of profits and minimized losses/dead stock.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

Thats Gamestop...its what they do....greed is a funny thing.

No it's called being a business. Greed would be the people that buy this and try and sell if for $300. They're not a charity, and this isn't a greedy price. Would you like to front the money for the inventory they have and bite nails everyday if it doesn't sell?

It is not business...digging through box's in the warehouse to find the rare figures instead of shipping the unopened box's to the stores like all the other companys do...is greed. And like another member said, they are not bitting there nails hoping there inventory sells...they are a large company. They just return the unsold stock to the main warehouse....fairyland nailed it.

And besides i'm not big on these non in-game varaints...i'm skilled enough i could make my own version of them if i wanted to....even the clear ones.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

Thats Gamestop...its what they do....greed is a funny thing.

No it's called being a business. Greed would be the people that buy this and try and sell if for $300. They're not a charity, and this isn't a greedy price. Would you like to front the money for the inventory they have and bite nails everyday if it doesn't sell?

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. If Activision wanted this to be done they would sell cases of clears directly to Gamestop like they do with the variants like King Cobra Cadabra. Maybe they do, but I think it is pretty obvious that they just pick through the cases as I've never seen a Gamestop get a direct from Activision case like we regularly see at TRU and others.

Sure, Activision could probably put a stop to it, but it almost certainly isn't worth the effort to go after a retailer so they let it slide. Yeah, they could charge $300 for it, but they ARE charging a premium - you have to buy a bunch of stuff you probably don't want in order to get it, they are forcing you to clear their inventory at full price for the opportunity to buy one. Would it be ok for a grocery store to pick out all the best apples and tell you that in order to get one you had to buy a bunch of overripe fruit that is getting ready to go bad? Perfectly legal, but we really as a whole need to stop justifying shady business practice by whether or not they can get away with it. We as a country should strive for something higher than simply "legal".

This is still available! It shows that the rare figure collector market is either dwindling or they just made too many of these clear Tuff Luck figures. Perhaps people will bite once they remove all the garbage offered in this "rare bundle." GameStop can go suck it with their dumb bundling practices.

If you figure that there's one of these in every 10 cases (which seems a little generous), GameStop had to purchase 119 more figures in order to get one of these. Putting them in this small of a bundle seems pretty generous in comparison to how Activision bundles them.

shhh! Scalpers!

Nah, too expensive, I'll pass...

Yeah, they marked this up too much. Not like when they did the bundle for swap force and they were still regular price. Don't need it that bad.

Quote: goldenrushducks

shhh! Scalpers!

Nah, too expensive, I'll pass...

It's a little more, but nothing like what I've seen clear singles selling for when they were hot.

This is the first bundle GS has done that lasted over 1 day without selling out and back up at a later time. Probably has to do with the fact that it is so late in the game and the fact that Activision has not released the last 3 traps in the US. Most collectors are sending a message to Activision. Even though it is a better deal than Ebay, since you get more for you money, but most collectors have 4 games worth of characters that they don't want/have the room for dust collectors.

Well, I think interest in the franchise is tanking hard....I know folks don't want to hear conspiracy theories--but I know how many starters didn't sell, and I've seen nothing move in stores for the entire summer. Basically since April. Not even sure how SuperChargers is going to have space because there's that much stock sitting on shelves....TRU is fine b/c they have a whole wall.

The hardcore "willing to pay big bucks" collectors are few and far between and most of them got Clear Tuff Luck early on. Now we've got a more casual collector base who won't bite at ridiculous bundle prices for a chase variant. Even the scalper/resale market doesn't want to go through the hassle of picking apart a bundle as there's no guarantee of turning a profit with these guys. Overall, interest is waning in the franchise as stock isn't moving at even a fraction of the pace it was during the Giants era around the same time. I'm pretty sure all us hunters have been to stores recently and are tired of seeing the same old stuff. As the thread in the other forum seems to indicate asking whether or not Sky 6 should be the last game in the series, there's a growing number of people sensing a spiraling fan base and a general feeling that we're nearing the end of Skylanders.

Personally, I'd be quite surprised if any Toys to Life franchises are around 5 years from now...that includes Disney Infinity, Nintendo Amiibo, and Lego Dimensions. It'll all be a forgotten fad soon enough.

Other companies like Walmart and Target just send out boxes and boxes and care less about any rare figures, because they make millions on other products they sell. Gamestop is a specific market, so it makes sense for them to know and care / resell these rare figures in bundles.

Quote: Zook

Other companies like Walmart and Target just send out boxes and boxes and care less about any rare figures, because they make millions on other products they sell. Gamestop is a specific market, so it makes sense for them to know and care / resell these rare figures in bundles.

Yeah...but the practice of taking out rare figures meant to be sold at MSRP alongside with other regular figures is shady business practice. If all stores started doing that, then they're no longer chase figures...they're wallet figures...you need to break out your wallet and spend extra money to get them since all the hunting and chasing in the world won't help you acquire them at an out of pocket cost of $15 of less.

I can't believe people are justifying the actions of GameStop and saying their bundling practices are ok. They do it with all rare products to move dead product so that they can pad their pockets...they did it with the Wii U GameCube adapter...they did it with their store exclusive Ness Amiibo...they did it with the Nintendo 3DS XL Majoras Mask limited edition. They're basically removing rare or low production/high demand product from availability at MSRP and strong arming the consumer into buying unnecessary add-ons for the opportunity to purchase that given product. Other retailers don't stoop to those levels. "Good riddance" is what I'll be saying the day they eventually file for bankruptcy and close down. Given Best Buy offers 20% off games and preorder bonuses with their Gamers Club Unlocked, I'm very surprised there are people who repeatedly give business to GameStop to purchase new games...their Power Up Pro membership is something I've found to be of practically no value other than the minimal 10% discount I once got off of their used Skylander figures.

I don't know if anyone is particularly "defending" the practice - just that we don't realy care or find it offensive.

Put it this way, if GameStop *did* ship the figures to stores to be sold at MSRP, how many would get snatched up by employees/friends of employees/resellers versus how many would actually make it to legitimate customers who luckily happen to find one on a peg?

It's a zero-sum game and not something worth getting worked up into a tizzy over. The problem with getting these figures isn't tha GameStop pulls them out to sel in bundles. The problem is with how Activision produces them in such low quantities and how they ship 'em out.

I don't even care about the chase figures, but it is shady they do that. If it was intended to be sold at retail at a premium or in bundles, Activison would ship them in case assortments or in low production full cases as they do with other variants instead of randomly like they do now (maybe they do for Gamestop, but not likely). Obviously they are aware of Gamestop's practices, and likely chose to not crack down on them or made some back end deal with them to look the other way.

Regardless, they do it and have for a while for many rare things, so it isn't going to change. I just pretend chase variants don't exist for my collection (and they pretty much don't, I've never seen one personally). I also refuse to buy one of their bundles where they sell a bunch of clearance crap for full price along with a hard to find item. That's really all you can do as a consumer. They wouldn't do it if they didn't sell - and I bet many people on here have bought them. Just don't buy it if you don't like it - that sends a far stronger deterrent to a shady business practice than whining on a fan forum. Corporations listen to one thing and one thing only - sales.

Quote: defpally

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Quote: Phoenix_Lord

Thats Gamestop...its what they do....greed is a funny thing.

No it's called being a business. Greed would be the people that buy this and try and sell if for $300. They're not a charity, and this isn't a greedy price. Would you like to front the money for the inventory they have and bite nails everyday if it doesn't sell?

I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. If Activision wanted this to be done they would sell cases of clears directly to Gamestop like they do with the variants like King Cobra Cadabra. Maybe they do, but I think it is pretty obvious that they just pick through the cases as I've never seen a Gamestop get a direct from Activision case like we regularly see at TRU and others.

Sure, Activision could probably put a stop to it, but it almost certainly isn't worth the effort to go after a retailer so they let it slide. Yeah, they could charge $300 for it, but they ARE charging a premium - you have to buy a bunch of stuff you probably don't want in order to get it, they are forcing you to clear their inventory at full price for the opportunity to buy one. Would it be ok for a grocery store to pick out all the best apples and tell you that in order to get one you had to buy a bunch of overripe fruit that is getting ready to go bad? Perfectly legal, but we really as a whole need to stop justifying shady business practice by whether or not they can get away with it. We as a country should strive for something higher than simply "legal".

I must've missed the retailer agreement Gamestop signed that said how they would sell it. Bottom line--buyers ARE speaking, and they aren't buying. I think that speaks volumes in of itself. But I'm not going to chaffe a company trying to get rid of dead stock. Cause NO ONE is buying this crap now. Being a business, they can set their price. As consumers, we can buy it--or not. I like it that way.

Btw, I know you know I hate Gamestop--this is like going into a car dealership and not liking the price...FINE! do not buy...get a deal somewhere else.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

I must've missed the retailer agreement Gamestop signed that said how they would sell it. Bottom line--buyers ARE speaking, and they aren't buying. I think that speaks volumes in of itself. But I'm not going to chaffe a company trying to get rid of dead stock. Cause NO ONE is buying this crap now. Being a business, they can set their price. As consumers, we can buy it--or not. I like it that way.

None of us know what is in their agreements. Like I said, it's legal and they are going to do it as long as it sells, and Activision apparently isn't going to stop them. They obvious don't intend for it to be sold like this given how they ship the chase variants. I don't like it, and I won't buy it - that's the extent of what I can personally do. But I am a big proponent of not simply sitting back and shrugging when corporations do shady stuff simply because they can. Call them out, and the more people that are aware of what is happening, the more will also take that path.

The free market can't fix everything, as we are both well aware - in our state we had gas stations that jacked prices up to as much as $9 a gallon when Katrina hit. The invisible hand of the market does need a healthy slap on the wrist at times (and Roy Cooper did that with stiff fines). Not that I consider gas prices and Skylanders in any way similar - it's just an example of what unfettered capitalism is capable of when left to its own will.

Quote: defpally

(and they pretty much don't, I've never seen one personally).

This.

I've opened a *ton* of boxes at a ton of retailers and I've seen *one* wild chase variant since the beginning. It was a clear Short Cut on the pegs at TRU the morning they came out. (which plays into the theory that Activision produced the Trap Team clear figures in greater number than the rest).

The reason folks don't find the case figures isn't because of resellers or employees - it's because they're rare.

But, let's be honest - people *want* them because they're rare. Go to your TRU and see how many metallic Gill Grunts they have holding up the pegs. Remember when he first was spotted - folks here threw fits, wanted to know how to get him, swore off Skylanders (as they often do), etc., etc. Now, TRU can't give them away (like, literally... ).

Most of the variants are ugly, monochromatic, cheap-looking jobs (I do like the various metallic, clears and Snowlderdash) that if they were abundant, most folks would pass over because they already have the figure or that it's not an in-game variant.

Quote: defpally

Just don't buy it if you don't like it - that sends a far stronger deterrent to a shady business practice than whining on a fan forum.

I don't take anything on this thread as whining. It's more about being fed up with shady business practices and calling GameStop out publicly for their bundling practices. I could care less about chase variants as I don't collect them, but will certainly be vocal when I see such shenanigans as to shed light on what kind of business GameStop is operating. Their way of thinking is "hey...we got this rare item people have an extremely tough time getting...rather than release it at MSRP as a standalone item like those other fools (Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Best Buy), let's find a way to make it an add on to other junk that isn't in demand to maximize profits." Speaking with your wallet by not buying AND warning/educating others is the best way to convey a message.

Quote: mastermc54

Quote: defpally

Just don't buy it if you don't like it - that sends a far stronger deterrent to a shady business practice than whining on a fan forum.

I don't take anything on this thread as whining. It's more about being fed up with shady business practices and calling GameStop out publicly for their bundling practices. I could care less about chase variants as I don't collect them, but will certainly be vocal when I see such shenanigans as to shed light on what kind of business GameStop is operating. Their way of thinking is "hey...we got this rare item people have an extremely tough time getting...rather than release it at MSRP as a standalone item like those other fools (Walmart, Target, Toys R Us, Best Buy), let's find a way to make it an add on to other junk that isn't in demand to maximize profits." Speaking with your wallet by not buying AND warning/educating others is the best way to convey a message.

Of course, this definitely deserves attention. People should be aware of what they are doing, and I do think it is pretty crappy of them. But that's where it ends, it becomes "whining" when people start talking about whether it is "legal" (which has happened in these types of threads) or how upset they are that they are "forced" to buy other figures or how this denies them a chance to get it. UncleBob was right, even if they made it to a Gamestop store, their employees tend to know more about videogames, and it would be very unlikely a chase variant ever hit the floor.

GameStop has been doing this since day 1 (SSA), it may not be illegal but its just bad business practice, if it wasn't, why don't we see the other stores doing this, especially TRU (They get 3 to 5 times more Skylanders)?
Just stating the obvious.
This didn't surprise me when they started doing this since they already open the NEW games and sell them for full price. This again is another bad business practice. Who's to say they don't insert a used game and sell it as a NEW game. This is why I purchase New Games elsewhere.
I use to purchase used games but for about 3 years the price has not been low enough.

I will say, part of why we may not see other stores doing it is because of the way GameStop ships the merchandise to stores.

Other retailers get the freight either shipped direct from the distributor's warehouse to the stores in full case quantity or shipped to the retailer's warehouse and then reshipped to the store, again, in full case quantity.

GameStop has the cases shipped to a warehouse where they break them apart and ship smaller quantities or different assortments to the individual stores. So, if a case contains 4 figureA, 4 figureB and 4 figureC, they might break down 40 cases to ship two each A, B, and C to 80 different stores. Findng variants to pull aside with this method is almost guaranteed, vs. what happens with other retailers.

Absolutely true, UncleBob. As I said above, I've never seen a store other than Gamestop get Skylanders that weren't in full cases, and many times I've even helped employees open them as they let me pull out what I want. The TRU employees here are great, and for all the new cases I've been through, I've never seen a chase. I do know they had a few in old boxes of Swap Force stuff (metal mix swappers), but those were only found when a local woman that runs an Amazon store bought a bunch of their old stock they had never opened since the shelves were full and Trap Team was already out. Good for her, she ended up buying several thousand dollars worth of Swap Force figures (they were on sale) during Trap Team and ended up with a few gems - not a length I'm willing to go to ...

I'm on board for SuperChargers, but this year no variants at all. I'm looking forward to the game, my kids love driving games, so it sounds like fun for us. If I did happen to find a chase variant, I would probably buy it - but only because a local friend (TakeYourLemons) collects those, and sell it to him for cost, since we have always looked out for each other. Skylander hunting is so much easier when you have multiple sets of eyes around town.

They finally sold out...
Longest bundle so far for GS that did not sell out the same day of release